Digital pathological scanner

Abstract

A digital pathological scanner comprises a scanning mechanism, a material moving mechanism, a loading and unloading mechanism and a storage mechanism used for storing slice racks of different specifications, the slice racks are used for storing slices, and the material moving mechanism is used for achieving transfer of the slice racks between the storage mechanism and the loading and unloading mechanism. The loading and unloading mechanism is used for conveying the slices in the slice rack into the scanning mechanism for scanning and conveying the scanned slices back to the storage mechanism; wherein the storage mechanism is provided with storage grooves used for containing the slice frames of different specifications, and detection assemblies are arranged in the storage grooves and used for detecting whether the slice frames exist in the storage grooves or not and / or detecting the in-place condition of the slice frames.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of medical devices, and in particular to a digital pathology scanner. Background Art

[0002] Existing pathology slide scanners are generally equipped with special slide racks and storage mechanisms, which can store slides in batches, and then transport the slide racks to the stage for scanning through a material transfer mechanism and other mechanisms, and then transfer the scanned slide racks back to the storage mechanism. However, the existing storage mechanism cannot limit the position of slide racks of different specifications, nor can it determine the placement status of the slide rack, which affects the clamping and transfer of the slide rack by the automated material transfer mechanism, and even cannot transfer the slides in the slide rack to the scanning mechanism for scanning, thereby affecting the working efficiency of the digital pathology scanner. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present application provides a digital pathology scanner, which can detect the existence and position of a slice rack in a storage slot through a detection component, so that a material moving mechanism of the digital pathology scanner can move the slice rack according to the storage status of the storage mechanism. At the same time, the material moving mechanism can accurately and firmly clamp the slice rack according to the position of the slice rack, without manual intervention, thereby greatly improving the working efficiency of the digital pathology scanner.

[0004] The present application also provides a digital pathology scanner, characterized in that it comprises a scanning mechanism, a material moving mechanism, a loading and unloading mechanism, and a storage mechanism for storing slice racks of different specifications, wherein the slice rack is used for storing slices, the material moving mechanism is used for transferring the slice rack between the storage mechanism and the loading and unloading mechanism, and the loading and unloading mechanism is used for conveying the slices in the slice rack to the scanning mechanism for scanning and conveying the scanned slices back to the storage mechanism;

[0005] Wherein, the storage mechanism is provided with a storage slot for placing slice racks of different specifications, and a detection component is provided in the storage slot, and the detection component is used to detect whether the slice rack exists in the storage slot and / or the position of the slice rack.

[0006] In a digital pathology scanner according to an embodiment of the present application, the storage mechanism includes a frame and a placement component disposed in the frame, and the storage slot is formed in the placement component and has an opening structure for placing the slice rack.

[0007] In a digital pathology scanner according to an embodiment of the present application, the detection component includes a first sensor, which is disposed at one end close to the opening structure and is used to detect whether the slice rack exists in the storage slot.

[0008] In a digital pathology scanner according to an embodiment of the present application, the detection component includes a second sensor, which is disposed at an end away from the opening structure and is used to cooperate with the first sensor to detect the position of the slice rack.

[0009] In the digital pathology scanner of one embodiment of the present application, the material moving assembly is electrically connected to the detection assembly, and when the detection assembly detects that the slice rack is placed in place in the storage tank, the material moving mechanism moves the slice rack.

[0010] In a digital pathology scanner according to one embodiment of the present application, the placement assembly includes a placement plate, a partition plate and an adjustment member, wherein the partition plate is spaced apart on the placement plate to form the storage slot, and the adjustment member is disposed on one end of the partition plate away from the opening structure to limit the placement position of the slice rack.

[0011] In a digital pathology scanner of one embodiment of the present application, a blocking portion is provided at one end of the adjusting member, and the blocking portion extends toward the inner side of the storage slot, so that the slice rack placed in the storage slot abuts against the blocking portion to limit the position of the slice rack placed in the storage slot.

[0012] In a digital pathology scanner of one embodiment of the present application, the partition plate is provided with a mounting groove at one end away from the opening structure, the adjustment member is detachably installed in the mounting groove, and the two ends of the adjustment member can selectively interchange directions when connected to the mounting groove to form a limit for slice racks of different lengths.

[0013] In a digital pathology scanner according to one embodiment of the present application, the partition plate has a connecting section connected to the placement plate and a supporting section extending at least partially toward the inner side of the storage tank. The supporting section is connected to one end of the connecting section away from the placement plate and is used to support the slice rack.

[0014] In a digital pathology scanner according to an embodiment of the present application, the support segment has a first support edge which is arranged obliquely, and the slope of the first support edge matches the slope of the first support portion of the slice rack.

[0015] In a digital pathology scanner according to one embodiment of the present application, the mounting groove is formed on the supporting section, the adjusting member is detachably installed in the mounting groove, a second supporting edge having the same inclination as the first supporting edge is provided on the adjusting member, and a blocking portion is formed at one end of the second supporting edge.

[0016] In a digital pathology scanner according to an embodiment of the present application, the placement assembly further includes a limiter, which is disposed at one end of the partition plate close to the opening structure and is used to limit both sides of the slice rack when it is placed in the storage slot.

