JP2022151137A - manipulation system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a manipulation system which can satisfactorily operate a micro object under prescribed environment.SOLUTION: A manipulation system has: a sample stage on which a container for accommodating a micro object is placed; a manipulator equipped with a pipette for operating the micro object; a chamber in which a first opening for inserting the micro object into an internal space is provided, and accommodates at least the micro object and the container; and a first sealing member which seals a gap between an outer edge of the first opening and the pipette. Further, in the manipulation system, the first sealing member is formed from a flexible material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to manipulation systems.

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of biotechnology, there is known a manipulation system for finely manipulating minute objects (eg, cells) under microscope observation (see Patent Document 1). Such a manipulation system may be required to perform fine manipulation of a microscopic object under a predetermined environment (see Patent Document 2).

JP 2015-205370 A Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-510660

In US Pat. No. 5,400,004, a manipulation system including a manipulator, a manipulation site, and an imager is placed inside the chamber. Therefore, there is a possibility that the environment inside the chamber will be contaminated by dust generated from a driving device such as an actuator. In addition, if the chamber is set in a hot and humid environment, it may become difficult to finely manipulate the manipulator, for example, rust may occur in the movable portion of the manipulator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a manipulation system capable of satisfactorily manipulating a minute object under a predetermined environment.

A manipulation system according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a sample stage on which a container for containing a microscopic object is mounted, a manipulator equipped with a pipette for manipulating the microscopic object, and the pipette in an internal space. A first sealing member for sealing a gap between an outer edge of the first opening and the pipette and a chamber for accommodating at least the micro-object and the container, the first opening being provided for insertion. and have

According to this, in the manipulation system, the internal space and the outside of the chamber are shielded by the first sealing member, so that the environment inside the chamber can be favorably maintained. Then, the pipette is inserted into the internal space through the first opening provided in the chamber, and the minute object can be satisfactorily manipulated under the predetermined environment in the chamber. In addition, since the movable parts such as the driving device of the manipulator are arranged outside the chamber, they can be prevented from being exposed to the environment inside the chamber (for example, a high temperature and high humidity environment).

In the manipulation system according to one aspect of the present invention, the first sealing member is made of flexible material. According to this, when the pipette is moved in the internal space to manipulate the minute object, the first sealing member is provided so as to be deformable along with the movement of the pipette. Thereby, the manipulation system can satisfactorily seal the gap between the outer edge of the first opening and the pipette and manipulate the minute object while maintaining the environment inside the chamber.

In the manipulation system according to an aspect of the present invention, the side plate of the chamber is provided with a second opening for inserting at least a part of the sample stage into the internal space, and the outer edge of the second opening and the sample are separated from each other. It has a second sealing member that seals the gap with the stage. According to this, the manipulation system can move the micro-object placed on the sample stage and the container in the internal space of the chamber. Moreover, since the inner space of the chamber is shielded from the outside by the second sealing member, the environment inside the chamber can be favorably maintained.

In the manipulation system according to one aspect of the present invention, the second sealing member is made of flexible material. According to this, when the sample stage is moved in the internal space, the second sealing member is provided so as to be deformable along with the movement of the sample stage. Thereby, the manipulation system can well seal the gap between the outer edge of the second opening and the sample stage, and move the sample stage while maintaining the environment inside the chamber.

In the manipulation system according to an aspect of the present invention, the microscope is arranged above the specimen stage and the chamber, and a top plate of the chamber has a translucent light-transmitting device at least at a position overlapping with the microscope. have an area. According to this, the internal space of the chamber can be observed through the light-transmitting region with a microscope. Therefore, the manipulation system can manipulate minute objects well in the internal space of the chamber.

In the manipulation system according to one aspect of the present invention, the chamber has at least one or more through holes for controlling the environment of the internal space. According to this, the internal space of the chamber can be connected to, for example, a humidity control device, a CO ₂ gas concentration control device, etc. through the through hole. Alternatively, heaters and various sensors can be installed in the internal space of the chamber via through holes.

