Automated thinprep cytospin
By using elastic elements to firmly press the slides in a liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine, the problems of slide slippage and vibration were solved, improving slide quality and reducing noise, and achieving higher positioning accuracy and slide preparation efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SUREXAM BIO TECH
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-24
AI Technical Summary
In existing liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machines, the slides are prone to relative sliding or vibration during movement, resulting in poor uniformity and positional accuracy of the cell thin layers, as well as noise issues.
The first driving device drives the second placement frame to move closer to or away from the first placement frame, and the second driving device drives the glass slide carrier body to move closer to or away from the second placement frame. By setting an elastic element in the insertion groove, the elasticity of the elastic element is used to firmly press the glass slide into the insertion groove, avoiding slippage and vibration.
It effectively avoids slide slippage and vibration during movement, improves the uniformity and positional accuracy of the cell layer, reduces noise, improves the damping feel when inserting and pressing the slide, and reduces hard impacts and stress concentration.
Smart Images

Figure CN224552846U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of cell slide preparation equipment, specifically relating to an automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell slide preparation machine. Background Technology
[0002] The Liquid-Based Thin-Layer Automated Cell Preparation System is a highly automated pathology device primarily used to prepare high-quality, standardized cytology slides (especially exfoliated cell samples). Utilizing liquid-based thin-layer cytology (LBC) technology, it replaces traditional manual smears, significantly improving the accuracy and efficiency of cytological testing (such as cervical cancer screening, urine, and serous cavity effusion).
[0003] The existing liquid-based thin-layer automated cell slide preparation machine works by connecting the upper mold cup and the lower membrane cup, applying negative pressure at the lower membrane cup position, causing the cells in the upper mold cup to be transferred to the filter membrane of the lower membrane cup after being filtered through a filter screen. Then, the filter membrane of the lower membrane cup is brought into contact with the glass slide, thereby transferring the cells on the filter membrane of the lower membrane cup to the glass slide. A previously published patent (application number 201520833703.2) discloses a membrane-based liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine. This machine includes a frame, with a support platform on the upper part of the frame. The support platform has multiple mold cup placement slots for the lower mold cups of the filter mold cups to pass through and for preventing the upper mold cups of the filter mold cups from descending. Below the support platform is a lifting platform that can move up and down relative to it. The lifting platform has suction nozzles that can adsorb and fix the lower mold cups carrying cells onto the lifting platform, thus separating the lower mold cups from the upper mold cups. Each suction nozzle is connected to a negative pressure device. Between the support platform and the lifting platform is a slide stage that can move horizontally, is used to mount glass slides, and cooperates with the lifting platform to transfer cells from the lower mold cups to the glass slides. The frame also has a lifting drive device and a slide stage drive device that respectively drive the movement of the lifting platform and the slide stage. While this type of membrane-based liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine is simple in structure, easy to operate, and highly efficient, it suffers from several drawbacks. During preparation, the slides are not fixed in position; they are mounted on a slide stage and driven by a stage drive. To ensure smooth loading and unloading, a certain clearance exists between the slide and the stage slot. Therefore, when the stage starts, stops, or moves under the stage drive, the slide experiences slight, unintended relative sliding or vibration (displacement) relative to the stage. This minute positional shift, especially in cell deposition where extremely high positioning precision is required, can easily lead to deviations in the intended deposition area, affecting the uniformity, positional accuracy, and overall quality of the final cell thin layer. Furthermore, the gaps in the slides also cause vibration and noise during operation. Utility Model Content
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine that can stably fix the glass slide in the insertion slot, effectively preventing relative sliding or vibration of the glass slide during movement.
[0005] The following technical solutions are used to achieve the above objectives.
[0006] This utility model provides an automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine, which includes a first placement rack, a second placement rack, a glass slide support device, a first driving device, and a second driving device.
[0007] The first placement rack has a first placement position, the second placement rack has a second placement position, and the first driving device is connected to the second placement rack and drives the second placement rack to move closer to or away from the first placement rack;
[0008] The slide support device includes a support body and an elastic element; the second driving device is connected to the support body and drives the support body to move closer to or away from the second placement frame; the support body has an insertion groove, the elastic element is connected to the support body and disposed in the insertion groove, and the elastic element has elastic space in the depth direction of the insertion groove.
