JP2006058368A - Three-dimensional positioning apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a three-dimensional positioning apparatus which has a simple structure capable of positioning various types of manipulator such as a probe, tweezers, and syringe, by a simple operation and with high degree of freedom. <P>SOLUTION: The manipulator three-dimensional positioning apparatus includes: a base; a first rotating support section supported by the base with a first shaft and rotated together with the first shaft or rotated independently around the first shaft; a second rotating support section supported by the first rotating support section with a second shaft perpendicular to the first shaft and rotated together with the second shaft or rotated independently around the second shaft; and a third rotating support section, adopted for the support of the manipulator, supported by the second rotating support section with a third shaft perpendicular to the second shaft and rotated together with the third shaft or independently around the third shaft. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a three-dimensional positioning device for a manipulator such as a probe, tweezers or a syringe used for operating a minute object.

  In the field of biotechnology, manipulators such as probes, tweezers or syringes are used to manipulate minute objects such as cells (eg, sorting cells or loading drugs into cells) under a microscope field. A three-dimensional positioning device is used. A three-dimensional manipulation device in which a manipulator is attached to a three-dimensional positioning device is used not only in the field of biotechnology but also when manipulating objects such as minute electronic parts and mechanical parts.

  The three-dimensional positioning device linearly moves the manipulator in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction orthogonal to each other on the surface of the stage on which the object is mounted, and in the Z-axis direction orthogonal to the plane formed by these axes. Move and position. In addition, as a three-dimensional positioning device, there is also known a configuration in which the manipulator can be rotated around the Z axis in order to increase the degree of freedom of movement of the manipulator.

Patent Document 1 discloses a movable base that can be arbitrarily moved in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, and can be tilted and rotated around a predetermined axis on the surface of a specimen processing object (object). A manipulator base fixed on the movable base via a support and capable of rotating around the optical axis (Z axis) of the microscope, and the X, Y, and Z axes installed on the manipulator base A micromanipulation device (three-dimensional positioning device) including a manipulator drive unit capable of arbitrary movement in the axial direction is disclosed. In addition, on the movable base of the micromanipulation apparatus, a stage that can be arbitrarily moved in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions and can be rotated is installed. Mounted on. By using the micromanipulation apparatus having such a configuration, the specimen can be displaced, rotated, and rolled in the microscope field of view, and the probe that is a processing tool (manipulator) is fine and reliable. Can be realized.
JP 2000-221409 A

  A conventional three-dimensional positioning device, like the micromanipulation device described in Patent Document 1, uses a linear motion along each of the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction as a basic motion. By adding a rotational movement with the direction as the axis, the manipulator can be positioned with a high degree of freedom. However, such a three-dimensional positioning device requires a mechanism for linear movement and a mechanism for rotational movement, so that the configuration of the apparatus tends to be complicated, and the manipulator is linearly moved in three directions and further rotated. Complex operations are required.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a three-dimensional positioning device having a simple configuration capable of positioning various manipulators such as a probe, tweezers, and a syringe with a simple operation and a high degree of freedom.

  The present invention provides a base, a first rotation support that is supported on the base by a first shaft, and that rotates independently with or around the first shaft. And a second rotation support portion supported by a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and rotating independently with or around the second axis, and a second rotation support portion. A three-dimensional manipulator comprising a third rotating support for supporting the manipulator, supported by a third axis perpendicular to the second axis and rotating independently with or about the third axis In the positioning device.

Preferred embodiments of the three-dimensional positioning device of the present invention are as follows.
(1) The first rotation support portion is rotated together with the first shaft rotated by the driving device provided in the base, and the second rotation support portion is provided in the first rotation support portion. It rotates with the 2nd axis | shaft rotated by a drive device, and a 3rd rotation support part rotates independently about a 3rd axis | shaft by the drive device with which the inside of the 3rd rotation support part was equipped.
(2) The rotation of each rotation support part is driven by the pressure of the liquid.

  The present invention also resides in a three-dimensional manipulation device in which a manipulator is fixed to the third rotation support portion of the above-described three-dimensional positioning device of the present invention.

  The three-dimensional positioning device of the present invention can position a manipulator such as a syringe with a high degree of freedom by a simple operation of rotating each of the three rotation support portions, and its configuration is also simple. Such a three-dimensional manipulation device including a three-dimensional positioning device and a manipulator can be advantageously used for manipulating a fine object such as a cell under a microscope field of view.

  A three-dimensional manipulation apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the three-dimensional manipulation apparatus of the present invention and its operation.

  The three-dimensional manipulation apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 has a configuration in which, for example, a syringe 12 is fixed as a manipulator to the three-dimensional positioning apparatus 11 of the present invention.

