A paraffin tissue section processing system and method

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of tissue section processing equipment, and more particularly to a paraffin tissue section processing system and a processing method, which comprises a cold water area, a hot water area, a section baking unit, a control processing unit, a multi-axis moving mechanism, a clamping mechanism, a swinging mechanism, a blocking piece and a sliding mechanism; the processing method comprises the following steps: moving the end to drive the slide, moving the blocking piece to the second end below the water level line of the cold water area; the sliding mechanism drives the blocking piece to slide towards the slide, and the swinging mechanism swings the slide towards the blocking piece to an inclined state; then, the end moves to drive the slide to move upwards, at this time, the paraffin tissue section is attached to the object surface; under the inclined state of the slide, the slide moves to the hot water area to spread the section; after the section spreading is completed, the slide moves to the section baking unit to bake the section. The present application is convenient to use, can improve the fishing efficiency of the paraffin tissue section, improve the processing efficiency of the paraffin tissue section, and improve the work efficiency of the pathology department.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of tissue section processing equipment, and more specifically, to a paraffin tissue section processing system and method. Background Technology

[0002] Paraffin sectioning is a widely used method in routine histological slide preparation. It is not only used to observe the morphology and structure of normal cells and tissues, but also a primary method in pathology and forensic medicine for clinical disease diagnosis, scientific research, and observing and judging morphological changes in cells and tissues. Currently, the processing of paraffin sections involves several steps, including slide preparation, spreading, and warming. A crucial method is to first place the paraffin section in cold water, then use a glass slide to lift it from the cold water and transfer it to hot water for spreading. This results in thinner and flatter paraffin sections, which is beneficial for observing the structure and spatial distribution of tissue cells. While existing technologies can switch and operate certain steps using robotic arms, during the tissue section retrieval process, when the robotic arm picks up a slide and pulls it into the water to approach the target paraffin tissue section, the paraffin tissue section floating on the water surface moves with the water, making it difficult for the slide to get close to the paraffin tissue section and for the paraffin tissue section to adhere to the slide. Alternatively, after the slide gets close to the paraffin tissue section, when the robotic arm pulls the slide out of the water, the paraffin tissue section may not adhere completely to the slide, resulting in low retrieval efficiency and difficulty in effectively improving the processing efficiency of paraffin tissue sections. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the low efficiency of existing tissue section retrieval technology, and to provide a paraffin tissue section processing system and method that is easy to use, can improve the retrieval efficiency of paraffin tissue sections, improve the processing efficiency of paraffin tissue sections, and thus improve the work efficiency of the pathology department.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0005] A paraffin tissue sectioning system is provided, comprising a moving gripping unit, a cold water zone, a hot water zone, a slide baking unit, and a control processing unit. The cold water zone, hot water zone, and slide baking unit are all located within the moving gripping range of the moving gripping unit. The moving gripping unit includes a multi-axis moving mechanism, a gripping mechanism, a swinging mechanism, a blocking member, and a sliding mechanism. The fixed end of the gripping mechanism is connected to the moving end of the multi-axis moving mechanism via the swinging mechanism. The blocking member is connected to the moving end via the sliding mechanism. The sliding mechanism can move the blocking member closer to or further away from the gripping mechanism. The swinging mechanism can move the glass slide gripped by the gripping mechanism closer to or further away from the blocking member. The multi-axis moving mechanism, gripping mechanism, swinging mechanism, sliding mechanism, cold water zone, hot water zone, and slide baking unit are all communicatively connected to the control processing unit.

[0006] Preferably, the swing mechanism includes a movable frame and a swing drive component. The fixed end of the clamping mechanism is connected to the moving end via the movable frame, and the movable frame and the moving end are connected via the swing drive component. The swing drive component is communicatively connected to the control processing unit.

[0007] Preferably, the blocking member includes a plurality of blocking plates, the first end of the blocking plate being connected to the sliding end of the sliding mechanism; the second end of the blocking plate is located below the lowest point of the clamping mechanism.

[0008] Preferably, the cold water zone includes a first tank, a first position detection element is arrayed at the bottom of the first tank, a water level detection element is provided on the inner wall of the first tank, and both the first position detection element and the water level detection element are communicatively connected to the control processing unit.

[0009] Preferably, the hot water zone and the cold water zone are arranged adjacent to each other. The hot water zone includes a second tank, in which a first heating element and a first temperature sensor are provided. A second position detection element is arranged in an array at the bottom of the second tank. The first heating element, the first temperature sensor, and the second position detection element are all communicatively connected to the control processing unit.

