WO2011161353A1

WO2011161353A1 - Fluid-dispensing equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2011161353A1
Application number: PCT/FR2011/051305
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alain Truchaud; Valentin Delalande
Original assignee: Alain Truchaud; Valentin Delalande
Priority date: 2010-06-22
Filing date: 2011-06-09
Publication date: 2011-12-29
Also published as: EP2601506A1; CN102918378B; FR2961595A1; CN102918378A

Abstract

The invention relates to fluid-dispensing equipment. Said equipment includes at least one rotary tool holder (2) fitted with an injection device (4) provided with a plurality of fluid-injection members (40), a space for receiving a rotary collector (8), wherein said tool holder (2) is rotatably mounted so as to enable each injection member (4) to be brought into an injection preparation position, and an actuator (3) capable of actuating at least one injection member (40) when said injection member (40) is in the injection preparation position thereof, wherein said actuator (3) is also capable of moving upwards and downwards, thereby enabling an injection member (40) to be actuated when said injection member is in the injection preparation position thereof. The rotational axes of the collector (8) and tool holder (2) and the upward and downward movement axis of the actuator (3) are mutually parallel. The tool holder is also provided with a gripping member (50).

Description

FLUID DISTRIBUTION FACILITY

The present invention generally relates to the fluid distribution and in particular the staining of slides.

The invention more particularly relates to a fluid dispensing installation, preferably a dye for staining slides for microscopic examination. Said installation comprises at least one receiving space of a rotary collector and said collector comprises a plurality of object receiving locations, such as a blade, and at least one fluid collection zone. Said installation also comprises a driving motor in rotation of the collector. Said installation also comprises a rotary tool holder equipped with an injection device provided with several fluid injection members. Said tool holder is rotatably mounted so as to allow each injection member to be brought into an injection preparation position in which said injection member is situated above the manifold receiving space. Said installation further comprises an actuator comprising a displacement mobility up and down allowing, in the injection preparation position of an injection member, to actuate said injection member. The axes of rotation of the collector and the tool holder and the axis of movement up and down the actuator are parallel to each other.

Known staining plants are known from the state of the art for which the various dyes are injected onto the blades by injection members each equipped with a specific displacement system comprising numerous mobilities to be able to position each organ d. injection at the desired injection area. Such a design of the installation generates a large number of engines and does not optimize the staining cycles of the blades.

Document WO9218254 also discloses a fluid distribution installation comprising a space for receiving a rotary collector in which are intended to be positioned blades. Said installation also comprises injection members having fluid injection orifices which open permanently into the manifold receiving space. As a result of this configuration injection members permanently connected to the manifold receiving space, a risk of contamination of the injection members by the various reagents at their injection ports. In addition, such a configuration does not allow to distribute a given volume of fluid at each blade. Also known from EP0984263 is a device for the preparation of blood spreading on slides which comprises a rotary collector for receiving the slides, and a support of a dye injection needle movable up and down between a position of introduction of the needle into the collector and an extraction position of the needle relative to the collector. However, such an installation does not allow to inject different dyes without risk of contamination of the injection needle.

Also known are documents US 2005/153453, WO 94/1 1720 and US 2004/191 128 fluid distribution facilities. However, these fluid distribution systems do not allow to automatically position objects such as blades in a rotary manifold, and then remove them from said manifold, with a reduced number of manipulations and drives. In addition, with such installations, the risk of contamination and / or manipulation error of said objects is not negligible.

The present invention aims to provide an installation for dispensing fluids, such as dyes, and manipulate objects, such as blades to be stained, with a reduced number of engines and optimizing the operating cycle of the installation, while reducing the risk of contamination of injection organs and the risk of mishandling objects such as blades. For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a fluid dispensing installation, preferably a dye for staining slides for microscopic examination, said installation comprising at least one receiving space of a rotary collector, collector comprising a plurality of object receiving locations, such as a blade, and at least one fluid collection zone, said installation also comprising a collector rotating motor,

said installation comprising:

a rotary tool holder equipped with an injection device provided with a plurality of fluid injection members, said tool holder being rotatably mounted so as to enable each injection member to be brought into a position of injection preparation in which said injection member is located above the manifold receiving space, and

an actuator comprising a mobility of movement up and down allowing, in the injection preparation position of an injection member, to actuate said injection member, the axes of rotation of the collector and the tool holder and the axis of movement up and down of the actuator being parallel to each other,

characterized in that the installation further comprises, carried by the tool holder, an object gripping member in one to one, adapted to be displaced, by rotation of the tool holder, between two positions of preparation for the taking / removal of object, one above an object storage area outside the collector receiving space, and the other above said collector receiving space.

Actuation of the injection member by the actuator corresponds to the injection into said at least one collecting zone of the collector of a given volume of fluid.

The plurality of injection members carried by the tool holder reduces the risk of contamination of the injection members since each organ injection is associated with a given fluid to be dispensed and that, thanks to the rotational mobility of the tool holder, each injection member can be, on the one hand, brought to the level of the manifold so as to inject a fluid into the the collector and, on the other hand, away from the collector.

Thanks to the rotary tool holder and to the actuator driven by a rising and falling movement, said actuator can be common to the various injection members since the rotational mobility of the tool carrier makes it possible to bring each injection member in front of said actuator. It is therefore not necessary to provide a specific actuation and displacement system for each injection member, which limits the number of motorizations of the installation. Said actuator is also common to the gripping member.

