Patent Description:
As a pretreatment for observing a tissue piece (sample) collected from a living thing with a microscope, specimen production treatment in which fixing treatment, dehydrating treatment, degreasing treatment, and permeating treatment (embedding treatment) are performed in this order is performed. A tissue piece treating apparatus that automatically performs the treatment has been widely used (see, PTL <NUM>: <CIT>).

The specimen production treatment using the abovementioned tissue piece treating apparatus is generally progressed as follows. One piece or several pieces of tissue pieces collected from a living thing are housed in each of small containers called cassettes. Next, one or a plurality of the cassettes are housed in a storage container (basket). Next, the storage container is housed in a treating tank (retort) of the tissue piece treating apparatus. The tissue piece treating apparatus is then activated, and chemical solutions of several types stored in respective chemical solution bottles are supplied to and discharged from an inside of the treating tank in a prescribed order. Therefore, the tissue pieces are immersed into the chemical solutions of the several types, thereby performing the specimen production treatment. Note that, the chemical solution discharged from the inside of the treating tank is returned to the chemical solution bottle, and is repeatedly used until it is determined that the chemical solution is unavailable due to the concentration reduction and other degradation.

<CIT> [AU] ET AL (PTL <NUM>) discloses a tissue processor for processing tissue samples for histological analysis. The tissue processor comprises two retorts, a controller, and a set of reagent containers fluidly connected to the retorts by reagent conduits and a valving arrangement, wherein the valving directs reagent from the reagent containers into either of the retorts, as directed by the controller. The retorts each include a receptacle for receiving baskets containing tissue samples either in individual cassettes or placed directly into the basket.

In such a tissue piece treating apparatus, chemical solutions of several types are supplied to and discharged from one treating tank. Accordingly, when the chemical solution remains after the chemical solution has been discharged from the treating tank, the remaining chemical solution is mixed into a different chemical solution to be supplied next. Accordingly, in the case that the remaining amount of the chemical solution when the chemical solution is discharged from the treating tank is large, a chemical solution to be supplied next is likely to be degraded due to the concentration reduction.

Herein, in the conventional tissue piece treating apparatus, the chemical solution adhered on an inner surface of the treating tank, the storage container, and the cassettes after the chemical solution has discharged from the treating tank is comparatively large, and the chemical solution has been likely to be degraded. Accordingly, the chemical solution needs to be replaced at a high frequency, so that there has been a problem of an increase in the use amount of the chemical solution. Therefore, when the chemical solution is discharged from the treating tank, improvement in the liquid exhaustion (removal of the chemical solution) has been desired.

The present invention has been accomplished under the abovementioned circumstances, and aims to provide a tissue piece treating apparatus that is excellent in liquid exhaustion when a chemical solution is discharged from a treating tank, suppresses degradation due to concentration reduction of the chemical solution, and suppresses a replacement frequency of the chemical solution, thereby making it possible to reduce a use amount of the chemical solution.

The present invention solves the problems by a solution as defined by the appended claims.

Therefore, the treating tank is disposed by being inclined, whereby the storage container and tissue pieces (a state of being housed in a cassette) to be housed in the treating tank is arranged by being inclined. Accordingly, the chemical solution adhered on the cassette and the storage container is caused to move down along an inclined surface (specially, bottom surface of the storage container) with the effect of the gravity, thereby making it possible to drop the chemical solution from the plurality of through holes (discharge the chemical solution from the storage container to the bottom surface of the treating tank). In addition, the chemical solution flowed out to the bottom surface of the treating tank can be discharged to an outside of the treating tank while causing the chemical solution to move down along the inclined surface (bottom surface of the treating tank) with the effect of the gravity and to be collected. As a result, the tissue piece treating apparatus in which the treating tank is excellent in the liquid exhaustion as compared with the conventional one can be implemented.

Moreover, the treating tank is preferably disposed by being inclined downward toward a front surface of the main body part that faces a worker. Therefore, as compared with the conventional tissue piece treating apparatus in which the treating tank is not inclined, the treating tank can be likely to be put in and taken out from the storage container.