[0010] Preferably, the baking unit includes a housing, a second heating element, a second temperature sensor, and a lifting and placing rack disposed within the housing; it also includes a first cover and a rotating mechanism, wherein the first cover is connected to the housing via the rotating mechanism, and the second temperature sensor is embedded in the first cover; the second heating element, the second temperature sensor, the lifting and placing rack, and the rotating mechanism are all communicatively connected to the control and processing unit.

[0011] Preferably, the lifting and placing frame includes a placing frame body and a third electric telescopic rod. The placing frame body is connected to the bottom of the box body through the third electric telescopic rod. The placing frame body is provided with a plurality of first placing slots, and the openings of the first placing slots are arranged facing upwards.

[0012] Preferably, the paraffin tissue sectioning system further includes a slide holder located within the moving gripping range of the moving gripping unit, the slide holder being provided with a plurality of second placement slots, and a third position detection element being provided in the second placement slot located at the end position.

[0013] The present invention also includes a processing method for the above-mentioned paraffin tissue section processing system, wherein the mobile end is equipped with a camera communicatively connected to the control processing unit, and the processing method includes the following steps:

[0014] S1. Place the completed paraffin tissue sections one by one into the cold water zone;

[0015] S2. The clamping mechanism clamps the glass slide. When clamping, the glass slide is vertically arranged and the surface of the glass slide faces the blocking member.

[0016] S3. The moving end moves to the top of the cold water zone, and the control processing unit performs image processing on the cold water zone image captured by the camera to obtain the cold water zone position information of the paraffin tissue section, and controls the moving end to move according to the cold water zone position information until the paraffin tissue section is located directly below the gap between the glass slide and the blocking member.

[0017] S4. The moving end drives the glass slide and the blocking member to move downwards until the second end of the blocking member is lower than the water level line of the cold water zone;

[0018] S5. The sliding mechanism drives the blocking member to slide toward the glass slide, and the swinging mechanism drives the clamping mechanism to swing, so that the glass slide swings toward the blocking member to an inclined state; then, the moving end drives the glass slide to move upward, and during the upward movement, the paraffin tissue section is attached to the surface of the substrate.

[0019] S6. With the slide tilted, the moving end drives the slide to the hot water area for spreading;

[0020] S7. After the slide is spread out, the moving end moves the glass slide to the baking unit for baking.

[0021] Preferably, in step S5, the maximum angle of the glass slide swing is 20°;

[0022] In step S6, the moving end moves the glass slide downward until the water level in the hot water zone is level with the top of the paraffin tissue section.

[0023] Preferably, step S7 includes: after the slide is spread out, the moving end moves to above the baking unit, and at the same time, the swinging mechanism drives the clamping mechanism to swing until the slide is in a vertical state and then stops, and the sliding mechanism drives the blocking member away from the slide; then, the moving end moves down, the slide enters the baking unit and is baked, and the processing is completed.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0025] 1. The multi-axis moving mechanism facilitates the movement of the clamping mechanism to each unit; the clamping mechanism is used to clamp glass slides; the swinging mechanism allows the glass slides clamped on the clamping mechanism to swing; the sliding mechanism allows the blocking component to slide and block the paraffin tissue sections between the glass slide and the blocking component. When the glass slide swings to an inclined state, the paraffin tissue sections can adhere to the surface of the glass slide more quickly, which can improve the retrieval efficiency, improve the processing efficiency of paraffin tissue sections, and thus improve the work efficiency of the pathology department.

[0026] 2. The first position detection element arranged in the array in the cold water zone and the second position detection element arranged in the array in the hot water zone can be used to detect the position of the tissue slices therein;

[0027] 3. The lifting and placing rack is designed so that when the lifting and placing rack is raised, the glass slide can be placed smoothly on the lifting and placing rack. When the lifting and placing rack is lowered, the first cover can be closed easily, so that the baking unit can quickly reach the required temperature. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a paraffin tissue sectioning system according to the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first embodiment of the movable gripping unit of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second embodiment of the movable gripping unit of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cold water zone structure of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the hot water zone structure of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the baking sheet unit of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the slide holder of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of a paraffin tissue section processing system according to the present invention;

[0037] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a glass slide with tissue sections attached.

[0038] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the state at a certain moment in step S5 of the processing method of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the state at a certain moment in step S6 of the processing method of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the state at a certain moment in step S7 of the processing method of the present invention.

