JPH0767695A - Method for smearing specimen and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically stock a great number of petri dishes after smearing by forming a smear pattern having a great number of stocks of petri dishes before smearing and a proper division of plural specimens to automatically carry out correct specimen collection while properly preventing secondary contamination. CONSTITUTION:This method for smearing is the one in which smearing is carried out in a part enclosed with positive-pressure sterile air. A product is automatically bored with a thermally sterilized perforating rod and a specimen is automatically taken out with a thermally sterilized collecting tool and automatically and continuously smeared on petri dish containing a medium to give a device for smearing a specimen.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for smearing an object to be inspected, that is, a sample on a petri dish containing a medium such as agar.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A sample is smeared on a medium by hand. When it is necessary to inspect a large number of specimens, the individual specimens are sequentially smeared on each petri dish by hand. In the microbiological test, if the sample is not properly collected, the correct value cannot be obtained no matter how accurately the subsequent tests are performed. It is necessary to prevent secondary contamination and collect a correct sample. Even if a plurality of specimens can be smeared on one petri dish, accurate determination becomes difficult if they are not sorted in an orderly manner at the stage of determination after culture. The smearing of a sample on a medium requires a smearing pattern having appropriate divisions, and it requires skill and is inefficient to manually form the appropriate smearing pattern. Therefore, JP-A-3-175996 proposes a method of smearing a sample onto a medium that does not require manual work.

[0003]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] JP-A-3-17599
No. 6 discloses a method of smearing a sample on a medium that does not require manual work. However, in the smearing of a sample, the working efficiency is improved, and at the same time, the stock of a large number of petri dishes before smearing and the suitability of a plurality of samples are appropriate. There is a problem that it is necessary to solve the formation of a smear pattern having various divisions. Therefore, the present invention forms a smear pattern having a stock of a large number of pre-smear petri dishes and a proper division of a plurality of samples in order to automatically collect a correct sample in order to prevent secondary contamination by appropriately collecting a sample. The purpose is to automatically stock a large number of petri dishes after smearing.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the present invention provides the following specimen smearing method and apparatus. That is, after perforating the product with a perforated rod that is automatically heat-sterilized, a sample is collected with a sampling tool that is automatically heat-sterilized, and the sample is automatically and continuously smeared on a petri dish containing the medium. There is a device for carrying out this method, a conveyor means for conveying the product, and a piercing rod means with a heating heater for piercing the product,
Equipped with a collecting tool means with a heating heater for collecting a sample from the perforated portion, a means for collecting a sample by the collecting tool, smearing it on a petri dish containing medium, and a means for conveying the petri dish after the smearing and the petri dish before smearing. This is an automatic continuous smearing device.

[0005]

The present invention provides a method for smearing a sample on a medium, characterized in that the medium side and the sample smearing means are relatively moved in a predetermined direction to smear the sample in a fixed direction. Yes, it has a means for smearing a plurality of specimens on one dish containing medium, and moving these in a predetermined direction relative to each other, a plurality of specimens are smeared in a certain direction, respectively. Even if a plurality of specimens are smeared on one petri dish, they are in an orderly divided state, so that no error occurs in the subsequent inspection process.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments shown in the drawings will be described below. The method of the present invention is to smear in a portion surrounded by positive-pressure aseptic air, and after piercing the product with a piercing rod that is automatically heat-sterilized, use a collecting tool that is automatically heat-sterilized. A sample smearing method is characterized by collecting a sample and automatically and continuously smearing the sample onto a petri dish containing a medium. The method for smearing the sample will be described with reference to an apparatus for carrying out the method. The automatic smearing device of the present invention has the following configuration. A tray transporting section B perforating section C sampling, smearing section D petri dish transporting section E clean fan section In one tray used in the automatic smearing apparatus of the present invention, products (for example, potion cream or milk containing 250 ml) are regularly arranged. Then, 6 trays and 20 petri dishes can be set.

