V-Shaped Tissue Cassette for Microtome Blade Life Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tissue sample handling and processing is labor-intensive, prone to human error, and results in repetitive stress injuries, with a need for improved production capability and quality of embedded tissue samples.
Innovation Solution
A cassette with V-shaped side walls, a stiff lid, perforated design, and a staging mechanism that ensures proper orientation and embedding of tissue samples, reducing manual handling and enhancing microtome blade efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual handling and orientation of tissue samples is performed by histotechnician, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but labor intensity increases and human error occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The cassette design enables self-alignment and self-orientation of tissue samples through its V-shaped side walls and geometric features that automatically guide proper positioning during embedding, eliminating the need for manual intervention while ensuring consistent orientation
Solution Approach 2:
The cassette is pre-configured with V-shaped side walls and specific geometric features before the embedding process, which preliminarily establish the correct orientation and positioning of the tissue sample, preventing errors before they occur during the embedding operation
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional cassettes with straight side walls are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but microtome blade efficiency decreases due to paraffin cracking
Solution Approach 1:
The cassette side walls are designed with V-shapes and asymmetric geometric features that optimize the distribution of stresses during microtoming, preventing paraffin cracking and extending blade life while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard forming processes
3Productivity
If more tissue samples are processed per batch, then production capacity increases, but quality consistency of embedded samples decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cassette design incorporates segmented or modular features that allow each tissue sample to be independently positioned and oriented, ensuring that processing multiple samples in batch does not compromise the embedding quality or orientation consistency of individual samples
4Manufacturing precision
If repeated manual repositioning of cassettes is performed, then embedding accuracy can be adjusted, but repetitive stress injuries occur
Solution Approach 1:
The design replaces manual mechanical repositioning operations with self-aligning geometric features and automated positioning mechanisms that achieve accurate embedding without requiring repeated manual intervention, thereby eliminating repetitive stress injuries
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces the likelihood of human error, increases the quality and consistency of tissue samples, and extends microtome blade life, while allowing for more efficient processing and higher production capacity.
Implementation Method 1
The molten paraffin is then rapidly cooled on a refrigerated plate, which may be a thermal electric cooler (TEC), to partially solidify the paraffin thereby holding the tissue sample in the proper orientation against the bottom of the mold.
Implementation Method 2
This machine uses a combination of vacuum, heat, and chemicals to remove the interstitial fluids. Once the fluids have been removed from the tissue samples, the processing machine immerses the tissues samples in a bath of molten paraffin so that the interstices in the tissue are replaced with paraffin.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a cassette, frame and mold for holding a tissue sample during an embedding and mircotoming process, and related methods. The cassette is sectionable in a microtome and includes a body with a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls. First and second side walls are generally V-shaped to present an apex of the “V” to the microtome blade. A lid of the cassette is stiffer than the bottom wall of the cassette to assist with positioning the tissue sample. The side walls of the cassette are perforated so as to significantly reduce the amount of cassette material that must be cut by the microtome blade. In one embodiment, to additionally reduce blade wear the ribs on one side wall are offset lengthwise relative to the ribs on an opposite side wall. An upper flange of the cassette includes depressions configured to register with detents in the frame.