The device thus comprises a limited number of engines, which reduces the cost of installation and maintenance. In addition, the choice of a rotational mobility of the tool holder which embeds the injection device makes it possible to easily and quickly position each injection member or said gripping member in front of the actuator, in a small space, which reduces the operating cycle time of the installation.

Said gripping member which equips the tool holder makes it possible to automate the handling of objects, such as blades, in order to avoid any mishandling when positioning the blades in the collector and during their extraction from said collector, after treatment, to put them back in the display of blades.

Thanks to said gripping member embedded on the tool holder, the gripping member benefits from the rotational mobility of the tool holder and can be easily and quickly brought opposite the actuator to allow the capture or deposit of a object. Thus, each injection member and the gripping member benefit from the same rotational mobility of the tool holder, which allows to keep a reduced number of engines. In other words, thanks to such an actuator, the injection members and the gripping member can be presented successively before said actuator to be actuated or manipulated by the actuator, without the need to provide an actuator per organ.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the actuator and said injection members are configured so as to allow the movement of said injection members in front of said actuator to enable their actuation as a function of the fluid or fluids to be injected into the manifold.

Thanks to the possibility of scrolling of the injection members in front of the actuator, a simple linear mobility up and down of the actuator is sufficient to actuate each injection member.

Led it gripping member is mounted movable monte and ba isse, preferably at least in each of said positions above the storage area and above the manifold receiving space, between a low position allowing the taking / removal an object, such as a blade, and a high position allowing the transport of the seized object from a position above said storage area to a position above the receiving space of the collector, and vice versa.

In general, preferably at least in the high position of the actuator, said actuator is mounted movably between a position above the collector receiving space and another position above the object storage area. .

In particular, it has no action at least one configuration, especially when in the up position, that it is free from the tool holder. More specifically, with the exception of a coupling configuration between the actuator and the gripping member, it it actuator remains free, advantageously free to rotate relative to the rotational movement of said tool holder.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the actuator and said gripping member are arranged such that, when said gripping member and the actuator are each in position above the storage area, respectively above the the collector receiving space, the actuator is adapted by its mounting mobility and decreases to cooperate with the gripping member to lower the gripping member at an object to be gripped or a deposit location wish.

The actuator makes it possible not only to actuate each injection member which is present at its level, but also to cooperate with the gripping member when the latter is opposite said actuator to lower it at the level of an object. seize or deposit, both at the storage area and at the level of the receiving space of the collector. The same actuator comprising a mechanism formed simply of a mobility of up and down and a rotational mounting relative to the tool holder, thus allows to successively control the injection of each injection member and to control the descent of the gripping member for the purpose of seizing or depositing an object. The injection of fluid and the handling of the objects can thus be achieved with a reduced number of mobilities and motorization, which limits the costs and improves the reliability of operation of the installation. Said rotational mounting of the actuator is preferably free relative to the tool holder, excluding any possible coupling between the actuator and the gripping member as detailed below.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the actuator is couplable / disengageable from the gripping member and is, in the state coupled to the gripping member, integral in displacement of the gripping member during the passage of the gripping member. the gripping member from its position above the receiving space of the collector to its position above the zone of storage.

In other words, said gripping member is adapted to be coupled to the actuator or to each injection member so that, in the coupled position of the actuator with the gripping member, the passage, by rotation of the holder tools, from the gripping member of its position above the receiving space of the collector to its position above the object storage area, causes the passage of the actuator from its position above the manifold receiving space at its position above the object storage area.

The coupling of the actuator to the gripping member also allows the actuator to be free from rotation of the actuator and thus to retain a reduced number of actuators. Thus, the passage of the actuator from a position above the collector to a position above the storage area is effected by coupling with the gripping member and the actuator can be recalled, for example to the using a simple spring, in position above the collector.

When said injection member is located opposite said actuator, said actuator is able to be moved up and down in an intermediate position between a low position and a high position, wherein said actuator is coupled to the gripping member.

It can be provided that for the passage of the gripping member from its position above the storage area to its position above the receiving space of the collector, said gripping member is no longer integral in displacement of the grasping organ. Thus, as detailed below, the actuator may, when provided with suitable return means, return to the return position above the receiving space of the collector when it is decoupled from the gripping member . According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, as a function of the angular position of the tool holder relative to the actuator, corresponding to either the injection preparation position of an injection member or to the preparation position to grasping / removing the object of the gripping member, said actuator is, in position above the manifold receiving space, able to be moved upwards and downwards between a low position in which the gripping member or the injection member is moved in the low position and a high position in which said actuator is free with respect to the injection member or the gripping member.

Thanks to the rotational mobility of the tool holder which embeds both the injection device and the gripping member, each injection member and said gripping member can be brought selectively in front of the actuator above the collector without it is necessary to move the actuator, which simplifies the operation of the installation and reduces the operating cycle time of the installation.

The injection members, on the one hand, and the gripping member, on the other hand, are each arranged on a circle centered on the upward and downward axis of the actuator, preferably coinciding with the axis of rotation of the tool holder. The locations or object receiving compartments are arranged on a circle tangent to the center circle corresponding to the upward and downward axis of the actuator and passing through the gripping member. Similarly, the collection zones associated with said compartments are positioned on a circle tangent to the center circle corresponding to the upward axis and down and passing through the injection members. The gripping member and the injection members are angularly offset relative to the axis of rotation of the tool holder. The axis of rotation of the manifold is distinct from the axis of rotation of the tool holder.

