JP3778625B2 - Microscopic specimen automatic staining equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The automatic staining apparatus for a microscopic specimen according to the present invention is to observe a tissue piece or a cell (in the present specification, these are collectively referred to as a sample) in a hospital or various laboratories. The present invention relates to improvement of an automatic staining apparatus for a microscope specimen used for staining.
[0002]
[Prior art]
At a hospital, it is widely practiced to diagnose a disease by observing a sample excised from an affected area with a microscope. In order to make it easy to diagnose diseases by such microscopic observation, samples attached to glass slides are stained, and various automatic staining devices that automatically perform this staining work are also provided. Has been.
[0003]
FIG. 3 shows an example of such an automatic dyeing apparatus described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-66543. On the upper surface of the substrate provided horizontally in the upper part of the cabinet 1, a state in which a large number of liquid storage containers 2 and 2 that are open at the top and store various chemicals or washing water necessary for the dyeing process are aligned. It is mounted with. Above the liquid storage containers 2, 2, a movable beam 3 that can move horizontally along the horizontal direction of the substrate (direction a in FIG. 3), and the movement along the movable beam 3 can be freely moved. A three-dimensional drive device is provided that includes a movable column 4 that can move horizontally in the direction (direction b in FIG. 3) and a suspension arm 5 that can move up and down along the movable column 4. The hanging arm 5 is capable of engaging and disengaging a staining rod (not shown in FIG. 3) that can accommodate a plurality of slide glasses to which a sample to be a microscope specimen is attached. Then, by lowering the suspension arm 5 in a state where the dyeing basket is suspended from the suspension arm 5, the plurality of slide glasses stored in the staining basket are placed in the liquid storage containers 2 and 2, respectively. It can be immersed in the stored chemical solution or cleaning water.
[0004]
When a sample is stained using the automatic staining apparatus as described above, first, a staining basket containing one or more slide glasses on which a sample to be stained is attached is engaged with the suspension arm 5. As is well known, each slide glass faces in the vertical direction in a state of being housed in a dyeing basket. If the dyeing basket is engaged with the hanging arm 5, the three-dimensional driving device is then driven. Then, the moving beam 3 and the moving column 4 and the hanging arm 5 constituting the three-dimensional drive device move based on a signal from a controller (not shown), and the dyeing basket is moved for a predetermined time according to a predetermined order. It is immersed in the chemical solution or washing water in the liquid storage containers 2 and 2 one by one. By repeating such operations a predetermined number of times, the sample is stained. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the chemical solution for replacement is stored in the cabinet 1 in order to automatically replace the frequently used chemical solution stored in the liquid storage containers 2 and 2. The structure which accommodated the tanks 6 and 6 which were made is shown. However, such tanks 6 and 6 are not necessarily required. In the case of such an automatic staining apparatus for microscope specimens that does not require the cabinet 1 for storing the tanks 6 and 6, like the automatic staining apparatus for microscope specimens described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-100522 described below. , Can be configured to a height that can be placed on a desk.
[0005]
Furthermore, a multiple staining process in which a plurality of staining folds are processed in parallel by using an automatic staining apparatus for a microscope specimen as described above and more samples are efficiently stained is also disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-10052. As is described in the above, it is conventionally known. That is, the dyeing basket containing the slide glass on which the sample is adhered is immersed in the chemical solution for a predetermined time. During the immersion, the hanging arm 5 is disengaged from the dyeing basket and another dyeing is performed. The other dyed soot is put into a predetermined storage container 2 by engaging with the soot. Then, similarly, the engagement with the suspension arm 5 is released, and this another dyeing tub is immersed in the chemical solution for a predetermined time. These operations are performed in parallel on a plurality of dyeing baskets, and if there is a dyeing basket that has been immersed for a predetermined time, the hanging arm 5 engages with the dyeing basket and the next storage container 2 is engaged. Carry. By repeating such an operation, it is possible to process a plurality of staining baskets in parallel, so that a larger number of samples can be stained in a shorter time than the above-described normal processing. Such multiple staining processing is possible by storing the processing procedure in the controller in advance.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the case of a conventionally known microscope specimen automatic staining apparatus constructed and operated as described above, a large number of liquid storage containers 2 and 2 are arranged in a plane, so that the installation area increases. Such a large installation area is not preferable for installation in a narrow examination room.
