Sample cooling device for histological samples

Abstract

A sample cooling device for histological samples is connectable to a power network for supplying electrical voltage to the device. The sample cooling device comprises a measuring apparatus for measuring a magnitude of an input line voltage present at the sample cooling device, and a transformer having a primary coil that comprises at least three coil pickoffs, and a secondary coil. The sample cooling device further comprises a switching means that connects two of the coil pickoffs to the power network as a function of the magnitude of the input line voltage, so that a magnitude of an output voltage present at the secondary coil has a predefined or predefinable voltage value irrespective of the magnitude of the input voltage. A corresponding method for supplying electrical power to a sample cooling device for histological samples is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A sample cooling device for histological samples, the sample cooling device being connectable to a power network, wherein the sample cooling device comprises: a) a measuring apparatus (6) for measuring a magnitude of an input line voltage (V.sub.IN) present at the sample cooling device, wherein the measuring apparatus (6) includes a test load connected through a test lead (61) with a Hall sensor that measures a magnetic field in the test lead, and wherein the measuring apparatus (6) further includes at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor for measuring a level of the input line voltage (V.sub.IN); b) a transformer (3) having a primary coil comprising at least three coil pickoffs (30-34), and a secondary coil comprising two coil pickoffs; c) a switch (2) for selecting two of the primary coil pickoffs for connection with the input line voltage (V.sub.IN) as a function of the level of the input line voltage (V.sub.IN), wherein the switch includes at least one of a manually introducible plug-in bridge, an electromechanical switch, and an electronic switch for connecting the primary coil pickoffs with the input line voltage (V.sub.IN); and d) a compressor operable by a predefined voltage and directly connected with the pickoffs of the secondary coil, the transformer configured to transform voltage applied by the pickoffs of the secondary coil into a defined voltage; whereby the sample cooling device is usable in power networks having different input line voltages between 100 V and 240 V.

2. The sample cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring apparatus (6) is connected in data-communication to a control apparatus (5).

3. A method for supplying electrical power to a sample cooling device for histological samples, the method comprising the following steps: a) providing a sample cooling device, wherein the sample cooling device includes: a measuring apparatus (6) for measuring a magnitude of an input line voltage (V.sub.IN) present at the sample cooling device, wherein the measuring apparatus (6) includes a test load connected through a test lead (61) with a Hall sensor that measures a magnetic field in the test lead, and wherein the measuring apparatus (6) further includes at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor for measuring a level of the input line voltage (V.sub.IN); a transformer (3) having a primary coil comprising at least three coil pickoffs (30-34), and a secondary coil comprising two coil pickoffs; a switch (2) for selecting two of the primary coil pickoffs for connection with the input line voltage (V.sub.IN) as a function of the level of the input line voltage (V.sub.IN), wherein the switch includes at least one of a manually introducible plug-in bridge, an electromechanical switch, and an electronic switch for connecting the primary coil pickoffs with the input line voltage (V.sub.IN); and a compressor operable by a predefined voltage and directly connected with the pickoffs of the secondary coil, the transformer configured to transform voltage applied by the pickoffs of the secondary coil into a defined voltage; b) identifying a magnitude of the input line voltage (V.sub.IN) present at the sample cooling device using the measuring apparatus (6), which includes ascertaining at least one of a current level and a voltage level; c) allocating the identified magnitude of the input line voltage (V.sub.IN) to two of the at least three coil pickoffs (30-34) of the primary coil as a function of the magnitude of the input line voltage (V.sub.IN), wherein the coil pickoffs are connected with the input line voltage (V.sub.IN) via the switch; and d) connecting the two coil pickoffs to a power network so that an output voltage arising at the secondary coil is present at the compressor; whereby power is able to be supplied to the sample cooling device from power networks having different input line voltages between 100 V and 240 V.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the magnitude of the input voltage (V.sub.IN) is conveyed to a control apparatus (5).

