JP7694101B2 - Manipulation System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a manipulation system.

In the field of biotechnology, a manipulation system is known for performing micro-manipulation of a micro-object (such as a cell) under a microscope (see Patent Document 1). With such a manipulation system, there are cases where it is required to perform micro-manipulation of a micro-object in a specified environment (see Patent Document 2).

JP 2015-205370 A Special table 2018-510660 publication

In Patent Document 2, a manipulation system including a manipulator, an operation location, and an imager is placed inside a chamber. For this reason, there is a possibility that the environment inside the chamber may be contaminated by dust generated from driving devices such as actuators. Furthermore, if the inside of the chamber is set to a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, rust may form on the moving parts of the manipulator, making it difficult to perform fine manipulations effectively.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide a manipulation system that can effectively manipulate micro-objects in a specified environment.

A manipulation system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a sample stage on which a container for containing a micro-object is placed, a manipulator equipped with a pipette for manipulating the micro-object, a chamber having a first opening for inserting the pipette into an internal space thereof and for containing at least the micro-object and the container, and a first sealing member for sealing a gap between the outer edge of the first opening and the pipette.

In this way, the manipulation system can maintain a good environment within the chamber because the internal space of the chamber is sealed off from the outside by the first sealing member. Then, the pipette is inserted into the internal space through the first opening provided in the chamber, and the micro-object can be manipulated well in a specified environment within the chamber. In addition, the movable parts of the manipulator, such as the drive unit, are disposed outside the chamber, so that exposure to the environment within the chamber (e.g., a high-temperature and high-humidity environment) can be suppressed.

In a manipulation system according to one aspect of the present invention, the first sealing member is formed of a flexible material. With this, when the pipette is moved in the internal space to manipulate the micro-object, the first sealing member is provided so as to be deformable in association with the movement of the pipette. As a result, the manipulation system can effectively seal the gap between the outer edge of the first opening and the pipette, and manipulate the micro-object while maintaining the environment inside the chamber.

In a manipulation system according to one aspect of the present invention, a side plate of the chamber is provided with a second opening for inserting at least a part of the sample stage into the internal space, and has a second sealing member that seals the gap between the outer edge of the second opening and the sample stage. With this, the manipulation system is capable of moving a micro-object and a container placed on the sample stage in the internal space of the chamber. In addition, the second sealing member separates the internal space of the chamber from the outside, so that the environment inside the chamber can be maintained in a good condition.

In a manipulation system according to one aspect of the present invention, the second sealing member is formed of a flexible material. With this, when the sample stage is moved in the internal space, the second sealing member is provided so as to be deformable in accordance with the movement of the sample stage. This allows the manipulation system to effectively seal the gap between the outer edge of the second opening and the sample stage, and to move the sample stage while maintaining the environment inside the chamber.

A manipulation system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a microscope disposed above the sample stage and the chamber, and the top plate of the chamber has a light-transmitting area at least at a position overlapping the microscope. This allows the internal space of the chamber to be observed through the light-transmitting area using the microscope. Therefore, the manipulation system can effectively manipulate a micro-object in the internal space of the chamber.

In the manipulation system according to one aspect of the present invention, the chamber has at least one through-hole for controlling the environment of the internal space. With this, the internal space of the chamber can be connected to, for example, a humidity control device, a _CO2 gas concentration control device, etc., via the through-hole. Alternatively, a heater or various sensors can be installed in the internal space of the chamber via the through-hole.

The manipulation system according to one aspect of the present invention has a base on which the chamber is placed, and the chamber is fixed to the base by a fixing member. Since the chamber is fixed to the base, the sealing performance of the first opening and the second opening can be improved compared to a configuration in which the chamber is movably provided.

The present invention provides a manipulation system that can effectively manipulate micro-objects in a specified environment.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a manipulation system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the manipulation system shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a manipulation system according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a manipulation system according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a top view for explaining the positional relationship between the chamber, the pipette holder, and the pipette. FIG. 6 is a front view for explaining the positional relationship between the chamber and the sample stage. FIG. 7 is a side view of the chamber. FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion of the chamber, the pipette holder, and the first sealing member. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a configuration example of the mounting member. FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion of the chamber, the sample stage, and the second sealing member. FIG. 11 is a front view showing an example of the configuration of a chamber according to a modified example.

