JPH0466554B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an automatic colony transplantation device, and in particular, the present invention relates to an automatic colony transplantation device that is prepared for testing etc. from a source culture medium in which colonies of various bacteria are propagated in a mixed state. The present invention relates to a transfer needle supply device suitable for continuously transferring colonies to a so-called object shed.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, new bacterial species are generally treated and cultured through the following nine steps.

It involves collecting soil, diluting it with water, planting it on an agar medium in a culture culture jar, culturing it in a heat insulator for a certain period of time, visually determining colonies of various bacteria that have grown on the agar medium, and finding colonies with the desired color. Collect the microorganisms using a platinum loop, transfer them to an agar medium in a test tube or culture them, and if the bacteria are promising, repeat various tests and study them, and use them in the fields of medicine, brewing, and other biotechnology. This is done through the steps of applying the

In the above process, the visual identification, collection, and transplantation of colonies of specific bacteria that appear promising are performed manually, which is tedious and inefficient work.

Therefore, in order to eliminate such drawbacks,
-Instead of using an operating device that can sequentially observe the culture medium of Sheare using a Y stage, or observing the culture medium of Sheare directly with the naked eye or through a microscope, image processing is performed using a color TV monitor. Automatic devices have been proposed and developed to improve the efficiency and reduce fatigue of color TV viewing operations.

The automatic transfer device developed as this type of automatic device selects colonies of a predetermined color from the source culture medium in which colonies of various bacteria are propagating in a mixed state, and automatically selects colonies according to the selection. The cells are collected sequentially and sequentially and transferred to a medium on an object shell.

In such devices, the work up to the selection of colonies must be done manually, but once the selection is done, a person operates the automatic transplantation device and performs the specified tasks via the operation panel or keyboard. By giving a command, the transfer device automatically collects the selected colonies and automatically transfers them to an object tray placed at another predetermined location or to a medium in a test tube. . Therefore, there are advantages in that manpower and fatigue can be partially reduced and the efficiency of the processing can be improved.

By automating the collection work after selection in this way, it has become possible to transfer desired colonies of the cultured source shear from the source shear to the object shear within a relatively short period of time. In such translocation work, it is important to prevent contamination by other germs; all work is done inside a safety cabinet, etc., and all equipment used is disinfected and sterilized (including these) in a timely manner. , in this specification, sterilization (described and used herein).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when transplantation is carried out continuously using an automatic transplantation device, a transplantation needle using a thin metal wire such as a platinum loop or aluminum wire is not suitable for the transplantation processing speed. If the bacteria are sterilized each time they are used, the number of sterilization treatments would be extremely large, resulting in poor processing efficiency and problems in automatic transfer processing.

Therefore, in order to eliminate such problems,
In order to cope with such continuous transfer processing, the applicant uses a thin metal wire wound around a wire reel, cuts off the used part and discards it, and uses a new thin metal wire as a new pick-up each time. He proposed a method and filed it as Japanese Patent Application No. 84011/1983.

However, this requires preparing the entire wire reel as a pick-up and feeding many pick-ups.
It takes time from the delivery to the subsequent superheating sterilization treatment of the tip, and the transfer mechanism becomes complicated.

Since it is necessary to heat sterilize the tip of the pick-up before transplanting, the tip must be heated before use.
In the case of overheating, heat will remain. On the other hand, some cultured bacteria are sensitive to heat, so it is necessary to allow some time for the pick-up to cool down.

For this reason, a certain amount of time is required from the time of extraction to cooling before moving on to the next transfer process, and there was an unresolved problem that the transfer process could not be started immediately.

[Purpose of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art.It eliminates these problems, is suitable for continuous translocation processing, and is suitable for immediate translocation processing. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic colony transplantation device that can be used to transfer colonies.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The automatic colony transplantation device of the present invention that achieves the above object cuts a thin metal wire such as aluminum and cuts out a new pick-up each time for use. The tip side to be cut out is sterilized by heating in a state where it is connected to a wire reel beforehand, and the method is to use a transfer needle cutter with good conductivity that is connected to or in contact with a wire reel or a heat sink. It has a fine wire, a superheat sterilization section, a cutting section, and a transfer arm for transferring a transfer needle for transplantation processing, and the thin wire is transferred after its tip side is sterilized in the superheat sterilization section. The transfer arm is set in the arm, and the cut section is cut at the upper part of the transfer arm, and the cut portion is used as a transplantation needle.

