Cover glass feeding device

Abstract

The utility model discloses a cover glass feeding device. The cover glass feeding device comprises a base, a glass slide seat and a pushing mechanism, the base is provided with a fixing groove and a cover glass carrying table, the glass slide seat is installed in the fixing groove, a cover glass containing groove is formed in the glass slide seat, a cover glass pushing-out gap with the height between the thickness of a single piece of cover glass and the thickness of two pieces of cover glass is formed in the lower portion of the containing groove, and the material pushing mechanism comprises a glass slide pushing plate and a driving assembly. The height of the upper end face of the slide push plate is between the upper end and the lower end of the cover glass push-out gap, and the driving assembly drives the cover glass push plate to horizontally push the single cover glass at the bottom of the slide seat to the cover glass carrying table. By limiting the height of the cover glass push-out gap and the position of the cover glass push plate, single-layer discharging is ensured, the problem of adhesion of multiple pieces is effectively solved, and material blocking is avoided. The automatic feeding device is simple in structure, a complex adsorption mechanism is not needed, the failure rate and the maintenance cost are reduced, and rapid and stable automatic feeding is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of automated equipment for pathological testing, specifically to a coverslip feeding device. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of automated pathology testing equipment, coverslips are a key consumable for carrying biological samples, and their feeding stability directly affects the reliability of staining, mounting, and other processes. Due to the extremely thin thickness of coverslips (typically 0.15-0.25 mm), the adsorption force between multiple coverslips is significant when stacked, making it difficult to achieve stable and accurate single-layer separation. Traditional feeding devices are prone to problems such as multiple coverslips sticking together during the separation process, leading to equipment jamming or abnormal sample coverage.

[0003] Furthermore, traditional feeding devices typically employ a rigid pusher design, where the pusher stroke is directly related to the thickness of the stacked slides, making it unable to adapt to the thickness tolerances of different batches of coverslips. This design is prone to missed or overlapping pushes when gap dimensions deviate, further impacting feeding accuracy and efficiency. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a feeding device capable of dynamically adjusting the slide spacing based on the coverslip thickness and achieving stable single-layer slide separation to meet the high-efficiency and precise feeding requirements of pathological testing equipment. Utility Model Content

[0004] Based on the above description, this utility model provides a cover glass slide feeding device that solves the technical problems of traditional cover glass slide feeding devices in terms of multiple slide adhesion, gap adaptability, structural complexity, and feeding efficiency.

[0005] The technical solution of this utility model to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows:

[0006] A coverslip feeding device includes: a base, a slide holder, and a feeding mechanism;

[0007] The base is provided with a fixing groove, and a cover glass slide stage is provided on the same side of each fixing groove;

[0008] The slide holder is installed in the fixing groove. The slide holder has a cover glass receiving groove that runs vertically through the top and bottom. The lower part of the receiving groove has a cover glass push-out gap corresponding to the cover glass stage. The height of the cover glass push-out gap is greater than the thickness of a single cover glass and less than the stacking thickness of two cover glass sheets.

[0009] The pushing mechanism is provided corresponding to the fixed groove. The pushing mechanism includes a slide pusher plate and a driving assembly. The slide pusher plate is movably disposed in the fixed groove. The height of the upper end surface of the slide pusher plate is located between the upper and lower ends of the cover glass slide ejection gap. The driving assembly drives the slide pusher plate to move, which is used to eject a single cover glass slide from the bottom of the slide holder to the cover glass slide stage.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of this application has the following beneficial technical effects:

[0011] This application effectively solves the problem of multiple coverslips sticking together during feeding by setting the height range of the coverslip ejection gap and limiting the position of the upper surface of the slide pusher plate, ensuring that only the bottommost coverslip can be ejected. It also avoids the problems of jamming due to excessively small gaps or slipping due to excessively large gaps, significantly improving feeding accuracy. Furthermore, the horizontal movement design of the pusher mechanism, combined with the cooperation between the slide pusher plate and the gap, eliminates the need for complex adsorption or friction mechanisms, simplifying the device structure, reducing failure rate and maintenance costs, while achieving fast and stable single-layer sheet feeding, meeting the needs of automated equipment for efficient and continuous feeding.

[0012] Based on the above technical solution, the present invention can be further improved as follows.

[0013] Furthermore, the slide holder has symmetrically distributed limiting edges on both sides, and the gap for pushing out the cover glass is defined by the limiting edges.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes a slide clamp, which is movably disposed in the receiving groove and is used to press the cover glass slides stacked in the receiving groove.

[0015] Furthermore, a stop bar is provided on the side of the slide pressing block, and a first photoelectric switch that cooperates with the stop bar is provided on the base. When the remaining amount of cover glass in the receiving groove is lower than a set threshold, the stop bar triggers the first photoelectric switch.