[0041] In the attached figures: 100, multi-axis moving mechanism; 110, moving end effector; 120, camera; 200, gripping mechanism; 210, first gripper; 220, second gripper; 230, first sliding assembly; 300, swinging mechanism; 310, movable frame; 311, hinge structure; 312, base plate; 320, swinging drive component; 410, blocking component; 420, sliding mechanism; 500, cold water zone; 510, first tank; 520, first position detection component; 530, water level detection component; 600, hot water zone; 610, second tank; 620, first heating component; 630, first temperature sensor; 640, second position detection component. 700, Slide baking unit; 710, Box body; 720, Second heating element; 730, Second temperature sensor; 740, Lifting and placing rack; 741, First placing slot; 750, First cover; 760, Rotating mechanism; 800, Slide holder; 810, Second placing slot; 820, Third position detection element; 900, Control and processing unit; 101, Slide; 102, Loading surface; 1021, First loading surface segment; 1022, Second loading surface segment; 1023, Third loading surface segment; 103, Holding area; 104, Paraffin tissue section. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only, representing schematic diagrams rather than actual physical objects, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this patent. To better illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, some components in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual dimensions of the product. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings.

[0043] In the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the present patent. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0044] Example 1

[0045] like Figures 1 to 4 The first embodiment of a paraffin tissue sectioning system of the present invention is shown, including a movable clamping unit, a cold water zone 500, a hot water zone 600, a section baking unit 700, and a control processing unit 900. The cold water zone 500, the hot water zone 600, and the section baking unit 700 are all located within the movable clamping range of the movable clamping unit. The movable clamping unit includes a multi-axis moving mechanism 100, a clamping mechanism 200, a swinging mechanism 300, a blocking member 410, and a sliding mechanism 420. The fixed end of the clamping mechanism 200 is connected to the multi-axis moving mechanism via the swinging mechanism 300. The moving end 110 of the multi-axis moving mechanism 100 is connected to the moving end 110. The blocking member 410 is connected to the moving end 110 through the sliding mechanism 420. The sliding mechanism 420 can drive the blocking member 410 to move closer to or away from the clamping mechanism 200. The swinging mechanism 300 can drive the glass slide 101 clamped at the clamping mechanism 200 to move closer to or away from the blocking member 410. The multi-axis moving mechanism 100, the clamping mechanism 200, the swinging mechanism 300, the sliding mechanism 420, the cold water zone 500, the hot water zone 600, and the baking unit 700 are all communicatively connected to the control and processing unit 900.

[0046] The multi-axis moving mechanism 100 facilitates the movement of the clamping mechanism 200 to various units; the clamping mechanism 200 is used to clamp the glass slide 101; the swinging mechanism 300 allows the glass slide 101 clamped on the clamping mechanism 200 to swing; the sliding mechanism 420 allows the blocking member 410 to slide and block the paraffin tissue section 104 between the glass slide 101 and the blocking member 410. When the glass slide 101 swings to an inclined state, the paraffin tissue section 104 can adhere to the loading surface 102 of the glass slide 101 more quickly, which can improve the retrieval efficiency, improve the processing efficiency of the paraffin tissue section 104, and thus improve the work efficiency of the pathology department.

[0047] In this embodiment, the multi-axis moving mechanism 100 can be an existing multi-axis robotic arm or manipulator, or it can be a multi-axis moving mechanism composed of multiple rotating servo motors and multiple telescopic components. Specifically, it includes at least three rotating servo motors connected to each other via telescopic components. The telescopic components can be a first telescopic cylinder or a first electric telescopic rod, enabling the multi-axis moving mechanism 100 to have multiple degrees of freedom. In this embodiment, the control processing unit 900 includes a PLC controller and a display screen and operation buttons electrically connected to the PLC controller. The multi-axis moving mechanism 100, gripping mechanism 200, swing mechanism 300, sliding mechanism 420, cold water zone 500, hot water zone 600, and baking unit 700 are all electrically connected to the PLC controller.

[0048] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the swing mechanism 300 includes a movable frame 310 and a swing drive 320. The fixed end of the clamping mechanism 200 is connected to the movable end 110 through the movable frame 310, and the movable frame 310 and the movable end 110 are connected through the swing drive 320. The swing drive 320 is communicatively connected to the PLC controller. In this embodiment, the movable frame 310 includes a hinge structure 311, and the swing drive 320 is a first drive motor electrically connected to the PLC controller. The first drive motor is drivenly connected to the rotating shaft of the hinge structure 311. The fixed end of the clamping mechanism 200 is connected to the movable end 110 through the hinge structure 311. The first drive motor can drive the hinge structure 311 to rotate, thereby realizing the swing of the clamping mechanism 200.

