Tissue slice dyeing machine

Abstract

The tissue slice dyeing machine comprises a rack, a plurality of dyeing units and a transfer mechanical arm, a slide rack input area, a slide rack output area and a dyeing area are arranged on the upper end face of the rack, and the slide rack input area and the slide rack output area are used for storing slide racks; the dyeing unit comprises a dyeing bin, a reagent bottle and a liquid conveying assembly, the dyeing bin is arranged in the dyeing area, the liquid conveying assembly is provided with a conveying pump and a liquid conveying pipe, the first end of the liquid conveying pipe is communicated with the dyeing bin, the second end of the liquid conveying pipe is communicated with the reagent bottle, and the conveying pump is arranged on the liquid conveying pipe and can achieve forward liquid conveying and reverse liquid conveying. The tissue slice dyeing machine solves the problem that the usage amount of the manually added dyeing reagent is not accurate, the dyeing reagent is automatically recovered, the dyeing reagent is favorably stored, the operation is simplified, and mixed loading and waste of the manually recovered dyeing reagent are eliminated.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of medical equipment, in particular to a tissue section staining machine. BACKGROUND

[0002] HE cylinder staining is a commonly used tissue section staining technique in pathology, mainly used for observing and diagnosing the morphological mechanism, cell morphology and pathological process of disease tissue. This technique can help doctors diagnose, guide treatment, and provide important clues for studying the mechanism of disease occurrence.

[0003] In the related art, in a conventional tissue section staining machine, multiple staining cylinders are placed on the table, and multiple reagents required for staining are stored in the staining cylinders. A slide rack loaded with slides is driven by a transfer mechanical arm to transfer in each staining cylinder to complete the staining process. The problems are: 1. manual addition of staining reagents to each staining cylinder is required, and it is difficult to accurately control the amount of staining reagent; 2. due to the volatility of some reagents, long-term exposure will affect their service life, manual recovery of staining reagents is tedious and prone to waste due to mixed staining reagents; 3. the transfer mechanical arm drives the slide rack to move, and staining reagents will drop on the stained slides, which will contaminate the tissue section staining machine and the laboratory, and it is difficult to clean. CONTENT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present application aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present application provides a tissue section staining machine which can automatically add and recover staining reagents, which is beneficial to the preservation of staining reagents.

[0005] The present application also provides a section staining device applied to the above-mentioned tissue section staining machine.

[0006] According to the first aspect of the present application, a tissue section staining machine is provided, comprising a rack, a plurality of staining units and a transfer mechanical arm. The upper end surface of the rack is provided with a slide rack input area, a slide rack output area and a staining area. The slide rack input area and the slide rack output area are used to store slide racks. The staining unit comprises a staining bin, a reagent bottle and a transfusion assembly. The staining bin is arranged in the staining area. The transfusion assembly has a delivery pump and a transfusion tube. The first end of the transfusion tube is connected to the staining bin, and the second end of the transfusion tube is connected to the reagent bottle. The delivery pump is arranged on the transfusion tube and can realize forward transfusion and reverse transfusion.

[0007] According to the tissue section staining machine provided by the present application, the following technical effects are achieved:

[0008] The slide rack loaded with the slides to be dyed is stored in a slide rack input area, and can be transported to a dyeing chamber in a dyeing area by a transfer robot or manually for dyeing. After the dyeing is completed, the slide rack is transported to a slide rack output area by the transfer robot or manually. Before the dyeing operation is performed, the dyeing reagent in the reagent bottle is extracted by a delivery pump, and the dyeing reagent is sent into the dyeing chamber through a delivery tube. The slide rack is immersed in the dyeing chamber to dye the slides. After the dyeing is completed, the dyeing reagent in the dyeing chamber is extracted by the delivery pump, and the dyeing reagent is sent back to the reagent bottle for storage through the delivery tube. The problem of inaccurate use of the amount of dyeing reagent by manual addition is eliminated. Automatic recovery of the dyeing reagent is beneficial to the preservation of the dyeing reagent, simplifies the operation, and eliminates the mixed loading and waste of the dyeing reagent by manual recovery.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present application, the delivery pump is a peristaltic pump, and a pump tube of the peristaltic pump is connected to the delivery tube.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present application, the second end is provided with a liquid extraction one-way valve and a bypass, and the bypass is provided with a recovery one-way valve.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present application, an inlet of the liquid extraction one-way valve is provided with a liquid extraction tube, and an end of the liquid extraction tube is provided with a filter.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present application, the reagent bottle is provided with a bottle cap, the delivery tube passes through the bottle cap, and the bottle cap is provided with an exhaust one-way valve and a makeup one-way valve.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present application, an upper portion of the dyeing chamber is provided with an overflow port, and the overflow port is connected to a waste liquid pool through a waste liquid tube.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present application, the dyeing chamber is connected to a cleaning tube, and another end of the cleaning tube is connected to a water tank or an external water source.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present application, the cleaning tube is communicated with the delivery tube, and a connection position of the cleaning tube and the delivery tube is located between the first end and the delivery pump.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present application, another end of the cleaning tube is connected to a drain valve, and the drain valve has a plurality of ports. One of the ports is communicated with the external water source, and another of the ports is communicated with the waste liquid pool through a waste reagent tube.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the present application, the tissue section dyeing machine is provided with a slide washing chamber for accommodating the slide rack for cleaning. An upper portion of the slide washing chamber is provided with an overflow port, and the overflow port is connected to the waste liquid pool through a drain tube.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present application, a third port is connected to the film developing tank through a water inlet pipe.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the present application, the drain valve has a plurality of electromagnetic valves, each of the ports is controlled by one of the electromagnetic valves.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present application, the external water source is a water pipe, and a water inlet electromagnetic valve is arranged on the water pipe to control opening and closing.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the present application, the upper end of the rack is connected with a transfer mechanical arm, and the transfer mechanical arm is used to transfer the slide rack to the slide rack input area, the slide rack output area or the staining tank.

[0022] According to some embodiments of the present application, the tissue slice staining machine is provided with a water receiving container, when the transfer mechanical arm drives the slide rack to rise, the water receiving container is driven by a water receiving driving element to move to the lower side of the slide rack.

[0023] According to some embodiments of the present application, the water receiving driving element includes a motor and a linear motion module to drive the water receiving container to move to the lower side of the slide rack and away from the lower side of the slide rack, and the driving element is linked with the transfer mechanical arm.

[0024] According to some embodiments of the present application, the transfer mechanical arm includes a Z-axis moving mechanism, the Z-axis moving mechanism includes a vertical stand and a slide rack hook claw, the slide rack hook claw is slidably connected to the side of the stand in the vertical direction, and when the slide rack hook claw drives the slide rack to rise.

[0025] According to some embodiments of the present application, the water receiving driving element includes a swing arm, the upper end of the swing arm is hinged to the stand, and the lower end of the swing arm is connected to the water receiving container, when the slide rack hook claw drives the slide rack to rise, the swing arm is linked with the slide rack hook claw to drive the water receiving container to move to the lower side of the slide rack.

[0026] According to some embodiments of the present application, the upper end of the slide rack hook claw is provided with a top block, and the upper end of the swing arm is provided with a stop rod towards the side of the slide rack hook claw, when the slide rack hook claw rises, the top block pushes the swing arm to rotate through the stop rod to make the water receiving container move to the lower side of the slide rack.

[0027] According to some embodiments of the present application, the lower end of the stand is provided with a horizontal slide rail, and the water receiving container is connected with a moving seat slidably connected to the horizontal slide rail, and the moving seat is connected to the lower end of the swing arm.

[0028] According to some embodiments of the present application, the lower end of the swing arm is provided with a transmission optical axis, and the moving seat is provided with a vertically arranged sliding groove, and the transmission optical axis is arranged in the sliding groove.

[0029] According to some embodiments of the present application, the transfer mechanical arm comprises an X-axis moving mechanism and a Y-axis moving mechanism, the X-axis moving mechanism is fixed to the rack, the Y-axis moving mechanism is connected to the X-axis moving mechanism, and the Z-axis moving mechanism is connected to the Y-axis moving mechanism.

[0030] According to some embodiments of the present application, the upper end of the dyeing bin is provided with a movable dyeing bin cover, and the rack is provided with a dyeing bin cover opening and closing module to open or close the dyeing bin cover.