Moreover, an opening/closing lid that opens and closes an opening part in an upper portion of the treating tank is preferably provided, and the opening/closing lid preferably includes, in a state where the opening/closing lid is closed, in an inner surface thereof, a first groove part in a first end portion that becomes a lower portion in an inclined direction and a second groove part in a second end portion that becomes an upper portion in the inclined direction. Therefore, in the state where the opening/closing lid is closed, the chemical solution condensed in the inner surface of the opening/closing lid can be received by the first groove part, while, in a state where the opening/closing lid is open, water droplets condensed in the inner surface of the opening/closing lid can be received by the second groove part.

Moreover, the through hole is preferably formed in a polygonal shape or an oval shape, and is preferably provided such that one vertex in a case of the polygonal shape or one end portion in a case of the oval shape is arranged at a position in the lower portion in the inclined direction in a state where the storage container is housed in the treating tank. Therefore, the chemical solution is caused to move down along inner edges of the holes of the polygonal shape or the oval shape, and is dropped from the vertex or the end portion in the lower end, thereby making it possible to facilitate the effect of dropping the chemical solution from the through holes.

Moreover, the through hole is preferably formed in a circular shape. Therefore, the chemical solution is caused to move down along an inner edge of the hole of the circular shape, and is dropped from a lower end of the arc, thereby making it possible to facilitate the effect of discharging the chemical solution from the through holes.

Moreover, the treating tank preferably includes one or plurality of discharge ports, and the discharge port is preferably disposed to a position in the lowermost portion in the inclined direction of the treating tank. This allows the chemical solution moving down along the inclination to be collected at the position of the lowermost portion of the inclination, and to be discharged to the outside of the treating tank such that the chemical solution does not remain in the treating tank.

According to the present invention, it is possible to implement a tissue piece treating apparatus that is excellent in liquid exhaustion when a chemical solution is discharged from a treating tank, suppresses degradation due to concentration reduction of the chemical solution, and suppresses a replacement frequency of the chemical solution, thereby making it possible to reduce a use amount of the chemical solution.

<FIG> is a schematic view (perspective view) illustrating an example of a tissue piece treating apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention. Moreover, <FIG> is a schematic view (perspective view) illustrating an example of a treating tank <NUM> in the tissue piece treating apparatus <NUM> in <FIG>. Moreover, <FIG> is a schematic view (perspective view) illustrating an example of a storage container <NUM> that is housed in the treating tank <NUM> in <FIG>, and a cassette <NUM> that is housed in the storage container <NUM>. Note that, in all the drawings, elements having the same function are assigned with the same reference numerals and repeated explanations thereof are omitted in some cases.

The tissue piece treating apparatus <NUM> according to the present embodiment is an apparatus that automatically performs treatment necessary for producing a microscopic specimen of a tissue piece collected from a living thing including a human body. The tissue piece treating apparatus <NUM> is configured so as to be movable, as illustrated in <FIG>, by mounting arbitrary casters <NUM> to a rectangular main body part <NUM>. The main body part <NUM> is provided with a monitor (which is not illustrated) on which a setting screen, ongoing treatment, or the like is displayed as one example, on a top surface thereof. An operating part such as a touch panel or the like is arbitrarily mounted to the monitor (which is not illustrated). Moreover, on the top surface of the main body part <NUM>, an opening part <NUM> in an upper portion of the treating tank <NUM> (also referred to as the retort) disposed to the main body part <NUM> is opened therein, and an opening/closing lid <NUM> (also referred to as a retort lid) that opens and closes the opening part <NUM> is mounted thereto.

Herein, the treating tank <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is a container in which a tissue piece is immersed into chemical solutions of several types to perform specimen production treatment. The treating tank <NUM> having a fixed volumetric capacity is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape as one example in the present embodiment, but is not limited thereto. It can also be considered that the treating tank <NUM> is formed in a cubic shape or a cylindrical shape, for example. Moreover, in the present invention, a bottom portion thereof is formed in a planar shape. As described herein, the bottom portion may be formed in a funnel shape, or a pyramid or cone shape, for example. Moreover, in an inner surface of the treating tank <NUM>, a supply inlet <NUM> through which a chemical solution is supplied is disposed to a side surface thereof, and a discharge port <NUM> from which the chemical solution is discharged is disposed to a bottom surface thereof. In addition, a reference numeral <NUM> indicates a motor, a reference numeral <NUM> indicates a rotating body that can rotate by being driven by the motor <NUM>, and a stirring bar (which is not illustrated) is provided at a position in an inside of the treating tank <NUM> corresponding to a position of the rotating body <NUM> in an outside of the treating tank <NUM>. The rotating body <NUM> and the stirring bar (which is not illustrated) each have a configuration of having a built-in magnet. This allows the rotating body <NUM> to rotate by being driven by the motor <NUM> to rotate the stirring bar (which is not illustrated), and thus a liquid stored in the treating tank <NUM> to be stirred.