[0017] In a digital pathology scanner according to one embodiment of the present application, the limiting plate has a horizontal section and a vertical section, the limiting member is connected to the partition plate via the horizontal section, and the vertical section is disposed at one end of the horizontal section away from the opening structure.

[0018] In the digital pathology scanner of one embodiment of the present application, the partition plate has a notch in the middle thereof, which is used to cooperate with the clamping claw assembly of the material moving mechanism to extend into the notch to clamp the slice rack.

[0019] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present application may include the following beneficial effects: the present application designs a digital pathology scanner, including a scanning mechanism, a material moving mechanism, a loading and unloading mechanism and a storage mechanism for storing slice racks of different specifications. The storage mechanism is provided with a storage slot for placing the slice rack, and a detection component is provided in the storage slot, which can be used to detect whether there is a slice rack in the storage slot and / or the position of the slice rack, so that the digital pathology scanner can detect the existence and position of the slice rack in the storage slot through the detection component, so that the material moving mechanism of the digital pathology scanner can move the slice rack according to the storage status of the storage mechanism, and at the same time, the material moving mechanism can accurately and firmly clamp the slice rack according to the position of the slice rack, without manual intervention, thereby greatly improving the working efficiency of the digital pathology scanner.

[0020] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the material transfer mechanism and the storage mechanism provided by the present application;

[0023] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the loading and unloading mechanism and the scanning mechanism provided by the present application;

[0024] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the storage mechanism in FIG.

[0025] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a structure in which a slice holder is placed on a placement component;

[0026] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure after the slice rack and the placement component are separated;

[0027] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 An exploded view of the placement components in ;

[0028] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the assembly of the partition plate, the adjusting member and the limiting member;

[0029] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 An exploded schematic diagram of the partition plate, the adjusting member and the limiting member in FIG.

[0030] Fig. 9 yes Figure 7 An exploded schematic diagram of the partition plate, the adjusting member and the limiting member in FIG.

[0031] Fig.10 yes Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of the material transfer mechanism in FIG.

[0032] Fig.11 yes Fig.10 A partial schematic diagram of the material transfer mechanism in FIG.

[0033] Fig.12 yes Fig.11 A schematic diagram of the structure of the clamping claw structure;

[0034] Fig.13 yes Figure 1 The first structural diagram of the slice holder in;

[0035] Fig.14 yes Figure 1 The second structural diagram of the slice holder in FIG.

[0036] Fig.15 yes Figure 1 The third structural diagram of the slice holder in .

[0037] Description of reference numerals:

[0038] 100, storage mechanism; 101a, storage slot; 101, placement component; 102, frame;

[0039] 10. adjusting member; 11. blocking portion; 12. second supporting edge; 13. sliding groove; 14. connecting hole;

[0040] 20, partition plate; 20a, first partition plate; 20b, second partition plate; 21, notch groove; 22, mounting groove; 23, docking end; 231, fixing hole; 24, guide rail; 25, connecting section; 26, supporting section; 261, first supporting edge; 27, limiting groove;

[0041] 30. Placement plate; 31. Connection slot;

[0042] 40. Limiting member; 41. Horizontal section; 42. Vertical section;

[0043] 50. Detection component; 51. First sensor; 52. Second sensor;

[0044] 200, material transfer mechanism; 201, clamping jaw assembly; 201a, first clamping jaw; 201b, second clamping jaw; 201c, clamping jaw driving member; 2011, horizontal portion; 2012, vertical portion; 2013, first concave groove; 2014, second concave groove; 2015, avoidance groove; 2016, hollow groove; 202, longitudinal assembly; 203, transverse assembly; 204, vertical assembly;

[0045] 300, loading and unloading mechanism; 301, conveying assembly; 302, loading assembly; 303, material transfer assembly; 304, detection structure;

[0046] 400, scanning mechanism;

[0047] 500, slice rack; 500a, first slice rack; 500b, second slice rack; 500c, third slice rack; 501, first support portion; 501a, first tapered portion; 501b, third tapered portion; 501c, fifth tapered portion; 502, second support portion; 502a, second tapered portion; 502b, fourth tapered portion; 502c, sixth tapered portion;

[0048] 600. Slice. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0050] It should also be understood that the terms used in this specification of the present application are only for describing specific realities. In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like indicate the orientation or position relationship based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, the meaning of "multiple" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0051] In conjunction with the accompanying drawings, some embodiments of the present application are described in detail below. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0052] like Figure 1 to Figure 2 As shown, the present application provides a digital pathology scanner, including a scanning mechanism 400, a material moving mechanism 200, a loading and unloading mechanism 300 and a storage mechanism 100 for storing slice racks 500 of different specifications, the material moving mechanism 200 is used to realize the transfer of the slice rack 500 between the storage mechanism 100 and the loading and unloading mechanism 300, and the loading and unloading mechanism 300 is used to transport the slices 600 in the slice rack 500 to the scanning mechanism 400 for scanning and transport the scanned slices 600 back to the storage mechanism 100.

[0053] In an optional embodiment, if Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figures 13 to 15 As shown, the slice rack 500 is mainly used for storing slices 600 and provides a stable slice supply platform for the storage mechanism 100 and the material transfer mechanism 200, so that the slices 600 can be placed in the storage mechanism 100 through the slice rack 500, and the material transfer mechanism 200 can transfer the slices 600 through the slice rack 500. Among them, the slice rack 500 is a universal size that has been designed by various manufacturers, and the lengths of slice racks 500 of different specifications can be the same or different.