A manipulation system according to an aspect of the present invention has a base on which the chamber is placed, and the chamber is fixed to the base by a fixing member. According to this, since the chamber is fixed to the base, it is possible to improve the airtightness of the first opening and the second opening compared to a configuration in which the chamber is provided movably.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the manipulation system which can operate a micro-object satisfactorily under a predetermined environment can be provided.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a manipulation system according to an embodiment. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the manipulation system shown in FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the manipulation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the manipulation system according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a top view for explaining the arrangement relationship of the chamber, pipette holder and pipette. FIG. 6 is a front view for explaining the arrangement relationship between the chamber and the sample stage. FIG. 7 is a side view of the chamber. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged part of the chamber, the pipette holder, and the first sealing member. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a configuration example of the mounting member. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged part of the chamber, sample stage, and second sealing member. FIG. 11 is a front view showing a configuration example of a chamber according to a modification.

A form (embodiment) for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited by the contents described in the following embodiments. In addition, the components described below include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the components described below can be combined as appropriate.

(embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a manipulation system according to an embodiment. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the manipulation system shown in FIG. 1; FIG. A manipulation system 100 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a device for manipulating a microscopic object housed in a container 38 under microscope observation. A microscopic object is, for example, a cell.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the manipulation system 100 includes a base 101, a pipette 10, a pipette holder 15, a manipulator 20, a sample stage 30, a microscope unit 40, and a chamber 60. . In this embodiment, one direction parallel to the mounting surface 30a (see FIG. 3) of the sample stage 30 is defined as the X-axis direction. A direction parallel to the mounting surface 30a and orthogonal to the X-axis direction is defined as a Y-axis direction. Let the normal direction of the mounting surface 30a be the Z-axis direction. For example, the placement of the base 1 is adjusted so that the mounting surface 30a is a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction.

The manipulator 20 is a device for moving the pipette holder 15 and the pipette 10 in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. The manipulator 20 is a manipulator having a three-axis configuration of X-axis-Y-axis-Z-axis.

Pipette holder 15 is a tubular device for holding pipette 10 . The material of the pipette holder 15 is, for example, glass or metal. One end of the pipette holder 15 is connected to the pipette 10 . Also, the other end of the pipette holder 15 is connected to the manipulator 20 . The pipette holder 15 is also connected to an electric micropump 29 (see FIG. 3) that the manipulator 20 has. The internal pressures of the pipette holder 15 and the pipette 10 are reduced or increased by the pressure P supplied from the electric micropump 29 .

A pipette 10 is an injection pipette used as a means for manipulating the injection of microscopic objects. A solution or the like is injected into the minute object from the tip of the pipette 10 by, for example, an electric micropump 29 communicating with the pipette 10 . Note that the pipette 10 is not limited to an injection pipette, and may be a sampling pipette for sampling minute objects.

The sample stage 30 is connected to an X-axis stage 31 and a Y-axis stage 32 . The X-axis stage 31 is moved in the X-axis direction by being driven by the driving device 36a. The Y-axis stage 32 is moved in the Y-axis direction by being driven by the driving device 36b. The X-axis stage 31 is mounted on the Y-axis stage 32 . The sample stage 30 is provided so as to be biaxially movable within the XY plane by moving an X-axis stage 31 and a Y-axis stage 32 . In addition, the driving device 36 (the driving device 36a and the driving device 36b) is connected to the controller 50 (see FIG. 3).

A container 38 is mounted on the mounting surface 30 a of the sample stage 30 . Container 38 is, for example, a dish or well plate. Microscopic objects such as cells are accommodated in the container 38 .

The chamber 60 is a box-shaped member having an internal space. The internal space of the chamber 60 is sealed and isolated from the outside of the chamber 60 . The internal space of the chamber 60 is maintained and managed in a predetermined environment (for example, a clean environment, a hot and humid environment, a gas environment such as _CO2 , etc.) for manipulating microscopic objects such as cells. In this specification, "sealing" and "sealing" are not limited to the state in which the internal space of the chamber 60 is completely blocked from the outside, and the pipette 10 and the sample stage 30 are moved to It is sufficient that the internal space of the chamber 60 is airtight enough to maintain a predetermined environment during operation.

Chamber 60 is mounted on base 101 . Chamber 60 is fixed to base 101 by fixing member 102 . The fixing member 102 is, for example, a bolt. The internal space of the chamber 60 accommodates the micro-object and the container 38 . The pipette 10 and the pipette holder 15 are inserted into the internal space of the chamber 60 through the first opening OP1. A part of the sample stage 30 is inserted into the internal space of the chamber 60 through the second opening OP2. A sealing structure for the first opening OP1 and the second opening OP2 will be described later.