[0009] In some embodiments, the elastic element is an elastic sheet, and the elastic sheet has an arc-shaped structure.
[0010] In some embodiments, the elastic sheet has a concave surface and a convex surface; one end of the elastic sheet is bent toward the concave surface to form a bent portion, the bent portion having a first connecting hole, and one side of the bearing body having a second connecting hole, the elastic sheet being connected to the bearing body by fasteners passing through the first connecting hole and the second connecting hole in sequence.
[0011] In some embodiments, the bent portion is inclined relative to the surface of the elastic sheet to form a hook shape, and the side of the bearing body connected to the bent portion is an inclined surface structure.
[0012] In some embodiments, a buffer pad is provided between the elastic element and the groove wall of the insertion slot.
[0013] In some embodiments, the support body includes a bracket and at least two trays; each tray is spaced apart and arranged parallel to the support body, a stepped structure is formed on the opposite side of two adjacent trays, and the insertion groove is formed between two adjacent trays.
[0014] In some embodiments, the first placement position is a vertical through-hole formed on the first placement frame, and the top and bottom ends of the through-hole are each formed with a first flange extending inward in its own radial direction.
[0015] In some embodiments, the first placement frame has a limiting hole in the radial direction of the receiving hole, and the limiting hole communicates with the receiving hole; the automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine further includes an elastic limiting member, which passes through the limiting hole and into the receiving hole.
[0016] In some embodiments, the second placement position is a receiving groove formed on the second placement rack, and the top of the receiving groove has an opening; and the top of the receiving groove has a second flange extending inward in its own radial direction, and the bottom of the receiving groove has a connecting hole; and the bottom end of the receiving groove has an elastic washer.
[0017] In some embodiments, the first driving device includes a first lead screw and nut driving mechanism and a first guide assembly; the first guide assembly includes a first guide member and a first sliding member, the first sliding member is slidably disposed on the first guide member, the second placement frame is disposed on the first sliding member, and the first lead screw and nut driving mechanism is connected to the second placement frame and drives the second placement frame to reciprocate along the first guide member;
[0018] And / or, the second driving device includes a second lead screw and nut driving mechanism and a second guide assembly; the second guide assembly includes a second guide member and a second sliding member, the second sliding member is slidably disposed on the second guide member, the bearing body is disposed on the second sliding member, and the second lead screw and nut driving mechanism is connected to the bearing body and drives the bearing body to reciprocate along the second guide member.
[0019] The technical solution provided by this utility model has the following advantages and effects:
[0020] This automated liquid-based thin-layer cell slide preparation machine uses a first driving device to move a second placement frame closer to or further away from the first placement frame, allowing the upper membrane cylinder and lower mold cylinder to dock or separate. This facilitates the smooth transfer of cells from the upper membrane cylinder to the filter membrane of the lower mold cylinder. Simultaneously, the second driving device moves the carrier body closer to or further away from the second placement frame, causing the glass slide on the carrier body to dock, press, or separate from the lower mold cylinder on the second placement frame. This allows the cells on the filter membrane of the lower mold cylinder to be transferred onto the glass slide, completing the slide preparation. Thus, this automated liquid-based thin-layer cell slide preparation machine enables automated cell slide preparation. The machine incorporates a connector slot... An elastic element is provided, which has elastic space in the depth direction of the insertion groove. This allows the slide to be firmly pressed into the insertion groove by the elastic action of the elastic element after it is inserted into the groove. This effectively prevents the slide from sliding or vibrating relative to the insertion groove during the movement of the slide with the carrier body, which would affect the uniformity, positional accuracy and overall slide quality of the final cell thin layer. At the same time, it can also effectively improve the vibration noise caused by the gap of the slide, improve the damping feeling when the slide is inserted, and play a certain buffering role when the slide is inserted and finally pressed, reducing the hard impact or stress concentration that may be caused to the edge of the slide. Attached Figure Description
[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A side view of the automated liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine;
[0023] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of an automated liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine;
[0024] Figure 4 This is an exploded structural diagram of the glass slide support device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second placement rack according to an embodiment of the present utility model;
[0026] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A front view schematic diagram of an automated liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine.