[0054] For example, Figures 13 to 15 The structural diagrams of three slice racks 500 of different specifications are shown, namely a first slice rack 500a, a second slice rack 500b and a third slice rack 500c. Fig.12 The length of the first slice rack 500a is L1, and the side wall of the first slice rack 500a has a first tapered portion 501a and a second tapered portion 502a extending in the length direction, and the front and rear sides thereof are connected by two front and rear side plates, respectively. Fig.13 The length of the second slice frame 500b shown in FIG. 5 is L2, and the side wall of the second slice frame 500b has a third tapered portion 501b and a fourth tapered portion 502b extending along the length direction, and the front and rear sides thereof are connected by two front and rear side plates, respectively. Fig.14 The length of the third slice rack 500c shown in FIG. 5 is L3, and the side wall of the third slice rack 500c has a fifth tapered portion 501c and a sixth tapered portion 502c extending along the length direction, and the front and rear sides thereof are connected by two front and rear side plates, respectively. Among them, the length L1 of the first slice rack 500a, the length L2 of the second slice rack 500b and the length L3 of the third slice rack 500c can be the same or different, the front and rear side plates of the first slice rack 500a, the second slice rack 500b and the third slice rack 500c can also be the same or different, the first tapered portion 501a, the second tapered portion 502a, the third tapered portion 501b, the fourth tapered portion 502b, the fifth tapered portion 501c and the sixth tapered portion 502c can also be the same or different structures, and the present application is not limited thereto. The main purpose is to store the slices 600 so that the slices 600 can be stably placed in the storage mechanism 100 through the slice rack 500, and the rear material moving mechanism 200 can transfer the slices 600 through the slice rack 500, so that the slices 600 can be better stored and transferred, and the slices 600 can be prevented from being damaged during the storage and transfer process.

[0055] In an optional embodiment, if Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the storage mechanism 100 is provided with a storage slot 101a for placing the slice rack 500, one end of the storage slot 101a is provided with an adjustment member 10, and the other end of the storage slot 101a is provided with an opening structure. When the slice rack 500 is placed in the storage slot 101a through the opening structure, the adjustment member 10 can limit the placement position of the slice rack 500, so that the material transfer mechanism 200 can transfer the slice rack 500. Among them, by providing the adjustment member 10 on the storage slot 101a, not only can slice racks 500 of different specifications be compatible, but also the clamping jaw assembly 201 of the material transfer mechanism 200 can avoid the placement problem of the slice rack 500 in the storage slot 101a due to the different lengths of the slice racks 500 when clamping slice racks 500 of different specifications, and even cause the risk of the slice rack 500 sliding, swinging, tilting, or even falling during the clamping or transfer process of the material transfer mechanism 200, thereby improving the safety of the slice rack 500 during the clamping or transfer process.

[0056] For example, the lengths of the slice racks 500 of each specification can be the same or different. This application takes slice racks 500 of different lengths as an example. After the slice racks 500 of different lengths are placed in the storage slot 101a, the length of the storage slot 101a can be adjusted by the adjustment member 10, so that the slice racks 500 can be accurately placed in the storage slot 101a without replacing the entire storage mechanism 100, or the storage mechanism 100 can only use the matching slice racks 500, thereby improving the user's freedom of use.

[0057] It should be noted that the adjusting member 10 can limit the placement position of the slice rack 500 by changing its position; the adjusting member 10 can also be moved by a driving motor or other driving method to achieve the limitation of slice racks 500 of different lengths, which is not limited in this application.

[0058] In an optional embodiment, the storage slot 101a is used to place at least slice racks 500 of different lengths, wherein the slice racks 500 are placed in the storage slot 101a through an opening structure, and the adjustment member 10 is used to limit the placement position of the slice racks 500 of different lengths, so that the slice racks 500 of different lengths can be accurately placed in the storage slot 101a without replacing the entire storage mechanism 100, thereby solving the problem that the storage mechanism 100 can only use matching slice racks 500, thereby increasing the user's freedom of use; at the same time, it also reduces the error rate of taking and placing the slice racks 500 in the storage slot 101a, thereby greatly improving the working efficiency of the digital pathology scanner.

[0059] After adopting the above technical solution, the slice rack 500 can be accurately mechanically limited by the adjusting member 10, so as to ensure the accurate position of the slice rack 500 in the storage slot 101a, so that the material moving mechanism 200 can grasp the slice rack 500 more accurately, and there will be no large deviation, which will cause the slice rack 500 to be unable to be placed in the loading and unloading mechanism 300 or fail to be placed. In addition, the use of the mechanical limit structure can better realize the human-computer interaction experience. When the human hand places the slice rack 500 in the storage slot 101a, after contacting the hard limit of the limit structure, the human hand will have a good feedback experience of being in place, prompting the operator that the slice rack 500 has been placed in place.

[0060] Exemplarily, the storage mechanism 100 has a storage side and a material transfer side that are relatively arranged, and the storage slot 101a runs through the storage side and the material transfer side. The slice rack 500 is placed into the storage slot 101a from the storage side, so that the clamping claw assembly 201 of the material transfer mechanism 200 can grab the slice rack 500 in the storage slot 101a from the material transfer side or put the slice rack 500 back into the storage slot 101a, thereby realizing automatic sampling of the digital pathology scanner.

