Specimen preparation apparatus, specimen preparation/analysis system and specimen plate

• US 7,875,241 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sysmex Corporation
• Inventors: Nakaya, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Nagpaul; Jyoti
• Application Number:
  US11/172,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20060029519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,035 Days
• Field of Search: 422 63- 67, 435/287.1, 435/287.3, 436 46- 49
• US Class Current: 422/65
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00752 bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 with sample on test slide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114165 with step of insertion or removal from test line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114998 with treatment or replacement of aspirator element [e.g., cleaning, etc.]

Abstract

Provided is a specimen preparation apparatus capable of supplying a specimen from the specimen preparation apparatus to a specimen analyzer without burdening an operator. This specimen preparation apparatus comprises a stained specimen preparation part for preparing a specimen on a slide glass and staining the specimen, a keeping part for storing the stained specimen slide glass prepared in the stained specimen preparation part and a control part for deciding whether to supply the stained specimen slide glass to the keeping part or to the external apparatus.

Claims

1. A stained blood smear preparation apparatus comprising:

a stained specimen preparation part comprising a pipette for dispensing blood to a slide glass, a smearing part for preparing a blood smear of the blood on the slide glass, and a staining part for staining said blood smear, thereby providing a stained blood smear slide glass formed with a stained blood smear;

a keeping part for storing a plurality of the stained blood smear slide glasses prepared in said stained specimen preparation part;

a transport part for transporting said stained blood smear slide glass to said keeping part or an external apparatus; and

a control part that decides a destination of said stained blood smear slide glass from among said keeping part and said external apparatus and controls the transport part such that the transport part transports said stained blood smear to the destination,

wherein said control part acquires specimen information from a computer communicably connected with said stained blood smear preparation apparatus for deciding a destination of said stained blood smear slide glass based on acquired specimen information and comprises a memory storing a blood smear preparation condition corresponding to said specimen information for selecting corresponding said blood smear preparation condition based on acquired specimen information and preparing said blood smear on said slide glass based on selected said blood smear preparation condition.

2. The stained blood smear preparation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said external apparatus is either a blood smear analyzer for analyzing said stained blood smear on said stained blood smear slide glass or a feeder for supplying said stained blood smear slide glass to said blood smear analyzer.

3. The stained blood smear preparation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printing part for printing said specimen information on a prescribed position of said slide glass.

4. The stained blood smear preparation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said control part controls said stained specimen preparation part to prepare a stained blood smear slide glass for a visually observed blood smear based on a blood smear preparation condition for said visually observed blood smear and prepare a stained blood smear slide glass for an analyzed blood smear based on a blood smear preparation condition for said analyzed blood smear when said specimen information is comprises an instruction for preparing said visually observed blood smear and said analyzed blood smear.

5. The stained blood smear preparation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured for storing said stained blood smear slide glass in said keeping part and supplying said stained blood smear slide glass to said external apparatus in a state stored in a cassette.

6. The stained blood smear preparation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the staining part includes a sucking/discharging part for supplying stain to the slide glass.

7. A stained blood smear preparation apparatus comprising:

a stained specimen preparation part comprising a pipette for dispensing blood to a slide glass, a smearing part for preparing a blood smear of the blood on the slide glass, and a staining part for staining said blood smear, thereby providing a stained blood smear slide glass formed with a stained blood smear;

a keeping part for storing a plurality of the stained blood smear slide glasses prepared in said stained specimen preparation part;

a transport part for transporting said stained blood smear slide glass to said keeping part or an external apparatus; and

a control part that decides a destination of said stained blood smear slide glass from among said keeping part and said external apparatus and controls the transport part such that the transport part transports said stained blood smear to the destination,

wherein said control part controls said stained blood smear preparation apparatus to supply said stained blood smear slide glass to said keeping part when said specimen information is comprises an instruction for preparing a visually observed blood smear, and supplies said stained blood smear slide glass to said external apparatus when said specimen information is comprises an instruction for preparing a blood smear for a blood smear analyzer.

8. A stained blood smear preparation apparatus to comprising:

a stained specimen preparation part comprising a pipette for dispensing blood to a slide glass, a smearing part for preparing a blood smear of the blood on the slide glass, and a staining part for staining said blood smear, thereby providing a stained blood smear slide glass formed with a stained blood smear;

a keeping part for storing a plurality of the stained blood smear slide glasses prepared in said stained specimen preparation part;

a transport part for transporting said stained blood smear slide glass to said keeping part or an external apparatus; and

a control part that decides a destination of said stained blood smear slide glass from among said keeping part and said external apparatus and controls the transport part such that the transport part transports said stained blood smear to the destination,

wherein the transport part comprises a transport mechanism mounted on a frame, a detection part arranged outside the frame, and a first transport path having an end adjacent to an entry port of the keeping part and a second transport path having an end adjacent to an inlet of the external apparatus.

9. A stained blood smear preparation apparatus comprising:

a stained specimen preparation part comprising a pipette for dispensing blood to a slide glass, a smearing part for preparing a blood smear of the blood on the slide glass, and a staining part for staining said blood smear, thereby providing a stained blood smear slide glass formed with a stained blood smear;

a keeping part for storing a plurality of the stained blood smear slide glasses prepared in said stained specimen preparation part;

a transport part for transporting said stained blood smear slide glass to said keeping part or an external apparatus; and

a control part that decides a destination of said stained blood smear slide glass from among said keeping part and said external apparatus and controls the transport part such that the transport part transports said stained blood smear to the destination,

wherein the keeping part comprises a feed part and a transport belt for moving the slide glass toward the keeping part, the slide glass having been transported to an entry port of the keeping part by the transport part.