  The three-dimensional positioning device 11 is supported by the base 30, the base 30 by the first shaft 21, and the first rotation support portion 31 and the first rotation support portion 31 that rotate together with the first shaft 21. A second rotation support portion 32 that is supported by a second shaft 22 that is perpendicular to one shaft 21 and rotates with the second shaft 22, and a second rotation support portion 32 that is perpendicular to the second shaft 22. A third rotation support portion 33 for supporting a manipulator, which is supported by the third shaft 23 and rotates independently about the third shaft 23, is configured.

  In the three-dimensional positioning device 11 shown in FIG. 1, the first rotation support portion 31 is rotated together with the first shaft 21 rotated by a driving device provided inside the base 30, and the second rotation support portion 32 is The third rotation support portion 33 is rotated together with the second shaft 22 rotated by a driving device provided in the first rotation support portion 31, and the third rotation support portion 33 is driven in the third rotation support portion 33. The device rotates independently about the third shaft 23.

  An arrow 21 a and an arrow 22 a written in FIG. 1 indicate the rotation directions of the first shaft 21 and the second shaft 22, respectively. An arrow 31a, an arrow 32a, and an arrow 33a indicate the rotation directions of the first rotation support portion 31, the second rotation support portion 32, and the third rotation support portion 33, respectively.

  When the first rotation support part 31, the second rotation support part 32, and the third rotation support part 33 of the three-dimensional positioning device 11 are rotated, the needle of the syringe 12 supported by the third rotation support part 33 Not only can the tip of 12a be arranged at a desired position in three dimensions, but also the needle 12a can be approached to an operation target such as a cell in a desired direction. For example, the angle of the needle 12a with respect to the horizontal plane can be adjusted mainly by the rotation amount of the third rotation support portion 33, and the direction of the needle 12a projected on the horizontal plane is mainly the rotation amount of the first rotation support portion 31. Can be adjusted.

  Thus, the three-dimensional positioning device 11 can position a manipulator such as the syringe 12 with a high degree of freedom by a simple operation of rotating each of the three rotation support portions 31, 32, and 33. The configuration is also simple.

  2 is a front view showing a specific device configuration of the three-dimensional manipulation device 10 of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the three-dimensional positioning device 11 shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 is a left side view of the three-dimensional positioning device 11 shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the third rotation support portion 33 of the three-dimensional positioning device 11 cut along the cutting line I-I entered in FIG. 4.

  The three-dimensional positioning device 11 of the three-dimensional manipulation device 10 in FIG. 2 is provided with three drive devices including a rack gear and a pinion gear. The three drive devices are provided inside the base 30, the first rotation support portion 31, and the third rotation support portion 33. The second rotation support portion 32 is not provided with a driving device, and is composed of, for example, a prismatic part formed of a metal material such as stainless steel. Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the drive device will be described with reference to FIG. 5 using the drive device provided in the third rotation support portion 33 as a representative example.

  The drive device provided in the third rotation support portion 33 shown in FIG. 5 is engaged with a piston 52 fitted to the cylinder 51, a rack gear 55 connected to the piston 52 via a rod 53 and a stay 54, and the rack gear 55. It consists of a pinion gear 56 and the like.

  The space formed by the cylinder 51 and the piston 52 is filled with a liquid such as water or oil, and when the liquid is further injected or discharged through the tube 43 connected to the cylinder 51, the pressure of the liquid causes the piston to be discharged. 52 moves in its length direction. Further, the compression coil spring 57 disposed around the piston 52 and the rod 53 and the tension coil spring 58 disposed inside the stay 54 are provided on the left side of the page of FIG. 5 of the piston 52 when the liquid is discharged from the space. Assist in moving in the direction.

  When the piston 52 is moved by the above liquid injection or discharge, the rack gear 55 connected to the piston 52 is moved along the length direction thereof, and the pinion gear 56 engaged with the rack gear 55 is rotationally driven. The third shaft 23 is fitted and fixed to the notch portion of the pinion gear 56. The third shaft 23 is rotationally driven together with the pinion gear 56.

  Here, since the third shaft 23 is fixed to the second rotation support portion 32 as shown in FIG. 3, the third shaft 23 and the pinion gear 56 that fixes the third shaft 23 can rotate. Can not. Therefore, the third rotation support portion 33 shown in FIG. 5 rotates independently so that the rack gear 55 moves along the peripheral edge of the pinion gear 56, that is, around the third shaft 23.

  As described above, the base 30 and the first rotation support portion 31 of the three-dimensional positioning device 11 shown in FIG. 2 are each configured with a rack gear and a pinion gear, as in the case of the third rotation support portion 33. A driving device is provided.

  The base 30 is fixed to the table 24 via a support plate 26, for example. For this reason, by injecting or discharging the liquid through the tube 40 of the driving device provided in the base 30, the pinion gear and the pinion gear of the driving device are fixed, contrary to the case of the third rotation support portion 33. The first shaft (FIG. 4: 21) rotates. Accordingly, the first rotation support portion 31 fixed to the first shaft 21 via the connecting plate 25 rotates together with the first shaft that is rotated by the driving device provided inside the base 30.