[0061] Specifically, the operator loads the slice 600 to be scanned into the slice rack 500, and then places the slice rack 500 into the storage slot 101a of the storage mechanism 100, so that the material transfer mechanism 200 can transfer the slice 600 in the slice rack 500, such as placing it on the stage of the scanning mechanism 400, so that the scanning mechanism 400 of the digital pathology scanner can scan the slice 600; then the scanned slice 600 is placed back into the slice rack 500 and stored in the storage slot 101a again, so that the operator can take it out, which can improve work efficiency. Among them, the number of storage slots 101a can be set to multiple or one as needed, and this application is not limited.

[0062] It should be noted that the material moving mechanism 200 is used to realize the transfer of the slices 600 in the slice rack 500, which may include taking the slice rack 500 out of the storage slot 101a and transferring it to the loading table of the scanning mechanism 400 for scanning through the loading and unloading mechanism 300; or, the material moving mechanism 200 directly transfers the slice rack 500 to the loading table, that is, the loading and unloading mechanism 300 is a partial structure of the material moving mechanism 200, or the material moving mechanism 200 is a partial structure of the loading and unloading mechanism 300, and this application is not limited to this.

[0063] After adopting the above technical solution, since slice racks 500 of different specifications can be placed in the storage tank 101a, and the length or structure of each slice rack 500 can be the same or different, it is easy to cause the position of the slice rack 500 placed in the storage tank 101a to be uncertain, which is inconvenient for the material transfer mechanism 200 to clamp the slice rack 500 during the material collection process, and may even cause the slice rack 500 to slide, swing, tilt, or even fall during the clamping process due to the center of gravity offset. Therefore, the present application limits the placement position of the slice rack 500 through the adjustment member 10, thereby ensuring the stability and safety of the slice rack 500 during the transfer process.

[0064] It should be noted that the position of the adjustment member 10 in the storage slot 101a can be adjusted or the position can be changed to limit the slice racks 500 of different specifications. Its main purpose is to be compatible with the placement of slice racks of various sizes and to ensure that the material moving mechanism 200 can firmly clamp it and smoothly transport it to the scanning mechanism 400 for scanning through the loading and unloading mechanism 300. That is, the slice rack 500 must not only ensure the firm clamping of the material moving mechanism 200, but also ensure that the material moving mechanism 200 places it in the loading and unloading mechanism 300 for transportation and transfer it to the scanning mechanism 400. In other words, the position of the slice rack 500 in the storage slot 101a determines the firm clamping of the slice rack 500 by the material moving mechanism 200 and the accuracy of moving it to the designated position, ensuring the coordination of various mechanisms of the digital pathology scanner and avoiding the problem of the slice rack 500 falling and causing fragments or failure to move it to the designated position due to the placement problem of the slice rack 500, thereby improving the working efficiency and accuracy of the digital pathology scanner and solving the placement problem of slice racks 500 of different specifications.

[0065] In an optional embodiment, if Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the storage mechanism 100 includes a frame 102 and a placement component 101 disposed in the frame 102. A plurality of partition plates 20 are spaced apart on the placement component 101 to form at least one storage slot 101a so that the slice rack 500 can be placed in the storage slot 101a accordingly.

[0066] In an optional embodiment, the adjusting member 10 is detachably connected to the partition plate 20 so that the position of the adjusting member 10 can be adjusted by assembly, thereby limiting the placement position of slice racks 500 of different specifications placed in the storage slot 101a, and solving the problem that the storage slot 101a is small and difficult to install a more complex limiting structure.

[0067] In an optional embodiment, a blocking portion 11 is provided at one end of the adjusting member 10, and the blocking portion 11 extends toward the inner side of the storage slot 101a, so that the slice rack 500 placed in the storage slot 101a abuts against the blocking portion 11 to block the end of the slice rack 500, thereby limiting the position of the slice rack 500 placed in the storage slot 101a.

[0068] In an optional embodiment, if Figures 4 to 9 As shown, each storage slot 101a is formed by the relative limiting of adjacent partition plates 20. The partition plate 20 is provided with a mounting slot 22 at one end away from the opening structure. The adjusting member 10 is detachably installed in the mounting slot 22. The two ends of the adjusting member 10 can selectively interchange directions when connected to the mounting slot 22 to form a limit for the slice rack 500 of different lengths.

[0069] Exemplarily, the adjusting member 10 has a first end and a second end opposite to each other, and the blocking portion 11 is disposed at the first end or at a position close to the first end. When the storage slot 101a is placed in a slice rack 500 of the first specification, the first end is connected to the butt end 23 of the mounting slot 22, and the second end is located outside the mounting slot 22, that is, the slice rack 500 of the first specification can be limited by the blocking portion 11 close to the butt end 23 after being placed in the storage slot 101a. Alternatively, when the storage slot 101a is placed in a slice rack 500 of the second specification, the first end is located outside the mounting slot 22, and the second end is connected to the butt end 23 of the mounting slot 22, that is, the slice rack 500 of the second specification can be limited by the blocking portion 11 far away from the butt end 23 after being placed in the storage slot 101a. The lengths of the slice racks 500 of the two specifications are different, and the corresponding limiting lengths are also different. In addition, the length of the adjusting member 10 can also be replaced by disassembly, so that more lengths of slice racks 500 can be limited, so as to improve the compatibility of the storage slot 101a of the present application for storing slice racks 500.

