Light microscopy processing apparatus

• US 3,892,197 A
• Filed: 04/22/1974
• Issued: 07/01/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John E.P. Pickett, Thomas D. Kinney
• Original Assignee: John E.P. Pickett, Thomas D. Kinney
• Inventors: Kinney, Thomas D., Pickett, John E. P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rimrodt, Louis K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Salser, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US05/463,055
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 118/7,10,11,50,429,500
• US Class Current: 118/667
• CPC Class Codes: D06B 23/10 Devices for dyeing samples D06B23/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/31 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/315 Basket-type carriers for tissues

Abstract

A tissue processor provides a closed system for sequentially immersing light microscopy tissue specimens in treating fluids preparatory to embedding or in staining fluids. Treating or staining fluids, including paraffin, are drawn into the processing chamber by use of vacuum and are forced back to their respective containers by use of pressure and the specimens remain substantially stationary throughout the fluid treatment.

Claims

1. A closed processing system enabling a plurality of individual specimens of tissue to be separately contained while being bathed simultaneously for varying lengths of time in successive selected tissue solutions including melted paraffin so as to fix, dehydrate and clear the specimens preparatory to embedding, comprising:

a. a plurality of uniform tissue receptacles each being adapted to contain and physically isolate a group of tissue specimens having at least one specimen per group, each receptacle having a body portion defining an open cavity adapted to receive and retain specimens and closure means removably received by said body to enclose said cavity, the material forming said receptacles being inert to all of said solutions and having for each of said solutions at least some portion through which each of said solutions may be transferred;

b. a cabinet;

c. an electrically heated, temperature controlled container mounted in said cabinet and having a movable cover and being adapted for melting and holding melted paraffin;

d. a plurality of closed solution containers mounted in predetermined order in a storage compartment in said cabinet proximate said paraffin container, each solution container containing a particular tissue processing solution and with said melted paraffin container collectively containing all of the said tissue solutions in which said specimens are processed;

e. air pump means having associated remotely electrically controllable first valve means mounted proximate said cabinet and associated interconnected piping means, said pump means providing a pressure and vacuum source and said first valve means being selectively operable to connect said source whereby to produce a selected pressure or vacuum condition in said piping means;

f. a processing chamber mounted in said chamber and having an end wall immediately adjacent an end wall of said melted paraffin container, said chamber having a pressure sealable top cover and being adapted to receive and process therein selected numbers of said receptacles simultaneously said chamber being temperature controlled and electrically heated and being connected to said piping means thereby enabling the corresponding selected pressure and vacuum condition in said piping means to be produced in said chamber;

g. a second remotely electrically controllable valve means mounted in said cabinet and having on one side a fluid connection to said chamber and on the other side A fluid connection to said paraffin container enabling the paraffin contents thereof to be exchanged between the chamber and said paraffin container, said fluid connections for said second valve means being of minimal length and being electrically heated and maintained at a temperature above the melting point of said paraffin;

h. a third remotely electrically controllable valve means mounted in said cabinet and having on one side a fluid connection of minimal length to said chamber and on the other side a port for transfer of solutions therethrough;

i. fourth remotely electrically controllable solution transfer valve means positioned in said cabinet between said processing chamber and said storage compartment, said fourth valve means being fluid connected on one side to said third valve transfer port and on the other side having separate fluid connections to each of said solution containers and being remotely electrically controllable for enabling each solution container connection on the one side of the fourth valve means to be selectively and independently connected to said transfer port for a predetermined time while all other solution container connections are isolated therefrom and at other times to isolate all of said solution container connections from said tranfer port;

j. an electrical power source; and

k. remotely operable electrical control means connected to said power source and mounted proximate said chamber for remotely powering and electrically operating each of said valve means and temperature controls in a predetermined time sequence program whereby with a selected number of said receptacles installed in said chamber and said cover sealed on said chamber, said solutions and said paraffin are successively, selectively and independently drawn from said solution and paraffin containers, are measured by timing the withdrawal and admitted to said chamber under a vacuum condition in a predetermined volume, retained for predetermined times at a predetermined pressure and at the end of each processing step being forced back to a respective said solution and paraffin container by pressure from said pump means source in a corresponding processing sequence such that selected of said solutions and said melted paraffin are separately and independently exchanged with each said group of specimens while maintaining said system closed, said paraffin transferred a minimal distance, and each said group physically isolated.

2. In a system as claimed in claim 1 including:

a. a second said heated and temperature controlled paraffin container, said first and second paraffin containers being laterally spaced and positioned immediately adjacent said chamber with said paraffin containers and chamber being below and foward of said compartment containing said solution containers in said cabinet, and b. a sixth remotely controllable valve means closely connected to second paraffin container and comparable in position and function to said second valve means for said first container thus enabling the melted paraffin contents of either said first or second paraffin container to be selectively exchanged with the chamber through a path of minimal distance.

3. In a system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said second and sixth valve means are submerged in the respective said first and second melted paraffin containers and in immediate proximity to the respective paraffin container bottom walls and proximate the end walls separating the paraffin containers and chamber, said end walls having respective ports connected to the respective second and sixth valve means enabling the respective melted paraffin contents to be transferred directly and under remote control between said paraffin containers and chamber through said ports.

4. In a system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fourth valve means comprises a remotely electrically controllable rotary type valve.

5. In a system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said paraffin container temperature control comprises a two Stage control for obtaining different degrees of heat in said paraffin container and said control means controls the energization of each such stage in a timed sequence.

6. In a system as claimed in claim 2 wherein each said paraffin container temperature control comprises a two stage control for obtaining different degrees of heat in said paraffin container and said control means controls the energization of each such stage in a timed sequence.