In view of such circumstances, the present invention has been invented to provide an automatic staining apparatus for a microscope specimen that has a small installation area and can be easily installed in a narrow examination room.
[0007]
[Means for solving the problems]
The microscope specimen automatic staining apparatus of the present invention stores a plurality of storage containers placed on the upper surface of a substrate and a plurality of slide glasses on which a sample to be used as a microscope specimen is pasted, as in the conventional apparatus described above. A free dyeing basket and a drive device having a hanging arm that is freely disengageable and movable in the vertical and horizontal directions. Then, the sample is immersed in the liquid in each of the liquid storage containers by allowing the dyeing basket to enter the liquid storage containers for a predetermined time according to a predetermined order by the driving device, and the sample is stained.
However, in the case of the microscope specimen automatic staining apparatus of the present invention, the drive device does not necessarily need to move in the front-rear direction as long as the suspension arm is movable in the vertical and horizontal directions, that is, in a two-dimensional direction. . In other words, the driving device constituting the automatic staining apparatus of the present invention does not necessarily need to be a three-dimensional driving device.
[0008]
In particular, in the automatic staining apparatus for a microscope specimen of the present invention, the substrate can be mounted with a plurality of reservoirs on the upper surface thereof, and a lower plate and an upper plate installed in the horizontal direction at intervals from each other. And a board. And between the upper end part of the liquid storage container placed on the upper surface of the lower plate and the lower surface of the upper plate, the lower arm on which the dyeing basket is suspended is movable in the left-right direction. A moving space is provided. Further, an upper moving space is provided above the liquid storage container placed on the upper surface of the upper plate so that the hanging arm on which the dyeing basket is hung can be moved in the left-right direction. Further, a part of the upper plate is provided with a passage through which the hanging arm around which the dyeing rod is suspended can be passed through in the vertical direction.
[0009]
[Action]
In order to stain a sample attached to a plurality of slide glasses stored in a staining basket using the microscope specimen automatic staining apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, first, a staining basket containing the slide glass is stored. Is engaged with the suspension arm. Next, the driving device is driven, and the dyeing basket is immersed in the chemical solution or the washing water in the liquid storage container for a predetermined time according to a predetermined order by the hanging arm. By repeating such operations a predetermined number of times, the sample is stained.
[0010]
That is, the suspension arm moves in the left-right direction in the lower movement space or the upper movement space, and moves up and down at a position aligned with the upper end opening of a predetermined liquid storage container placed on the upper surface of the lower plate or the upper plate. Thus, the dyed soot is immersed in the liquid in the liquid storage container. Further, as the dyeing process proceeds, the dyeing basket is changed from the liquid in the liquid storage container placed on the upper surface of the upper plate to the liquid in the liquid storage vessel placed on the upper surface of the lower plate, or on the lower plate. It is necessary to transfer from the liquid in the liquid storage container placed on the upper surface to the liquid in the liquid storage container placed on the upper surface of the upper plate. At this time, the hanging arm passes between the lower moving space and the upper moving space through the passage provided in a part of the upper plate while the dyeing basket is suspended.
[0011]
As described above, in the case of the microscope specimen automatic staining apparatus of the present invention, since the staining basket is moved between a plurality of storage containers arranged three-dimensionally in at least two stages, the space is effectively used. Thus, the installation space can be reduced.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1 and 2 show an example of an embodiment of the present invention. The cabinet 7 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape in which only the front surface is opened by covering the upper surface, left and right side surfaces, and the rear surface (rear surface) of the frame with a panel and closing the lower surface with the lower plate 8. Further, an upper plate 9 is fixed in parallel with the lower plate 8 at an intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the cabinet 7. A plurality of water-washing containers 10 and chemical liquid containers 11 and 11, each of which is a liquid storage container, are placed on the upper surfaces of the lower plate 8 and the upper plate 9.
