Patent ID: 7596957

Claim:
A device for handling a sample, the sample being a cryosample surrounded during the handling by an ambient gas, comprising: a) climate control equipment adapted to perform an operation selected from the group consisting of: i. cooling the ambient gas, ii. drying the ambient gas, and iii. replacing the ambient gas with a protective gas in order to avoid deterioration of the sample by the ambient gas, b) a protective container for receiving the sample during the handling, the climate control equipment being connected to the protective container in order to perform said operation, and c) a protective gas source that is part of the climate control equipment and is adapted to fill the protective container at least partially with the protective gas, the protective gas preventing a deterioration of the sample during its handling, wherein the protective gas source comprises an at least partially open protective-gas storage container inside the protective container, said protective-gas storage container containing liquefied protective gas adapted to outgas into the protective container.