The following describes in detail the form (embodiment) for carrying out the present invention with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiment. Furthermore, the components described below include those that a person skilled in the art would easily imagine and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the components described below can be combined as appropriate.

(Embodiment)
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a manipulation system according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an enlarged part of the manipulation system shown in Fig. 1. The manipulation system 100 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is an apparatus for manipulating a micro-object contained in a container 38 under microscopic observation. The micro-object is, for example, a cell.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the manipulation system 100 includes a base 101, a pipette 10, a pipette holder 15, a manipulator 20, a sample stage 30, a microscope unit 40, and a chamber 60. In this embodiment, a direction parallel to the mounting surface 30a (see Figure 3) of the sample stage 30 is defined as the X-axis direction. A direction parallel to the mounting surface 30a and perpendicular to the X-axis direction is defined as the Y-axis direction. The normal direction of the mounting surface 30a is defined as the Z-axis direction. For example, the position of the base 1 is adjusted so that the mounting surface 30a is a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction.

The manipulator 20 is a device for moving the pipette holder 15 and the pipette 10 in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions. The manipulator 20 is a three-axis manipulator with an X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis configuration.

The pipette holding part 15 is a tubular device for holding the pipette 10. The pipette holding part 15 is made of, for example, glass or metal. One end of the pipette holding part 15 is connected to the pipette 10. The other end of the pipette holding part 15 is connected to the manipulator 20. The pipette holding part 15 is connected to an electric micropump 29 (see FIG. 3) that the manipulator 20 has. The internal pressure of the pipette holding part 15 and the pipette 10 is reduced or increased by the pressure P supplied from the electric micropump 29.

The pipette 10 is an injection pipette used as an injection operation means for a micro-object. For example, a solution or the like is injected into the micro-object from the tip of the pipette 10 by an electric micropump 29 that is in communication with the pipette 10. Note that the pipette 10 is not limited to an injection pipette, and may be a collection pipette for collecting a micro-object.

The sample stage 30 is connected to an X-axis stage 31 and a Y-axis stage 32. The X-axis stage 31 moves in the X-axis direction when driven by a driving device 36a. The Y-axis stage 32 moves in the Y-axis direction when driven by a driving device 36b. The X-axis stage 31 is mounted on the Y-axis stage 32. The sample stage 30 is arranged to be movable in two axes within the XY plane by the movement of the X-axis stage 31 and the Y-axis stage 32. In addition, the driving devices 36 (driving devices 36a and 36b) are connected to a controller 50 (see FIG. 3).

A container 38 is placed on the mounting surface 30a of the sample stage 30. The container 38 is, for example, a dish or a well plate. Micro-objects such as cells are contained in the container 38.

The chamber 60 is a box-shaped member having an internal space. The internal space of the chamber 60 is sealed and isolated from the outside of the chamber 60. The internal space of the chamber 60 is maintained and managed in a predetermined environment (e.g., a clean environment, a high temperature and humidity environment, a gas environment such as _CO2 , etc.) for manipulating a micro-object such as a cell. In this specification, "sealed" and "sealed" are not limited to a state in which the internal space of the chamber 60 is completely isolated from the outside, and it is sufficient that the internal space of the chamber 60 has airtightness that can maintain a predetermined environment when the pipette 10 and the sample stage 30 are moved to manipulate the micro-object.

The chamber 60 is placed on a base 101. The chamber 60 is fixed to the base 101 by a fixing member 102. The fixing member 102 is, for example, a bolt. The micro-object and the container 38 are accommodated in the internal space of the chamber 60. The pipette 10 and the pipette holder 15 are inserted into the internal space of the chamber 60 through the first opening OP1. In addition, a part of the sample stage 30 is inserted into the internal space of the chamber 60 through the second opening OP2. The sealing structure of the first opening OP1 and the second opening OP2 will be described later.

