Vacuum system for cryostats
US5255585A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 1991 |
| Grant date | Oct 26, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 19, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T83/242
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A vacuum system for removal of debris in the form of shavings, particles, or the like has been developed for use inside of a cryostat to evacuate and collect such material as it is generated during specimen preparation using a microtome, also inside of the cryostat. The system includes a vacuum assembly unit containing a vacuum collection nozzle having a suction duct. The cold assembly unit is moveably positioned adjacent to the microtome knife so that debris is suctioned away and removed concurrent with or immediately after its production during cryotomy, and is captured in a cold primary filter. The frozen debris does not melt, but remains rigid while it freeze-dries and is trapped on the filter as cold air flows over and through it, thereby maintaining the collected waste material in a very porous state. This porosity permits the collection of a large volume of debris without clogging the cold filter, in contrast to the rapid clogging which occurs when such frozen debris melts, is suctioned into, collapses within, dries and seals off the pores of a warm filter. When required, the collection nozzle and attached assembly unit can be moveably positioned out of the way of the microt…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.