STAINING DEVICE HAVING AUTOMATIC MAINS VOLTAGE DETECTION AND VOLTAGE CHANGEOVER

• US 20120006807A1
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Berberich, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 8,796,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/486
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates

Abstract

A staining device for staining samples has a heating device including a first heating element and a second heating element. A switch arrangement allows the two heating elements to be connected in parallel or in series. A power connection supplies power to the heating elements. A sensor is designed and located to detect a current supplied to the heating elements. A switching unit is coupled to the sensor and determines a voltage causing the current. Depending on the voltage, the switching unit connects the heating elements in parallel or in series.

Claims

1. A staining device for staining samples, comprising:

a heating device including a first heating element and a second heating element;

a switch arrangement designed to switch between a first operating mode connecting the two heating elements in series and a second operating mode connecting the two heating elements in parallel;

a power connection supplying power to the heating elements;

a sensor designed and located to detect an amperage of a current supplied to the heating elements; and

a switching unit that is coupled to the sensor and determines based on the amperage a voltage causing the current, and switches depending on the determined voltage via the switch arrangement into the first operating mode or the second operating mode.

2. The staining device as recited in claim 1,

wherein the switching unit is configured to switch into the first operating mode above a threshold voltage and into the second operating mode below that threshold voltage.

3. The staining device as recited in claim 1,

wherein the sensor includes a Hall-effect element positioned close to the power connection.

4. The staining device as recited in claim 2,

wherein the heating elements are by default connected in series.

5. A method for operating a staining device for staining samples, the staining device comprising a first heating element and a second heating element, both heating elements being supplied with electric current, wherein the first and second heating elements are electrically connectable in a first operating mode in series and in a second operating mode in parallel, said method comprising the following subsequent method steps:

a) connecting the first and second heating elements initially by default according the first operating mode in series;

b) subsequently detecting an amperage of the current supplied to the heating elements and determining based on the amperage a voltage causing the current; and

c) switching from the first operating mode into the second operating mode if the voltage is below a certain threshold voltage.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, comprising detecting

a magnetic field strength generated by a power connection of the staining device and deriving the amperage from the detected magnetic field strength.