WO1991000781A1 - Procedure and apparatus for separating small bodies from a liquid - Google Patents

Procedure and apparatus for separating small bodies from a liquid Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1991000781A1
WO1991000781A1 PCT/FI1990/000180 FI9000180W WO9100781A1 WO 1991000781 A1 WO1991000781 A1 WO 1991000781A1 FI 9000180 W FI9000180 W FI 9000180W WO 9100781 A1 WO9100781 A1 WO 9100781A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
liquid
bodies
separating
transport
conveyor
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/FI1990/000180
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jari HÄMÄLÄINEN
Juhani Hirvonen
Original Assignee
Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus filed Critical Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus
Publication of WO1991000781A1 publication Critical patent/WO1991000781A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/36—Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
    • B07C5/361—Processing or control devices therefor, e.g. escort memory
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01H—NEW PLANTS OR NON-TRANSGENIC PROCESSES FOR OBTAINING THEM; PLANT REPRODUCTION BY TISSUE CULTURE TECHNIQUES
    • A01H4/00—Plant reproduction by tissue culture techniques ; Tissue culture techniques therefor
    • A01H4/001—Culture apparatus for tissue culture
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12M—APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
    • C12M47/00—Means for after-treatment of the produced biomass or of the fermentation or metabolic products, e.g. storage of biomass
    • C12M47/02—Separating microorganisms from the culture medium; Concentration of biomass