(1) Tray Conveying Section Therefore, starting from the tray conveying section A, a chain conveyor 59 for conveying the product (sample) -containing tray 1 from below right side 57 to above in FIG. 4 is a device as shown in FIG. At the upper end of the chain conveyor 59, a vertical feed conveyor (not shown) is installed to convey the tray 1 from the right side 57 to the left side 58 in FIG.
In FIG. 8, there is a chain conveyor (not shown) for transporting the tray 1 on which the sample is finished from the upper side to the lower side as shown by the dotted line in FIG. The chain conveyor 59 and the vertical feed conveyor described above move intermittently, but since the vertical feed conveyor passes through a punching portion and a sampling smear portion, which will be described later, it is stopped during the work. As described above, in the vertical feed conveyor, the tray containing the product is passed through the punching portion and the sampling smearing portion, and the product is punched, sampled and smeared at each position. At that time, in front of the punching portion, the photoelectric sensor 5 shown in FIG. 4 detects the product identification in the tray and the presence or absence of the product. After this detection work, the tray reaches the punching portion B. Next, the punched portion B will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

(2) Punching part B The punching part B is a lifting frame 1 which moves up and down by a screw shaft 9 of a pulley 8 driven by a pulley 7 of a motor 6 via a belt.
0, and the horizontal bar 11 of the lifting frame 10 has 5
Individually installed. The elevating frame 10 ascends and descends along the guide 14 of the fixed frame 13, and a heater 12 for heating the piercing bar 3 is provided on the horizontal bar 11 together with the piercing bar 3 to identify the product in the tray. A photoelectric sensor 16 is provided on the fixed bar 15 of the fixed frame 13. The perforation section as described above is for making a hole S for inserting a sampling tool described later in the product (sample) in the tray, and as described above, the perforation rod 3 is made by baking with the heater 12 which is energized. , Perforate one for each sample. The perforation heater is heated to 300 ° C. After drilling, the drilling rod 3 is raised by the motor 6, the screw shaft 9, and the elevating frame 10,
The tray is moved leftward in FIG. 4 by the vertical feed conveyor to punch the next product. The tray perforated as described above is moved to the next sampling and smearing section C by the vertical feed conveyor.

(3) Sampling and smearing section C Sampling and smearing section C are shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, and the horizontal rod of the elevating block 17 is moved up and down by a screw shaft 19 rotated by a motor (not shown). 18 has a sampling tool 4 of 5
Individually attached, there is an elevating guide rod 19a parallel to the screw shaft 19, and the elevating block 17 is guided by this and ascends and descends. There is a guide rod 20 facing the guide rod 19a, and an elevating block 21 that moves up and down along the guide rod 20 is provided so as to oppose the elevating block 17, and a horizontal rod 18 is laid horizontally between these elevating blocks 17 and 21. . The screw shaft 19 and the guide rod 19 a are erected in the lateral movement block 22, and the guide rod 20 is erected in the lateral movement block 23. Then, the lateral movement block 22,
23 moves along the guide rods 25 and 26, and the lateral movement block 22 laterally moves by a screw shaft 24 by a motor (not shown). Above the lifting blocks 17 and 21, the block 2 is also provided.
7 and 28, which are adapted to move laterally along the guide rods 29 and 30. The sampling tool 4 is made of a nichrome wire and can be sterilized by applying heat by passing electricity. (Refer to 4a) The sampling tool 4 is lowered by the screw shaft 19 and inserted into the product (sample) through the above-mentioned perforation S. Then, in order to smear the sample (product sample) attached to the tip of the collecting tool on the medium, the screw shaft 19 is used to raise the sample again to a predetermined position. When it rises, the sampling tool 4 is laterally moved via the screw shaft 24 by a motor (not shown). At that time, the lateral movement blocks 22, 23, 2
7, 28 move along rods 25, 26, 29, 30. Then, after the lateral movement, the sampling tool having the specimen to be smeared on the medium is lowered toward the medium.
When the medium is further smeared, the sampling tool 4 returns to a predetermined position and the nichrome wire portion of the sampling tool is heat-sterilized. Then, when the product is conveyed right below, the heater is cut off and inserted into the product.

