High-throughput pathological sheet feeding mechanism based on high-precision positioning and control method

Abstract

The invention discloses a high-throughput pathological slice conveying mechanism based on high-precision positioning and a control method. The high-throughput pathological slice conveying mechanism comprises a slice box used for containing slices and a transferring assembly used for transferring the slice box to a slice clamping position in a translation mode. A plurality of slots which are arranged in parallel and are used for allowing the slices to be inserted in one-to-one correspondence are formed in the slice box, and when the slice box is located at the slice clamping position, the slices in the slice box are parallel to clamping jaws in the slice clamping mechanism, and insertion ports of the slots face the clamping jaws. The piece box carrying a plurality of pieces can be transferred to the piece clamping position together, compared with independent piece transferring, the conveying efficiency is greatly improved, the piece box is transferred in a translation mode through the transferring assembly, the position precision can be ensured, and when the piece box reaches the piece clamping position, the piece box is not prone to falling off. In addition, slices in the slice box can directly face the clamping jaws in sequence in a translation mode, the structure is simple, and the energy consumption can be greatly reduced and the detection efficiency can be improved when a large number of slices are detected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a high-throughput pathology slide delivery mechanism and control method based on high-precision positioning. Background Technology

[0002] The pathological morphology examination method first observes the pathological changes in the gross specimen, then cuts out a certain size of lesion tissue, places the lesion tissue on a glass slide, and observes the lesion tissue under a microscope, thereby examining the lesion.

[0003] A slide scanner is an analytical instrument used in basic medicine, clinical medicine, and biology. The working process of a slide scanner is as follows: the slide is placed on a carrier and then transported to the slide clamping position by a transfer mechanism. The clamping mechanism then places the slide in the scanning position for scanning. After scanning, the slide is returned along the same route.

[0004] Since the movement path of the slice is not a single path but a combination of multiple motion forms, the conveying accuracy of each mechanism is required during the slice transport process to avoid damage to the slice. In the prior art, the slice transfer mechanism is usually relatively complex. For example, in the scanner device disclosed in patent number CN202223466105.5, multiple storage boxes containing slices are first placed on a rotating disk, and then the slice feeding mechanism and the transfer mechanism transport the storage boxes one by one to the slice picking clamp. In this patent, the slice feeding mechanism and the transfer mechanism can only transport a single slice, resulting in low transport efficiency, especially when inspecting a large number of slices, which will greatly reduce the inspection efficiency. Secondly, the motion mechanisms of adjacent processes in this patent are directly superimposed. For example, the push plate and the third drive assembly are directly mounted on the lifting frame, which is driven by a second stepper motor. This means that the second ball screw connected to the second stepper motor needs to drive the push plate and the third drive assembly to move up and down as a whole. The third drive assembly drives the push plate to move horizontally after the lifting frame has moved up and down. This superimposed connection method cannot verify the conveying accuracy of each motion mechanism and may even cause a further increase in errors, resulting in reduced slice conveying accuracy and increased slice breakage rate. Furthermore, the ball screw is subjected to a large force, which can easily reduce the service life of the drive assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problem that existing slide scanners can only transport slides individually, resulting in low transport efficiency, especially when examining large batches of slides, this invention provides a high-throughput pathological slide delivery mechanism and control method based on high-precision positioning to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0006] This invention proposes a high-throughput pathological slide delivery mechanism based on high-precision positioning, including a slide box for holding slides and a transfer component for transferring the slide box to the slide clamping position in a translational manner; the slide box has a plurality of parallel slots for slides to be inserted one-to-one, and when the slide box is in the slide clamping position, the slides in the slide box are parallel to the clamps in the slide clamping mechanism and the insertion interface of the slots faces the clamps.

[0007] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the film box includes an outer frame, a movable plate hinged to the outer frame, and a film holder fixed to the movable plate, with the slot located on the film holder; the outer frame extends through the front and rear, and when the movable plate is rotated to the closed state, the film holder is located inside the outer frame, the movable plate closes the rear end of the outer frame, and the insertion interface of the slot faces the front of the outer frame; when the movable plate is rotated to the open state, the film holder can be removed.