The microscope unit 40 is disposed above the sample stage 30 and the chamber 60. The microscope unit 40 has a microscope 41, an imaging device 45, and a light source (not shown) that irradiates light toward the mounting surface 30a of the sample stage 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the microscope 41 has a lens barrel 411, an objective lens 412, an eyepiece lens 413, and a driving device 414 (see FIG. 3). The microscope 41 is a stereomicroscope in which the objective lens 412 is located above the container 38 and the chamber 60. The lens barrel 411 of the microscope unit 40 is moved in the Z-axis direction by being driven by the driving device 414. This allows the microscope 41 to adjust the focal position. A plurality of types of objective lenses 412 may be prepared according to the desired magnification. The imaging device 45 can image the tip of the pipette 10 and the micro-object from the Z-axis direction via the microscope 41.

The microscope unit 40 is not limited to one, and two or more may be provided. In this case, the multiple microscope units can observe the tip of the pipette 10 and the micro-object from different directions.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a manipulation system according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the manipulation system 100 further includes a controller 50, a joystick 57, an input unit 58, and a display unit 80. The input unit 58 is a keyboard, a touch panel, or the like. The joystick 57 and the input unit 58 are connected to the controller 50. An operator can input commands to the controller 50 via the joystick 57 and the input unit 58.

As shown in FIG. 3, the manipulator 20 includes an X-axis table 21, a Y-axis table 22, a Z-axis table 23, drive devices 26 and 27, and an electric micropump 29. The X-axis table 21 moves in the X-axis direction when driven by the drive device 26. The Y-axis table 22 moves in the Y-axis direction when driven by the drive device 26. The Z-axis table 23 moves in the Z-axis direction when driven by the drive device 27. The drive devices 26 and 27 and the electric micropump 29 are connected to a controller 50.

In the manipulator 20, the Z-axis table 23 is mounted on the Y-axis table 22. This allows the pipette holder 15 and the pipette 10 to move in the Y-axis direction the same distance as the Y-axis table 22 in accordance with the movement of the Y-axis table 22. Furthermore, the Y-axis table 22 is mounted on the X-axis table 21. This allows the pipette holder 15 and the pipette 10 to move in the X-axis direction the same distance as the X-axis table 21 in accordance with the movement of the X-axis table 21. Furthermore, the pipette holder 15 and the pipette 10 can move in the Z-axis direction the same distance as the Z-axis table 23 in accordance with the movement of the Z-axis table 23.

Next, the functions of the controller 50 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a manipulation system according to an embodiment. The controller 50 includes hardware resources such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as a computing means, and a hard disk, RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like as a storage means.

As shown in FIG. 4, the controller 50 has as its functions an image input unit 51a, an image output unit 51b, an image processing unit 52, a detection unit 53, an image editing unit 54, a control unit 55, and a memory unit 56. The image input unit 51a, the image output unit 51b, the image processing unit 52, the detection unit 53, the image editing unit 54, and the control unit 55 are realized by the above-mentioned calculation means. The memory unit 56 is realized by the above-mentioned storage means. The controller 50 performs various calculations based on the programs stored in the memory unit 56, and outputs drive signals so that the control unit 55 performs various controls according to the calculation results.

The control unit 55 controls the driving device 414 of the microscope unit 40, the driving devices 26, 27 and the electric micropump 29 of the manipulator 20, and the driving device 36 of the sample stage 30. The control unit 55 supplies driving signals Vz1, Vxy2, Vz2, and Vxy3 (see FIG. 3) to the driving devices 414, 26, and 27, respectively. The control unit 55 also supplies a driving signal Vmp (see FIG. 3) to the electric micropump 29. The control unit 55 may also supply the driving signals Vz1, Vxy2, Vz2, Vxy3, and Vmp, respectively, via a driver, an amplifier, or the like that is provided as necessary.

The image signal Vpix1 (see FIG. 3) output from the imaging device 45 is input to the image input unit 51a. The image processing unit 52 receives the image signal Vpix1 from the image input unit 51a and performs image processing. The image output unit 51b outputs the image information processed by the image processing unit 52 to the storage unit 56 and the display unit 80.

The detection unit 53 receives image information from the image processing unit 52, and automatically detects the positions and number of micro-objects based on the received image information. The detection unit 53 then outputs the detection results to the image editing unit 54 and the control unit 55. Note that in this disclosure, "automatic" means that the device operates without the intervention of the operator's judgment. Furthermore, the controller 50 is not limited to detecting micro-objects, and can also detect the position of the pipette 10.

