US3777283A

US3777283A - Transparent slide for the examination of liquid specimens

Info

Publication number: US3777283A
Application number: US00246203A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Elkins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-04-21
Filing date: 1972-04-21
Publication date: 1973-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 1990-12-04
Also published as: DE2318837C2; JPS4922955A; CH551017A; IT987086B; JPS5247892B2; CA973740A; GB1394476A; US3777283B1; DE2318837A1; NL7305337A; FR2181340A5

Abstract

A transparent plastic slide having a plurality of covered examination chambers defined between generally parallel and uniformly spaced sidewalls integral with the slide, to hold specimen liquid in layers of substantially uniform depth for examination. Each chamber is formed as a laterally opening pocket having a semi-circular edge wall and an open side facing toward one edge of the slide, and a channel extends from each open side to the edge of the slide. The sidewalls are sufficiently close together to cause specimen liquid to be drawn into, and to fill, the chamber by capillary action when a quantity of the liquid is placed in the channel at the open side, such capillary action being sufficient to hold the liquid in the chamber when the edge of the slide is tapped gently against a suitable surface to remove excess liquid from the channel.

Claims

1. A slide for use in the examination of liquid specimens of urine, spinal fluid, sputum, blood or the like, said slide comprising: an elongated rectangular plate of thin and relatively stiff transparent plastic having flat upper and lower surfaces; a plurality of examination chambers spaced apart longitudinally of said plate in the central portion thereof and each having an open side spaced a substantial distance from, and facing toward, one longitudinal edge of the plate, each of said chambers being defined by top and bottom sidewalls that are generally parallel to each other and to said upper and lower surfaces, and a semi-circular edge wall between said sidewalls and extending around the chamber from one end of said open side to the other end thereof, said sidewalls and said edge wall being integral with said plate; an open-topped channel extending from each of said open sides across the plate to said one longitudinal edge thereof, and defined by extensions of said bottom sidewall and the opposite end portions of said edge wall, said top sidewalls having free edges overlying said open sides of said chambers; and the spacing of said sidewalls being substantially uniform and within the range of 0.004 to 0.020 of an inch, whereby specimen liquid placed in a channel at the open side of a chamber will be drawn into and held in the chamber by capillary action, and excess liquid can be removed from the channel by tapping said longitudinal edge gently against a surface without removing the liquid from the chamber.

2. A slide as defined in claim 1 wherein said spacing of said sidewalls at said open side is within the range of 0.004 to 0.012 of an inch.

3. A slide as defined in claim 1 wherein said slide is of a one-piece plastic molding with said top walls, said sidewalls and said edge wall integral with the remainder of the slide.

4. A slide for use in the examination of liquid specimens, said slide comprising: a thin flat plate having flat side surfaces; at least one examination chamber defined in said plate as a thin, flat pocket having an open side spaced a substantial distance from, and facing toward, one edge of said plate, said chamber being defined between two generally parallel and uniformly spaced sidewalls formed by said plate, and an edge wall extending between said sidewalls, at least one of said sidewalls being transparent; one of said sidewalls having a free edge overlying said open side, and the other of said sidewalls extending beyond said open side to said one edge and forming a supporting surface for receiving a quantity of specimen liquid to be examined; and the space betwen said sidewalls being within the range of 0.004 to 0.020 of an inch and sufficiently narrow to cause the liquid to be drawn into and held in the chamber by capillary action.

5. A slide as defined in claim 4 wherein said edge wall is smoothly curved around said chamber.

6. A slide as defined in claim 5 wherein said plate is of elongated rectangular shape, and a plurality of identical examination chambers are formed in said plate in longitudinally spaced relation thereon, with a channel extending from the open side of each chamber to said edge, the extension of said other sidewall of each of said chambers forming the bottom of a channel.

7. A slide as defined in claim 4 wherein said plastic is a type having high wettability.

8. A slide as defined in claim 4 wherein said sidewalls diverge slightly at a preselected angle toward said open side.