Smear transporting apparatus, smear image capture system, and smear analysis system

Abstract

A smear transporting apparatus transports a smear slide on which a sample is smeared to a smear-image capture apparatus. The smear transporting apparatus includes a smear-container transport part that transports a first smear container accommodating smear slides to a smear pickup position; a smear transfer part that picks a smear slide whose image is to be captured by the smear-image capture apparatus from the first smear container transported to the smear pickup position, transfers the smear slide to the smear-image capture apparatus, and places the smear slide whose image has been captured by the smear-image capture apparatus in a second smear container different from the first smear container; and a storage that stores the first smear container and the second smear container.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A smear transporting apparatus comprising:
 a holder configured to hold and transport a smear slide;   a liquid receiver configured to receive liquid; and   a driver configured to move the liquid receiver so as to receive liquid dropped from the smear slide.   
     
     
         14 . The smear transporting apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the driver is configured to move the liquid receiver horizontally as the holder moves horizontally.   
     
     
         15 . The smear transporting apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the driver is configured to move the liquid receiver horizontally as the holder moves vertically.   
     
     
         16 . The smear transporting apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising an interlocking mechanism that moves the liquid receiver horizontally as the holder moves vertically. 
     
     
         17 . The smear transporting apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the interlocking mechanism comprises a belt connected to both of the liquid receiver and the holder.   
     
     
         18 . The smear transporting apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the belt comprises a horizontal part extending horizontally and a vertical part extending vertically,   the liquid receiver is connected to the horizontal part, and   the holder is connected to the vertical part.   
     
     
         19 . The smear transporting apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the interlocking mechanism moves the liquid receiver from a position under the holder as the holder moves downward, and   the interlocking mechanism moves the liquid receiver to the position under the holder as the holder moves upward.   
     
     
         20 . The smear transporting apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the driver comprises a vertical driver configured to move the holder vertically and a horizontal driver configured to move the holder horizontally.   
     
     
         21 . The smear transporting apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the driver moves the holder holding the smear slide together with the liquid receiver to pass over a first smear container accommodating another smear slide whose image is to be captured, and to be located at a position for inserting the smear slide held by the holder into a second smear container.   
     
     
         22 . A smear image capture system comprising:
 a smear-image capture apparatus that captures an image of a smear slide on which a sample is smeared; and   a smear transporting apparatus that transports the smear slide to the smear-image capture apparatus, wherein   the smear transporting apparatus comprises:
 a holder configured to hold and transport the smear slide whose image has been captured by the smear-image capture apparatus; 
 a liquid receiver configured to receive liquid; and 
 a driver configured to move the liquid receiver so as to receive the liquid dropped from the smear slide. 
   
     
     
         23 . The smear image capture system according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the smear-image capture apparatus captures the image of the smear slide with oil.   
     
     
         24 . The smear image capture system according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the driver is configured to move the liquid receiver horizontally as the holder moves horizontally.   
     
     
         25 . The smear image capture system according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the driver is configured to move the liquid receiver horizontally as the holder moves vertically.   
     
     
         26 . The smear image capture system according to  claim 25 , further comprising an interlocking mechanism that moves the liquid receiver horizontally as the holder moves vertically. 
     
     
         27 . The smear image capture system according to  claim 26 , wherein
 the interlocking mechanism comprises a belt connected to both of the liquid receiver and the holder.   
     
     
         28 . The smear image capture system according to  claim 27 , wherein
 the belt comprises a horizontal part extending horizontally and a vertical part extending vertically,   the liquid receiver is connected to the horizontal part, and   the holder is connected to the vertical part.   
     
     
         29 . The smear image capture system according to  claim 26 , wherein
 the interlocking mechanism moves the liquid receiver from a position under the holder as the holder moves downward, and   the interlocking mechanism moves the liquid receiver to the position under the holder as the holder moves upward.   
     
     
         30 . The smear image capture system according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the driver comprises a vertical driver configured to move the holder vertically and a horizontal driver configured to move the holder horizontally.   
     
     
         31 . The smear image capture system according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the driver moves the holder holding the smear slide together with the liquid receiver to pass over a first smear container accommodating another smear slide whose image is to be captured, and to be located at a position for inserting the smear slide held by the holder into a second smear container.   
     
     
         32 . The smear image capture system according to  claim 22 , wherein the sample is blood.