Definitions

  • the invention concerns a procedure as defined in the preamble to claim 1 for separating small bodies from a liquid.
  • the invention also concerns an apparatus as defined in the preamble to claim 6 for separating small bodies from a liquid.
  • various cell separators are known in which the cells are mostly stained, and the parameters commonly measured in the cell identifying process include.the intensity of light scattered by the cell, absorbed in the cell and fluoresced by the cell, and the resistance of the cell.
  • cell separation is based on deflection of the charged liquid droplets containing cells, with the aid of an electric field or into a branch-off flow.
  • the object of the invention is to bring forth a novel procedure and apparatus for separating small bodies from a liquid, said procedure and apparatus hav ⁇ ing no such limitations and detriments as embarrass the known problem solutions.
  • the procedure of the invention is character ⁇ ized by that which is set forth in claim 1.
  • the apparatus of the invention is character ⁇ ized by that which is set forth in claim 6.
  • liquid which con- tains small bodies is transported on a transport base in such manner that the bodies are substantially sta ⁇ tionary relative to the transport base; the bodies are identified and their location is determined relative to the transport base; the bodies are separated from the liquid at a distance, in the transporting direction, from the identifying and location-determining point, using the transport data and the location data of the bodies.
  • the liquid is transported on the transport base with constant veloci ⁇ ty.
  • the liquid is transported a given quantity at a time, from said quan- tity the bodies being identified and their locations relative to the transport base being determined.
  • the liquid is imaged with an image-producing means and in the images thus obtained the bodies are identified and their loca- tions are determined.
  • the bodies are separated from the liquid by sucking.
  • the apparatus com ⁇ prises a * ⁇ conveyor for transporting the liquid contain- ing small; bodies; first means for identifying and lo ⁇ cating the bodies in the liquid relative to the trans ⁇ port base, such as a conveyor; second means for sepa ⁇ rating the bodies from the liquid, said means being placed, in the liquid transporting direction, at a given distance "from the first means; and a control means for controlling the second means on the basis of the trans- porting data of the transport base and the location data of the bodies.
  • the liquid is disposed in vessels, such as palettes, which are trans ⁇ ported with the aid of a conveyor.
  • the first means include an imaging means, such as a video camera, with which the liquid is imaged, and an image analyzing means for identifying and locating the bodies in the im ⁇ age.
  • the first means include a light fixture by the aid of which the liquid to be imaged is illuminated.
  • the second means include a manipulator or equivalent device and a suction means, such as a pipette, said suction means being moved with the aid of the manipulator, under con ⁇ trol by the control means, for separating the bodies from the liquid.
  • a suction means such as a pipette
  • the invention has the advantage that its ap- plication in identifying and separating small bodies is highly flexible.
  • On the transport base liquid is trans ⁇ ported, which in the basic case is most advantageously processed only once; in connection therewith those of the small bodies therein which are desired are sepa- rated and recovered.
  • these bases may be circulated in the conveyor system in such manner that one and the same liquid quantity and base travel more than once past one and the same iden ⁇ tifying and locating point.
  • the small bodies are in normal state in the liquid, and in normal conditions. It is also possible in identifying a body to make use of its detailed shape or configuration, or of other properties of its surface. For instance, if identifying and locat ⁇ ing take place on the basis of image information gained with a video camera, numerous bodies can be identified by the shape of their outline, applying any method known in the art. It is further an advantage of the invention that it is appropriate for separating from liquid both organic and inorganic small bodies.
  • FIG. 1 presents schematically an apparatus according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 illustrates schematically the identification and locating of a small body in the apparatus of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 similarly illustrates the defining of the sepa ⁇ ration point in the apparatus of Fig. 1.
  • the apparatus of Fig. 1 is particularly in ⁇ tended for separating plant embryos from a culture broth.
  • the small bodies to be separat- ed, 2 are thus plant embryos
  • the liquid 1 is cul ⁇ ture broth.
  • the largest dimension of the plant embryos in the separation stage is usually within 0.01 to 5 mm, depending on plant species and on the embryo's stage of development.
  • the liquid 1 is transported on a transport base.
  • the transport base consists of a conveyor 4 and of vessels, such as palettes 3, in which the liquid has been disposed in a thin layer. In the present example, the suitable liquid layer thickness is about 5 mm.
  • the transport base may alternatively consist of a conveyor 4 alone, the liquid being transported with its aid.
  • the small bodies to be separated are at rest or move slowly enough relative to the palette 3 and/or the conveyor 4. This is the case if the motion is uniform, i.e., the transport velocity v of the conveyor is constant and the influence of the convey ⁇ or's initial acceleration has died out, or if the density of the body is clearly greater than that of the liquid or the viscosity of the liquid is high.
  • the liquid 1 with its small bodies 2 may be disposed in one or several vessels which have been subdivided into small compartments. Thanks to the compartments, the small bodies that have landed in them will be stationary with sufficient accuracy, in ⁇ dependent of variations of the conveyor speed.