[0049] like Figures 2 to 4As shown, the gripping mechanism 200 includes a first sliding assembly 230 and a first gripper 210 and a second gripper 220 connected to the first sliding assembly 230. The first sliding assembly 230 is electrically connected to a PLC controller. The PLC controller can control the first gripper 210 and the second gripper 220 to move away from or closer to each other through the first sliding assembly 230, thereby realizing the gripping action of the gripping mechanism 200. In this embodiment, the first sliding assembly 230 is a first electric guide rail with two sliding ends, and the first gripper 210 and the second gripper 220 are respectively connected to the two sliding ends. Figure 4 As shown, the first gripper 210 and the second gripper 220 have slots adapted to the glass slide, and the gripping stability of the gripping mechanism 200 can be improved by setting anti-slip pads in the slots. It should be noted that, in order for the gripping mechanism 200 to grip a glass slide placed in a vertical position, the slots can be set to a shape adapted to the side of the glass slide.

[0050] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the blocking member 410 is located outside the gripping range of the clamping mechanism 200. The blocking member 410 includes several blocking plates. The first end of the blocking plate is connected to the sliding end of the sliding mechanism 420. The second end of the blocking plate is located below the lowest point of the clamping mechanism 200, and one side of the blocking plate faces the clamping mechanism 200. In this embodiment, the second end of the blocking plate is located below the lowest points of the first gripper 210 and the second gripper 220. In this embodiment, there is a certain gap between the blocking plate and the clamping mechanism 200 to avoid interference from the blocking plate on the swing of the slide 101. Specifically, one or two blocking plates can be provided. When two plates are provided, the two blocking plates are arranged side by side, that is, the blocking plates are located in the same plane position, and the gap between the two blocking plates is smaller than the width of the paraffin tissue section 104, which can further improve the blocking effect. In this embodiment, the sliding mechanism 420 includes a second electric guide rail, and the blocking plate is connected to the sliding end of the second electric guide rail.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] This embodiment is a second embodiment of a paraffin tissue sectioning system. This embodiment is similar to Embodiment 1, except that, as shown in the following... Figure 3 As shown, the movable frame 310 includes a hinge structure 311 and a base plate 312. The swing drive 320 is a second telescopic cylinder electrically connected to the PLC controller. The clamping mechanism 200 is connected to the base plate 312. Specifically, the fixed end of the first sliding component 230 is connected to one side of the base plate 312, and the other side of the base plate 312 is connected to the moving end 110 through the hinge structure 311. The two ends of the second telescopic cylinder are respectively hinged to the moving end 110 and the base plate 312. The extension and retraction of the second telescopic cylinder can drive the base plate 312 and the clamping mechanism 200 on it to swing.

[0053] In this embodiment, a camera 120 that is communicatively connected to the control processing unit 900 can be set at the mobile end 110. Specifically, the camera 120 is electrically connected to the PLC controller and is located between the blocking mechanism 400 and the swing mechanism 300. It can be used to capture images of the paraffin tissue slice 104 during the retrieval process and transmit the images to the PLC controller. The PLC controller processes the images and obtains the required information, which can be used to control other mechanisms.

[0054] Example 3

[0055] This embodiment is a third embodiment of a paraffin tissue sectioning system. This embodiment is similar to Embodiment 1 or 2, except that, as shown in the following... Figure 5 As shown, the cold water zone 500 includes a first tank 510. A first position detection element 520 is arrayed at the bottom of the first tank 510, and a water level detection element 530 is provided on the inner wall of the first tank 510. Both the first position detection element 520 and the water level detection element 530 are electrically connected to a PLC controller. In this embodiment, the water level detection element 530 is a water level monitor; the first position detection element 520 is a photoelectric sensor, which can also be used to detect the location of the paraffin tissue section 104 in the first tank 510. It should be noted that the bottom of the first tank 510 can be set to black to facilitate observation of the paraffin tissue section 104 inside the first tank 510.

