Staining and sticking system

• US 8,017,077 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sakura Finetek Japan Co., Ltd., Sakura Seiki Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Sakura Finetek Japan Co., Ltd., Sakura Seiki Company Limited
• Inventors: Takizawa, Seiichi, Ito, Atsuo, Tofukuji, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nagpaul; Jyoti
• Application Number:
  US12/084,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20090098646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: 422 99-100, 422 62- 67, 422/68.1, 422/500
• US Class Current: 422/65
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/36 Embedding or analogous mounting of samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00584 Control arrangements for automatic analysers

Abstract

The staining and sticking system includes a staining device and a sticking device provided separately from the staining device. The staining device stains a specimen in a predetermined color by dipping a basket containing a glass slide with the specimen in a plurality of tubs sequentially. The sticking device sticks a cover film piece onto the stained specimen on the glass slide, which has been taken out of the basket transferred from the staining device by transfer means. A staining control unit and a sticking control unit are interconnected so as to communicate with each other. Sticking condition data, related to the basket fed from the staining device, out of staining condition data and sticking condition data inputted to the staining control unit correspondingly to baskets, are sent from the staining control unit to the sticking control unit, and then the sticking device sticks the cover film piece.

Claims

1. A staining and sticking system comprising:

a staining device for staining a sliced specimen in a predetermined color by sequentially dipping a basket, which contains one or a plurality of glass slides with the specimens, in a plurality of tubs, in which liquids for staining the specimen are stored; and

a sticking device for sticking a cover film piece or a cover glass onto the stained specimen on the glass slide, which has been taken out of the basket transferred from the staining device by transfer means,

wherein a staining control unit of the staining device and a sticking control unit of the sticking device are interconnected so as to communicate with each other,

wherein the staining control unit includes a controller having

a first memory for storing staining condition data and sticking condition data which are related to the basket, and history data of staining works and sticking works;

a first CPU receiving a signal sent from a first sensor, which is attached to a main body section of the staining device, and sending a signal to means for driving the staining device on the basis of the staining condition data stored in the first memory;

an input section for inputting the staining condition data and the sticking condition data,

the staining device sequentially dips the basket into the prescribed tubs on the basis of the staining condition data corresponding to the basket, and

wherein the sticking control unit includes a controller having

a second memory for storing the sticking condition data, which are related to the basket and sent from the first CPU of the staining control unit; and

a second CPU receiving a signal sent from a second sensor, which is attached to a main body section of the sticking device, and sending a signal to means for driving the sticking device on the basis of the sticking condition data stored in the second memory, and

sticking control unit sticks the cover film piece or the cover glass onto the stained specimen on the glass slide, which has been contained in the fed basket, on the basis of the sticking condition data, which are related to the basket transferred from the staining device and sent from the staining control unit to the sticking control unit.

2. The staining and sticking system according to claim 1, wherein the staining condition data and the sticking condition data are inputted to the staining control unit before starting the staining work.

3. The staining and sticking system according to claim 1, wherein the sticking condition data of the basket fed from the staining device are sent from the staining control unit to the sticking control unit by the time of firstly taking out the glass slide from the fed basket.

4. The staining and sticking system according to claim 1, wherein at least parts of casings of the staining device and the sticking device contact each other.

5. The staining and sticking system according to claim 1, wherein the transfer means transfers the basket, which contains the glass slide with the stained specimen, in a state of being dipped in a protective solution for protecting the specimen.

6. The staining and sticking system according to claim 1, wherein the basket, which contains the glass slide with the stained specimen, is inserted in a movable tub, in which a protective solution for protecting the specimen is stored, and transferred together with the movable tub.

7. The staining and sticking system according to claim 1, wherein a main part of the transfer means, which transfers the basket from the inside of the staining device to the inside of the sticking device, is provided in the sticking device.