  • a small bodies identifying and locating point A has been ar ⁇ ranged. At this point are provided first means for identifying and locating small bodies.
  • the apparatus further comprises a control means
  • the second means are controlled with the aid of the control means 10, for separating small bodies 2 from the liquid, based on the location data of the small bodies 2, obtained from the first means. 781 PCT/FI90/00180
  • the first means include, in the em ⁇ bodiment example of Fig. 1, an image-producing means, such as a video camera 5, and an image analyzing means 6.
  • the video camera 5 is used to produce an image of the liquid 1 that is being transported with the aid of the conveyor 4, In the video images thus obtained the small bodies 2 in the liquid are identified, and they are located.
  • Fig. 2 illustrates the process of locating a small body in the video image.
  • the video camera 5 is used to produce an image of the palette 3 that is being transported on the conveyor 4 and which, fits as a whole in the image frame of the camera 5.
  • the x axis repre- sents the transport direction of the conveyor and the y ⁇ xis, the direction transversal to the conveyor.
  • the image 3 ' of the vessel 3 is suitably placed in the xy coordinate system.
  • the small body 2 is identified in the image and its coordinates X ⁇ .,yjc are calculated and stored in memory in the image analyzing means 6.
  • the first means in the apparatus of Fig. 1 also include ajin light fixture 7, with the aid of which the liquid 1 to be imaged with the video camera 5, in the vessel 3, is illuminated.
  • the video camera 5 and the light fixture 7 have been placed on different sides of the palette 3 and the conveyor 4.
  • the bott ⁇ of the palette 3 and the conveyor 4 are then well transparent to light and imaging with the video camera 5 is feasible.
  • the video camera 5 and the light fixture 7 may be both on one side of the conveyor 4 or may be arranged in opposite order on dif ⁇ ferent sides of the conveyor 4.
  • the expedient imaging arrangement depends on the properties of the liquid 1 and the small bodies 2, such as colour, size of the bodies and density relationships of liquid and bodies.
  • the locations of the bodies in the transport direction x on the transport base can be predicted at later points in time with ade ⁇ quate accuracy for performing the separation.
  • the velocity v of the palette 3 and/or the conveyor 4 is substan ⁇ tially constant, and that at a given moment at the point A is performed identification and locating of the bodies 3 in the liquid 1, it becomes possible with the aid of the distance a (or b ) of the separating point B (or C) to calculate the time at which the vessel 3 or the equivalent liquid area is in register with the sep- arating point B (or C) , simply by dividing the distance with the conveyor velocity.
  • Fig. 3 the coordinate system Xa.y ⁇ at the separating point is simply illustrated.
  • the con ⁇ veyor velocity v which is the same as the transport velocity of the liquid 1
  • the distance a between the identifying and locating point A and the separating point B (or C) is known
  • that time T can be determined after which the area of the conveyor 4 which was imaged at the identifying and locating point A, and the palette 3 thereon, will have moved with sufficient accuracy into the respective coordinate system at the separating point B (or C) .
  • the coordinates of the small body 2 at the separating point in Fig. 3, correspond to the coordinates x*.yjc of the respective small body 2 at the identifying and locating point A in the coordinate system x*_.y ⁇ of the separating point B (or C) .
  • markers 11 may be used on the palettes 3 or on the conveyor 4.
  • the location of the marker 11 is observed with a suitable sensor 12 in any way known in itself in the art, e.g. electronically, electro-opti- cally or in equivalent manner. It is then enough that the distance c from the separating point C of the marking point D in the vicinity of the separating point C is known to the system.
  • the xy coordinate system at the identifying and locating point A and the coordinate system x,yx at the separating point c can in this way be related to each other.
  • the second means at the separating point B (or
  • the C) include a manipulator 8, or an equivalent device, and a sucking device 9, such as a pipette, which has been connected to the manipulator 8.
  • the sucking device 9 is moved with the aid of the manipulator 8, for sepa- rating the small bodies 2 from the liquid 1.
  • the manipulator 8 and the sucking device 9 thereto attached can be controlled with the aid of the control means 10 so that the sucking device 9 will at the separating point B (or C) separate the small body 2 from the liquid 1.
  • the manipulator 8 is suitably made up of an arm-like member or of the arm of a robot.
  • a simple manipula ⁇ tor 8 has been depicted, of which the gripping device. to which the sucking device is connected, moves in the y and z directions.
  • the manipulator 8 is controlled with the control means 10, to move the sucking device 9 to a given point in the y direction, e.g. to y ⁇ a. (Fig. 3) , and to lower it in the z direction at a given point in time which corresponds in the x axis system to the point Xjcx, whereafter the small body 2 is sucked up in the sucking device 9.
  • the body can be transferred e.g. into a vessel on another, parallel (in the y direc ⁇ tion) conveyor, for further handling.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Biotechnology (AREA)
  • Developmental Biology & Embryology (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Botany (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Cell Biology (AREA)
  • Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Genetics & Genomics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Microbiology (AREA)
  • Manipulator (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)

