Processor for processing histological samples

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9568402-B2
Application number	US-201314138080-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2013
Priority date	Dec 28, 2012
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a processor for processing histological samples. The processor comprises an inlet for insertion of a closed fixing container having the samples present therein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processor ( 1 ) for processing histological samples, comprising:
an inlet ( 2 ) configured to receive a closed fixing container ( 5 ), the closed fixing container ( 5 ) configured to hold a fixative and the histological samples;
an embedding station integrated into the processor ( 1 );
a separator apparatus configured to physically separate histological samples in the processor ( 1 ) to be embedded from histological samples in the processor ( 1 ) that are not to be embedded, wherein the separator apparatus is disposed in the processor ( 1 ) between a treatment station and the embedding station; and
at least two outlets ( 3 , 4 ), a first outlet ( 3 ) serving to discharge unembedded samples of the histological samples that have been separated by the separator apparatus, and a second outlet ( 4 ) serving to discharge embedded samples of the histological samples.

2. The processor ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the closed fixing container ( 5 ) is arranged directly in an interior space ( 11 ) of the processor ( 1 ) after the closed fixing container ( 5 ) is inserted into the processor ( 1 ).

3. The processor ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet ( 2 ) comprises a pull-out inlet drawer ( 21 ) configured to receive the closed fixing container ( 5 ).

4. The processor ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a handling apparatus ( 6 ) configured to remove the histological samples from the closed fixing container ( 5 ) or configured to deliver the histological samples to a sample receiving container ( 70 ) or to a reagent container, wherein the handling apparatus ( 6 ) is disposed in the processor ( 1 ).

5. The processor ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the sample handling apparatus ( 6 ) is configured to transport the histological samples from the treatment station of the processor ( 1 ) to another treatment station of the processor ( 1 ) and/or configured to transport from the treatment station of the processor ( 1 ) to the embedding station ( 15 ) of the processor ( 1 ).

6. The processor ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the handling apparatus ( 6 ) is configured to remove from an inserted fixing container ( 5 ) a holding device that carries at least one cassette ( 51 , 51 ′) having at least one sample of the histological samples.

7. The processor ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a communication device configured to communicate with another communication device associated with a histological sample of the histological samples, the another communication device being mounted on a holding device on which the histological samples are secured.

8. The processor ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a single sample receiving container ( 70 ) in fluid communication with at least one reagent container ( 71 ).

9. The processor ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the processor ( 1 ) is configured such that the sample remains in the same cassette ( 51 , 51 ′) during at least one treatment step and during an embedding step different from the treatment step.

10. The processor ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising an operating element configured to operate the processor ( 1 ), together with the embedding station, and/or a control software program stored on non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to control the processor ( 1 ), with the embedding station.

11. The processor ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized by a single interface for an electronic data connection.

12. A holding device for use in a processor ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , the holding device carrying at least one cassette ( 51 , 51 ′) in which at least one sample is arranged.

13. A method for processing at least one histological sample, comprising:
providing a processor ( 1 ), the processor ( 1 ) including an inlet ( 2 ) configured to receive a closed fixing container ( 5 ), the closed fixing container ( 5 ) configured to hold a fixative and the at least one histological sample located in a cassette ( 51 , 51 ′);
processing the at least one histological sample with the processor ( 1 ), wherein the processing includes an embedding step; and
physically separating histological samples in the processor ( 1 ) to be embedded from histological samples in the processor ( 1 ) that are not to be embedded with a separator apparatus, wherein the separator apparatus is disposed in the processor ( 1 ) between a treatment station and an embedding station.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the cassette ( 51 , 51 ′) remains in a holding frame ( 50 , 50 ′) of the holding device, during at least one treatment step and/or transport step.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein a position of the cassette ( 51 , 51 ′) relative to the holding device remains unchanged during at least one treatment step and/or the embedding step and/or transport step.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein a position of the cassette ( 51 , 51 ′) within an interior space of the processor ( 1 ) remains unchanged during at least one treatment step and/or the embedding step.

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein a position of the cassette ( 51 , 51 ′) within an interior space of the processor ( 1 ), is changed only upon transportation of the cassette ( 51 , 51 ′) from the closed fixing container ( 5 ) to the treatment station and/or upon transportation of the cassette ( 51 , 51 ′) from the treatment station to the embedding station.

18. A processor ( 1 ) for processing histological samples, comprising:
an inlet ( 2 ) configured to receive a closed fixing container ( 5 ), the closed fixing container ( 5 ) configured to hold a fixative and the histological samples;
a handling apparatus ( 6 ) configured to remove the histological samples from the closed fixing container ( 5 ) or configured to deliver the histological samples to a sample receiving container ( 70 ) or to a reagent container, wherein the handling apparatus ( 6 ) is disposed in the processor ( 1 );
a separator apparatus configured to physically separate histological samples in the processor ( 1 ) to be embedded from histological samples in the processor ( 1 ) that are not to be embedded, wherein the separator apparatus is disposed in the processor ( 1 ) between a treatment station and an embedding station; and
at least two outlets ( 3 , 4 ), a first outlet ( 3 ) serving to discharge unembedded samples of the histological samples that have been separated by the separator apparatus, and a second outlet ( 4 ) serving to discharge embedded samples of the histological samples.

19. A method for processing at least one histological sample, comprising:
providing a processor ( 1 ), the processor ( 1 ) including an inlet ( 2 ) configured to receive a closed fixing container ( 5 ), the closed fixing container ( 5 ) configured to hold a fixative and the at least one histological sample located in a cassette ( 51 , 51 ′), and a handling apparatus ( 6 ) configured to remove the at least one histological sample from the closed fixing container ( 5 ) or configured to deliver the at least one histological sample to a sample receiving container ( 70 ) or to a reagent container,
wherein the handling apparatus ( 6 ) is disposed in the processor ( 1 );
processing the at least one histological sample with the processor ( 1 ); and
physically separating histological samples in the processor ( 1 ) to be embedded from histological samples in the processor ( 1 ) that are not to be embedded with a separator apparatus, wherein the separator apparatus i

Assignees

• Leica Biosystems Nussloch Gmbh

Inventors

• Eckert Ralf
• Berberich Markus
• Ulbrich Hermann

Classifications

• G01N1/312

  for samples mounted on planar substrates · CPC title

• G01N1/36 Primary

  Embedding or analogous mounting of samples · CPC title

• G01N35/04

  Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N1/31 Primary

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• G01N2001/315

  Basket-type carriers for tissues · CPC title