[0031] According to some embodiments of the present application, the dyeing bin cover opening and closing module comprises a Z-axis translation assembly, the upper end of the Z-axis translation assembly is provided with a driving block, one side of the dyeing bin cover is hinged to the dyeing bin, and the outer wall of the dyeing bin cover is provided with a transmission pin shaft, and the driving block drives the dyeing bin cover to rotate through the transmission pin shaft.

[0032] According to some embodiments of the present application, the dyeing bin cover opening and closing module comprises a Y-axis translation assembly, the Z-axis translation assembly is connected to the Y-axis translation assembly, and the driving block is provided with a pin hole for the transmission pin shaft to pass through.

[0033] According to some embodiments of the present application, a plurality of the dyeing bins in the dyeing area are arranged in at least one row, the dyeing bin cover opening and closing module comprises an X-axis translation assembly, the moving direction of the X-axis translation assembly is consistent with the arrangement direction of the plurality of dyeing bins, and the Y-axis translation assembly is connected to the X-axis translation assembly.

[0034] According to some embodiments of the present application, a plurality of the dyeing bins in the dyeing area are arranged in two rows, the dyeing bin cover opening and closing module is arranged between the two rows of dyeing bins, and the pin hole penetrates through the driving block along the Y direction.

[0035] According to some embodiments of the present application, the X-axis translation assembly is provided with a mounting seat, the Y-axis translation assembly comprises a Y-axis motor, a gear and a rack, the Y-axis motor is fixed to the mounting seat, the rack is slidingly connected to the mounting seat, the gear is fixed to the rotating shaft of the Y-axis motor and engaged with the rack, and the Z-axis translation assembly is fixed to the rack.

[0036] According to some embodiments of the present application, a plurality of slide baking bins are arranged in the dyeing area, the slide baking bins are used to accommodate slides and perform baking, and the slide baking bins are connected with slide baking bin covers.

[0037] According to some embodiments of the present application, the outer wall of the dyeing bin is provided with a heating film to adjust the temperature of the dyeing reagent in the dyeing bin.

[0038] According to some embodiments of the present application, the dyeing bin is connected with a mixing assembly for driving the flow of the dyeing reagent in the dyeing bin.

[0039] According to some embodiments of the present application, the mixing assembly comprises a mixing motor, a rotating seat and a magnetic sub, the mixing motor is fixed to the rack, the rotating seat is connected to the rotating shaft of the mixing motor, the upper end surface of the rotating seat is provided with a plurality of magnets, the magnets are located directly below the dyeing bin, the magnetic sub is located in the dyeing bin, and the magnets rotate to drive the magnetic sub to rotate in the dyeing bin.

[0040] According to some embodiments of the present application, the plurality of dyeing bins in the dyeing area are arranged in at least one row, one rotating seat is arranged below each dyeing bin, the lower end of the rotating seat is provided with a pulley, a plurality of pulleys are connected by a belt, and one of the pulleys is fixed to the rotating shaft of the mixing motor.

[0041] According to some embodiments of the present application, the mixing assembly comprises a mounting plate, the mounting plate is fixed to the mixing motor, the rotating seat is rotatably connected to the mounting plate, the pulley is located below the mounting plate, and the bottom surface of the mounting plate is provided with a plurality of tensioning wheels abutting against the belt to keep the belt abutting against the pulley.

[0042] According to some embodiments of the present application, the slide rack input area and the slide rack output area are provided with sensors to detect the slide racks.

[0043] According to some embodiments of the present application, the slide rack input area is provided with a first base for loading the slide racks, the rack is provided with a first sliding rail, the first base is slidably connected to the first sliding rail, and the first base is connected with a first driving component to drive the first base to move along the first sliding rail.

[0044] According to some embodiments of the present application, the slide rack output area is provided with a second base, the second base is provided with a plurality of accommodating grooves for loading the slide racks, the rack is provided with a second sliding rail, the second base is slidably connected to the second sliding rail, and the second base is connected with a second driving component to drive the second base to move along the second sliding rail.

[0045] The slice dyeing equipment provided by the present application is based on the tissue slice dyeing machine provided by the present application, so the slice dyeing equipment has all the beneficial effects of the tissue slice dyeing machine, which will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0046] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0047] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a tissue slice staining machine of an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a staining liquid path system in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a Z-axis moving mechanism in an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Figure 4 is a use state schematic diagram of a Z-axis moving mechanism in an embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0051] Figure 5 is a use state schematic diagram of a Z-axis moving mechanism in an embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0052] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of a staining bin cover switch module and a plurality of staining bins in an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] Figure 7 is Figure 6 a partial enlarged view at A in

[0054] Figure 8 is a structural schematic diagram of a mixing assembly and a plurality of staining bins in an embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0055] Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of a mixing assembly and a plurality of staining bins in an embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0056] Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of a slide rack input area in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] Figure 11 is a structural schematic diagram of a slide rack output area in an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] Figure 12 is a partial enlarged view of a staining bin in an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] Figure 13 is a use state schematic diagram of a Z-axis moving mechanism and a water pan cooperation in some embodiments of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0060] Figure 14is a schematic diagram of the use state of the Z-axis moving mechanism and the water pan in some embodiments of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0061] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the use state of the Z-axis moving mechanism and the water pan in some embodiments of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0062] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the use state of the Z-axis moving mechanism and the water pan in some embodiments of the present application Figure 2 .

[0063] Reference signs:

[0064] frame 100, slide rack input area 101, slide rack output area 102, staining area 103, first base 110, first sliding rail 120, first driving part 130, second base 140, containing groove 141, second sliding rail 150, second driving part 160;

[0065] staining unit 200, staining bin 210, overflow port 211, waste liquid pipe 212, cleaning pipe 213, staining bin cover 214, transmission pin shaft 215, reagent bottle 220, bottle cap 221, exhaust one-way valve 222, air supplement one-way valve 223, infusion assembly 230, infusion pump 231, infusion pipe 232, liquid extraction one-way valve 233, recovery one-way valve 234, filter 235, waste liquid pool 240, waste reagent pipe 241, exhaust valve 250, water inlet electromagnetic valve 251, slide washing bin 260, overflow 261, drain pipe 262, water inlet pipe 263, slide baking bin 270;

[0066] transfer robot arm 300, X-axis moving mechanism 310, Y-axis moving mechanism 320, Z-axis moving mechanism 330, stand 331, horizontal sliding rail 3311, slide rack hook claw 332, top block 3321, swing arm 333, stop lever 3331, optical axis 3332, water receiving container 334, moving seat 3341, sliding groove 3342;

[0067] staining bin cover switch module 400, Z-axis translation assembly 410, driving block 411, pin hole 412, Y-axis translation assembly 420, Y-axis motor 421, gear 422, rack 423, X-axis translation assembly 430, mounting seat 431;

[0068] mixing assembly 500, mixing motor 510, rotating seat 520, belt pulley 521, belt 522, mounting plate 540, tension pulley 541. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of the 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 this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0070] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, 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 application 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 application.

[0071] In the description of this application, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0072] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly defined, terms such as "setup," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this application in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0073] Reference Figures 1 to 11 The embodiments of this application propose a tissue section staining machine, which aims to provide a device that can automatically and accurately complete the staining of tissue sections, so as to solve the problems of inaccurate staining reagent usage, inconvenient recycling, and complicated operation caused by manual operation in the prior art.

[0074] The tissue section staining machine mainly includes a frame 100 and a staining solution system. The frame 100 serves as the supporting structure for the entire device and is designed with a multi-layer structure to stably support all components. The upper surface of the frame 100 is provided with a slide holder input area 101, a slide holder output area 102, and a staining area 103. The slide holder input area 101 and the slide holder output area 102 are used to store slide holders containing slides to be stained and slide holders containing stained slides, respectively, while the staining area 103 is the area for performing the staining operation.

[0075] The dyeing liquid path system comprises a plurality of dyeing units 200, and the dyeing unit 200 is one of the core components of the tissue section dyeing machine. Each dyeing unit 200 comprises a dyeing bin 210, a reagent bottle 220 and a liquid delivery assembly 230. The dyeing bin 210 is arranged in the dyeing area 103 and is used to load the dyeing reagent and the glass slide for dyeing operation. The design of the dyeing bin 210 needs to consider the sealing property and the corrosion resistance, so as to ensure that the dyeing reagent does not leak during the dyeing process, and meanwhile, the dyeing reagent can resist the corrosion effect.

