JP3362879B2 - Micro manipulator - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hydraulic micromanipulator using hydraulic pressure or hydraulic pressure, which is used in combination with a microscope in the fields of biology, basic medicine, bioengineering and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A micromanipulator used in combination with a microscope is equipped with a glass electrode needle attached to an operating portion, and a micro electric signal is detected from cells to be manipulated through the needle to survive. It is possible to measure the cell membrane potential of cells and explore the mechanism of opening and closing ion channels in cell membranes.

Further, in so-called micro-injection in which a small amount of foreign gene or drug solution is injected into cells, a micromanipulator in which a glass needle filled with the foreign gene or drug solution is attached to an operating portion is used instead of the glass electrode. .

Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 57-28122, JP-A-6
Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-19447 describes a fluid type micromanipulator. In the micromanipulator described in the former, three one-dimensional hydraulic manipulators are combined to give the needle three-dimensional movement. In the micromanipulator described in the latter, a one-dimensional micromanipulator and a microscope are combined so that a large amount of cells can be continuously injected.

By the way, in recent micromanipulation in the fields of biology, basic medicine, bioengineering, etc., it is becoming essential to carry out living cells at a high magnification and a high resolution. On the other hand, microscopes have been added with large and complicated operation functions in order to improve their performance. In addition, since the manipulator that operates a fine cell must suppress the occurrence of vibration, the manipulator operation unit is integrated with the microscope as much as possible to increase the rigidity. For this reason, the experimental apparatus for performing manipulation in the above-mentioned fields has become large and complicated.

In addition, such an experimental apparatus is installed in a small laboratory,
In order to efficiently reout on the experimental table and to use it efficiently, it was necessary to always arrange the manipulator, microscope, and measuring device in an optimal manner.

[0007]

However, in the above-described micromanipulator, since the operating device and the control device are integrally connected by the transmission tube for transmitting the fluid pressure, various equipments of the experimental apparatus are optimal. When arranging the transmission tube in such a condition, extreme caution was required to prevent the transmission tube from being accidentally pulled out. For this reason, it is troublesome for a plurality of people, such as different people having a microscope and a manipulator.

Further, since the operation unit and the control unit are connected by the transmission tube, it is necessary to remove the transmission tube for transportation. However, since the transmission tube is filled with fluid, it is necessary to remove the transmission tube. The work was complicated. In some cases, the microscope device is packed with the transmission tube still attached, but in such a case, the transmission tube complicates the transportation package.

Moreover, in the X, Y, Z three-dimensional drive manipulator, the three transmission tubes required for each direction are arranged so as to surround the periphery of the microscope apparatus, so that the needle setting and needle It was an obstacle to the replacement work.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and includes a transmission tube for connecting an operating device and a control,
An object of the present invention is to provide a micromanipulator that can be easily separated without causing fluid leakage and that can eliminate the complexity of work due to the transmission tube during movement or relocation.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, a micromanipulator of the present invention corresponding to claim 1 comprises an operating device for applying a fine operation to an object with a needle and an operating amount applied from the outside. The controller comprises a controller for converting the controller into a mechanical motion, and a fluid transfer means for transferring the motion of the controller to the operating device via a fluid pressure, and the fluid transferring device is a base end portion of the operating device. A first fluid transfer tube connected to the controller, a second fluid transfer tube having a proximal end connected to the controller, a tip of the first fluid transfer tube and a tip of the second fluid transfer tube. And a tube connecting mechanism for connecting fluid pressure to each other and detachably.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the micromanipulator of the present invention, the tube connecting mechanism is provided in the first manipulator.
A first cylinder member having a first fluid chamber communicating with the fluid transmission tube and having a diaphragm formed on one end surface thereof;
A state in which a second cylinder member having a second fluid chamber communicating with the second fluid transmission tube and having a diaphragm formed on one end surface thereof and the first and second cylinder members face each other. And a piston interposed between the two diaphragms.

According to a third aspect of the micromanipulator of the present invention, the operating device is attached to the microscope main body, and the tube connecting mechanism attaches the tip of the second tube to the inside or the outer wall of the microscope main body. I decided to attach and detach it.

[0014]

According to the micromanipulator of the present invention corresponding to claim 1, the tip of the first fluid transfer tube and the second end of the second fluid transfer tube are provided.
And the tip of the fluid transmission tube are detachably connected to each other via a tube connection mechanism so that the fluid pressure can be transmitted. At the time of micromanipulation, the operation amount externally applied to the controller is converted into a mechanical movement, and the mechanical movement is transferred from the second fluid transfer tube to the first fluid transfer tube via the tube connecting mechanism. And further transmitted to the manipulator via the first fluid transmission tube. Further, the first fluid transmission tube whose base end portion is connected to the operating device and the second fluid transmission tube whose base end portion is connected to the controller are freely separated from the tube connecting mechanism, and are connected to the operating device. The connection state with the controller via the fluid connection tube is released.

