IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,474,562
Granted Patent B2
US 12,474,562 · App. 18/607,993 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Sample dishes for use in microscopy and methods of their use

Inventors: Etienne Shaffer (Pailly, CH); Jonathan Abel Pirolet (Aclens, CH); Frédéric Schmitt (Vulliens, CH); Bastien Rachet (Lausanne, CH); Diego Joss (Neuchâtel, CH); Aurèle Timothée Horisberger (Crissier, CH)
Assignee: SamanTree Medical SA
G02B21/34G01N21/01G01N21/6428G02B21/367
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,474,562
App. No.
18/607,993
Granted
Nov 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are sample dishes for use with microscopes that are simple to mount on a microscope and facilitate easy manipulation of tissue samples disposed thereon during imaging as well as methods of their use. A sample dish comprises an optical interface and, optionally, a support member that holds the optical interface. The optical interface of a sample dish is suitably transparent and planar such that a focal plane of a microscope can reside uniformly at or within a surface of a sample during imaging. In certain embodiments, a support member comprises a dish for holding excess fluid. In certain embodiments, a sample dish comprises separation ribs. In certain embodiments, a sample dish comprises one or more manipulation members (e.g., tabs). In certain embodiments, a sample dish is used with an imaging artifact reducing fluid.

Claims (29)

1 . A set of sample dishes that are mountable on an imaging system for use in imaging a sample, the set comprising a plurality of sample dishes, wherein each sample dish of the plurality of sample dishes comprises:

a support member; and

a substantially planar transparent optical interface having a sample side and a mounting side opposite the sample side, wherein the support member at least partially surrounds the optical interface and the optical interface is attached to the support member, wherein a thickness of the optical interface is within 30 μm of a standardized thickness for the set.

2 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein each of the sample dishes is disposable.

3 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein each of the sample dishes is sterile.

4 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein each of the sample dishes is sterilizable.

5 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein, for each of the sample dishes, the sample side is exposed to a user when the sample dish is mounted on a microscope.

6 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein each of the sample dishes comprises one or more manipulation elements that protrude from the support member of the sample dish.

7 . The set of sample dishes of claim 6 , wherein the one or more manipulation elements are two manipulation elements that can be grasped by a user's hands.

8 . The set of sample dishes of claim 6 , wherein the one or more manipulation elements are disposed around a periphery of the sample dish.

9 . The set of sample dishes of claim 6 , wherein each of the one or more manipulation elements is a portion of the support member of the sample dish.

10 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein the support member comprises a ditch that surrounds a periphery of the optical interface.

11 . The set of sample dishes of claim 10 , wherein the ditch is at least 3 mm deep.

12 . The set of sample dishes of claim 10 , wherein the ditch can contain at least 5 mL of fluid.

13 . The set of sample dishes of claim 10 , wherein the support member comprises a plurality of separation ribs disposed at least partially within the ditch such that the plurality of separation ribs partition the ditch.

14 . The set of sample dishes of claim 10 , wherein the ditch comprises an outer lip and an inner lip and the optical interface is disposed above the inner lip.

15 . The set of sample dishes of claim 14 , wherein the optical interface is disposed such that a surface of the optical interface on the sample side is above the outer lip.

16 . The set of sample dishes of claim 14 , wherein the optical interface is disposed such that a surface of the optical interface on the sample side is below the outer lip.

17 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein the optical interface has a relative mass variation of no more than 0.1% as measured using an ASTM International D570 test.

18 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the optical interface is within 10 μm of the standardized thickness for the set.

19 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the optical interface is within 5 μm of a standardized thickness for the set.

20 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the optical interface is within 2 μm of a standardized thickness for the set.

21 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sample dishes comprises at least 20 sample dishes.

22 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein the standardized thickness is between 5 μm and 500 μm.

23 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein the standardized thickness is between 10 μm and 250 μm.

24 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein the standardized thickness is between 25 μm and 75 μm.

25 . The set of sample dishes of claim 24 , wherein the optical interface has a diameter of at least 50 mm.

26 . The set of sample dishes of claim 24 , wherein the optical interface has a diameter of at least 100 mm.

27 . The set of sample dishes of claim 1 , wherein the optical interface is circular in cross section.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE DOCKET NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 73461 FRAME: 559. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Feb 4, 2026
From: SAMANTREE MEDICAL SA
To: SAMANTREE MEDICAL (SWITZERLAND) SA
Reel/Frame 074603/0244 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 14, 2026
From: SAMANTREE MEDICAL SA
To: SAMANTREE MEDICAL (SWITZERLAND) SA
Reel/Frame 073461/0559 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: SHAFFER, ETIENNE; PIROLET, JONATHAN ABEL; SCHMITT, FRÉDÉRIC; RACHET, BASTIEN; JOSS, DIEGO; HORISBERGER, AURÈLE TIMOTHÉE
To: SAMANTREE MEDICAL SA
Reel/Frame 067858/0686 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17739612 · May 9, 2022
Continuation 17141933 · Jan 5, 2021
Continuation 16146518 · Sep 28, 2018
Provisional Application 62675368 · May 23, 2018
Provisional Application 62579705 · Oct 31, 2017
Related Publication 20240264422A1 · Aug 8, 2024
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