Shandon Southern Products Limited

Shandon Scientific Limited

Alan J Gordon

Donald G Billington

Robert Evans

David J Bowman

Kenneth J Henderson

David W Sterritt

Michael Murry

Jeffrey E Lockett

Deposition chamber for use in the centrifugation of suspensions to

A sample handling unit for centrifugation apparatus, especially for cytocentrifugation to produce cell monolayers is disclosed. The sample handling unit is adapted for automated protective processing, e.g. fixation, of matter deposited on a slide during the centrifugation operation. For this purpose the unit has a body defining a deposition chamber, and a treatment fluid reservoir communicating with the deposition chamber via a buffer chamber and a flow path including a weir so arranged that in the position for centrifugation, treatment fluid such as fixative placed in the reservoir is retained therein until centrifugation produces an artificial gravitational field that causes the fluid to flow to the buffer chamber in which it is then retained by the weir for so long as the artificial gravitational field is maintained. Upon decay of that field the fluid flows over the weir towards the deposition chamber. There may be a series of such reservoirs and associated buffer chambers and weirs in respective flow paths or in an extended flow path through which flow path or paths a succession of treatment fluids are caused to progress in sequence by repeatedly applying the artificial gravitational field. There may also be a sample reservoir that communicates with the deposition chamber in a manner providing for transfer of sample material from this reservoir to the deposition chamber only when the artificial gravitational field is applied.

Sample handling unit for centrifugation

Tissue specimen treatment apparatus of the multi-chamber type having a plurality of containers, for instance arranged in a circle, and means for transporting a specimen for treatment to selected such chambers in a prescribed sequence, is characterized by a containment vessel disposed about at least the open tops of the containers and by cover means movable with the transporting means and evelosing the interior of the containment vessel so as to separate the specimen from the ambient atmosphere. The cover means preferably closely overlies the open tops of the containers to minimize the volume of the containment vessel, and is formed with a small volume transfer enclosure to receive a specimen during transport. The cover may have a close fit to the containment vessel, sufficient to restrict exchange of gases etc. between the external atmosphere and the containment vessel, or more positive sealing arrangements may be provided--e.g. labyrinth, flexible or liquid seals--to prevent flows between the vessel and the environment. Additionally or alternatively, positive venting of the containment vessel by withdrawal of its atmosphere may ensure that all leakages are into the vessel.

Tissue specimen treatment apparatus

A centrifuge system, especially for centrifugation of pathologically dangerous material, is characterized by a centrifuge head adapted to contain a carrier liquid and so formed and shaped that upon rotation of the head about its axis of symmetry the carrier liquid is distributed in a configuration to support one or more sealed sample containers wholly by floatation. The distribution of the carrier liquid in the rotating head may be as an annular body of constant cross section, or as two or more bodies accommodated in fluidly linked chambers in the head. The sample containers may be rigid and for instance tubular, or flexible and for instance bag-like.

Centrifugation

Centrifugation apparatus characterized by a carrier including both a bucket to accommodate a sample chamber and means for supporting a specimen container adjacent to the sample chamber so that material in the specimen container can be pre-centrifuged and then transferred to the sample chamber for centrifugation therein, using automated transfer means. The apparatus may include a disaggregator cooperable with the specimen container to disperse the contents of the latter prior to pre-centrifugation. The transfer means may be a pipette with arrangements for both external and internal flushing and measured dilution of a transferred sample. There may also be means for supplying treatment fluid to a reservoir of the sample chamber.

Centrifugation apparatus comprising a sample chamber, a deposit-receiving surface such as a slide and a filter card having an aperture adapted to define on that surface a deposition area communicating with the sample chamber is characterized by the feature that liquid flow paths in the filter card from the perimeter of the aperture are selectively restricted in cross section so as to promote constant velocity flow of liquid, from the sample chamber into the card, in directions substantially normal to all points on the periphery of the aperture. This promotes uniform deposition of solids on the deposit-receiving surface throughout the deposition area, to facilitate inspection of the deposit and, particularly, automated optical scanning of the deposit. The cross sectional restrictions may be accomplished by local removal of filter card material; by local compression of the filter card; or by local impregnation of the card material with an occlusive agent.

A tissue processing apparatus comprises a processing chamber (1), a plurality of reagent containers (5), only one of which is illustrated, and a selector valve (2) for sequentially connecting the processing chamber (1) to each of the said reagent containers (5) to transfer fluid between the chamber and such a container. A vacuum/compression pump (6) and a changeover valve system connected to each of the reagent containers (5) and to the processing chamber (1) is operable to promote reagent flow in a required direction between a reagent container (5) and a processing chamber (1) while maintaining a closed circuit for reagent and gas displaced by the pump between the chamber and the container.

Tissue processing apparatus

A cytocentrifuge especially suitable for centrifugation of materials requiring handling under conditions of containment is characterized by a plurality of holders each adapted to retain an individual sample chamber in juxtaposition to a receiving surface with interposed filter/seal and removable as a unit from the rotating carrier of the machine. The holder is preferably adapted to be supported tiltingly by the carrier so as only under centrifugal force to permit a sample to contact the receiving surface and while this is perpendicular to the centrifugal load on the sample. The carrier is preferably an apertured plate removable from a drive hub for cleansing and sterilization, and the drive hub forms part of a sealable head assembly of containment bowl and removable cover, the head assembly being removable as a unit for loading/unloading under containment conditions.

Cytocentrifuge

Viscous fluids are dispensed intermittently in regulated quantities from a body of such a fluid held under maintained pressure and under the control of a control valve in a fluid flow path positioned at a significant distance upstream of a discharge point, the flow path between the control valve and the discharge point having its contained volume adjusted in coordination with operation of the control valve so that as the valve closes the volume is increased to prevent exudation of fluid at the discharge point.

Dispensing viscous fluids

Holder for microscope slides

A dispenser for thin flat rigid articles such as glass cover slips for microscope slides comprises a magazine for a stack of such articles and a dispensing block carrying the magazine and reciprocable relative to a spring blade running in a groove in the top of the block and under the magazine. The depth of the grooves changes so that the front of the blade rises as it travels in the groove, under the magazine, from a projection less than the thickness of article to a projection greater than that thickness, so as to engage and push only the lowermost article under a resilient barrier that restrains other articles in the stack. Also disclosed is an automatic microscope slide coverslipping machine incorporating the dispenser.

Growing community of inventors

Liverpool, United Kingdom

Alan J Gordon