[0013]
A nozzle 12 for supplying cleaning water is inserted inside the lower portion of the rinsing container 10. For this purpose, an insertion hole (not shown) is provided in a portion of the wall surface of the washing container 10 that is aligned with the nozzle 12. When the washing container 10 is placed on the lower plate 8, the nozzle 12 is inserted inside the lower part of the washing container 10 through the insertion hole. The watertightness between the outer peripheral surface of the base end portion of the nozzle 12 and the inner peripheral edge of the insertion hole in the state of being inserted in this way is held by, for example, an O-ring locked to the inner peripheral edge of the insertion hole. A number of nozzle holes are formed in the side surface of the nozzle 12 along the length direction of the nozzle 12. In a state where a dyeing basket 13 (see FIG. 2 to be described later) enters the washing container 10, water is ejected from the nozzle hole toward the lower inner surface of the washing container 10, and water flows into the washing container 10. Evokes. On the other hand, each chemical solution container 11, 11 stores a chemical solution necessary for dyeing a sample attached to a slide glass housed in a staining basket 13.
[0014]
In the example shown in the figure, the nozzle 12 is disposed horizontally at the upper end of the upper surface of the lower plate 8, and is provided with a cap nut 17 on the front surface of a water supply manifold 16 communicated with a water supply facility such as a water supply. It is detachable. That is, a plurality of (five places in the illustrated example) discharge ports are provided on the front surface of the water supply manifold 16, and the nozzles 12 are detachably attached to the discharge ports. Further, the discharge port not equipped with the nozzle 12 is closed with cap nut-like plugs 18 and 18 whose bottoms are closed so that the chemical solution container 11 can be placed in front of the discharge port. In addition, the water which is jetted from the nozzle 12 into the washing container 10 and overflows from the washing container 10 flows out to the upper surface of the lower plate 8 and is discharged to a drainage facility through a drain pipe (not shown).
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 2, the dyeing basket 13 used in this example includes a storage portion 14 that can store the slide glass, and a handle portion 15 that pivotally supports the base end of the storage portion 14. . As is well known, the storage unit 14 can store a plurality of slide glasses in the vertical direction, with a gap interposed between adjacent slide glasses. Further, the storage unit 14 has a frame-like structure capable of supporting the slide glass, and allows the stored slide glass to be immersed in the liquid by entering the liquid storage container in which the liquid is stored. Further, the grip portion 15 spans between the swing arm portions 19 and 19 pivotally supported at the upper end portion of the outer surface of the storage portion 14 and the swing arm portions 19 and 19. And the locking arm portion 20. Both end portions of the locking arm portion 20 protrude from both end surfaces of the storage portion 14 in the length direction. Further, locking projections 21 and 21 are formed on the lower surfaces of both ends of the locking arm portion 20, respectively.
[0016]
When the slide glass is put in and out of the storage portion 14 of the dyeing basket 13 as described above, the locking arm portion 20 is moved by swinging the swing arm portions 19 and 19 around the base end portion. Is retracted laterally from the upper end opening of the storage part 14. On the other hand, when the slide glass with the sample attached thereto is stored in the storage portion 14 and the sample is subjected to a staining process, the locking arm portion 20 is connected to the storage portion 14 as shown in FIG. It is located above the upper end opening.
