US 12,332,154 B2
Automated specimen processing systems and methods
Timothy James Durrant, Camberwell (AU); Matthew Ketterer, Oro Valley, AZ (US); Michael Schurig, Tucson, AZ (US); Jorge Nicholas Quijada, Oro Valley, AZ (US); and John Douglas Willems, Jr., Tucson, AZ (US)
Assigned to Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., Tucson, AZ (US)
Filed by Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., Tucson, AZ (US)
Filed on May 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/331,231.
Application 17/331,231 is a continuation of application No. 15/385,863, filed on Dec. 21, 2016, granted, now 11,047,774.
Application 15/385,863 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2015/064518, filed on Jun. 26, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/018,827, filed on Jun. 30, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2021/0293672 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01N 1/31 (2006.01); G01N 35/00 (2006.01); B01L 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 1/312 (2013.01) [G01N 35/00029 (2013.01); G01N 35/0092 (2013.01); B01L 9/52 (2013.01); G01N 2001/315 (2013.01); G01N 2035/00059 (2013.01); G01N 2035/00138 (2013.01); G01N 35/0099 (2013.01); Y10T 436/112499 (2015.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for processing a specimen, the method comprising:
cracking an adhesive bond between a slide and a slide carrier with a cracking element by contacting the cracking element with at least one wall of the slide carrier with a force sufficient to crack the adhesive bond, wherein the cracking element has a cracking surface and is coupled to an actuator, and wherein the cracking element is movable by the actuator between a first position located adjacent to but not in contact with the at least one wall of the slide carrier and a second position in contact with the at least one wall of the slide carrier but not in contact with the slide;
ejecting the slide from the slide carrier using a slide ejector, wherein the slide carrier comprises a plurality of evenly spaced flat shelves coupled to the at least one wall, wherein each evenly spaced flat shelf of the plurality of evenly spaced flat shelves is configured to support a slide in a substantially horizontal position relative to the ground, and wherein the slide is ejected with the slide ejector while in the substantially horizontal position;
reading a label of the slide using a label reader; and
utilizing a processor for determining one or more processes to be performed on the slide based on the label read by the label reader.