The microscope unit 40 is arranged above the sample stage 30 and the chamber 60 . The microscope unit 40 has a microscope 41 , an imaging device 45 , and a light source (not shown) that irradiates the mounting surface 30 a of the sample stage 30 with light. As shown in FIG. 2, the microscope 41 has a lens barrel 411, an objective lens 412, an eyepiece lens 413, and a driving device 414 (see FIG. 3). Microscope 41 is a stereomicroscope with objective lens 412 positioned above container 38 and chamber 60 . A lens barrel 411 of the microscope unit 40 is moved in the Z-axis direction by being driven by a driving device 414 . Thereby, the microscope 41 can adjust the focus position. A plurality of types of the objective lens 412 may be prepared according to the desired magnification. The imaging device 45 can image the tip of the pipette 10 and the minute object from the Z-axis direction via the microscope 41 .

Note that the number of microscope units 40 is not limited to one, and two or more may be provided. In this case, the plurality of microscope units can observe the tip of the pipette 10 and the minute object from different directions.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the manipulation system according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the manipulation system 100 further includes a controller 50, a joystick 57, an input section 58, and a display section 80. The input unit 58 is a keyboard, a touch panel, or the like. The joystick 57 and input section 58 are connected to the controller 50 . An operator can input commands to the controller 50 via the joystick 57 and the input unit 58 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the manipulator 20 includes an X-axis table 21, a Y-axis table 22, a Z-axis table 23, driving devices 26 and 27, and an electric micropump 29. The X-axis table 21 is moved in the X-axis direction by being driven by the driving device 26 . The Y-axis table 22 is moved in the Y-axis direction by being driven by the driving device 26 . The Z-axis table 23 is moved in the Z-axis direction by being driven by the driving device 27 . Drives 26 , 27 and electric micropump 29 are connected to controller 50 .

In manipulator 20 , Z-axis table 23 is mounted on Y-axis table 22 . Thereby, the pipette holder 15 and the pipette 10 can move in the Y-axis direction by the same distance as the Y-axis table 22 as the Y-axis table 22 moves. Furthermore, the Y-axis table 22 is mounted on the X-axis table 21 . As a result, the pipette holder 15 and the pipette 10 can move in the X-axis direction by the same distance as the X-axis table 21 as the X-axis table 21 moves. In addition, the pipette holder 15 and the pipette 10 can move in the Z-axis direction by the same distance as the Z-axis table 23 as the Z-axis table 23 moves.

Next, functions of the controller 50 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the manipulation system according to the embodiment. The controller 50 includes hardware resources such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as computing means, a hard disk as storage means, a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a ROM (Read Only Memory).

As shown in FIG. 4, the controller 50 has an image input section 51a, an image output section 51b, an image processing section 52, a detection section 53, an image editing section 54, a control section 55 and a storage section 56 as its functions. The image input unit 51a, the image output unit 51b, the image processing unit 52, the detection unit 53, the image editing unit 54, and the control unit 55 are implemented by the above computing means. The storage unit 56 is implemented by the storage means described above. The controller 50 performs various calculations based on the programs stored in the storage unit 56, and outputs drive signals so that the control unit 55 performs various controls according to the calculation results.

The control unit 55 controls the driving device 414 of the microscope unit 40 , the driving devices 26 and 27 and the electric micropump 29 of the manipulator 20 , and the driving device 36 of the sample stage 30 . The control unit 55 supplies drive signals Vz1, Vxy2, Vz2 and Vxy3 (see FIG. 3) to the drive devices 414, 26 and 27, respectively. The control unit 55 also supplies the electric micropump 29 with a drive signal Vmp (see FIG. 3). Note that the control unit 55 may supply the drive signals Vz1, Vxy2, Vz2, Vxy3, and Vmp through drivers, amplifiers, and the like provided as necessary.

An image signal Vpix1 (see FIG. 3) output from the imaging device 45 is input to the image input section 51a. The image processing unit 52 receives the image signal Vpix1 from the image input unit 51a and performs image processing. The image output unit 51 b outputs the image information image-processed by the image processing unit 52 to the storage unit 56 and the display unit 80 .