[0017]
On the other hand, a driving device 22 for moving the dyeing basket 13 in the cabinet 7 in the vertical and horizontal directions is provided in the cabinet 7. In the case of this example, the driving device 22 is provided at the rear end of the cabinet 7 along a guide rail 30 that is arranged in the left-right direction of the cabinet 7, and a movable column 23 that can move horizontally along the movable column 23. A suspension arm 24 that can be moved up and down along. As the mechanism for horizontally moving the movable column 23 and the mechanism for raising and lowering the suspension arm 24, various conventionally known mechanisms can be employed. For example, a linear motor or a cable drive mechanism that couples the intermediate portion of the cable spanned between the drive pulley and the driven pulley to the moving column 23 or the suspension arm 24 can be employed. In particular, the cable drive mechanism can be preferably used because the electric motor can be installed in a portion that is not exposed to the chemical liquid vapor generated from the chemical liquid container 11. In any case, the driving device 22 moves the dyeing basket 13 in the predetermined order according to a predetermined order by moving one or both of the moving column 23 and the suspension arm 24. It is made to enter into the said chemical | medical solution containers 11 and 11 and the washing container 10 which were mounted in the upper surface of the board 9. FIG. And the sample stuck on the slide glass accommodated in the said dyeing | staining basket 13 is immersed in the chemical | medical solution or washing water stored in each of these containers 11 and 10, and this sample is dye | stained.
[0018]
In addition, the front and rear end portions of the hanging arm 24 are provided with hook portions 25 and 25 that can lock both end portions of the locking arm portion 20 of the dyeing rod 13 respectively. When the dyeing rod 13 is lifted by such a suspension arm 24, the collar portions 25, 25 are moved in the state where the suspension arm 24 is moved to the lower side of the locking arm portion 20. At both end portions of the locking arm portion 20, the locking protrusions 21 are made to enter portions closer to the outside than the locking projections 21. Next, if the hanging arm 24 is raised, the dyeing basket 13 can be lifted. The operation for removing the dyeing basket 13 from the hanging arm 24 is performed in reverse.
[0019]
In this manner, the water washing placed on the upper surface of the lower plate 8 is made to allow the dyeing basket 13 to enter the chemical containers 11 and 11 and the water washing vessel 10 placed on the upper surfaces of the lower plate 8 and the upper plate 9. A lower moving space 26 is provided between the upper ends of the container 10 and the chemical liquid containers 11 and 11 and the lower surface of the upper plate 9. Height H ₂₆ of the lower movement space 26, the Tsushitaude 24 hung above Senshokukago 13, without colliding lower end of the Senshokukago 13 to the upper end of each container 10, 11 It is large enough to move in the left-right direction. An upper moving space 28 is provided between the chemical containers 11 and 11 placed on the upper surface of the upper plate 9 and the lower surface of the top plate 27 that partitions the upper surface of the cabinet 7. Height H ₂₈ of the upper moving space 28 also the Tsushitaude 24 hung above Senshokukago 13, left and right without impinging a lower end portion of the Senshokukago 13 to the upper end of each container 10, 11 It is large enough to move in the direction. Further, a rectangular passage 29 is provided at the central portion in the left-right direction of the upper plate 9 so that the hanging arm 24 with the dyeing basket 13 suspended can be passed along the dyeing basket 13 in the vertical direction. Yes.
[0020]
In order to stain a sample attached to a plurality of slide glasses stored in the staining basket 13 using the microscope specimen automatic staining apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, first, the slide glass was stored. The dyeing basket 13 is engaged with the hanging arm 24. This engagement operation is performed, for example, by moving the suspension arm 24 above the staining basket 13 in a state where the staining basket 13 is inserted into any washing container 10. Next, the moving column 23 and the suspension arm 24 constituting the driving device are appropriately driven to cause the staining basket 13 to move into the chemical solution containers 11 and 11 in the chemical solution container 11 or the washing container 10 in a predetermined time according to a predetermined order. Immerse in the wash water. By repeating such operations a predetermined number of times, the sample is stained.
