US3764215A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for processing flexible medical slides
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-04-08
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Granted: 1973-10-09
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Expires: 1991-04-08
Abstract
Abstract A medical specimen, such as a Pap smear, blood or bacteria sample, is placed on a thin transparent flexible slide which is transmitted to a processing laboratory. At the laboratory, the slides, in accordance with illustrative embodiments of my invention, are affixed to one another or to an elongated flexible carrier means and then wound on a reel. A plurality of such reels are typically loaded on top of one another into a vertical processing tank which is filled sequentially with chemicals and stains as required. Subsequently, the reel is removed from the tank and the slides are microscopically screened to detect diseases such as cancer and the like.
Inventors
- 👤 J Wallach
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 11:09
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/11; Y10T436/112499
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for processing medical specimens placed on transparent flexible slides comprising the steps of: arranging said slides in side-by-side fashion in the form of at least one elongated continuous strip, winding each of said strips onto an individual reel, placing each said reel into a processing container, exposing each of said slides to a plurality of processing solutions sequentially placed in said container, removing a preceding one of said processing solutions from said container before a subsequent one of said solutions is placed therein, and screening said slides to detect predetermined characteristics of the specimens.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for processing medical specimens placed on transparent flexible slides comprising the steps of: arranging said slides in side-by-side fashion in the form of at least one elongated continuous strip, winding each of said strips onto an individual reel, placing each said reel into a processing container, exposing each of said slides to a plurality of processing solutions sequentially placed in said container, removing a preceding one of said processing solutions from said container before a subsequent one of said solutions is placed therein, and screening said slides to detect predetermined characteristics of the specimens.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
108 words
The method of claim 1 wherein each of said slides has a translucent border adapted to receive dentifying indicia and a transparent interior adapted to receive at least one specimen, said transparent interior of each of said slides is permanently subdivided into a plurality of regions each adapted to receive a separate specimen, said specimens being Pap smears which have been previously fixed in an appropriate chemical solution, after said exposing step, the steps of removing each said reel from said container, removing said strips from each said removed reel, applying a protective coating of a clear plastic hardening resin to each slide and microscopically screening each slide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein each of said reels comprises a pair of spaced spiral members each defining a spiral slot into which said strip is inserted.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said slots are of a width effective to expose each of said slides substantially uniformly to said processing solutions and effective to prevent one slide from contacting another and from contacting radially adjacent portions of said strip.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein at least one edge of each of said slides is adhesively coated and adjacent edges of adjacent slides are made to overlap one another to form said strip.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 including separate elongated carrier means, and wherein said arranging step comprises affixing said slides to said carrieR means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 6 wherein at least one surface of said carrier means has an adhesive coating thereon, said slides being affixed to said coating in a side-by-side arrangement.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said carrier means comprises an elongated strip member and a border surface of each of said slides opposite the side on which said specimen is located has an adhesive coating, the border surface being placed in contact with said strip member so that said slides are arranged in a side-by-side fashion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said carrier means comprises an elongated strip member having a plurality of groups of four slits therein, each group being adapted to receive the corners of a single slide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said carrier means comprises a pair of substantially parallel adhesive tapes, said slides being affixed in side-by-side fashion across said tapes.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
179 words
A method for processing chemically fixed Pap smears placed on transparent flexible plastic slides comprising the steps of affixing each of said slides in side-by-side fashion to at least one elongated carrier tape, winding each of said carrier tapes onto a reel comprising a pair of spaced wire members each wound in the shape of a spiral and each defining a slot into which the elongated edges of said carrier tape are inserted, said slots being of a width effective to prevent one slide from contacting another and from contacting radially adjacent portions of said carrier tape, placing said reels on top of one another into a vertical processing container, sequentially placing a plurality of processing solutions into said container, a preceding solution being removed before a subsequent solution is inserted, thereby to simultaneously expose each of said slides to each of said solutions, removing said reels from said container, removing said carrier tapes from said reels, applying a protective coating to each slide, and microscopically screening each of said slides to detect predetermined characteristics of said Pap smear.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
179 words
A method for processing chemically fixed Pap smears placed on transparent flexible plastic slides comprising the steps of affixing each of said slides in side-by-side fashion to at least one elongated carrier tape, winding each of said carrier tapes onto a reel comprising a pair of spaced wire members each wound in the shape of a spiral and each defining a slot into which the elongated edges of said carrier tape are inserted, said slots being of a width effective to prevent one slide from contacting another and from contacting radially adjacent portions of said carrier tape, placing said reels on top of one another into a vertical processing container, sequentially placing a plurality of processing solutions into said container, a preceding solution being removed before a subsequent solution is inserted, thereby to simultaneously expose each of said slides to each of said solutions, removing said reels from said container, removing said carrier tapes from said reels, applying a protective coating to each slide, and microscopically screening each of said slides to detect predetermined characteristics of said Pap smear.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus for processing medical specimens comprising, in combination, a processing container adapted to receive processing solutions, at least one reel removably inserted into said container, at least one flexible elongated carrier means wound upon said reel, and a plurality of flexible transparent slides removably affixed to said carrier means, said specimens having been chemically fixed on said slides.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus for processing medical specimens comprising, in combination, a processing container adapted to receive processing solutions, at least one reel removably inserted into said container, at least one flexible elongated carrier means wound upon said reel, and a plurality of flexible transparent slides removably affixed to said carrier means, said specimens having been chemically fixed on said slides.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said carrier means comprises an elongated strip member and each of said slides is adhesively affixed to said strip member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said carrier means comprises a pair of substantially parallel adhesive tapes, said slides being affixed in side-by-side fashion across said tapes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
151 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein each said reel comprises a pair of spaced parallel spiral members defining a pair of spiral slots into which said carrier means is inserted, a plurality of U-shaped anchor members each having a vertical member and a pair of horizontal members, one of said horizontal members being rigidly connected to one of said spiral members and the other of said horizontal members being connected to the other of said spiral members, the width of said slots effective to prevent any slide from contacting an adjacent slide and from contacting a radially adjacent portion of said carrier means, and said container comprises an elongated vertical tank having a central rod adapted to guide each said reel in said tank and said rod having a foot member at the bottom end thereof adapted to carry each said reel when said rod is lifted from said container tank.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus for processing medical specimens comprising, in combination, a processing container adapted to receive processing solutions, at least one reel removably inserted into said container, and a plurality Of flexible transparent slides upon which said specimens are chemically fixed, said slides being affixed to one another in side-by-side fashion to form at least one elongated continuous strip wound upon at least one of said reels.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus for processing medical specimens comprising, in combination, a processing container adapted to receive processing solutions, at least one reel removably inserted into said container, and a plurality Of flexible transparent slides upon which said specimens are chemically fixed, said slides being affixed to one another in side-by-side fashion to form at least one elongated continuous strip wound upon at least one of said reels.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-08 | 1977-04-09 | 1977-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-08 | 1981-04-09 | 1981-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-08 | 1985-04-09 | 1985-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |