Tissue specimen container

#This invention relates to tissue specimen containers for use in the field of pathology.

#In certain pathological procedures biopsy tissue specimens are subjected to microtomic slicing into thin layers for the preparation of slides for microscopic examination. Preliminary to the microtomy the tissue material is commonly subjected to a series of liquid treatment steps and for this purpose the tissue is placed in containers having surface portions of screen material to admit the treating fluid to the interior of the container.

#Conventional containers for this purpose comprise a pair of relatively shallow cup-shaped members, one of which constitutes a cover which telescopes over the other member to close the same. Containers of this type are difficult to open and close and, since some of the tissue material is in the form of very small particles, escape of the material from closed containers of this type is not effectively prevented.

#FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view through one form of the tissue specimen container of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a similar view of another form of the container of the present invention;

#FIG. 3 is a similar view of a still further embodiment of the invention;

#Referring first to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, the numeral 10 designates a main body member which consists of an annulus of magnetic ceramic material or other material providing a permanent magnet. In FIG. 1 the numerals 11 and 12 designate annular end plate members of steel or other material adapted to be magnetically attracted by the annulus 10. The internal diameters of the end members 11 and 12 are such as to provide ledges extending within the opening in body member 10 and screen discs are secured to these ledges as indicated at 13 and 14, respectively. The securement of screen members 13 and 14 to end memebers 11 and 12 may be welding, brazing, soldering, or by the use of any permanent adhesive material.

#In this embodiment the outside diameters of the screen members 13 and 14 fit fairly snugly within the central opening in the body member 10 and thus serves to locate the end members 11 and 12 coaxially with respect to the body member 10. It will be seen that when end member 11 is applied to body member 10 in the same manner as illustrated in the case of end member 12, the several elements form a closed circular container excepting for the access provided by the relatively fine screen surfaces 13 and 14. If desired, only one of the end surfaces need be provided with a screen surface, in which case one of the end members would comprise a solid disc.

#In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 the end plate 12 is provided with circumferentially spaced bumps or protuberances 15. In depositing a number of the containers in a liquid bath of one kind or another it is convenient to stack the containers and the protuberances 15 space the several containers sufficiently to permit liquid access between the facing end members of adjacent containers.