[0021]
That is, the hanging arm 24 moves the lower moving space 26 or the upper moving space 28 in the left-right direction, and moves the dyeing basket 13 down by moving up and down above the predetermined washing container 10 or the chemical solution container 11. The rinsing container 10 or the chemical solution containers 11 and 11 placed on the upper surface of the plate 8 or the chemical solution in the chemical solution containers 11 and 11 placed on the upper surface of the upper plate 9 are immersed. As the dyeing process is performed in this manner, the dyeing basket 13 is moved from the chemical solution in the chemical solution container 11 placed on the upper surface of the upper plate 9 to the washing container 10 placed on the upper surface of the lower plate 8. The chemical solution container placed on the upper surface of the upper plate 9 from the washing solution in the washing water or the chemical solution container 11 or from the washing water in the washing vessel 10 placed on the upper surface of the lower plate 8 or the chemical solution in the chemical solution container 11. 11 needs to be transferred to each of the chemical solutions in 11. At this time, the hanging arm 24 passes through the passage 29 provided in the central portion in the left-right direction of the upper plate 9 while the dyeing basket 13 is suspended, and the lower moving space 26 and the upper moving space. Go back and forth between 28.
[0022]
When simultaneously using the same or different types of dyeing methods using a plurality of dyeing baskets 13, any one of the dyeing baskets 13 is allowed to enter one of the water washing containers 10 or the chemical solution container 11. Then, the hanging arm 24 is removed from the staining basket 13 and the other staining basket 13 is moved. At this time, prior to removing the hanging arm 24 from the dyeing basket 13, the hanging arm 24 is moved up and down finely, and the dyeing basket is shaken in washing water or a chemical solution and stored in the staining basket 13. The sample adhered to the glass and the washing water or chemical solution are acclimated.
[0023]
In the illustrated example, the upper plate 9 is fixed to the frame constituting the cabinet 7, and the height dimensions H ₂₆ and H ₂₈ of both the lower moving space 26 and the upper moving space 28 are set to the dyeing basket 13. The hanging arm 24 is hung so that the lower end of the dyeing basket 13 is movable in the left-right direction without colliding with the upper end of the containers 10 and 11. On the other hand, the upper plate 9 can be supported so as to be movable up and down in a horizontal state with respect to the frame. Then, the upper arm 9 is lowered in a state where the hanging arm 24 suspending the dyeing basket 13 is moved above the upper plate 9 through the passage 29, and the height dimension of the upper moving space 28 is secured (this state). In this way, the height dimension of the automatic staining apparatus for microscope specimens can be reduced.
[0024]
In addition, liquid storage containers such as the rinsing container 10 and the chemical liquid container 11 can be arranged in three or more stages. That is, at least one intermediate plate (not shown) having a passage 29 similar to that of the upper plate 9 is provided between the upper plate 9 and the lower plate 8, and a plurality of chemical solutions are also provided on the upper surface of the intermediate plate. The container 11 is placed. In this case, the lower moving space 26 is provided between the upper ends of the washing container 10 and the chemical containers 11 and 11 placed on the upper surface of the lower plate 8 and the lower surface of the intermediate plate. Further, an intermediate movement in which the hanging arm 24, on which the staining basket 13 is suspended, is movable in the left-right direction between the upper end portion of the chemical container 11 placed on the upper surface of the intermediate plate and the lower surface of the upper plate 9. Provide space.
[0025]
Further, with the above structure, the intermediate plate is supported so as to be able to move up and down in a horizontal state with respect to the frame, and the suspension arm 24 suspending the dyeing basket 13 is moved above the intermediate plate through the passage 29. If the plate is lowered so as to ensure the height dimension of the intermediate movement space, the height dimension of the microscope specimen automatic staining apparatus can be reduced. Furthermore, if the upper plate 9 can be moved up and down with such a structure, the height dimension of the microscope specimen automatic staining apparatus can be further reduced.
[0026]
In any of the structures described above, the passage 29 provided in the upper plate 9 and the intermediate plate may be formed not at the center in the left-right direction of the upper plate 9 and the intermediate plate but at the end. In particular, if the passage 29 is provided above the washing container 10 placed on the upper surface of the lower plate 8, when the hanging arm 24 suspending the dyeing basket 13 moves up and down through the passage 29, Even if the chemical solution adhering to the staining basket 13 and the slide glass stored in the staining basket 13 hangs down, the dropped chemical solution only enters the washing container 10 existing below and enters the other chemical solution container 11. Therefore, it is not necessary to degrade other chemicals. Since the washing water in the washing container 10 is always replaced by a new washing water jet from the nozzle 12, dripping of a small amount of chemical liquid hardly causes a problem. It is also possible to place an empty container in place of the washing container and receive liquid dripping by this empty container.