Thus, said gripping member and each injection member can be respectively fed over a blade receiving location and a collection area by rotation of the tool holder and the collector.

In other words, said actuator and each injection member, respectively said gripping member, are arranged such that, when said injection member, respectively said gripping member, is located opposite said actuator, said actuator is adapted to be moved up and down between a low position in which the injection member is actuated, respectively in which the gripping member is moved in the low position, and a high position in which said actuator is free in relation to the injection member, respectively the gripping member.

Thus, in the uncoupled configuration of the actuator to the gripping member, said actuator is free with respect to the rotation of the tool holder.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, said actuator comprises biasing means at a predetermined position above the manifold receiving space. The use of return means, such as a spring, allows, without additional motorization, to bring the actuator over the manifold receiving space to actuate an injection member once complete the loading operation objects, for example blades, in the collector. In particular, the return of the actuator to the return position and the positioning of an injection member above the space for receiving the collector by rotation of the tool holder can be performed substantially simultaneously, which makes it possible to limit the duration of treatment of said objects.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, each injection member comprises a so-called upper needle, fixed in height, one end of which is connected to a given fluid distribution circuit, and a so-called lower needle fitted to a socket. telescopic with needle greater between a high position of maximum overlap and a low position of minimal overlap. The movement of the lower needle is controllable by the mobil ity of up and down of the actuator when the corresponding injection member is located opposite the actuator.

The mobility of the lower needle allows the upper needle to remain fixed in height during a fluid injection operation which avoids a risk of degradation of the fluid distribution conduit connected to the needle higher, compared to a solution where the injection member would be entirely moved up and down by moving also the distribution conduit. In addition, such a design of the two-part injection member makes it possible not to require extra length of cable to absorb the descent of the lower needle as is the case in the state of the art. Indeed, in the solution according to the invention, the connection zone between a distribution duct and the corresponding upper needle remains fixed.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the lower needle is equipped with a bearing piece which extends radially with respect to the axis of the lower needle so as to allow the actuator to come to bear on said support piece for moving the lower needle in the lower position so as to introduce the free end of the lower needle into the collector.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, of the type for which the objects are blades, and each fluid dispensed by the injection device is a dye, the collector intended to be housed in said receiving space comprising a plurality of dies. blade receiving locations, each of which is associated with a dye collection zone,

the installation comprises control means configured to control at least the toolholder, the actuator, the gripping member and the injection device so as to implement a staining cycle of the blades which comprises at least the following steps : a) - introduction of the blades in each receiving location of the collector,

b) - injecting a dye into at least some of the collection areas each associated with a blade receiving location,

c) - rotation of the collector for centrifugally discharging the dye into a collector peripheral recovery groove,

d) - extraction of the blades from each location.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, when the desired coloration of the blades requires covering at least some of the blades of a plurality of dyes, said control means are configured to repeat n times steps b) and c), n corresponding to the number of dyes to be dispensed, each injection member associated with one of the dyes to be injected being fed, between two series of steps b) and c), in the injection preparation position, the support piece of said injection member being located below the actuator.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the installation comprises data measuring means (s) at least representative of a strain force undergone by the collector, said measuring means being preferably formed by at least a strain gauge.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, each injection member of the injection device is connected to a dispensing pump of a given fluid, preferably a volumetric or membrane pump, self-priming.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, there is provided at least one fluid suction member for aspirating the fluid possibly remaining in the collector after a coloring cycle. According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, led it gripping member comprises a clamp provided with an electromagnet for activating and deactivating said clamp. Advantageously, the tool holder, preferably its outer periphery, has a notched portion to allow, in at least one given angular position of the tool holder, to remove or introduce the collector of / into the corresponding receiving space, by moving said collector in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the tool holder, that is to say by simply moving the collector vertically relative to the tool holder.

Thus, when the tool holder is angularly positioned such that said indented portion of the tool holder extends opposite the receiving space of the collector, the body of said tool holder no longer forms an obstacle to the extraction or at the introduction of the collector which can pass through said indented portion of the tool holder. Conversely, in the other configurations of the tool holder for which the gripping member or an injection member is facing the collector receiving space, said tool holder extends at least partially above said space of receiving the collector and thus forms an obstacle to the extraction or introduction of the collector.

Preferably, said indented shape is an arcuate shape of center substantially coincident with the axis of rotation of the collector in the positioned state of the collector in the corresponding receiving space.

The invention will be well understood on reading the following description of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the installation according to the invention, during the installation in place of u col lecteu r in the chamber of work of the facility;

- Figure 2 is a view of the installation according to the invention, in axial section taken at the tool holder, showing the gripping member in position at above the blade storage area;

- Figure 3 is a view of the installation of Figure 2 during the seizure of a blade by the gripping member;

- Figure 4 is a view of the installation of Figure 3 in the upper position of the gripper member above the collector, with a gripping blade;

- Figure 4A is a top view of the installation of Figure 3;

- Figure 5 is a view of the installation of Figure 4 during the introduction of the blade in a corresponding location of the collector;

- Figure 6 is a view of the installation of Figure 5 after recovery in position h aute the action n eu r to be déssouplou plé of the gripping member;

FIG. 7 is a view from above of the installation of FIG. 4A in the positioned state of the fluid injection device above the collector and in the position state born of a part of support a injection member facing the actuator for injecting fluid into the manifold;

- Figure 7A is an axial sectional view of the installation of Figure 7 taken along an injection member 40;

- Figure 8 is a view of the installation of Figure 7 in the inserted position of the injection member in the manifold;

- Figure 9 is a view of the installation of Figure 4A in an angular position of the tool holder for which the injection device and the gripping member are spaced from the manifold receiving space to allow the introducing or extracting said collector with respect to said receiving space.