  Similarly, by injecting or discharging the liquid through the tube 41 of the driving device provided in the first rotation support portion 31, the second shaft 22 fixed to the pinion gear and the pinion gear of the driving device rotates. Therefore, the second rotation support portion 32 fixed to the second shaft 22 rotates together with the second shaft 22 rotated by the driving device provided in the first rotation support portion 31.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid feeding device 13 is connected to the tube 43 of the driving device provided in the third rotation support portion 33 in order to inject or discharge the liquid through the tube 43. Similarly, a liquid feeding device (not shown) is attached to each of the tube 40 of the driving device provided in the base 30 and the tube 41 of the driving device provided in the first rotation support portion 31. Each fluid feeding device may be installed on a table different from the table 24 to which the base 30 of the three-dimensional positioning device 11 is fixed so as not to transmit vibration during operation to the syringe 12. preferable.

  6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the liquid feeding device 13 shown in FIG. The liquid feeding device 13 includes a piston 62 fitted to a cylinder 61, a rotating shaft 64 rotatably connected to the piston 62 via a metal ball 63, a knob 66 fixed to the rotating shaft 64 with a screw 65, and the like. Has been. A part of the rotating shaft 64 is fitted into the knob receiver 67. The knob receiver 63 is fixed to a support column 68 erected on the base 69.

  The knob 66 and the knob receiver 67 are formed with screws on their contact surfaces and fitted together. For example, by rotating the knob 66 once, the piston 62 can be moved at a minute distance of 250 μm. Thus, by rotating the knob 66 of the liquid feeding device 13 and injecting or discharging the liquid through the tube 43 of the third rotation support portion 33, the rotation of the third rotation support portion 33 is driven by the pressure of the liquid. can do.

  Similarly, the liquid feeding device is used to inject or discharge the liquid through the tube 40 of the driving device provided in the base 30 or through the tube 41 provided in the first rotation support portion 31, so that the first is supplied to the base 30. The rotation of the first rotation support portion 31 fixed via the shaft 21 or the second rotation support portion 32 fixed to the first rotation support portion 31 via the second shaft 22 is adjusted to the liquid pressure. Can be driven.

  The rotation of each rotation support portion of the three-dimensional positioning device of the present invention can be driven by a motor or the like, but when the vibration generated by the motor is large, this vibration is transmitted to a manipulator fixed to the positioning device, There are cases where a minute object cannot be sufficiently manipulated under a microscope view. As described above, when the rotation of each rotation support portion of the three-dimensional positioning device is driven by the liquid, the generation of vibration is extremely reduced, and the manipulator fixed to the positioning device can be easily operated. Similarly, as a driving method for reducing vibration, for example, there is a method of driving the stay 54 for fixing the rack gear 55 shown in FIG. 5 by moving it along the length direction of the rack gear 55 with a wire.

  In the syringe provided in the manipulation device of FIG. 2, when a driving liquid is injected or discharged through the tube 44, the piston head 12b moves to drop the liquid medicine filled in the syringe from the tip of the needle 12a. If a manipulator that is driven by the pressure of the liquid is used as described above, the vibration of the manipulator can be further reduced. The syringe having such a configuration is a known one, and detailed description thereof is omitted. Examples of manipulators used in the manipulation device of the present invention include probes, tweezers, precision blades, precision scissors and the like in addition to the above-described syringe.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining another configuration example of the three-dimensional manipulation apparatus of the present invention and its operation.

  7 has a configuration in which, for example, a syringe 12 is fixed to a three-dimensional positioning device 111 as a manipulator.

  The three-dimensional positioning device 111 is supported by a base 130, a first shaft 121 supported by the base 130, and a first rotation support 131 and a first rotation support 131 that rotate together with the first shaft 121. The second rotation support portion 132 supported by the second shaft 122 perpendicular to the one shaft 121 and rotating independently about the second shaft 122, and the second rotation support portion 132, The third rotation support portion 133 is supported by a third shaft 123 perpendicular to the shaft 122 and independently rotates about the third shaft 123 to support the manipulator.

  The configuration of the three-dimensional manipulation device 110 in FIG. 7 is the same as that of the three-dimensional manipulation device 10 in FIG. 1 except that the configuration of the three-dimensional positioning device 111 to be used is different.

  As in the case of the three-dimensional positioning device 11 in FIG. 1, three driving devices including a rack gear and a pinion gear are used for the three-dimensional positioning device 111. The three drive devices are provided inside the base 130, the second rotation support portion 132, and the third rotation support portion 133. Note that the first rotation support portion 131 is not provided with a driving device, and is composed of, for example, a prismatic part made of metal such as stainless steel.