The detection unit 53 receives image information from the image processing unit 52 and automatically detects the positions and the number of minute objects based on the received image information. The detection unit 53 then outputs the detection result to the image editing unit 54 and the control unit 55 . In the present disclosure, "automatic" means that the device operates without operator's judgment. Further, the controller 50 is not limited to detection of minute objects, and can also detect the position of the pipette 10 .

Next, the detailed configuration of the chamber 60 will be described. FIG. 5 is a top view for explaining the arrangement relationship of the chamber, pipette holder and pipette. FIG. 6 is a front view for explaining the arrangement relationship between the chamber and the sample stage. FIG. 7 is a side view of the chamber.

As shown in FIGS. 5-7, the chamber 60 has a bottom plate 61 and a cover portion 62 . The bottom plate 61 is a flat member and is arranged to face the base 101 . At least part of the sample stage 30 is arranged to face the upper surface of the bottom plate 61 . The cover portion 62 has a top plate 62a and side plates 62b. The lower part of the side plate 62b is connected to the bottom plate 61 to seal the internal space of the chamber 60. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the chamber 60 has a square shape when viewed from the top. However, the chamber 60 is not limited to this, and may have other shapes such as a polygonal shape and a circular shape.

As shown in FIG. 5, the top plate 62a of the chamber 60 is provided with a first opening OP1. As described above, the pipette 10 and the pipette holder 15 are inserted into the internal space of the chamber 60 through the first opening OP1. The first opening OP1 has a rectangular shape with long sides along the X-axis direction when viewed from above. The length of each side of the first opening OP1 is formed larger than the diameter of the pipette 10 and the pipette holder 15 . As a result, the manipulation system 100 can move the pipette holder 15 within the first opening OP<b>1 and manipulate the minute object within the chamber 60 . Note that the first opening OP1 is not limited to a rectangular shape, and may have other shapes such as a polygonal shape and a circular shape. An appropriate shape can be adopted for the first opening OP1 according to the manipulation of the micro-object.

A first sealing member 71 is provided to cover the first opening OP1. In addition, in FIG. 5, the first sealing member 71 is hatched for easy viewing of the drawing. The first sealing member 71 seals the gap between the outer edge of the first opening OP1 and the pipette holder 15 (and the pipette 10). The first sealing member 71 is attached to the outer circumference of the pipette holder 15 by the attachment member 16 .

The first sealing member 71 is made of a flexible material. Specifically, the first sealing member 71 can be formed of a resin film material such as nylon or vinyl, or sheet-like rubber. The first sealing member 71 is provided so as to be deformable when the pipette holding portion 15 (and the pipette 10) moves within the first opening OP1.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged part of the chamber, the pipette holder, and the first sealing member. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII' of FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the first sealing member 71 is sandwiched between the lower surface of the top plate 62a, the fixing member 68 and the O-ring 69. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 8, the lower surface of the top plate 62a and the fixing member 68 are shown separately for the sake of clarity, but the top plate 62a, the first sealing member 71, the O-ring 69 and the fixing member 68 It is fixed so as to be in close contact. The fixing member 68 is fixed to the top plate 62a by, for example, bolts. Also, although FIG. 8 shows a YZ sectional view, the fixing member 68 and the O-ring 69 are annular members formed along the outer edge of the first opening OP1. Thereby, the first sealing member 71 is fixed along the outer edge of the first opening OP1 by the fixing member 68 and the O-ring 69, and can seal the first opening OP1.

A groove portion 62c is formed in the lower surface of the top plate 62a, and a groove portion 68a is formed in the fixing member 68. As shown in FIG. An O-ring 69 is positioned between the opposing grooves 62c, 68a. However, at least one of the grooves 62c and 68a may not be provided. The structure of the fixing member 68 and the O-ring 69 is merely an example, and any structure may be used as long as it is provided so as to seal between the outer edge of the first opening OP1 and the first sealing member 71. good too.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a configuration example of the mounting member. The mounting member 16 has a first nut 17 and a second nut 18 . The outer peripheral surface of the pipette holding portion 15 is threaded, and a first nut 17 and a second nut 18 are screwed onto the pipette holding portion 15 . The first sealing member 71 and the O-ring 19 are sandwiched between the first nut 17 and the second nut 18 in the axial direction of the pipette holding portion 15 . Thereby, the space between the pipette holder 15 and the first sealing member 71 is sealed.