[0056] like Figure 6 As shown, the hot water zone 600 and the cold water zone 500 are arranged adjacent to each other. The hot water zone 600 includes a second tank 610, which is adjacent to the first tank 510. The second tank 610 is equipped with a first heating element 620 and a first temperature sensor 630. A second position detection element 640 is arrayed at the bottom of the second tank 610. The first heating element 620, the first temperature sensor 630, and the second position detection element 640 are all electrically connected to a PLC controller. In this embodiment, the first heating element 620 includes one or more first electric heating tubes arranged on the inner sidewall of the second tank 610. The first temperature sensor 630 is a first temperature sensor. The second position detection element 640 is a photoelectric sensor, which can be used to detect the location of the paraffin tissue section 104 in the second tank 610. It should be noted that the bottom of the second tank 610 can be set to black to facilitate observation of the paraffin tissue section 104 inside the second tank 610.

[0057] like Figure 7As shown, the baking unit 700 includes a housing 710, a second heating element 720, a second temperature sensor 730 disposed within the housing 710, and a lifting and placing rack 740; it also includes a first cover 750 and a rotating mechanism 760. The first cover 750 is connected to the housing 710 via the rotating mechanism 760, and the second temperature sensor 730 is embedded in the first cover 750. The second heating element 720, the second temperature sensor 730, the lifting and placing rack 740, and the rotating mechanism 760 are all electrically connected to a PLC controller. In this embodiment, one or more housings 710 can be provided. When multiple housings 710 are provided, different housings 710 can be used alternately to improve the baking efficiency. In this embodiment, the first cover 750 can be provided with several ventilation holes.

[0058] like Figure 7 As shown, the lifting and placing rack 740 includes a placing frame body and a third electric telescopic rod. The placing frame body is connected to the bottom of the housing 710 via the third electric telescopic rod. The placing frame body is provided with a plurality of first placing slots 741, with the slot openings of the first placing slots 741 facing upwards, which can be used to vertically place glass slides. Specifically, the placing frame body includes a fence side and a base plate, which are connected by a connecting rod. The first placing slots 741 include slots arranged on the inner side of the fence side and abutment slots arranged on the base plate, with the abutment slots corresponding one-to-one with the slots. In this embodiment, the height of the connecting rod between the fence side and the base plate will be reasonably set to avoid interference between the lifting and placing rack 740 and the blocking member 410 when placing the glass slide 101. The second heating element 720 includes one or more second electric heating tubes arranged on the inner side wall of the housing 710. The second temperature sensing element 730 includes at least one second temperature sensor disposed at the first cover 750. The second temperature sensor is embedded in the first cover 750 to avoid obstructing the placement of the glass slide 101 inside the housing 710. In this embodiment, the first cover 750 covers the opening of the housing 710 and is hinged to the housing 710. The rotating mechanism 760 is connected to the hinge. Specifically, the rotating mechanism 760 includes a third drive motor and a transmission assembly. The base of the third drive motor is connected to the outer side wall of the housing 710, and the output shaft of the third drive motor is connected to the hinge via the transmission assembly. It should be noted that the transmission assembly can be a spur gear set, a bevel gear set, or a synchronous belt pulley set.

[0059] like Figure 1 and Figure 8As shown, the paraffin tissue sectioning system also includes a slide holder 800 located within the movable gripping range of the movable gripping unit. The slide holder 800 has multiple second placement slots 810 arranged in a row, and a third position detection element 820 is provided in each of the second placement slots 810 located at its end. In this embodiment, the opening of the second placement slot 810 faces upwards, allowing for vertical placement of the slide 101. Since the slides 101 are placed sequentially on the slide holder 800, the third position detection element 820 located at the end can be used to sense whether a slide 101 is placed in the second placement slot 810, and also to sense whether there is any empty space in the second placement slot 810. The third position detection element 820 can be a photoelectric sensor.

[0060] like Figure 1 As shown, the slide holder 800, the first groove 510, the control and processing unit 900, the second groove 610, and the housing 710 are sequentially arranged around the multi-axis moving mechanism 100, which facilitates the multi-axis moving mechanism 100 to move the clamping mechanism 200 to various positions. Furthermore, the slide holder 800, the first groove 510, the control and processing unit 900, the second groove 610, and the housing 710 can be integrated or separate, depending on the actual usage requirements. When performing integrated setup, a box structure can be set up, and groove structures can be set up on the box structure at the required positions of the slide holder 800, the first groove 510, the second groove 610, and the box 710, which can facilitate the integration and retrieval of each structure on the box structure; a platform structure can be set up at the position corresponding to the control processing unit 900, which can facilitate the viewing and operation of the control processing unit 900; preferably, an openable transparent cover can also be set up at the position corresponding to the control processing unit 900, which can not only provide protection, but also facilitate the reading of information on the display screen.

