EP0139424A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for preparing and embedding tissue samples for histological examination
Assignee: Pelam Inc
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Filing: 1984-08-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-08-30
Abstract
Abstract @ Capsules (10) in which histological tissue samples (26) are prepared for embedding and in which the samples are embedded include a first (16) and a second member (14), at least one of the members (16) including a frame that defines an opening. The members have complementary surfaces for establishing peripheral contact between the members around the opening. A porous material (20) is spread across the opening so that when the members are in peripheral contact with each other, a tissue-holding region is defined inward of the porous material. The porous material has a porosity that accesses processing liquids and liquified embedding material, such as molten paraffin, but prevents stray parts of the tissue from floating free 6f the region. Preferably, the second members (14) also comprise a frame defining a second opening and porous material (18) spread across the second opening. Preferably, the capsules having openings in both members are stackable in sealing relationship with one another to provide a central passageway through which processing liquids and liquified embedding material may be passed, thereby permitting simultaneous processing of a plurality of tissue samples. Preferably, one of the frames (14,16), that has an opening covered by a porous material, is adapted to retain a protruding block of solidified embedding material (60) having the tissue sample held outward so that the one frame may be clamped in a microtome chuck (89) and tissue slices shaved from the protruding embedding material.
Inventors
- 👤 James Benjamin Mccormick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 02:47
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N1/00; G01N1/28; G01N1/36; G01N1/30; G01N1/31; G01N2001/315
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A capsule for embedding a tissue sample comprising a first frame defining an opening and a member having sides and a bottom defining a cavity for containing the tissue sample, complementary surfaces on said frame and said member for establishing peripheral contact therebetween, porous material spread across said opening, said fabric material having a porosity sufficient to access tissue processing liquids and liquified embedding material liquids to said cavity while preventing escape of tissue parts from said cavity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
A capsule for embedding a tissue sample comprising a first frame defining an opening and a member having sides and a bottom defining a cavity for containing the tissue sample, complementary surfaces on said frame and said member for establishing peripheral contact therebetween, porous material spread across said opening, said fabric material having a porosity sufficient to access tissue processing liquids and liquified embedding material liquids to said cavity while preventing escape of tissue parts from said cavity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A capsule according to Claim 1, said bottom being porous material accessing processing liquids and liquified embedding material while preventing escape of tissue parts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
A capsule for embedding tissues comprising a mold providing a cavity for receiving a tissue sample and having an open upper end, and a cover adapted to close off said open upper end of said mold, said cover having an opening and a porous material spread across said opening, said porous material having a porosity sufficient to access tissue processing and embedding liquids to said cavity while preventing escape of tissue particles from said cavity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
75 words
A capsule for embedding tissues comprising a mold providing a cavity for receiving a tissue sample and having an open upper end, and a cover adapted to close off said open upper end of said mold, said cover having an opening and a porous material spread across said opening, said porous material having a porosity sufficient to access tissue processing and embedding liquids to said cavity while preventing escape of tissue particles from said cavity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
A capsule according to Claim 3 wherein said cover provides a void region above said porous material which may be filled with tissue embedding material, whereby said capsule may be filled with a liquified embedding material above the level of said porous material so that when the embedding material solidifies, said porous material is embedded in the embedding material, attaching the solidified embedding material to said cover.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A capsule according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein said porous material has a porosity of between about 35% and about 65% and a maximum pore size of 5 microns.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A capsule according to any of Claims 3 to 5 wherein said porous material is a non-woven fabric.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A capsule according to any of Claims 3 to 5 wherein said porous material is non-woven nylon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
180 words
A two-part stackable capsule comprising a mold having a frame defining a mold cavity and having an open upper end and a lower end having substantial open area, said frame having a first upper peripheral sealing surface and a second lower peripheral sealing surface, and a porous material spread across said lower end of said mold cavity to cover said open area, and a cover having a frame defining an interior region and an open upper and an open lower end, said frame having a first upper peripheral surface and a second lower peripheral surface, said first cover surface being complimentary to said second mold surface for sealing peripheral contact with another mold stacked thereontop and said second cover surface being complimentary to said first mold surface for sealing peripheral contact therewith, and a porous material spread across said interior region below the upper end of the frame, said mold porous material and said cover porous material having a porosity conducive to the passage of tissue processing liquids and liquified tissue embedding material but generally impervious to dislodged tissue particles.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
180 words
