US 12,078,577 B2
Sectioning macrotome
Mark Fenn, Luton (GB)
Assigned to BRIGHT INSTRUMENT CO. LIMITED, Bedfordshire (GB)
Appl. No. 16/975,640
Filed by BRIGHT INSTRUMENT CO. LIMITED, Luton (GB)
PCT Filed Feb. 13, 2019, PCT No. PCT/GB2019/050382
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 25, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/166767, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 6, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 1803310 (GB), filed on Feb. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0408647 A1, Dec. 31, 2020
Int. Cl. G01N 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 1/06 (2013.01) [G01N 2001/061 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for sectioning frozen tissue specimens, comprising:
a frame having two opposing side walls extending in a longitudinal direction of the apparatus;
a blade unit mounted between the side walls of the frame in a transverse direction of the apparatus;
a clamping unit integral with or fixed to each side wall of the frame that is adapted to clamp one end of the blade unit and to secure said end of the blade unit to said side wall of the frame;
a specimen stage for mounting a tissue specimen; and
a drive mechanism for providing relative movement between the specimen stage and the blade unit in use of the apparatus;
wherein the clamping unit has a dimension in the transverse direction that is greater than a dimension of the side wall of the frame in the transverse direction,
wherein each side wall of the frame has a longitudinally-extending edge which, in use, is at an upper part of the apparatus; a cutaway portion is formed along an upper edge of each side wall of the frame to accommodate at least part of the clamping unit, the cutaway portion being formed through the full extent of the side wall in the transverse direction; and the clamping unit is mounted on the cutaway portion, and
wherein the clamping unit comprises at least one flange arranged to extend beyond the upper edge of the side wall and lie immediately adjacent the side wall in the transverse direction, the apparatus further comprising a plurality of fastening means arranged to extend through the or each flange into the side wall so as to secure the clamping unit to the side wall.