With reference to the figures and as recalled above, the invention relates to a fluid distribution installation 1.

In the following description, each object to be introduced into the collector of the installation is a blade 9, and the fluid is a dye intended to color said blade so that, in the example illustrated in the figures, said installation is an installation dye distribution for staining slides 9 in view examination under the microscope. However, the installation according to the invention, and in particular the description below also applies to an object other than a blade and a fluid other than a dye. Said installation 1 comprises, in an enclosure 10 formed inside a frame 1 00, at least one rotary tool holder 2 equipped with an injection device 4 provided with several dye injection members 40. Said installation also comprises a reception space 18 of a rotary manifold 8. The reader has a generally cylindrical cylindrical shape of axis substantially coincident with the axis of rotation of said collector. Said collector 8 comprises a plurality of blade receiving locations 81 distributed radially around the axis of rotation of said collector. In other words, the mobile reader port 8 is an object holder, here a blade holder. At each blade receiving location 81 is associated with at least one dye collection area 82. Said installation also comprises a driving motor in rotation of the collector 8.

Said tool holder 2 is rotatably mounted so as to enable each injection member 40 to be brought into an injection preparation position in which said injection member 40 is situated above the receiving space of the collector 8 In particular, in the configuration of use of the installation, said tool holder 2 is rotatably mounted about a substantially vertical axis, orthogonal to the mean plane of said tool holder 2. The installation also comprises an actuator 3 which comprises a movement mobility up and down allowing, in the injection preparation position of an injection member 40, to actuate said injection member 40. The rotation axes of the reader u rr 8 and the door-uti ls 2 and the axis of movement up and down of the actuator 3 are parallel to each other.

In the example illustrated in the figures, each receiving slot 81 of the collector 8 blade communicates with the collection area 82 of dye corresponding. In particular, each receiving location 81 is defined between two radial walls spaced from each other by a distance allowing the introduction of the blade between said radial walls. The length of said radial walls is longer than that of a blade to leave free, after introduction of the blade in a receiving location, a space, forming a dye collection zone, wherein an injection member 40 is intended to inject dye.

Said receiving locations 81 are surrounded by a peripheral groove 83 which makes it possible to recover the overflow of dye by centrifugation during the rotation of the collector 8. Indeed, the collector is intended to be rotated to distribute the dye on the blades 9 homogeneously with a minimum amount of dye, which saves the dye and ensures a good safety manu lation for the operator and the environment. The dye recovered in the peripheral groove can then be evacuated to a suitable medium or reused for another operation since it has not been mixed with other dyes.

The closure cap 80 of the manifold 8 includes blade passage holes 810 and dye passage holes 820 distributed radially so as to be positioned opposite the blade receiving locations 81 and the dye collecting zones 82, respectively. associated with said blade receiving locations 81. The installation also comprises at least one dye suction unit for sucking the dye possibly remaining in the collector after a coloring cycle. For this purpose, the closure cover 80 also comprises passage holes 830 allowing the passage of the suction member for the aspiration of the dye recovered by centrifugation in the annular groove 83 of the collector.

Such a collector that can be used with the installation according to the invention is described in detail in the patent application FR2931084.

The installation includes a blade storage area 19 located outside the manifold 8. The tool holder 2 also carries at least one blade gripper 5 in one. Said gripping device 5 comprises a gripping member 50 detailed below. Thanks to the rotational mobility of the tool holder 2, said gripping device is adapted to be moved by rotation of the tool holder 2 between two positions of preparation for the setting / removal of blade, one above the area of storage 19, and the other above the collector 8.

In the example illustrated in the figures, said actuator 3 is formed by an arm rotatably mounted around a shaft-forming element substantially coinciding with the axis of rotation of the tool-holder 2 and mounted to move up and down along of said axis of rotation.

The rotational mobility of the tool holder 2, around an axis coinciding with the axis of upward and downward movement of the actuator 3, makes it possible to bring each injection member 40 in front of the actuator 3 to inject into the collector 8 the dye of said injection member 40.

Thus, one and the same arm 3 makes it possible to control the different injection members 40 by means of a simple linear movement of the arm and a simple rotation of the tool holder 2 perm and to provide each of the two The arm 3 extends radially to the axis of rotation of the tool holder 2 and is capable of forming a radius of a concentric circle, on the one hand, to the center circle. the axis of rotation of the tool holder and passing through the gripping member 50 and, secondly, to the center circle the axis of rotation of the tool holder and passing through the injection members. The distance between the gripping member 50 and the axis of rotation of the tool holder is less than the distance between each injection member and said axis of rotation of the tool holder so that each injection member can be brought above each zone collector dye collection system whose distance from the axis of rotation of the collector is greater than the corresponding receiving replacement direction with respect to said collector rotation axis. Said actuator 3 is mounted, preferably free, to rotate about an axis parallel to, preferably coincides with, its up and down axis, between a position above the receiving space of the collector 8, and another position above the slide storage area 19. Thus, as detailed below, the actuator can accompany the movement of the gripping member 50 between the collector and the storage area to allow the taking and the deposit of object. As detailed below, said actuator 3 is biased, for example by means of a spring, into an angular position above the manifold 8. Said return position of the actuator 3 corresponds to the angular position of the injection member for injection preparation, above the manifold 8, and also at the angular position of the gripping member 50 for the preparation to take / remove blade.