[Function] With this configuration, the pick-up can be cut out and supplied in response to continuous transplantation because the pick-up is sterilized by heating before being cut out. As a result, new pick-ups can be supplied quickly, and even if they are overheated and sterilized just before they are cut out as pick-ups, the heat is absorbed by the wire reel or heat radiator before they are cut out as pick-ups. It will cool down in a short time and no heat will remain.

Therefore, it is possible to move on to the next translocation treatment quickly,
Sterilization suitable for continuous transfer processing and continuous supply of the pick-up can be realized.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an automatic colony transplantation device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram corresponding to the above-mentioned plan view showing the internal structure seen from the front, FIG. 3 is a detailed diagram of the pick-up cut-out supply section, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the negative side thereof. In addition, in each of these figures, the same parts are indicated by the same symbols.

In FIG. 1, 1 is an automatic colony transplanting device, 2 is its transfer mechanism, and 23 is its transfer arm. Further, 3 is an object shear supply mechanism, 4 is a source shear supply unit, and 5 is an object shear transfer stage 6 as a table on which the shear is set.
A similar source chain transfer stage is shown, and 7 is an operation panel.

Further, a shear load is provided between the source shear supply section 4 and the source shear transfer stage 6.
An unloading mechanism 9 is installed, and furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, an image processing section 8 having a built-in TV camera is placed above the source shear transfer stage 6. Note that 8a is a light source that irradiates the source shear.

Here, the video detected by the video processing section 8 is color-processed and displayed on a TV monitor (not shown). As a result, each colony in the medium of Source Sheare 11 is observed to have a certain color on the CRT display.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, a pick-up cut-out supply section 24 is disposed at the top of the transfer arm 23, supported by the frame of the transfer mechanism 2, and positioned above the entire surface thereof. Accordingly, a new pick-up that has been sterilized by heating is cut out and set in the chuck portions 36, 37 (see FIG. 3) of the transfer arm 23. On the other hand, the transfer arm 23
A disposal case 25 for disposing of used pickups is provided on the lower side of the device.

Now, the object Schare transfer stage 5 and the source Schare transfer stage 6 are as follows.
A stage movable in X, Y, and Z directions,
In order to move independently in each direction,
A moving mechanism (not shown) that combines a ball screw mechanism and a stepping motor is used in the Y and Z directions.

The movement in each direction is controlled by driving the stepping motor, and the amount and direction of rotation of the stepping motor are controlled according to direction control pulses and drive pulse signals from a control section (not shown). be exposed. As a result, the object shear transfer stage 5 and the source shear transfer stage 6 move by a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction toward the target position in response to the control signal.

By the way, the positions shown by solid lines in FIG. 1 are the first set position 5a, which is the set target position when the object shear transfer stage 5 and the source shear transfer stage 6 are transferred in the case of colony transfer processing. It is 6a. In addition, these stages 5 and 6 each have an object share of 10
and a sauce tray 11 are placed thereon.

On the other hand, the positions indicated by dotted lines 5b and 6b are the second setting positions for loading (taking out and setting) or unloading (retrieving the set ones) the respective trays 10 and 11 on the stages 5 and 6. be.

Now, the transfer mechanism 2 here includes a pair of link mechanisms 21 arranged in parallel and a rocking plate type eccentric cam 2.
In combination with 2, the transfer arm 23, which is a lever mechanism having a pivot point in the center, is given a swinging motion. A swinging motion is applied to a pick-up 23a made of a thin wire for transplantation, which is set on the distal end side of the arm 23. As a result, the pick-up 23a moves from the medium in the source shear 11 placed on the source shear transfer stage 6 to the medium in the object shear 10 placed on the object shear transfer stage 5, and is shaken between them. repeat the movement.