[0070] It should be noted that the present application adapts to the limiting of two or more specifications of slicing racks 500 by replacing the position of the adjusting member 10 or replacing the adjusting member 10 with different lengths, wherein the lengths of the two or more specifications of slicing racks 500 may be the same or different, and the present application does not impose any restrictions.

[0071] In an optional embodiment, the placement assembly 101 includes a placement plate 30, the partition plate 20 has a connecting section 25 connected to the placement plate 30 and a supporting section 26 extending at least partially toward the inner side of the storage tank 101a, the supporting section 26 is connected to one end of the connecting section 25 away from the placement plate 30, and is used to laterally support the slice rack 500.

[0072] In an optional embodiment, the partition plate 20 includes a first partition plate 20a and a second partition plate 20b, and the placement plate 30 is provided with connection grooves 31 at intervals, and the first partition plate 20a and the second partition plate 20b are both installed in the connection grooves 31, and the second partition plate 20b is arranged on the two outer sides of the placement plate 30, and the first partition plate 20a is arranged between the two second partition plates 20b. Among them, the support section 26 on the second partition plate 20b extends toward the direction of the first partition plate 20a, and the support section 26 on the first partition plate 20a extends toward the directions of both sides, that is, the storage grooves 101a are formed on both sides of the first partition plate 20a, and the storage groove 101a is formed only on the side of the second partition plate 20b facing the first partition plate 20a.

[0073] In an optional embodiment, the support section 26 has a first support edge 261 arranged obliquely, and the slope of the first support edge 261 matches the slope of the first support portion 501 of the slice rack 500, so as to provide a stable support for the slice rack 500. The first support portion 501 includes the first tapered portion 501a, the third tapered portion 501b and the fifth tapered portion 501c mentioned above, and the slice rack 500 is provided with a second support portion 502 below the first support portion 501, and the second support portion 502 includes the second tapered portion 502a, the fourth tapered portion 502b and the sixth tapered portion 502c mentioned above. The structure of the second support portion 502 may be the same as or different from that of the first support portion 501. The present application allows slice racks of different specifications to be placed in the storage tank 101a through the arrangement of the support end 26, and the length or structure of each slice rack 500 may be the same or different, and the present application does not limit it.

[0074] In an optional embodiment, the mounting groove 22 is formed on the supporting section 26, and the adjusting member 10 is provided with a second supporting edge 12 with the same inclination as the first supporting edge 261, and a blocking portion 11 is formed at one end of the second supporting edge 12 to provide stable support and limit the slice rack 500.

[0075] In an optional embodiment, one of the partition plate 20 and the adjusting member 10 is provided with a guide rail 24, and the other of the partition plate 20 and the adjusting member 10 is provided with a slide groove 13, so that the adjusting member 10 can be detachably connected to the partition plate 20 through the cooperation of the slide groove 13 and the guide rail 24 to ensure the relative position between the adjusting member 10 and the partition plate 20 and facilitate the disassembly and assembly of the adjusting member 10.

[0076] Exemplarily, the slide groove 13 is formed on the side of the adjusting member 10 facing the mounting groove 22, and the guide rail 24 is formed on the side of the partition plate 20 facing the adjusting member 10. When the adjusting member 10 is installed on the mounting groove 22, the adjusting member 10 moves along the length direction of the guide rail 24 through the slide groove 13, so that the first end or the second end of the adjusting member 10 can be connected or contacted with the docking end 23 of the mounting groove 22.

[0077] In an optional embodiment, the placement component 101 also includes a connecting piece, the adjusting piece 10 is provided with connecting holes 14 running through both ends, the partition plate 20 is provided with a fixing hole 231, and the connecting piece passes through the connecting hole 14 and is connected to the fixing hole 231 to fix the adjusting piece 10 in the mounting groove 22.

[0078] In an optional embodiment, the placement component 101 also includes a limit member 40, which is arranged at one end of the partition plate 20 close to the opening structure, and is used to limit the two sides of the slice rack 500 when it is placed in the storage slot 101a, playing a guiding and limiting role, preventing the slice rack 500 from having excessive left and right deviations, resulting in the jaw assembly 201 of the material moving mechanism 200 interfering with or even colliding with the slice rack 500 during the process of clamping the slice rack 500, thereby damaging the slice 600 or the jaw assembly 201, etc.

[0079] In an optional embodiment, a limiting groove 27 is provided on the partition plate 20 , and the limiting member 40 is installed in the limiting groove 27 to achieve positioning installation between the limiting member 40 and the partition plate 20 .

[0080] In an optional embodiment, the limit member 40 has a horizontal section 41 and a vertical section 42. The limit member 40 is connected to the partition plate 20 through the horizontal section 41, and the vertical section 42 is arranged at the end of the horizontal section 41 away from the opening structure, so that the operator can place the slice rack 500 into a storage slot 101a with a narrow space, so that the slice rack 500 can be placed in the corresponding storage slot 101a under the guidance of the vertical section 42, thereby improving the stability and accuracy of the slice rack 500 during the placement process; at the same time, the vertical section 42 is arranged at the end of the horizontal section 41 away from the opening structure, which can avoid the left and right, making it convenient to place the slice rack 500 into the storage slot 101a from the end.

