Sample chamber for microscoping cells and system with a sample holder and a sample chamber

1 . A sample chamber for microscoping cells, comprising:

a cover plate, an underside of which comprises a bearing area that extends along a face of the cover plate, wherein:

a) a reservoir for said cells with a reservoir base is formed in said cover plate and wherein said underside of said cover plate comprises a reservoir base area which is arranged inwardly and offset downwardly with respect to said bearing area, wherein said bearing area is arranged between said reservoir base area and an outer edge of said underside of said cover plate, and wherein the bearing area is configured to rest on a sample holder, or

b) said sample chamber comprises a base plate, wherein said cover plate and said base plate are configured and arranged such that they together form a reservoir for said cells with a reservoir base, wherein said base plate forms said reservoir base, wherein said underside of said cover plate comprises a fastening area which is arranged inwardly and offset downwardly with respect to said bearing area and on which said base plate is fastened, wherein said bearing area is arranged between said fastening area and an outer edge of said underside of said cover plate, and wherein the bearing area is configured to rest on a sample holder;

wherein the underside of the cover plate comprises a step structure formed by a) the bearing area and the reservoir base area or b) the bearing area and the fastening area;

wherein a distance by which the fastening area or the reservoir base area, respectively, are offset downwardly with respect to the bearing area is between 0.2 mm and 5 mm; and

wherein the base plate or the cover plate, respectively, is made of COC, COP, PMMA, PS, PC or glass in a region of the reservoir base area; and

wherein said bearing area comprises several partial areas separated from one another by separating elements, wherein said separating elements are each configured in the form of a standing element which extends downwardly from said bearing area, or in the form of a discontinuation.

2 . The sample chamber according to claim 1 ,

wherein said bearing area forms at least part of said outer edge of said underside of said cover plate.

3 . The sample chamber according to claim 2 ,

wherein said bearing area is arranged in a first plane, which is arranged horizontally during intended use, and said reservoir base area or said fastening area is arranged in a second plane, which is arranged horizontally during intended use and

wherein said underside of said cover plate between said bearing area and said reservoir base area or between said bearing area and said fastening area comprises an area which is arranged in a third plane which is arranged horizontally during intended use and which is offset upwardly with respect to said bearing area.

4 . The sample chamber according to claim 1 ,

wherein said bearing area is configured in the form of an area that is arranged circumferentially around said fastening area or around said reservoir base area and is subdivided by at least two separating elements in the form of discontinuations or in the form of standing elements into said separated partial areas.

5 . The sample chamber according to claim 1 , wherein the several partial areas comprise a first partial area and a second partial area which are separate from one another and arranged on oppositely disposed sides of said underside of said cover plate.

6 . The sample chamber according to claim 5 , wherein the several partial areas further comprise at least one of a third partial area or a fourth partial area which is arranged to be separate from said first partial area and said second partial area.

7 . The sample chamber according to claim 1 , wherein the several partial areas are evenly spaced along an outer side of said underside of said cover plate.

8 . The sample chamber according to claim 1 , wherein said cover plate comprises at least two standing elements which extend downwardly from said bearing area, wherein said standing elements each comprise a standing area which is arranged offset downwardly with respect to said bearing area.

9 . The sample chamber according to claim 8 , wherein said standing elements are arranged spaced from said fastening area or said reservoir base area, respectively.

10 . A sample chamber for microscoping cells, comprising:

a cover plate, an underside of which comprises a bearing area that extends along a face of the cover plate, wherein:

a) a reservoir for said cells with a reservoir base is formed in said cover plate and wherein said underside of said cover plate comprises a reservoir base area which is arranged inwardly and offset downwardly with respect to said bearing area, wherein said bearing area is arranged between said reservoir base area and an outer edge of said underside of said cover plate, and wherein the bearing area is configured to rest on a sample holder, or

b) said sample chamber comprises a base plate, wherein said cover plate and said base plate are configured and arranged such that they together form a reservoir for said cells with a reservoir base, wherein said base plate forms said reservoir base, wherein said underside of said cover plate comprises a fastening area which is arranged inwardly and offset downwardly with respect to said bearing area and on which said base plate is fastened, wherein said bearing area is arranged between said fastening area and an outer edge of said underside of said cover plate, and wherein the bearing area is configured to rest on a sample holder;