A two-part stackable capsule comprising a mold having a frame defining a mold cavity and having an open upper end and a lower end having substantial open area, said frame having a first upper peripheral sealing surface and a second lower peripheral sealing surface, and a porous material spread across said lower end of said mold cavity to cover said open area, and a cover having a frame defining an interior region and an open upper and an open lower end, said frame having a first upper peripheral surface and a second lower peripheral surface, said first cover surface being complimentary to said second mold surface for sealing peripheral contact with another mold stacked thereontop and said second cover surface being complimentary to said first mold surface for sealing peripheral contact therewith, and a porous material spread across said interior region below the upper end of the frame, said mold porous material and said cover porous material having a porosity conducive to the passage of tissue processing liquids and liquified tissue embedding material but generally impervious to dislodged tissue particles.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A capsule according to Claim 8 wherein said cover frame is formed of a relatively rigid material, whereas said mold is formed of a resiliently compressible material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A capsule according to Claim 8 or Claim 9 wherein said mold porous material is non-adherent to tissue embedding material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
88 words
A plurality of capsules in accordance with Claim 8 in combination with a upper cover plate, having a lower surface, adapted for peripheral sealing with said first cover surface, and a fluid port, and a lower cover plate having an upper surface, adapted for peripheral sealing with said second mold surface, and a fluid port, whereby said capsules may be stacked together defining an interior passageway between said plates through which liquid may be caused to flow from one of said ports to the other of said ports.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
84 words
In combination a plurality of tissue capsules each having a cavity for containing tissues and means for transporting liquids through said cavity, which liquids prepare the tissue therein for embedding, a plurality of reservoirs containing several processing liquids, means for successively and or concurrently transporting said solvents from said reservoirs through said capsule cavities, means for collecting the liquids transported through said cavities, distillation means for recovering at least one of the transported liquids, and means for returning said distilled liquid to its reservoir.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
84 words
In combination a plurality of tissue capsules each having a cavity for containing tissues and means for transporting liquids through said cavity, which liquids prepare the tissue therein for embedding, a plurality of reservoirs containing several processing liquids, means for successively and or concurrently transporting said solvents from said reservoirs through said capsule cavities, means for collecting the liquids transported through said cavities, distillation means for recovering at least one of the transported liquids, and means for returning said distilled liquid to its reservoir.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
78 words
A combination in accordance with Claim 12 wherein said tissue capsules each have an open lower end across which a porous material is spread, an open upper end across which a porous material is spread, an upper peripheral surface and a lower peripheral surface, a plurality of said capsules being stacked with their peripheral surfaces in sealing contact with peripheral surfaces of adjacent stacked capsules, said stacked capsules defining an interior passageway through which said liquids are transported.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
A combination in accordance with Claim 12 or Claim 13 having means to mix water and a dehydrating solvent and means for controlling the supply of water and dehydrating solvent to said mixing means so that the concentration of the dehydrating solvent of the mixture continuously increases, said distillation means separating the dehydrating solvent from the water.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
A conbination in accordance with any of Claims 12 to 14 having means to transport an organic solvent through said cavities subsequent to passage of the water-dehydrating solvent mixture, the combination including second distillation means for purifying said organic solvent.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
124 words
In combination a plurality of tissue capsules each having a cavity for containing a tissue sample and means for accessing the contained tissue sample to processing liquids, a reservoir of dehydrating liquid and a source of water, chamber means, means to introduce said water to said chamber, means to introduce said dehydrating liquid to said chamber, and means to mix water and dehydrating liquid in said chamber, means to withdraw said water-dehydrating liquid mixture from said chamber means and introduce the same to said cavities, and control means for regulating said means introducing dehydrating liquid into said chamber to replace withdrawn mixture from said chamber with dehydrating liquid in order to effect a continuous incremental increase in the dehydrating liquid concentration of said mixture.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
124 words
In combination a plurality of tissue capsules each having a cavity for containing a tissue sample and means for accessing the contained tissue sample to processing liquids, a reservoir of dehydrating liquid and a source of water, chamber means, means to introduce said water to said chamber, means to introduce said dehydrating liquid to said chamber, and means to mix water and dehydrating liquid in said chamber, means to withdraw said water-dehydrating liquid mixture from said chamber means and introduce the same to said cavities, and control means for regulating said means introducing dehydrating liquid into said chamber to replace withdrawn mixture from said chamber with dehydrating liquid in order to effect a continuous incremental increase in the dehydrating liquid concentration of said mixture.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
A combination according to Claim 16 wherein said control means matches the rate of mixture withdrawal to the rate of dehydrating liquid introduction in order to maintain a constant volume in said mixing chamber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
18 . A combination according to Claim 16 or Claim 17 including a clearing liquid reservior and means to introduce clearing liquid from said reservoir to said cavities subsequent to tissue dehydration.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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