Automated staining system and reaction chamber
A processor assembly including: an exposure station operable to expose a sample on a slide; a print station operable to apply a reagent to the exposed sample through a thermal inkjet process; and a robotic transfer mechanism to transfer the slide from the exposure station to the print station. Also, a reagent cartridge including: a body defining a container having a volume therein; a nonmetallic bag in the container operable to contain a reagent; and a printhead at a base of the body, the printhead coupled to an outlet of the bag. Further, a method including exposing a sample on a slide in a processor assembly; robotically transferring the slide to a printing station of the processor assembly; and applying a reagent to the exposed sample at the printing station by a thermal inkjet printing process.
1 . A processor assembly comprising:
an exposure station operable to expose a sample on a slide;
a printing station comprising a printer operable to apply a reagent to the exposed sample through a thermal inkjet process;
a robotic transfer mechanism to transfer the slide from the exposure station to the printing station;
a storage station operable to store a plurality of reagent cartridges; and
a processor including non-transitory machine-readable instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
automatically retrieve a reagent cartridge from the storage station and couple the retrieved reagent cartridge to the printer; and
direct application of a reagent from the retrieved reagent cartridge onto a portion of the sample on the slide.
2 . The processor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
an imager operable to capture an image of the sample prior to the directed application of the reagent onto the sample and the processor includes non-transitory machine-readable instructions that when executed cause the processor to determine a target location on the sample based on the captured image for application of the reagent from the reagent cartridge.
3 . The processor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the printing station comprises a humidor housing, wherein the processor includes non-transitory machine-readable instructions that when executed cause the slide to be removed from the humidor housing and transferred to the printer.
4 . The processor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the exposure station comprises a first exposure station operable to bake and dewax the sample and a second exposure station operable to expose antigenic sites on the sample utilizing pressure, wherein the processor includes non-transitory machine-readable instructions that when executed cause the slide to be transported to the antigen retrieval station and, after an antigen retrieval process, transported to the printing station.
5 . The processor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a dehydration station, wherein, after application of a reagent at the printing station, the processor includes non-transitory machine-readable instructions that when executed cause the slide to be transported to the dehydration station.
6 . The processor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the exposure station comprises a baking station and a dewaxing station.
7 . The processor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a service station comprising a spittoon and a wiping ribbon, the wiping ribbon disposed between a feed roller and a take-up roller, wherein one of a printhead of the retrieved ink cartridge and the wiping ribbon is operable to move with respect to the other to cause a wiping action across the printhead.
8 . The processor assembly of claim 1 , wherein in the exposure station, the slide is in a slide basket operable to contain a plurality of slides and the processor assembly further comprises a processor including non-transitory machine-readable instructions that when executed cause the slide to be removed from the basket for a printing operation in the printing station.
9 . The processor assembly of claim 8 , wherein the printer is operable to contain a plurality of reagent cartridges and individually discharge reagent from each of the plurality of reagent cartridges.
10 . The processor of claim 8 , further comprising a sensor coupled to the printer, the sensor operable to capture an image of a sample on a slide when a slide platen is in the print position.
11 . The processor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the printing station comprises a plurality of slide platens each of the plurality of slide platens operable to contain a slide thereon.
12 . The processor assembly of claim 11 , wherein the printer is slidably coupled to a rail and the executable instructions in the processor cause the printer to move to individually move to a position to apply the reagent to a sample on a slide in each of the plurality of slide platens.
13 . The processor assembly of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of slide platens is operable to be automatically moved to between the print position and a position comprising a humidor housing.
14 . The processor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an identification station comprising a sensor operable to identify label information on the slide or to identify label information on the slide and capture an image of the sample on the slide.
15 . The processor assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a sorting station operable to contain a plurality of slide baskets, wherein the processor includes non-transitory machine-readable instructions that when executed cause the slide to be sorted into one of the plurality of slide baskets in the sorting station based on label information on the slide.
16 . The processor assembly of claim 15 , wherein the instructions cause the slide to be sorted based on a reagent to be applied to the slide.