Automated smear making apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9335334-B2
Application number	US-201514692507-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2015
Priority date	Dec 28, 2011
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

An automated smear making apparatus used to prepare and smear samples on glass slides. In one embodiment, there is provided a smearing subsystem that generally includes a smear cartridge having: an input reel; at least one roll bar; a take-up reel; and a smearing tape. The smearing tape is initially wound within the input reel and coupled to the take-up reel such that the smearing tape can be drawn from the input reel and into the take-up reel. The smearing tape may include a plurality of perforations formed therein. The smearing tape may then be wrapped around the roll bar such that each of the plurality of perforations forms a blade that extends from the smearing tape to expose a smear surface as the smearing tape is drawn into the take-up reel. Alternatively, the smearing tape may be bent such that an edge of the smearing tape forms a smear surface between two roll bars. A slide transport surface is also provided to move a slide across the smear surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for automated preparation of a slide using a smear cartridge of a smearing subsystem, said method comprising the steps of:
moving a slide towards a smear surface of a smearing tape of the smear cartridge, wherein the smear surface is included on a blade of a perforation of the smearing tape, and wherein the smearing tape is initially wound within an input reel and coupled to a take-up reel of the smear cartridge;
contacting the slide with an exposed smear surface of the smearing tape, wherein the smear surface is exposed when the position of the blade of the perforation is extended by a deflection component of the smear cartridge as the smearing tape is drawn from the input reel and into the take-up reel; and
transporting the slide across the exposed smear surface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the blade forms an acute angle with the slide when the slide is brought in contact with the exposed smear surface.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising adjusting the acute angle formed between the blade and the slide via an angle-control mechanism.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the angle-control mechanism is configured to adjust the position of the deflection component with respect to the input reel.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the angle-control mechanism is configured to adjust the position of the deflection component with respect to the take-up reel.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the angle-control mechanism includes a step motor configured to adjust the deflection component.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the angle-control mechanism is configured to adjust the position of the input reel with respect to the deflection component.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the angle-control mechanism is configured to adjust the position of the take-up reel with respect to the deflection component.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the acute angle is less than about 60 degrees.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the acute angle is less than about 45 degrees.

11. The method of claim 2 , wherein the acute angle is less than about 30 degrees.

12. The method of claim 2 , wherein the acute angle is less than about 15 degrees.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deflection component comprises a roll bar.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the smearing tape is wrapped around the roll bar between the input reel and the take-up reel.

15. A method for automated slide preparation using a smear cartridge of a smearing subsystem, said method comprising the steps of:
moving a slide towards a smear surface of a smearing tape of the smear cartridge, wherein the smear surface is included on a blade of a cut-out of the smearing tape, and wherein the smearing tape is initially wound within an input reel of the cartridge and coupled to a take-up reel of the smear cartridge;
contacting the slide with the smear surface, wherein the smear surface is exposed when the position of the blade of the cut-out is extended by a deflection component of the smear cartridge as the smearing tape is drawn from the input reel and into the take-up reel; and
transporting the slide across the smear surface.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the blade forms an acute angle with the slide when the slide is brought in contact with the exposed smear surface.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the acute angle is adjusted via an angle-control mechanism of the smear cartridge.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the angle-control mechanism is configured to adjust the position of the deflection component.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the angle-control mechanism is configured to adjust the position of the input reel with respect to the deflection component.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the angle-control mechanism is configured to adjust the position of the take-up reel with respect to the deflection component.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the acute angle is less than about 60 degrees.

22. The method of claim 16 , wherein the acute angle is less than about 45 degrees.

23. The method of claim 16 , wherein the acute angle is less than about 30 degrees.

24. The method of claim 16 , wherein the acute angle is less than about 15 degrees.

25. The method of claim 15 , wherein the deflection component comprises a roll bar.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the smearing tape is wrapped around the roll bar between the input reel and the take-up reel.

Assignees

• Abbott Lab

Inventors

• Shoffner John Scott
• Chacko Koshy T
• Solomon Roei

Classifications

• G01N1/2813 Primary

  Producing thin layers of samples on a substrate, e.g. smearing, spinning-on (G01N1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N1/312

  for samples mounted on planar substrates · CPC title

• Y10T436/2575

  Volumetric liquid transfer · CPC title

• G01N2035/00138

  Slides · CPC title

• B60T15/00

  Construction arrangement, or operation of valves incorporated in power brake systems and not covered by groups B60T11/00 or B60T13/00 (valve structures responsive to a speed condition B60T8/34; valves in general F16K) · CPC title