Abstract:
A panel ( 1 ) for receiving cassettes ( 2 ) and/or specimen slides ( 3 ) for histological or cytological preparations is embodied in rectangular fashion with two longitudinal sides ( 4 ), a first narrow side ( 5 ) and a second narrow side ( 6 ), and comprises a base ( 7 ) as support for the specimen slides ( 3 ) and/or cassettes ( 2 ). Peripheral side walls ( 8 ) are provided on both longitudinal sides ( 4 ) and on the first narrow side ( 5 ).

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of the German patent application 102 23 412.4 filed May 25, 2002 which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention concerns a panel for receiving cassettes and/or specimen slides for histological or cytological preparations. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Unpublished German Patent Application DE 101 15 065.2 discloses an apparatus for imprinting cassettes and/or specimen slides for histological or cytological preparations in a printing system. This printing system is characterized in that the cassettes and/or specimen slides are imprinted in computer-controlled fashion by an inkjet printer, and this applied ink is then dried by way of a flash device. The flash device is followed by a removal device for depositing the imprinted cassettes and/or imprinted specimen slides. 
     This removal device can be equipped with an apparatus for collecting the cassettes and/or specimen slides. A collection apparatus of this kind is described in the unpublished German Patent Application entitled “Apparatus for collecting cassettes and/or specimen slides for histological or cytological preparations.” In this Application, panels are used to collect the imprinted cassettes and/or specimen slides and remove them from the printing system. 
     The cassettes and/or specimen slides collected on the panels are then transported on the panels for further processing in the laboratory. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore the object of the present invention to configure the panels so that utilization in a collection apparatus of this kind is possible, and secure transport of the collected cassettes and/or specimen slides is simultaneously possible. 
     The invention is characterized in that the panel is embodied in rectangular fashion with two longitudinal sides, two narrow sides, and a base. The base forms the support for the specimen slides and/or cassettes. Peripheral side walls are provided on both longitudinal sides and on one narrow side. The other narrow side is open, so that the specimen slides and/or cassettes can be slid onto the panel from that side. 
     In a development of the invention, the side walls of the longitudinal sides are equipped with shaped-on (integrally formed with the side wall) lugs. The panel also comprises grooves into which these shaped-on lugs fit, so that multiple panels are configured, by way of these grooves and lugs, to be stackable. Provision is made both for panels that receive cassettes and specimen slides, and for panels that receive only cassettes or only specimen slides, to be stackable by way of the connection. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, the base of the panel has a circular opening whose purpose is that an external sensor can detect the fill level of the panel through the opening. 
     In a development of the invention, the panel has on its open narrow side a triggering tab that can engage into a photoelectric barrier, and the position of the panel is thereby detected. 
     As a particular development, the triggering tab is arranged beneath the base on the panel so that a transfer position for the specimen slides and/or cassettes onto the panel can be set by way of the arrangement of a photoelectric barrier. 
     In a development of the invention, two stops are provided on the second or open narrow side of the panel, preventing specimen slides and/or cassettes from falling out during transport in the laboratory. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, the base of the panel is provided with a step so that the base is subdivided into a higher and a lower part. This is advantageous in particular for cassettes having shaped-on covers, so that the lower base then forms the support for the cassette, and the higher base the support for the cover of the cassette. The height of the step can be approx. 6 mm. 
     If the step is arranged on a side wall of the panel, the thin specimen slides can be removed more easily from the panels. All that is necessary is to push on the specimen slide in the region of the lower base, so that the specimen slide lifts up from the higher base support and can then be removed. In this case it is entirely sufficient if the step is approx. 1-3 mm. 
     In a particular embodiment of the invention, the panel is embodied as a one-piece injection-molded plastic part. The panel can be dimensioned in such a way that the longitudinal extension is no greater than 35 cm, and the extension on the narrow side is no more than 10 cm. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the panels are used in an apparatus for collecting cassettes and/or specimen slides, in which context the collection apparatus can be a constituent of a printing device. 
     In a particular embodiment of the invention, the lengths of the two narrow sides are dimensioned to be greater than the longitudinal extension of the specimen slide and/or cassette, and simultaneously the length of the two narrow sides is dimensioned to be less than the diagonal of the longitudinal extension of the specimen slide and/or cassette. The result, in particularly advantageous fashion, is that sufficient clearance is present when the panels are loaded with specimen slides and/or with cassettes; and moreover the specimen slides and/or cassettes are effectively prevented from falling out when the panels are transported. If the panels are tilted during transport, the specimen slides and/or cassettes become jammed, with their respectively diagonally opposite corners, into the side walls of the longitudinal sides of the panel. The result that can be achieved, especially in the case of sharp-edged glass specimen slides, is that specimen slides do not fall out of the panel even when the panel is held vertically. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be depicted and explained in more detail using two exemplary embodiments with reference to the schematic drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a view of the panel with specimen slides in place; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the panel according to  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the panel with specimen slides in place; 