Said gripping device 5 comprises a frame provided with a gripping member 50 mounted to move up and down along guide means between a low position allowing the taking / removal of a blade, at the storage area 19 and at the collector 8, and a high position for transporting the seized blade from a position above said storage area 19 to a position above the receiving space 18 of the collector 8, and vice versa. Said gripping member 50 is biased upwards by means of a spring 51. Said gripping member 50 comprises a clip 52 associated with an activatable electromagnet for gripping a blade and deactivatable for depositing the blade.

Led it gripping member 50 and the injection members 40 are angularly spaced from each other about the axis of rotation of the tool holder 2 so that each of these members 40, 50 can be brought selectively opposite the actuator 3, that is to say facing the free end of the arm 3, in a position allowing said arm 3, positioned above the manifold 8, to actuate said member 40, 50 as detailed below either to introduce the gripping member 50 into the manifold 8 or to introduce an injection member 40 in the collector.

Depending on the stages of the operating cycle of the installation, the injection members 40 and the gripping member 50 can be moved angularly, by rotation of the tool holder, to bring a member in front of the actuator for its actuation, the other members being spaced angularly from the actuator 3.

The installation comprises means for controlling the various components of the installation and in particular the mobilities of the tool holder 2, the actuator 3, the collector 8 and a carriage for moving the blade display (see FIG. - after). The control means are formed by an electronic and computer processing system, for example a microprocessor associated with one or more memories.

When it is specified that the control means are configured to perform a given operation, it means that the electronic and computer processing system comprises logical and / or computer instructions for carrying out said operation.

The control means of the installation are configured to pivot the manifold 8 so as to selectively bring each blade receiving location 81 and the associated dye collection zone 82 into an angular position corresponding to the angular position of the feed. an injection member 40 or the gripping member 50 above the collector 8 and facing the actuator 3. Thus, when the actuator 3 is in its return position above the collector 8 and when the gripping member 50 is brought above the collector 8 and facing the actuator 3, that is to say in the position of preparation for the setting / removal of the blade above the collector 8, said gripping member 50 is situated opposite a passage opening 810 with a blade formed in the closing cap 80.

Similarly, when the actuator 3 is in its return position above the manifold 8 and when an injection member 40 is brought above the manifold 8 and facing the actuator 3, that is to say in the injection preparation position above the manifold 8, said injection member 40 is situated opposite a passage 820 of coloring orifice formed in the closure lid 80.

The actuator 3 and said injection members 40 are arranged so as to allow said injection members 40 to move past said actuator 3 to enable their actuation as a function of the dye or dyes to be injected into the manifold 8.

The actuator 3 is couplable / disengageable from the gripping member 50 and is, in the state coupled to the gripping member 50, integral in displacement of the gripping member 50 during the passage of the gripping member 50 from its position above the collector 8 to its position above the storage area 19.

In other words, the passage, by rotation of the tool holder 2, of the gripping member 50 from its position above the receiving space of the collector 8 to its position above the storage area 19, causes the passage of the actuator 3 from its position above the reception space of the collector 8 to its position above the storage area 19.

In the example illustrated in the figures, the coupling of the actuator 3 to the gripping member 50 also allows, by moving the gripping member 50 from its position above the storage area 19 to its position above of the collector 8, to drive the actuator 3 from its position above the storage zone 19 to its position above the collector 8. Indeed, the actuator 3 comprises two lateral parts 30, spaced apart from each other, intended, in a given position of the actuator 3, said intermediate position, along its axis up and down, to form stops vis-à-vis a coupling member 53 of the gripping member 50 in a direction of rotation of said gripping member 50 and in the other.

The actuator 3 comprises a so-called upper support portion intended to bear above a support piece 423 of each injection member (see below) and the coupling piece 53 of the member gripping device, for lowering said gripping member or said injection member. In the example illustrated in the figures, said upper support portion interconnects the lateral abutment portions of the actuator.

It should be noted that the coupling / uncoupling of the actuator 3 / gripping member 50 is obtained by simple movement up and down. The actuator 3 is therefore able to move from the coupled state with the gripping member 50 to the uncoupled state of the gripping member, and vice versa, by simply moving up and down. Said angular position of each injection member 40 for the dye injection preparation in the manifold 8 also corresponds to the angular position of the gripping member 50 for preparation for the blade removal in the manifold 8. Depending on the angular position of the tool holder 2 relative to the actuator 3, corresponding to the angular position of an injection member 40 for the injection preparation or to the angular position of the gripping member 50 for the preparation for taking / removing the blade in the manifold 8, led it actuator 3 is, in position above the collector 8, adapted to be moved up and down between a low position in which the gripping member 50 or the injection member 40 is moved in the lower position to be introduced into the manifold 8 and a high position in which said actuator 3 is free in relation to the injection member 40 or to the gripping member 50. In the position of the gripping member 50 for the preparation for gripping / removing the blade in the manifold 8, said actuator 3 is adapted to take an intermediate position between said low position and said high position in which said actuator is coupled to the gripping member 50.