The smear will be described. At the smearing position, the motor 32 is provided on the underframe 31 and the motor 3
There is a petri dish mounting base 35 which is tilted by a shaft 33 of a gear 36 driven from the second gear via support brackets 34, 34 fixed to the shaft 33. Bracket 3
The bracket 38 between 4 and 34 is fitted on the shaft 33, and is screwed onto the screw shaft 37 and driven by a motor (not shown) of the screw shaft 37 via a belt, whereby the petri dish mounting table 35 is moved in the tray advancing direction. Move laterally in the orthogonal direction. As described above, since the petri dish mounting table 35 is located at the smearing position, when the sampling tool 4 reaches the petri dish mounting table position, the petri dish mounting table 35 is tilted by the motor 32, and the petri dish is tilted in this tilted state. 2 corresponds to a sampling tool. Collection tool 4
Continue to move laterally and smear on the petri dish 2. At that time, the collection tool 4 is placed on the Petri dish 2 containing the culture medium that is tilted and waiting.
While the tip of the plate is in contact with the medium, the inclination of the dish 2 becomes horizontal, and it is confirmed by the photoelectric sensor 39 shown in FIG. Then, the sampling tool 4 moves in the traveling direction to form a sample line on the medium. Next, the petri dish 2 containing the medium is laterally moved by 7 mm in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction, the sampling tool 4 returns to the sampling position, and the petri dish 2 containing the culture medium is also tilted to coat the next smear. The number of collecting tools is 5, and 30 (250 ml, 1 tray) is smeared on one petri dish. For example, in the case of 250 ml, FIG. 11 shows that state, and the product is sampled from the position where the product has been perforated S shown in FIG. 12 and smeared. Lines smeared with the sample are shown in FIG. 11 corresponding to the product A row, the row B, the row C, the row D, and the row E in FIG. FIG. 13 shows the steps of moving the sampling tool as described above. In the figure, a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h represent the following states. a Move to the left side to the culture medium position (smear start position) b Lower at the medium position (smear start position) c Sampling tool moves to the left side of the culture medium d Raises when smearing is completed e Sampling tool is right to the heating terminal position when smearing is completed Move to f f Move the sampling tool that has completed heat generation to the left to the sample solution removal position g Descend for sample solution removal h Take out sample solution and raise it Next, the petri dish transfer unit will be described.

(4) Petri dish transporting section D The petri dish transporting section D is for feeding the petri dish 2 to the above-mentioned petri dish mounting table 35 and for transporting the petri dish 2 which has been smeared to the stock position. This will be explained in connection. FIG. 14 shows an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 4, and 40 shows the petri dish stock position before smearing.
Make it possible to stock 0 petri dishes. Reference numeral 41 indicates the stock position of the petri dish 2 after smearing. Reference numeral 42 indicates a position where the lid 43 of the petri dish 2 is placed. The petri dish transport section is composed of the following. That is, 39 is a smearing confirmation sensor, 44 is a petri dish lateral transport belt, 60 is a petri dish separating claw, 61 is a petri dish stock claw, 62 is a petri dish vertical transport holder, 63 is a petri dish transport lift, and 64 is a petri dish transport lift. Lead screw,
Reference numeral 65 is a holder for vertically transporting the petri dish. Next, the flow order of the petri dish will be described as follows. B. As shown in FIG. 15, the petri dish upper and lower transporting holders 62 are raised, and when the petri dish 2 is placed on the petri dish upper and lower transporting holders 62, the petri dish separating claws 60 are opened. (B) As shown in FIG. 16, the petri dish upper and lower transport holders 62
Is lowered to a certain position and the petri dish separating claw 60 is closed to separate the lower petri dish 2 from the upper petri dish 2 at the petri dish stock position 40. As shown in FIG. 17, the petri dish upper and lower transport holders 62 are further lowered to transfer the separated petri dish 2 onto the horizontal petri dish transport belt 44. D As shown in FIG. 18, the claws of the petri dish transport lift 63 are raised and the petri dish 2 is advanced from the belt 44 by the scooping screw 64. As shown in FIG. 19, the pawl of the petri dish transport lift 63 is lowered at the position of the petri dish lid rest 42 and the lid 43 of the petri dish 2 is placed on the petri dish lid rest 42. F As shown in FIG. 20, the petri dish transfer lift 63 further advances to the petri dish mounting table 35, and lowers its claws.
The petri dish 2 is moved to the petri dish mounting table 35, and the petri dish transport lift 63 is retracted. 21. FIG. 21 shows a state in which the Petri dish 2 is set on the Petri dish mounting table 35. H. The petri dish mounting table 35 is moved by the motor 32 as shown in FIG. 22 in accordance with the entry of the sampling tool 4, and the angle θ between the sampling tool 4 and the culture medium surface at the time of smearing on the medium is made small so as not to bite into the medium θ. Smear by increasing. When the petri dish mounting table 35 returns to the horizontal position, the smearing confirmation sensor 39 enters and the petri dish mounting table 35 is laterally moved by 7 mm to perform sensoring and prepare for the next smearing. In order to ensure the operation of the smearing confirmation sensor 39, the petri dish mounting table 35 has a notch 35a as shown in FIG. 23. As shown in FIG. 23, the petri dish transfer lift 63 enters and scoops the petri dish 2 from the petri dish mounting table 35. 24. As shown in FIG. 24, when returning to the position of the petri dish lid holder 42, the claws of the petri dish transport lift 63 are lifted and the lid 43 is covered. The petri dish transport lift 63 is further returned, and the petri dish 2 is transferred onto the petri dish lateral transport belt 44 as shown in FIG. 26. As shown in FIG. 26, move the petri dish lateral transfer belt 44 to apply the petri dish 2 to the petri dish stock position 41 after smearing.
Move to the position. W As shown in FIG. 27, the petri dish upper and lower transporting holders 65 are raised. 28. As shown in FIG. 28, the petri dish stock claw 61 is opened, and the petri dish 2 on the petri dish stock claw 61 is transferred to the petri dish vertical transport holder 65. 29. As shown in FIG. 29, the petri dish vertical transport holder 65 further rises, the petri dish stock claw 61 is closed, and the petri dish 2 moves to the petri dish stock claw 61. The vertical transport holder 65 for the dish is lowered as shown in FIG. Through the above steps, the petri dish is sent from the petri dish stock position 40 to the petri dish mounting table 35 with the lid removed midway, and after the smearing is completed, the petri dish is covered with the lid and conveyed to the stock position 41. Has become. Next, the clean fan part E will be described.