According to the micromanipulator of the present invention corresponding to claim 2, the tube tip is sealed by the first cylinder member provided at the tip of the first fluid transfer tube, and the second fluid transfer tube of the second fluid transfer tube is sealed. The second cylinder member provided at the tip closes the tube tip. The fluid pressure is transmitted by the piston provided between the diaphragms of both cylinder members.

According to the micromanipulator of the present invention corresponding to claim 3, the tip of the second tube is attached to and detached from the inside or the outside wall of the microscope body to which the operating device is attached.

[0017]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows main components of a microscope micromanipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The micromanipulator of this embodiment has a manipulator A for finely manipulating an object with a needle, a controller B for converting an operation amount applied from the outside into a mechanical motion, and a motion of the controller B. Is transmitted to the operating device A via fluid pressure.

The operating device A is supported by a column 11 fixed to a microscope stage (not shown), and has a needle 12 made of a glass electrode, and the needle 12 in the Z, Y and X directions orthogonal to each other. Operation console 13 to 15 to move
Is equipped with. The operation console 13 is movably held in the Z direction by a cylinder member 16 which is fixed to a column 21 and has a cylinder structure. The operation console 14 is the operation console 13
It is held by a cylinder member 18 having a cylinder structure so as to be movable in the Y direction via a T-shaped member 17 fixed to the. Further, the operation table 15 is held by a cylinder member 19 which is fixed to the operation table 14 and has a cylinder structure so as to be movable in the X direction.

The cylinder members 16, 18, and 19 having the above-mentioned cylinder structure are connected to the base end portions of the fluid transfer tubes 21 to 23, respectively, and the fluid pressures applied from the connected fluid transfer tubes 21 to 23, respectively. The piston described later is moved in a predetermined direction in accordance with.

Since each cylinder member 16, 18, 19 and the corresponding operation consoles 13 to 15 have the same basic structure, only the structures of the cylinder member 16 and the operation console 13 are shown in FIG.
A brief explanation will be given with reference to.

The cylinder member 16 has a fluid chamber 51 formed therein which communicates with the fluid transmission tube.
Is received by the diaphragm 52, and is further urged to the cylinder member side by the operation table spring 54 so as to convert the movement of the diaphragm 52 into the linear movement of the operation table 13 via the piston 53. In addition, W shown in the same figure is an air vent valve which is provided in the middle of the fluid transmission tube as needed and also serves as replenishment of oil. Other cylinder member 1
7 and 19 are also provided with operation console springs having the same function as the spring 54.

The controller B is provided with operation handles 24 to 26 corresponding to the respective directions of Z, Y and X. Since the operation handles 24 to 26 have the same structure, the operation handle 24 will be described as an example here.

The operating handle 24, as shown in FIG.
The screw shaft 27 at the center of rotation is the micro head 2.
One end of a cylinder 29 is attached to the end surface of the micro head 28. Inside the cylinder 29, a piston 30 with which the tip of the screw shaft 27 abuts is arranged. A spring 31 is wound around the piston 30 to urge the piston 30 toward the operation handle. A rear cylinder 32 is provided at the other end of the cylinder 29, and an oil chamber 33 is formed inside the rear cylinder 32. The end surface of the oil chamber 33 on the handle side is sealed by a rolling diaphragm 34. A tube mounting portion 35 is formed on the other end surface of the rear cylinder 32.

The fluid transfer section C is a fluid transfer tube 3
6, 37 and a tube connecting mechanism 38 for connecting both tubes, and three sets are prepared for each transmission in the Z direction, the Y direction and the X direction.

The fluid transmission tube 36 has a base end portion through the tubes 21 to 23 and the cylinder members 16, 18,
19, and the tip is connected to the tube connecting mechanism 38. Similarly, the fluid transmission tube 37 has a proximal end connected to each tube attachment portion 35 corresponding to each operation handle 24 to 26 of the controller B, and a distal end connected to the tube connection mechanism 38.
It is connected to the.

The tube connecting mechanism 38 shown in each of FIGS. 1 to 3 shows only one connecting mechanism of the three tubes, and the connecting mechanisms of the other two tubes have the same mechanism. Because it is omitted.

The tube connecting mechanism 38 has a fluid chamber 4 inside.
The cylinder cylinder 41 in which 0 is formed is provided. A tube mounting portion that communicates with the fluid chamber 40 inside is formed at one end of the cylinder cylinder 41, and the both are connected by press-fitting the tube mounting portion into the tip opening of the fluid transmission tube 37.