In a variant, provision may be made for the coupling means of the actuator to comprise a single lateral abutment portion capable of coming into lateral bearing contact with the coupling part of the gripping member in order to make the actuator integral in displacement. with the gripping member during the displacement of the gripping member from its position above the collector to its position above the storage area. It can indeed be provided that the passage of the actuator from its position above the storage area to its position above the collector is made solely with the aid of the return means. Of course, said lateral abutment comprises a bearing portion making it possible to press on the coupling portion 53 or on the bearing portion 423 to lower said gripping member or the injection member. To make the actuator free with respect to the gripping member, it is then sufficient to angularly pivot the tool holder to angularly move the gripping member in a direction opposite to the lateral abutment of the actuator to allow to move aside angularly the gripping member of said actuator and to bring an injection member in front of the actuator. Indeed, the return means allow the actuator to be recalled in position above the receiving space of the reader neck, as the gripping member deviates from said actuator and an actuator member. injection approaches dud it actuator. Such a design of the actuator and the gripping member makes it possible to quickly release the actuator from said gripping member while at the same time providing during the same pivoting movement of the toolholder an injection member opposite the actuator to enable said actuator to control the corresponding fluid injection.

Each injection member 40 comprises a needle 41 said upper, fixed in height, one end of which is connected to a given fluid distribution circuit. Said distribution circuit is formed of a distribution duct 43 connected on the one hand, to the upper needle 41 and, on the other hand, to a reservoir associated with a pump, and a needle 42, called lower, mounted in telescopic interlocking with the upper needle 41 between a high maximum overlap position and a low minimum overlap position. The lower needle 42 is slidably mounted on the upper needle 41 so that the lower needle 42 surrounds the free end of the upper needle 41 opposite the end connected to the fluid delivery circuit.

The pumps are located beneath the tanks 400 corresponding dyes so that said pumps remain under pressure and allow to inject a specific volume in a given time. The lower needle 42 of each injection member 40 is equipped with a pressing piece 423 which extends radially with respect to the axis of the lower needle 42 and against which the actuator 3 is adapted to bear in order to move the lower needle 42 in a lower position so as to introduce the free end of the lower needle 42 into the collector 8, in particular into a dye collection zone 82.

Each lower needle 42 is equipped with return means 44 in the high position relative to the upper needle 41. For this purpose, a return spring 44 extends between the support piece 423 of the lower needle 42 and a portion of the upper needle 41 fixed.

Each injection member 40 is also equipped with a scraper seal disposed between the lower needle 42 and the upper needle 41 being mounted integral with the upper needle 41. With said wiper seal, the dye present on the inner wall of the lower needle 42 is scraped by said wiper seal during the ascent of the lower needle returned to the upper position. The installation is equipped with data measuring means at least representative of a strain force undergone by the collector 8. The means of measurement are formed by a strain gauge. Said strain gauge makes it possible to determine the quantity of dye present in the collector and thus to detect the complete evacuation of the dye from the collector, and also to detect the contact between an injection member in the lower position and the collector. The strain gauge can also detect the introduction or extraction of a blade relative to the collector. Each injection member 40 of the injection device is connected to a dispensing pump of a given dye, preferably a volumetric pump or self-priming membrane.

As detailed below, a series of lamellae 9 are fed from corresponding receiving locations 81 of the collector 8, said control means being configured to perform a given dye injection series with an organ. injection 40 given in the different collection zones 82 of the collector 8 brought into the position of preparation for the collection of dye by rotation of the collector 8.

The installation comprises control means configured to control at least the tool holder 2, the actuator 3, the gripping member 50 and the injection device 4 so as to implement a staining cycle of the blades 9 which includes at least the following steps:

a) - introduction of the blades 9 in each location 81 for receiving the collector 8,

b) injecting a dye into at least some of the collection zones 82 each associated with a blade receiving location 81,

c) - rotation of the collector 8 to centrifugally remove the dye in a groove 83 for collector peripheral recovery, d) - extraction of the blades from each location 81. When the desired coloration of the blades 9 requires covering at least some of the blades 9 of a plurality of dyes, said control means are configured to repeat n times steps b) and c), n corresponding to the number of dyes to be dispensed. For this purpose, each injection member 40 associated with one of the dyes to be injected is fed, one after the other, between two series of steps b) and c), in the injection preparation position. The coupling piece 423 of said injection member 40 is located below the actuator 3, between two injection cycles. The method of staining the slides is detailed below with the help of Figures 1 to 8, for staining slides to be coated with different dyes.

Said control means are configured to perform the following steps: As illustrated in FIG. 1, the enclosure 10 of the installation is open to position the collector 8 and its closure cap 80 in the receiving space 1 8 of said collector 8. The blade passage holes 810 are positioned in register with the corresponding delaminated receiving portions 81 of the manifold 8 and the dye passing holes 820 are positioned opposite the corresponding collection zone (s) 82. dye.

A display 90 of blades 9 to be stained is introduced into a storage area 19 formed inside the enclosure 10. Each dye tank 400 is also introduced into a corresponding housing of the installation.

Said actuator 3 is initially coupled to the gripping member 50, above the blade storage area 1 9 (Figure 2). The actuator 3 is moved in the low position to bring the gripping member 50 in the gripping position of a blade 9 contained in the blade display 90 (Figure 3). The gripper 52 of the gripping member 50 is activated via the electromagnet for the gripping of a blade 9. The display 90 of the blade 9 is coupled to a carriage which allows each blade 9 to be grasped opposite the clamp 52 of the gripping member.