[0081] In an optional embodiment, the partition plate 20 has a notch 21 in the middle, which is used to cooperate with a mechanical clamp assembly or a human hand to grab the slice rack 500 from the notch 21. The mechanical clamp assembly can be a clamp assembly 201 of the material transfer mechanism 200, and the clamp assembly 201 can extend into the notch 21 to clamp the slice rack 500, thereby preventing the slice rack 500 from sliding, swinging, tilting, or even falling due to loose clamping during the clamping process, thereby improving the safety of the slice rack 500 during the transfer process.

[0082] For example, Figures 9 to 12 As shown, the material moving mechanism 200 includes a moving component and a clamping jaw component 201 . The clamping jaw component 201 is connected to the moving component so that the moving component can drive the clamping jaw component 201 to move along at least one degree of freedom direction to move the slice rack 500 .

[0083] In an optional embodiment, the jaw assembly 201 includes a jaw structure and a jaw driving member 201c, the jaw structure includes a first jaw 201a and a second jaw 201b, and the jaw driving member 201c is used to drive the first jaw 201a and the second jaw 201b to move relative to each other, so that the jaw assembly 201 can clamp the slice rack 500 in the storage mechanism or place the slice rack 500 in the storage mechanism to realize the transfer of the slice rack 500.

[0084] The first clamping jaw 201a and the second clamping jaw 201b both have a horizontal portion 2011 and a vertical portion 2012 , and the vertical portion 2012 is connected to the clamping jaw driving member 201c through the horizontal portion 2011 . Among them, the vertical part 2012 is used to cooperate with the incision groove, so that the clamping jaw driving member 201c can drive the vertical part 2012 extending into the incision groove to clamp the slice rack 500, thereby preventing the slice rack 500 from sliding, swinging, tilting, or even falling due to loose clamping during the clamping process, thereby improving the safety of the slice rack 500 during the transfer process; or, after the clamping jaw assembly 201 transfers the slice rack 500 to the storage slot 101a, the clamping jaw assembly 201 can move toward the direction of the incision groove so that the vertical part 2012 can extend into the incision groove, and then the clamping jaw driving member 201c drives the first clamping jaw 201a and the second clamping jaw 201b to loosen the slice rack 500, so that the slice rack 500 is placed in the storage mechanism to reduce the collision between the slice rack 500 and the storage mechanism.

[0085] In an optional embodiment, the width of the storage slot 101a is adapted to the width of the slice rack 500, and the blocking portion 11 is formed on the second supporting edge 12, which is mainly used to block the first supporting portion 501 on the slice rack 500 to achieve a limiting effect. That is, when the first clamping jaw 201a and the second clamping jaw 201b cooperate to clamp the slice rack 500, the slice rack 500 can be taken out from the storage slot 101a as long as the blocking portion 11 releases the limit on the first supporting portion 501; in other words, when the clamping jaw assembly 201 takes out the slice rack 500, it only needs to slightly lift the slice rack 500 upwards, and there is no need to completely lift the slice rack 500 out of the storage slot 101a, and then move the slice rack 500 out along the length direction of the storage slot 101a. This not only reduces the size of the avoidance space above the storage slot 101a and realizes the miniaturized design of the storage mechanism 100; but also limits the slice rack 500 in the process of the clamping jaw assembly 201 moving the slice rack 500 out of or into the storage slot 101a to avoid damage to the slices in the slice rack 500.

[0086] After adopting the above technical solution, since the vertical portion 2012 can extend into the cutout groove to clamp the position of the slice rack 500 in the vertical direction, the clamping area of ​​the first clamping jaw 201a and the second clamping jaw 201b and the slice rack 500 in the vertical direction is increased, and it is avoided that the first clamping jaw 201a and the second clamping jaw 201b only clamp the upper end of the slice rack 500, which causes the slice rack 500 to shake easily during the transfer process, or even have the risk of falling, thereby improving the stability and safety of the slice rack 500 during the transfer process, and preventing the slice rack 500 from sliding, swinging, tilting, or even falling due to loose clamping during the clamping process.

[0087] In an optional embodiment, the vertical portion 2012 on the first clamp 201a and the vertical portion 2012 of the second clamp 201b both have a first recessed groove 2013 that is recessed inwardly, and the shape of the first recessed groove 2013 is adapted to the shape of the first support portion so that it can be more closely connected to the first support portion, thereby avoiding shaking of the slice rack 500 after being clamped, thereby improving the safety of the slice rack 500 during movement.

[0088] In an optional embodiment, the first recessed groove 2013 and the first supporting portion are both V-shaped, and the angle between the two side walls of the first recessed groove 2013 is no greater than the angle formed by the two side surfaces of the first supporting portion. This not only serves as a guide when the first recessed groove 2013 clamps the first supporting portion, but also allows the two side surfaces of the first supporting portion to abut against the two side walls of the first recessed groove 2013, thereby improving the stability of the first clamping jaw 201a and the second clamping jaw 201b in clamping the slice rack 500.

