JPS6047569B2 - Micromanipulator - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a micropulator used to perform necessary micro-manipulations on a specimen using micro-manipulation devices such as microelectrodes, micropipettes, and injection needles while observing the specimen under a microscope. It is related to.

This type of micromanipulator is, for example,
It is described in Japanese Patent No. 4-11235 and is known.

This known micromanipulator is provided separately from the microscope, and has a complicated configuration because it requires its own three-dimensional positioning mechanism. Furthermore, the micro-operation equipment has poor operability, making the work difficult even for highly skilled workers, and has the disadvantage that it is impossible to improve the efficiency. In order to solve this drawback, the applicant previously proposed a micromanipulator in which the micromanipulation device could be moved at least in the direction of the optical axis of the objective lens of the microscope (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1983-1921).
3-67461]).

In the micromanipulator according to the above proposal, by providing the micromanipulation device through the center of the condenser lens, the positioning operation can be performed using the positioning mechanism of the condenser lens.
Operability is greatly improved. Similar advantages can also be obtained when a micro-manipulation device is provided through the center of the objective lens. However, in either case, it is necessary to form a through hole in the lens, which not only makes processing difficult, but also causes a loss in light intensity.Furthermore, if the micro-operation equipment is damaged, the lens system must be replaced with the entire lens system. It will be necessary to remove it from the It would seem that these difficulties can be solved by placing a micro-manipulation device between the lens and the object to be examined.

However, in reality, the required magnification of the microscope is high, and the lens must be brought very close to the object to be examined.Also, unlike transmission microscopes, epi-illumination microscopes do not require thin sections of even opaque objects. When using a microscope, due to reasons such as the large diameter of the lens barrel, it is difficult to place a micro-operation device between the lens and the object, as shown in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 11235-1981. Even if the operating device were to protrude obliquely from the outside, it would be practically impossible. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a micromanipulator that solves the above-mentioned disadvantages and allows a micromanipulation device to be easily placed at an optimal position relative to a test object.

That is, the present invention is characterized in that a mirror is disposed between the objective lens or condenser lens of a microscope and the object to be examined, a hole is formed in the mirror, and a micro-manipulation device is passed through the hole.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to illustrated embodiments. In the drawings, reference numeral 1 represents a stage of a microscope provided with a micromanipulator according to the present invention, 2 represents an objective lens, and 3 represents a glass container placed on the stage 1 and having cells 4 as specimens implanted on the bottom surface.

In the present invention, the condenser lens 5 is arranged so that its optical axis is orthogonal to the optical axis of the objective lens 2, and the mirror 6 is arranged at the intersection of both optical axes.

Furthermore, a hole is formed in the center of this mirror 6, and a micro-manipulation device 7, such as a microelectrode, a micropipette, and an injection needle, is passed through the hole. The axis of the micro operating device 7 is made to substantially coincide with the optical axis of the objective lens 2. The tip (upper end in the drawing) of the micro-manipulation device 7 is arranged so as to be able to contact or puncture the cell 4, and the rear end is a receiving part fixed to the mounting member 8 of the mirror 6! It is removably attached to the material 9 and connected to a flexible liquid pipe or conductor 10. Micro operation device 7
In order to be able to adjust the position relative to the stage 1 in a three-dimensional direction including the optical axis direction of the objective lens 2, and to perform the required operation on any cell 4 in the container 3, Then, connect the mirror mounting member 8 as follows.

First, a support 11 is fixed to the stage 1 at least in the vertical direction of the microscope, and an elevator table 12 is attached to the support 11 so as to be movable relative to the optical axis of the objective lens 2 in the direction of the optical axis. The positioning adjustment of the lifting platform 12 with respect to the support column 11 is performed using a knob 13. Next, a horizontal support shaft 14 is fixed to the lifting table 12, and a tilting table 15 formed of a plate-like member extending substantially horizontally is pivotally attached to the support shaft 14. A perpendicular through hole is formed in the tilting table 15, and the lower end of a mirror mounting member 8 having a smaller diameter than the through hole is disposed within the through hole. Since the lower end of the mounting member 8 has a small diameter with respect to this through hole, the mounting member 8 can be finely adjusted and displaced in a two-dimensional direction horizontal to the tilting table 15. The adjusted position of the mounting member 8 with respect to the tilting table 15 is set and maintained by three adjustment knobs 16 arranged around the tilting table 15 at intervals of 1200 mm. Note that in the drawing, only one of the three adjustment knobs 16 is shown due to the cutting position. In the above embodiment, by positioning the stage 1 in its X and Y axis directions, not only can any cell be examined, but also the vertical displacement of the lifting table 12 with respect to the column 11 and the tilting table 15 By tilting around the support shaft 14, it is possible to bring the micro-manipulation device 7 into contact with or puncture the test object 4 at a desired length and angle.

Further, although not shown, the condenser lens 5 can also be tilted about the support shaft 14, and when the mirror 6 and the micro-operation device 7 are tilted, the condenser lens 5 can be configured to be displaced by an angle twice the tilt angle.

With this configuration, even after adjusting the angle of the micro-manipulation device 7, it is possible to reliably illuminate cells to be manipulated.

Note that the objective lens and condenser lens in the illustrated embodiment may be arranged with their positions reversed.

As described above, according to the present invention, a micromanipulator can be placed at an optimal position without forming a through hole in an objective lens or a condenser lens, and therefore a micromanipulator that is easy to manufacture and can reduce costs can be obtained. can get.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawing is a sectional view showing one embodiment of a micromanipulator according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Stage, 2... Objective lens, 4... Test object, 5... Objective lens, 6... Mirror, 7... Micro operation device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A micromanipulator used for performing necessary micro-manipulations on a test object using micro-manipulation devices such as microelectrodes, micropipettes, and injection needles while observing the test object under a microscope. A mirror is placed between the lens or condenser lens and the test object,
A micromanipulator characterized in that a hole is formed in this mirror and a micromanipulation device is passed through the hole. 2. The micromanipulator according to claim 1, wherein the mirror and the micro-manipulation device are pivoted so as to integrally tilt with respect to the microscope body, and the lens is attached to the mirror and the micro-manipulation device at the pivot point. A micromanipulator, characterized in that the micromanipulator is pivoted so as to tilt by an angle twice the tilting angle of the micromanipulator.