Abstract

The invention concerns a procedure and apparatus for separating small bodies from a liquid, in particular for separating plant embryos from culture broth. As taught by the invention, the liquid (1) containing small bodies (2) is transported on a transport base in such manner that the bodies (2) are substantially stationary relative to the transport base; the bodies (2) are identified and their location is determined relative to the transport base; and the bodies (2) are separated from the liquid (1) at a distance (a, b), in the transport direction (x), from the identifying and location-determining point (A), utilizing the transport data and the location data of the bodies (2).

Description

PROCEDURE AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SMALL BODIES FROM A LIQUID
The invention concerns a procedure as defined in the preamble to claim 1 for separating small bodies from a liquid.
The invention also concerns an apparatus as defined in the preamble to claim 6 for separating small bodies from a liquid. In the state of art various cell separators are known in which the cells are mostly stained, and the parameters commonly measured in the cell identifying process include.the intensity of light scattered by the cell, absorbed in the cell and fluoresced by the cell, and the resistance of the cell. In said means, cell separation is based on deflection of the charged liquid droplets containing cells, with the aid of an electric field or into a branch-off flow.
The problem with the procedures of prior art is that identification and separation of particles larger than cells travelling along with the liquid is cumber¬ some.
Furthermore, in the procedures known in the art utilization of the detailed shape of the bodies is dif- ficult and they are therefore only suitable to be used in separating small bodies of a certain kind from a liquid.
The object of the invention is to bring forth a novel procedure and apparatus for separating small bodies from a liquid, said procedure and apparatus hav¬ ing no such limitations and detriments as embarrass the known problem solutions.
The procedure of the invention is character¬ ized by that which is set forth in claim 1. The apparatus of the invention is character¬ ized by that which is set forth in claim 6.
As taught by the invention, liquid which con- tains small bodies is transported on a transport base in such manner that the bodies are substantially sta¬ tionary relative to the transport base; the bodies are identified and their location is determined relative to the transport base; the bodies are separated from the liquid at a distance, in the transporting direction, from the identifying and location-determining point, using the transport data and the location data of the bodies. In an embodiment of the invention the liquid is transported on the transport base with constant veloci¬ ty.
In an embodiment of the invention the liquid is transported a given quantity at a time, from said quan- tity the bodies being identified and their locations relative to the transport base being determined.
In an embodiment of the invention the liquid is imaged with an image-producing means and in the images thus obtained the bodies are identified and their loca- tions are determined.
In an embodiment of the invention the bodies are separated from the liquid by sucking.
As taught by the invention, the apparatus com¬ prises a *■ conveyor for transporting the liquid contain- ing small; bodies; first means for identifying and lo¬ cating the bodies in the liquid relative to the trans¬ port base, such as a conveyor; second means for sepa¬ rating the bodies from the liquid, said means being placed, in the liquid transporting direction, at a given distance "from the first means; and a control means for controlling the second means on the basis of the trans- porting data of the transport base and the location data of the bodies.
In an embodiment of the apparatus the liquid is disposed in vessels, such as palettes, which are trans¬ ported with the aid of a conveyor.
Z an embodiment of the apparatus the first means include an imaging means, such as a video camera, with which the liquid is imaged, and an image analyzing means for identifying and locating the bodies in the im¬ age. In an embodiment of the apparatus the first means include a light fixture by the aid of which the liquid to be imaged is illuminated.
In an embodiment of the apparatus the second means include a manipulator or equivalent device and a suction means, such as a pipette, said suction means being moved with the aid of the manipulator, under con¬ trol by the control means, for separating the bodies from the liquid.
The invention has the advantage that its ap- plication in identifying and separating small bodies is highly flexible. On the transport base liquid is trans¬ ported, which in the basic case is most advantageously processed only once; in connection therewith those of the small bodies therein which are desired are sepa- rated and recovered. It is possible to incorporate in the apparatus a plurality of body identifying and body locating points, and separating points. There may be several separating points for one identifying and lo¬ cating point. When separate transport bases are used, these bases may be circulated in the conveyor system in such manner that one and the same liquid quantity and base travel more than once past one and the same iden¬ tifying and locating point.
It is a further advantage of the invention that the separation is carried out in two steps. Iden¬ tifying and locating the bodies has been separated from the actual separating step. This makes the separating simple and efficient, and it will not interfere with the identifying and locating functions. It is furthermore an advantage of the invention that no particular preparations with the purpose of facilitating the identification and separation are in- 781 PCI7FI90/00180
4 diεpensably required: the small bodies are in normal state in the liquid, and in normal conditions. It is also possible in identifying a body to make use of its detailed shape or configuration, or of other properties of its surface. For instance, if identifying and locat¬ ing take place on the basis of image information gained with a video camera, numerous bodies can be identified by the shape of their outline, applying any method known in the art. It is further an advantage of the invention that it is appropriate for separating from liquid both organic and inorganic small bodies.