[0008] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the movable plate includes a back plate, side plates located on both sides of the back plate, and a bottom plate located at the bottom of the back plate. The back plate is adapted to close the rear end of the outer frame. The two sides of the plate frame have pins. The inner side of the side plate has an inclined ramp and a pin groove located at the bottom of the ramp. The pins are engaged in the pin grooves along the ramp.

[0009] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the back plate is hinged to the outer frame at its lower part, and a limiting post is provided on the outer side of the side plate. The outer frame has an arc-shaped groove for the movement of the limiting post. When the movable plate rotates, the limiting post moves along the arc-shaped groove.

[0010] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the two sides of the sheet holder have outwardly protruding baffles, the baffles are located in front of the movable plate, and the top of the sheet holder has a lifting beam and anti-slip ribs.

[0011] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the transfer assembly includes a first translation component and a base, on which one or more cassettes are placed, the first translation component translates the base along the X-axis in a horizontal plane, and the insertion interface of the slot is perpendicular to the X-axis.

[0012] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the transfer assembly further includes a second translation assembly and a third translation assembly. The second translation assembly pulls the film box out of the base and translates the film box along the Y-axis direction, and the third translation assembly translates the film box to the clamping position along the Z-axis direction.

[0013] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the cassette and the base have wedge-shaped guide blocks and wedge-shaped grooves that cooperate with each other. The transfer assembly also includes a transfer seat that is driven to translate by a third translation assembly. The transfer seat has a guide groove. When the second translation assembly drives the cassette to move, the wedge-shaped guide block enters the guide groove from the wedge-shaped groove.

[0014] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the first translation component includes a first drive motor, a first lead screw, a first guide rail, and a first slider. The first lead screw is connected to the first drive motor, the first slider is slidably installed in the first guide rail, and the base is fixed on the first slider. The first slider has guide ribs and guard plates on both sides, the first guide rail has guide grooves that slidably cooperate with the guide ribs, and the guard plates are attached to the upper surface of the first guide rail.

[0015] This invention also proposes a control method, which employs the high-throughput pathology slide delivery mechanism based on high-precision positioning described above, and includes the following steps:

[0016] S1: Open the movable plate, place the slice into the slot of the slice holder, then close and lock the movable plate.

[0017] S2: Activate the first translation component. The first translation component drives the base to translate along the X-axis until the cassette to be scanned is in the first position on the translation path of the second translation component.

[0018] S3: Activate the second translation component. The second translation component drives the chip box in the first position in step S2 to translate along the Y-axis to the second position.

[0019] S4: Activate the third translation component. The third translation component drives the disc box in the second position in step S3 to translate along the Z-axis to the disc clamping position.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0021] (1) The present invention can transport a cassette containing multiple slices together to the clipping position. Compared with transporting slices individually, the transport efficiency is greatly improved. The transport component transports the cassette in a translational manner, which not only ensures positional accuracy, but also allows the slices in the cassette to be aligned with the clips in sequence by translation when the cassette reaches the clipping position. The structure is simple and can greatly reduce energy consumption and improve detection efficiency for large-scale slice inspection.

[0022] (2) The slice holder in this invention can hold a large number of slices, and the slice holder can be flipped through the movable plate, making it easier to take out the slice holder and occupying a small area.

[0023] (3) The second translation component in this invention realizes the movement of the film box in the Y-axis direction by pulling out the film box. The movement path of the second translation component is fixed and is not affected by the movement accuracy of the first translation component. Furthermore, the movement accuracy of the film box can be verified by setting the adapter, thus avoiding damage to the film. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a specific embodiment of the high-throughput pathological slide delivery mechanism based on high-precision positioning described in this invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a rear view of a specific embodiment of the high-throughput pathology slide delivery mechanism based on high-precision positioning described in this invention.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a side view of a specific embodiment of the high-throughput pathological slide delivery mechanism based on high-precision positioning described in this invention.

[0028] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Sectional view along axis AA;

[0029] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 BB-direction sectional view;

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second translation component in this invention (the second drive motor and drive gear are not shown).

