Abstract:
The invention relates to a slide storage assembly ( 300 ) having spacer elements ( 100, 200 ) and a slide container ( 301 ), which is embodied to accommodate a stack of at least two slide layers, each slide layer comprising a slide ( 400 ) and at least two of the spacer elements ( 100, 200 ).

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority of German patent application number 10 2012 208 152.6 filed May 15, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a slide storage assembly having a slide container and at least one slide spacer. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In laser microdissection, small samples are excised from tissue and applied to specimen slides (e.g. glass slides with or without a membrane, etc.) for further use. Specimen slides of various shapes and sizes are used, which rules out the use of conventional standard-size slide containers for further storage and transport. Usually, a relatively small number of slides of a special size have to be stored and transported safely without damaging or contaminating the material applied to them and/or the slides themselves. For example, slides with a membrane, of the kind frequently used in laser microdissection, are very pressure-sensitive and should not be touched on the membrane. For storage and transport, special slide containers have to be produced, which is a complex and expensive process. 
         [0004]    It is desirable to have simple means available for securely storing and transporting slides, regardless of their dimensions. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    According to the invention, a slide storage assembly has a plurality of spacer elements and a slide container configured to accommodate a stack of at least two slide layers, wherein each slide layer comprises a slide and at least two of the spacer elements. Advantageous embodiments are the subject the description that follows. 
       ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The invention provides a slide storage assembly with which slides can be easily and safely stored and transported. The slide storage assembly comprises a slide container into which the slides can be placed together with spacer elements. The spacer elements ensure a defined alignment of the slides with the slide container and with one another. Also different types of slides (i.e. of different shapes and/or sizes) may be placed in the same slide container, using suitable, optionally different, spacer elements. Both the container and the spacer elements may be produced particularly easily, rapidly and inexpensively. It is thus also possible to provide a safe and reliable storage and transport option for a relatively small number of slides simply and cheaply. 
         [0007]    The slide storage assembly is configured so that the slide container holds a stack of several layers, each layer consisting of a slide and at least two associated spacer element. Depending on the embodiment, preferably exactly or at least two, three or four spacer elements will be sufficient per layer to hold the slide securely in the slide container. Usually, not more than six or eight spacer elements will be necessary per layer to hold the slide. Preferably the spacer elements of adjacent layers in a stack are in contact with one another, i.e. are placed on top of one another. 
         [0008]    According to a preferred embodiment, the slide container is a cuboid or cylindrical container, having a continuous interior with no compartments, which is particularly made of plastics. A spacer element may preferably be embodied as a cuboid with an inwardly projecting edge or corner, particularly of plastics. The slide storage assembly is expediently embodied such that the inwardly projecting edge or corner delimits a support surface for a slide placed therein. Containers and spacer elements of this kind are particularly simple and cheap to produce. E.g. for accommodating rectangular slides, each slide layer may comprise the slide and exactly four spacer elements with inwardly projecting corners. The depth of the inwardly projecting edge or corner defines a support surface for the slide, the height of the inwardly projecting edge or corner defines an upward spacing. It is dimensioned so as to be taller than the height (“thickness”) of a slide to be stored therein. 
         [0009]    The present invention has the particular advantage that slides of different shapes and sizes can be stored and transported particularly easily by the provision of different spacers and/or slide containers in slide storage assemblies according to the invention. The slide storage assemblies according to the invention are particularly suitable for small numbers of slides, particularly ranging from two to ten. 
         [0010]    Further features and embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the description and the attached drawings. 
         [0011]    It will be understood that the features mentioned hereinbefore and those still to be described hereinafter may be used not only in the particular combination specified but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
         [0012]    The invention is schematically illustrated in the drawings by means of an embodiment by way of example and is hereinafter described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING VIEWS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a first preferred embodiment of a spacer element of a slide storage assembly according to the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows a second preferred embodiment of a spacer element of a slide storage assembly according to the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a preferred embodiment of a slide storage assembly according to the invention having a slide container in which a plurality of layers comprising spacer elements and slides are placed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a first preferred embodiment of a spacer element  100  in perspective view. The spacer element consists of a cuboid  110 , particularly made of plastics, with an inwardly projecting edge  120 . The edge  120  delimits a support surface  121  which serves as a support surface for a slide. The edge  120  further delimits an abutment surface  122 , which serves as an outer abutment surface for a slide lying on the support surface  121 . 
         [0017]    A height h of the abutment surface  122  is expediently at least the same height as a thickness d of a slide  400  to be accommodated, so that stacked spacer elements also rest on one another and not on the slides. A height h s  of the step remaining determines the distance between stacked slides  400 . This height h s  is always greater than the thickness or height of the object on the slide (minus the difference between h and d). The stack surfaces are defined by an upper side  111  and an underside  112  of the spacer element, which come to rest on one another when the spacer elements are stacked. 
         [0018]    The spacer element  200  according to  FIG. 2  corresponds in its essential functions to the spacer element  100  according to  FIG. 1 . Only, instead of the edge  120 , it comprises an inwardly projecting corner  220 , which delimits a support surface  221  and two abutment surfaces  222 . 
         [0019]    The spacer element  200  expediently serves to accommodate one corner of a slide, whereas the spacer element  100  expediently serves to accommodate one edge of a slide. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a preferred embodiment of a slide storage assembly  300  according to the invention in which, for reasons of greater clarity, not all the corners and edges of the slides and spacer elements are shown. 
         [0021]    The slide storage assembly  300  comprises a cuboid slide container  301  made of plastics, in which four layers of slides  400  with associated spacer elements  100 ,  200  are stacked. The slide container  301  and the spacer elements  100 ,  200  are of such dimensions that the slide  400  to be accommodated fits precisely into the recesses provided by the abutment surfaces  121  of the spacer elements  100 ,  200  inside the slide container  301 . 
         [0022]    The vertical extent (i.e. perpendicular to the layers) of a spacer element is greater than the vertical extent of the slide in the same layer, so that the spacer elements prevent the slides  400  from touching one another. The horizontal extent (i.e. in the plane of the layer) of a spacer element is preferably less than the horizontal extent of the slide in the same layer, as only individual points of a slide have to be supported. 
         [0023]    The slides  400  are thus firmly and securely held in the slide storage assembly  300 , with the result that, in particular, tissue samples deposited on the slides  400  remain undamaged.