EP 0888554 A1 19990107 - SPECIMEN PREPARATION
Title (en)
SPECIMEN PREPARATION
Title (de)
PROBENVORBEREITUNG
Title (fr)
PREPARATION D'ECHANTILLONS
Publication
Application
Priority
- AU 9700027 W 19970117
- AU PN762196 A 19960117
Abstract (en)
[origin: WO9726541A1] A closed tube sampling apparatus (14) for drawing a specimen sample tube (16) having a pierceable cap comprises a tube loading carousel (15) in which sample tubes are radially disposed and indexed in turn to an aspirate position. A needle carrier (42) is moveable linearly to move an aspirate needle (17) from a park position where the needle is in a wash station (47) to an aspirate position where the needle extends through said wash station and pierces said cap for the purpose of aspirating a sample from the tube. The needle wash station is also moveable relative to the needle carrier and is spring (49) biased to bear on said cap and prevent withdrawal of the cap as said needle is withdrawn. A dispensing pipette (20) is in fluid communication with said needle and subsequently dispenses said sample onto a slide. A slide transfer apparatus for sequentially transferring single slides (40) from a stack of slides onto a slide conveyor (12) includes a pickup head (11) having a bellows type suction cup (39) for lifting and holding slides. A fixed optical sensor (34) detects a home position of the pickup head and the travelling optical sensor (36) on the head detects when a slide is held and released from the head. The degree of movement of the head in releasing a slide is detectable by the travelling sensor (36) and thereby a microprocessor is able to determine whether one or two slides have been transferred by the head from the stack to the conveyor. The amount of movement of the head from the home position to the top of the stack and from the home position to the top of the conveyor is also determined by the microprocessor which in determining all movements counts the revolutions of a stepper motor which is responsible for such movement.
IPC 1-7
IPC 8 full level
B65H 3/08 (2006.01); G01N 1/00 (2006.01); G01N 1/28 (2006.01); G01N 1/30 (2006.01); G01N 35/10 (2006.01); G01N 1/31 (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP)
G01N 1/2813 (2013.01); G01N 35/1079 (2013.01); G01N 1/312 (2013.01); G01N 35/1004 (2013.01)
Citation (search report)
See references of WO 9726541A1
Designated contracting state (EPC)
AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
DOCDB simple family (publication)
WO 9726541 A1 19970724; AU PN762196 A0 19960208; EP 0888554 A1 19990107; JP 2000503768 A 20000328
DOCDB simple family (application)
AU 9700027 W 19970117; AU PN762196 A 19960117; EP 97900160 A 19970117; JP 52553497 A 19970117