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first translation component in this invention;

[0032] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 CC-direction sectional view;

[0033] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the third translation component in this invention;

[0034] Figure 10 This is a perspective view of the assembled sheet box and movable plate in this invention;

[0035] Figure 11 This is a rear view of the assembled sheet box and movable plate in this invention;

[0036] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 DD section view;

[0037] Figure 13 This is a perspective view of the film box in this invention;

[0038] Figure 14 This is a rear view of the film box in this invention;

[0039] Figure 15 This is a side view of the film box in this invention.

[0040] In the diagram, 1. Slice, 2. Slice holder, 201. Outer frame, 202. Movable plate, 2021. Back plate, 2022. Side plate, 2023. Base plate, 203. Slice holder, 3. Slot, 301. Insertion interface, 4. Gripper, 5. First translation assembly, 501. First drive motor, 502. First lead screw, 503. First guide rail, 504. First slider, 6. Base, 7. Second translation assembly, 701. Second drive motor, 702. Drive gear, 703. Driven rack, 70 4. Second guide rail; 705. Second slider; 706. Hook; 8. Third translation component; 9. Pin; 10. Ramp; 11. Pin groove; 12. Baffle; 13. Lifting beam; 14. Anti-slip rib; 15. Limiting post; 16. Arc groove; 17. Hinge; 18. Guide rib; 19. Guard plate; 20. Guide groove; 21. Outer shell; 22. Handle; 23. Wedge guide block; 24. Wedge groove; 25. Adapter seat; 26. Guide groove; 27. Limiting plate; 28. Top plate; 29. ​​Hook groove. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] like Figures 1-3 As shown, a high-throughput pathological slide delivery mechanism based on high-precision positioning includes a slide box 2 for holding slides 1 and a transfer component for transferring the slide box 2 to the slide clamping position in a translational manner; the slide box 2 has a plurality of parallel slots 3 for slides 1 to be inserted one-to-one; when the slide box 2 is in the slide clamping position, the slides 1 in the slide box 2 are parallel to the clamps 4 in the slide clamping mechanism and the insertion interface 301 of the slot 3 faces the clamps 4.

[0044] The transfer component in this invention can transfer the entire slice box 2, transferring several slices 1 inside the slice box 2 to the clipping position at once. Compared with the transfer of a single slice 1 in the prior art, the working efficiency is higher. Moreover, the entire transfer process is completed by translation. Compared with rotational motion, translational motion has higher positioning accuracy. The translational motion refers to moving along a straight line. In order to achieve positioning in three-dimensional space, the slice box 2 can be transferred by translational motion in multiple directions.

[0045] like Figure 1As shown, the gripper 4 in the clamping mechanism extends horizontally backward to remove the slice 1. Since the slices 1 in the slice box 2 are arranged in parallel, when the slice box 2 moves to the clamping position, the slice 1 to be tested can be aligned with the gripper 4 by the translational movement of the slice box 2. This is exactly in line with the transfer method of the transfer component for the slice box 2. The translational movement of the transfer component can not only transport the entire slice box 2 to the clamping position, but also adjust the individual slices to be aligned with the gripper 4, thereby simplifying the mechanism.

[0046] The disc cartridge 2 may, but is not limited to, adopt the following structure:

[0047] like Figure 10 and Figure 13 As shown, the disc cassette 2 includes an outer frame 201, a movable plate 202 hinged to the outer frame 201, and a disc holder 203 fixed to the movable plate 202. The slot 3 is located on the disc holder 203. The outer frame 201 is open from front to back. When the movable plate 202 is rotated to the closed state, the disc holder 203 is located inside the outer frame 201, the movable plate 202 closes the rear end of the outer frame 201, and the insertion interface 301 of the slot 3 faces the front of the outer frame 201. When the movable plate 202 is rotated to the open state, the disc holder 203 can be removed.

[0048] For ease of description, the present invention uses the operator's position during operation as the rear of the wafer feeding mechanism, and the opposite direction as the front of the wafer feeding mechanism, with the front-back direction parallel to the Y-axis (e.g., ...). Figure 1 (As shown). The rotation direction of the movable plate 202 when it is open is the operator's operating position. When it is necessary to take out or put in slice 1, the movable plate 202 is opened, and the slice holder 203 rotates with the movable plate 202, exposing the insertion interface 301 of the slot 3 at the rear, which facilitates the operation of taking out or putting in slice 1. Alternatively, the entire slice holder 203 inside the outer frame 201 can be lifted out directly. After the slice 1 is placed, the movable plate 202 closes to seal the rear end of the outer frame 201, isolating the slice 1 from the outside.