[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0028] 100. Automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine;
[0029] 1. First placement frame; 11. First placement position; 111. First flange; 12. Limiting hole; 2. Second placement frame; 21. Second placement position; 22. Second flange; 23. Communicating hole; 24. Elastic washer; 3. Glass slide support device; 31. Support body; 311. Insertion groove; 312. Second connecting hole; 313. Bracket; 314. Support plate; 3141. Step structure; 315. Baffle; 32. Elastic element; 321. Bending part; 322. First connecting hole; 33. Buffer pad; 4. First driving device; 41. First screw and nut driving mechanism; 42. First guide assembly; 421. First guide element; 422. First sliding element; 5. Second driving device; 51. Second screw and nut driving mechanism; 52. Second guide assembly; 521. Second guide element; 522. Second guide element; 6. Mounting base; 7. First photoelectric switch; 8. Second photoelectric switch. Detailed Implementation
[0030] To facilitate understanding of this utility model, the specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0031] Unless otherwise specified or defined, the terms "first," "second," etc., used in this document are for distinguishing names only and do not represent a specific number or order.
[0032] Unless otherwise stated or defined, the term “and / or” as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0033] It should be noted that in this article, "fixed to" or "connected to" can mean directly fixed to or connected to a component, or indirectly fixed to or connected to a component.
[0034] This utility model embodiment provides an automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine 100, such as... Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine 100 includes a first placement rack 1, a second placement rack 2, a slide support device 3, a first driving device 4, and a second driving device 5.
[0035] The first placement rack 1 has a first placement position 11, and the second placement rack 2 has a second placement position 21. The first driving device 4 is connected to the second placement rack 2 and drives the second placement rack 2 to move closer to or away from the first placement rack 1. It should be noted that the filter membrane cartridge adapted to the automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine 100 includes an upper membrane cartridge and a lower mold cartridge. The upper and lower membrane cartridges can be assembled together to form a filter membrane cartridge capable of filtration, or they can be detached. A filter membrane is provided at the end of the lower mold cartridge near the upper membrane cartridge. When the upper membrane cartridge and the lower mold cartridge are in the assembled state, negative pressure is applied to the lower mold cartridge to extract the sample solution from the filter membrane cartridge and adsorb the cells in the sample solution onto the filter membrane of the lower mold cartridge. Then, the lower mold cartridge is aligned with the glass slide, transferring the cells on the filter membrane of the lower mold cartridge onto the glass slide. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first placement position 11 of the first placement rack 1 is used to place the upper membrane cylinder, and the second placement position 21 of the second placement rack 2 is used to place the lower mold cylinder. The first driving device 4 drives the second placement rack 2 to move closer to or away from the first placement rack 1, so that the lower mold cylinder on the second placement rack 2 can move to be in contact with or separate from the upper membrane cylinder on the first placement rack 1. When the lower mold cylinder on the second placement rack 2 moves to be in a docking state with the upper membrane cylinder on the first placement rack 1, a negative pressure can be drawn on the lower mold cylinder to make the cells in the filter membrane cylinder adsorb onto the filter membrane of the lower mold cylinder. Then, the first driving device 4 drives the second placement rack 2 away from the first placement rack 1 to separate the lower mold cylinder from the upper membrane cylinder, and then the next cell transfer operation is performed.