[0089] In an optional embodiment, the horizontal portion 2011 on the first clamp 201a and the horizontal portion 2011 on the second clamp 201b both have a second recessed groove 2014 recessed inwardly, and the shape of the second recessed groove 2014 is adapted to the shape of the second support portion so as to be more closely connected with the second support portion, thereby avoiding shaking of the slice rack 500 after being clamped, thereby improving the safety of the slice rack 500 during movement.

[0090] In an optional embodiment, the second recessed groove 2014 and the first supporting portion are both V-shaped, and the angle between the two side walls of the second recessed groove 2014 is no greater than the angle formed by the two side surfaces of the second supporting portion. This not only provides a guide when the second recessed groove 2014 clamps the second supporting portion, but also enables the two side surfaces of the second supporting portion to abut against the two side walls of the second recessed groove 2014, thereby improving the stability of the first clamping jaw 201a and the second clamping jaw 201b in clamping the slice rack 500.

[0091] In an optional embodiment, the first clamping jaw 201 a and the second clamping jaw 201 b are both provided with avoidance grooves 2015 extending in the vertical direction for avoiding the two side edges of the slicing frame 500 .

[0092] In an optional embodiment, a hollow groove 2016 is provided on the first jaw 201a and the second jaw 201b, and the hollow groove 2016 is used to reduce the weight of the first jaw 201a and the second jaw 201b, thereby reducing the load on the first jaw 201a and the second jaw 201b driven by the jaw driving member 201c, simplifying the structure of the first jaw 201a and the second jaw 201b, and reducing maintenance costs.

[0093] In an optional embodiment, the moving component includes a longitudinal component 202, a transverse component 203 and a vertical component 204. The clamping component 201 is connected to the vertical component 204 through the longitudinal component 202, and the vertical component 204 is installed on the frame of the pathology slice scanner through the transverse component 203, so that the clamping component 201 can move along three degrees of freedom under the drive of the moving component to stably transfer the slice rack 500. The structure is reasonable and simple, and the degree of automation is high.

[0094] In an optional embodiment, if Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, the storage mechanism 100 also includes a detection component 50, which is arranged in the storage slot 101a, and is used to detect whether there is a slice rack 500 in the storage slot 101a and / or the position of the slice rack 500, so that the material transfer mechanism 200 can stably transfer the slice rack 500 in the storage slot 101a according to the detection status of the detection component 50, thereby improving work efficiency and accuracy.

[0095] In an optional embodiment, the detection component 50 includes a first sensor 51, which is disposed at one end close to the opening structure and is used to detect whether there is a slice rack 500 in the storage slot 101a.

[0096] In an optional embodiment, the detection component 50 includes a second sensor 52 , which is disposed at an end away from the opening structure and is used to detect whether the slice rack 500 is in place.

[0097] Exemplarily, when the slice rack 500 is placed into the storage slot 101a from the depositing side, the slice rack 500 is first sensed by the first sensor 51 and then sensed by the second sensor 52. Among them, when the storage slot 101a is used to place the slice rack 500 of the first specification, that is, when the length of the slice rack 500 is longer, the blocking portion 11 can be located on the side close to the material moving side. If the slice rack 500 is only sensed by the first sensor 51 but not by the second sensor 52, it means that the slice rack 500 is placed in the storage slot 101a, but the slice rack 500 is not placed in place; when the first sensor 51 and the second sensor 52 both sense the slice rack 500, the slice rack 500 in the storage slot 101a is not not placed in place; when the slice rack 500 is only sensed by the second sensor 52 but not by the first sensor 51, the slice rack 500 in the storage slot 101a is placed in place.

[0098] Alternatively, when the storage tank 101a is used to place the slice rack 500 of the second specification, that is, when the length of the slice rack 500 is shorter, the position of the blocking portion 11 in the storage tank 101a is adjusted so that the blocking portion 11 can be located on the side away from the material moving side. If the slice rack 500 is only sensed by the first sensor 51 but not by the second sensor 52, it means that the slice rack 500 is placed in the storage tank 101a, but the slice rack 500 is not placed in place; when the slice rack 500 is only sensed by the second sensor 52 but not by the first sensor 51, the slice rack 500 in the storage tank 101a is placed in place.

[0099] In an optional embodiment, the material moving assembly 200 is electrically connected to the detection assembly 50. When the detection assembly 50 detects that the slice rack 500 in the storage slot 101a is placed in place, the material moving mechanism 50 will move the slice rack 500 to improve the working efficiency of the digital pathology scanner.

[0100] In an optional embodiment, if Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the loading and unloading mechanism 300 includes a material moving component 303, a conveying component 301 and a loading component 302. The conveying component 301 is used to transport the slice rack 500 on the loading component 302. The material moving component 303 is used to transfer the slices 600 in the slice rack 500 on the loading component 302 to the stage of the scanning mechanism 400, and / or transfer the slices 600 scanned on the stage to the loading component 302. The whole process does not require human participation, has a simple structure and is easy to operate, which not only reduces labor costs but also improves the working efficiency of the pathology slice scanner.

[0101] In an optional embodiment, the loading and unloading mechanism 300 includes a detection structure 304, which is used to detect the status information of the slice 600 placed in the loading component 302, so that the material moving component 303 can move the slice 600 in the loading component 302 according to the status information detected by the detection component 50. The status information of the slice 600 may include the status information of the slice 600 placed in the receiving groove, and the status information of the slice 600 may also include the status information of the slice 600 placed in the slice rack 500, which is not limited in the present application.