The invention is described in detail in the following, referring to the attached drawings, in which Fig. 1 presents schematically an apparatus according to the invention;
Fig. 2 illustrates schematically the identification and locating of a small body in the apparatus of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 similarly illustrates the defining of the sepa¬ ration point in the apparatus of Fig. 1.
The apparatus of Fig. 1 is particularly in¬ tended for separating plant embryos from a culture broth. In this example the small bodies to be separat- ed, 2, are thus plant embryos, and the liquid 1 is cul¬ ture broth. The largest dimension of the plant embryos in the separation stage is usually within 0.01 to 5 mm, depending on plant species and on the embryo's stage of development. The liquid 1 is transported on a transport base. The transport base consists of a conveyor 4 and of vessels, such as palettes 3, in which the liquid has been disposed in a thin layer. In the present example, the suitable liquid layer thickness is about 5 mm. The transport base may alternatively consist of a conveyor 4 alone, the liquid being transported with its aid. It is essential for the functioning of the apparatus that the small bodies to be separated are at rest or move slowly enough relative to the palette 3 and/or the conveyor 4. This is the case if the motion is uniform, i.e., the transport velocity v of the conveyor is constant and the influence of the convey¬ or's initial acceleration has died out, or if the density of the body is clearly greater than that of the liquid or the viscosity of the liquid is high.
Alternatively, the liquid 1 with its small bodies 2 may be disposed in one or several vessels which have been subdivided into small compartments. Thanks to the compartments, the small bodies that have landed in them will be stationary with sufficient accuracy, in¬ dependent of variations of the conveyor speed. In conjunction with the conveyor 4 a small bodies identifying and locating point A has been ar¬ ranged. At this point are provided first means for identifying and locating small bodies.
At distance a , in the transport direction x of the conveyor 4, from the identifying and locat¬ ing point A, i.e., from the first means, there is a small bodies separating point B. At this point second means have been provided, for separating the bodies from the liquid. In the apparatus additional separating points may be provided as required, such as the separating point C at distance b , in the transport direction x of conveyor 4, from the identifying and locating point A. The apparatus further comprises a control means
10. To this control means the location data, relative to the conveyor 4, of the small bodies are input, these data being obtained from the first means.
The second means are controlled with the aid of the control means 10, for separating small bodies 2 from the liquid, based on the location data of the small bodies 2, obtained from the first means. 781 PCT/FI90/00180
The first means include, in the em¬ bodiment example of Fig. 1, an image-producing means, such as a video camera 5, and an image analyzing means 6. The video camera 5 is used to produce an image of the liquid 1 that is being transported with the aid of the conveyor 4, In the video images thus obtained the small bodies 2 in the liquid are identified, and they are located.
Fig. 2 illustrates the process of locating a small body in the video image. In the apparatus of Fig. 1 the video camera 5 is used to produce an image of the palette 3 that is being transported on the conveyor 4 and which, fits as a whole in the image frame of the camera 5. In the image axis system the x axis repre- sents the transport direction of the conveyor and the y ήxis, the direction transversal to the conveyor. The image 3 ' of the vessel 3 is suitably placed in the xy coordinate system. The small body 2 is identified in the image and its coordinates Xχ.,yjc are calculated and stored in memory in the image analyzing means 6.
-The first means in the apparatus of Fig. 1 also include aj„ light fixture 7, with the aid of which the liquid 1 to be imaged with the video camera 5, in the vessel 3, is illuminated. In the present case the video camera 5 and the light fixture 7 have been placed on different sides of the palette 3 and the conveyor 4. The bottα of the palette 3 and the conveyor 4 are then well transparent to light and imaging with the video camera 5 is feasible. It goes without saying that the video camera 5 and the light fixture 7 may be both on one side of the conveyor 4 or may be arranged in opposite order on dif¬ ferent sides of the conveyor 4. The expedient imaging arrangement depends on the properties of the liquid 1 and the small bodies 2, such as colour, size of the bodies and density relationships of liquid and bodies.
.When the small bodies 2 in the liquid have been identified and located at point A, the locations of the bodies in the transport direction x on the transport base can be predicted at later points in time with ade¬ quate accuracy for performing the separation. One has then knowledge of the time when the small bodies will be at the separation point B or C, as well as the locations of the bodies. Provided that the velocity v of the palette 3 and/or the conveyor 4 is substan¬ tially constant, and that at a given moment at the point A is performed identification and locating of the bodies 3 in the liquid 1, it becomes possible with the aid of the distance a (or b ) of the separating point B (or C) to calculate the time at which the vessel 3 or the equivalent liquid area is in register with the sep- arating point B (or C) , simply by dividing the distance with the conveyor velocity.
In Fig. 3 the coordinate system Xa.yχ at the separating point is simply illustrated. When the con¬ veyor velocity v , which is the same as the transport velocity of the liquid 1, is known and the distance a between the identifying and locating point A and the separating point B (or C) is known, that time T can be determined after which the area of the conveyor 4 which was imaged at the identifying and locating point A, and the palette 3 thereon, will have moved with sufficient accuracy into the respective coordinate system at the separating point B (or C) . Then, the coordinates of the small body 2 at the separating point,