Moreover, a tissue piece collected from a human body or the like is normally housed in the treating tank <NUM> as follows. In other words, as illustrated in <FIG>, firstly, one piece or several pieces of tissue pieces are housed in each small container called the cassette <NUM>. Next, one or a plurality of the cassettes <NUM> are housed in the storage container <NUM> (also referred to as the basket). Next, the storage container <NUM> is housed in the treating tank <NUM>. The storage container <NUM> is provided with a fixed lid 38a, and is arbitrarily provided with a partition plate 38b corresponded to the size of the cassette <NUM>. Moreover, a plurality of through holes <NUM> are formed in each member including the fixed lid 38a and the partition plate 38b. The shape of the storage container <NUM> is formed in a shape of a planar shape similar to a planar shape of the treating tank <NUM> in the present invention. This allows a reduced clearance that is generated in the treating tank <NUM> when the storage container <NUM> is housed therein, and allows a space in the treating tank <NUM> to be used with zero waste. Characteristic configurations of the treating tank <NUM>, the opening/closing lid <NUM>, and the storage container <NUM> for solving the problems of the present invention are described later.

Next, the main body part <NUM> is provided with a bottle rack <NUM> of a plurality of stages (two stages in the present embodiment) at a lower portion in an inside thereof, as illustrated in <FIG>. In the bottle rack <NUM>, a plurality of the chemical solution bottles <NUM> (illustrated only a part thereof) that store therein formalin for performing fixing treatment, alcohol for performing dehydrating treatment, xylene for performing degreasing treatment, and the like are disposed. In the treatment related to the production of a specimen, the same treatment is performed for a plurality of times, and the plurality of the chemical solution bottles <NUM> that store therein the chemical solution of the same type are thus disposed in the bottle rack <NUM>. Moreover, the main body part <NUM> is provided with, in an inside thereof, an oven <NUM> that can heat and hold the inside at a constant temperature, in the central portion. In the oven <NUM>, a plurality of chemical solution bottles (which are not illustrated) for performing permeating treatment (embedding treatment) are disposed. This allows the paraffin that is solidified at an ambient temperature to hold in a fused state and to be waited for treatment. Note that, the holding temperature of the oven <NUM> is about <NUM>[°C] as one example. Moreover, the main body part <NUM> is provided with a replaceable filter (which is not illustrated) that removes an odor of a gas of the evaporated chemical solution, in an upper portion in the inside thereof. As the filter (which is not illustrated), as one example, an activated carbon filter is used.

Moreover, the tissue piece treating apparatus <NUM> is provided with the following configuration related to an operation, in an inside thereof. Firstly, a selection valve (which is not illustrated) that is connected to the treating tank <NUM> via a pipe at one part, and is connected to the plurality of the chemical solution bottles <NUM> via respective pipes at the other part is provided. The selection valve (which is not illustrated) makes one chemical solution bottle <NUM> selected from these chemical solution bottles <NUM> communicable with the treating tank <NUM>. As the selection valve (which is not illustrated), as one example, a rotary valve is used.

Secondary, a switching valve (which is not illustrated) is provided halfway through the pipe that connects the treating tank <NUM> to the selection valve (which is not illustrated). The switching valve (which is not illustrated) is connected to the selection valve (which is not illustrated) via the pipe, and is also connected to the supply inlet <NUM> and the discharge port <NUM> of the treating tank <NUM>, via respective pipes. The switching valve (which is not illustrated) causes, when a chemical solution is supplied (transported) to the treating tank <NUM>, the pipe to the supply inlet <NUM> to be in an open state and the pipe to the discharge port <NUM> to be in a closed state, thereby communicating the selection valve (which is not illustrated) with the supply inlet <NUM>. Moreover, when a chemical solution is discharged (transported) from the treating tank <NUM>, the switching valve (which is not illustrated) causes the pipe to the discharge port <NUM> to be in an open state and the pipe to the supply inlet <NUM> to be in a pipe closed state, thereby communicating the discharge port <NUM> with the selection valve (which is not illustrated). Moreover, when a tissue piece is immersed into the chemical solution in the treating tank <NUM>, the switching valve (which is not illustrated) causes the respective pipes to the supply inlet <NUM> and the discharge port <NUM> to be in the closed state, thereby interrupting the treating tank <NUM> from the selection valve (which is not illustrated).

