Method for feeding a sample or cutting knife into a cutting plane of a microtome

US6634268B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Bernd Guenther · Zeven, DE
• Siegbert Holtermueller · Heidelberg, DE
• Andreas Laudat · Meckesheim, DE
• Rolf Metzner · Dossenheim, DE
• Roland Walter · Tiefenbronn, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 1, 2001
• Grant date: Oct 21, 2003
• Expiry date: Feb 1, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T83/6667
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for cutting sections from a specimen using a microtome wherein a cutting knife or specimen is advanced by an advancing carriage into a sectioning plane of a disk microtome. The advancing carriage is moved by a motor drive in order to bring the specimen into contact with an area sensor. When the specimen comes into contact with the area sensor, the position of the motor drive is determined and is compared with a stored position of the sectioning plane. The stored position is previously determined by manually locating the position drive motor when the specimen contacts the area sensor. Control signals for the motor drive are calculated from the two position values, and the advancing carriage is advanced into the sectioning plane by the motor drive taking these control signals into account.