Coverslipping machine

1. A system comprising:

a first automatic machine ( 1 ) for processing or investigating biological samples, the first automatic machine ( 1 ) comprising a first electrical energy reservoir ( 12 ); and

a second automatic machine ( 16 ) for processing or investigating biological samples;

wherein the first automatic machine ( 1 ) is configured to be connected to an electrical power grid in order to be supplied with electrical energy as an electrical load, and

wherein the first automatic machine ( 1 ) and the second automatic machine ( 16 ) are electrically connected such that electrical energy is transferrable from the first electrical energy reservoir ( 12 ) of the first automatic machine ( 1 ) to the second automatic machine ( 16 ).

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first automatic machine ( 1 ) further comprises:

a first electronic control apparatus ( 13 ) configured to detect disruptions in the supply of electrical energy from the power grid and, in the event of a disruption, switch over to a withdrawal of electrical energy from the first electrical energy reservoir ( 12 ).

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the first electronic control apparatus ( 13 ) is configured to automatically establish the electrical connection with the second automatic machine ( 16 ) when the first electronic control apparatus ( 13 ) detects a disruption in the supply of electrical energy from the power grid and ascertains that a current charge state of the first electrical energy reservoir ( 12 ) is not in a predetermined minimum charge state.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the first electronic control apparatus ( 13 ) is further configured to switch the first automatic machine ( 1 ) back into a normal operating mode when the disruption in the supply of electrical energy from the power grid no longer exists and/or the first electrical energy reservoir ( 12 ) is in the predetermined minimum charge state.

5. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the first electronic control apparatus ( 13 ) is further configured to transfer data regarding the charge state of the electrical energy reservoir ( 12 ) to a second electronic control apparatus ( 19 ) of the second automatic machine ( 16 ).

6. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the first electronic control apparatus ( 13 ) is further configured to execute a first safety routine when the first electronic control apparatus ( 13 ) detects a disruption in the supply of electrical energy from the power grid.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the second automatic machine ( 16 ) is configured to be connected to an electrical power grid in order to be supplied with electrical energy as a load, the second automatic machine ( 16 ) comprising:

a second electrical energy reservoir ( 18 );

wherein the electrical energy is transferrable from the second electrical energy reservoir ( 18 ) of the second automatic machine ( 16 ) to the first automatic machine ( 1 ).

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the second automatic machine ( 16 ) further comprises:

a second electronic control apparatus ( 19 ) configured to detect disruptions in the supply of electrical energy from the power grid and, in the event of a disruption, switch over to a withdrawal of electrical energy from the second electrical energy reservoir ( 18 ).

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the second electronic control apparatus ( 19 ) of is further configured to automatically establish the electrical connection with the first automatic machine ( 1 ) when the second electronic control apparatus ( 19 ) detects a disruption in the supply of electrical energy from the power grid and ascertains that a current charge state of the second electrical energy reservoir ( 18 ) is not in a predetermined minimum charge state.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the second electronic control apparatus ( 19 ) is further configured to switch the second automatic machine ( 16 ) back into a normal operating mode when the disruption in the supply of electrical energy from the power grid no longer exists and/or the second electrical energy reservoir ( 18 ) is in the predetermined minimum charge state.

11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the second electronic control apparatus ( 19 ) is further configured to transfer data regarding the charge state of the second electrical energy reservoir ( 18 ) to a first electronic control apparatus ( 13 ) of the first automatic machine ( 1 ).

12. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the second electronic control apparatus ( 19 ) is further configured to execute a second safety routine when the second electronic control apparatus ( 19 ) detects a disruption in the supply of electrical energy from the power grid.

13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first automatic machine ( 1 ) comprises a first electronic control apparatus ( 13 ) and the second automatic machine ( 16 ) comprises a second electronic control apparatus ( 19 ), the first electronic control apparatus ( 13 ) and the second electronic control apparatus ( 19 ) being connected by a data connection ( 23 ).

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the first electronic control apparatus ( 13 ) and the second electronic control apparatus ( 19 ) together control the transfer of electrical energy from the first automatic machine ( 1 ) to the second automatic machine ( 16 ) and/or the transfer of electrical energy from the second automatic machine ( 16 ) to the first automatic machine ( 1 ).

15. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the first electronic control apparatus ( 13 ) controls the transfer of electrical energy from the first automatic machine ( 1 ) to the second automatic machine ( 16 ) and/or the transfer of electrical energy from the second automatic machine ( 16 ) to the first automatic machine ( 1 ).

16. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the second electronic control apparatus ( 19 ) controls the transfer of electrical energy from the first automatic machine ( 1 ) to the second automatic machine ( 16 ) and/or the transfer of electrical energy from the second automatic machine ( 16 ) to the first automatic machine ( 1 ).

17. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first automatic machine ( 1 ) is a coverslipping machine ( 1 ) which removes specimen slides ( 4 ), having samples present thereon, from a specimen slide magazine ( 5 ) and respectively carries out a coverslipping process in which a mounting medium ( 7 ) and then a coverslip ( 8 ) are applied onto each specimen slide ( 4 ); and which deposits the coverslipped specimen slides ( 4 ) in the specimen slide magazine ( 5 ) or in a further specimen slide magazine ( 55 ).

18. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first automatic machine ( 1 ) is an automatic scanner ( 28 ) or an embedding machine ( 25 ) or an automatic microtome ( 26 ) or a stainer or an automatic processor ( 24 ) or a coverslipping machine.

19. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the second automatic machine ( 16 ) is an automatic scanner ( 28 ) or an embedding machine ( 25 ) or an automatic microtome ( 26 ) or a stainer or an automatic processor ( 24 ) or a coverslipping machine.

20. The system according to claim 19 , wherein the second automatic machine ( 16 ) is configured to receive samples from the first automatic machine ( 1 ) that are arranged in magazines and execute, on the samples respectively arranged in a magazine, a processing process in which at least one processing step is executed, and then output the magazine having the collectively processed samples.

21. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first automatic machine ( 1 ) is configured to remove samples from a magazine and to carry out a processing process in which at least one processing step is carried out, and to deposit the processed sample in the magazine or in a further magazine.

22. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the second automatic machine ( 16 ) is configured to remove samples from a magazine and to carry out a processing process in which at least one processing step is carried out, and to deposit the processed sample in the magazine or in a further magazine.