(5) Clean Fan Section E The clean fan section E is designated by 55 in FIG. The above-mentioned smearing is performed in a clean booth surrounded by aseptic air of positive pressure. Reference numeral 45 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 denotes a shut-off curtain which constitutes a sterile room. Here, the number of holes to be perforated and smeared is 5 per cycle. For 250 ml, 1 tray (sample 30
Each piece) has a smearing ability of 6 cycles. It takes 25 minutes to process 6 trays (180 samples), but the time can be shortened by shortening the time of the means of the perforation part and the collecting tool. As a smear confirmation mechanism, the first cycle smear trace (medium surface) of each tray is confirmed by the photoelectric sensor 39 as the smear sensor described above. In case of abnormality, a buzzer sounds and the machine is stopped.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device, which are constituted by the devices described above.
The housing is fixed by the adjuster 47 for installation at a predetermined position. In the figure, reference numeral 48 is a door for opening / closing the electrical equipment, 49 is a start switch, and 50 is a liquid crystal display with a built-in touch switch for displaying operation contents. Reference numeral 51 is a patrol light for indicating the operating state by a light. Reference numeral 52 is an emergency stop switch, 53 in FIG. 1 is a product identification area, and 54 is a smearing area.

The operation of the above-mentioned apparatus will be summarized as follows.
When the sample of one tray 1 of the tray 1 is finished by the chain conveyor 59 shown in FIG. 2, the next tray 1 is raised, and the tray 1 after the sample is finished by the vertical feed conveyor (not shown). From position 57 of 58
It will be sent to the tray storage part at the position of and will be automatically moved from top to bottom by the chain conveyor. Then, the tray 1 raised by the chain conveyor 59 is fed by the vertical feed conveyor, and the photoelectric sensor 5 detects the product identification in the tray and the presence or absence of the product in front of the punching portion B. Next, in order to make a hole S into which the sampling tool 4 is inserted in the product sample, the piercing rod 3 is baked by utilizing the electric resistance using the electric iron type. After piercing five piercing rods side by side for each sample, the piercing rod 3 moves up, and the tray 1 is moved by the transverse feed conveyor to perform the next piercing. In the next sample collection, the sampling tool 4 is inserted into the product (sample), and the sample (product sample) attached to the tip of the sampling tool 4 is smeared on the medium. After smearing, the nichrome wire portion of the sampling tool 4 is heat-sterilized by returning to a predetermined position. Next, when the product (sample) is conveyed directly below, the heater 4a is cut off and inserted into the product (sample), the specimen is attached to the tip of the sampling tool 4, and at the same time, the petri dish containing the medium moves in the traveling direction. Move in the orthogonal direction and smear. Repeat this operation to smear.