[0049] The slots 3 in the wafer holder 203 are arranged along the height direction (Z-axis direction), forming a regular rectangle. Compared with the rotary disk in the prior art, it occupies less planar area and facilitates the arrangement of multiple wafer holders 203, allowing it to hold more wafers 1 and detect more wafers 1 in a single control process, thus saving manual operation. Taking the wafer feeding mechanism in this embodiment as an example, as... Figure 2 A single slide holder 203 can hold 40 slides 1. There are three slide holders 203 arranged side by side. After the operator starts the control process, the scanner can automatically scan up to 120 slides 1.

[0050] The transfer component may, but is not limited to, adopt the following structure:

[0051] The transfer assembly includes a first translation component 5 and a base 6. One or more film cassettes 2 are placed on the base 6. The first translation component 5 translates the base 6 along the X-axis in a horizontal plane, with the insertion interface 301 of the slot 3 facing perpendicularly to the X-axis. The first translation component 5 is used to translate the film cassette 2 along the X-axis to the X-axis coordinate position where the film is clamped. Since the first translation component 5 is the initial movement of the film cassette 2, which is the operator's operating position, the film cassette 2 is at the lowest point of the film feeding mechanism. The first translation component 5 is designed to allow the operation of multiple film cassettes 2. By controlling the first translation component 5, the film cassette 2 to be inspected is translated to the X-axis coordinate position where the film is clamped.

[0052] The transfer assembly further includes a second translation component 7 and a third translation component 8. The second translation component 7 pulls the cassette 2 out of the base 6 and translates the cassette 2 along the Y-axis direction, that is, translates the cassette 2 along the X-axis direction to the Y-axis coordinate position where the clipping position is located. The third translation component 8 translates the cassette 2 along the Z-axis direction to the clipping position, that is, translates the slice to be tested 1 in the cassette 2 along the Z-axis direction to the Z-axis coordinate position where the clipping position is located. Through the translation movement in the three coordinate systems, the slice to be tested 1 is accurately transported to the clipping position.

[0053] The translational motion can be achieved using linear motion mechanisms such as rack and pinion drives, lead screw and nut drives, and linear motors. The structures of the three translational components in this invention are described below. Those skilled in the art should understand that the following structures are merely one specific embodiment of the translational components and are not intended to limit the structure of the translational components.

[0054] First translation component 5:

[0055] like Figure 7 As shown, the first translation component 5 includes a first drive motor 501, a first lead screw 502, a first guide rail 503, and a first slider 504. The first lead screw 502 is connected to the first drive motor 501, and the first slider 504 is slidably mounted inside the first guide rail 503. The base 6 is fixed to the first slider 504. The axial direction of the first lead screw 502 is parallel to the X-axis direction. The first drive motor 501 drives the first lead screw 502 to rotate. The first slider 504 is threadedly connected to the first lead screw 502, thereby causing the first slider 504 to reciprocate along the first guide rail 503.

[0056] Second translation component 7:

[0057] like Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the second translation component 7 includes a second drive motor 701, a drive gear 702, a driven rack 703, a second guide rail 704, a second slider 705, and a hook 706. The drive gear 702 is connected to the second drive motor 701. The second slider 705 is slidably engaged with the second guide rail 704 and fixedly connected to the driven rack 703, which is arranged along the Y-axis. The hook 706 is fixed to the rear end of the second slider 705. The second drive motor 701 drives the drive gear 702 to rotate, and the drive gear 702 meshes with the driven rack 703, thereby driving the second slider 705 and the hook 706 to translate along the Y-axis via the driven rack 703. The hook 706 is used to hook the disc cassette 2, so that only one disc cassette 2 can be moved. Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, the hook 706 is an upwardly bent L-shaped structure. The front end of the outer frame 201 has a hook groove 29 with an opening facing downward and extending along the X-axis direction. The two ends of the hook groove 29 are connected in the X-axis direction. When the base 6 is driven by the first translation component 5 to translate along the X-axis direction, the hook 706 can enter the hook groove 29 from the end of the hook groove 29, thereby hooking the test box 2. When the hook 706 moves in the Y-axis direction, it can pull the test box 2.