[0102] After adopting the above technical scheme, since the material moving component 303 can transfer the slice 600 in the receiving groove or slice rack 500 to the stage for scanning according to the detected state information, and then transfer the scanned slice 600 from the stage to the corresponding position of the receiving groove or slice rack 500, there is no need for manual correction by the operator, which can not only save time but also improve work efficiency; during the storage or transfer process of the slice rack 500, it is always placed horizontally, that is, the slice 600 therein remains in an upright state, and it can also avoid accidents caused by the material moving component 303 during the transfer of the slice 600, such as the risk of the slice 600 being broken during clamping, the problem of the slice 600 falling during transfer, or the slice 600 being tilted and skewed during the transfer process, or the material moving component 303 being unable to transfer the slice 600 due to the abnormal state of the slice 600 in the receiving groove or slice rack 500, thereby fully improving the safety of the entire process, ensuring that the slice 600 can be accurately transferred to the stage for scanning, and ensuring work efficiency.

[0103] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. It can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. It can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. It can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0104] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0105] The disclosure above provides many different embodiments or examples to realize the different structures of the present application. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present application, the parts and settings of specific examples are described above. Of course, they are only examples, and the purpose is not to limit the present application. In addition, the present application can repeat reference numbers and / or reference letters in different examples, and this repetition is for the purpose of simplification and clarity, which itself does not indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed. In addition, the various specific processes and material examples provided by the present application, but those of ordinary skill in the art can be aware of the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0106] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiments or examples are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

Claims

1. A digital pathology scanner, characterized in that: It comprises a scanning mechanism, a material moving mechanism, a loading and unloading mechanism and a storage mechanism for storing slice racks of different specifications, wherein the slice rack is used for storing slices, the material moving mechanism is used for transferring the slice rack between the storage mechanism and the loading and unloading mechanism, and the loading and unloading mechanism is used for conveying the slices in the slice rack to the scanning mechanism for scanning and conveying the scanned slices back to the storage mechanism; Wherein, the storage mechanism is provided with a storage slot for placing slice racks of different specifications, and a detection component is provided in the storage slot, and the detection component is used to detect whether the slice rack exists in the storage slot and / or the position of the slice rack.

2. The digital pathology scanner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The storage mechanism comprises a frame and a placement component disposed in the frame, the storage slot is formed in the placement component and has an opening structure for placing the slice rack; and / or, The material moving assembly is electrically connected to the detection assembly, and when the detection assembly detects that the slice rack in the storage tank is placed in place, the material moving mechanism moves the slice rack.

3. The digital pathology scanner according to claim 2, characterized in that: The detection component includes a first sensor, which is arranged at one end close to the opening structure and is used to detect whether the slice rack exists in the storage tank.

4. The digital pathology scanner according to claim 3, characterized in that: The detection assembly includes a second sensor, which is arranged at an end away from the opening structure and is used to cooperate with the first sensor to detect the position of the slice rack.

5. The digital pathology scanner according to claim 2, characterized in that: The placement assembly includes a placement plate, a partition plate and an adjustment member. The partition plate is arranged at intervals on the placement plate to form the storage slot. The adjustment member is arranged on one end of the partition plate away from the opening structure to limit the placement position of the slice rack.

6. The digital pathology scanner according to claim 5, characterized in that: A blocking portion is provided at one end of the adjusting member, and the blocking portion extends toward the inner side of the storage slot, so that the slice rack placed in the storage slot abuts against the blocking portion to limit the position of the slice rack placed in the storage slot; and / or, The partition plate is provided with a mounting groove at one end away from the opening structure, the adjusting member is detachably mounted in the mounting groove, and the two ends of the adjusting member can selectively exchange directions when connected to the mounting groove to form a limit for slice racks of different lengths.

7. The digital pathology scanner according to claim 5, characterized in that: The partition plate comprises a connecting section connected to the placement plate and a supporting section extending at least partially toward the inner side of the storage tank, wherein the supporting section is connected to an end of the connecting section away from the placement plate and is used to support the slice rack.

8. The digital pathology scanner according to claim 7, characterized in that: The support section has a first support edge which is arranged obliquely, and the slope of the first support edge is adapted to the slope of the first support portion of the slice frame.

9. The digital pathology scanner according to claim 8, characterized in that: The support section is formed with the mounting groove, the adjusting member is detachably mounted in the mounting groove, the adjusting member is provided with a second supporting edge with the same inclination as the first supporting edge, and a blocking portion is formed at one end of the second supporting edge.

10. The digital pathology scanner according to claim 5, characterized in that: The placement assembly further includes a limiting member, which is disposed at one end of the partition plate close to the opening structure and is used to limit the two sides of the slice rack when it is placed in the storage slot; and / or, The middle part of the partition plate is provided with a notch groove, which is used for clamping the slice rack after the clamping claw assembly of the material moving mechanism extends into the notch groove.

11. The digital pathology scanner according to claim 10, characterized in that: The limiting plate has a horizontal section and a vertical section, the limiting member is connected to the partition plate via the horizontal section, and the vertical section is arranged at one end of the horizontal section away from the opening structure.

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