Slide stainer with controlled fluid flow

Claim 1

A slide stainer with fluid flow control, said slide stainer for rinsing at least one slide using fluid from a fluid supply line, said slide stainer comprising: a plurality of cavities, a first one of said cavities for applying a first fluid to the at least one slide and a second one of said cavities for rinsing the at least one slide with a second fluid received from the fluid supply line; a transport for transporting the at least one slide between said first and second cavities; and a flow control system having an input for receiving said second fluid from the fluid supply line and an output coupled to said second cavity, said flow control system sensing the flow rate of said second fluid and adjusting the flow rate to maintain the flow rate of said second fluid to said second cavity at a set rate, said flow control system comprising; a controlled flow device having an input port for receiving said second fluid from the fluid supply line, an output port for passing said second fluid, and a control terminal for receiving a flow control signal, said controlled flow device controlling the flow rate of said second fluid based on the flow control signal received at the control terminal, wherein said controlled flow device is a proportional solenoid valve; a sensor coupled to said controlled flow device for sensing the flow rate through said controlled flow device, said sensor having a flow rate terminal producing a flow rate signal indicative of the sensed flow rate; and a controller having a sensor terminal coupled to the flow rate terminal of said sensor and a control terminal coupled to the control terminal of said controlled flow device, said controller producing the flow control signal for controlling said controlled flow device based on the flow rate signal to regulate the flow rate of said second fluid.