[0016] Furthermore, the height of the cover glass ejection gap is 1.2-1.8 times the thickness of a single cover glass layer.

[0017] Furthermore, an anti-return gap is formed on the side of the fixing groove opposite to the cover glass push-out gap. The width of the anti-return gap is greater than the width of the glass slide push plate and less than the width of the cover glass.

[0018] Furthermore, the driving assembly includes a push plate driving plate, a lead screw stepper motor mounted on the lower end of the push plate driving plate, and a lead screw fixing block disposed below the base. One end of the lead screw of the lead screw stepper motor is fixed to the lead screw fixing block. The push plate driving plate and the base are slidably connected by the cooperation of a slider and a slide rail. A guide hole is formed at the bottom of the fixing groove away from the cover glass stage. The lower end of the slide push plate is connected to the push plate driving plate.

[0019] Furthermore, an outer cover bracket is installed below the base, the lead screw stepper motor is disposed inside the outer cover bracket, and a cover plate is provided at the upper end of the fixing groove corresponding to the guide hole.

[0020] Furthermore, a second photoelectric switch is provided at the lower end of the base, and a switch baffle is connected to the push plate drive plate. When the glass slide push plate moves to the end of the pushing stroke, the switch baffle triggers the second photoelectric switch.

[0021] Furthermore, the base has multiple fixing grooves, the number of slide holders and the pusher mechanism corresponds to the number of fixing grooves, and the preset size of the cover glass slides loaded inside different slide holders is different. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a cover glass slide feeding device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the positions of the second photoelectric switch and the switch baffle in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the positions of the first photoelectric switch and the stop bar in the embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the position of the cover glass slide extension gap in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the location of the anti-return belt gap in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] 1-Base, 11-Fixing groove, 12-Cover glass slide stage, 13-First photoelectric switch, 14-Anti-return gap, 15-Guide hole, 16-Cover plate, 17-Second photoelectric switch, 2-Slide holder, 21-Accommodation groove, 23-Cover glass slide ejection gap, 24-Limiting edge, 25-Slide pressing block, 26-Stop bar, 3-Pushing mechanism, 31-Slide push plate, 32-Drive assembly, 321-Push plate drive plate, 322-Screw stepper motor, 323-Screw fixing block, 324-Screw, 325-Slider, 326-Slide rail, 327-Outer cover bracket, 328-Switch baffle. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of this application will be thorough and complete.

[0030] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application.

[0031] It is understood that spatial relation terms such as "below," "under," "below," "below," "above," "over," etc., can be used here to describe the relationship between one element or feature shown in the figure and other elements or features. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figure, spatial relation terms also include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped, the element or feature described as "below" or "under" or "below" of other elements or features will be oriented "over" of other elements or features. Therefore, the exemplary terms "below" and "under" can include both upper and lower orientations. Furthermore, the device may also include other orientations (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatial descriptive terms used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0032] It should be noted that when one element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or connected to the other element through an intermediary element. In the following embodiments, "connection" should be understood as "electrical connection," "communication connection," etc., if the connected circuits, modules, units, etc., have the transmission of electrical signals or data between them.

[0033] When used herein, the singular forms of “a,” “an,” and “the” may also include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms “comprising,” “including,” or “having,” etc., specify the presence of the stated feature, whole, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof, but do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0034] The cover glass feeding device of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art can understand the technical solution of the present invention based on this embodiment, but it should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection.

[0035] like Figures 1-6As shown, this application embodiment provides a coverslip feeding device, including a base 1, a slide holder 2, and a pushing mechanism 3. The base 1 has a fixing groove 11, and a coverslip stage 12 is provided on the same side of each fixing groove 11. The slide holder 2 is installed within the fixing groove 11, and its interior forms a through-hole coverslip receiving groove 21. The lower part of the receiving groove 21 corresponds to the coverslip stage 12 to form a coverslip pushing gap 23. The height H of the gap is greater than the thickness of a single coverslip and less than the stacked thickness of two coverslips.

[0036] By setting the appropriate height range of the cover glass ejection gap, the bottom cover glass can be ejected smoothly while avoiding multiple cover glass sheets from passing through at the same time, thereby improving the feeding accuracy.

[0037] The feeding mechanism 3 is set in the fixed groove 11 and includes a slide pusher plate 31 and a drive assembly 32. The slide pusher plate 31 is movably installed in the fixed groove 11, and its upper end face is located between the upper and lower ends of the cover glass slide ejection gap 23. The drive assembly 32 drives the slide pusher plate 31 to move, pushing the single cover glass slide at the bottom of the slide holder 2 to the cover glass slide stage 12. Through the cooperation between the slide pusher plate and the cover glass slide ejection gap and the function of the drive assembly, a single cover glass slide can be accurately ejected, avoiding multiple slides from sticking together. At the same time, it simplifies the device structure, reduces the failure rate and maintenance costs, and achieves fast and stable single-layer slide feeding, meeting the needs of automated equipment for efficient and continuous feeding.