         FIG. 4  is a section through the panel along line A—A of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the panel for cassettes; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the panel according to  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of the panel according to  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a section through the panel along line A—A of  FIG. 7 , with a cassette in place. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  is a view of panel  1  with specimen slides  3  in place. Panel  1  is of rectangular configuration and has two longitudinal sides  4  as well as a first narrow side  5 , a second narrow side  6 , and a base  7 . A peripheral side wall  8  is provided on the two longitudinal sides  4  and on first narrow side  5 . Base  7  is subdivided by steps  14  ( FIG. 4 ) into a higher base part  7   a  as support for specimen slides  3 , and two lower base parts  7   b.    
     Provided on second narrow side  6  of panel  1  is a triggering tab  12 , shaped onto higher base part  7   a , whose underside lies in one plane with the underside of lower base part  7   b  and whose upper side lies in one plane with the underside of higher base part  7   a.    
     Higher base part  7   a  moreover has two stops  13  that prevent the inserted specimen slides from falling out while panel  1  is being transported. 
     A circular opening  11 , through which a sensor can detect a specimen slide  3  or a full panel  1 , is provided in base  7  of panel  1 . 
     Four lug and groove members  18  are provided on peripheral side walls  8 , two lug and groove members on each of the two peripheral side walls  8 . Each lug member  18  includes a lug  9  and a groove  10 . By way of lugs  9  and grooves  10 , several panels  1  can be stacked one above another. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the panel shown in  FIG. 1 , with side wall  8  and lugs  9  shaped thereonto and grooves  10  that are provided. 
       FIG. 3  shows panel  1  with specimen slides  3 , which have a longitudinal extension  15  and a diagonal  16 , in place. If the length of first narrow side  5  and second narrow side  6  of panel  1  is selected to be less than the length of diagonals  16 , the diagonally opposite corners of the specimen slide can jam into place on peripheral side wall  8 , so that none of specimen slides  3  can fall out while the panel is being transported. 
       FIG. 4  is a section through panel  1  along line A—A according to FIG.  3 . Higher base part  7   a  and two lower base parts  7   b  are formed by means of the two steps  14 . Higher base part  7   a  constitutes the support for the specimen slides, in which context the specimen slide projects with its ends over lower base parts  7   b . A single specimen slide can easily be removed by tilting one end of the specimen slide onto the associated lower base part  7   b.    
       FIG. 5  is a view of panel  1  for cassettes  2  (FIG.  8 ), base  7  being subdivided here as well, by means of a step  14 , into a higher base part  7   a  and a lower base part  7   b . Lower base part  7   b  serves as support for the cassette, and higher base part  7   a  as support for cover  17  shaped onto the cassette (FIG.  8 ). 
     Triggering tab  12  is in this case shaped on in the plane of lower base part  7   b.    
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the panel according to  FIG. 5 , with side wall  8  and lugs  9  shaped thereonto and grooves  10  that are provided. 
       FIG. 7  shows panel  1  in a plan view, with the two base parts  7   a  and  7   b  separated by step  14 . 
       FIG. 8  is a section through the panel along line A—A according to  FIG. 7 , with cassette  2  in place and shaped-on cover  17 . It is evident from this Figure that cassette  2  rests on lower base part  7   b , and cover  17  on higher base part  7   a.    
     The two exemplary embodiments herein depicted and described of the panels for cassettes and specimen slides are specifically optimized therefor. It is, of course, also possible to collect cassettes with and without covers on the panel for specimen slides, and specimen slides on the panel for cassettes. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 PARTS LIST 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                  1 
                 Panel 
               
               
                   
                  2 
                 Cassette 
               
               
                   
                  3 
                 Specimen slide 
               
               
                   
                  4 
                 Longitudinal side 
               
               
                   
                  5 
                 First narrow side 
               
               
                   
                  6 
                 Second narrow side 
               
               
                   
                  7 
                 Base 
               
               
                   
                  7a 
                 Higher base part 
               
               
                   
                  7b 
                 Lower base part 
               
               
                   
                  8 
                 Side wall 
               
               
                   
                  9 
                 Lug 
               
               
                   
                 10 
                 Groove 
               
               
                   
                 11 
                 Opening 
               
               
                   
                 12 
                 Triggering tab 
               
               
                   
                 13 
                 Stop 
               
               
                   
                 14 
                 Step 
               
               
                   
                 15 
                 Longitudinal extension of (3) 
               
               
                   
                 16 
                 Diagonal of (3) 
               
               
                   
                 17 
                 Cover 
               
               
                   
                 18 
                 Lug and groove member