Passive Kinematic Mount for Animal Microscopy Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for positioning a live animal in a fixed location for neuroscience experiments, such as stimulus control and neural recording, face challenges in minimizing animal equipment motion and ensuring precise positioning without external force.

Innovation Solution

A coupling apparatus that passively positions an animal portion relative to an experimental apparatus, using an animal plate with first elements and a mounting stage with second elements, allowing for kinematic mounting without external force, and enabling precise alignment within a range of 1-40 μm in the imaging plane.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If active clamping or external force is used to position the animal, then positioning precision is improved, but animal stress and motion artifacts increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning precisionVSAvoidanimal stress and motion artifacts

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The animal utilizes its own voluntary movement and body weight to achieve positioning. The animal plate with first elements engages with the mounting stage second elements through the animal's natural motion, eliminating the need for external clamping forces or active positioning mechanisms that would stress the animal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces active mechanical clamping systems with a passive geometric coupling system. The animal plate's first elements (spheres, cylinders, or cones) automatically engage with the mounting stage's second elements through geometric constraints, substituting complex active mechanical positioning with simple passive geometric interlocking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If passive coupling without external force is used, then animal stress is reduced, but positioning precision may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanimal stressVSAvoidpositioning precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The use of spherical first elements on the animal plate provides automatic centering and precise positioning through point contact. The spherical geometry ensures that the animal plate rotates and orients itself correctly as it moves through the animal opening, achieving high precision without external forces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling system is divided into discrete first elements on the animal plate and corresponding second elements on the mounting stage. This segmentation allows for precise geometric relationships between components, enabling accurate positioning through the interaction of individual elements rather than requiring external forcing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If the animal opening is made large to accommodate the animal portion, then ease of positioning is improved, but alignment precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of positioningVSAvoidalignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from two-dimensional planar alignment to three-dimensional spherical or cylindrical contact points. The first elements (spheres, cylinders, or cones) provide multi-point contact that constrains the animal plate in multiple dimensions simultaneously, achieving precise alignment even through a relatively large opening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The first elements on the animal plate serve as intermediaries between the animal portion and the mounting stage. These intermediate geometric features (spheres, cylinders, cones) translate the animal's voluntary movement into precise positioning, mediating between the need for ease of insertion and the requirement for alignment precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250177108A1Passive voluntary positioning of animal for microscopy

Publication Date: 2025.06.05 HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INST

AI summary

A coupling apparatus passively positions a portion of an animal relative to an experimental apparatus. The coupling apparatus includes: an animal plate fixed to the animal portion, the animal plate including a plurality of first elements; and a mounting stage fixed relative to the experimental apparatus. The mounting stage includes a wall structure defining an animal opening large enough to accommodate the animal portion and a plate opening sized to accommodate the animal plate, the wall structure including a plurality of second elements. When the animal portion travels though the animal opening, the animal plate is passively guided through the plate opening until each first element is passively coupled with a respective second element such that the animal plate and the mounting stage are mechanically and passively coupled together to form a kinematic mount.