[0038] The slide holder 2 has symmetrically distributed limiting edges 24 on both sides, and the cover glass slide ejection gap 23 is defined by the limiting edges 24. The limiting edges can precisely control the gap size, ensuring the accuracy and stability of the cover glass slide ejection, and further avoiding the problems of multiple slides sticking together and slipping.

[0039] In addition, the device includes a slide clamping block 25, which is movably disposed within the receiving groove 21 to press the stacked cover glass slides firmly. The slide clamping block prevents the cover glass slides from shaking or shifting during the feeding process, ensuring that the cover glass slides are neatly arranged, thereby improving the accuracy and stability of the feeding process.

[0040] A stop bar 26 is provided on the side of the slide pressing block 25, and a first photoelectric switch 13 cooperating with the stop bar 26 is provided on the base 1. When the remaining amount of coverslip in the receiving groove 21 is lower than a set threshold, the stop bar 26 triggers the first photoelectric switch 13, sending a signal to remind the operator to replenish the coverslip, ensuring the continuity of material supply and avoiding equipment shutdown due to material shortage. The height H of the coverslip ejection gap 23 is 1.2 to 1.8 times the thickness T1 of a single layer of coverslip. This range ensures that the bottom layer of coverslip passes smoothly and effectively prevents multiple coverslips from passing through at the same time, further improving the accuracy and reliability of material supply.

[0041] A backflow prevention gap 14 is provided on the side of the fixing groove 11 away from the cover glass pusher gap 23. The width of the backflow prevention gap 14 is greater than the width of the slide pusher plate 31 and less than the width of the cover glass. The backflow prevention gap can prevent the cover glass from being pulled back when the slide pusher plate retracts, ensuring that the cover glass can only move in one direction, thereby improving the stability and accuracy of the feeding. The drive assembly 32 includes a pusher plate drive plate 321, a lead screw stepper motor 322 installed at the lower end of the pusher plate drive plate 321, and a lead screw fixing block 323 set below the base 1. One end of the lead screw 324 of the lead screw stepper motor 322 is fixed on the lead screw fixing block 323. The pusher plate drive plate 321 is slidably connected to the base 1 through a slider 325 and a slide rail 326. A guide hole 15 is provided at the bottom of the fixing groove 11 away from the cover glass stage 12, and the lower end of the slide pusher plate 31 is connected to the pusher plate drive plate 321. By coordinating a lead screw stepper motor, a pusher drive plate, a slider, and a slide rail, the glass slide pusher can move precisely, thereby accurately ejecting a single cover glass slide and improving the accuracy and stability of the feeding process.

[0042] An outer cover bracket 327 is installed below the base 1. The lead screw stepper motor 322 is located inside the outer cover bracket 327. A cover plate 16 is provided at the upper end of the fixing groove 11 corresponding to the guide hole 15. The outer cover bracket can protect the lead screw stepper motor and prevent dust and debris from entering the motor and affecting its normal operation; the cover plate can prevent foreign objects from entering the guide hole and ensure the smooth movement of the slide pusher. A second photoelectric switch 17 is provided at the lower end of the base 1, and a switch baffle 328 is connected to the pusher drive plate 321. When the slide pusher 31 moves to the end of the pushing stroke, the switch baffle 328 triggers the second photoelectric switch 17, controlling the lead screw stepper motor to stop, avoiding damage caused by excessive movement of the slide pusher, and ensuring the accuracy of feeding.

[0043] The base 1 is provided with multiple fixing slots 11. The number of slide holders 2 and pusher mechanisms 3 corresponds to the number of fixing slots 11. Different slide holders 2 are loaded with cover glass slides of different preset sizes. Multiple fixing slots and corresponding slide holders and pusher mechanisms can simultaneously meet the feeding needs of cover glass slides of different sizes, improve the versatility and flexibility of the device, and are suitable for feeding scenarios of cover glass slides of various specifications.

[0044] The following is the work process:

[0045] Initial positioning: After the device is powered on, the lead screw stepper motor 322 drives the push plate drive plate 321 to move until the switch baffle 328 triggers the second photoelectric switch 17. At this time, the glass slide push plate 31 is at the origin position, completing the initial positioning.

[0046] Loading and pressing: Place the multi-layer cover glass vertically into the receiving groove 21 of the slide holder 2, and place the slide pressing block 25 to press the cover glass stack, ensuring that the bottom cover glass is in close contact with the right-angle edge of the slide pusher plate 31, in preparation for subsequent material supply.

