Cassette changing device
AssigneeLeica Bisosystems Nussloch GmbH
InventorChristoph Schmitt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cassette changing device for a microtome has a housing having a loading opening, a transfer opening and an unloading opening. The openings are arranged with respect to each other linearly in the housing. A slide is disposed in the housing linearly movably between a first position and a second position and has a first receiving compartment and a second receiving compartment. The first and second compartments are aligned with respect to each other so that, in the first position of the slide, the first compartment and the second compartment are respectively aligned with a first two of the openings and, in the second position of the slide, the first compartment and the second compartment are respectively aligned with a second two of the openings.
Claims10
A cassette changing device for a microtome, comprising:
- a) a housing having a loading opening, a transfer opening and an unloading opening, the openings being arranged with respect to each other linearly in the housing;
- and
- b) a slide disposed in the housing linearly movably between a first position and a second position and having a first receiving compartment and a second receiving compartment aligned with respect to each other so that, in the first position of the slide, the first compartment and the second compartment are respectively aligned with a first two of the openings and, in the second position of the slide, the first compartment and the second compartment are respectively aligned with a second two of the openings.
A method of changing a cassette in a microtome, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a housing having a loading opening, a transfer opening and an unloading opening, the openings being arranged with respect to each other linearly in the housing;
- b) providing a slide linearly movable in the housing between a first position and a second position and having a first receiving compartment and a second receiving compartment aligned with respect to each other so that, in the first position of the slide, the first compartment is aligned opposite the loading opening, and the second compartment is aligned opposite the transfer opening, and in the second position of the slide, the first compartment is aligned opposite the transfer opening and the second compartment is aligned opposite the unloading opening;
- c) in the first position of the slide, filling the first receiving compartment with a first cassette through the loading opening;
- d) following step (c), moving the slide into the second position and moving the first cassette from the first receiving compartment through the transfer opening to the microtome;
- e) following step (d), moving the slide into the first position, filling the first receiving compartment with a second cassette and, after the microtome processes the first cassette, moving the first cassette into the second receiving compartment;
- f) following step (e), moving the slide into the second position, moving the first cassette from the second receiving compartment through the unloading opening, and moving the second cassette from the first receiving compartment through the transfer opening to the microtome;
- and
- g) following step (f), moving the slide into the first position, filling the first receiving compartment with a third cassette and, after the microtome processes the second cassette, moving the second cassette into the second receiving compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.