IP Library Granted Patent US 12663344
Granted Patent B2
US 12663344 · App. 17/745,716 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Smear apparatus, sample loading mechanism and method

Inventors: Yinming Liu (Shenzhen, CN); Jin Teng (Shenzhen, CN)
Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
G01N1/2813
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12663344
App. No.
17/745,716
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sample loading mechanism and method applicable to a smear apparatus, and a smear apparatus are provided. The sample loading mechanism includes: a blood dripping needle, a transfer device and a control device. The blood dripping needle is connected with the transfer device which is configured to drive the blood dripping needle to move relative to a slide. When the blood dripping needle is in contact with the slide, the control device is configured to control the transfer device to stop the blood dripping needle from moving towards the slide, and to control the blood dripping needle to drip a blood sample onto the slide.

Claims (55)

1 . A smear apparatus, comprising:

a slide loading mechanism, configured to move a slide to the smear apparatus;

a sample loading mechanism, configured to load a blood sample onto the slide;

a smear mechanism, configured to smear the blood sample on the slide to form a blood film;

a drying mechanism, configured to dry the blood film on the slide; and

a staining mechanism, configured to stain the slide;

wherein the sample loading mechanism comprises: a blood dripping needle, a transfer device and a control device; and wherein

the blood dripping needle is connected with the transfer device which is configured to drive the blood dripping needle to move relative to the slide;

when the blood dripping needle is in contact with the slide, the control device is configured to control the transfer device to stop the blood dripping needle from moving towards the slide, and to control the blood dripping needle to drip the blood sample onto the slide.

2 . The smear apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sample loading mechanism further comprises a detection device connected with the transfer device communicatively and configured to detect whether the blood dripping needle is in contact with the slide.

3 . The smear apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the detection device is a pressure detection device configured to determine whether the blood dripping needle is in contact with the slide by detecting a pressure change on the blood dripping needle or the slide.

4 . The smear apparatus of claim 3 , wherein

the pressure detection device comprises an elastic connection device and a sensing device;

the elastic connection device is connected between a connection end of the blood dripping needle and the transfer device, or between the slide and a base holding the slide; and

the sensing device is configured to sense an elastic deformation of the elastic connection device.

5 . The smear apparatus of claim 4 , wherein

the elastic connection device is connected between the connection end of the blood dripping needle and the transfer device;

a connection position where the connection end of the blood dripping needle is connected with the elastic connection device is a first connection position; a connection position where the transfer device is connected with the elastic connection device is a second connection position; and

the sensing device is arranged at one of the first connection position and the second connection position, and the other of the first connection position and the second connection position is provided with a triggering component for triggering the sensing device.

6 . The smear apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the sensing device is an optocoupler sensor, and the triggering component is a baffle used for blocking a detection end of the sensing device.

7 . The smear apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the elastic connection device is a spring; the transfer device is provided with a first fixing column which is sleeved in one end of the spring; and the connection end of the blood dripping needle is provided with a second fixing column which is sleeved in the other end of the spring, and wherein the first fixing column and the second fixing column are sleeved with each other; or

wherein the transfer device comprises a driving device, a transfer belt and a connecting component, the driving device is configured to drive the transfer belt, and the connecting component is connected between the transfer belt and the connection end of the blood dripping needle.

8 . The smear apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the blood dripping needle comprises a blood dripping end opposite to the connection end in a first direction, the blood dripping end is provided with a gap extending in a second direction, the gap penetrates at least one side of an outer wall of the blood dripping end from a geometric center of the blood dripping end, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

9 . The smear apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the gap runs through the blood dripping end in the second direction.

10 . The smear apparatus of claim 8 , wherein a hollow area formed on a cross section of the blood dripping end perpendicular to the second direction is a rectangle, trapezoid or arc.

11 . The smear apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the control device is further configured to control the transfer device to drive the blood dripping needle to move in the second direction and perform a blood dripping operation.

12 . The smear apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the blood dripping needle is in contact with the slide, the control device is configured to control the transfer device to stop the blood dripping needle from moving towards the slide, and then the blood dripping needle performs a blood dripping operation;

or, when the blood dripping needle is in contact with the slide, the control device is configured to control the transfer device to drive the blood dripping needle to move away from the slide by a predetermined distance, and then the blood dripping needle performs a blood dripping operation.

13 . A smearing method for a smear apparatus, comprising:

moving a slide to the smear apparatus;

loading a blood sample onto the slide;

smearing the blood sample on the slide to form a blood film;

drying the blood film on the slide; and

staining the slide;

wherein loading the blood sample onto the slide comprises:

driving a blood dripping needle to move towards the slide;

when the blood dripping needle is in contact with the slide, controlling the blood dripping needle to stop from moving towards the slide; and

dripping the blood sample onto the slide via the blood dripping needle.

14 . The smearing method for the smear apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:

detecting a position of the blood dripping needle relative to the slide, to determine whether the blood dripping needle is in contact with the slide, wherein the detecting the position of the blood dripping needle relative to the slide comprises:

determining whether the blood dripping needle is in contact with the slide by detecting a pressure on the blood dripping needle or the slide.

15 . The smearing method for the smear apparatus of claim 13 , wherein after the blood dripping needle is in contact with the slide, and before the blood dripping needle drips the blood sample onto the slide, the method further comprises:

controlling the blood dripping needle to move away from the slide by a predetermined distance.

16 . The sample leading smearing method for the smear apparatus of claim 13 , wherein

the driving the blood dripping needle to move towards the slide comprises: driving the blood dripping needle to move towards the slide in a first direction; and

the dripping the blood sample onto the slide via the blood dripping needle comprises: dripping the blood sample onto the slide continuously via the blood dripping needle in a second direction, to form a continuous blood sample line on the slide, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction.

17 . The smearing method for the smear apparatus of claim 13 , wherein

before driving the blood dripping needle to move towards the slide, the method further comprises:

driving the blood dripping needle to move to a blood dripping position, wherein the blood dripping position is an initial position before the blood dripping needle moves towards the slide; or driving a blood collection needle to transfer the blood sample to the blood dripping needle at the blood dripping position;

and/or

wherein after dripping the blood sample onto the slide via the blood dripping needle, the method further comprises:

driving the blood dripping needle to reset and cleaning the blood dripping needle, and driving the slide to move to a smear position for smearing.

18 . The smear apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blood dripping needle comprises a flat blood dripping end, and the flat blood dripping end is provided with a gap extending in a second direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the blood dripping needle.

19 . The smear apparatus of claim 18 , wherein a width of the gap is substantially same as or greater than an inner diameter of the blood dripping needle.

20 . The smear apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the smear mechanism is further configured to smear the blood sample output from the flat blood dripping end, including the blood sample flowed through the gap in the second direction, onto the slide in a direction perpendicular to the second direction.