Sample cooling device for histological samples

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9918405-B2
Application number	US-201414294896-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2014
Priority date	Jun 17, 2013
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

A sample cooling device for histological samples is connectable to a power network for supplying electrical voltage to the device. The sample cooling device comprises a measuring apparatus for measuring a magnitude of an input line voltage present at the sample cooling device, and a transformer having a primary coil that comprises at least three coil pickoffs, and a secondary coil. The sample cooling device further comprises a switching means that connects two of the coil pickoffs to the power network as a function of the magnitude of the input line voltage, so that a magnitude of an output voltage present at the secondary coil has a predefined or predefinable voltage value irrespective of the magnitude of the input voltage. A corresponding method for supplying electrical power to a sample cooling device for histological samples is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sample cooling device for histological samples, the sample cooling device being connectable to a power network, wherein the sample cooling device comprises:
a) a measuring apparatus ( 6 ) for measuring a magnitude of an input line voltage (V IN ) present at the sample cooling device, wherein the measuring apparatus ( 6 ) includes a test load connected through a test lead ( 61 ) with a Hall sensor that measures a magnetic field in the test lead, and wherein the measuring apparatus ( 6 ) further includes at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor for measuring a level of the input line voltage (V IN );
b) a transformer ( 3 ) having a primary coil comprising at least three coil pickoffs ( 30 - 34 ), and a secondary coil comprising two coil pickoffs;
c) a switch ( 2 ) for selecting two of the primary coil pickoffs for connection with the input line voltage (V IN ) as a function of the level of the input line voltage (V IN ), wherein the switch includes at least one of a manually introducible plug-in bridge, an electromechanical switch, and an electronic switch for connecting the primary coil pickoffs with the input line voltage (V IN ); and
d) a compressor operable by a predefined voltage and directly connected with the pickoffs of the secondary coil, the transformer configured to transform voltage applied by the pickoffs of the secondary coil into a defined voltage;
whereby the sample cooling device is usable in power networks having different input line voltages between 100 V and 240 V.

2. The sample cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring apparatus ( 6 ) is connected in data-communication to a control apparatus ( 5 ).

3. A method for supplying electrical power to a sample cooling device for histological samples, the method comprising the following steps:
a) providing a sample cooling device, wherein the sample cooling device includes:
a measuring apparatus ( 6 ) for measuring a magnitude of an input line voltage (V IN ) present at the sample cooling device, wherein the measuring apparatus ( 6 ) includes a test load connected through a test lead ( 61 ) with a Hall sensor that measures a magnetic field in the test lead, and wherein the measuring apparatus ( 6 ) further includes at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor for measuring a level of the input line voltage (V IN );
a transformer ( 3 ) having a primary coil comprising at least three coil pickoffs ( 30 - 34 ), and a secondary coil comprising two coil pickoffs;
a switch ( 2 ) for selecting two of the primary coil pickoffs for connection with the input line voltage (V IN ) as a function of the level of the input line voltage (V IN ), wherein the switch includes at least one of a manually introducible plug-in bridge, an electromechanical switch, and an electronic switch for connecting the primary coil pickoffs with the input line voltage (V IN ); and
a compressor operable by a predefined voltage and directly connected with the pickoffs of the secondary coil, the transformer configured to transform voltage applied by the pickoffs of the secondary coil into a defined voltage;

b) identifying a magnitude of the input line voltage (V IN ) present at the sample cooling device using the measuring apparatus ( 6 ), which includes ascertaining at least one of a current level and a voltage level;
c) allocating the identified magnitude of the input line voltage (V IN ) to two of the at least three coil pickoffs ( 30 - 34 ) of the primary coil as a function of the magnitude of the input line voltage (V IN ), wherein the coil pickoffs are connected with the input line voltage (V IN ) via the switch; and
d) connecting the two coil pickoffs to a power network so that an output voltage arising at the secondary coil is present at the compressor;
whereby power is able to be supplied to the sample cooling device from power networks having different input line voltages between 100 V and 240 V.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the magnitude of the input voltage (V IN ) is conveyed to a control apparatus ( 5 ).

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the control apparatus determines the two coil pickoffs as a function of the identified magnitude of the input line voltage (V IN ).

Assignees

• Leica Biosystems Nussloch Gmbh

Inventors

• Berberich Markus
• Eberhard Michael

Classifications

• Y10T307/858

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H02P13/00 Primary

  Arrangements for controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, for the purpose of obtaining a desired output · CPC title

• G01N1/31

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• H05K7/20 Primary

  Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating · CPC title

• G05F1/14 Primary

  using tap transformers or tap changing inductors as final control devices · CPC title