JP2004317515A - Cryostat having lighting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the function for maintaining the inside of a cryostat chamber at a (fixed low-) temperature, and to easily carry out washing (cleaning) with a light source used for lighting up the cryostat chamber. <P>SOLUTION: A cryostat is provided with the cryostat chamber, in which a microtome used for cutting a frozen sample is disposed, and a lighting device used for lighting up the cryostat chamber. The lighting device (4) has at least one LED (5). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a cryostat having a cryostat chamber in which a microtome for cutting a frozen sample is arranged, and an illumination device for illuminating the cryostat chamber completely.

  This type of cryostat is used to cut a frozen sample with a microtome for later microscopic observation. The sample to be cut is cooled at a specific preset temperature. This temperature is usually in the range of -10 ° to -50 °. In order to keep such a temperature constant, the microtome is loaded into a cryostat chamber enclosed in a large housing and cooled accordingly.

  The cryostat room is illuminated with lamps to ensure that work can be performed. However, such light sources have the disadvantage that they generate heat and thus adversely affect the constant (low) temperature, which is important for cutting the (frozen) sample.

  Furthermore, it has been found that it is very difficult to clean such a light source of a rather large size.

  It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the lighting of the cryostat chamber so that the maintenance of the (constant low) temperature in the cryostat chamber is enhanced.

  In order to solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, a cryostat chamber in which a microtome for cutting a frozen sample is arranged, and an illumination device for illuminating the cryostat chamber (all over) Are provided. In this cryostat, the lighting device has at least one LED (mode 1 / basic configuration).

  According to the independent claim 1 of the present invention, the effects listed as the predetermined objects are achieved as described above. That is, the cryostat of the present invention can further enhance the maintenance of the (constant low) temperature in the cryostat chamber, and can further facilitate the cleaning of the light source for illumination of the cryostat chamber. it can.

In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention are shown, which are also the subject of the dependent claims.
(2) In the above-mentioned cryostat, it is preferable that the lighting module has a plurality of LEDs incorporated in the lighting module, and the lighting module has a plug-in connection portion for supplying electric energy (mode 2).
(3) In the above cryostat, the plurality of lighting modules are electrically coupled to a common electric energy supply device, and have a switching device for switching (on / off) each or a plurality of lighting modules. In addition, it is preferable that the switching device is additionally configured to be capable of dimming and dimming (quenching) each or a plurality of lighting modules (form 3).
(4) In the above cryostat, it has a switch electrically coupled to the switching device, and the switch automatically switches each or a plurality of lighting modules when opening and closing the cryostat chamber. It is preferable to be configured to dimming (mode 4).
(5) In the above-described cryostat, it is preferable that at least one LED is provided with an anti-jet (cleaning) liquid protection member (mode 5).

  What is important in the present invention is that the lighting device has at least one LED, preferably a white LED, as a light source. By using the LED, the structure is compact, the radiation of heat is extremely small, the washing (cleaning) is easy, and the sterility can be kept good. Furthermore, the LEDs can have very good protection against the jet liquid due to their spatial (geometric) shape.

  In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of LEDs are integrated into one lighting module. For this reason, illumination with a large light density becomes possible with a compact structure. Furthermore, the electrical connections of the LEDs can also be protected very easily from moisture or cleaning liquids.

  In one development of the invention, the lighting module has a case with a bayonet connection for the supply of electrical energy. For this reason, the lighting module can be exchangeably arranged in the cryostat chamber by the plug-in connection (projection). Therefore, if necessary, one or more lighting modules can be exchangeably arranged in a plurality of plug-in receptacles provided in the cryostat chamber in advance. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a connection port in the case and provide one or more corresponding plug-in connection portions (projections) in the cryostat chamber.

  In a further embodiment of the invention, the plurality of lighting modules are electrically coupled to one common electrical energy supply. The electrical energy supply is preferably located outside the cryostat chamber, thereby minimizing costs and further reducing heat generation (transfer of heat to the cryostat chamber or frozen sample). You can also.

  In one development of the invention, a switching device is provided for switching on or off one or more lighting modules. Depending on the mode of use, it is also possible to illuminate one or more combinations arbitrarily selected from among a plurality of regions inside the cryostat chamber separately or in cooperation.

  In an advantageous development of the invention, the switching device additionally has the function of dimming or dimming individual and / or multiple lighting modules. For this reason, it is also possible to illuminate the individual regions (one or more arbitrarily selected combinations) of the cryostat chamber.

  In one development of the invention, the cryostat is provided with a switch that is electrically coupled (connected) to the switching device. The switch is configured to automatically switch and / or dimming or dimming each and / or multiple lighting units when the cryostat chamber is opened and / or closed. With this function, when the user opens the lid or the closing disk, the illumination light in the cryostat room is automatically controlled. For example, it is possible to control such that the lighting is always switched to an appropriate one when the lid is opened (the lid or the like), and that each lighting module is turned off or dimmed when the lid is closed (the lid or the like). It is convenient to control so that only the sample holder and / or the cutting knife of the microtome are illuminated when the cryostat chamber is closed.