7. In a system as claimed in claim 2 including in said cabinet a pair of laterally spaced control circuitry compartments mounted on opposite ends of said storage compartment and having front wall members thereon, said circuitry and compartments being adjacent and above the respective said paraffin containers and said control means having manually positionable controls mounted on said front wall members of said control circuitry compartments.

8. In a system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said cabinet, including said paraffin and solution containers, said chambers, pump, valves, and said control circuitry compartments, is assembled and movable as an integral table top mounted processing unit.

9. In a system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control means includes circuitry connected to cycle the application of vacuum and pressure conditions in said chamber.

10. In a system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said piping means is connected to said chamber at an upper sidewall position proximate said chamber cover, said second and sixth valve means are positioned adjacent said paraffin containers proximate the bottom walls thereof and immediately adjacent said chamber, said third valve means is positioned externally of and in close proximity to the bottom wall of said chamber and including means for electrically heating said third valve means, said respective valve positions enabling relatively direct short paths to be established between the lower interior portion of said chamber and the respective valves.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control means include adjustable timing means enabling said predetermined time of retention to be changed both with respect to all as well as selected ones of said container melted paraffins and solutions.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1 having fan exhaust and fume collection means adapted to allow during operation of said system continuous withdrawl of solution fumes from the area surrounding said chamber.

13. In a system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control means is mounted on said cabinet and said air pump means comprises an electrically operated air pump mounted in said cabinet and said interconnected piping means includes an outlet pipe in which said pressure and vacuum conditions may be selectively produced, said outlet pipe being connected to said chamber.

14. A closed processing system enabling a plurality of individual specimens of tissue to be separately contained while being bathed simultaneously for varying lengths of time in successive selected tissue solutions including melting paraffin so as to fix, dehydrate and clear the specimens preparatory to embedding, comprising:

a. a plurality of uniform tissue receptacles each being adapted to contain and physically isolate a group of tissue specimens having at least one specimen per group, each receptacle having a body portion defining an open cavity adapted to receive and retain specimens and closure means removably received by said body to enclose said cavity, the material forming said receptacles being inert to all of said solutions and having for each of said solutions at least some portion through which each of said solutions may be transferred;

b. a cabinet adapted for table top mounting and having in an elevated central and rearward position a plural solution container storage compartment and on the ends of said storage compartment a pair of rearwardly disposed control circuitry compartments having front wall members thereon;

c. a pair of electrically heated, laterally spaced, temperatUre controlled paraffin containers mounted in said cabinet below, forward and proximate said storage compartment, each container having a movable cover and being adapted for melting and holding melted paraffin, the temperature control therefor comprising a two stage control for obtaining two levels of temperature therein;

d. a plurality of closed solution containers mounted in predetermined order in a storage compartment in said cabinet proximate said paraffin container, each solution container containing a particular tissue processing solution and with said melted paraffin container collectively containing all of the said tissue solutions in which said specimens are processed;

e. electrically operated air pump means mounted within said cabinet and having associated remotely electrically controllable first valve means, interconnected piping means and an outlet pipe connected thereto, said first valve means being selectively operable and in various configurations with said piping means to produce either a pressure or vacuum condition in said outlet pipe;

f. a processing chamber mounted in said cabinet between and at the level of said paraffin containers and having end walls immediately adjacent respective end walls of said melting paraffin containers, said chamber having a pressure sealable top cover and being adapted to receive and process therein selected numbers of said receptacles simultaneously, said chamber being temperature controlled and electrically heated and being connected proximate said top cover to said pump outlet pipe thereby enabling the corresponding selected pressure and vacuum conditions in said outlet pipe to be produced in said chamber;

g. second and third remotely electrically controllable valve means mounted in said cabinet proximate the bottom and respective end walls of said chamber each having on one side a minimal length fluid connection to said chamber and on the other side a minimal length fluid connection to a said paraffin container, both said fluid connections being electrically heated to a temperature above the paraffin melting point enabling the respective paraffin contents thereof to be exchanged directly and under remote control through connection heated paths of minimal distance between the chamber and the respective said paraffin containers;

h. a fourth remotely electrically controllable valve means having means for being electrically heated and temperature controlled and being mounted in said cabinet proximate the bottom wall of said chamber and having on one side a minimal length fluid connection to said chamber and on the other side a port for transfer of solutions therethrough;

i. fifth remotely electrically controllable solution rotary transfer valve means positioned in said cabinet between said processing chamber and said storage compartment, said fifth valve means being connected on one side to said fourth valve transfer port and on the other side having separate connections to each of said solution containers and being remotely electrically controllable for enabling each solution container connection on the one side of the fifth valve means to be selectively and independently connected to said transfer port for a predetermined time while all other solution container connections are isolated therefrom and at other times to isolate all of said solution container connections from said transfer port;

j. an electrical power source;

k. remotely operable electrical control means mounted in said circuitry compartments and having manually positionable controls mounted on said front wall members, said control means being connected to said source and being adapted for remotely powering and electrically operating each of said valve means, said pump means and said paraffin container temperature controls in a predetermined time sequence program whereby with a selected number of said receptacles installed in said chamber and said cover sealed on said chamber, said solutions and said paraffin are successivEly, selectively and independently drawn from said solution and paraffin containers, measured by timing the withdrawal and admitted to said chamber under a vacuum condition in a predetermined volume, retained for predetermined times at a predetermined pressure at the end of each processing step being forced back to a respective said solution and paraffin container by pressure from said pump means in a corresponding processing sequence such that selected of said solutions and said melted paraffin are separately and independently exchanged with each said group of specimens while maintaining said system closed and each said group physically isolated; and

l. electrically operated fan exhaust and fume collection means mounted proximate said chamber and providing continuous withdrawal of solution fumes from the area surrounding said chamber.