[0036] The slide support device 3 includes a support body 31 and an elastic element 32; the second driving device 5 is connected to the support body 31 and drives the support body 31 to move closer to or away from the second placement rack 2; the support body 31 has an insertion groove 311, the elastic element 32 is connected to the support body 31 and disposed in the insertion groove 311, and the elastic element 32 has elastic space in the depth direction of the insertion groove 311. It should be noted that there is a certain space in the depth direction of the insertion groove 311, and the elastic space of the elastic element 32 refers to the physical space reserved in the insertion groove 311 that allows the elastic element 32 to deform. The insertion slot 311 of the carrier body 31 is used for inserting and fixing the glass slide. When the glass slide is inserted into the insertion slot 311, during the cell transfer step, the first driving device 4 drives the second placement frame 2 away from the first placement frame 1, causing the lower mold cylinder to separate from the upper membrane cylinder. Then, the second driving device 5 drives the carrier body 31 closer to the second placement frame 2, so that the glass slide on the carrier body 31 moves to correspond to the filter membrane position of the lower mold cylinder on the second placement frame 2. Then, the first driving device 4 drives the second placement frame 2 to move towards the glass slide to contact and squeeze each other, thereby transferring the cells on the filter membrane to the glass slide to complete the slide preparation. The invention incorporates an elastic element 32 within the insertion groove 311. This elastic element 32 provides elastic space in the depth direction of the insertion groove 311, corresponding to the thickness direction after the slide is inserted into the groove 311. This allows the slide to be firmly pressed into the groove 311 by the elastic action of the elastic element 32 after insertion, effectively preventing relative sliding or vibration of the slide during movement, which could affect the uniformity, positional accuracy, and overall slide quality of the final cell thin layer. It also effectively reduces vibration noise caused by gaps in the slide, improves the damping sensation during slide insertion, and provides a buffering effect during insertion and final pressing, reducing potential hard impacts or stress concentrations on the slide edges.
[0037] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the elastic element 32 is an elastic sheet, and the elastic sheet has an arc-shaped structure. Understandably, the design of the arc-shaped elastic sheet, through its unique geometry and elastic properties, can provide good elastic deformation space and a specific elastic force direction. It should be noted that the arc-shaped elastic sheet has a concave surface and a convex surface. The concave surface of the elastic sheet faces away from the inserted glass slide, while the convex surface contacts the inserted glass slide. The convex surface provides progressive resistance; the force on the glass slide is small initially, and the resistance increases more uniformly with each insertion. Furthermore, the convex surface forms a line contact with the glass slide surface rather than a point contact, avoiding stress concentration that could lead to glass slide breakage. Upon rebound, the convex structure is more conducive to restoring the original shape, ensuring consistent clamping force each time. When the glass slide is inserted into the insertion slot 311, one side of the glass slide contacts and compresses the arc-shaped elastic sheet. The radial restoring force generated by the deformation of the elastic sheet continuously and evenly presses the glass slide against the groove wall of the insertion slot 311, effectively filling the original fitting gap between the glass slide and the insertion slot 311. This ensures the glass slide is firmly pressed into the insertion slot 311 throughout the entire dynamic process of equipment operation (slide stage movement, acceleration, and deceleration). Furthermore, in other embodiments, the elastic element 32 can also be an elastic sheet of other shapes, such as a wave shape, without particular limitation. Moreover, the effect of the elastic element 32 in pressing the glass slide can be controlled by changing the angle, size, and shape of the elastic element 32.
[0038] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, one end of the elastic sheet is bent to one side to form a bent portion 321. A first connecting hole 322 is provided on the bent portion 321, and a second connecting hole 312 is provided on one side of the supporting body 31. The elastic sheet is connected to the supporting body 31 by fasteners sequentially passing through the first connecting hole 322 and the second connecting hole 312. It can be understood that the bent portion 321, formed by bending one end of the elastic sheet to one side, serves as the connection end between the elastic sheet and the supporting body 31. The connection is achieved through the first connecting hole 322 (e.g., a threaded hole) and the corresponding second connecting hole 312 (e.g., a threaded bottom hole) on the side of the supporting body 31. Specifically, screws, bolts, or rivets are sequentially passed through the first connecting hole 322 and the second connecting hole 312 to achieve a fixed connection between the elastic sheet and the supporting body 31, facilitating disassembly and replacement. Furthermore, the connection point is far from the elastic deformation zone of the elastic sheet, effectively preventing the fasteners from restricting the elasticity of the elastic sheet.
