Patent ID: 8722412

Claim:
An apparatus for sensing specimen slides ( 38 ), comprising: a specimen slide holder ( 42 ) in which the specimen slides ( 38 ) are arranged, the specimen slides ( 38 ) each comprising an identification code for identifying the specimen slide ( 38 ); a lifting element ( 50 ) on which the specimen slides ( 38 ) are arranged inside the specimen slide holder ( 42 ) in a lifted position; a reading apparatus ( 40 ) for reading out the identification code; a gripper arm ( 32 ) that moves the specimen slide holder ( 42 ) with the specimen slides ( 38 ) onto the lifting element ( 50 ) in the lifted position, wherein the gripper arm ( 32 ) is configured to move so that the specimen slides ( 38 ) drop successively from the lifted position on the lifting element ( 50 ) into a final position in the specimen slide holder ( 42 ), the identification codes being arranged on the specimen slides ( 38 ) to be readable on the specimen slide ( 38 ) or a subsequent specimen slide ( 38 ) by the reading apparatus 40 after a one of the specimen slides ( 38 ) drops into the final position; and a triggering apparatus ( 67 , 68 ) that triggers the reading apparatus ( 40 ) to read the corresponding identification code.