Figure imgf000009_0001
in Fig. 3, correspond to the coordinates x*.yjc of the respective small body 2 at the identifying and locating point A in the coordinate system x*_.yχ of the separating point B (or C) .
If the separating point B,C is far removed from the identifying and locating point A and the con- veyor velocity v is not constant with sufficient accuracy, markers 11 may be used on the palettes 3 or on the conveyor 4. The location of the marker 11 is observed with a suitable sensor 12 in any way known in itself in the art, e.g. electronically, electro-opti- cally or in equivalent manner. It is then enough that the distance c from the separating point C of the marking point D in the vicinity of the separating point C is known to the system. The xy coordinate system at the identifying and locating point A and the coordinate system x,yx at the separating point c can in this way be related to each other. The second means at the separating point B (or
C) include a manipulator 8, or an equivalent device, and a sucking device 9, such as a pipette, which has been connected to the manipulator 8. The sucking device 9 is moved with the aid of the manipulator 8, for sepa- rating the small bodies 2 from the liquid 1. On the basis of the small body location data ^y obtained from the image analyzing means 6, and accounting for the transport velocity v of the conveyor 4 and for the distance a (or b) in the way just described, the manipulator 8 and the sucking device 9 thereto attached can be controlled with the aid of the control means 10 so that the sucking device 9 will at the separating point B (or C) separate the small body 2 from the liquid 1. The manipulator 8 is suitably made up of an arm-like member or of the arm of a robot. The type of the manipulator depends on the particular application. In the embodiment example of Fig. 1 a simple manipula¬ tor 8 has been depicted, of which the gripping device. to which the sucking device is connected, moves in the y and z directions. The manipulator 8 is controlled with the control means 10, to move the sucking device 9 to a given point in the y direction, e.g. to y^a. (Fig. 3) , and to lower it in the z direction at a given point in time which corresponds in the x axis system to the point Xjcx, whereafter the small body 2 is sucked up in the sucking device 9. As soon as the body is in the sucking device, it can be transferred e.g. into a vessel on another, parallel (in the y direc¬ tion) conveyor, for further handling.
The invention is not exclusively delimited to relate to the embodiment example presented in the fore¬ going: numerous modifications are feasible while keep¬ ing within the inventive idea defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A procedure for separating small bodies from a liquid, in particular for separating plant em- bryos from culture broth, characterized in that
(a) liquid (1) which contains small bodies (2) is transported on a transport base in such manner that the bodies (2) are substantially stationary relative to the transport base; (b) the, bodies (2) are identified and their location relative to the transport base is determined; (c) the bodies (2) are separated from the liquid at a distance (a,b) , in the transport direction (x) , from the identifying and locating point (A) , utilizing the transport data and the location data of the bodies (2) .
2. Procedure according to claim 1, character¬ ized in that the transport base and the liquid (1) are transported with uniform velocity (v) .
3. Procedure according to claim 1 or 2, char- acterized in that the liquid (1) is transported a given quantity at a time, from said quantity the bodies (2) being identified and their location determined.
4. Procedure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the liquid (1) is imaged with an image-producing means (5) and in the image thus obtain¬ ed the bodies (2) are identified and their locations are determined.
* 5. Procedure according to any one of the pre¬ ceding laims, characterized in that the bodies (2) are separated from the liquid (1) by sucking.
6. Apparatus for separating small bodies from a liquid, particularly for separating plant embryos from culture broth, characterized in that the apparatus com¬ prises (a) a conveyor (4) for transporting the liquid (1) con¬ taining small bodies (2) ?
(b) first means (5,6) for identifying and locating the 11 bodies (2) in the liquid (1) relative to the transport base, such as the conveyor (4) ;
(c) second means (8,9) for separating the bodies (2) from the liquid (1) , said means being placed at a given distance (a,b) , in the transport direction (x) of the liquid (1), from the first means (5,6);
(d) a control means (10) for controlling the second means on the basis of the transport data of the trans¬ port base and the location determination data of the bodies (2) .
7. Apparatus according to claim 6, character¬ ized in that the liquid (1) has been disposed in ves¬ sels, such as palettes (3), which are transported with the aid of the conveyor (4) .
8. Apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, char¬ acterized in that the first means include an image-pro¬ ducing means (5) , such as a video camera, with which the liquid (1) is imaged, and an image analyzing means (6) for identifying and locating the bodies (2) in the image thus obtained.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8, character¬ ized in that the first means include a light fixture (7) with the aid of which the liquid (1) to be imaged is illuminated.
10. Apparatus according to any one of claims
6-9, characterized in that the second means include a manipulator (8) , or an equivalent device, and a sucking device (9) , such as a pipette, which is connected to the manipulator (8), and said sucking.device (9) being mo- ved with the aid of the manipulator (8) under control by the control means (10), for separating the bodies (2) from the liquid (1).
PCT/FI1990/000180 1989-07-06 1990-07-06 Procedure and apparatus for separating small bodies from a liquid WO1991000781A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FI893314A FI88119C (en) 1989-07-06 1989-07-06 APPARATUS AND APPARATUS FOER PLOCKNING AV SMAO PARTIKLAR UR VAETSKA
FI893314 1989-07-06