[0076] The reagent bottle 220 is used to store the dyeing reagent, and has good sealing property and chemical stability, so as to prevent the dyeing reagent from volatilizing or deteriorating. As shown in Figure 1 , a plurality of reagent bottles 220 can be placed in layers in the interior of the rack 100.

[0077] The liquid delivery assembly 230 comprises a delivery pump 231 and a liquid delivery pipe 232, and is a key component connecting the dyeing bin 210 and the reagent bottle 220. The first end of the liquid delivery pipe 232 is communicated with the dyeing bin 210, and the second end is communicated with the reagent bottle 220, so as to form a complete reagent delivery channel. The delivery pump 231 is arranged on the liquid delivery pipe 232 and has the functions of forward liquid delivery and reverse liquid delivery. When the forward liquid delivery is performed, the delivery pump 231 draws the dyeing reagent in the reagent bottle 220 and sends the dyeing reagent into the dyeing bin 210 through the liquid delivery pipe 232; when the reverse liquid delivery is performed, the delivery pump 231 draws the dyeing reagent in the dyeing bin 210 and sends the dyeing reagent back into the reagent bottle 220 for storage through the liquid delivery pipe 232. The selection of the delivery pump 231 needs to consider the parameters such as the flow, the pressure and the stability, so as to ensure that the dyeing reagent can be accurately and quickly delivered into the dyeing bin 210 and can be timely recovered after the dyeing is completed.

[0078] It can be understood that the tissue section dyeing machine can be provided with a transfer mechanical arm 300, and the transfer mechanical arm 300 is installed at the upper end of the rack 100 and is used to transfer the slide rack from the slide rack input area 101 to the dyeing bin 210, to perform the dyeing operation on the glass slide, and then to transfer the dyed glass slide and the slide rack to the slide rack output area 102. It can also be semi-automated, such as manually transferring the slide rack, which can meet the requirements of the dyeing. Hereinafter, the case that the tissue section dyeing machine adopts the transfer mechanical arm 300 will be described.

[0079] In actual application, the transfer mechanical arm 300 can adopt a servo motor, a stepping motor or the like as a power source, and through an accurate control system, the accurate control of the movement track and the speed of the transfer mechanical arm 300 can be realized.

[0080] Working principle and operation process:

[0081] Before the staining operation, first of all, the automatic loading equipment or manual places the slide rack loaded with the to-be-stained slides in the slide rack input area 101. Then, the delivery pump 231 starts to work, extracts the staining reagent in the reagent bottle 220, and sends it into the staining bin 210 through the infusion tube 232. The delivery amount of the staining reagent can be accurately controlled according to the actual needs to ensure the uniformity and consistency of the staining effect. Next, the transfer mechanical arm 300 starts to work, transfers the slide rack from the slide rack input area 101 to the staining bin 210 for staining. During the transfer process, the transfer mechanical arm 300 needs to maintain a stable motion trajectory and speed to ensure that the slide rack can accurately and smoothly enter the staining bin 210.

[0082] During the staining process, the staining reagent in the staining bin 210 can be kept at a certain temperature and stirred to promote the full contact and reaction of the staining reagent and the slides. At the same time, the staining time needs to be accurately controlled to ensure the stability and reliability of the staining effect.

[0083] After the staining is completed, the transfer mechanical arm 300 works again to transfer the stained slide rack from the staining bin 210 to the slide rack output area 102. The delivery pump 231 works again to extract the staining reagent in the staining bin 210 and send it back to the reagent bottle 220 for storage through the infusion tube 232. During the recovery process, it needs to be ensured that the staining reagent will not leak or mix with other impurities to ensure the quality and effect of its subsequent use.

[0084] The tissue section staining machine of the present application realizes automatic and accurate staining operation of tissue sections, and has the following significant technical effects compared with the prior art:

[0085] 1. Accurate control of the amount of staining reagent: through the accurate cooperation of the controller and the delivery pump 231, the accurate control of the delivery amount of the staining reagent is realized, which not only can improve the accuracy and consistency of the staining operation, but also can avoid the waste and pollution of the staining reagent due to human operation errors.

[0086] 2. Automatic recovery of staining reagent: after the staining is completed, the delivery pump 231 can automatically extract the staining reagent in the staining bin 210 back to the reagent bottle 220 for storage. This not only can prolong the service life of the staining reagent, but also can reduce the volatilization and pollution of the reagent and reduce the impact on the environment.

[0087] 3. Simplify the operation process: since the automatic control is realized, the operator only needs to set the staining program and parameters, and then batch staining operation can be performed, which simplifies the operation process, reduces the labor intensity, and improves the work efficiency.

[0088] 4. Eliminate mixed loading and waste: by setting up an independent dyeing unit 200 and control system, the partition management and use of different dyeing reagents are realized, the mixed loading and waste that may occur during manual recovery of dyeing reagents are avoided, and the accuracy and stability of the dyeing reagents are ensured.

[0089] In some embodiments of the present application, a peristaltic pump is used as the delivery pump 231, and the pump tube of the peristaltic pump is directly connected to the infusion tube 232. The peristaltic pump is a device that pumps liquid by periodically squeezing and releasing a flexible pump tube with rollers. Its unique working principle enables the peristaltic pump to handle a variety of liquids, including high viscosity, corrosive or shear-sensitive fluids, without contaminating the fluid itself. The peristaltic pump can achieve forward and reverse delivery of the dyeing reagent by forward and reverse rotation of the rollers. The peristaltic pump has advantages such as high precision, high flow stability and corrosion resistance in the metering of the dyeing reagent. The peristaltic pump delivers the dyeing reagent by compressing the pump tube, has a wide flow adjustment range, can achieve fine adjustment, thereby ensuring high accuracy of metering, and has simple structure, low maintenance cost and easy operation, which is suitable for various automatic control systems.

[0090] In specific embodiments, the peristaltic pump is installed at an appropriate position of the infusion tube 232, usually near the first end of the dyeing bin 210. The material of the pump tube needs to be selected according to the chemical properties of the delivered dyeing reagent, to ensure corrosion resistance, wear resistance and a certain elasticity to maintain pumping efficiency. The use of the peristaltic pump not only improves the flexibility of the system, allowing accurate control of the flow of the dyeing liquid by adjusting the roller speed, but also reduces the risk of leakage due to its seal-free design, which is particularly suitable for dyeing processes that require high cleanliness and sterile conditions. In addition, the peristaltic pump is easy to maintain and clean, and the pump tube can be replaced regularly as a consumable, further ensuring long-term stable operation of the system.

[0091] Reference Figure 2 In some embodiments of the present application, a liquid extraction one-way valve 233 and a bypass are provided at the second end of the infusion tube 232 connected to the reagent bottle 220, and a recovery one-way valve 234 is provided on the bypass. The above design aims to separate the extraction of dyeing reagent and the recovery of dyeing reagent. The liquid extraction one-way valve 233 is installed at the second end of the infusion tube 232. When extracting the dyeing reagent in the reagent bottle 220, the liquid extraction one-way valve 233 is opened, and the recovery one-way valve 234 is closed, and the dyeing reagent flows from the inside of the reagent bottle 220 to the outside. When recovering the dyeing reagent, the liquid extraction one-way valve 233 is closed, and the recovery one-way valve 234 is opened, and the dyeing reagent flows from the bottom of the dyeing bin 210 to the reagent bottle 220.

[0092] Further, a filter 235 is additionally arranged at the inlet of the liquid suction one-way valve 233. The filter 235 arranged at the inlet of the liquid suction one-way valve 233 can effectively intercept and remove suspended particles, fibers, dust and other impurities, so that the dyeing reagent delivered to the dyeing bin 210 is cleaner. The filter 235 is located at the bottom of the reagent bottle 220, and the recovery one-way valve 234 is located at the top of the reagent bottle 220. When the dyeing reagent is extracted, it is extracted from the bottom of the reagent bottle 220, and the backflow dyeing reagent flows into the reagent bottle 220 from the top, which is beneficial to maintaining the concentration of the dyeing reagent and improving the stability of the dyeing operation.