[0039] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the bent portion 321 is inclined relative to the surface of the elastic sheet to form a hook shape, and the side of the support body 31 connected to the bent portion 321 is adapted to be an inclined surface structure. Specifically, in this embodiment, the bent portion 321 is disposed at the end of the elastic sheet near the insertion port of the insertion slot 311. It can be understood that the bent portion 321 is inclined relative to the surface of the elastic sheet, rather than being designed to be bent perpendicularly, so that after the bent portion 321 and the support body 31 are connected, the bent portion 321 can hold the support body 31 like a hook after installation. When the glass slide is inserted and presses the elastic sheet, the bent portion 321 can firmly press against the support body 31, forming a physical barrier, effectively preventing the elastic sheet from being squeezed or slipping, and ensuring that it can firmly press the glass slide. Of course, in other embodiments, the bent portion 321 can also be bent perpendicularly relative to the surface of the elastic sheet, and there is no particular limitation here.
[0040] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, a buffer pad 33 is provided between the elastic element 32 and the groove wall of the insertion slot 311. Specifically, the buffer pad 33 can be a sponge pad or other materials that can provide cushioning performance, without particular limitation. The buffer pad 33 can further provide cushioning. Specifically, the elastic element 32 is fixedly mounted on the support body 31 and covers the surface of the buffer pad 33. When the slide is inserted into the insertion slot 311, the elastic element 32 can provide pressure to the slide to keep it fixed, while also preventing the slide from contacting and contaminating the sponge pad.
[0041] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the support body 31 is provided with a baffle 315 corresponding to the inner end of the insertion slot 311. Specifically, the side of the support body 31 facing the user is recessed inward to form the insertion slot 311, that is, the insertion interface of the insertion slot 311 faces the user, and the inner end of the insertion slot 311 is arranged opposite to the insertion interface. By providing the baffle 315 at the inner end of the insertion slot 311, when the slide is inserted into the insertion slot 311, the baffle 315 will limit and position the insertion depth of the slide, preventing the slide from being over-inserted or under-inserted, which would affect the slide preparation effect.
[0042] In some embodiments, the tray 314 is a polyoxymethylene board, which gives the tray 314 self-lubricating properties, further improving the damping and feel when inserting the slide. Of course, in other embodiments, the tray 314 can also be a plate made of other materials, and no particular limitation is made here.
[0043] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the carrier body 31 includes a bracket 313 and at least two trays 314; each tray 314 is spaced apart and arranged parallel to the carrier body 31. Specifically, the carrier body 31 has a plate-like structure, and the trays 314 are disposed on the bottom surface of the carrier body 31, which can be fastened together by screws. The first placement frame 1 is located above the bracket 313, and the second placement frame 2 is located below the bracket 313, so that the filter membrane of the lower mold cylinder placed on the second placement frame 2 can smoothly align with the glass slide on the carrier body 31 to complete the transfer. A stepped structure 3141 is formed on the opposite side of two adjacent trays 314 to support the edge of the glass slide, and the insertion groove 311 is formed between two adjacent trays 314. It can be understood that by having two adjacent trays 314 jointly support the opposite sides of a glass slide, the glass slide can be securely inserted into the insertion groove 311 between the two trays 314. The number of trays 314 can be set as needed, so that multiple slides can be carried on one tray 313 at the same time. The number of first placement positions 11 and second placement positions 21 is adapted to the number of insertion slots 311, so that cell preparation of multiple slides can be performed simultaneously in an automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine 100, effectively improving the preparation efficiency.
[0044] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first placement position 11 is a vertically penetrating receiving hole opened on the first placement frame 1, and the top and bottom ends of the receiving hole are both formed with a first flange 111 extending inward in its own radial direction. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first placement frame 1 includes a first top plate and a second top plate disposed on the first top plate, wherein the first top plate and the second top plate are both provided with a circular hole and communicate with each other to form the aforementioned receiving hole, and the first top plate forms the first flange 111 extending inward in the radial direction of the circular hole at the bottom end of the circular hole through a flanging process, and the second top plate forms another first flange 111 extending inward in the radial direction of the circular hole at the top end of the circular hole through a flanging process, thereby forming a first flange 111 extending inward in its own radial direction at both the top and bottom ends of the receiving hole. After the upper membrane cylinder is inserted into the receiving hole and then rotated clockwise, the two first flanges 111 together restrict the two protruding rings on the outer peripheral wall of the upper membrane cylinder, so that the upper membrane cylinder cannot move up and down.