The operation of the petri dish at the time of smearing will be described. The tip of the sampling tool 4 contacts the medium on the petri dish containing the medium that is tilted by the motor 32 so that the tip of the sampling tool can be uniformly smeared on the medium. Meanwhile, the inclination of the petri dish is at the horizontal position, and it is confirmed by the photoelectric sensor 39 whether or not the smear is applied. The sampling tool 4 moves in the traveling direction to form a smear trace consisting of a smear line on the medium. The smearing tool 4 comes into contact with the inclined petri dish 2 here because it is easy to smear. When the lines of the sample are formed in the medium, the petri dish 2 containing the medium then moves 7 mm laterally with respect to the traveling direction and the sampling tool 4 returns to the position for collecting, and the petri dish 2 containing the medium also tilts. Wait until the next smear. When the smearing is completed as described above, it is confirmed by the photoelectric sensor 39, and the petri dish 2 is transported to the position 41 in FIG. 4 and stocked. Therefore, according to the present invention, many different products can be collected and smeared on a petri dish containing one medium. Conventionally, when a person smears several specimens in a straight line,
Although there is a problem of contact or overlapping, according to the present invention, it is possible to smear a number of straight lines. Therefore, the accuracy of the smearing position is improved. Further, a large amount of the sample to be smeared can be applied with respect to the amount of the medium of one petri dish, and the amount of the sample to be smeared can be reduced so that a large number of the samples can be smeared more than before.
In any case, according to the present invention, it is possible to smear a plurality of specimens in a certain direction, and even if a plurality of specimens are smeared on one petri dish, the specimens will be in an orderly divided state, so that an error will occur in the subsequent inspection process. Does not occur. Therefore, a stock of a large number of petri dishes before smearing and a smearing pattern having a plurality of appropriate divisions can be formed to automatically stock a large number of petri dishes after smearing.

[0016]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, it is possible to automatically collect a correct sample while appropriately collecting the sample and preventing secondary contamination.
Furthermore, it is possible to automatically stock a large number of petri dishes after smearing by forming a large number of petri dishes before smearing and a smearing pattern with proper division of multiple specimens, so it is possible to save labor in inspection work. The workability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the entire device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a punching portion.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a punching portion.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a punching portion.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a sampling smear portion.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a sampling smear section.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a sampling smear portion.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a state in which a sample is smeared on the medium of a petri dish.

FIG. 12 is a partial plan view showing a state in which products are arranged on a tray and punched.

FIG. 13 is a movement process diagram of the sampling tool.

FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram of a petri dish transport device.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory view of petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory view of a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram of a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram of a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory view of a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram of a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram of a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 25 is an explanatory view of a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 26 is an explanatory view of a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 27 is an explanatory view of a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 28 is an explanatory diagram of a petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 29 is an explanatory view of the petri dish transport operation.

FIG. 30 is an explanatory diagram of a petri dish transport operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A tray transport unit B punching unit C sampling smearing unit D petri dish transporting unit E clean fan unit 1 tray 2 petri dish 3 punching rod 4 sampling tool 5 photoelectric sensor 6 motor 10 lifting frame 12 heater 16 photoelectric sensor 17 lifting block 18 horizontal bar 19 screw Axis 31 Base frame 32 Motor 35 Petri dish mounting table 40 Petri dish stock position before smearing 41 Petri dish stock position after smearing

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --- Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hitoshi Okazaki 48-5 Kamizuruma, Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture (72) Inventor Mamoru Kuwamizu 1265-153 Minami-Otsuka, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture (72) Inventor Masahiro Chiba, Kanagawa Prefecture 4-2-4 Mita, Tama-ku Ikuta Mansion (72) Inventor Susumu Nakanishi 4-2471-11 Wakasa, Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A product is pierced with a piercing rod that is automatically heat-sterilized, and then a sample is collected with a sampling tool that is automatically heat-sterilized, and the sample is automatically and continuously smeared on a petri dish containing medium. A method for smearing a specimen, which is characterized in that 2. A conveyor means for transporting the product, a piercing rod means with a heater for piercing the product, a collecting tool means with a heating heater for collecting a sample from a piercing point, and a sample for collecting a sample with the collecting tool, and a culture medium. An automatic continuous smearing device comprising means for smearing a petri dish containing the, and means for transporting the petri dish after smearing and the petri dish before smearing.