[0061] Example 4

[0062] like Figures 9 to 13 The illustration shows an embodiment of a processing method of the present invention, applied to the paraffin tissue section processing system described in any one of embodiments one to three. The processing method includes the following steps:

[0063] S1. Place the completed paraffin tissue sections 104 one by one into a cold water zone at 500°C.

[0064] Specifically, step S1 includes: adding cold water to the first tank 510, adding water to the second tank 610 and starting heating, vertically placing several glass slides 101 at the slide holder 800, ensuring that the loading surfaces 102 of the glass slides 101 face the same direction and that the holding areas 103 of the glass slides 101 are at the top; then placing the completed paraffin tissue sections 104 one by one into the cold water of the first tank 510; it should be noted that the paraffin tissue sections 104 are rectangles with a length and width of approximately 2.2 cm.

[0065] S2. The clamping mechanism 200 clamps the glass slide 101. When clamping, the glass slide 101 is vertically arranged and the loading surface 102 of the glass slide 101 faces the blocking member 410.

[0066] Specifically, step S2 includes: the PLC controller controls the gripping mechanism 200 to move to the slide holder 800, the first gripper 210 and the second gripper 220 respectively gripping the two sides of the holding area 103 of the slide 101, and the slide 101's loading surface 102 facing the blocking member 410 when being gripped; Figure 10 As shown, the loading surface 102 is sequentially composed of a first loading surface segment 1021, a second loading surface segment 1022, and a third loading surface segment 1023. The first loading surface segment 1021 is adjacent to the holding area 103. In this embodiment, when the glass slide 101 is in a vertical state, the second end of the blocking sheet can be located within the height range of the upper half of the corresponding second loading surface segment 1022, such as... Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown; it should be noted that the height of the gripping area 103 is... The height of the first loading surface segment 1021 is 20mm. The height of the second loading surface segment 1022 is 17mm. The height of the third loading surface segment 1023 is 22mm. The diameter is 17mm, therefore, the second end of the blocking plate is located in the height range of 17~28mm below the corresponding gripping area 103;

[0067] S3. The moving end 110 moves above the cold water zone 500. The control processing unit 900 performs image processing on the cold water zone image captured by the camera 120 to obtain the cold water zone position information of the paraffin tissue section 104. Based on the cold water zone position information, the moving end 110 is controlled to move until the paraffin tissue section 104 is located directly below the gap between the glass slide 101 and the blocking member 410.

[0068] Specifically, step S3 includes: the PLC controller controls the moving end 110 to move until the moving end 110 is above the first tank 510; then, the camera 120 captures an image of the cold water area from a top-down view of the first tank 510; the PLC controller acquires the image of the cold water area and performs image processing; specifically, the paraffin tissue section 104 is located by identifying the rectangular frame in the image of the cold water area, thereby obtaining the cold water area position information of the paraffin tissue section 104; and then the moving end 110 is controlled to move according to the cold water area position information until the paraffin tissue section 104 is directly below the gap between the glass slide 101 and the barrier slide; it should be noted that when the moving end 110 has not yet moved above the first tank 510, the cold water area position information of the paraffin tissue section 104 can also be obtained by the first position detection element 520.

[0069] S4. The moving end 110 drives the glass slide 101 and the blocking member 410 to move down until the second end of the blocking member 410 is lower than the water level line of the cold water zone 500.

[0070] Specifically, step S4 includes: the PLC controller controls the moving end effector 110 to move downwards until it stops when it reaches the height range of the first load-bearing surface segment 1021 of the water level line, such as... Figure 10 As shown;

[0071] S5. The sliding mechanism 420 drives the blocking member 410 to slide toward the glass slide 101, and the swing mechanism 300 drives the clamping mechanism 200 to swing, so that the glass slide 101 swings toward the blocking member 410 to an inclined state; then, the moving end 110 drives the glass slide 101 to move upward, and during the upward movement, the paraffin tissue section 104 is attached to the surface 102.

[0072] Specifically, step S5 includes: the PLC controller controls the sliding mechanism 420 to move the blocking plate towards the slide 101, at which time the water surface is agitated and the paraffin tissue section 104 moves towards the slide 101; then, the PLC controller controls the swing mechanism 300 to swing the clamping mechanism 200 and the slide 101, so that the slide 101 swings towards the blocking member 410 until it reaches an inclined state and then stops swinging. The maximum swing angle of the slide 101 is 20°. Figure 11 As shown; then, the moving end 110 drives the tilted slide 101 to move upward. During the upward movement, the paraffin tissue section 104 is attached to the carrier surface 102. Preferably, the paraffin tissue section 104 is attached to the second carrier surface segment 1022.

