Flexible Membrane Slide Cover for Low-Volume Hermetic Staining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slide covers require large amounts of reagents for uniform spreading, leading to inefficiency and increased costs, and current solutions do not ensure hermetic sealing during staining processes.
Innovation Solution
A slide cover with a flexible membrane stretched over a rigid frame, allowing self-adjustment and hermetic sealing, combined with an incubation chamber that enables precise control of reagent distribution and sealing, using minimal amounts of reagents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rigid frame slide covers are used to ensure structural stability, then the volume of the space defined by the slide and slide cover becomes fixed and large, but this requires large amounts of reagent (100-150 μl) to achieve uniform dispersion and avoid bubble formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flexible membrane that can dynamically adapt its shape and volume to the sample thickness, replacing the fixed rigid frame structure. This dynamic adaptation allows the membrane to conform to the actual sample geometry, reducing the volume of reagent required while maintaining structural integrity and uniform reagent distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the covering structure from rigid and fixed-volume to flexible and adaptive-volume. The flexible membrane can change its configuration based on sample characteristics, enabling optimization of reagent volume while maintaining effective sealing and uniform distribution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If rigid frame slide covers are used with fixed volume, then the height is chosen so the slide cover does not touch the sample even for thicker samples, but this results in a very large volume requiring 100-150 μl of reagent
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane dynamically adapts to different sample thicknesses by deforming to match the sample profile, eliminating the need for excessive clearance required by rigid structures. This allows the membrane to maintain contact with thicker samples while minimizing the overall volume and reducing reagent requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a flexible membrane instead of a rigid frame to create a thin, adaptive covering that conforms to the sample shape. This flexible film approach eliminates the volume waste inherent in rigid structures designed to accommodate maximum sample thickness, thereby reducing reagent volume requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If liquid dispersion by capillary action is used for reagent spreading, then the process is slow and requires larger amounts of reagent to achieve uniform dispersion and avoid bubble formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the slow capillary action mechanism with a pressure-based liquid delivery system. By applying controlled pressure to the liquid reservoir, the reagent is actively pushed through the membrane and distributed uniformly across the sample, achieving precise dispersion with minimal reagent volume and without relying on slow capillary processes.
4Extent of automation
If rigid frame slide covers are used, then hermetic sealing is difficult to ensure during staining processes, but automated staining requires hermetic sealing to maintain parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane creates a conformal seal that adapts to the sample and chamber geometry, ensuring hermetic sealing throughout the automated staining process. The flexibility allows the membrane to maintain contact and sealing integrity under various conditions, enabling reliable automation while preventing reagent leakage and maintaining controlled parameters.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Achieves uniform reagent distribution and hermetic sealing, reducing reagent usage by 30-50% while maintaining staining quality and enabling automated, cost-effective staining processes.
Implementation Method 1
the slide cover mentioned in US Patent No. US 4,985,206 and the slide cover device mentioned in US Patent No. US 2006/0051253 A1 and International Publication No. WO 2004/001389 A1 help to evenly distribute reagents over the sample and prevent evaporation by exploiting the capillary effect
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to slide cover (10), comprising - a rigid frame (14), - a flexible membrane (12) stretched by and fixed to the rigid frame (14), - a lid (18) for pressing the membrane (12) against a slide (30), and - a flexible element (16) arranged between the lid (18) and the rigid frame (14), which rigid frame (14) is attached to the lid (18) by means of the flexible element (16) in a such a way that allows displacement relative to the cover (18). The invention also relates to an incubation chamber comprising a block (110) for supporting a slide (30) and the slide cover (10) according to the invention.