  In a further embodiment of the present invention, at least one LED is arranged on the anti-jet liquid protection member. Advantageously, the lighting module can be provided with a packing (sealing member) for encapsulating the LED electrical connection.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to exclude additions and substitutions that can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the technical idea of the present invention. Further, reference numerals in the drawings attached to the claims are for facilitating understanding of the invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention to the illustrated embodiments. Note that these points are the same even after correction and correction.

  FIG. 1 shows an appearance (perspective view) of a cryostat 1 having a cryostat chamber 2 in which a lighting device 4 having a plurality of lighting modules 6 is arranged. The cryostat chamber 2 can be opened and closed via a movable lid 17. The plurality of lighting modules 6 are each electrically connected to the switching device 10 via one conductor 14, and the switching device 10 is connected to the electric energy supply device 9 via the conductor 15. The cryostat 1 is provided with a switch 11 for controlling the opening and closing of the lid 17 of the cryostat chamber 2. The switch 11 is also connected to the switching device 10 via a conductor not shown.

  Via the switching device 10, one or all (or any combination) of the lighting modules 6 can be switched (on / off) and / or dimmed or dimmed. For example, one and / or a plurality (in any combination) of lighting modules 6 are automatically switched (on / off) via a switch 11 when opening and closing the lid 17 of the cryostat chamber 2 and / or Dimming or dimming is configured.

  FIG. 2 shows a vertical section in the arrangement direction of the LEDs 5 of the lighting module 6 having one case 7 and a plurality of LEDs 5 arranged on the board 13. The electrical connection portion of the board 13 or the LED 5 is protected (sealed) from external influences such as a cleaning liquid by the anti-spray cleaning liquid protection member 12 arranged in the case 7.

  FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the lighting module 6 having a plug-in connection (projection) 8 on one side surface of the case 7. The lighting module 6 can be fixed to the cryostat chamber 2 (by plugging it into a corresponding socket (not shown)) via a plug-in connection 8 and supplied with electrical energy. It becomes possible. However, conversely, the same function can be achieved by providing an insertion port in the case 7 of the lighting module 6 and providing the insertion connection projection (s) 8 in the cryostat chamber 2. Can be.

  FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the cryostat chamber 2 in which the microtome 3 is arranged in the center and a plurality of lighting modules 6 are arranged around the microtome 3. Such an arrangement (and the complete activation of all lighting modules 6) allows for uniform illumination of all areas within the cryostat 1. However, it is also possible to arbitrarily select one or more combinations of the plurality of lighting modules 6 and illuminate only the area corresponding to the selected one or more lighting modules 6. The selected lighting module 6 can be controlled not only on / off, but also on its brightness or output. In this manner, an arbitrary illumination state (brightness) can be formed for an arbitrary region in the cryostat 1. In the cryostat chamber 2, a cooling device 16 for rapidly cooling a sample and mounting a plurality of sample holders is juxtaposed to the microtome 3. A dedicated lighting module 6 'is provided to illuminate the cooling device 16 (all over). However, it is also possible to illuminate the cooling device 16 with another lighting module 6 that is configured and controlled accordingly, and the lighting module 6 ′ for the cooling device is configured and controlled accordingly so that Other areas within the stat 1 can also be illuminated.

1 is an external view of an example of the cryostat of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an example of the lighting module of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of an example of the lighting module of the present invention. The top view of an example of the cryostat which has the cryostat room of the present invention.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cryostat 2 Cryostat room 3 Microtome 4 Lighting device 5 LED
6, 6 'Lighting module 7 Case 8 Plug-in connection (projection)
Reference Signs List 9 electric energy supply device 10 switching device 11 switch 12 protection member for spray cleaning liquid 13 board 14 conductor 15 electric energy supply conductor 16 cooling device 17 lid

Claims (5)

In a cryostat having a cryostat chamber in which a microtome for cutting a frozen sample is arranged and an illumination device for illuminating the cryostat chamber,
A cryostat, characterized in that the lighting device (4) has at least one LED (5). The lighting module (6) has a plurality of LEDs (5) integrated into one lighting module (6), and the lighting module (6) has a plug-in connection (8) for supplying electrical energy. Item 8. The cryostat according to Item 1. A plurality of lighting modules (6) electrically coupled to a common electrical energy supply (9);
Having a switching device (10) for switching between each or a plurality of lighting modules (6), said switching device (10) additionally dimming each or a plurality of lighting modules (6) The cryostat according to claim 2, wherein the cryostat is configured to be capable of being used. A switch (11) that is electrically coupled to the switching device (10); and the switch (11) is configured to open or close the cryostat chamber (2). The cryostat according to claim 3, wherein the cryostat is configured to automatically switch or dimming. Cryostat according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one LED (5) is provided with an anti-jet liquid protection member (12).

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