More specifically, the first nut 17 has a protrusion 17a that protrudes from the lower surface of the first nut 17 . The projecting portion 17a is formed in an annular shape surrounding the pipette holding portion 15 . The second nut 18 has a protrusion 18a that protrudes from the upper surface of the second nut 18 . The projecting portion 18 a of the second nut 18 is formed in an annular shape surrounding the outer periphery of the projecting portion 17 a of the first nut 17 . The first sealing member 71 and the O-ring 19 are arranged in a recess formed between the projecting portion 18 a of the second nut 18 and the outer peripheral surface of the pipette holding portion 15 . By rotating the first nut 17 and the second nut 18 toward each other, the first sealing member 71 and the O-ring 19 are sandwiched between the protrusion 17a and the second nut 18 forming the bottom of the recess. be

Note that the configuration of the mounting member 16 shown in FIG. 9 is merely an example. The mounting member 16 may have any structure as long as it is provided so as to seal between the pipette holding portion 15 and the first sealing member 71 . For example, protrusions 17a and 18a may be omitted.

Next, returning to FIG. 5, the top plate 62a of the chamber 60 is provided with a translucent translucent area CL. Glass, for example, is used as the material of the translucent region CL. The translucent area CL is provided in an area overlapping the microscope 41 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) of the microscope unit 40 . Thereby, the manipulation system 100 can observe the pipette 10 and the minute objects in the internal space of the chamber 60 through the light-transmitting region CL using the microscope 41 .

Note that the first opening OP1 and the translucent region CL are arranged adjacent to each other in the X-axis direction. Not limited to this, the positional relationship between the first opening OP1 and the translucent region CL can be appropriately changed according to the arrangement of the microscope 41, the manipulator 20, the pipette holder 15, and the pipette 10.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the side plate 62b of the chamber 60 is provided with a second opening OP2. As described above, at least part of the sample stage 30 is inserted into the internal space of the chamber 60 through the second opening OP2. The second opening OP2 has a rectangular shape with long sides along the X-axis direction when viewed from the side. More specifically, the second opening OP<b>2 is formed by being surrounded by a rectangular notch formed in the lower portion of the side plate 62 b and the bottom plate 61 .

The length of the second opening OP2 in the X-axis direction is formed longer than the length of the sample stage 30 in the X-axis direction. The length of the second opening OP2 in the Z-axis direction is formed longer than the length (thickness) of the sample stage 30 in the Z-axis direction. Thereby, the manipulation system 100 can move the sample stage 30 within the second opening OP2. That is, the manipulation system 100 can move the container 38 placed on the sample stage 30 and the micro-object housed in the container 38 within the chamber 60 . In addition, the second opening OP2 is not limited to a rectangular shape, and may have other shapes such as a polygonal shape and a circular shape.

A second sealing member 72 is provided to cover the second opening OP2. In addition, in FIG. 6, the second sealing member 72 is hatched for easy viewing of the drawing. The second sealing member 72 seals the gap between the outer edge of the second opening OP<b>2 and the sample stage 30 .

Like the first sealing member 71, the second sealing member 72 is made of a flexible material. Specifically, the second sealing member 72 can be made of a resin film material such as nylon or vinyl, or sheet-like rubber. The second sealing member 72 is provided so as to be deformable when the sample stage 30 moves within the second opening OP2.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged part of the chamber, sample stage, and second sealing member. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX' of FIG. 6. FIG. As shown in FIG. 10, the second sealing member 72 is sandwiched between the side plate 62b, the fixing member 75 and the O-ring 77. As shown in FIG. The fixing member 75 is fixed to the side plate 62b by, for example, bolts. Also, although FIG. 8 shows a YZ sectional view, the fixing member 75 and the O-ring 77 are formed along the outer edge of the second opening OP2. Thereby, the second sealing member 72 can be fixed to the outer edge of the second opening OP2 to seal the second opening OP2.

