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US 5,461,953 AGranted
Multi-dimension microtome sectioning device
OwnerJames B. McCormickinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for cutting tissue sections from an organic tissue specimen to generate multiple tissue ribbons having any desired section sequencing. A three-dimensional microtome which allows relative movement between the tissue specimen and the cutting blade in three dimensions is used to generate the tissue ribbons. Preferably, the three-dimensional microtome also includes an advanceable cutting blade capable of being conveniently advanced in the direction along its length to provide a fresh cutting edge to the cutting area of the microtome.
Claims26
A method for generating parallel tissue ribbons from an organic tissue specimen comprising:
- (a) providing a base;
- (b) providing a cutting blade mounted on the base for cutting sections from the tissue specimen;
- (c) providing a tissue specimen holder mounted on the base for holding a tissue specimen;
- (d) shifting the tissue holder relative to the cutting blade in a first direction to cause the cutting of a first tissue section from the tissue specimen at a first cutting location;
- (e) shifting the specimen holder relative to the cutting blade in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to present a second section of the tissue specimen for cutting at a second cutting location spaced in the second direction from the first cutting location to cut a second tissue section;
- and
- (f) shifting the tissue specimen in a third direction to bring the tissue specimen over the cutting blade to cut an additional tissue section joined to the first tissue section to form a first tissue ribbon with multiple tissue ribbon sections and to bring the tissue specimen to cut an additional tissue section joined to the second tissue section to form a second tissue ribbon.
4 more elements
A method for generating a plurality of section sequenced tissue ribbons from an organic tissue specimen using a microtome having three-dimensional movement for sectioning tissue specimens, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a base;
- (b) providing a cutting blade mounted on the base and having a length parallel to a Z axis;
- (c) providing a holding means connected to the base for holding the organic tissue specimen to be cut by the cutting blade;
- (d) driving the organic tissue specimen along an X axis perpendicular to the Z axis to cut a section of tissue from the tissue specimen at a first cutting position;
- (e) driving the organic tissue specimen along a Y axis perpendicular to the X and Z axes to present a next section of the tissue specimen to be cut;
- (f) driving the tissue specimen along the Z axis to reposition the tissue specimen at a location spaced in the Z direction from the first cutting position.
3 more elements
A method for generating a plurality of section sequenced tissue ribbons from an organic tissue specimen using a microtome having a cutting blade whose length is oriented along a z axis, the method comprising:
- (a) cutting a desired number of sections of the organic tissue specimen at a first position along the length of the cutting blade;
- (b) providing relative movement between the organic tissue specimen and the cutting blade in the direction parallel to the length of the cutting blade to arrive at a next desired cutting position along the length of the cutting blade;
- (c) cutting a desired number of sections of the organic tissue specimen at the next desired cutting position;
- (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) a desired number of times,
- wherein the relative movement required in step (b) is provided by traversing the organic tissue specimen along the length of the cutting blade in the Z direction while holding the cutting blade stationary.
2 more elements
A microtome for generating parallel tissue ribbons from an organic tissue specimen comprising:
- (a) a base;
- (b) a cutting blade mounted on the base for cutting sections from the tissue specimen;
- (c) a tissue specimen holder mounted on the base for holding a tissue specimen;
- (d) means on the base for shifting the tissue holder relative to the cutting blade in a first direction to cause the cutting of a first tissue section from the tissue specimen at a first cutting location;
- (e) means on the base for shifting the specimen holder relative to the cutting blade in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to present a second section of the tissue specimen for cutting at a second cutting location spaced in the second direction from the first cutting location to cut a second tissue section;
- and
- (f) means on the base to shift the tissue specimen in a third direction to bring the tissue specimen over the cutting blade to cut an additional tissue section joined to the first tissue section to form a first tissue ribbon with multiple tissue ribbon sections and to bring the tissue specimen to cut an additional tissue section joined to the second tissue section to form a second tissue ribbon.
4 more elements
A microtome having three-dimensional movement for sectioning organic tissue specimens comprising:
- (a) a base;
- (b) a cutting blade mounted on the base and having a length parallel to a Z axis;
- (c) a holding means connected to the base for holding the organic tissue specimen to be cut by the cutting blade;
- (d) a first drive means mounted on the base for driving the organic tissue specimen along an X axis perpendicular to the Z axis to cut a section of tissue from the tissue specimen at a first cutting position;
- (e) a second drive means mounted on the base for driving the organic tissue specimen along a Y axis perpendicular to the X and Z axis to present a next section of the tissue specimen to be cut;
- (f) a third drive means mounted on the base for driving the tissue specimen along the Z axis to reposition a next section of the tissue to be cut at a location spaced in the Z direction from the first cutting position.
3 more elements
A microtome for sectioning organic tissue specimens to form multiple tissue sections at adjacent spaced positions comprising:
- (a) a base;
- (b) a cutting blade mounted on the base and including a cutting edge having a length extending in a first direction and capable of being advanced in a direction parallel to its length to expose fresh segments of the cutting edge of the cutting blade to a cutting area of the microtome;
- (c) a holding means mounted on the base for holding the organic tissue specimen to be cut by the cutting blade;
- and
- (d) the means mounted on the base for moving the organic tissue specimen towards and away from the cutting blade and in the first direction to a plurality of different spaced positions along the length of the cutting edge to generate multiple tissue sections at the different spaced positions.
2 more elements
A microtome having three-dimensional movement for sectioning organic tissue specimens comprising:
- (a) a base;
- (b) a cartridge removably mounted on the base;
- (c) a supply spindle and a takeup spindle rotatably supported within the cartridge;
- (d) a cutting blade having ends connected to the supply and takeup spindles, the cutting blade being capable of winding around the supply and takeup spindles and having a cutting portion exposed outside of the cartridge with the cutting portion extending along a longitudinal Z-axis;
- (e) rotating means capable of engaging the supply and takeup spindles for rotating the supply and takeup spindles thereby advancing the cutting blade from the supply spindle to the takeup spindle;
- (f) a holding means mounted on the base for holding the organic tissue specimen to be cut by the cutting blade;
- (g) a first drive means mounted on the base for driving the organic tissue specimen along an X axis perpendicular to the Z axis to cut a section of tissue from the tissue specimen at a first cutting position;
- (h) a second drive means mounted on the base for driving the organic tissue specimen along a Y axis perpendicular to the X and Z axes to present a next section of the tissue specimen to be cut;
- (i) a third drive means mounted on the base for driving the tissue specimen along the Z axis to cut a next section of the tissue at a location spaced in the Z direction from the first cutting position.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.