[0045] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1As shown, the first placement frame 1 has a limiting hole 12 along the radial direction of the receiving hole, and the limiting hole 12 communicates with the receiving hole; the automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine 100 also includes an elastic limiting member, which passes through the limiting hole 12 and into the receiving hole. The elastic limiting member includes a threaded connecting post and an elastic positioning bead connected to the threaded connecting post. The limiting hole 12 is a threaded hole, and the threaded connecting post is threaded into the limiting hole 12, allowing the elastic positioning bead to extend into the receiving hole, thereby providing a radial pressure to the upper membrane cylinder, improving the stability of the upper membrane cylinder, and effectively preventing the upper membrane cylinder from shaking during equipment operation.
[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the second placement position 21 is a receiving groove formed on the second placement frame 2, and the top of the receiving groove has an opening; the top of the receiving groove has a second flange 22 extending inward in its radial direction, and the bottom of the receiving groove has a connecting hole 23; the side wall of the receiving groove is provided with an elastic washer 24. Specifically, the second placement frame 2 forms the second flange 22 extending inward in the radial direction of the receiving groove at the bottom end of the receiving groove through a flanging process, and the elastic washer 24 can be a silicone washer that can fit tightly with the peripheral wall of the lower mold cylinder. The lower mold cylinder is inserted into the receiving groove through the top opening of the receiving groove, and by rotating clockwise, the second flange 22 and the elastic washer 24 together restrict the upper convex ring and the peripheral wall of the lower mold cylinder, preventing the lower mold cylinder from moving up and down. Furthermore, the connecting hole 23 at the bottom of the receiving tank is used to connect to the infusion pump. When the upper membrane cylinder and the lower mold cylinder are connected to form a filter membrane cylinder, the air inside the filter membrane cylinder can be extracted, and a negative pressure can be formed to extract the sample solution, so that the cells in the sample solution are adsorbed onto the filter membrane of the lower mold cylinder.
[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine 100 also includes a mounting base 6. The first placement frame 1, the second placement frame 2, the slide carrier 3, the first driving device 4, and the second driving device 5 are adapted to be disposed on the mounting base 6. The first placement frame 1 is located at the top of the mounting base 6, and the second placement frame 2 is located below the first placement frame 1. The second placement frame 2 can reciprocate along the vertical direction of the mounting base 6 to move closer to or away from the first placement frame 1. The slide carrier 3 is disposed below the first placement frame 1, and the carrier body 31 of the slide carrier 3 can reciprocate along the horizontal direction of the mounting base 6. This can avoid the movement path of the second placement frame 2 to prevent obstructing the movement of the second placement frame 2 relative to the first placement frame 1. It can also move the carrier body 31 to a position opposite to the second placement frame 2 so that the slide and the lower mold cylinder on the second placement frame 2 can be docked.
[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1and Figure 6 As shown, the first driving device 4 includes a first screw and nut driving mechanism 41 and a first guide assembly 42. The first guide assembly 42 includes a first guide member 421 and a first sliding member 422. The first sliding member 422 is slidably mounted on the first guide member 421. The second placement frame 2 is disposed on the first sliding member 422. The first screw and nut driving mechanism 41 is connected to the second placement frame 2 and drives the second placement frame 2 to reciprocate along the first guide member 421. Specifically, the first guide member 421 includes two guide posts, which are disposed on the mounting base 6 along the vertical direction of the mounting base 6. The first sliding member 422 is provided in two, such as linear bearings. The linear bearings and guide posts are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The sliding members are slidably mounted on the guide posts through the linear bearings, so that the second placement frame 2 can move up and down along the guide posts according to the linear bearings under the drive of the first screw and nut driving mechanism 41. Specifically, the first lead screw and nut drive mechanism 41 includes a closed-loop stepper motor, a vertical lead screw, a vertical lead nut, and a motor base sheet metal. The closed-loop stepper motor has four mounting holes through which it is fixed to the motor base sheet metal, and then fixed to the base plate of the mounting seat 6 through the motor base sheet metal. Further, the closed-loop stepper motor receives a pulse signal from the control board and rotates the vertical lead screw, driving the vertical lead nut to produce linear motion, thereby driving the second placement frame 2 to move up and down. Furthermore, a first photoelectric switch 7 is provided on the vertical plate of the mounting seat 6. When the second placement frame 2 moves to the first photoelectric switch 7, the first photoelectric switch 7 sends a signal to the control board and controls the closed-loop stepper motor to stop operating, achieving a safety limit and zero-point function.
