Patents by Inventor Stefan Thiem

Stefan Thiem has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6887428
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens, having multiple processing stations (2) and a transport device (4) for delivering the objects into and out of the processing stations (2), is characterized in that the transport device (4) comprises a robot arm (5) that is movable in three dimensions and provides for arbitrary positioning of the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Wernz, Stefan Thiem, Eric Barth
  • Patent number: 6858183
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens, having multiple processing stations and a transport device for delivering the objects into and out of the processing stations, is characterized in that at least one running-water station (1), having an inflow (2) and an outflow (3), is provided as a processing station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Thiem, Stefan Kuenkel, Eric Barth
  • Publication number: 20040261597
    Abstract: A rotary microtome (1) is disclosed, having a base part (2) on which a microtome housing (4) and a knife holder (6) are arranged. Also provided is a collection element (8) that surrounds the knife holder on three sides, the collection element having a U-shaped base outline. Also provided are several clamping levers that are associated with the knife holder, at least one clamping lever for the knife holder being arranged operably on a first or a second outer side wall (18a, 18b). In addition, the bottom (12) of the collection element (8) has shaped on it an elevation (22) under which a mechanical coupling is guided from the clamping lever (10c) to the knife holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Thiem, Roland Walter, Rolf Metzner
  • Patent number: 6827900
    Abstract: An automatic stainer for staining specimens that are arranged on specimen slides and embedded in a medium, preferably in paraffin, is described. The automatic stainer has multiple reagent containers arranged one behind another for treating the specimens. During staining, the specimen slides pass successively through the reagent containers. There are transport baskets for receiving multiple specimen slides, multiple transport baskets being received simultaneously each in different reagent containers. A motorized transport mechanism, with a lifting device that lifts all the transport baskets simultaneously out of the respective reagent container and transports them on into the respective adjacent reagent container, is provided. A heating station for heating the specimens and melting the embedding medium is arranged in front of the row of reagent containers. The heating station has at least one melting container for simultaneously receiving multiple transport baskets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems Nussloch, GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Thiem, Charilaos Dalkidis
  • Publication number: 20040239024
    Abstract: A device for signaling the position of an orientable sample holder for a microtome is described. The drive system (2) for moving the sample holder is arranged in a housing. At least one rotatably mounted spindle (4), and a nut (5) running on the spindle (4), are provided for moving the sample holder in one spatial direction. The nut (5) comprises a position element (6) identifying the zero position, and an indicating element (11) is associated with the position element (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: Stefan Thiem
  • Patent number: 6821072
    Abstract: A system for staining and coverslipping specimen slides, having a stainer (1) and a coverslipper (3) that are arranged next to one another. A transfer device (2), which transports racks with specimen slides from the stainer (1) to the coverslipper (3), is provided between the stainer (1) and the coverslipper (3). Transport is automated so that operation by the user is substantially reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Thiem, Anton Lang, Heinz Plank
  • Patent number: 6756015
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens, having multiple processing stations and preferably a transport device for delivering the objects into and out of the processing stations, is characterized in that at least one heatable reagent station (1) is provided as a processing station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Charilaos Dalkidis, Stefan Kuenkel, Ralf Eckert, Stefan Thiem
  • Publication number: 20040005244
    Abstract: For automatic transportation and lifting and lowering of specimens in an automatic stainer, a drive system comprises a motor (16) and a side wall (40), the motor (16) being coupled on the drive side to a first (12) and a second (14) crank system. The first (12) and second (14) crank systems are respectively coupled to the side wall (40).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventor: Stefan Thiem
  • Patent number: 6635225
    Abstract: An automatic stainer for staining objects, arranged on slides for microscopic examination is described. The automatic stainer has multiple reagent containers arranged one behind another for treating the objects. The slides pass through the reagent containers in succession, a transport basket for receiving multiple slides being provided. Multiple transport baskets can be received simultaneously in respective different reagent containers, and are simultaneously lifted out of the respective reagent container by way of a motorized transport mechanism having a lifting device and are respectively transported on into an adjacent reagent container. A removal station that has a collecting reagent container for the simultaneous reception of multiple transport baskets is arranged at the end of the row of reagent containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Leica Microsystem Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Thiem, Ralf Kaltenmeier, Eric Barth, Joachim Glasenapp, Stefan Kunkel
  • Publication number: 20030049104
    Abstract: A system for staining and coverslipping specimen slides, having a stainer (1) and a coverslipper (3) that are arranged next to one another. A transfer device (2), which transports racks with specimen slides from the stainer (1) to the coverslipper (3), is provided between the stainer (1) and the coverslipper (3). Transport is automated so that operation by the user is substantially reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: Stefan Thiem, Anton Lang, Heinz Plank
  • Publication number: 20030049172
    Abstract: A system (100) for staining and coverslipping specimen slides comprises a first part (the stainer (1)) and a second part (the coverslipper (20)). A transport device (5), with which racks (4) carrying specimen slides are transferred directly from the stainer (1) into the coverslipper (20), is provided in the stainer (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventor: Stefan Thiem
  • Publication number: 20020098118