In this way, via the pick-up 23a,
From the culture medium of the source tray 11 in which colonies of various types of bacteria are propagating in a mixed state, colonies are automatically and continuously selected according to a predetermined color and positioned at the position of the pick-up 23a, which is one end point of the rocking motion. A process is performed in which the samples are sequentially collected and transferred to a predetermined culture medium positioned at the pick-up 23a on the object tray 10, which is the other end point of the rocking movement.

By the way, the source shear 11 is taken out from a predetermined position of the source shear cartridges 4a, 4b set in the source shear supply section 4 by the shear shear loading/unloading mechanism 9, and the source shear 11 is taken out from a predetermined position of the source shear cartridges 4a, 4b set in the source shear supply section 4. 9a, and the source shear transfer stage 6 is moved to the second set position 6b shown by the dotted line and set thereon.

The source shear transfer stage 6 then moves to the first set position 6a. Note that the recovery is almost the reverse operation.

On the other hand, the object shear 10 is supplied by the object shear supply mechanism 3, taken out by operating the handling section 33a, returned to the original cartridge position, and recovered. Here is the object supply mechanism 3
Four cartridges 32a, 32b, 32c, 3 are mounted on a rotating disk 31 at 90 degree intervals.
2d, and a shear load/unload mechanism 33 having a handling portion 33a is fixedly arranged in the center of the disk 31 independently of the disk 31.

As shown in FIG. 2, an elevator mechanism 34 for moving the cartridge 32b up and down is arranged corresponding to the bottom of the disk 31 in the cartridge 32b positioned at the take-out position. , are rotationally driven by a motor 35 and positioned.

Next, the pick-up extraction process will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

The pick-up cut-out supply unit 24 is normally waiting at the upper part of the central position of the transfer arm 23.
In response to a command for the pick-up supply process, it is lowered from its upper position and positioned at the current position shown in FIG.

A wire reel 42 on which a thin aluminum wire 41 is wound is set on the front right side of the support stand 40 in the pick-up cutting supply section 24.
The aluminum thin wire 41 is connected to this wire reel 4.
A supply route for the thin aluminum wire 41 is formed from 2 to the cutting section 44 via a through hole 43a of a superheat sterilization section 43 fixed to the center of the support stand 40. A pick-up set clamper 45 is disposed between the cutting section 44 and the superheat sterilization section 43, and grips the thin aluminum wire 41 at its tip.

At the top of the pick up set clamper 45,
A photo sensor 48 for monitoring the supply state of the aluminum thin wire 41 is provided, and the superheat sterilization section 43
A heater is built in inside the periphery of the through hole 43a. 43b is its power supply lead wire.

By the way, chuck parts 46 and 47 are provided at the distal end of the transfer arm 23.
3 clamps and fixes the pick-up 23a cut out from the thin aluminum wire 41 by these chuck parts 46 and 47. When the predetermined porting process is completed, the control unit instructs the controller to open these and remove the used pick-up 2.
3a into the disposal case 25 below.

The pick-up supply operation will be explained below. When a pick-up supply command is sent from the control section, the pick-up cut-out supply section 24 including the cutting section 44, the pick-up set clamper 45, and the support stand 40 moves from the standby position to the current position (first position). 3), the chuck portions 46 and 47 of the transfer arm 23 open outward to the left and right, respectively, and the used pick-up 23a is disposed of.

At the same time, the blade 44a of the cutting part 44 and its receiving part 44b open outward to the left and right, forming a passage through which the pick up clamper 45 descends.

Then, when the pick up set clamper 45 descends from its current position to the position A shown by the dotted line, it stops, and the chucks 46 and 47 of the transfer arm 23, which were open left and right, close and grip the tip side of the thin aluminum wire 41. and fix it.

Next, the blade 44a of the cutting section 44 that was open to the left and right
Then, the receiving portion 44b closes and a cutting operation begins, and the pick-up 23a is cut out from the thin aluminum wire 41.

Then, the pick up set clamper 45 opens left and right, respectively, as shown by the dotted line B, and the transfer arm 2 remains in the open state, while the transfer arm 2 remains in the closed state.
3, passes through the outside of the chuck parts 46, 47 and the cutting part 44, ascends back to the dotted line C, and with the pick up set clamper 45 in the closed state, the thin aluminum wire 41 is at the initial position shown by the solid line. grip to return to the original initial state.