[0058] Compared with the prior art, the second translation component 7 in this invention is not directly superimposed on the first translation component 5, but pulls out the slice box 2 by pulling. The X-axis coordinate of the second translation component 7 is fixed and will not be affected by the motion error of the first translation component 5, thereby avoiding the cumulative increase of translation error and improving the motion accuracy of the slice 1.

[0059] In this embodiment, the third translation component 8 adopts the same screw drive method as the first translation component 5. The difference between the third translation component 8 and the first translation component 5 is that the center of the screw of the third translation component 8 is parallel to the Z-axis direction. Its structure will not be described in detail here.

[0060] Example 2

[0061] Based on Embodiment 1, this embodiment provides a detailed description of the structure of the movable plate 202, including the hinge structure between the movable plate 202 and the outer frame 201, and the connection method between the movable plate 202 and the plate holder 203:

[0062] like Figure 12 As shown, the movable plate 202 includes a back plate 2021, side plates 2022 located on both sides of the back plate 2021, and a bottom plate 2023 located at the bottom of the back plate 2021. The back plate 2021 is adapted to close the rear end of the outer frame 201.

[0063] Connection structure between movable plate 202 and plate holder 203:

[0064] The plate holder 203 has pins 9 on both sides, and the inner side of the side plate 2022 has an inclined ramp 10 and a pin groove 11 located at the bottom of the ramp 10. The pins 9 are engaged with the pin groove 11 along the ramp 10. Figures 10-12 As shown, during installation, the film holder 203 is inserted between the two side plates 2022. The pin 9 slides down the ramp 10 into the pin groove 11. When the pin 9 is engaged in the pin groove 11, the rear end of the film holder 203 abuts against the back plate 2021, and the bottom of the film holder 203 abuts against the bottom plate 2023, thereby stably clamping and fixing the film holder 203 within the movable plate 202. This connection method allows for easy removal of the film holder 203. In a preferred embodiment, the film holder 203 has outwardly protruding baffles 12 on both sides. The baffles 12 are located in front of the movable plate 202. The baffles 12 serve as a limiting function, and because the film holder 203 is relatively long, the baffles 12 allow for easy hand support on both sides of the film holder 203 during installation, and can also help the film holder 203 enter the movable plate 202 by pushing the baffles 12. The top of the film holder 203 has a lifting beam 13 and anti-slip ribs 14. The lifting beam 13 makes it easy to hold and remove the film holder 203, while the anti-slip ribs 14 help to press the top and push the film holder 203 along the ramp 10.

[0065] The hinge structure between the movable plate 202 and the outer frame 201:

[0066] like Figures 13-15 As shown, the back panel 2021 is hinged to the outer frame 201 at its lower part, specifically via hinge 17. A limiting post 15 is provided on the outer side of the side panel 2022. The outer frame 201 has an arc-shaped groove 16 for the movement of the limiting post 15. When the movable plate 202 rotates, the limiting post 15 moves along the arc-shaped groove 16. The cooperation between the limiting post 15 and the arc-shaped groove 16 restricts the movement trajectory of the movable plate 202, preventing it from wobbling during rotation. To facilitate pulling out the back panel 2021, this embodiment preferably provides a handle 22 on the outside of the back panel 2021.

[0067] Example 3

[0068] Based on the above embodiments, this embodiment limits the sliding engagement between the first slider 504 and the first guide rail 503 in the first translation component 5 to improve the straightness of the translation. The specific structure is as follows:

[0069] The first slider 504 has guide ribs 18 and guard plates 19 on both sides. The first guide rail 503 has guide grooves 20 that slide in cooperation with the guide ribs 18. The guard plate 19 is in contact with the upper surface of the first guide rail 503. Figure 8As shown, the bottom surface of the first slider 504 is separated from the first guide rail 503. The first slider 504 relies on the contact between its side and the first guide rail 503, as well as the cooperation between the guide rib 18 and the guide groove 20, to ensure the straightness of its operation. This reduces the sliding contact surface and lowers sliding friction. The guard plate 19 is provided to prevent the first slider 504 from tipping over due to excessive weight of the plate box 2 above the base 6 or excessive torque during the flipping movement of the movable plate 202.