The raising of the actuator 3 allows the gripping member to be biased upwards out of the storage area 19, with the blade 9 gripped, then the tool holder 2 is pivoted to bring the gripping member 50 and said actuator 3, coupled to said gripping member 50, above the receiving space 1 8 of the collector 8 (FIGS. 4 and 4A) in the position of preparation for the setting / removal of the blade which corresponds to a position at above and opposite a blade passage opening 810 formed in the closing cap 80 of the collector 8.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the actuator 3 is moved in the lower position to lower the gripping member 50 so as to introduce the blade 9 into a receiving location of the manifold 8, through a corresponding blade passage opening 810. of the cover 80. The clamp 52 of the gripping member 50 is open to deposit the blade 9 inside the corresponding receiving location 81 of the collector 8. The actuator 3 is reassembled, while remaining coupled to said member gripping member 50, to allow the gripping member 50 to be biased upwards by its spring 51 (Figure 6). The tool holder 2 is rotated to return the gripping member 50, to which remains remains coupled said actuator 3, above the blade storage area 19 in order to grip another blade 9.

The previous steps of gripping and deposition of the blade 9 are repeated for the introduction into each receiving location 81 of the collector 8 of another blade 9 gripped by the gripping member 50, the collector 8 being pivoted between two steps of FIG. introduction of blade into the manifold 8 to bring a receiving location 81 libre in a so-called filling angular position corresponding to the angular position of the gripping member 50 for preparing to the setting / removal of blade, above the manifold. In In particular, it is possible for the collector 8 to be pivoted to bring the receiving location 81 free into the filling position, simultaneously with the rotation of the tool holder 2 to bring the gripping member 50 over the area storage 19, which optimizes the filling cycle time of the collector 8.

After filling each of the receiving locations 81 of the collector 8, the actuator 3 is raised to the upper position to be uncoupled from the gripping member 50.

As illustrated in Figure 7, the tool holder 2 is then rotated to bring an injection member 40 above the collector 8, in the injection preparation position, that is to say in a position above a passage opening 820 of dye formed through the cover 80 and aligned with the axis of the arm 3 forming an actuator, so that the support piece 423 of said injection member 40 is located below the actuator 3 to allow the support of said actuator 3 on the injection member 40.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the actuator 3 is moved downhill to bring the free end of the lower needle 42 into the corresponding collection zone 82 of the collector 8 located opposite said lower needle 42, through the dye passage 820 of the cover 80, and initiate the injection of the dye into said collection zone 82. The control means of the installation detect the contact between the end of the lower needle 42 and the collector 8 when the descent of said lower needle 42 by means of the strain gauge positioned under the manifold 8, which makes it possible to control the downward stopping of said needle and to control the dye injection by the pump associated with said organ injection. The actuator 3 is raised to allow the lower needle 40 to be biased upwards by its spring 44, then the manifold is pivoted to bring the injection member 40 facing another collection zone 82 of dye associated with another blade receiving location 81.

The preceding steps of rotation of the collector 8, then of descent and ascent of the actuator 3 to inject the dye delivered by the injection member 40 into the collection zone 82, are repeated to inject the dye corresponding to said organ of injection 40 in each collection zone 82 associated with a blade receiving location 81.

After injection of the dye of said injection member 40 into each collection zone 82, the actuator 3 is raised upwards to be free with respect to the injection device 5.

At the end of the injection step, each slide bathes in the injected dye so that said slide is covered by the dye. Then, the collector is rotated for a given time at a given speed so as to evacuate the dye in the peripheral groove 83. Said dye recovered in the peripheral groove 83 is then sucked in with the aid of the d suction configured to pass through at least one of the passage holes 830 of the cover to plunge into the peripheral groove of the manifold.

When the process of treating the blades requires that they be stained with one or more other additional dyes, the tool holder 2 is rotated to bring the support piece 423 of another injection member 40 below the Actuator 3. The dye injection and staining steps of the slides described above are repeated so as to cover said slides with the various desired dyes. Steps of drying and / or cleaning of the collector can be interposed between the different steps of staining slides.

After the last coloring cycle and possibly a drying time, the blades are removed from the collector. For this purpose, during or after the last coloring cycle of the blades, the actuator is, as detailed above, raised in the upper position to be free relative to the injection members. The tool holder 2 is rotated to bring the gripping member 50 above the collector 8 opposite a blade to be gripped and below the actuator. The actuator is lowered bearing on the coupling piece 53 of the gripping member 50 to introduce the clamp of the gripping member at the blade to be gripped, then the clamp is activated to grip the blade and the gripping member is raised in the transport high position with the blade gripped by the clamp. The tool holder 2 is rotated to return the gripping member 50 above the storage area 19, and the actuator 3, coupled to the gripping member 50, is lowered to bring the blade into the display 90 of blades. The clamp 52 is then deactivated to unload the blade in the display. The above described steps of taking the slide in the collector and depositing in the display stand are repeated for each of the blades. The carriage associated with the blade display is moved so that the display 90 has a free receiving space below the gripper 50 to allow the reception of each blade in the display.

Preferably, the installation comprises means for checking the color of each blade. For this purpose, said verification means comprise an optical sensor, associated with a staining control, in front of which the slide is brought after staining, so that the image acquired by the optical sensor of the colored slide, preferably retro- illuminated, is compared with the staining control to check the good color of the blade.