Next, the pick-up supply section 24 is raised back to its original standby position. At this stage, the superheat sterilization section 4
3 operates to overheat and sterilize the thin aluminum wire 41 in the through hole 43a for a certain period of time.

The length of the through hole 43a in this case is approximately equal to or longer than the length by which the pick up set clamper 45 pulls out the thin aluminum wire 41.

As a result, a portion of the thin aluminum wire 41 that has been sterilized in advance is always supplied as a pick-up, and since this portion of the thin aluminum wire 41 that has been sterilized by superheating is connected to the wire reel 42, its thermal conductivity is high. Therefore,
The temperature of the thin aluminum wire 41 located inside the through hole 43a decreases in a short time, and even if the next time a pick-up supply command is sent from the control section, it will be in a sufficiently cooled state.

Therefore, due to continuous processing, even if the pick-up is overheated and sterilized immediately before being cut out, the heat is absorbed by the wire reel or heat radiator, allowing early cooling and special Cooling equipment becomes unnecessary.

As a result, pick-ups can be supplied by simply cutting out thin wires in response to continuous transfer processing.

As described above, in the embodiment, since the thin aluminum wire is pulled out by the pick-up set clamper, the bending of the thin wire can be corrected and a straight pick-up can be supplied.

Further, the thin wire for pick-up cutting in the embodiment is not limited to aluminum thin wire, but any wire may be used as long as it has good thermal conductivity and is stable against transplantation. Furthermore, although this thin wire is wound around a wire reel, if it is not wound around a wire reel, it may be brought into contact with or connected to a heat sink.

[Effects of the Invention] As can be understood from the above description, in the present invention, a fine wire for cutting out transfer needles with good conductivity connected to or in contact with a wire reel or a heat sink, a superheat sterilization section, It has a cutting part and a transfer arm for transferring a transfer needle for transplantation processing, and after the tip side of the thin wire is sterilized in a superheating sterilization part, it is set in the transfer arm and transferred by the cutting part. The upper part of the transfer arm is cut and the cut part is used as a transplantation needle, so it is sterilized by heating before being cut out, and a pick-up is cut out and supplied for continuous transplantation processing. be able to.

As a result, new pick-ups can be supplied quickly, and even if they are overheated and sterilized just before being cut out as pick-ups, the heat will be absorbed by the wire reel or heat radiator by the time they are cut out as pick-ups, resulting in a short time. It will cool down in time and no heat will remain.

Therefore, it is possible to move on to the next translocation treatment quickly,
Sterilization suitable for continuous transfer processing and continuous supply of the pick-up can be realized.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an automatic colony transplantation device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram corresponding to the above-mentioned plan view showing the internal structure seen from the front, FIG. 3 is a detailed diagram of the pick-up cut-out supply section, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the negative side thereof. 1 is an automatic colony transplantation device, 2 is a transfer mechanism, 3
4 is an object shear supply mechanism; 4 is a source shear supply unit; 5 is an object shear transfer stage; 6 is a source shear transfer stage; 7
is the operation panel, 10 is the object share, 1
1 is a source seat, 23 is a transfer arm, 23a
is a pick-up, 24 is a pick-up cut-out supply section, 31 is a disk, 34 is an elevator mechanism, 40 is a support stand, 41 is an aluminum thin wire, 42 is a wire reel, 43 is an overheating sterilization section, 44 is a cutting section, 4
5 is a pick up set clamper, and 46 and 47 are chuck portions of the transfer arm.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A thin wire for cutting out transplant needles with good thermal conductivity that is connected to or in contact with a wire reel or a heat sink, a heat sterilization section that receives the tip end of this thin wire and sterilizes it by heat, and a sterilized wire. a cutting section that cuts the tip end side;
An automatic colony transfer characterized by comprising a transfer arm that holds the distal end side of the fine wire cut by the cutting part as a transfer needle and transfers the transfer needle from the transfer source side to the transfer destination side. Breeding device. 2. The automatic colony transplantation device according to claim 1, wherein the thin wire is an aluminum wire wound on a reel.