US 12,442,730 B2
Dissection apparatus
Albert Brals, Beek en Donk (NL); Antonius Henricus Bernardus Maria Koppen, Nuenen (NL); Edwin Johannes Richardus Wilhelmus Thijssen, Oeffelt (NL); and Thomas Patrick Anne-Lise Lembrechts, Eindhoven (NL)
Assigned to Xyall B.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Appl. No. 17/621,066
Filed by Xyall B.V., Eindhoven (NL)
PCT Filed Jun. 15, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/066495
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 20, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/254250, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19180836 (EP), filed on Jun. 18, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0326124 A1, Oct. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 1/28 (2006.01); G01N 1/08 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 1/286 (2013.01) [G01N 1/08 (2013.01); G01N 2001/2873 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for dissection of material from a biological sample disposed on a planar substrate, the apparatus comprising:
a dissection tool;
a platform for supporting the planar substrate;
a positioning system configured to move the dissection tool and the platform relative to each other and control their relative positions such that the dissection tool selectively engages with the biological sample in a predefined region thereof;
wherein:
the dissection tool has a longitudinal axis and is arranged at an oblique angle relative to the platform, and comprises a thin-walled gouging head having a base portion;
the positioning system is further configured to bring an underside of the gouging head into contact with the planar substrate in use of the tool; and
the gouging head further has opposing side portions which extend from the base portion in a direction away from the planar substrate and which at least partly enclose a cavity within the gouging head for receiving biological material that is dissected when relative movement between the gouging head and the planar substrate causes a front face of the gouging head to cut a track though the biological sample,
wherein the positioning system includes a motorized rotary actuator coupled to the dissection tool and configured to:
adjust an angular orientation of Rousing head relative to the translation direction about a rotation axis normal to the platform; and
vary track width by adjusting the angular orientation of the gouging head between an angle θ=0 degrees, in which the longitudinal axis of the dissection aligns with the translation direction and the track width is at its maximum, and an angle θ<90 degrees and
the apparatus further includes a suction device in connection with the gouging head.