Further, a rolling diaphragm 43 having the same hat shape as 34 is provided so as to close the opening on the other end face of the cylinder cylinder 41. An annular connecting fitting 44 is screwed onto the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder cylinder 41 from the diaphragm side.
The outer peripheral edge portion of the rolling diaphragm 43 is sandwiched between the end surface of the rolling diaphragm 43 and the end surface of the rolling diaphragm 43.

The tip of the fluid transmission tube 36 is, like the tube 37, a cylinder tube 4 of the tube connecting mechanism 38.
5 is connected to a tube attachment portion formed at one end of the tube 5. The cylinder cylinder 45 has the same outer diameter as that of the cylinder cylinder 41, and has a thread groove formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof. Further, a fluid chamber 46 is formed inside the cylinder cylinder 45, and a rolling diaphragm 47 is sandwiched between the end surface of the fluid chamber 46 and the other end surface of the cylinder cylinder 45 by a connection fitting 48.

A connection ring 49 having an inner diameter approximately the same as that of the cylinder cylinder 41 is fitted around the cylinder cylinder 41. The connecting ring 49 has an inner diameter at one end opening which is the connecting fitting 44.
It is smaller than the outer diameter of. A thread groove is formed on the inner circumference of the other end of the connection ring 49. Then, the opposing end surfaces of the two connecting fittings 44, 48 are brought into surface contact with each other, the outer peripheral edge of the one end opening of the connecting ring 49 is engaged with the end surface of the connecting fitting 44, and the other end surface opening of the connecting ring 49 is It is screwed onto the outer peripheral surface of the connection fitting 48.

Further, a through hole is formed in each of the facing surfaces of the connecting fittings 44 and 48, and the piston 50 is interposed between the rolling diaphragms 43 and 47 through the through hole. The piston 50 is axially guided by the through holes of the connection fittings 44 and 48. As described above, the tube connection mechanism is also applied to the connection of other fluid transfer tubes in the Y direction and the X direction. Next, the operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described by taking the operation in the Z direction as an example.

When the operation handle 24 of the controller B rotates in a predetermined direction by a predetermined amount, for example, the screw shaft 27 moves backward and moves the piston 30 against the force of the spring 31 to the right in FIG. As a result, the tip of the piston 30 pushes the diaphragm 34 fixed to the tip to compress the fluid in the fluid chamber 33, so that the fluid in the fluid chamber 33 passes through the through hole of the tube mounting portion and flows into the fluid transmission tube 37. Extruded into.

The same amount of fluid as the fluid pushed out in this way is transferred to the cylinder barrel 4 of the tube connecting mechanism 38.
Immediately flow into the first fluid chamber 40. Then, the force corresponding to the flow rate flowing into the fluid chamber 40 is applied to the rolling diaphragm 43.
Acting on the piston 50 via the, and the piston 50 moves in the thrust direction.

When the piston 50 moves in the thrust direction, the rolling diaphragm 47 of the other cylinder cylinder 45 is pressed by the piston 50. By this pressing, the fluid in the fluid chamber 46 of the cylinder cylinder 45 is compressed, and the fluid in the fluid chamber 46 is pushed out to the fluid transmission tube 36.

The same amount of fluid as the fluid thus pushed out flows into the fluid chamber 51 of the cylinder member 16 as shown in FIG. Then, a force corresponding to the flow rate flowing into the fluid chamber 51 acts on the piston 53 via the diaphragm 52, and the piston 30 moves in the thrust direction (leftward in FIG. 3) against the force of the spring 54. Since the operation table 13 is held by the piston 53, the operation table 13 moves in the Z direction (left direction in FIG. 3) according to the operation amount applied to the operation handle 24. This operation console 13
The needle 12 moves in the Z direction in conjunction with the movement in the Z direction. When the operation handles 25 and 26 are operated, the needle 12 also moves in the Y direction or the X direction as described above.

On the other hand, when it is necessary to separate the operation device A and the control device B, the connection ring 49 is rotated to rotate the connection ring 4.
The screwing between 9 and the connection fitting 48 is released. As a result, the operator-side member including the fluid transfer tube 36, the cylinder tube 45, and the connecting fitting 48 is separated from the controller-side member including the fluid transfer tube 37, the cylinder tube 41, the connecting fitting 44, and the connecting ring 49. Be done.

At this time, a cylinder cylinder 45 sealed by a rolling diaphragm 47 is attached to the tip of the fluid transmission tube 36, and a rolling diaphragm 43 is sealed at the tip of the other fluid transmission tube 37. Since the cylinder cylinder 41 is attached, the operation device A and the control device B can be easily separated by simply removing the connecting ring 49 without taking any special measures against fluid leakage.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the fluid transmission tubes 36 and 37 are connected to the operation unit A and the control unit B, respectively, and both fluid transmission tubes 36 and 37 are detachable via the tube connecting mechanism 38. The controller A and the controller B can be separated very easily because they are connected to each other.