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1991000781A1 true WO1991000781A1 (en) 1991-01-24

Family

ID=8528738

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/FI1990/000180 WO1991000781A1 (en) 1989-07-06 1990-07-06 Procedure and apparatus for separating small bodies from a liquid

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU5853790A (en)
FI (1) FI88119C (en)
WO (1) WO1991000781A1 (en)

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5284765A (en) * 1992-04-08 1994-02-08 Weyerhaeuser Company Method of directionally orienting plant embryos
WO1995005064A1 (en) * 1992-04-08 1995-02-23 Weyerhaeuser Company Method of directionally orienting plant embryos
EP0774304A3 (en) * 1995-11-17 1998-02-04 Yazaki Corporation An apparatus for separating minute substances in liquid
US6145247A (en) * 1996-06-27 2000-11-14 Weyerhaeuser Company Fluid switch
WO2001013702A3 (en) * 1999-08-23 2001-08-16 Weyerhaeuser Co An embryo delivery system for manufactured seeds
US6340594B1 (en) 1991-12-19 2002-01-22 Cellfor, Inc. Production of desiccation-tolerant gymnosperm embryos
US6372496B1 (en) 1991-12-19 2002-04-16 Cellfor, Inc. Desiccation-tolerant gymnosperm embryos
US7131234B2 (en) 2003-11-25 2006-11-07 Weyerhaeuser Co. Combination end seal and restraint
US7228658B2 (en) 2003-08-27 2007-06-12 Weyerhaeuser Company Method of attaching an end seal to manufactured seeds
US7356965B2 (en) 2003-12-11 2008-04-15 Weyerhaeuser Co. Multi-embryo manufactured seed
US7530197B2 (en) 2003-06-30 2009-05-12 Weyerhaeuser Co. Automated system and method for harvesting and multi-stage screening of plant embryos
WO2009065974A1 (en) * 2007-11-22 2009-05-28 Agrociencia Aplicada, S.L. Automatic suction-based plant handling system
US7547488B2 (en) 2004-12-15 2009-06-16 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company Oriented strand board panel having improved strand alignment and a method for making the same
US7555865B2 (en) 2003-11-25 2009-07-07 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company Method and system of manufacturing artificial seed coats
US7568309B2 (en) 2004-06-30 2009-08-04 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company Method and system for producing manufactured seeds
US7591287B2 (en) 2003-12-18 2009-09-22 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company System and method for filling a seedcoat with a liquid to a selected level
US7603807B2 (en) 2003-11-26 2009-10-20 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company Vacuum pick-up device with mechanically assisted release
US7654037B2 (en) 2005-06-30 2010-02-02 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company Method to improve plant somatic embryo germination from manufactured seed

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2610100A1 (en) * 1975-03-20 1976-09-30 Philips Nv OBJECT LOCATION DETECTOR AND OBJECT LOCATION METHOD
DE3239567C2 (en) * 1982-10-26 1986-10-16 Schwartauer Werke Gmbh & Co, 2407 Bad Schwartau Device for sorting dried fruits
JPS63246662A (en) * 1987-03-31 1988-10-13 Shimadzu Corp Cell selector

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2610100A1 (en) * 1975-03-20 1976-09-30 Philips Nv OBJECT LOCATION DETECTOR AND OBJECT LOCATION METHOD
DE3239567C2 (en) * 1982-10-26 1986-10-16 Schwartauer Werke Gmbh & Co, 2407 Bad Schwartau Device for sorting dried fruits
JPS63246662A (en) * 1987-03-31 1988-10-13 Shimadzu Corp Cell selector

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
JAPAN ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, December 1972, 1972:23,"Hand-Eye System using Image Information Processed by Computer", pages 34-36. *