Thirdly, an air pump (which is not illustrated) that is connected to the treating tank <NUM> via the pipe is provided. The air pump (which is not illustrated) performs gas exchange in the treating tank <NUM>. Moreover, when a chemical solution is transported (led into) to the treating tank <NUM> from the selected chemical solution bottle <NUM>, the inside of the treating tank <NUM> is decompressed. Moreover, a chemical solution is transported (sent out) to the selected chemical solution bottle <NUM> from the treating tank <NUM>, the inside of the treating tank <NUM> is pressurized.

Fourthly, the selection valve (which is not illustrated), the switching valve (which is not illustrated), and the air pump (which is not illustrated) are electrically connected to a controller (which is not illustrated) via respective wiring. The controller (which is not illustrated) to which an operation program is set in advance includes a CPU and a memory, and performs the control of the abovementioned respective configurations on the basis of a set signal that is input from the abovementioned operating part or the like. This allows the selection valve (which is not illustrated), the switching valve (which is not illustrated), and the air pump (which is not illustrated) to operate in response to one another.

With the configuration in the foregoing, the desired chemical solution bottle <NUM> is selected by the operation of the selection valve (which is not illustrated) and the pipe to the supply inlet <NUM> is caused to be in the open state by the switching of the switching valve (which is not illustrated), whereby a flow path from the chemical solution bottle <NUM> via the supply inlet <NUM> to the inside of the treating tank <NUM> is opened. Further, the inside of the treating tank <NUM> is decompressed by the air pump (which is not illustrated), whereby the chemical solution in the chemical solution bottle <NUM> can be supplied (transported) to the inside of the treating tank <NUM>. Next, the pipe to the supply inlet <NUM> is then caused to be in the closed state by the switching by the switching valve (which is not illustrated), whereby the chemical solution can be stored in the inside of the treating tank <NUM> and the tissue piece can be immersed. The desired chemical solution bottle <NUM> (tank in which the chemical solution has been stored or another tank) is selected by the operation of the selection valve (which is not illustrated) and the pipe to the discharge port <NUM> is caused to be in the open state by the switching of the switching valve (which is not illustrated), whereby a flow path from the inside of the treating tank <NUM> via the discharge port <NUM> to the chemical solution bottle <NUM> is opened. The inside of the treating tank <NUM> is then pressurized by the air pump (which is not illustrated), whereby the chemical solution in the inside of the treating tank <NUM> can be discharged (transported) to the chemical solution bottle <NUM>. In addition, the series of operations can be performed in this order by the control by the controller (which is not illustrated) with respect to the plurality of the chemical solution bottles <NUM>. In other words, as a specific chemical solution treatment example, specimen production treatment in which a tissue piece in the inside of the treating tank <NUM> is immersed into formalin to perform the fixing treatment, is immersed into alcohol to perform the dehydrating treatment, is immersed into xylene to perform the degreasing treatment, and is immersed into paraffin to perform the permeating treatment (embedding treatment) can be conducted.

Herein, the chemical solution discharged (transported) from the inside of the treating tank <NUM> into the chemical solution bottle <NUM> is repeatedly used until it is determined that the chemical solution is unavailable due to the concentration reduction and other degradation. A concentration sensor (which is not illustrated) is mounted to the tissue piece treating apparatus <NUM> according to the present embodiment. This allows the worker to check the propriety of reuse of each chemical solution bottle <NUM> by checking the concentration of each chemical solution at the time of the operation start or the like.