Also, the second sealing member 72 is sandwiched between the upper surface of the sample stage 30 and the fixing member 76 and the O-ring 78 . The fixing member 76 is fixed to the sample stage 30 by, for example, bolts. Thereby, the second sealing member 72 is fixed to the sample stage 30 and can seal the gap between the second opening OP<b>2 and the sample stage 30 . The length of the second opening OP2 in the Z-axis direction is formed longer than the total thickness of the sample stage 30 and the fixed member 76, thereby suppressing contact between the fixed member 76 and the side plate 62b. Alternatively, the fixing member 76 is provided at a position sufficiently separated from the side plate 62b in the Y-axis direction so as not to contact the side plate 62b.

The configuration of the fixing members 75, 76 and the O-rings 77, 78 shown in FIG. 10 is merely an example. The fixing members 75 and 76 and the O-rings 77 and 78 may have any structure as long as they are provided so as to seal the gap between the second opening OP2 and the sample stage 30 .

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the chamber 60 has through holes 65, 66 for controlling the environment of the internal space. The through hole 65 is connected to, for example, a humidity control device (not shown). The through-hole 65 is formed as a ventilation hole for introducing the air adjusted to a predetermined humidity supplied from the humidity adjusting device into the internal space of the chamber 60 . This allows the manipulation system 100 to adjust the humidity inside the chamber 60 . Alternatively, through hole 65 may be connected to a CO ₂ concentration adjustment device (not shown). In this case, the through hole 65 is formed as a vent hole for introducing the CO ₂ gas supplied from the CO ₂ concentration adjusting device into the internal space of the chamber 60 . but not limited to this. The through-hole 65 can supply gas according to the environment of the chamber 60 .

A through hole 66 is provided for installing a heater and various sensors in the internal space of the chamber 60 . Wires connected to heaters and various sensors, for example, are inserted into the through holes 66 . The manipulation system 100 of this embodiment can easily adjust and manage the environment inside the chamber 60 by providing the through holes 65 and 66 .

In the example shown in FIG. 7, two through holes 65 and 66 are provided. The number of through-holes is not limited to this, and one or three or more through-holes may be provided.

The positions, sizes, and shapes of the first opening OP1, the second opening OP2, and the through holes 65 and 66 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the first opening OP1 is not limited to being provided in the top plate 62a, and may be provided in the side plate 62b. The second opening OP2 is provided at a portion (front side) of the side plate 62b that intersects the Y-axis direction, but is not limited to this, and is provided at a portion (side surface side) that intersects the X-axis direction. may Also, the positions of the through holes 65 and 66 can be changed as appropriate.

Although the chamber 60 is composed of two members (the bottom plate 61 and the cover portion 62), it is not limited to this. FIG. 11 is a front view showing a configuration example of a chamber according to a modification. As shown in FIG. 11, a chamber 60A according to the modification is configured by connecting three members, a bottom plate 61A, a top plate 62A and side plates 62B.

The chambers 60 and 60A are not limited to this, and the chambers 60 and 60A can have different configurations as appropriate according to the fixing method to the base 101 and the arrangement relationship with the sample stage 30 and the manipulator 20 . For example, the chambers 60, 60A may consist of four or more members.

As described above, the manipulation system 100 of this embodiment includes the sample stage 30 on which the container 38 for accommodating the micro-object is placed, and the manipulator 20 having the pipette 10 for manipulating the micro-object. , a first opening OP1 for inserting the pipette 10 into the internal space, a chamber 60 for accommodating at least the micro-object and the container 38, an outer edge of the first opening OP1 and the pipette 10 (and the pipette holder 15). ), and a first sealing member 71 that seals the gap between.

According to this, in the manipulation system 100, the internal space and the outside of the chamber 60 are shielded by the first sealing member 71, so that the environment inside the chamber 60 can be favorably maintained. Then, the pipette 10 is inserted into the internal space through the first opening OP1 provided in the chamber 60, and the minute object can be manipulated satisfactorily under the predetermined environment inside the chamber 60. FIG. In addition, since the movable parts such as the driving devices 26 and 27 of the manipulator 20 are arranged outside the chamber 60, they can be prevented from being exposed to the environment inside the chamber 60 (for example, the high temperature and high humidity environment). Therefore, the manipulation system 100 can suppress the occurrence of corrosion and rust in the moving parts such as the driving devices 26 and 27 of the manipulator 20 .