[0073] S6. With the slide 101 tilted, the moving end 110 drives the slide 101 to the hot water zone 600 for slide spreading;

[0074] Specifically, step S6 includes: with the slide 101 tilted, the PLC controller controls the moving end 110 to move the slide 101 with the paraffin tissue section 104 attached to it to the top of the second tank 610, and then continues to move the slide 101 downwards until the water level of the second tank 610 is flush with the top of the paraffin tissue section 104. Figure 12 As shown, the paraffin tissue section 104 can be spread in hot water. Spreading the slide in an inclined state reduces the possibility of the paraffin tissue section 104 slipping on the carrier surface 102. It should be noted that even if the paraffin tissue section 104 separates from the carrier surface 102 during the spreading process, the blocking and limiting of the blocking plate can prevent the paraffin tissue section 104 from moving further away from the carrier surface 102. After the spreading is completed, when the PLC controller controls the moving end 110 to move the carrier slide 101 upward, the paraffin tissue section 104 can be reattached to the carrier surface 102, avoiding the need for secondary retrieval and improving the processing efficiency of the paraffin tissue section 104.

[0075] S7. After the slide is spread out, the moving end 110 moves the glass slide 101 to the baking unit 700 for baking.

[0076] Specifically, step S7 includes: after the slide is spread, the PLC controller controls the moving end 110 to move the glass slide 101 above the baking unit 700. At the same time, the PLC controller controls the swing mechanism 300 to swing the clamping mechanism 200 until the glass slide 101 is in a vertical position and then stops.

[0077] Next, the sliding mechanism 420 drives the blocking member 410 to slide away from the glass slide 101, as... Figure 13 As shown; then, the PLC controller controls the moving end 110 to move down and controls the rotating mechanism 760 to open the first cover 750, while simultaneously controlling the lifting and placing rack 740 to rise.

[0078] Then, the moving end 110 moves the glass slide 101 with the paraffin tissue section 104 attached downwards and inserts it into the first placement slot 741. Then, the clamping mechanism 200 releases the glass slide 101 and moves upwards. At this time, the lifting placement rack 740 can be lowered by the PLC controller, the first cover 750 is closed, and then the second heating element 720 is started to heat and bake the slide. After the baking is completed, the first cover 750 is opened, and the lifting placement rack 740 is raised again to facilitate the removal of the glass slide 101 with the paraffin tissue section 104 attached, thus completing the processing of the paraffin tissue section 104.

[0079] It should be noted that, in order to improve the efficiency of baking the slides and reduce energy consumption, a weighing sensor electrically connected to the PLC controller can be installed at the lifting and placing frame 740. During the placement of the glass slides 101, when the weighing sensor senses a certain change in weight, that is, after a certain number of glass slides 101 have been placed on the lifting and placing frame 740, the lifting and placing frame 740 is controlled to descend, the first cover 750 is closed, and heating is started.