[0070] In a further design, the invention also includes a housing 21 located at the rear end of the entire scanner, shielding the operator from view, and used to cover the first translation assembly 5 and the film cassette 2, as shown below. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, for the scanner with three film cartridges 2 in this embodiment, the rear end of the outer shell 21 has an opening for the three film cartridges 2 to protrude, while the front end of the outer shell 21 only needs to have an opening for one film cartridge 2.

[0071] Example 4

[0072] Based on the above embodiments, to ensure the X-axis coordinate accuracy of the film box 2, this embodiment designs the transition structure of the film box 2 between the first translation component 5 and the second translation component 7, specifically as follows: Figure 7 , Figure 9 and Figure 14 As shown, the cassette 2 and the base 6 have mutually cooperating wedge-shaped guide blocks 23 and wedge-shaped grooves 24. The transfer assembly also includes a transition seat 25 driven by a third translation component 8. The transition seat 25 has a guide groove 26, the cross-sectional shape of which is the same as that of the wedge-shaped groove 24, and is also used to cooperate with the wedge-shaped guide block 23. When the second translation component 7 drives the cassette 2 to move, the wedge-shaped guide block 23 enters the guide groove 26 from the wedge-shaped groove 24. Since the wedge-shaped guide block 23 can only enter the guide groove 26 when the cassette 2 is translated by the second translation component 7, the first translation component 5 moves the wedge-shaped guide block 23 carrying the cassette 2 to the X-axis coordinate position of the guide groove 26, this structural design allows for precise control of the X-axis movement accuracy of the cassette 2. The wedge-shaped guide block 23 will not disengage from the wedge-shaped groove 24 before entering the guide groove 26, thus providing a guiding function for the cassette 2.

[0073] As for the motion accuracy of the Y-axis coordinate of the film box, it can be achieved by setting a limiting plate 27 at the front end of the adapter 25 (e.g. Figure 9 As shown in the figure, when the film box 2 contacts the limiting plate 27 under the pull of the hook 706, it indicates that the Y-axis coordinate position has been reached.

[0074] Example 5

[0075] This invention also proposes a control method, which employs the high-throughput pathology slide delivery mechanism based on high-precision positioning described above, and includes the following steps:

[0076] S1: Open the movable plate 202, place the slice 1 into the slot 3 of the slice holder 203, then close and lock the movable plate 202. The locking mechanism can be a fixing pin. Figure 13 The design employs a removable top plate 28 on the top of the outer frame 201. When the movable plate 202 needs to be opened, the top plate 28 is removed. When the movable plate 202 is closed, the top plate 28 is installed so that it presses against the top of the film holder 203, preventing the film holder 203 from moving.

[0077] S2: Activate the first translation component 5. The first translation component 5 drives the base 6 to translate along the X-axis until the film cassette 2 to be scanned is in the first position on the translation path of the second translation component 7. At this time, the wedge-shaped guide blocks 23 and guide grooves 26 on both sides of the film cassette 2 to be scanned are on the same straight line and can be plugged in and matched.

[0078] S3: Activate the second translation component 7. The second translation component 7 drives the film box 2, which is in the first position in step S2, to translate along the Y-axis to the second position. At this time, the film box 2 abuts against the limiting plate 27.

[0079] S4: Activate the third translation component 8. The third translation component 8 drives the disc box 2, which is in the second position in step S3, to translate along the Z-axis to the disc clamping position. This position can be determined by the disc clamping mechanism and the sensor.

[0080] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this 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, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0081] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a number" means two or more.

[0082] In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0083] Based on the above-described preferred embodiments of the present invention, and through the foregoing description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the inventive concept. The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the contents of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A high-throughput pathology slide delivery mechanism based on high-precision positioning, characterized by: The application relates to a slide box and a slide transporting assembly. The slide box has a plurality of parallel slots for inserting the slices one by one, and when the slide box is located at the slide clamping position, the slices in the slide box are parallel to the clamping jaws in the slide clamping mechanism, and the insertion interfaces of the slots are oriented towards the clamping jaws.

