Microtome blade guard with integrated blade alignment device
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11898945-B2
Publication Date
2024-02-13
Expiration Date
Abstract
A microtome blade guard including a first arm operable to be coupled to a first side of a cutting mechanism of a microtome; a second arm operable to be coupled to a second side of a cutting mechanism; a lateral support member disposed between the first arm and the second arm; and a staff coupled to the lateral support member and operable to extend therefrom to engage a blade positioned in the blade slot. A microtome including a blade guard and a method including placing a blade in a blade slot of a blade block of a microtome; engaging the blade with a staff coupled to a blade guard that is coupled to the blade block; and moving the blade with the staff.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a microtome blade guard that includes a first arm and a second arm and a lateral support member disposed between the first arm and the second arm. When the blade guard is coupled to a cutting mechanism, the lateral support member is positioned adjacent a blade slot of the cutting mechanism. The guard further includes a staff having a head and an end, with a length coupled to the lateral support member between the first arm and the second arm and oriented perpendicular to the lateral support member.
The staff is operable to move between a retracted position and an engagement position by an application of force to the head of the staff. In the retracted position, the head of the staff is separated from the lateral support member by a first distance, and in the engagement position the separation is reduced to a second distance that is less than the first distance. The staff is biased to the retracted position, and this motion is used to engage a blade positioned in the blade slot.
In related embodiments, the staff comprises a magnetic-field-producing portion and the blade is engaged via magnetic attraction. The lateral support member can be implemented as one or more rods or a plate/sheet, and the staff can move laterally along a length portion of the lateral support member.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims. Across these claims, there are 3 core inventive elements: a pivoting-arm blade guard with a lateral support member adjacent a blade slot, a force-actuated staff that moves from a biased retracted position to an engagement position with reduced head-to-support spacing, and a microtome architecture that combines the blade block/sample holder vertical drive with the described staff-based blade guard.
Pivoting-arm blade guard with lateral support adjacent blade slot
A microtome blade guard comprising a first arm operable to be coupled to a first side of a cutting mechanism, a second arm operable to be coupled to a second side, and a lateral support member disposed between the first and second arms such that when coupled the lateral support member is operable to be positioned adjacent a blade slot of the cutting mechanism.
Force-actuated biased staff with reduced separation in engagement position
A staff comprising a head and an end with a length coupled to the lateral support member and oriented perpendicular to a length of the lateral support, operable to be moved from a retracted position where the head is separated from the lateral support by a first distance to an engagement position where the head is separated by a second distance less than the first distance by an application of a force to the head, wherein the staff is biased to the retracted position.
Microtome with vertical drive and staff-based blade guard engaging blade in blade slot
A microtome comprising a blade block defining a blade slot and supporting a blade, a sample holder to hold a sample, a drive system driving a vertical movement of one relative to the other, and a blade guard having a staff coupled to a lateral support member between pivotally coupled first and second arms on opposite sides of the blade block, where the staff is movable from a retracted position toward the blade slot to an engagement position to engage a blade positioned in the blade slot at a point between the first side and the second side, with the staff biased to the retracted position.
Collectively, the independent claims cover a microtome blade guard that positions a lateral support adjacent the blade slot using pivoting arms, and uses a staff that is biased to a retracted position and moves under applied force to an engagement position that reduces the head-to-lateral-support distance to engage a blade. The second independent claim further integrates this guard into a microtome having a blade block and sample holder with a drive system for relative vertical movement and specifies staff engagement of the blade in the blade slot between blade-block sides.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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