Next, the detailed configuration of the chamber 60 will be described. FIG. 5 is a top view for explaining the relative positions of the chamber, the pipette holder, and the pipette. FIG. 6 is a front view for explaining the relative positions of the chamber and the sample stage. FIG. 7 is a side view of the chamber.

As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the chamber 60 has a bottom plate 61 and a cover portion 62. The bottom plate 61 is a flat member and is disposed opposite the base 101. At least a portion of the sample stage 30 is disposed opposite the upper surface of the bottom plate 61. The cover portion 62 has a top plate 62a and a side plate 62b. The lower portion of the side plate 62b is connected to the bottom plate 61, sealing the internal space of the chamber 60.

As shown in FIG. 5, the chamber 60 has a rectangular shape when viewed from above. However, this is not limited thereto, and the chamber 60 may have other shapes, such as a polygonal shape or a circular shape.

As shown in FIG. 5, the top plate 62a of the chamber 60 is provided with a first opening OP1. As described above, the pipette 10 and the pipette holder 15 are inserted into the internal space of the chamber 60 through the first opening OP1. When viewed from above, the first opening OP1 is rectangular with long sides along the X-axis direction. The length of each side of the first opening OP1 is formed to be greater than the diameter of the pipette 10 and the pipette holder 15. This allows the manipulation system 100 to move the pipette holder 15 within the first opening OP1 and to manipulate the micro-object within the chamber 60. Note that the first opening OP1 is not limited to a rectangular shape, and may be other shapes such as a polygonal shape or a circular shape. The first opening OP1 can adopt an appropriate shape depending on the manipulation of the micro-object.

A first sealing member 71 is provided to cover the first opening OP1. Note that in FIG. 5, the first sealing member 71 is shown with diagonal lines to make the drawing easier to see. The first sealing member 71 seals the gap between the outer edge of the first opening OP1 and the pipette holding portion 15 (and the pipette 10). The first sealing member 71 is attached to the outer periphery of the pipette holding portion 15 by the attachment member 16.

The first sealing member 71 is made of a flexible material. Specifically, the first sealing member 71 can be made of a resin film material such as nylon or vinyl, or a sheet-like rubber. The first sealing member 71 is arranged to be deformable when the pipette holding portion 15 (and the pipette 10) moves through the first opening OP1.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged portion of the chamber, the pipette holder, and the first sealing member. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII' in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 8, the first sealing member 71 is sandwiched between the lower surface of the top plate 62a, the fixing member 68, and the O-ring 69. Note that in Figure 8, the lower surface of the top plate 62a and the fixing member 68 are shown separated from each other to make the drawing easier to see, but the top plate 62a, the first sealing member 71, the O-ring 69, and the fixing member 68 are fixed so as to be in close contact with each other. The fixing member 68 is fixed to the top plate 62a by, for example, a bolt. Also, Figure 8 shows a Y-Z cross-sectional view, but the fixing member 68 and the O-ring 69 are annular members formed along the outer edge of the first opening OP1. As a result, the first sealing member 71 is fixed along the outer edge of the first opening OP1 by the fixing member 68 and the O-ring 69, and can seal the first opening OP1.

A groove 62c is formed on the underside of the top plate 62a, and a groove 68a is formed on the fixing member 68. The O-ring 69 is disposed between the opposing grooves 62c and 68a. However, at least one of the grooves 62c and 68a does not have to be provided. The configuration of the fixing member 68 and the O-ring 69 is merely an example, and any structure may be used as long as it is provided to seal the gap between the outer edge of the first opening OP1 and the first sealing member 71.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view for explaining an example of the configuration of the mounting member. The mounting member 16 has a first nut 17 and a second nut 18. The outer peripheral surface of the pipette holding portion 15 is threaded, and the first nut 17 and the second nut 18 are screwed onto the pipette holding portion 15. A first sealing member 71 and an O-ring 19 are sandwiched between the first nut 17 and the second nut 18 in the direction along the axial direction of the pipette holding portion 15. This creates a seal between the pipette holding portion 15 and the first sealing member 71.