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the control apparatus determines the two coil pickoffs as a function of the identified magnitude of the input line voltage (V.sub.IN).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING VIEWS

(1) The subject matter of the invention is depicted schematically in the drawings and will be described below with reference to the illustration, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a circuit of the sample cooling device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) A circuit 1, depicted in FIG. 1, of a sample cooling device comprises two connecting terminals 10. Circuit 1 is connected via connecting terminals 10 to a power network (not depicted). When circuit 1 is in the connected state, an input line voltage V.sub.IN is present between the two connecting terminals 10. The input line voltage V.sub.IN can be in a range between 100 V and 240 V.

(4) Circuit 1 further comprises a switching means 2 and a transformer 3. Switching means 2 is connected via a first lead 11 and a second lead 12, in particular directly, to connecting terminals 10. Transformer 3 comprises a primary coil (not depicted) and a secondary coil (not depicted). The primary coil comprises a plurality of coil pickoffs 30 to 34. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the primary coil comprises five coil pickoffs 30 to 34. The first and the second leads 11, 12 are each connected to one coil pickoff.

(5) The secondary coil is connected via output leads 13, in particular directly, to a compressor 4 of the sample cooling device. An output voltage V.sub.OUT is present between the output leads 13, and is also present at compressor 4. The number of windings (not depicted) of the secondary coil through which current flows is not modifiable. This means that the same coil pickoffs 35 of the secondary coil are always connected to output leads 13.

(6) Switching means 2 comprises at least one electromechanical switch and/or electronic switch whose switch position determines the coil pickoffs 30 to 34 of the first primary coil to which first and second leads 11, 12 are connected. Control is applied to switching means 2 by way of a control apparatus 5 that is connected, in particular directly, to switching means 2. Control apparatus 5 is moreover connected to a measuring apparatus 6.

(7) Measuring apparatus 6 serves to measure the input line voltage V.sub.IN and comprises a test load 60 that is connected through a test lead 61 to the first and second leads 11, 12. Measuring apparatus 6 furthermore comprises a Hall sensor 62 that measures the magnetic field in test lead 61. Hall sensor 62 is connected, in particular directly, to control apparatus 5, and conveys the measured values to control apparatus 5.

(8) Based on the values identified by measuring apparatus 6, control apparatus 5 sends a control instruction to switching means 2. The switches of switching means 5 are switched, based on the control instruction, in such a way that first and second leads 11, 12 become connected to those coil pickoffs 30 to 34 of the primary coil such that the predefined or predefinable output voltage V.sub.OUT is present at the output of the secondary coil.

(9) Switching means 5 depicted in FIG. 1 is embodied in such a way that first lead 11 is always connected to first coil pickoff 30 irrespective of the input line voltage. For an input line voltage V.sub.IN having a magnitude of 240 V, switching means 5 switches second lead 12 in such a way that the latter is connected to a second coil pickoff 31. For an input line voltage having a magnitude of 230 V, second lead 12 is connected to a third lead 32, for an input line voltage having a magnitude of 120 V to a fourth coil pickoff 33, and for an input line voltage having a magnitude of 100 V to a fifth coil pickoff 34.

(10) In addition, the output voltage V.sub.OUT is constant irrespective of the input voltage V.sub.IN. The output voltage V.sub.OUT can be, for example, 100 V.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(11) 1 Circuit 2 Switching means 3 Transformer 4 Compressor 5 Control apparatus 6 Measuring apparatus 10 Connecting terminal 11 First lead 12 Second lead 13 Output lead 30 First coil pickoff on primary coil 31 Second coil pickoff on primary coil 32 Third coil pickoff on primary coil 33 Fourth coil pickoff on primary coil 34 Fifth coil pickoff on primary coil 35 Coil pickoffs on secondary coil 60 Test load 61 Test lead 62 Hall sensor V.sub.IN Input line voltage V.sub.OUT Output voltage