[0049] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 6As shown, the second driving device 5 includes a second lead screw and nut driving mechanism 51 and a second guide assembly 52. The second guide assembly 52 includes a second guide member 521 and a second sliding member 522. The second sliding member 522 is slidably disposed on the second guide member 521. The bearing body 31 is disposed on the second sliding member 522. The second lead screw and nut driving mechanism 51 is connected to the bearing body 31 and drives the bearing body 31 to reciprocate along the second guide member 521. Specifically, the second guide member 521 includes two linear guide rails, which are horizontally disposed at the bottom of the first placement frame 1. The second sliding member 522 is provided in two ways, such as a slider. The linear guide rails and sliders are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The sliders are slidably mounted on the linear guide rails, so that the bearing body 31 can move back and forth along the linear guide rails according to the sliders under the drive of the second lead screw and nut driving mechanism 51. Specifically, the second lead screw and nut driving mechanism 51 includes a closed-loop stepper motor, a horizontal lead screw, and a horizontal lead nut. The closed-loop stepper motor has four mounting holes, through which it is fixed to the vertical plate of the mounting base 6. Furthermore, the closed-loop stepper motor receives a pulse signal from the control board and rotates the horizontal lead screw, driving the horizontal lead screw nut to produce linear motion, thereby driving the carrier body 31 to move back and forth; further still, a second photoelectric switch 8 is provided on the mounting base 6. When the carrier body 31 moves to the second photoelectric switch 8, the second photoelectric switch 8 sends a signal to the control board and controls the closed-loop stepper motor to stop running, so as to achieve the function of safety limit and zero point.
[0050] The following provides a specific embodiment of the workflow of an automated liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine 100:
[0051] The upper membrane tube is fixed to the first placement position 11 of the first placement frame 1, and the lower mold tube is fixed to the second placement position 21 of the second placement frame 2. The position of the second placement frame 2 is adjusted by the first driving device 4 so that the upper membrane tube and the lower mold tube are in a docking state to form a filter membrane tube structure. Then, the glass slide is inserted into the insertion slot 311 of the carrier body 31. The carrier body 31 is adjusted to move inward relative to the mounting base 6 to avoid the movement path of the second placement frame 2. Then, the machine is operated and controlled on the screen to start slide preparation: the infusion pump starts and generates negative pressure, extracting the sample solution from the filter membrane tube and adsorbing the cell sample in the sample solution onto the filter membrane of the lower mold tube. After 30 seconds, the negative pressure extraction process ends. Then, the first driving device 4 starts, driving the second placement frame 2 to move downward, separating the lower membrane tube from the upper membrane tube, and stopping after moving downward to a certain position. Then, the second driving device 5 starts, driving the carrier body 31 to move outward until it reaches the position and stops. Then, the first driving device 4 starts, driving the second placement frame 2 to move the lower membrane tube upward and squeeze the glass slide, imprinting the cells on the filter membrane onto the glass slide. Subsequently, the first drive device 4 drives the second placement frame 2 to move the lower membrane cylinder downwards a certain distance and then stop. The second drive device 5 is activated, driving the carrier body 31 to move outwards to deliver the slide. After removing the slide, it moves inwards to avoid the movement path of the second placement frame 2 and then stops. Finally, the first drive device 4 is activated, driving the second placement frame 2 to move the lower membrane cylinder upwards and reconnect with the upper membrane cylinder, completing the slide preparation.