Therefore, when a large-scale experimental apparatus combined with a microscope equipped with a micromanipulator is moved or re-installed, the operator A and the controller B connected via a tube can be easily connected. It can be separated, and the efficiency of such work can be greatly improved.

Further, in transporting the micromanipulator, the operation unit A and the control unit B can be separately packed and the packing operation can be improved. In addition, it is possible to prevent a damage accident caused by collision between a heavy operating device and a controller in the package, which occurs during transportation. Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The schematic structure of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 4, and the structure of the main part is shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the operation unit A
The control unit B and the fluid transmission unit are different from each other in the configuration of the fluid transmission unit. That is, the tube connected to the operating device A is housed in the microscope, and the tube is attached to and detached from the side wall of the microscope body 60.

As shown in FIG. 5, the connection fitting 48 is fitted into the fitting hole 60b formed in the side wall 60a of the base portion of the microscope body 60 with the portion having the thread groove being exposed to the outside. is doing.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the fluid transmission tube 36 connected to the cylinder tube 45 screwed with the connection fitting 48 fixed to the side wall 60a passes through the inside of the microscope body 60 and the inside of the stage 61, It is pulled out from the tube outlet 62 of the stage 61 and is connected to the operating device A in the same manner as described above.

In the present embodiment thus constructed, the piston 50 is inserted from the opening of the connecting fitting 48 provided on the side wall 60a of the microscope body 60, and the connecting ring 49 is screwed onto the outer periphery of the connecting fitting 48. As a result, the rolling diaphragm 47 on the operating device side and the rolling diaphragm 43 on the control device side are connected via the piston so that the fluid pressure can be transmitted. As a result, the operation device A and the control device B are connected. When disconnecting the operating device A and the control device B,
All that is necessary is to turn the connection ring 49 and remove the connection ring 49 from the outer periphery of the connection fitting 48.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the microscope main body 6
The metal fitting 48 is fixed to the side wall 60a of No.
0 and the inside of the stage 61 are arranged, so that with the controller B removed, the fluid transmission tube 36 connected to the operation device A is housed in the microscope almost entirely, so that the surroundings of the device are organized and the operating environment is improved. Can be improved.

In the other embodiments, the connection fitting is provided on the side wall of the microscope main body, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the same effect can be obtained with a stage or a lens barrel. Further, instead of fixing the connection fitting to the microscope, a jig that is detachable from the microscope may be combined so that the user can select an arbitrary position. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0048]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the fluid transmission tube connecting the operating device and the controller can be easily separated without worrying about fluid leakage, and can be moved or rearranged. It is possible to provide a user-friendly micromanipulator by eliminating the complexity of the work due to the fluid transmission tube.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a main part of a micromanipulator for a microscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a part of a controller and a tube connecting mechanism of the micromanipulator shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a part of an operating device and a tube connecting mechanism of the micromanipulator shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an external view of a micromanipulator for a microscope according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a configuration diagram of a connecting mechanism portion of the micromanipulator shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

A ... Operator, B ... Controller, C ... Fluid transmission means, 12 ... Needle, 36, 37 ... Fluid transmission tube, 38 ... Tube coupling mechanism, 40, 46 ... Fluid chamber, 41, 45 ... Cylinder cylinder, 43, 47 ... rolling diaphragm, 50 ... piston, 60 ... microscope body, 61 ... stage.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An operating device for applying a fine operation to an object with a needle, a controller for converting an operation amount applied from the outside into a mechanical motion, and the operation of the motion of the controller via fluid pressure. Fluid transmission means for transmitting the fluid to the operating device, wherein the fluid transmission means includes a first fluid transmission tube having a proximal end portion connected to the operation device, and a first fluid transmission tube having a proximal end portion connected to the controller. A second fluid transmission tube, and a tube coupling mechanism that couples the tip of the first fluid transmission tube and the tip of the second fluid transmission tube to each other so as to be able to transmit fluid pressure and detachably. Micromanipulator composed. 2. The tube connecting mechanism includes a first cylinder member having a first fluid chamber communicating with the first fluid transmission tube and having a diaphragm formed on one end surface thereof, and the second fluid transmission tube. A second cylinder member having a second fluid chamber communicating with the second fluid chamber and having a diaphragm formed on one end surface thereof; and a connecting member for connecting the first and second cylinder members with their diaphragms facing each other. The micromanipulator according to claim 1, further comprising a piston interposed between the both diaphragms. 3. The operating device is attached to a microscope main body,
The micromanipulator according to claim 1, wherein the tube connection mechanism detachably connects the tip of the second tube to the inside or the outside wall of the microscope body.