In this manner, in the tissue piece treating apparatus <NUM>, chemical solutions of several types are continuously supplied and discharged in the inside of the treating tank <NUM>. Accordingly, the chemical solution that adheres on and remains in the inside of the treating tank <NUM> (the inner surface of the treating tank <NUM>, the storage container <NUM>, and the cassette <NUM>) after the chemical solution has been discharged is mixed into a different chemical solution to be supplied next. Accordingly, poor liquid exhaustion (removal of the chemical solution) when the chemical solution is discharged facilitates the degradation due to the concentration reduction of the chemical solution. This arises a problem for not only chemical solutions of different types but rather for chemical solutions of the same type.

In other words, for example, in the dehydrating treatment using alcohol, moisture is gradually oozed out from the tissue piece by immersion treatment for a plurality of times (seven times in the present embodiment). Much moisture is normally oozed out from the tissue piece with the smaller number of treatment times, the moisture gradually becomes less every time the treatment is repeated, the least moisture is oozed out in the last treatment, so that the concentration reduction with the treatment becomes large in the alcohol that is used for the treatment earlier. Accordingly, the controller (which is not illustrated) suppresses the degradation of the entire alcohol to the minimum by receiving information on the concentration of alcohol stored in each chemical solution bottle <NUM> from a concentration sensor (which is not illustrated), and subjecting each alcohol with the lowest concentration sequentially to the treatment. Accordingly, when alcohol remained in the inside of the treating tank <NUM> is mixed into alcohol to be supplied next, the alcohol with the low concentration is mixed into the alcohol with the high concentration, so that the concentration of the alcohol to be supplied next is lowered and degraded.

The example in the foregoing similarly occurs in the degreasing treatment or the like by xylene. As a result, the chemical solution needs to be replaced at the high frequency, which results in an increase in the use amount of the chemical solution. Therefore, the present invention has implemented the tissue piece treating apparatus <NUM> that is excellent in the liquid exhaustion (removal of the chemical solution) when the chemical solution is discharged with the following characteristic configuration.

<FIG> is a schematic view (side view) illustrating an arrangement example of the treating tank <NUM> of the tissue piece treating apparatus <NUM> in the present embodiment. Moreover, <FIG> is an enlargement view (view in which a portion indicated by V in <FIG> is enlarged) of the treating tank <NUM> in <FIG>. Note that, a dashed line in <FIG> indicates the top surface of the main body part <NUM>, and indicates the horizontal direction.

Firstly, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the treating tank <NUM> is disposed to the main body part <NUM> by being inclined relative to the plane defined by the support elements, and has a configuration in which the storage container <NUM> is housed by being inclined at the same angle as the treating tank <NUM>. Herein, "the same" is not limited to perfectly the same, but includes a case where there is a difference of several degrees.

With this configuration, treating tank <NUM>, the storage container <NUM>, and each cassette <NUM> containing a tissue piece to be housed in the storage container <NUM> can all be disposed by being inclined to the main body part <NUM>. Accordingly, with the effect of the gravity, the chemical solution adhered on the cassettes <NUM> and the storage container <NUM> is caused to move down along a bottom surface (especially inner surface) of the inclined storage container <NUM>, thereby making it possible to facilitate the chemical solution to be discharged from the plurality of the through holes <NUM> to a bottom surface of the treating tank <NUM>. In addition, the chemical solution flowed out (stored) to the bottom surface of the treating tank <NUM> can be discharged from the discharge port <NUM> to the outside of the treating tank <NUM> while causing the chemical solution to move down along the inclined surface (bottom surface of the treating tank <NUM>) and to be collected. As a result, the tissue piece treating apparatus <NUM> in which the treating tank <NUM> is excellent in the liquid exhaustion as compared with the conventional one can be implemented. An inclined angle of the treating tank <NUM> is basically set large to result in the excellent liquid exhaustion, and a range of <NUM> to <NUM>[°] is suitable. Meanwhile, when an increase in the use amount of the chemical solution due to an increase in the volumetric capacity of the treating tank <NUM> with the increased inclined angle and an upsizing of the tissue piece treating apparatus <NUM> due to an increase in the height of the main body part <NUM> are considered, a range of <NUM> to <NUM>[°] is suitable. Further, the inclined angle is not limited to these ranges. Note that, in the present embodiment, the inclined angle of <NUM>[°] is configured.