  In the three-dimensional positioning device 111, the first rotation support portion 131 is rotated together with the first shaft 121 rotated by a driving device provided in the base 130, and the second rotation support portion 132 is rotated second. The drive device provided inside the support portion 132 rotates independently about the second shaft 122, and the third rotation support portion 133 is provided inside the third rotation support portion 133. Rotate independently about the third shaft 123.

  An arrow 121 a written in FIG. 7 indicates the rotation direction of the first shaft 121. An arrow 131a, an arrow 132a, and an arrow 133a indicate the rotation directions of the first rotation support part 131, the second rotation support part 132, and the third rotation support part 133, respectively.

  As with the positioning device 11 shown in FIG. 1, the positioning device 111 shown in FIG. 7 also positions a manipulator such as a syringe with a high degree of freedom by a simple operation of rotating each of the three rotation support portions. And its configuration is simple.

  The configuration of the positioning device of the present invention is not limited to that shown in FIGS. For example, a driving device is attached inside each of the base, the first rotation support portion, the second rotation support portion, and the third rotation support portion, and the remaining one is, for example, If comprised from a metal part, the positioning apparatus of a structure different from the above can be comprised easily. The first rotation support unit or the second rotation support unit may be provided with two drive devices. For example, one drive device is attached to the inside of the base, the first shaft is fixed to the pinion gear, and two drive devices are attached to the inside of the second rotation support portion. The second shaft and the third shaft are respectively fixed to the pinion gear, and the first rotation support portion and the third rotation support portion are each composed of metal parts, thereby constituting the positioning device of the present invention. be able to.

  In addition, the positioning device of the present invention is provided with, for example, an XY stage or a rotary stage in order to position the manipulator fixed to the third rotation support portion with a higher degree of freedom, or to further improve the manipulator operability. It can also be used by installing it on top.

It is a figure explaining the structural example of the three-dimensional manipulation apparatus of this invention, and its operation | movement. It is a front view which shows the specific apparatus structure of the three-dimensional manipulation apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the three-dimensional positioning device shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a left side view of the three-dimensional positioning device shown in FIG. 2. It is sectional drawing of the 3rd rotation support part of the three-dimensional positioning device cut | disconnected along the cutting line I-I entered in FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the liquid feeding apparatus with which the three-dimensional positioning apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is provided. It is a figure explaining another structural example of the three-dimensional manipulation apparatus of this invention, and its operation | movement.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 3D manipulation apparatus 11 3D positioning apparatus 12 Syringe 12a Needle 12b Piston head 13 Liquid feeding apparatus 21 1st axis | shaft 22 2nd axis | shaft 23 3rd axis | shaft 21a Arrow which shows the rotation direction of a 1st axis | shaft 22a 1st Arrow indicating rotation direction of second shaft 24 Table 25 Connecting plate 26 Support plate 30 Base 31 First rotation support portion 32 Second rotation support portion 33 Third rotation support portion 31a Rotation of first rotation support portion Arrow indicating direction 32a Arrow indicating the rotation direction of the second rotation support portion 33a Arrow indicating the rotation direction of the third rotation support portion 40, 41, 43, 44 Tube 51 Cylinder 52 Piston 53 Rod 54 Stay 55 Rack gear 56 Pinion Gear 57, 58 Coil spring 61 Cylinder 62 Piston 63 Metal ball 64 Rotating shaft 65 Screw 66 Knob 67 Knob receptacle 68 Support column 69 Base 110 Three-dimensional manipulation device 111 Three-dimensional positioning device 121 First shaft 122 Second shaft 123 Third shaft 121a Arrow 130 indicating the rotation direction of the first shaft 130 Base 131 First rotation support portion 132 Second rotation support portion 133 Third rotation support portion 131a Arrow indicating the rotation direction of the first rotation support portion 132a Arrow indicating the rotation direction of the second rotation support portion 133a Third rotation support portion Arrow indicating the rotation direction of the rotation support

Claims (4)

  A base, a first rotation support portion supported on the base by a first shaft and rotating independently with or around the first shaft; The second rotation support unit is supported by a second axis perpendicular to the axis of the second rotation unit, and rotates independently with or around the second axis. A manipulator three-dimensional positioning device including a third rotation support portion for supporting a manipulator, which is supported by a third axis perpendicular to the axis and rotates independently together with or around the third axis.   The first rotation support portion is rotated together with the first shaft that is rotated by the drive device provided inside the base, and the second rotation support portion is provided by the drive device provided inside the first rotation support portion. 2. The rotating device according to claim 1, wherein the third rotating support portion rotates independently about the third shaft by a driving device provided inside the third rotating support portion. 3D positioning device.   The three-dimensional positioning device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rotation of each rotation support portion is driven by the pressure of the liquid. A three-dimensional manipulation device in which a manipulator is fixed to a third rotation support portion of the three-dimensional positioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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