# US 11,112,337 B2 · Microtome with generator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,112,337 B2 - Document ID: US11112337B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/811,474 - Filed: 2017-11-13 - Published: 2018-05-17 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-14 - Assignees: Sakura Finetek U.S.A., Inc. - Applicants: Sakura Finetek U.S.A., Inc. - Inventors: Xuan S. Bui; Alyicia Marie Rios; Erico Von Bueren - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112337B2 ## CPC - G01N 1/06: providing a thin slice, e.g. microtome - B26D 7/015: {for sheet material or piles of sheets (B26D7/018 and B26D7/02 take precedence)} - B26D 7/27: Means for performing other operations combined with cutting (B26D9/00 takes precedence) - H05B 45/10: Controlling the intensity of the light - H05B 45/12: using optical feedback - G01N 21/255: {Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems} - G01N 2001/061: {Blade details} - G01N 2001/065: {Drive details} - G01N 2001/066: {electric} - G01N 2001/068: {Illumination means} - G01N 2001/315: {Basket-type carriers for tissues} - G01N 2201/0627: Use of several LED's for spectral resolution - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04) - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A sample sectioning device including a cutting mechanism that is operable to cut sections from a sample, a sample holder operable to move relative to the cutting mechanism, the sample holder having a first side and a second side, the first side faces the cutting mechanism and is dimensioned to receive a sample, a light source coupled to the sample holder, wherein the light source is operable to emit a light from the first side of the sample holder and through a sample positioned on the first side, and a generator operable to generate an electrical energy for providing power to the light source. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sample sectioning device comprising: a cutting mechanism that is operable to cut sections from a sample; a sample holder operable to move relative to the cutting mechanism, the sample holder comprising a sample receiving portion having a first side and a second side, the first side faces the cutting mechanism and has a sample receiving surface dimensioned to receive a sample, the sample receiving portion comprising a cavity defined by an opening to the sample receiving surface and a base opposite the opening that defines a depth of the cavity that is less than a thickness of the sample receiving portion; a light source coupled to the sample holder and disposed in the cavity in a manner to be mounted in a plane defined by the sample receiving surface, wherein any light emitted by the light source is emitted directly through a sample received on the first side; and a generator operable to generate an electrical energy for providing power to the light source. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sample sectioning device of claim 1 wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sample sectioning device of claim 1 wherein the sample holder comprises a flexible circuit operable to provide an electrical connection between the light source and the electrical energy generated by the generator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sample sectioning device of claim 1 wherein the generator is operable to generate electrical energy by converting a mechanical movement of a hand wheel for driving movement of the sample holder into an electrical energy for providing power to the light source. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sample sectioning device of claim 1 wherein the generator is operable to generate electrical energy by converting sunlight into an electrical energy for providing power to the light source. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sample sectioning device of claim 1 wherein the generator is a piezoelectric generator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sample sectioning device of claim 1 wherein the generator comprises a stepper motor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sample sectioning device of claim 1 further comprising an energy storage device for storing an energy generated by the generator for use by the light source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sample sectioning device of claim 1 further comprising a controller for controlling one of a brightness or a wavelength of the light emitted from the light source. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The sample sectioning device of claim 9 wherein the controller modifies the brightness of the light based upon a characteristic of the sample. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The sample sectioning device of claim 10 wherein the controller modifies the wavelength of the light based upon a characteristic of the sample. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The sample sectioning device of claim 1 further comprising an alarm to alert a user when the device is performing a cutting operation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The sample sectioning device of claim 1 further comprising: a lock operable to lock a hand wheel associated with the cutting mechanism, and wherein the light source is illuminated when the hand wheel is locked. ### Claim 14 A sample sectioning device comprising: a cutting mechanism that is operable to cut sections from a sample; a sample holder comprising a mounting portion and a sample receiving portion, the sample receiving portion having a sample receiving surface operable to receive a sample, the sample receiving portion comprising a cavity defined by an opening to the sample receiving surface and a base opposite the opening that defines a depth of the cavity that is less than a thickness of the sample receiving portion; an electronic component comprising a light source disposed in the cavity and mounted in a plane defined by the sample receiving surface, wherein any light emitted by the light source is emitted directly through a sample received on the sample receiving surface; a hand wheel operable to cause the sample holder to move with respect to the cutting mechanism during a cutting operation; and a generator operable to generate an electrical energy for providing power to the electronic component. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The sample sectioning device of claim 14 wherein the generator is operable to generate electrical energy by converting a mechanical movement of the hand wheel into an electrical energy for providing power to the electronic component. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The sample sectioning device of claim 14 wherein the generator is operable to generate electrical energy by converting sunlight into an electrical energy for providing power to the electronic component. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The sample sectioning device of claim 14 further comprising an energy storage device for storing an energy generated by the generator for use by the electronic component. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The sample sectioning device of claim 14 wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED), and wherein one of an intensity or a color of the LED is operable to be modified. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The sample sectioning device of claim 14 wherein the electronic component further comprises an alarm operable to indicate to a user whether the cutting operation is being performed. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The sample sectioning device of claim 14 wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED) chip, and the microtome further comprises an alarm operable to alert a user that the microtome is performing a cutting operation.