초록 ▼

An automated staining system and a reagent container designed for use with the automated staining apparatus. The reagent container includes a reagent containment section capable of containing a volume of a reagent. The reagent containment section includes an upper wall and a base wall that are space

An automated staining system and a reagent container designed for use with the automated staining apparatus. The reagent container includes a reagent containment section capable of containing a volume of a reagent. The reagent containment section includes an upper wall and a base wall that are spaced apart along an axis. The base wall includes a well having a nadir that is aligned axially with an access opening in the upper wall so that a reagent probe entering the opening parallel to said axis will travel toward the nadir. In another aspect of the invention, the reagent container may include a two-dimensional data element containing reagent information. The staining apparatus may include one removable drawer for holding reagent containers and another removable drawer holding slides.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for staining specimens carried on a plurality of slides, comprising: a tray configured to hold the plurality of slides; a plurality of reagent containers, each of said containers holding a volume of a reagent and including an upper wall, a base wall, and a tubula

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for staining specimens carried on a plurality of slides, comprising: a tray configured to hold the plurality of slides; a plurality of reagent containers, each of said containers holding a volume of a reagent and including an upper wall, a base wall, and a tubular side wall interconnecting the base and upper walls, said upper wall spaced apart from said base wall along an imaginary line passing through the base and upper walls, said base wall having a plurality of distinct inwardly and downwardly converging wall sections that define a concave well with a nadir at a convergence of said wall sections and said upper wall having an access opening, said nadir and access opening being aligned with each other along said imaginary line, each of said reagent containers having associated therewith a two-dimensional data storage element containing encoded reagent information; a rack configured to hold said plurality of reagent containers, a robotic delivery system including a selectively and controllably movable probe configured to be positioned proximate selected ones of said reagent containers for withdrawing a reagent volume from said reagent containers and depositing the reagent volume on the slides according to a staining protocol, said robotic delivery system having an optical reader movable with said probe and configured to read said two-dimensional data storage element; and a control system programmable for conducting said staining protocol, said control system operatively coupled to said robotic delivery system for controlling said probe and operatively coupled to said optical reader for retrieving said reagent information read by said optical reader from said two-dimensional data storage elements for use in programming said staining protocol. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control system includes a stat function operable for adding stat slides to said tray for staining. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control system includes a touchscreen display connected in electrical communication with said control system, said touchscreen display operable for displaying information provided by said control system and for inputting information to said control system. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said two-dimensional data storage element includes an array of optically readable marks. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said data storage element is a two-dimensional bar code. 6. The reagent container of claim 1 wherein said upper wall includes a neck having a passageway extending substantially parallel to said imaginary line, said access opening being formed in said neck and being substantially coextensive with the cross-sectional area of said passageway. 7. The reagent container of claim 6 further comprising a removable closure capable of engaging said neck and thereby sealing said access opening. 8. The reagent container of claim 1 wherein said base wall includes a spaced-apart pair of outwardly-projecting protrusions, said protrusions each providing a contact point when the reagent container is placed on a planar surface. 9. A method of operating an autostainer for staining a tissue specimen carried on a slide according to a staining protocol, comprising: providing a reagent container having a solution for staining a tissue specimen and having an upper wall, a base wall, and a tubular side wall interconnecting the base and upper walls, said upper wall spaced apart from said base wall along an imaginary line passing through the base and upper walls, said base wall having a plurality of distinct inwardly and downwardly converging wall sections that define a concave well with a nadir at a convergence of said wall sections and said upper wall having an access opening, said nadir and access opening being aligned with each other along said imaginary line so that a probe entering said opening in a direction substantially parallel to said imaginary line is directed toward said nadir; providing the reagent container with a two-dimensional data storage element containing encoded reagent information; reading said two-dimensional data storage element to interpret the reagent information; specifying the staining protocol for the tissue specimen using the reagent information; and staining the tissue specimen on said specimen slide according to the staining protocol by withdrawing the solution for staining from the reagent container with said probe and dispensing the solution onto the specimen slide. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said two-dimensional data storage element includes an array of optically readable marks and the step of reading includes using an optical reader to interpret the reagent information from the array of optically readable marks. 11. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said data storage element comprises a two-dimensional bar code and the step of reading includes using a reader operable to interpret the reagent information from the two-dimensional bar code.