Cassette stack having cassettes for histological preparations

Abstract

A cassette stack ( 1 ) made up of individual plastic cassettes ( 2 ) connected detachably to one another, which are provided for the processing of histological preparations for subsequent section preparation, is described. The cassette stack ( 1 ) is insertable into a stack magazine ( 3 ) of a printing system, and the individual cassettes ( 2 ) are connected to one another via at least one adhesive tape ( 4 ) and/or via at least one weld seam ( 5 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cassette stack made up of individual plastic cassettes connected detachably to one another, which are provided for the processing of histological preparations for subsequent section preparation, the cassette stack being insertable into a stack magazine of a printing system, 
 wherein the individual cassettes are connected to one another by at least one of adhesive tape and a weld seam.    
     
     
         2 . The cassette stack as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the cassettes have a rectangularly configured bottom surface having peripheral lateral surfaces, and the cassettes arranged one above another are arranged with a displacement with respect to one another in the longitudinal direction.  
     
     
         3 . The cassette stack as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the cassettes are arranged in the cassette stack at an angle of at least 20° with respect to horizontal when the cassette stack extends in a vertical direction.  
     
     
         4 . The cassette stack as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the cassettes are arranged in the cassette stack at an angle of at least 20° with respect to horizontal when the cassette stack extends in a vertical direction.  
     
     
         5 . The cassette stack as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one adhesive tape is arranged on at least one of the lateral surfaces and is configured so it can be pulled off the cassettes in residue-free fashion.  
     
     
         6 . The cassette stack as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive tape is configured so that it can be severed and partially pulled off the cassette stack.  
     
     
         7 . The cassette stack as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the weld seam is produced by a heated wire.  
     
     
         8 . A combination comprising: 
 a cassette stack comprising a plurality of individual plastic cassettes connected detachably to one another, said cassettes being provided for the processing of histological preparations for subsequent section preparation; and    a stack magazine of a printing system, said cassette stack being insertable into said stack magazine;    wherein said cassettes in said cassette stack are connected to one another by at least one of adhesive tape and a weld seam, and said stack magazine has on at least one side an elongated slot;    whereby said adhesive tape can be pulled off said cassette stack through said slot when said cassette stack is residing in said stack magazine.    
     
     
         9 . The combination as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said cassettes have a rectangular bottom surface having a longitudinal dimension, and said stack magazine has an interior dimension corresponding to, but less than, said longitudinal dimension of said bottom surface.  
     
     
         10 . The combination as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said cassette stack is configured to be obliquely insertable into said stack magazine.  
     
     
         11 . The combination as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the cassettes are arranged in the stack magazine at an angle of at least 15° relative to a bottom of said stack magazine when said at least one of adhesive tape and a weld seam is removed from said cassette stack.