Method for automatically feeding a specimen to be thinly cut to the knife of a microtome

US8256332B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH · DE

Inventor

• Roland Walter · Tiefenbronn, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 17, 2008
• Grant date: Sep 4, 2012
• Expiry date: Jun 1, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T83/6492
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for the automatic and contact-free relative approach between a specimen (6) and a knife (7) of a microtome (1). A first light beam bundle (9′) forms a detector-side zero point and a last light beam bundle (9″) forms a detector-side end point of a light band (8), the light band (8) being arranged perpendicular to the second spatial direction (Y) and in the direction thereof spaced from the knife, a zero point (X0) being assigned to a reference position of the knife blade (XBlade). The specimen (6) is guided through the light band (8) by way of a cutting movement. The position of the highest point of the specimen (XSpecimen) in the first spatial direction (X) is determined from the number of shaded light beam bundles (9).