Herein, the discharge port <NUM> that is provided to the treating tank <NUM> is disposed at a position in the lowermost portion in an inclined direction of in the treating tank <NUM> in the present embodiment, as one example. This allows the chemical solution moving down along the inclination to be collected in the position in the lowermost portion of the inclination, and to be discharged to the outside of the treating tank <NUM> such that the chemical solution does not remain in the treating tank <NUM>. Accordingly, it is possible to exhibit a maximum functional effect by the abovementioned configuration in which the treating tank <NUM> is disposed by being inclined. Further, the "position in the lowermost portion in the inclined direction" is not limited to the position of the discharge port <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, but includes a position of the bottom surface of the treating tank <NUM> and positions of side surfaces of the treating tank <NUM> in the surrounding of the position of the discharge port <NUM>, and positions of corner portions between the bottom surface and the side surfaces in the lowermost portion in the inclined direction. Note that, the number, the shape, and the like of the discharge ports <NUM> are not specially limited.

Moreover, the treating tank <NUM> is disposed, as one example in the present embodiment, by being inclined so as to move down toward the front surface of the main body part <NUM> that faces the worker (surface at a side at which the bottle rack <NUM> and the oven <NUM> open). Therefore, as compared with the conventional apparatus in which the treating tank <NUM> is not inclined, an effect that the storage container <NUM> is likely to be put in and taken out from the treating tank <NUM> can be obtained. Further, the inclined direction of the treating tank <NUM> is not limited, and as another example, such a configuration can be considered that the treating tank <NUM> is disposed by being inclined toward a right or left side of the main body part <NUM>.

Moreover, with the configuration in which the treating tank <NUM> is disposed by being inclined to the main body part <NUM>, as one example, the opening/closing lid <NUM> mounted to the upper portion of the treating tank <NUM> also has a configuration in which the opening/closing lid <NUM> is inclined at the same angle as the treating tank <NUM> in a state where the opening/closing lid <NUM> is closed (see <FIG> and <FIG>. the drawings illustrate a state where the opening/closing lid <NUM> is open). Herein, as one example in the present embodiment, the opening/closing lid <NUM> includes, in an inner surface, in the state where the opening/closing lid <NUM> is closed, a first groove part <NUM> in a first end portion 28a that becomes a lower portion in the inclined direction, and a second groove part <NUM> in a second end portion 28b that becomes an upper portion in the inclined direction. Therefore, in the state where the opening/closing lid <NUM> is closed during when the specimen production treatment is performed, the chemical solution adhered on an inner surface of the opening/closing lid <NUM> due to dew condensation can caused to move down along the inclination of the opening/closing lid <NUM>, and can be received by the first groove part <NUM> that is positioned in the lower portion of the inclination. On the other hand, in the state where the opening/closing lid <NUM> is open after the specimen production treatment has been completed, water droplets adhered on the inner surface of the opening/closing lid <NUM> at the higher temperature than the ambient temperature due to dew condensation can be caused to move down along the inclination of the opening/closing lid <NUM>, and can be received by the second groove part <NUM> that is positioned in the lower portion of the inclination. Accordingly, the moisture can be prevented from entering the inside of the treating tank <NUM>, and the moisture can be specially prevented from adhering on the tissue piece in the inside of the treating tank <NUM> when the opening/closing lid <NUM> is opened.

Note that, the opening/closing lid <NUM> is configured so as to be opened from a front surface side toward a rear surface side of the main body part <NUM>, as one example in the present embodiment, and a movable range thereof is set as appropriate in accordance with the inclination of the treating tank <NUM>. This can prevent feeling of oppression from providing to the worker because a line of sight of the worker overlaps with the longitudinal direction of the opening/closing lid <NUM> when the worker opens the opening/closing lid <NUM>, and can prevent the opening/closing lid <NUM> from being erroneously and easily closed, for example.

