Patent ID: 9493147
Filing Date: 2016-11-15
CPC Classification: B05C,B05D,B60T,G01N,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A method for preparing a slide comprising a sample smear using an automated slide preparation apparatus, the method comprising: depositing a sample onto a slide; moving the slide towards a smear surface of a smearing tape of a smear cartridge, wherein the smear surface is included on a blade of a cut-out of the smearing tape, and wherein the smearing tape is initially wound within an input reel of the cartridge and coupled to a take-up reel of the smear cartridge; moving the slide across the smear surface to produce a sample smear, wherein the smear surface is exposed when the position of the blade of the cut-out is extended by a deflection component of the smear cartridge as the smearing tape is drawn from the input reel and into the take-up reel; and drying the sample smear.