[0093] Further, the upper end of the reagent bottle 220 is provided with a bottle cap 221 to improve the sealing performance of the reagent bottle 220. It can be understood that the air pressure in the reagent bottle 220 will change when the dyeing reagent is extracted and backflowed. In order to balance the air pressure inside and outside the reagent bottle 220, the related art provides a hole in the reagent bottle 220 or the bottle cap 221 for air circulation, but there is a problem of dyeing reagent evaporation leakage and pollution. In the present application, the bottle cap 221 is provided with an exhaust one-way valve 222 and a gas supplement one-way valve 223, and the liquid delivery pipe 232 penetrates through the bottle cap 221. The exhaust one-way valve 222 automatically opens when the dyeing reagent backflows, allowing the air in the bottle to be discharged, preventing the backflow of the dyeing reagent due to the excessive air pressure in the bottle. When the dyeing reagent is extracted, the air pressure in the reagent bottle 220 will decrease, and the gas supplement one-way valve 223 will automatically open to allow external air to enter the reagent bottle 220 in a controlled manner, thereby maintaining the stability of the air pressure inside and outside the reagent bottle 220 and ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the dyeing liquid circuit system.

[0094] Reference Figure 2 In some embodiments of the present application, the upper part of the dyeing bin 210 is provided with an overflow port 211, and the overflow port 211 is connected with a waste liquid tank 240 through a waste liquid pipe 212. After dyeing, the dyeing bin 210 can be cleaned, and the waste liquid generated by cleaning is discharged through the overflow port 211 and flows into the waste liquid tank 240 through the waste liquid pipe 212, thereby avoiding pollution caused by overflow of waste liquid. The overflow port 211 is usually arranged near the highest liquid level line of the dyeing bin 210 to ensure that the waste liquid can be discharged in time before reaching a dangerous level. The waste liquid pipe 212 is made of corrosion-resistant material to ensure the stability and reliability of long-term use. The waste liquid tank 240 is used to collect and treat the waste liquid discharged from the overflow port 211, which is convenient for subsequent environmental protection treatment and resource recovery.

[0095] Further, the dyeing chamber 210 is also connected with a cleaning pipe 213, one end of the cleaning pipe 213 is connected with a water tank or an external water source, so that after dyeing, cleaning liquid can be injected into the dyeing chamber 210 through the cleaning pipe 213 to remove residual dyeing reagents and other residues, and ensure the cleaning of the dyeing chamber 210. The water tank is used to store the cleaning liquid, which can be water or other cleaning solution. The external water source can be tap water, a circulating water system, etc., depending on the configuration of the laboratory or production line. The external water source can be a tap water pipe, and a water inlet solenoid valve 251 is arranged on the tap water pipe to control the opening and closing, and tap water is used as the source of the cleaning liquid, and the inflow amount and time of the tap water are accurately controlled through the solenoid valve.

[0096] Further, the other end of the cleaning pipe 213 is communicated with the infusion pipe 232, and the connection between the cleaning pipe 213 and the infusion pipe 232 is located between the first end and the delivery pump 231. When cleaning is needed, the cleaning liquid can be introduced from the cleaning pipe 213 into the infusion pipe 232 and then injected into the bottom of the dyeing chamber 210 through the switching valve or the control system, and when the liquid level of the cleaning liquid rises to the overflow port 211, the cleaning liquid flows from the overflow port 211 into the waste liquid pipe 212 and finally into the waste liquid pool 240. At the same time, the cleaning liquid also helps to clean part of the infusion pipe 232, reducing the residual dyeing reagents in the infusion pipe 232.

[0097] Referring to Figure 2 It can be understood that a plurality of dyeing units 200 can share one waste liquid pool 240 and one external water source, and a drain valve 250 is connected to one end of the cleaning pipe 213. The drain valve 250 is an integrated device that can switch the communication of the pipelines inside, and has a plurality of ports, one of which is communicated with the external water source, and the other is communicated with the waste liquid pool 240 through a waste reagent pipe 241, and the cleaning pipe 213 of each dyeing unit 200 is respectively communicated with one port. When the dyeing chamber 210 needs to be cleaned, the No. 7 valve is opened, and one or more of the No. 2 to No. 6 valves are opened at the same time, and the cleaning liquid is injected into one or more dyeing chambers 210, and the cleaning liquid is introduced from the cleaning pipe 213 into the infusion pipe 232 and then injected into the bottom of the dyeing chamber 210, and when the liquid level of the cleaning liquid rises to the overflow port 211, the cleaning liquid flows from the overflow port 211 into the waste liquid pipe 212 and finally into the waste liquid pool 240. Through continuous flushing, the residual dyeing reagents in the dyeing chamber 210 are removed. Then the No. 7 valve is closed, and the No. 1 valve is opened, and the cleaning liquid in the dyeing chamber 210 is drained into the waste liquid pool 240 through the cleaning pipe 213 and the waste reagent pipe 241 by gravity flow.

[0098] In practical application, each port of the drain valve 250 can be equipped with a solenoid valve or a manual valve to control the inflow and outflow of liquid. Each solenoid valve can be connected to the control system to control its opening and closing state through preset programs or instructions. During the cleaning process, the control system can automatically adjust the opening and closing state of the solenoid valve on the cleaning pipe 213 according to the cleaning requirements to achieve precise cleaning control.

[0099] In some embodiments of the present application, a slide washing bin 260 is also provided for accommodating the glass slides for cleaning. An overflow port 261 is arranged at the upper part of the slide washing bin 260, and the overflow port 261 is connected to the waste liquid pool 240 through a drain pipe 262. The cleaning liquid is injected into the slide washing bin 260 to clean the glass slides or slide racks, and the waste liquid flows into the waste liquid pool 240 through the overflow port 261 and the drain pipe 262 during the cleaning process. One of the ports of the drain valve 250 is connected to the slide washing bin 260 through a water inlet pipe 263, and the water level and flow rate in the slide washing bin 260 can be conveniently controlled by the drain valve 250 to complete the automatic cleaning. Finally, the waste liquid in the slide washing bin 260 is discharged into the waste liquid pool 240 through the water inlet pipe 263 and the waste reagent pipe 241 by gravity flow.

[0100] In addition, since the cleaning pipe 213 is connected to the infusion pipe 232, and the cleaning pipe 213 and the waste reagent pipe 241 are respectively connected to one port of the drain valve 250, the used staining reagent in the reagent bottle 220 can be pumped out by the infusion pump 231, transported to the waste liquid pool 240 through the cleaning pipe 213 and the waste reagent pipe 241, and automatically cleaned by the drain valve 250.

[0101] It can be understood that after the staining is completed, the transfer robot arm 300 transfers the slide rack to the slide rack output area 102. Considering that the glass slides on the slide rack carry the staining reagent, which will drip on the rack 100 or other components, the tissue slice staining machine is provided with a water receiving container 334 to receive the dripping staining reagent. The water receiving container 334 can be a tray, a box or other forms of container.

[0102] It can be understood that the water receiving container 334 moves synchronously with the transfer robot arm 300 under the drive of a water receiving driving element. After the slide rack leaves the staining bin 210, the water receiving container 334 moves synchronously to the lower part of the slide rack to receive the dripping staining reagent. The water receiving driving element can be a linear module driven by a motor, an electric push rod or a pneumatic cylinder, which is controlled by the control system of the tissue slice staining machine. The water receiving driving element and the transfer robot arm 300 are linked to realize synchronous action.

[0103] It can be understood that, as Figure 13 and Figure 14As shown, the water receiving driving member adopts a motor 440 and a screw-nut pair 441, which are installed on the transfer mechanical arm 300. Referring to Figure 13 In the staining operation, the motor 440 drives the screw-nut pair 441, thereby driving the water receiving container 334 to move to a position deviated from the slide rack. Referring to Figure 14 After the staining is completed, the transfer mechanical arm 300 drives the slide rack to ascend, and the motor 440 drives the screw-nut pair 441, thereby driving the water receiving container 334 to move to the lower side of the slide rack to receive the dropped staining reagent. The motor 440 and the transfer mechanical arm 300 are controlled by the control system of the tissue slice staining machine. When the transfer mechanical arm 300 drives the slide rack to ascend, the motor 440 drives the water receiving container 334 to move synchronously through the screw-nut pair 441, thereby timely receiving the dropped staining reagent and preventing pollution.

[0104] In some embodiments, the transfer mechanical arm 300 includes a Z-axis moving mechanism 330, which is responsible for moving the slide rack in the vertical direction (i.e., the Z-axis direction). The Z-axis moving mechanism 330 can adopt a driving mode of a stepping motor, a servo motor or a linear driver, and can realize precise movement through a transmission mechanism such as a screw, a belt or a chain.

