US 12,189,111 B2
Method of preparing a stage for use in a slide imaging apparatus
Martin Philip Gouch, Hertfordshire (GB); and Jagdish Pankhania, Harrow (GB)
Assigned to VENTANA MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC., Tucson, AZ (US)
Filed by VENTANA MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC., Tucson, AZ (US)
Filed on Nov. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/523,453.
Application 17/523,453 is a continuation of application No. 16/477,837, granted, now 11,187,882, previously published as PCT/EP2018/050568, filed on Jan. 10, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 17151356 (EP), filed on Jan. 13, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0066191 A1, Mar. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 21/26 (2006.01); G02B 21/34 (2006.01); G02B 21/36 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 21/34 (2013.01) [G02B 21/26 (2013.01); G02B 21/36 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A slide-imaging apparatus comprising:
an imaging system comprising:
a camera for capturing an image of a slide comprising a biological sample; and
an imaging lens for focusing light reflected from at least part of the biological sample onto the camera; and
a copy-holder moving system comprising:
a copy holder comprising:
one or more apertures for holding a set of slides; and
one or more indexing holes; and
a movable stage comprising:
one or more indexing pins, wherein the copy holder is configured to be mounted on the movable stage by aligning each of the one or more indexing holes to a corresponding indexing pin of the one or more indexing pins;
a plurality of slide support pins formed on a surface of the movable stage, wherein each slide support pin of the plurality of slide support pins includes a respective tip formed with a solid pin surfacing material, and wherein the plurality of slide support pins is configured to contact and secure the set of slides held by the one or more apertures as the copy holder is mounted on the movable stage; and
an imaging area at which the camera is configured to capture an image of a slide of the set of slides that is positioned over the imaging area after the copy holder is mounted on the movable stage.