Preferably, the installation also comprises barcode reading means for reading a barcode present on each blade and the gripping member is configured to pass each blade in front of said barcode reading means to identify said blade.

In addition, when the installation is idle, that is to say outside of the execution of an object processing method, such as the coloring of the blades, the assembly formed of the injection device and the gripping member is retracted as illustrated in FIG. 9, advantageously behind a housing of protection, which makes it possible to release and secure access to the receiving space of the collector and to the other zones of the installation, for example for maintenance operations or a change of consumable.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but the skilled person will be able to make any variant within his mind.

Claims

1. Apparatus (1) for distributing fluid, preferably dye, for staining slides (9) for microscopic examination, said installation (1) comprising at least one space (18) for receiving a collector (8) ), said manifold (8) comprising a plurality of object receiving locations (81), such as a blade, and at least one fluid collecting zone (82), said installation also comprising a collector rotating drive motor (8)

said installation (1) comprising:

- A rotary tool holder (2) equipped with an injection device (4) provided with a plurality of fluid injection members (40), said tool holder (2) being rotatably mounted so as to bring about each injection member (40) in an injection preparation position in which said injection member (40) is located above the manifold receiving space (18), and

- an actuator (3) comprising a movement mobility up and down allowing, in the injection preparation position of an injection member (40), to actuate said injection member (40),

the axes of rotation of the collector (8) and of the tool holder (2) and the axis of movement up and down of the actuator (3) being parallel to each other, characterized in that the installation further comprises, carried by the tool holder, an object holding member (50) in one-to-one, able to be moved, by rotation of the tool holder (2), between two positions of preparation for the taking / removal of object one above an object storage area (19) outside the manifold receiving space (18) and the other above said manifold receiving space (18) (8).

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that said gripping member (50) is mounted movably upwards and down between a low position allowing the taking / removal of an object, such as blade, and a high position allowing the transporting the seized object from a position above said storage area (19) to a position above the space (18) of receiving the collector (8), and vice versa.

3. Installation according to claim 2, characterized in that said actuator (3) is mounted movably between a position above the space (1 8) for receiving the collector (8), and another position above the area object storage (19).

4. Installation according to claim 3, characterized in that the actuator (3) and said gripping member (50) are arranged such that, when said gripping member (50) and the actuator (3) are each in position above the storage area (19), respectively above the space (18) for receiving the collector (8), the actuator (3) is able by its upward mobility and decreases to cooperate with the gripping member (50) for lowering the gripping member (50) at an object to be gripped or at a desired deposit location.

5. Installation according to claim 4, characterized in that the actuator (3) is couplable / disengageable from the gripping member (50) and is, in the state coupled to the gripping member (50), integral in displacement of the gripping member (50) during the passage of the gripping member (50) from its position above the receiving space (18) of the collector (8) to its position above the zone storage (19).

6. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said actuator (3) and each injection member (40), respectively said gripping member, are arranged in such a way that, when said injection member ( 40), respectively said gripping member (50), is located opposite said actuator (3), said actuator (3) is able to be moved up and down between a low position in which the injection member (40) ) is actuated, respectively in which the gripping member (50) is moved in the low position, and a high position in which said actuator (3) is free relative to the injection member (40), respectively the organ of gripping (50).

7. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said actuator (3) comprises biasing means at a predetermined position above the space (18) for receiving the collector (8).

8. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each injection member (40) comprises a needle (41) said upper fixed in height, one end is connected to a distribution circuit (43) of given fluid, and a needle (42), said lower, mounted telescopically interlocking with the upper acute (41) between a high position of maximum overlap and a low position of minimal overlap.

9. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the needle (42) is equipped with a lower support piece (423) which extends radially relative to the axis of the needle (42) below in order to allow the actuator (3) to bear against said support piece (423) in order to move the lower needle (42) in a lower position so as to introduce the free end of the needle ( 42) in the collector (8).

10. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, of the type for which the objects are blades (9), and each fluid d istributed by the injection device (4) is a dye, the collector (8) intended being housed in said receiving space comprising a plurality of blade receiving locations (81) each of which is associated with a dye collection area (82),

characterized in that it comprises control means configured to control at least the tool holder (2), the actuator (3), the gripping member (50) and the injection device (4) of in order to implement a blade staining cycle (9) which comprises at least the following steps:

a) - introduction of the blades (9) in each location (81) for receiving the collector (8), b) - injecting a dye into at least some of the collection zones (82) each associated with a blade receiving location (81), c) - rotating the collector (8) to discharge by centrifugation the dye in a groove (83) for peripheral recovery of the collector (8); d) extraction of the blades from each location.

1 1. Installation according to claim 10, characterized in that, when the desired coloration of the blades (9) requires covering at least some of the blades (9) of a plurality of dyes, said control means are configured to repeat the steps n times. b) and c), n corresponding to the number of dyes to be dispensed, each injection member (40) associated with one of the dyes to be injected being fed, between two series of steps b) and c), in a position of injection preparation, the support piece (423) of said injection member (40) being located below the actuator (3).

12. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one fluid suction member for aspirating fluid possibly remaining in the collector after a coloring cycle.

13. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said gripping member (50) comprises a clamp (52) provided with an electromagnet for activating and deactivating said clamp.

14. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tool holder (2) has a notched portion to allow, in at least one given angular position of the tool holder, to remove or introduce the reader collar. (8) of / in the corresponding receiving space (1 8), by moving said collector in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the tool holder (2).