wherein the underside of the cover plate comprises a step structure formed by a) the bearing area and the reservoir base area or b) the bearing area and the fastening area;

wherein a distance by which the fastening area or the reservoir base area, respectively, are offset downwardly with respect to the bearing area is between 0.2 mm and 5 mm;

wherein the base plate or the cover plate, respectively, is made of COC, COP, PMMA, PS, PC or glass in a region of the reservoir base area, and

wherein an upper side of said cover plate comprises a press-on area that is disposed entirely or in part opposite to said bearing area, wherein a thickness of said cover plate in a region of said press-on area is smaller than a maximum thickness of said cover plate so that said upper side of said cover plate has a step structure, wherein said press-on area forms at least a part of said outer edge of said upper side of said cover plate.

11 . The sample chamber according to claim 10 , wherein said press-on area is configured in the form of a continuous area or wherein said press-on area comprises several partial areas which are separate from one another, wherein said press-on area is configured in the form of an area which is arranged circumferentially around said upper side of said cover plate and which is subdivided into said separate partial areas by at least two discontinuations.

12 . The sample chamber according to claim 10 , wherein said press-on area comprises a first partial area and a second partial area which are separate from one another and arranged on oppositely disposed sides of said upper side of said cover plate.

13 . The sample chamber according to claim 12 , wherein said press-on area comprises at least one of a third partial area or a fourth partial area which is arranged to be separate from said first partial area and said second partial area.

14 . The sample chamber according to claim 10 , wherein said press-on area consists of a plurality of partial areas which are separate from one another and arranged evenly spaced along an outer side of said upper side of said cover plate.

15 . A system comprising:

a sample holder which comprises a bearing plate with a microscopy opening, and a sample chamber for microscoping cells, wherein said sample chamber comprises a cover plate, an underside of which comprises a bearing area that extends along a face of the cover plate, wherein:

a) a reservoir for said cells with a reservoir base is formed in said cover plate and wherein said underside of said cover plate comprises a reservoir base area, wherein said sample chamber and said sample holder are configured such that, when said sample chamber is arranged as intended on said sample holder, said reservoir base area is arranged inwardly and offset downwardly with respect to said underside of said bearing plate or said reservoir base area is received in said microscopy opening, wherein said bearing area is arranged between said reservoir base area and an outer edge of said underside of said cover plate, and wherein the bearing area is configured to rest on the sample holder, or

b) said sample chamber comprises a base plate, wherein said cover plate and said base plate are configured and arranged such that they together form a reservoir for said cells with a reservoir base, wherein said base plate forms said reservoir base and wherein said underside of said cover plate comprises a fastening area on which said base plate is fastened, wherein said sample chamber and said sample holder are configured such that, when said sample chamber is arranged as intended on said sample holder, said underside of said base plate is arranged inwardly and offset downwardly with respect to said underside of said bearing plate or said base plate is received in said microscopy opening, wherein said bearing area is arranged between said fastening area and an outer edge of said underside of said cover plate, and wherein the bearing area is configured to rest on the sample holder;

wherein the underside of the cover plate comprises a step structure formed by a) the bearing area and the reservoir base area or b) the bearing area and the fastening area;

wherein a distance by which the fastening area or the reservoir base area, respectively, are offset downwardly with respect to the bearing area is between 0.2 mm and 5 mm;

wherein the base plate or the cover plate, respectively, is made of COC, COP, PMMA, PS, PC or glass in a region of the reservoir base area, and

wherein an upper side of said bearing plate comprises a bearing region comprising several partial areas separated from one another by discontinuations.

16 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein the bearing region is arranged offset downwardly with respect to other regions of said upper side of said bearing plate and on which said sample chamber rests when said sample chamber is arranged as intended on said sample holder so that said upper side of said bearing plate has a step structure, wherein said bearing region forms at least part of an inner edge of said upper side of said bearing plate.

17 . The system according to claim 16 ,

wherein said cover plate comprises at least two standing elements which extend downwardly from said bearing area, wherein said standing elements each comprise a standing area which is arranged offset downwardly with respect to said bearing area, and

wherein said bearing region comprises openings or discontinuations which are configured and arranged such that said standing elements are received in said openings or discontinuations when said sample chamber rests on said sample holder as intended.