[0105] Referring to Figure 3 The Z-axis moving mechanism 330 includes a vertical stand 331 and a slide rack hook claw 332. The stand 331 serves as the main support structure of the Z-axis moving mechanism 330 and is fixed to the Y-axis moving mechanism 320, thereby providing a stable vertical installation basis. The slide rack hook claw 332 is slidably connected to the side surface of the stand 331 in the vertical direction and is responsible for grabbing and releasing the slide rack. The slide rack hook claw 332 can realize the grabbing action in a pneumatic, electric or mechanical manner. Figure 4 The specific structure of the slide rack hook claw 332 can be two hooks, and the slide rack is provided with corresponding holes on both sides. The slide rack hook claw 332 is lowered to the appropriate position, the Y-axis moving mechanism 320 drives the Z-axis moving mechanism 330 to translate, so that the slide rack hook claw 332 passes through the holes on both sides of the slide rack, thereby hooking the slide rack and driving the slide rack to move.

[0106] In an alternative embodiment, the water receiving container 334 is linked with the slide rack hook claw 332 by a water receiving driving member, when the slide rack hook claw 332 drives the slide rack to ascend and leave the dyeing bin 210, the water receiving container 334 moves to the position right below the slide rack to receive and process the dyeing reagent that may drip to prevent the dyeing reagent from bringing pollution. The water receiving container 334 is linked with the slide rack hook claw 332, accurately matches the action of the slide rack entering and leaving the dyeing bin 210, timely receives the dyeing reagent that drips, and moreover the water receiving container 334 does not affect the slide rack entering and leaving the dyeing bin 210, and it is not necessary to wait for the water receiving container 334 to move and then send the slide rack into the dyeing bin 210 or take out the slide rack from the dyeing bin 210, so that the operation efficiency is high and the operation reliability is high.

[0107] With reference to Figure 3 , the water receiving driving member includes a swing arm 333, when the slide rack is hooked by the slide rack hook claw 332, the slide rack hook claw 332 moves up and down along the stand 331 to send the slide rack into the dyeing bin 210 or take out the slide rack from the dyeing bin 210. The upper end of the swing arm 333 is hinged to the stand 331 by a pin shaft 3333, and the lower end is connected with the water receiving container 334. The swing arm 333 swings around the pin shaft 3333, the action of the swing arm 333 is linked with the action of the slide rack hook claw 332, the water receiving container 334 is driven by the swing arm 333 to move, in the process of the slide rack descending and ascending, the water receiving container 334 leaves the position right below the slide rack; in the process of the slide rack ascending to the highest position, the water receiving container 334 is in the position right below the slide rack to receive and process the dyeing reagent that may drip. Wherein, a pneumatic cylinder, an electric push rod or the like can be adopted to drive the swing arm 333 to swing to realize the linkage with the slide rack hook claw 332, and the linkage can also be realized by a mechanical structure.

[0108] With reference to Figure 4 and Figure 5 , in some embodiments, the upper end of the slide rack hook claw 332 is provided with a top block 3321, and the upper end of the swing arm 333 is provided with a stop rod 3331 towards the side surface of the slide rack hook claw 332. When the slide rack hook claw 332 ascends, the top block 3321 pushes the swing arm 333 to swing through the stop rod 3331, so that the water receiving container 334 moves to the position right below the slide rack. With reference to Figure 5 , in the process of the slide rack ascending, the stop rod 3331 is inclined, when the slide rack hook claw 332 ascends to approach the highest position, the top block 3321 contacts the stop rod 3331 and pushes the swing arm 333 to rotate through the stop rod 3331, finally drives the water receiving container 334 to move to the position below the slide rack, as shown in Figure 4As shown, the stop lever 3331 is horizontal at this time and closely abuts against the top block 3321. The above-described linkage mechanism ensures that the water receiving container 334 can be moved to the position directly below the slide rack at the accurate time point to effectively receive the dropped dyeing reagent. It can be understood that during the process of the slide rack entering and exiting the dyeing bin 210, the water receiving container 334 is away from the position directly below the slide rack, which does not affect the operation; after the slide rack exits the dyeing bin 210, the water receiving container 334 is quickly moved to the position directly below the slide rack through the above-described linkage mechanism to receive the dropped dyeing reagent, which matches the process of dyeing in synchronization and prevents the dropped dyeing reagent on the slide from contaminating the dyeing machine. The above-described linkage mechanism is a pure mechanical structure, does not need to use motors, air cylinders and other driving components, and does not need to increase monitoring and feedback sensor components, and has the advantages of simple structure, low cost, strong stability, reliable durability and the like.

[0109] Further, the lower end of the stand 331 is provided with a horizontal sliding rail 3311, and the water receiving container 334 is connected to a moving seat 3341 of the horizontal sliding rail 3311 through sliding connection to realize horizontal movement, so that the water receiving container 334 can move stably. It can be understood that the water receiving container 334 is horizontally moved, which can prevent the loaded dyeing reagent from leaking during the movement process, improve the use reliability, and can be designed as a flat shape to reduce the space occupation and facilitate the layout. The lower end of the swing arm 333 is provided with a transmission light shaft 3332, and the moving seat 3341 is provided with a vertically arranged sliding groove 3342, and the transmission light shaft 3332 is arranged in the sliding groove 3342. When the slide rack hook claw 332 pushes the swing arm 333 to swing, the moving seat 3341 is pushed through the transmission light shaft 3332 to drive the water receiving container 334 to shift. The cooperation of the transmission light shaft 3332 and the sliding groove 3342 also provides the necessary space to adapt to the swing action of the swing arm 333.

[0110] In actual operation, the control system will send instructions to the X-axis moving mechanism 310, the Y-axis moving mechanism 320 and the Z-axis moving mechanism 330 according to the preset dyeing program, first position the Z-axis moving mechanism 330 above the target dyeing bin 210 through the X-axis moving mechanism 310 and the Y-axis moving mechanism 320, then the slide rack hook claw 332 of the Z-axis moving mechanism 330 drives the slide rack to descend, due to the action of gravity, the swing arm 333 swings and drives the water receiving container 334 to move away from the position directly below the slide rack, and the slide rack enters the dyeing bin 210 for dyeing. After dyeing, the slide rack hook claw 332 drives the slide rack to ascend, and pushes the swing arm 333 to swing through the top block 3321 to move the water receiving container 334 to the position directly below the slide rack, and finally transports the slide rack to the slide rack output area 102 through the X-axis moving mechanism 310 and the Y-axis moving mechanism 320. During the movement, the dropped dyeing reagent is received by the water receiving container 334 to prevent the dyeing reagent from contaminating other components.

[0111] Referring to Figure 15 and Figure 16 In some embodiments, the lower end of the swing arm 333 is provided with a horizontal bar, and the water receiving container 334 is mounted on the horizontal bar. When the slide rack hook claw 332 pushes the swing arm 333 to swing, the swing arm 333 pushes the water receiving container 334 to move through the horizontal bar. As shown in Figure 15 , in the staining operation, the swing arm 333 drives the water receiving container 334 to move to a position deviated from the slide rack; as shown in Figure 16 , after the staining is completed, the transfer mechanical arm 300 drives the slide rack to rise, and the swing arm 333 drives the water receiving container 334 to move to the lower side of the slide rack to receive the dripping staining reagent. The swing arm 333 and the transfer mechanical arm 300 are both controlled by the control system of the tissue section staining machine. When the transfer mechanical arm 300 drives the slide rack to rise, the swing arm 333 drives the water receiving container 334 to move synchronously to timely receive the dripping staining reagent and prevent pollution.

[0112] In some embodiments, the swing arm 333 can also be provided with an independent driving component to control the action of the swing arm 333, and the linkage of the slide rack hook claw 332 and the swing arm 333 is controlled by the control system. The driving component can be a motor, an electric push rod or a pneumatic cylinder, etc.