More specifically, the first nut 17 has a protruding portion 17a protruding from the lower surface of the first nut 17. The protruding portion 17a is formed in a ring shape surrounding the pipette holding portion 15. The second nut 18 has a protruding portion 18a protruding from the upper surface of the second nut 18. The protruding portion 18a of the second nut 18 is formed in a ring shape surrounding the outer periphery of the protruding portion 17a of the first nut 17. The first sealing member 71 and the O-ring 19 are disposed in a recess formed between the protruding portion 18a of the second nut 18 and the outer periphery of the pipette holding portion 15. When the first nut 17 and the second nut 18 rotate in a direction approaching each other, the first sealing member 71 and the O-ring 19 are sandwiched between the protruding portion 17a and the second nut 18 forming the bottom of the recess.

The configuration of the mounting member 16 shown in FIG. 9 is merely an example. The mounting member 16 may have any structure as long as it is provided to seal the gap between the pipette holder 15 and the first sealing member 71. For example, the protrusions 17a and 18a may be omitted.

Returning to FIG. 5, a light-transmitting region CL is provided on the top plate 62a of the chamber 60. The material of the light-transmitting region CL is, for example, glass. The light-transmitting region CL is provided in an area that overlaps with the microscope 41 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) of the microscope unit 40. This allows the manipulation system 100 to observe the pipette 10 and the micro-object in the internal space of the chamber 60 through the light-transmitting region CL using the microscope 41.

The first opening OP1 and the light-transmitting region CL are arranged next to each other in the X-axis direction. This is not limited to the above, and the positional relationship between the first opening OP1 and the light-transmitting region CL can be changed as appropriate depending on the arrangement of the microscope 41, the manipulator 20, the pipette holding portion 15, and the pipette 10.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, a second opening OP2 is provided in the side plate 62b of the chamber 60. As described above, at least a portion of the sample stage 30 is inserted into the internal space of the chamber 60 through the second opening OP2. When viewed from the side, the second opening OP2 has a rectangular shape with its long side along the X-axis direction. More specifically, the second opening OP2 is formed by being surrounded by a rectangular cutout portion formed in the lower part of the side plate 62b and the bottom plate 61.

The length of the second opening OP2 in the X-axis direction is longer than the length of the sample stage 30 in the X-axis direction. The length of the second opening OP2 in the Z-axis direction is longer than the length (thickness) of the sample stage 30 in the Z-axis direction. This allows the manipulation system 100 to move the sample stage 30 within the second opening OP2. In other words, the manipulation system 100 can move the container 38 placed on the sample stage 30 and the micro-object contained in the container 38 within the chamber 60. Note that the second opening OP2 is not limited to a rectangular shape, and may be other shapes such as a polygonal shape or a circular shape.

A second sealing member 72 is provided to cover the second opening OP2. Note that in FIG. 6, the second sealing member 72 is shown with diagonal lines to make the drawing easier to see. The second sealing member 72 seals the gap between the outer edge of the second opening OP2 and the sample stage 30.

The second sealing member 72, like the first sealing member 71, is made of a flexible material. Specifically, the second sealing member 72 can be made of a resin film material such as nylon or vinyl, or a sheet-like rubber. The second sealing member 72 is arranged to be deformable when the sample stage 30 moves within the second opening OP2.

Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the chamber, the sample stage, and a portion of the second sealing member. Figure 10 is an X-X' cross-sectional view of Figure 6. As shown in Figure 10, the second sealing member 72 is sandwiched between the side plate 62b and the fixing member 75 and O-ring 77. The fixing member 75 is fixed to the side plate 62b by, for example, a bolt. Also, Figure 8 shows a Y-Z cross-sectional view, but the fixing member 75 and O-ring 77 are formed along the outer edge of the second opening OP2. As a result, the second sealing member 72 is fixed to the outer edge of the second opening OP2, and can seal the second opening OP2.