Moreover, in the manipulation system 100 of the present embodiment, the first sealing member 71 is made of a flexible material. According to this, when the pipette 10 is moved in the internal space to manipulate a minute object, the first sealing member 71 is provided so as to be deformable as the pipette 10 is moved. Thereby, the manipulation system 100 can satisfactorily seal the gap between the outer edge of the first opening OP1 and the pipette 10, and can manipulate the micro-object while maintaining the environment inside the chamber 60. FIG.

In the manipulation system 100 of this embodiment, the side plate 62b of the chamber 60 is provided with a second opening OP2 for inserting at least part of the sample stage 30 into the internal space. It has a second sealing member 72 that seals the gap with the stage 30 . According to this, the manipulation system 100 can move the micro-object placed on the sample stage 30 and the container 38 in the internal space of the chamber 60 . In addition, since the inner space of the chamber 60 is shielded from the outside by the second sealing member 72, the environment inside the chamber can be favorably maintained.

Moreover, in the manipulation system 100 of the present embodiment, the second sealing member 72 is made of a flexible material. According to this, when the sample stage 30 is moved in the internal space, the second sealing member 72 is provided so as to be deformable along with the movement of the sample stage 30 . Thereby, the manipulation system 100 can well seal the gap between the outer edge of the second opening OP2 and the sample stage 30 and move the sample stage 30 while maintaining the environment inside the chamber 60 .

Further, in the manipulation system 100 of the present embodiment, the microscope 41 is arranged above the sample stage 30 and the chamber 60 , and the top plate 62 a of the chamber 60 has a translucent material at least at a position overlapping the microscope 41 . It has a transparent region CL. According to this, the internal space of the chamber 60 can be observed with the microscope 41 through the translucent area CL. Therefore, the manipulation system 100 can satisfactorily manipulate microscopic objects in the internal space of the chamber 60 .

Moreover, in the manipulation system 100 of this embodiment, the chamber 60 has at least one or more through holes 65 and 66 for controlling the environment of the internal space. According to this, the internal space of the chamber 60 can be connected to, for example, a humidity control device, a CO ₂ gas concentration control device, etc. through the through holes 65 and 66 . Alternatively, heaters and various sensors can be installed in the internal space of the chamber 60 via the through holes 65 and 66 .

Further, the manipulation system 100 of this embodiment has a base 101 on which the chamber 60 is mounted, and the chamber 60 is fixed to the base 101 by a fixing member 102 . According to this, since the chamber 60 is fixed to the base 101, it is possible to improve the sealing performance of the first opening OP1 and the second opening OP2 compared to a configuration in which the chamber 60 is movably provided. Furthermore, the area of the translucent region CL can be made smaller than in a configuration in which the chamber 60 is provided movably.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 pipette 15 pipette holder 16 mounting member 17 first nut 18 second nut 20 manipulator 30 sample stage 31 X-axis stage 32 Y-axis stage 38 container 40 microscope unit 41 microscope 60 chamber 61 bottom plate 62 cover portion 62a, 62A top plate 62b , 62B side plate 65, 66 through hole 71 first sealing member 72 second sealing member 100 manipulation system 101 base OP1 first opening OP2 second opening CL translucent region

Claims (7)

a sample stage on which a container for containing a microscopic object is mounted;
a manipulator equipped with a pipette for manipulating the microscopic object;
a chamber for containing at least the micro-object and the container, provided with a first opening for inserting the pipette into the interior space;
A manipulation system, comprising: a first sealing member that seals a gap between an outer edge of the first opening and the pipette. The manipulation system according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing member is made of flexible material. A side plate of the chamber is provided with a second opening for inserting at least part of the sample stage into the internal space,
3. The manipulation system according to claim 1, further comprising a second sealing member that seals a gap between the outer edge of the second opening and the sample stage. 4. The manipulation system according to claim 3, wherein the second sealing member is made of flexible material. a microscope disposed above the sample stage and the chamber;
The manipulation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the top plate of the chamber has a translucent translucent area at least at a position overlapping with the microscope. The manipulation system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the chamber has at least one or more through holes for controlling the environment of the internal space. Having a base on which the chamber is mounted,
The manipulation system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the chamber is fixed to the base by a fixing member.

Images