[0080] In the specific implementation of the above embodiments, the technical features can be combined in any non-contradictory way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the above technical features are described. However, as long as the combination of these technical features is not contradictory, it should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0081] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for processing paraffin tissue sections, characterized in that, The system includes a moving gripping unit, a cold water zone (500), a hot water zone (600), a baking unit (700), and a control processing unit (900). The cold water zone (500), hot water zone (600), and baking unit (700) are all located within the moving gripping range of the moving gripping unit. The moving gripping unit includes a multi-axis moving mechanism (100), a gripping mechanism (200), a swinging mechanism (300), a blocking component (410), and a sliding mechanism (420). The fixed end of the gripping mechanism (200) is connected to the moving end (110) of the multi-axis moving mechanism (100) via the swinging mechanism (300). The stop (410) is connected to the moving end (110) through the sliding mechanism (420). The sliding mechanism (420) can drive the stop (410) to move closer to or away from the clamping mechanism (200). The swing mechanism (300) can drive the glass slide (101) clamped at the clamping mechanism (200) to move closer to or away from the stop (410). The multi-axis moving mechanism (100), clamping mechanism (200), swing mechanism (300), sliding mechanism (420), cold water zone (500), hot water zone (600), and baking unit (700) are all communicatively connected to the control processing unit (900). The blocking member (410) includes a plurality of blocking plates, the first end of the blocking plate being connected to the sliding end of the sliding mechanism (420); the second end of the blocking plate is located below the lowest point of the clamping mechanism (200); the moving end (110) is provided with a camera (120) that is communicatively connected to the control processing unit (900). The processing method includes the following steps: S1. Place the completed paraffin tissue sections (104) one by one into the cold water zone (500). S2. The clamping mechanism (200) clamps the glass slide (101). When clamping, the glass slide (101) is vertically arranged and the loading surface (102) of the glass slide (101) faces the blocking member (410). S3. The moving end (110) moves above the cold water zone (500), and the control processing unit (900) performs image processing on the image of the cold water zone captured by the camera (120) to obtain the cold water zone position information of the paraffin tissue section (104), and controls the moving end (110) to move according to the cold water zone position information until the paraffin tissue section (104) is located directly below the gap between the glass slide (101) and the blocking member (410); S4. The moving end (110) drives the glass slide (101) and the blocking member (410) to move down until the second end of the blocking member (410) is lower than the water level line of the cold water zone (500); S5. The sliding mechanism (420) drives the blocking member (410) to slide toward the glass slide (101), and the swing mechanism (300) drives the clamping mechanism (200) to swing, so that the glass slide (101) swings toward the blocking member (410) to an inclined state; then, the moving end (110) drives the glass slide (101) to move upward, and during the upward movement, the paraffin tissue section (104) is attached to the surface (102); S6. With the slide (101) tilted, the moving end (110) moves the slide (101) down until the water level of the hot water zone (600) is level with the top of the paraffin tissue section (104), and then the slide is spread out. S7. After the slide is spread out, the moving end (110) moves the glass slide (101) to the baking unit (700) for baking.

2. The processing method of the paraffin tissue sectioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The swing mechanism (300) includes a movable frame (310) and a swing drive (320). The fixed end of the clamping mechanism (200) is connected to the moving end (110) through the movable frame (310), and the movable frame (310) and the moving end (110) are connected through the swing drive (320). The swing drive (320) is communicatively connected to the control processing unit (900).

3. The processing method of the paraffin tissue sectioning system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The cold water zone (500) includes a first tank (510), a first position detection element (520) is arrayed at the bottom of the first tank (510), and a water level detection element (530) is provided on the inner wall of the first tank (510). The first position detection element (520) and the water level detection element (530) are both communicatively connected to the control processing unit (900).

4. The processing method of the paraffin tissue sectioning system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The hot water zone (600) is arranged adjacent to the cold water zone (500). The hot water zone (600) includes a second tank (610). The second tank (610) is provided with a first heating element (620) and a first temperature sensor (630). A second position detection element (640) is arranged in an array at the bottom of the second tank (610). The first heating element (620), the first temperature sensor (630), and the second position detection element (640) are all communicatively connected to the control processing unit (900).

5. The processing method of the paraffin tissue sectioning system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The baking unit (700) includes a housing (710), a second heating element (720), a second temperature sensor (730), and a lifting and placing rack (740) disposed within the housing (710); it also includes a first cover (750) and a rotating mechanism (760), wherein the first cover (750) is connected to the housing (710) through the rotating mechanism (760), and the second temperature sensor (730) is embedded in the first cover (750); the second heating element (720), the second temperature sensor (730), the lifting and placing rack (740), and the rotating mechanism (760) are all communicatively connected to the control processing unit (900).

6. The processing method of the paraffin tissue sectioning system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The lifting and placing rack (740) includes a placing frame body and a third electric telescopic rod. The placing frame body is connected to the bottom of the box body (710) through the third electric telescopic rod. The placing frame body is provided with a plurality of first placing slots (741), and the openings of the first placing slots (741) are arranged facing upwards.

7. The processing method of the paraffin tissue sectioning system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a slide holder (800) located within the moving gripping range of the moving gripping unit. The slide holder (800) is provided with a plurality of second placement slots (810). A third position detection element (820) is provided in the second placement slot (810) located at the end position.

8. The processing method of the paraffin tissue sectioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S5, the maximum angle of swing of the glass slide (101) is 20°.

9. The processing method of the paraffin tissue sectioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S7 includes: after the slide is spread out, the moving end (110) moves above the baking unit (700), and at the same time, the swing mechanism (300) drives the clamping mechanism (200) to swing until the slide (101) is in a vertical state and then stops. The sliding mechanism (420) drives the blocking member (410) away from the slide (101). Then, the moving end (110) moves down, the slide (101) enters the baking unit (700) and is baked, completing the process.

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