The second sealing member 72 is sandwiched between the upper surface of the sample stage 30 and the fixing member 76 and O-ring 78. The fixing member 76 is fixed to the sample stage 30, for example, by a bolt. This allows the second sealing member 72 to be fixed to the sample stage 30 and seal the gap between the second opening OP2 and the sample stage 30. The length of the second opening OP2 in the Z-axis direction is formed to be longer than the total thickness of the sample stage 30 and the fixing member 76, thereby suppressing contact between the fixing member 76 and the side plate 62b. Alternatively, the fixing member 76 is provided at a position sufficiently distant from the side plate 62b in the Y-axis direction so as not to come into contact with the side plate 62b.

The configuration of the fixing members 75, 76 and the O-rings 77, 78 shown in FIG. 10 is merely an example. The fixing members 75, 76 and the O-rings 77, 78 may have any structure as long as they are arranged to seal the gap between the second opening OP2 and the sample stage 30.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the chamber 60 has through holes 65, 66 for controlling the environment of the internal space. The through hole 65 is connected to, for example, a humidity adjusting device (not shown). The through hole 65 is formed as an air hole that introduces air adjusted to a predetermined humidity supplied from the humidity adjusting device into the internal space of the chamber 60. This allows the manipulation system 100 to adjust the humidity in the chamber 60. Alternatively, the through hole 65 may be connected to a _CO2 concentration adjusting device (not shown). In this case, the through hole 65 is formed as an air hole that introduces _CO2 gas supplied from the _CO2 concentration adjusting device into the internal space of the chamber 60. This is not limited to this. The through hole 65 can supply gas according to the environment of the chamber 60.

The through-hole 66 is also provided for installing a heater and various sensors in the internal space of the chamber 60. For example, wiring connected to the heater and various sensors is inserted into the through-hole 66. By providing the through-holes 65 and 66, the manipulation system 100 of this embodiment can easily adjust and manage the environment inside the chamber 60.

In the example shown in FIG. 7, two through holes 65, 66 are provided. This is not limited to this, and one through hole or three or more through holes may be provided.

The positions, sizes, and shapes of the first opening OP1, the second opening OP2, and the through holes 65, 66 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the first opening OP1 is not limited to being provided on the top plate 62a, but may be provided on the side plate 62b. The second opening OP2 is provided on the part of the side plate 62b that intersects with the Y-axis direction (front side), but is not limited to this, and may be provided on the part that intersects with the X-axis direction (side side). The positions of the through holes 65, 66 can also be changed as appropriate.

The chamber 60 is composed of two members (a bottom plate 61 and a cover portion 62), but is not limited to this. FIG. 11 is a front view showing an example of the configuration of a chamber according to a modified example. As shown in FIG. 11, the chamber 60A according to the modified example is composed of three members connected together: a bottom plate 61A, a top plate 62A, and a side plate 62B.

Without being limited to this, the chambers 60 and 60A can be configured differently as appropriate depending on the method of fixing to the base 101 and the relative positioning of the sample stage 30 and the manipulator 20. For example, the chambers 60 and 60A may be configured with four or more members.

As described above, the manipulation system 100 of this embodiment includes a sample stage 30 on which a container 38 for containing a micro-object is placed, a manipulator 20 equipped with a pipette 10 for manipulating the micro-object, a chamber 60 having a first opening OP1 for inserting the pipette 10 into its internal space and for containing at least the micro-object and the container 38, and a first sealing member 71 for sealing the gap between the outer edge of the first opening OP1 and the pipette 10 (and the pipette holder 15).

In this way, the manipulation system 100 can maintain a good environment within the chamber 60 because the internal space of the chamber 60 is sealed off from the outside by the first sealing member 71. The pipette 10 is inserted into the internal space through the first opening OP1 provided in the chamber 60, and the micro-object can be manipulated well in a predetermined environment within the chamber 60. In addition, the movable parts of the manipulator 20, such as the driving devices 26 and 27, are disposed outside the chamber 60, so that exposure to the environment within the chamber 60 (e.g., a high-temperature and high-humidity environment) can be suppressed. Therefore, the manipulation system 100 can suppress the occurrence of corrosion and rust in the movable parts of the manipulator 20, such as the driving devices 26 and 27.