[0047] Pre-push positioning: The lead screw stepper motor 322 rotates in the forward direction, driving the glass slide pusher plate 31 to move a set distance away from the lead screw fixing block 323, so that the glass slide pusher plate 31 is disengaged from the bottom cover glass and enters the pre-push preparation position, creating conditions for precise material push.

[0048] Single-layer segmentation: The lead screw stepper motor 322 rotates in the reverse direction, and the slide pusher 31 moves towards the slide holder 2. Its right-angled edge precisely pushes the bottom cover glass. Since the height of the cover glass ejection gap 23 is 1.2 to 1.8 times the thickness of the single-layer cover glass, the adjacent upper cover glass cannot slide out due to the gap restriction. Only the bottom cover glass is pushed out to the cover glass carrier 12, realizing single-layer segmentation feeding.

[0049] Anti-reverse strip control: When the slide pusher plate 31 retracts, the anti-reverse strip gap 14 (wider than the width of the slide pusher plate 31 but smaller than the width of the cover glass) on the side of the fixing groove 11 away from the cover glass stage 12 prevents the cover glass from moving in the opposite direction, ensuring that only one cover glass is pushed out at a time, and avoiding the cover glass retraction affecting the stability of the material supply.

[0050] Balance monitoring: As the coverslips are pushed out one by one, the slide pressing block 25 gradually moves downward. When the remaining amount of coverslips in the receiving groove 21 is lower than the set threshold, the stop bar 26 of the slide pressing block 25 triggers the photoelectric switch 13, and the system issues a replenishment prompt to ensure the continuity and stability of the supply.

[0051] This invention solves the problems of adhesion, backflow, and efficiency bottlenecks in the feeding of ultra-thin coverslips through gap control, modular structure, and precise drive design, making it suitable for high-precision automated feeding scenarios in pathological testing equipment. The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model and is not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A coverslip feeder, characterized by, The utility model relates to a cover glass pushing device for microscope, including: Base, slide seat and pushing mechanism; The same side of each fixed groove is provided with a cover glass carrier; The slide seat is installed in the fixed groove, the slide seat is formed with a cover glass containing groove which penetrates up and down, the lower part of the containing groove is formed with a cover glass pushing gap corresponding to the cover glass carrier, the height of the cover glass pushing gap is greater than the thickness of a single cover glass and less than the thickness of two cover glasses stacked together; The pushing mechanism is arranged corresponding to the fixed groove, the pushing mechanism includes a slide pushing plate and a driving assembly, the slide pushing plate is movably arranged in the fixed groove, the upper end surface of the slide pushing plate is located between the upper and lower ends of the cover glass pushing gap, and the driving assembly drives the slide pushing plate to move, so as to push a single cover glass at the bottom of the slide seat to the cover glass carrier.

2. The coverslip feeder of claim 1, wherein, The two sides of the slide seat are provided with limit stop edges which are symmetrically distributed, and the cover glass pushing gap is defined by the limit stop edges.

3. The coverslip feeder of claim 1, wherein, It also includes a slide pressing block which is movably arranged in the containing groove and used for pressing the cover glasses stacked in the containing groove.

4. The coverslip feeder of claim 3, wherein, The side surface of the slide pressing block is provided with a stop rod, and the base is provided with a first photoelectric switch matched with the stop rod, when the remaining amount of the cover glasses in the containing groove is lower than a set threshold, the stop rod triggers the first photoelectric switch.

5. The coverslip feeder of claim 1, wherein, The height of the cover glass pushing gap is 1.2-1.8 times of the thickness of a single cover glass.

6. The coverslip feeder of claim 1, wherein, The side of the fixed groove away from the cover glass pushing gap is formed with an anti-back belt gap, the width of the anti-back belt gap is greater than the width of the slide pushing plate and less than the width of the cover glass.

7. The coverslip feeder of claim 1, wherein, The driving assembly includes a pushing plate driving plate, a lead screw stepping motor installed at the lower end of the pushing plate driving plate, a lead screw fixing block arranged below the base, one end of the lead screw of the lead screw stepping motor is fixed to the lead screw fixing block, the pushing plate driving plate and the base are slidably connected through the cooperation of a sliding block and a sliding rail, the bottom of the end of the fixed groove away from the cover glass carrier is formed with a guide hole, and the lower end of the slide pushing plate is connected with the pushing plate driving plate.

8. The coverslip feeder of claim 7, wherein, The lower end of the base is provided with a second photoelectric switch, and the pushing plate driving plate is connected with a switch stop piece, when the slide pushing plate moves to the end of the pushing stroke, the switch stop piece triggers the second photoelectric switch.

9. The coverslip feeder of claim 7, wherein, The base is formed with a plurality of fixed grooves, the number of the slide seats and the pushing mechanism corresponds to the fixed grooves, and the preset sizes of the cover glasses loaded in different slide seats are different.

10. The coverslip feeder of claim 1, wherein, ​

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