[0052] In summary, the automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell slide preparation machine 100 uses the first driving device 4 to move the second placement frame 2 closer to or further away from the first placement frame 1, so that the upper membrane cylinder and the lower mold cylinder can be docked or separated, thereby facilitating the smooth transfer of cells in the upper membrane cylinder to the filter membrane of the lower mold cylinder. Combined with the second driving device 5 to move the carrier body 31 closer to or further away from the second placement frame 2, so that the glass slide on the carrier body 31 can be docked and squeezed or separated from the lower mold cylinder on the second placement frame 2, so that the cells on the filter membrane of the lower mold cylinder can be transferred onto the glass slide to complete the slide preparation. Thus, the automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell slide preparation machine 100 can realize automatic cell slide preparation operation. The slide is provided with an elastic element 32 in the insertion groove 311. The elastic element 32 has elastic space in the depth direction of the insertion groove 311. After the slide is inserted into the insertion groove 311, the elastic element 32 can firmly press the slide into the insertion groove 311 through elastic action. This effectively avoids relative sliding or vibration of the slide during movement, which would affect the uniformity, positional accuracy and overall slide quality of the final cell thin layer. At the same time, it can also effectively improve the vibration noise caused by the gap of the slide, improve the damping feeling when the slide is inserted, and play a certain buffering role when the slide is inserted and finally pressed, reducing the hard impact or stress concentration that may be caused to the edge of the slide.
[0053] The above embodiments are not an exhaustive list based on the present invention, and there may be other embodiments not listed. Any substitutions and improvements made without departing from the concept of the present invention are within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. An automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine, characterized in that, The automated liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine includes a first placement rack, a second placement rack, a slide support device, a first driving device, and a second driving device. The first placement rack has a first placement position, the second placement rack has a second placement position, and the first driving device is connected to the second placement rack and drives the second placement rack to move closer to or away from the first placement rack; The slide support device includes a support body and an elastic element; the second driving device is connected to the support body and drives the support body to move closer to or away from the second placement frame; the support body has an insertion groove, the elastic element is connected to the support body and disposed in the insertion groove, and the elastic element has elastic space in the depth direction of the insertion groove.
2. The automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic element is an elastic sheet, and the elastic sheet has an arc-shaped structure.
3. The automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic sheet has a concave surface and a convex surface; one end of the elastic sheet is bent toward the concave surface to form a bent portion, and a first connecting hole is provided on the bent portion. A second connecting hole is provided on one side of the bearing body. The elastic sheet is connected to the bearing body by fasteners passing through the first connecting hole and the second connecting hole in sequence.
4. The automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The bent portion is inclined relative to the surface of the elastic sheet to form a hook shape, and the side of the bearing body connected to the bent portion is an inclined surface structure.
5. The automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine as described in claim 2, characterized in that, A buffer pad is provided between the elastic element and the wall of the insertion groove.
6. The automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The supporting body includes a bracket and at least two trays; each tray is spaced apart and arranged parallel to the supporting body, and a stepped structure is formed on the opposite side of two adjacent trays, and the insertion groove is formed between two adjacent trays.
7. The automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first placement position is a vertical through-hole formed on the first placement frame, and the top and bottom ends of the through-hole are each formed with a first flange extending inward in its own radial direction.
8. The automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The first placement frame has a limiting hole in the radial direction of the receiving hole, and the limiting hole is connected to the receiving hole; the automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine also includes an elastic limiting member, which passes through the limiting hole and into the receiving hole.
9. The automatic liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second placement position is a receiving groove opened on the second placement rack, and the top of the receiving groove has an opening; and the top of the receiving groove has a second flange extending inward in its own radial direction, and the bottom of the receiving groove has a connecting hole; and the bottom end of the receiving groove has an elastic washer.
10. The automated liquid-based thin-layer cell preparation machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first driving device includes a first lead screw and nut driving mechanism and a first guide assembly; the first guide assembly includes a first guide member and a first sliding member, the first sliding member is slidably disposed on the first guide member, the second placement frame is disposed on the first sliding member, and the first lead screw and nut driving mechanism is connected to the second placement frame and drives the second placement frame to reciprocate along the first guide member; And / or, the second driving device includes a second lead screw and nut driving mechanism and a second guide assembly; the second guide assembly includes a second guide member and a second sliding member, the second sliding member is slidably disposed on the second guide member, the bearing body is disposed on the second sliding member, and the second lead screw and nut driving mechanism is connected to the bearing body and drives the bearing body to reciprocate along the second guide member.