In addition, in the manipulation system 100 of this embodiment, the first sealing member 71 is formed of a flexible material. With this, when the pipette 10 is moved in the internal space to manipulate a micro-object, the first sealing member 71 is provided so as to be deformable in association with the movement of the pipette 10. As a result, the manipulation system 100 can effectively seal the gap between the outer edge of the first opening OP1 and the pipette 10, and manipulate the micro-object while maintaining the environment inside the chamber 60.

In addition, in the manipulation system 100 of this embodiment, the side plate 62b of the chamber 60 is provided with a second opening OP2 for inserting at least a part of the sample stage 30 into the internal space, and has a second sealing member 72 that seals the gap between the outer edge of the second opening OP2 and the sample stage 30. With this, the manipulation system 100 is capable of moving the micro-object and container 38 placed on the sample stage 30 in the internal space of the chamber 60. In addition, since the second sealing member 72 separates the internal space of the chamber 60 from the outside, the environment inside the chamber can be maintained in a good condition.

In addition, in the manipulation system 100 of this embodiment, the second sealing member 72 is formed of a flexible material. With this, when the sample stage 30 is moved in the internal space, the second sealing member 72 is provided so as to be deformable in accordance with the movement of the sample stage 30. This allows the manipulation system 100 to effectively seal the gap between the outer edge of the second opening OP2 and the sample stage 30, and to move the sample stage 30 while maintaining the environment inside the chamber 60.

The manipulation system 100 of this embodiment also has a microscope 41 arranged above the sample stage 30 and the chamber 60, and the top plate 62a of the chamber 60 has a light-transmitting region CL at a position overlapping at least with the microscope 41. This allows the microscope 41 to observe the internal space of the chamber 60 through the light-transmitting region CL. Therefore, the manipulation system 100 can effectively manipulate a micro-object in the internal space of the chamber 60.

In the manipulation system 100 of this embodiment, the chamber 60 has at least one or more through holes 65, 66 for controlling the environment of the internal space. With this, the internal space of the chamber 60 can be connected to, for example, a humidity adjusting device, a _CO2 gas concentration adjusting device, etc., via the through holes 65, 66. Alternatively, a heater or various sensors can be installed in the internal space of the chamber 60 via the through holes 65, 66.

The manipulation system 100 of this embodiment also has a base 101 on which the chamber 60 is placed, and the chamber 60 is fixed to the base 101 by a fixing member 102. Since the chamber 60 is fixed to the base 101, the sealing performance of the first opening OP1 and the second opening OP2 can be improved compared to a configuration in which the chamber 60 is movably provided. Furthermore, the area of the light-transmitting region CL can be made smaller compared to a configuration in which the chamber 60 is movably provided.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Pipette 15 Pipette holder 16 Mounting member 17 First nut 18 Second nut 20 Manipulator 30 Sample stage 31 X-axis stage 32 Y-axis stage 38 Container 40 Microscope unit 41 Microscope 60 Chamber 61 Bottom plate 62 Cover portion 62a, 62A Top plate 62b, 62B Side plate 65, 66 Through hole 71 First sealing member 72 Second sealing member 100 Manipulation system 101 Base OP1 First opening OP2 Second opening CL Light-transmitting region

Claims (5)

a sample stage on which a container for accommodating a micro object is placed;
a manipulator having a pipette for manipulating the micro-object;
a chamber having a first opening for inserting the pipette into an internal space thereof and configured to accommodate at least the micro-object and the container;
a first sealing member that seals a gap between an outer edge of the first opening and the pipette ;
a second opening for inserting at least a portion of the sample stage into the internal space is provided in a side wall of the chamber;
a second sealing member that seals a gap between an outer edge of the second opening and the sample stage;
The second sealing member is made of a flexible material.
Manipulation system. The manipulation system according to claim 1 , wherein the first sealing member is made of a flexible material. a microscope disposed above the sample stage and the chamber;
3. The manipulation system according to claim 1 , wherein a top plate of the chamber has a light-transmitting area at least at a position overlapping with the microscope. The manipulation system according to claim 1 , wherein the chamber has at least one through-hole for controlling an environment of the internal space. The chamber has a base on which the chamber is placed,
The manipulation system according to claim 1 , wherein the chamber is fixed to the base by a fixing member.

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