Moreover, the through holes <NUM> provided in the storage container <NUM> that is housed in the treating tank <NUM> are formed, as illustrated in <FIG>, in a circular shape as one example in the present embodiment. This configuration is an example of a suitable configuration in which the chemical solution is discharged to the outside of the treating tank <NUM>, as a result of various considerations about a form of the storage container <NUM> by the inventors. Therefore, the holes are firstly disposed to the storage container <NUM>, whereby the chemical solution can be dropped from the holes to the bottom surface of the treating tank <NUM>, and thus can be moved downward. In addition, in the present embodiment, in the storage container <NUM> that is arranged by being inclined, the through holes <NUM> having a circular shape that includes no corner portion and no end portion are disposed, so that the chemical solution is caused to move down along an inner edge of each circular hole and is dropped from a lower end of an arc of the circle, thereby making it possible to facilitate the effect of discharging the chemical solution from the through holes <NUM>. Note that, each through hole <NUM> is formed as a hole by punched metal in the present embodiment, but is not limited thereto, and for example, holes may be formed after wires are knitted to configure the storage container <NUM>.

In addition, as another example, each through hole <NUM> may be formed in a polygonal shape or an oval shape. At this time, it is suitable to employ such a configuration (which is not illustrated) that one vertex of each through hole <NUM> when being formed in the polygonal shape or one end portion of the through hole <NUM> when being formed in the oval shape is arranged at a position in the lower portion of the inclined direction in a state where the storage container <NUM> is housed in the treating tank <NUM>. This configuration is also another example of a suitable configuration in which the chemical solution is discharged to the outside of the treating tank <NUM>, as a result of various considerations about a form of the storage container <NUM> by the inventors. Therefore, a vertex of the polygonal shape or an end portion of the oval shape is arranged at a position in the lower portion of the inclined direction of the storage container <NUM>, so that the chemical solution is caused to move down along an inner edge of the hole of the polygonal shape or the oval shape, and is dropped from the vertex or the end portion in the lower end, thereby making it possible to facilitate the effect of dropping the chemical solution from the through holes <NUM>. Note that, the abovementioned polygonal shape includes a triangle, a quadrangle (square, rectangle, rhomboid, or the like), a pentagon, or the like, and further includes a shape modeled after a triangle, a quadrangle (square, rectangle, rhomboid, or the like), a pentagon, or the like, which is formed by rounding these vertexes. Moreover, the abovementioned oval shape includes from an ellipse to a rod-like shape that is formed by rounding long end portions. Moreover, the number, the size, and the like of the through holes <NUM> are not specially limited, and it can also be considered that the shape of each through hole <NUM> is made to be another shape other than the shapes of the abovementioned two examples.

With the configuration in the foregoing, the treating tank is disposed by being inclined, whereby the configuration in which the storage container and tissue pieces (a state of being housed in the cassette) to be housed in the treating tank is arranged by being inclined. Accordingly, the chemical solution adhered on the cassettes and the storage container is caused to move down along the inclined surface (specially, bottom surface of the storage container) with the effect of the gravity, thereby making it possible to drop the chemical solution from the plurality of through holes (discharge the chemical solution from the storage container to the bottom surface of the treating tank). In addition, the chemical solution flowed out to the bottom surface of the treating tank can be discharged to the outside of the treating tank while causing the chemical solution to move down along the inclined surface (bottom surface of the treating tank) with the effect of the gravity and to be collected. As a result, it is possible to provide a tissue piece treating apparatus that is excellent in liquid exhaustion from a treating tank, suppresses degradation due to concentration reduction of the chemical solution, and suppresses a replacement frequency of the chemical solution, thereby making it possible to reduce a use amount of the chemical solution, as compared with the conventional one.

Claim 1:
A tissue piece treating apparatus (<NUM>) for performing, on a tissue piece, a fixing treatment, a dehydrating treatment, a degreasing treatment, and a permeating treatment, the apparatus (<NUM>) comprising:
a cassette (<NUM>) in which the tissue piece is housed;
a storage container (<NUM>) in which the cassette (<NUM>) is housed;
a treating tank (<NUM>) in which the storage container (<NUM>) is housed,
a main body part (<NUM>) comprising support elements for supporting the apparatus (<NUM>) on a floor,
wherein
a bottom portion of the storage container (<NUM>) is formed in a planar shape,
a bottom portion of the treating tank (<NUM>) is formed in a planar shape,
the storage container (<NUM>) includes a plurality of through holes (<NUM>),
the support elements define a plane,
the treating tank (<NUM>) is disposed to the main body part (<NUM>) by being inclined relative to the plane defined by the support elements, and
the storage container (<NUM>) is housed by being inclined at the same angle as the treating tank (<NUM>).