2. The high-throughput pathology slide dispatch mechanism based on high-precision positioning of claim 1, wherein: The slide box comprises an outer frame, a movable plate hinged to the outer frame, and a slide rack fixed to the movable plate, and the slots are arranged on the slide rack; the outer frame is through from front to back; when the movable plate is rotated to the closed state, the slide rack is located in the outer frame, the movable plate closes the rear end of the outer frame, and the insertion interfaces of the slots are oriented towards the front of the outer frame; when the movable plate is rotated to the open state, the slide rack can be taken out.

3. The high-throughput pathology slide dispatch mechanism based on high-precision positioning of claim 2, wherein: The movable plate comprises a back plate, side plates located on both sides of the back plate, and a bottom plate located at the bottom of the back plate; the back plate is suitable for closing the rear end of the outer frame; the slide rack has pin columns on both sides; the inner sides of the side plates have inclined ramps and pin grooves located at the bottoms of the ramps; and the pin columns are clamped into the pin grooves along the ramps.

4. The high-throughput pathology slide dispatch mechanism based on high-precision positioning of claim 3, wherein: The lower side of the back plate is hinged to the outer frame, the outer sides of the side plates are provided with limiting columns, the outer frame has arc-shaped grooves for the movement of the limiting columns, and when the movable plate is rotated, the limiting columns move along the arc-shaped grooves.

5. The high-throughput pathology slide dispatch mechanism based on high-precision positioning of claim 3, wherein: The slide rack has outwardly protruding baffle plates on both sides, the baffle plates are located in front of the movable plate, the top of the slide rack is provided with a pull beam and anti-skid convex ribs.

6. The high-throughput pathology slide dispatch mechanism based on high-precision positioning according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: The slide transporting assembly comprises a first translation assembly and a base, the base is provided with one or more slide boxes, the first translation assembly translates the base along the X-axis direction in a horizontal plane, and the insertion interfaces of the slots are oriented towards the direction perpendicular to the X-axis.

7. The high-throughput pathology slide dispatch mechanism based on high-precision positioning of claim 6, wherein: The slide transporting assembly further comprises a second translation assembly and a third translation assembly; the second translation assembly pulls the slide box out of the base and translates the slide box along the Y-axis direction; and the third translation assembly translates the slide box to the slide clamping position along the Z-axis direction.

8. The high-throughput pathology slide dispatch mechanism based on high-precision positioning of claim 7, wherein: The slide box and the base have matching wedge-shaped guide blocks and wedge-shaped grooves; the slide transporting assembly further comprises an adapter seat driven to translate by the third translation assembly, and the adapter seat is provided with a guide groove; when the second translation assembly drives the slide box to move, the wedge-shaped guide blocks enter the guide groove from the wedge-shaped grooves.

9. The high-throughput pathology slide dispatch mechanism based on high-precision positioning of claim 6, wherein: The first translation assembly comprises a first driving motor, a first screw rod, a first guide rail, and a first sliding block; the first screw rod is connected to the first driving motor; the first sliding block is slidingly installed in the first guide rail; and the base is fixed to the first sliding block; the first sliding block has guide convex ribs and a baffle plate on both sides; the first guide rail has guide grooves slidingly matched with the guide convex ribs; and the baffle plate is attached to the upper surface of the first guide rail.

10. A control method characterized by, The method adopts the high-throughput pathological slide transporting mechanism based on high-precision positioning according to any one of claims 7-9, and comprises the following steps: S1: opening the movable plate, placing the slices in the slots of the slide rack, and then closing the movable plate and locking; S2: starting the first translation assembly, driving the base to translate along the X-axis until the slide box to be scanned is located at the first position on the translation route of the second translation assembly; S3: starting the second translation assembly, driving the slide box at the first position in step S2 to translate along the Y-axis to the second position; and S4: starting the third translation assembly, driving the slide box at the second position to translate along the Z-axis to the slide clamping position. S4: open the third translation assembly, the third translation assembly drives the cassette in the second position in step S3 to translate along the Z axis to the clamping position.

Images