Cited By (26)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6340594B1 (en) 1991-12-19 2002-01-22 Cellfor, Inc. Production of desiccation-tolerant gymnosperm embryos
US6372496B1 (en) 1991-12-19 2002-04-16 Cellfor, Inc. Desiccation-tolerant gymnosperm embryos
WO1995005064A1 (en) * 1992-04-08 1995-02-23 Weyerhaeuser Company Method of directionally orienting plant embryos
US5284765A (en) * 1992-04-08 1994-02-08 Weyerhaeuser Company Method of directionally orienting plant embryos
EP0774304A3 (en) * 1995-11-17 1998-02-04 Yazaki Corporation An apparatus for separating minute substances in liquid
US5906732A (en) * 1995-11-17 1999-05-25 Yazaki Corporation Apparatus for separating minute substances in liquid
US6709203B2 (en) 1996-06-27 2004-03-23 Weyerhaeuser Upstream engaging fluid switch for serial conveying
US6582159B2 (en) 1996-06-27 2003-06-24 Weyerhaeuser Company Upstream engaging fluid switch for serial conveying
US6145247A (en) * 1996-06-27 2000-11-14 Weyerhaeuser Company Fluid switch
US6354770B1 (en) 1996-06-27 2002-03-12 Weyerhaeuser Company Upstream engaging fluid switch for serial conveying
WO2001013702A3 (en) * 1999-08-23 2001-08-16 Weyerhaeuser Co An embryo delivery system for manufactured seeds
AU765726B2 (en) * 1999-08-23 2003-09-25 Weyerhaeuser Company An embryo delivery system for manufactured seeds
US6684564B1 (en) 1999-08-23 2004-02-03 Weyerhaeuser Company Embryo delivery system for manufactured seeds
AU765726C (en) * 1999-08-23 2004-05-20 Weyerhaeuser Company An embryo delivery system for manufactured seeds
US7530197B2 (en) 2003-06-30 2009-05-12 Weyerhaeuser Co. Automated system and method for harvesting and multi-stage screening of plant embryos
US7685767B2 (en) 2003-06-30 2010-03-30 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company Automated system and method for harvesting and multi-stage screening of plant embryos
US7228658B2 (en) 2003-08-27 2007-06-12 Weyerhaeuser Company Method of attaching an end seal to manufactured seeds
US7555865B2 (en) 2003-11-25 2009-07-07 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company Method and system of manufacturing artificial seed coats
US7131234B2 (en) 2003-11-25 2006-11-07 Weyerhaeuser Co. Combination end seal and restraint
US7603807B2 (en) 2003-11-26 2009-10-20 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company Vacuum pick-up device with mechanically assisted release
US7356965B2 (en) 2003-12-11 2008-04-15 Weyerhaeuser Co. Multi-embryo manufactured seed
US7591287B2 (en) 2003-12-18 2009-09-22 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company System and method for filling a seedcoat with a liquid to a selected level
US7568309B2 (en) 2004-06-30 2009-08-04 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company Method and system for producing manufactured seeds
US7547488B2 (en) 2004-12-15 2009-06-16 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company Oriented strand board panel having improved strand alignment and a method for making the same
US7654037B2 (en) 2005-06-30 2010-02-02 Weyerhaeuser Nr Company Method to improve plant somatic embryo germination from manufactured seed
WO2009065974A1 (en) * 2007-11-22 2009-05-28 Agrociencia Aplicada, S.L. Automatic suction-based plant handling system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FI893314A0 (en) 1989-07-06
FI893314A (en) 1991-01-07
AU5853790A (en) 1991-02-06
FI88119B (en) 1992-12-31
FI88119C (en) 1993-04-13

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
WO1991000781A1 (en) Procedure and apparatus for separating small bodies from a liquid
US20190301980A1 (en) Automated tissue section capture, indexing and storage system and methods
US5898488A (en) Method and apparatus for candling eggs and filling trays with fertile eggs
JP3424623B2 (en) Sample sorting device
CN102666326B (en) Automatic conveying equipment for roll body
CN108247635B (en) Method for grabbing object by depth vision robot
US20230075319A1 (en) Smear transporting apparatus, smear system, and smear preparing apparatus
US4832203A (en) System for handling baggages of passengers
DE3862201D1 (en) DEVICE FOR QUASI-CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF SUBSTRATES.
EP3276328B1 (en) Smear transporting apparatus, smear image capture system, and smear analysis system
CN115582827B (en) Unloading robot grabbing method based on 2D and 3D visual positioning
CN113526125B (en) Cell specimen sample carrying system and method based on multi-label positioning
SE8202846L (en) palletizing
JP2018017693A (en) Specimen carrying device, specimen image picking up system, and specimen analyzing system
CN111730970B (en) Automatic change printing curing equipment
CN112791973A (en) Logistics sorting system
CN206203404U (en) For the transmission equipment of camera module
CN218490684U (en) Transfer system
ATE158244T1 (en) METHOD AND DEVICE FOR RECEIVING OBJECTS FROM A COLLECTION ROOM, E.G. FOR FILLING CONTAINERS.
CN208667711U (en) Photographic device with manipulator
CN111349563A (en) Stem cell feeding bin control system and control method
CN210386642U (en) Rail mounted medical science sample transmission module and letter sorting system
CN108313715B (en) Mark type civil soft bag grabbing and carrying robot
JPH0592729U (en) Blood container transfer device
CN208171876U (en) A kind of corn kernel detection system

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AU CA JP NO US

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB IT LU NL SE

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: CA