[0113] Referring to Figure 1 , the transfer mechanical arm 300 further includes an X-axis moving mechanism 310 and a Y-axis moving mechanism 320. The X-axis moving mechanism 310 is fixed to the rack 100 and serves as a fixed base of the transfer mechanical arm 300 to realize movement in the X-axis direction on the horizontal plane. The Y-axis moving mechanism 320 is connected to the X-axis moving mechanism 310 and is responsible for movement in the direction perpendicular to the X-axis (i.e. the Y-axis direction). In combination with the movement of the X-axis and the Y-axis, the transfer mechanical arm 300 can accurately position the slide rack in the horizontal plane. The Z-axis moving mechanism 330 is connected to the Y-axis moving mechanism 320 and is responsible for moving the slide rack in the vertical direction (i.e. the Z-axis direction), so that the transfer mechanical arm 300 can drive the slide rack to accurately move in the three-dimensional space. The X-axis moving mechanism 310, the Y-axis moving mechanism 320 and the Z-axis moving mechanism 330 are similar in structure and can all adopt driving modes such as a stepper motor, a servo motor or a linear driver to realize precise movement through transmission mechanisms such as a lead screw, a belt or a chain.

[0114] It can be understood that the staining reagent is stored in the staining bin 210, sometimes multiple staining is needed, and part of the staining reagent has volatility. If the opening of the staining bin 210 is exposed, the staining reagent will volatilize and there is a risk of being contaminated. The tissue section staining machine of the application is provided with a movable staining bin cover 214 at the upper end of the staining bin 210. The staining bin cover 214 can not only effectively prevent the volatilization of the staining reagent and reduce external pollution, but also can realize automatic opening and closing through mechanical structure to realize automatic production.

[0115] In order to realize the automatic opening and closing of the staining bin cover 214, the staining bin cover switch module 400 is installed on the rack 100. Through the precise control of the mechanical action, the staining bin cover 214 can be accurately opened or closed.

[0116] Referring to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , one of the core components of the staining bin cover switch module 400 is the Z-axis translation assembly 410, which realizes the movement in the vertical direction (i.e. Z-axis direction) to perform the action of opening and closing the staining bin cover 214. The upper end of the Z-axis translation assembly 410 is provided with a driving block 411, and one side of the staining bin cover 214 is hinged to the staining bin 210, so that the staining bin cover 214 can be opened by turning over. As shown in Figure 12 , a transmission pin shaft 215 is arranged on the outer wall of the staining bin cover 214, and the transmission pin shaft 215 deviates from the turning shaft of the staining bin cover 214. The transmission pin shaft 215 serves as a force point. When the Z-axis translation assembly 410 drives the driving block 411 to move upward, the driving block 411 can push the transmission pin shaft 215 to rotate around the turning shaft of the staining bin cover 214 (as shown by the arrow in FIG. Figure 12 ), thereby driving the staining bin cover 214 to rotate, so as to realize the opening of the staining bin cover 214. Conversely, when the driving block 411 moves downward, the staining bin cover 214 is closed. In addition, the staining bin cover 214 can also automatically fall under the action of gravity, thereby closing.

[0117] Considering the stability of the equipment operation, a pin hole 412 is designed on the driving block 411, and the pin hole 412 is used for the transmission pin shaft 215 to pass through, so as to ensure that the driving block 411 can push the staining bin cover 214 to open and close. Considering that the transmission pin shaft 215 is a rotary motion, the cross-sectional area of the pin hole 412 is larger than that of the transmission pin shaft 215. In order to increase the flexibility of the staining bin cover switch module 400, the staining bin cover switch module 400 also has a Y-axis translation assembly 420, which drives the driving block 411 to move in the horizontal direction (i.e. Y-axis direction). When the cover needs to be opened, the Z-axis translation assembly 410 first lifts the driving block 411 to a suitable height, and then the Y-axis translation assembly 420 drives the driving block 411, so that the transmission pin shaft 215 is inserted into the pin hole 412 of the driving block 411.

[0118] When the number of dyeing bins 210 in the dyeing area 103 is large and arranged in multiple rows, in order to further improve the degree of automation, an X-axis translation assembly 430 is added on the basis of the Y-axis translation assembly 420. The moving direction of the X-axis translation assembly 430 is consistent with the arrangement direction of the multiple dyeing bins 210, so that the dyeing bin cover opening and closing module 400 can move in the X-axis direction, thereby realizing access to any one of the dyeing bins 210.

[0119] The Y-axis translation assembly 420 is connected to the X-axis translation assembly 430 to form a two-dimensional moving platform. The driving block 411 is accurately transferred to the side of any one of the dyeing bins 210 in the dyeing area 103 by the X-axis translation assembly 430. When the cover needs to be opened, the Z-axis translation assembly 410 first raises the driving block 411 to the appropriate height, and then the Y-axis translation assembly 420 drives the driving block 411, so that the transmission pin shaft 215 is inserted into the pin hole 412 of the driving block 411. The Z-axis translation assembly 410 drives the driving block 411 to continue to rise, thereby opening the dyeing bin cover 214. After dyeing is completed, the Z-axis translation assembly 410 drives the driving block 411 to descend, so that the dyeing bin cover 214 returns to the closed state, preventing dyeing reagents from volatilizing and polluting.

[0120] Referring to Figure 1 In some embodiments of the present application, the dyeing bins 210 in the dyeing area 103 are arranged in two rows. In order to optimize space utilization and the compactness of the mechanical structure, the dyeing bin cover opening and closing module 400 is ingeniously arranged between the two rows of dyeing bins 210. This layout not only reduces space occupation, but also enables each dyeing bin 210 to be effectively accessed and operated.

[0121] In order to adapt to the above layout, the pin hole 412 on the driving block 411 is designed to penetrate through the entire driving block 411 in the Y direction. The Y-axis translation assembly 420 drives the driving block 411 to move, so that the transmission pin shafts 215 of the dyeing bins 210 on both sides can be inserted into the pin hole 412, and one dyeing bin cover opening and closing module 400 can realize the opening and closing of the two rows of dyeing bins 210.

[0122] The X-axis translation assembly 430 is provided with a mounting seat 431, which serves as a support platform for the Y-axis translation assembly 420. The Y-axis translation assembly 420 includes a Y-axis motor 421, a gear 422 and a rack 423. The Y-axis motor 421 is fixed on the mounting seat 431, the rack 423 is slidingly connected to the mounting seat 431 and extends along the Y-axis direction, and the gear 422 is fixed on the rotating shaft of the Y-axis motor 421 and engages with the rack 423. When the Y-axis motor 421 rotates, the gear 422 drives the rack 423 to move along the Y-axis direction. The Z-axis translation assembly 410 is fixed on the rack 423 and moves with the rack 423, so that the driving block 411 can accurately move in the Y-axis direction.

[0123] Referring to Figure 1 In some embodiments of the present application, a plurality of slide baking chambers 270 are provided in the staining area 103. The main function of the slide baking chambers 270 is to accommodate the glass slides before staining and to perform baking treatment on the glass slides. Through baking, the wax is melted to make the tissue section more adhered to the glass slide. The design of the slide baking chambers 270 takes into account the diversity of glass slide sizes to ensure that glass slides of different sizes can be accommodated and dried.

[0124] The slide baking chambers 270 are constructed similarly to the staining chambers 210, with the addition of a heating element (such as a resistance wire or a ceramic heater). Each slide baking chamber 270 is equipped with a slide baking chamber cover that can be manually or automatically opened and closed to control the start and end of the heating process. The slide baking chamber cover can also be controlled by the staining chamber cover switching module 400. The structure of the slide baking chamber cover is the same as that of the staining chamber cover 214, and the switching process is consistent.

[0125] In some embodiments of the present application, a heating film is provided on the outer wall of the staining chamber 210 to adjust the temperature of the staining reagent inside the staining chamber 210. This design is crucial for maintaining the optimal conditions for staining. The performance of the staining reagent can be affected by temperature, and both too high or too low temperatures can result in poor staining results. The heating film is a thin and flexible heating element that can closely fit on the outer wall of the staining chamber 210, achieving precise temperature regulation by controlling the current intensity. The heating film also has the characteristic of rapid response, which can reach the set temperature in a short time, thereby shortening the staining period.

[0126] Referring to Figure 8 and Figure 9 In some embodiments of the present application, the staining chamber 210 is connected to a mixing assembly 500, which is used to drive the flow of staining reagents in the staining chamber 210 to ensure uniform distribution of the reagents and improve staining uniformity. During the process of staining the tissue section, the uniformity of the staining reagents directly affects the staining quality.

