Patent ID: 7727774

Claim:
A method for automatically removing a coverglass from the top of a stack of coverglasses contained within a cartridge, the coverglass having edges, the method comprising the steps of: forming a seal proximate to the edges of the coverglass; exerting a force along the proximate seal, uniformly bending the coverglass along a longitudinal axis to separate the coverglass from the stack of coverglasses; and moving the bent coverglass away from the cartridge, wherein the cartridge has an upper surface, and the moving of the coverglass away from the cartridge causes any un-separated coverglasses to be dislodged from the bent coverglass by the cartridge upper surface; wherein the step of forming a seal includes contacting the coverglass with a sealing member, the sealing member being attached to or integral with a flexible backing plate and being composed of an elastomeric material.