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens, having multiple processing stations (2) and a transport device (4) for delivering the objects into and out of the processing stations (2), the processing station (2) comprising a container (3) for receiving liquids, in particular reagents, and for immersion of the objects or of the object holders (7) carrying the objects, is characterized, in order to increase the flexibility of the apparatus, in that an insert (8) that fits into the container (3) and reduces the maximum capacity of the container (3) is provided, a rack (7) that carries the object carrier (9) and serves for immersion into the container (3) being adapted in terms of its dimensions in accordance with the remaining volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Applicant: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Eckert, Charilaos Dalkidis, Stefan Kuenkel, Stefan Thiem
  • Publication number: 20020076351
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens, having multiple processing stations (2) and a transport device (4) for delivering the objects into and out of the processing stations (2), is characterized in that the transport device (4) comprises a robot arm (5) that is movable in three dimensions and provides for arbitrary positioning of the objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Applicant: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Wernz, Stefan Thiem, Eric Barth
  • Publication number: 20020054829
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens, having multiple processing stations (3) arranged in a housing (2) and having a transport device (5) for delivering the objects, or the object carriers (4) carrying the objects, into and out of the processing stations (3), is characterized by a region, coordinated with the processing stations (3), for the reception of modular treatment stations (10) having permanently definable functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Applicant: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Charilaos Dalkidis, Peter Scheck, Stefan Thiem
  • Publication number: 20020051735
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens, having multiple processing stations (2) and a transport device (4) for delivering the objects into and out of the processing stations (2), a loading station (6) for loading with objects to be treated or object carriers (5) carrying the objects to be treated, and a removal station (7) for removing the treated objects or object carriers carrying the treated objects, being provided, which is characterized in that a definable number of processing stations can be allocated in fixed or variable fashion to the loading station (6) and/or the removal station (7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Applicant: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Claudia Dorenkamp, Stefan Kuenkel, Andreas Kapplein, Stefan Thiem
  • Publication number: 20020031445
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens, having multiple processing stations and a transport device for delivering the objects into and out of the processing stations, is characterized in that at least one running-water station (1), having an inflow (2) and an outflow (3), is provided as a processing station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Applicant: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Thiem, Stefan Kuenkel, Eric Barth
  • Publication number: 20020025276
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens, having multiple processing stations and preferably a transport device for delivering the objects into and out of the processing stations, is characterized in that at least one heatable reagent station (1) is provided as a processing station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Applicant: Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventors: Charilaos Dalkidis, Stefan Kuenkel, Ralf Eckert, Stefan Thiem
  • Publication number: 20010019703
    Abstract: An automatic stainer for staining specimens that are arranged on specimen slides and embedded in a medium, preferably in paraffin, is described. The automatic stainer has multiple reagent containers arranged one behind another for treating the specimens. During staining, the specimen slides pass successively through the reagent containers. There are transport baskets for receiving multiple specimen slides, multiple transport baskets being received simultaneously each in different reagent containers. A motorized transport mechanism, with a lifting device that lifts all the transport baskets simultaneously out of the respective reagent container and transports them on into the respective adjacent reagent container, is provided. A heating station for heating the specimens and melting the embedding medium is arranged in front of the row of reagent containers. The heating station has at least one melting container for simultaneously receiving multiple transport baskets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Publication date: September 6, 2001
    Inventors: Stefan Thiem, Charilaos Dalkidis
  • Patent number: 6080365
    Abstract: A description is given of an automatic embedding machine (1) for treating samples for histological examinations, having a plurality of containers (4, 5) which are arranged one beside the other. The containers (4, 5) are each assigned an object holder (6), the object holders (6) being fastened on a turntable (7) provided over the containers (4, 5). The turntable (7) is connected to a central guide rod (8). The guide rod (8) is designed such that it can be moved perpendicularly with respect to the direction of rotation of the turntable (7). A vacuum device (9) for producing a vacuum in at least one of the containers (4, 5) is integrated in the automatic embedding machine (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Leica Instruments GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Thiem, Eric Barth
  • Patent number: 6058788
    Abstract: A description is given of a drive device for an automatic embedding machine (1) for treating samples (17) for histological examinations, having a plurality of containers (4, 5) which are arranged one beside the other and are each assigned an object holder (6). The object holders (6) are fastened, on a lifting device (18), over the containers (4, 5), the lifting device (18) having a turntable (7) and a rotatably mounted guide rod (8). The guide rod (8) is designed such that it can be moved by a motor, perpendicularly with respect to the direction of rotation of the turntable (7), via the lifting device (18). Provided for the purpose of driving the guide rod (8) is an open-ended, flexibly designed drive element (21) which, at its first end, is arranged between two rollers (26, 27) of the motor drive (20) and, by means of its second end, is connected fixedly to the housing (24) of the automatic embedding machine (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Leica Instruments GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Thiem, Bernd Guenther