1-41. (canceled)
42. An apparatus for processing a biological sample, the apparatus comprising:
a container comprising a bottom plate and at least three side walls, wherein the bottom plate is configured to receive at least one sample carrier and include a gravitational drain;
a block enclosed within the container, the block comprising a sample side surface arranged substantially parallel to the bottom plate of the container, wherein the block is movable within the container in relation to the sample carrier; and
a liquid supply configured to supply an amount of a liquid to the biological sample; and
wherein the container and the block define a processing chamber having an adjustable volume by changing a distance of the sample side surface of the block from the bottom plate of the container.
43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the bottom plate slopes at an angle between 0 degrees and 90 degrees with a horizontal plane on which the apparatus is disposed.
44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the sample side surface of the block is arranged parallel to the bottom plate of the container when the block is moved in relation to the sample carrier.
45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the liquid supply is positioned at an upper end of the processing chamber such that the liquid is supplied from the liquid supply to flow through the processing chamber at a rate determined by gravity and capillary forces.
46. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising an automated mixing apparatus configured to mix content within the processing chamber by moving the sample side surface relative to the sample carrier.
47. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising an automatic distance changing apparatus configured to change the distance between the sample carrier and the sample side surface.
48. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising a lid arranged at the container to enclose the sample carrier and the block during processing of the biological sample positioned on the sample carrier.
49. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising a reservoir arranged at a surface of the lid and positioned to face the block, the reservoir being configured to control the humidity within the processing chamber during processing of the biological sample.
50. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising a temperature control element configured to variably control the processing temperature according to processing steps in protocols for in-situ-hybridization, immunohistochemistry, or special staining procedure.
51. A method for processing a biological sample, comprising:
inserting a sample carrier holding the biological sample into a container comprising a bottom plate and at least three side walls;
positioning a block within the container such that a sample side surface of the block is arranged substantially parallel to the bottom plate of the container and the sample carrier, wherein a processing chamber is defined between the container and the block, the processing chamber having an adjustable volume by changing a distance of the sample side surface of the block from the bottom plate of the container;
supplying an amount of a liquid to the biological sample; and
draining a portion of the liquid from the processing chamber via a gravitational drain formed in the bottom plate.
52. The method of claim 51, wherein the bottom plate forms an angle between 0 degrees and 90 degrees with a horizontal plane on which the container is disposed.
53. The method of claim 51, wherein supplying the amount of the liquid to the biological sample comprises releasing the liquid at an upper end of the processing chamber such that the liquid is supplied from a liquid supply to flow through the processing chamber at a rate determined by gravity and capillary forces.
54. The method of claim 51, further comprising mixing the liquid within the processing chamber by moving the sample side surface relative to the sample carrier.
55. The method of claim 51, further comprising positioning the block such that a planar elevation formed on the sample side surface covers at least a part of the biological sample.
56. The method of claim 55, further comprising sealing an outer boundary of the planar elevation such that liquid supplied to the biological sample is retained within a space defined by the outer boundary of the planar elevation and the part of the biological sample.
57. The method of claim 51, further comprising installing a lid arranged on the container to enclose the sample carrier and the block during processing of the biological sample.
58. The method of claim 57, further comprising controlling the humidity within the processing chamber during processing of the biological sample by way of a reservoir arranged at a surface of the lid that faces the block.
59. A method for processing a biological sample, comprising:
inserting a sample carrier holding the biological sample into a container comprising a bottom plate and at least three side walls;
positioning a block within the container such that a sample side surface of the block is arranged substantially parallel to the bottom plate of the container and the sample carrier;
forming a processing chamber between the container and the block, the processing chamber having an adjustable volume by changing a distance of the sample side surface of the block from the bottom plate of the container.
60. The method of claim 59, further comprising:
releasing an amount of a liquid to the biological sample; and
draining a portion of the liquid from the processing chamber via a gravitational drain formed in the bottom plate.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An expanding device for expanding an adhesive sheet with respect to a plate-like article stuck to said adhesive sheet, mounted to a ring-shaped frame through said adhesive sheet, and diced into individual chips, after the dicing to increase spacings between the individual chips, said expanding device comprising:
a conveying device which conveys said plate-like article from a dicing area to a different area without said plate-like article being detached from a chuck stage after the dicing of said plate-like article;
an expanding device which expands said adhesive sheet with said plate-like article being mounted to said frame; and
an expansion maintaining device which maintains an expanded state of said adhesive sheet with the spacings between individual chips unchanged and with said plate-like article being mounted to the frame, wherein
said expanding device includes:
a ring-shaped pressure member which is movable perpendicular to the adhesive sheet and placed near a circumference of the adhesive sheet on which the frame and the wafer plate-like article are not stuck;
a ring-shaped housing having an annular groove sized for receiving the pressure member, the ring-shaped housing being movable perpendicular to the adhesive sheet and being positioned facing the pressure member and intercalated adhesive sheet;
a driver which is adapted to drive the ring-shaped housing to abut against the adhesive sheet and to drive the ring-shaped pressing member into the groove in the ring-shaped housing pushing the adhesive sheet therewith to form the adhesive sheet with an annular protrusion surrounding the chips and which is also adapted to drive the ring-shaped pressure member to remove it from the groove with the annular protrusion left in the groove until the annular protrusion is pinched and secured, and
a pressure reducing device which is adapted for reducing pressure in the groove of the ring-shaped housing and for sucking the annular protrusion of the adhesive sheet into the groove so as to retain the protrusion in the groove with the ring-shaped pressing member removed, and
said expansion maintaining device is adapted for expanding pinching and securing a base of said annular protrusion to maintain the expanded state of said adhesive sheet.
2. The expanding device according to claim 1, wherein said expanding device has means for expanding said adhesive sheet without said plate-like article being detached from said chuck stage after the dicing of said plate-like article,
wherein said conveying device conveys said plate-like article together with said chuck stage from a dicing area to a different area in said dicing device with the expanded state of said adhesive sheet being temporarily maintained, and
wherein said expansion maintaining device is provided in said different area, and pinches and secures the base of the loose part that is formed in the portion of said adhesive sheet where the expanded state is not maintained.
3. The expanding device according to claim 1, wherein
said expanding device is adapted for expanding said adhesive sheet in said different area in said dicing device,
said expansion maintaining device pinches and secures the base of the loose part formed in the portion of said adhesive sheet where the expanded state is not temporarily maintained.
4. The expanding device according to claim 1, wherein said expansion maintaining device includes a welding tool which welds the base of the loose part.
5. The expanding device according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation device which is adapted to rotate the chuck stage with respect to the expansion maintaining device while the annular protrusion is pinched and secured by the expansion maintaining device.
6. The expanding device according to claim 1, wherein the driver is adapted to drive the ring-shaped housing in a direction away from the adhesive sheet after the annular protrusion is pinched and secured.