Slide holder for an automated slide loader

摘要

A slide holder ( 6 ) for use with a microscope to accurately locate a slide ( 19 ) in position under the microscope has a pivotal lever ( 13 ) having a clamping and locating portion ( 14 ) with abutments ( 15 ) and ( 16 ) which bear on respective edges of the slide when it is in the clamped position. Further abutments ( 10 ) on a fixed angular plate ( 9 ) locate the other edges of the slide. The slide holder is adapted for mounting on a slide translation stage of a slide loader ( 1 ) which includes a stationary sensor block ( 20 ) positioned to engage the lever ( 13 ) when the slide holder moves from its inspection or scanning position under the microscope to a loading/unloading position. The slide translation stage includes a robotic head for lifting and depositing slides and the translation stage includes a bar code reader to read a bar code on the slide.