[0127] In one embodiment, the mixing assembly 500 comprises a mixing motor 510, a rotating seat 520 and magnetic particles. The mixing motor 510 serves as a power source and is fixed to the frame 100. The rotating seat 520 is driven to rotate by the mixing motor 510 through a rotating shaft. The upper end surface of the rotating seat 520 is provided with a plurality of magnets, which are located directly below the dyeing bin 210. The magnetic particles are located in the dyeing reagent in the dyeing bin 210. When the mixing motor 510 is started, the rotating seat 520 drives the magnets to rotate. Due to the magnetic force, the magnetic particles also rotate in the dyeing reagent, generating a stirring effect and driving the dyeing reagent to flow. The advantage is that the non-contact stirring method avoids the pollution problem that may be caused by traditional mechanical stirring, while ensuring the uniformity and gentleness of stirring. A slide can be provided on the bottom wall of the dyeing bin 210 to accommodate and limit the magnetic particles, preventing the magnetic particles from being taken away when the dyeing reagent is extracted.

[0128] When the plurality of dyeing bins 210 in the dyeing area 103 are arranged in at least one row, a rotating seat 520 is arranged below each dyeing bin 210. The lower end of the rotating seat 520 is provided with a pulley 521. The synchronous rotation of a plurality of rotating seats 520 is achieved through the pulley 521 and the belt 522, so that the dyeing reagent in all dyeing bins 210 can be mixed at the same time. One mixing motor 510 is shared, which reduces the cost and control difficulty. One of the pulleys 521 is fixed to the rotating shaft of the mixing motor 510 as the driving pulley, and the other pulleys 521 are driven pulleys. The power is transmitted through the belt 522, which not only simplifies the transmission system, but also reduces the maintenance cost. In addition, the flexibility and buffering effect of the belt 522 transmission also help to reduce vibration and noise, improve the running stability of the equipment.

[0129] Further, the mixing assembly 500 further comprises a mounting plate 540 fixed to the mixing motor 510 for supporting the rotating seat 520, the pulley 521 and other components. The rotating seat 520 is installed on the mounting plate 540 through a bearing or other rotating connecting piece to ensure its free rotation. The pulley 521 is located below the mounting plate 540 and connected by the belt 522 to form a transmission chain. In order to maintain the tension state of the belt 522, the bottom surface of the mounting plate 540 is provided with a plurality of tensioning wheels 541 abutting the belt 522. The appropriate tension of the belt 522 is maintained by adjusting the position or pressure of the tensioning wheels 541, so that the belt 522 and the pulley 521 are kept in close contact, improving the transmission stability.

[0130] In some embodiments of the present application, the slide rack input area 101 and the slide rack output area 102 are each configured with high-precision sensors for real-time detection of the presence and position of the slide racks. The sensors can be diffuse reflection sensors, photoelectric sensors, infrared sensors, etc., and the specific choice depends on the specific layout and environmental conditions of the equipment. Among them, the preferred solution is to choose a diffuse reflection sensor, and the working principle of the diffuse reflection sensor is based on the law of reflection of light. When light shines on the surface of the slide rack, the light will scatter in all directions, forming diffuse reflection. The diffuse reflection sensor can detect these reflected lights to determine the presence, position, and distance of the slide rack, etc.

[0131] Referring to Figure 10 In the slide rack input area 101, a first base 110 is provided for loading the slide racks. The structural design of the first base 110 fully considers the stability of supporting the slide racks. In order to realize the automated transfer of the slide racks, a first sliding rail 120 is installed on the rack 100, and the first base 110 is connected to the first sliding rail 120 through a sliding connector, ensuring that the base can move smoothly along the first sliding rail 120. The first driving component 130 can be an electric device, a pneumatic device, or a hydraulic device. In some embodiments, the first driving component 130 uses a motor as the driving source, and through screw-nut transmission or synchronous belt transmission, etc., converts the rotary motion into linear motion, thereby accurately controlling the position and speed of the first base 110. When manually loading the slide racks or loading the slide racks by other automated equipment, the first driving component 130 drives the first base 110 to move along the first sliding rail 120, and the first base 110 moves outside the rack 100, facilitating the placement of the slide racks into the first base 110, and avoiding the collision of the slide racks with other components on the rack 100.

[0132] Referring to Figure 11 The slide rack output area 102 is provided with a second base 140, and the second base 140 is provided with a plurality of accommodating grooves 141, each of which can stably carry a slide rack. The multi-groove design improves the processing capacity, allowing multiple slide racks to be carried simultaneously, meeting the needs of high-throughput experiments. Similar to the first base 110, the second base 140 is also connected to the second sliding rail 150 on the rack 100 through a sliding connector, ensuring that the base can move along the second sliding rail 150. The second driving component 160 can also be an electric device, a pneumatic device, or a hydraulic device. In some embodiments, the second driving component 160 uses a motor as the driving source, and through screw-nut transmission or synchronous belt transmission, etc., converts the rotary motion into linear motion, thereby accurately controlling the position and speed of the second base 140.

[0133] After the staining is completed, the transfer robot 300 places the slide racks into the containing grooves 141 of the second base 140, each containing groove 141 is provided with a diffuse reflection sensor, and the control system can learn in real time whether each containing groove 141 carries a slide rack, and the unloading position of the transfer robot 300 can be designed to be fixed, and the second driving component 160 drives the second base 140 to move to place the slide racks into the containing grooves 141 one by one.

[0134] In the description of the present specification, the description of the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiment", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" and the like means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In the present specification, the exemplary description of the above terms does not necessarily mean the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0135] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described, those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that various changes, modifications, replacements and variations can be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and purposes of the present application, and the scope of the present application is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A tissue section staining machine, characterized by, The application relates to a tissue slice staining machine. The machine frame (100) is provided with a slide rack input area (101), a slide rack output area (102) and a staining area (103) at the upper end face, the slide rack input area (101) and the slide rack output area (102) are used for storing slide racks, and a plurality of staining units (200) are connected to the machine frame (100). The staining unit (200) comprises a staining bin (210), a reagent bottle (220) and a transfusion assembly (230), the staining bin (210) is arranged in the staining area (103), the transfusion assembly (230) is provided with a delivery pump (231) and a transfusion pipe (232), the first end of the transfusion pipe (232) is communicated with the staining bin (210), the second end of the transfusion pipe (232) is communicated with the reagent bottle (220), and the delivery pump (231) is arranged on the transfusion pipe (232) and can realize forward transfusion and reverse transfusion.

2. The tissue section stainer of claim 1, wherein, The delivery pump (231) is a peristaltic pump, and the pump pipe of the peristaltic pump is connected with the transfusion pipe (232).

3. The tissue section stainer of claim 1, wherein, The second end is provided with a liquid suction one-way valve (233) and a bypass, and the bypass is provided with a recovery one-way valve (234).

4. The tissue section stainer of claim 3, wherein, The inlet of the liquid suction one-way valve (233) is provided with a liquid suction pipe, and the end of the liquid suction pipe is provided with a filter (235).

5. The tissue section stainer of claim 1, wherein, The reagent bottle (220) is provided with a bottle cap (221), the transfusion pipe (232) penetrates through the bottle cap (221), and the bottle cap (221) is provided with an exhaust one-way valve (222) and a gas supplement one-way valve (223).

6. The tissue section stainer of claim 1, wherein, The upper portion of the staining bin (210) is provided with an overflow port (211), and the overflow port (211) is connected with a waste liquid pool (240) through a waste liquid pipe (212).

7. The tissue section stainer of claim 6, wherein, The staining bin (210) is connected with a cleaning pipe (213), and the other end of the cleaning pipe (213) is connected with a water tank or an external water source.

8. The tissue section stainer of claim 7, wherein, The cleaning pipe (213) is communicated with the transfusion pipe (232), and the connection position of the cleaning pipe (213) and the transfusion pipe (232) is between the first end and the delivery pump (231).

9. The tissue section stainer of claim 8, wherein, The other end of the cleaning pipe (213) is connected with a discharge valve (250), the discharge valve (250) has a plurality of ports, one of the ports is communicated with the external water source, and the other port is communicated with the waste liquid pool (240) through a waste reagent pipe (241).

10. The tissue section stainer of claim 9, wherein, The tissue slice staining machine is provided with a plurality of slide washing bins (260) for accommodating slide racks to be cleaned, and the upper portion of the slide washing bin (260) is provided with a water overflow port (261), and the water overflow port (261) is connected with the waste liquid pool (240) through a drain pipe (262).

