Punch-changing tissue array instrument
AssigneeBeecher Instruments
InventorStephen B. Leighton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Arrays of biological tissue can be created by removing cores from regions of interest in a series of donor blocks of embedded tissues. The cores removed are placed in a regular array in a recipient block. This is typically done with two different punches, one for obtaining the cores of interest and the other for creating the receiving holes in the recipient block. The present invention comprises such a system including a single z axis, with a mechanism for automatically changing two or more punches in and out of a holder on the z axis.
Claims14
An instrument for constructing arrays of tissue in a recipient block, the instrument comprising:
- first and second punch units, each punch unit comprising a punch including a punch hub and a stylet including a stylet hub,
- means for holding at least one donor block,
- means for holding at least one recipient block,
- gripper means for releasably precisely holding one of said punches at a time,
- means associated with said gripper for moving said stylet hub relative to said punch hub,
- means for precisely moving and positioning said punch hub relative to at least one of said donor and recipient block holders,
- wherein said gripper means is adapted for receiving, moving, and releasing said punches individually.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.