AUTOMATIC BLOOD FILM PREPARATION DEVICE

摘要

An automatic device prepares blood films or smears on microscope slides (1). The device has essentially one moving part, namely a carriage (6) which holds the slide, and which is movable back and forth along a frame (20). The slide (1) is dispensed from a magazine (2), onto the carriage (6), and the carriage (6) moves to a position where a drop of blood is conveniently placed onto the slide (1). The carriage (6) then moves to a position permitting contact between the blood and a spreading blade mounted on a flexible member (5). The carriage (6) is moved in a forward direction, causing the blade to move relative to the slide (1), creating the blood smear. The device includes a bar code reader (4) and printer (3), making it possible to read a bar code located on a specimen container, and to print indicia onto the slide (1), which may correspond to the coded information.