Abstract: An article supplying device is provided. The article supplying device has a conveyance portion for conveying conveyed objects, and a movable block. The movable block includes a housing portion capable of housing one conveyed object at a receiving position in which the housing portion communicates with a downstream end of the conveyance portion. The movable block is capable of a reciprocal movement in a direction intersecting a receiving direction of the conveyed objects. Moreover, the movable block includes a biting preventing portion for pushing back a subsequent conveyed object entered into the housing portion after the conveyed object having been housed in the housing portion toward the conveyance portion.

Abstract: This article supply method comprises: a step for introducing, using a movable block capable of reciprocating between a first position and a second position, a single object to be conveyed into a housing portion formed on the movable block when the movable block is in the first position; a forward step for pressing the movable block from the first position in a range of motion of the movable block while vacuum-sucking the movable block from the second position in the range of motion of the movable block, and then continuing the vacuum-sucking from the second position and moving the movable block to the second position; a step for discharging the object to be conveyed from the housing portion when the movable block is in the second position; and a return step for vacuum-sucking the movable block from the first position and moving the movable block to the first position.

Abstract: An article supplying device is provided. The article supplying device has a conveyance portion for conveying conveyed objects, and a movable block. The movable block includes a housing portion capable of housing one conveyed object at a receiving position in which the housing portion communicates with a downstream end of the conveyance portion. The movable block is capable of a reciprocal movement in a direction intersecting a receiving direction of the conveyed objects. Moreover, the movable block includes a biting preventing portion for pushing back a subsequent conveyed object entered into the housing portion after the conveyed object having been housed in the housing portion toward the conveyance portion.

Abstract: This article supply method comprises: a step for introducing, using a movable block capable of reciprocating between a first position and a second position, a single object to be conveyed into a housing portion formed on the movable block when the movable block is in the first position; a forward step for pressing the movable block from the first position in a range of motion of the movable block while vacuum-sucking the movable block from the second position in the range of motion of the movable block, and then continuing the vacuum-sucking from the second position and moving the movable block to the second position; a step for discharging the object to be conveyed from the housing portion when the movable block is in the second position; and a return step for vacuum-sucking the movable block from the first position and moving the movable block to the first position.

Abstract: An article supply device has: a transport part that transports transported objects, and a movable block. The movable block is provided with a storage part that can store one of the transported objects in a reception position that communicates with a downstream end of the transport part. The movable block is capable of reciprocal movement in a direction that intersects the reception direction of the transported object. At one end of the reciprocal movement, the storage part is in the reception position. At the other end of the reciprocal movement, the storage part is in a dispensation or retrieval position from which the transported object can be dispensed or retrieved.

Abstract: An article supply device has: a transport part that transports transported objects, and a movable block. The movable block is provided with a storage part that can store one of the transported objects in a reception position that communicates with a downstream end of the transport part. The movable block is capable of reciprocal movement in a direction that intersects the reception direction of the transported object. At one end of the reciprocal movement, the storage part is in the reception position. At the other end of the reciprocal movement, the storage part is in a dispensation or retrieval position from which the transported object can be dispensed or retrieved.

Abstract: To improve the freedom in material selection of cutter while suppressing increase in loads on the operator, a sliced specimen preparing apparatus of the present invention includes a cutter storage section storing a plurality of cutters, a specimen block cutting unit holding a cutter and slicing a surface layer of a specimen block, and a cutter transfer unit transferring a cutter stored in the cutter storage section to the specimen block cutting unit and replacing the cutter held by the specimen block cutting unit, the specimen block cutting unit is movable between a sliceable position where a blade edge of the cutter is oriented obliquely downward and a replacement position where the blade edge of the cutter is horizontally or oriented obliquely upward, and the cutter transfer unit replaces the cutter held by the specimen block cutting unit when the specimen block cutting unit is located at the replacement position.

Abstract: In a method for automatically detecting degenerated regions in many stained thin section specimens (40), color region information is obtained on a degenerated region and on a non-degenerated region on image data of a standard specimen in a stained thin section slide. Next, color region information is obtained on a non-degenerated region on image data of a specimen. Next, the image data of the specimen is compared with the image data of the standard specimen to calculate a color correction quantity to match tone and brightness of the non-degenerated region in the specimen with the counterparts in the non-degenerated region in the standard specimen, and the image data of the specimen is corrected with the color correction quantity. Next, a degenerated region is extracted in the corrected image data of the specimen based on the color region information in the standard specimen.

Abstract: In a method for automatically detecting degenerated regions in many stained thin section specimens (40), color region information is obtained on a degenerated region and on a non-degenerated region on image data of a standard specimen in a stained thin section slide. Next, color region information is obtained on a non-degenerated region on image data of a specimen. Next, the image data of the specimen is compared with the image data of the standard specimen to calculate a color correction quantity to match tone and brightness of the non-degenerated region in the specimen with the counterparts in the non-degenerated region in the standard specimen, and the image data of the specimen is corrected with the color correction quantity. Next, a degenerated region is extracted in the corrected image data of the specimen based on the color region information in the standard specimen.