[0027]
Further, a plurality of sets of moving columns 23 and hanging arms 24 are provided in the automatic dyeing apparatus, and these moving columns 23 and hanging arms 24 are moved between the right half and the left half including the center in the left-right direction of each moving space. You may let them. If comprised in this way, the simultaneous process of several dyeing | staining baskets can be performed smoothly without difficulty.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
The microscope specimen automatic staining apparatus of the present invention is constructed and operates as described above, so that it does not require a large installation area in spite of using a large number of liquid storage containers. It becomes possible. As a result, it can be installed in small hospitals and laboratories, which was difficult in the past.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an entire automatic dyeing apparatus, showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a dyed candy.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cabinet 2 Storage container 3 Moving beam 4 Moving column 5 Suspended lower arm 6 Tank 7 Cabinet 8 Lower board 9 Upper board 10 Washing container 11 Chemical container 12 Nozzle 13 Dye basket 14 Storage part 15 Handle part 16 Water supply manifold 17 Cap nut 18 Plug 19 Oscillating arm portion 20 Locking arm portion 21 Locking protrusion 22 Driving device 23 Moving column 24 Suspended lower arm 25 Gutter portion 26 Lower moving space 27 Top plate 28 Upper moving space 29 Passage 30 Guide rail

Claims (5)

Multiple storage containers placed on the upper surface of the substrate, a staining tub that can store multiple slide glasses with a sample to be used as a microscope specimen, and the staining tub can be moved freely in the vertical and horizontal directions And a driving device having a free hanging arm, and the driving device causes the dyeing basket to enter the liquid storage container for a predetermined time according to a predetermined order, whereby the sample is stored in the liquid storage container. In an automatic staining apparatus for microscope specimens, which is immersed in a liquid and stains this sample, the substrate can be mounted with a plurality of reservoirs on each upper surface, and each substrate is installed in a horizontal direction at intervals. A lower plate and an upper plate are provided, and between the upper end portion of the liquid storage container placed on the upper surface of the lower plate and the lower surface of the upper plate, the suspension in which the dyeing basket is suspended is provided. A lower movement space that allows the lower arm to move left and right is provided. Above the liquid storage container placed on the upper surface of the upper plate, there is provided an upper movement space in which the hanging arm on which the dyeing basket is suspended can be moved in the left-right direction. An automatic staining apparatus for a microscope specimen, characterized in that a passage is provided that allows the hanging arm, on which the staining rod is suspended, to pass up and down. 2. The microscope specimen automatic staining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a passage is provided at a central portion in the left-right direction of the upper plate. The upper plate is supported so that it can move up and down in a horizontal state with respect to the frame, and the upper plate descends in a state where the hanging arm that hangs the dyeing basket moves above the upper plate through the passage, The height dimension of the lower space is ensured by securing the height dimension of the moving space and rising the upper plate while the hanging arm is moved below the upper plate. An automatic staining apparatus for a microscope specimen as described in any of the above. At least one intermediate plate having a passage similar to the upper plate is provided between the upper plate and the lower plate, and a plurality of liquid storage containers are placed on the upper surface of the intermediate plate, and the lower moving space is Provided between the upper end portion of the liquid storage container placed on the upper surface of the lower plate and the lower surface of the intermediate plate, and between the upper end portion of the liquid storage vessel placed on the upper surface of the intermediate plate and the lower surface of the upper plate The automatic staining apparatus for microscope specimens according to any one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising an intermediate movement space in which the hanging arm on which the staining rod is suspended is movable in the left-right direction. The intermediate plate is supported so that it can move up and down in a horizontal state with respect to the frame, and the intermediate plate descends while the hanging arm that suspends the dyeing basket is moved above the intermediate plate through the passage. The automatic staining apparatus for a microscope specimen according to claim 4, wherein the height dimension of the moving space is secured.

Images