11. The tissue section stainer of claim 10, wherein, One of the ports of the discharge valve (250) is communicated with the slide washing bin (260) through a water inlet pipe (263).

12. The tissue section stainer of claim 9, wherein, The discharge valve (250) has a plurality of electromagnetic valves, and each port is controlled to be opened or closed by one of the electromagnetic valves.

13. The tissue section stainer of claim 7, wherein, The external water source is a tap, and the tap is provided with a water inlet electromagnetic valve (251) to control opening and closing.

14. The tissue section stainer of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The upper end of the rack (100) is connected with a transfer mechanical arm (300), which is used for transferring a slide rack to the slide rack input area (101), the slide rack output area (102) or the staining bin (210).

15. The tissue section stainer of claim 14, wherein, The tissue slice staining machine is provided with a water receiving container (334), when the transfer mechanical arm (300) drives the slide rack to rise, the water receiving container (334) is driven by a water receiving driving element to move synchronously with the transfer mechanical arm (300) to the lower side of the slide rack.

16. The tissue section stainer of claim 15, wherein, The water receiving driving element includes a motor and a linear motion module, to drive the water receiving container (334) to move to the lower side of the slide rack and away from the lower side of the slide rack.

17. The tissue section stainer of claim 15, wherein, The transfer mechanical arm (300) includes a Z-axis moving mechanism (330), the Z-axis moving mechanism (330) includes a vertical stand (331) and a slide rack hook claw (332), the slide rack hook claw (332) is slidably connected to the side of the stand (331), when the slide rack hook claw (332) drives the slide rack to rise.

18. The tissue section stainer of claim 17, wherein, The water receiving driving element includes a swing arm (333), the upper end of the swing arm (333) is hinged to the stand (331), the lower end of the swing arm (333) is connected with the water receiving container (334), when the slide rack hook claw (332) drives the slide rack to rise, the swing arm (333) is linked with the slide rack hook claw (332), and drives the water receiving container (334) to move to the lower side of the slide rack.

19. The tissue section stainer of claim 18, wherein, The upper end of the slide rack hook claw (332) is provided with a top block (3321), the upper end of the swing arm (333) is provided with a stop rod (3331) towards the side of the slide rack hook claw (332), when the slide rack hook claw (332) rises, the top block (3321) pushes the swing arm (333) to rotate through the stop rod (3331), so that the water receiving container (334) moves to the lower side of the slide rack.

20. The tissue section stainer of claim 19, wherein, The lower end of the stand (331) is provided with a horizontal slide rail (3311), the water receiving container (334) is connected with a moving seat (3341) which is slidably connected to the horizontal slide rail (3311), the moving seat (3341) is connected with the lower end of the swing arm (333).

21. The tissue section stainer of claim 20, wherein, The lower end of the swing arm (333) is provided with a transmission optical shaft (3332), the moving seat (3341) is provided with a vertical sliding groove (3342), the transmission optical shaft (3332) is arranged in the sliding groove (3342).

22. The tissue section stainer of claim 17, wherein, The transfer mechanical arm (300) includes an X-axis moving mechanism (310) and a Y-axis moving mechanism (320), the X-axis moving mechanism (310) is fixed to the rack (100), the Y-axis moving mechanism (320) is connected to the X-axis moving mechanism (310), and the Z-axis moving mechanism (330) is connected to the Y-axis moving mechanism (320).

23. The tissue section stainer of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The upper end of the dyeing bin (210) is provided with a movable opening dyeing bin cover (214), and the rack (100) is provided with a dyeing bin cover switch module (400) to open or close the dyeing bin cover (214).

24. The tissue section stainer of claim 23, wherein, The dyeing bin cover switch module (400) comprises a Z-axis translation assembly (410), the upper end of the Z-axis translation assembly (410) is provided with a driving block (411), one side of the dyeing bin cover (214) is hinged to the dyeing bin (210), the outer wall of the dyeing bin cover (214) is provided with a transmission pin shaft (215), and the driving block (411) drives the dyeing bin cover (214) to rotate through the transmission pin shaft (215).

25. The tissue section stainer of claim 24, wherein, The dyeing bin cover switch module (400) comprises a Y-axis translation assembly (420), the Z-axis translation assembly (410) is connected to the Y-axis translation assembly (420), and the driving block (411) is provided with a pin hole (412) for the transmission pin shaft (215) to pass through.

26. The tissue section stainer of claim 25, wherein, The plurality of dyeing bins (210) in the dyeing area (103) are arranged in at least one row, the dyeing bin cover switch module (400) comprises an X-axis translation assembly (430), the moving direction of the X-axis translation assembly (430) is consistent with the arrangement direction of the plurality of dyeing bins (210), and the Y-axis translation assembly (420) is connected to the X-axis translation assembly (430).

27. The tissue section stainer of claim 26, wherein, The plurality of dyeing bins (210) in the dyeing area (103) are arranged in two rows, the dyeing bin cover switch module (400) is arranged between the two rows of dyeing bins (210), and the pin hole (412) penetrates the driving block (411) in the Y direction.

28. The tissue section stainer of claim 27, wherein, The X-axis translation assembly (430) is provided with a mounting seat (431), the Y-axis translation assembly (420) comprises a Y-axis motor (421), a gear (422) and a rack (423), the Y-axis motor (421) is fixed to the mounting seat (431), the rack (423) is slidingly connected to the mounting seat (431), the gear (422) is fixed to the rotating shaft of the Y-axis motor (421) and is engaged with the rack (423), and the Z-axis translation assembly (410) is fixed to the rack (423).

29. The tissue section stainer of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, A plurality of slide drying bins (270) are arranged in the dyeing area (103), the slide drying bins (270) are used for accommodating slides and performing drying, and the slide drying bins (270) are connected with slide drying bin covers.

30. The tissue section stainer of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The outer wall of the dyeing bin (210) is provided with a heating film to adjust the temperature of the dyeing reagent in the dyeing bin (210).

31. The tissue section stainer of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The dyeing bin (210) is connected with a mixing assembly (500), and the mixing assembly (500) is used for driving the dyeing reagent in the dyeing bin (210) to flow.

32. The tissue section stainer of claim 31, wherein, The mixing assembly (500) comprises a mixing motor (510), a rotating seat (520) and a magnetic sub, the mixing motor (510) is fixed to the rack (100), the rotating seat (520) is connected to the rotating shaft of the mixing motor (510), the upper end surface of the rotating seat (520) is provided with a plurality of magnets, the magnets are located directly below the dyeing bin (210), the magnetic sub is located in the dyeing bin (210), and the magnets rotate to drive the magnetic sub to rotate in the dyeing bin (210).

33. The tissue section stainer of claim 32, wherein, A plurality of dyeing bins (210) in the dyeing area (103) are arranged as at least one row, one rotating seat (520) is arranged below each dyeing bin (210), the lower end of the rotating seat (520) is provided with a belt pulley (521), a plurality of belt pulleys (521) are connected through a belt (522), and one of the belt pulleys (521) is fixed to the rotating shaft of the mixing motor (510).

34. The tissue section stainer of claim 33, wherein, The mixing assembly (500) comprises a mounting plate (540), the mounting plate (540) is fixed to the mixing motor (510), the rotating seat (520) is rotatably connected to the mounting plate (540), the belt pulley (521) is located below the mounting plate (540), and the bottom surface of the mounting plate (540) is provided with a plurality of tension pulleys (541), the tension pulleys (541) abut against the belt (522) to keep the belt (522) abutting against the belt pulley (521).

35. The tissue section stainer of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The slide rack input area (101) and the slide rack output area (102) are provided with sensors to detect slide racks.

36. The tissue section stainer of claim 35, wherein, The slide rack input area (101) is provided with a first base (110) for loading slide racks, the rack (100) is provided with a first sliding rail (120), the first base (110) is slidably connected to the first sliding rail (120), and the first base (110) is connected with a first driving member (130) to drive the first base (110) to move along the first sliding rail (120).

37. The tissue section stainer of claim 35, wherein, The slide rack output area (102) is provided with a second base (140), the second base (140) is provided with a plurality of containing grooves (141) for loading slide racks, the rack (100) is provided with a second sliding rail (150), the second base (140) is slidably connected to the second sliding rail (150), and the second base (140) is connected with a second driving member (160) to drive the second base (140) to move along the second sliding rail (150).

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