JPH0340367B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Technical Field of the Invention) The present invention relates to an apparatus for covering and enclosing a sample placed on a slide glass with a cover glass when preparing a microscopic specimen, a so-called preparation. The present invention relates to an apparatus using a cover glass.

(Background of the Invention) For example, in order to create a preparation for a pathological examination, a sample (tissue to be examined pathologically) is first placed on a slide glass and stained, then the sample is fixed and To prevent deterioration, a liquid mounting medium is filled on the slide glass near the sample, and a cover glass can be placed over it.

When preparing a large number of preparations at the same time in hospitals, etc., xylene, which is used in the dyeing process and as a mounting medium solvent, is harmful to the human body, so it is necessary to prevent inhaling large amounts of its vapor. In order to do this and to shorten the preparation time, an automatic preparation device is generally used.

(Prior Art) A method for enclosing a sample in a conventional automatic preparation device using a hard cover glass is carried out as follows.

That is, a cover glass is placed on a table that moves up and down, and mounting medium is dripped onto the surface of the cover glass.In another step, the sample is affixed to the slide glass and stained. Place the affixed slide glass with the surface to which the sample is attached facing down above the table on which the cover glass is placed, and then move the table vertically upwards so that the surface of the slide glass to which the sample is affixed is placed with the cover glass. I tried to cover it.

(Problems with conventional technology) When preparing preparations for a microscope, when enclosing a sample with a cover glass, if air bubbles get mixed into the enclosed area, it can cause incorrect judgments during sample inspection. Furthermore, if the preparation needs to be stored for a long period of time, the sample sealed in the preparation may be oxidized by the air in the bubbles.
Therefore, when enclosing the sample, it is necessary to prevent air bubbles from being mixed in. However, according to the sample inclusion process of the conventional automatic preparation device, the cover glass and the slide glass are kept parallel and close to each other for inclusion, so the air bubble release path is closed and the sample in the slide is closed. Air bubbles often get mixed into the sealed area.

(Object of this invention) This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and it is an object of the present invention to obtain a microscope specimen encapsulation device that does not allow air bubbles to be mixed into the specimen encapsulation portion of a microscope preparation. With the goal.

(Summary of the Invention) For the above purpose, in the present invention, a suction means for adsorbing a cover glass is provided with a certain distance between the suction means, and the tip thereof is set to protrude from the suction surface of the suction means, The cover glass was held at an angle with respect to the sample attachment surface of the slide glass using a pressing means that elastically and movably pressed the cover glass, the sample was attached, and the mounting medium was dropped onto the edge of the mounting area. After the slide glass is positioned below the cover glass held in an inclined manner, the cover glass is lowered vertically downward while being held in an inclined manner, and after the end portion of the cover glass comes into contact with the slide glass, the above pressing is applied. By elastically pressing the end portion with the means, the cover glass is curved within its elastic limit, and as the suction means is further lowered, the curvature of the cover glass gradually disappears. The cover glass was gradually brought into contact with the slide glass in a pressing manner from the end portion thereof.

(Embodiments of the present invention) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Each of the drawings is a diagram explaining an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a microscope specimen enclosure device according to an embodiment of the invention, and FIGS. It is a figure showing the process of enclosing a sample in the order of A to E.

In each figure, 1 is an adsorption holding part, 2 is a slide glass mounting table, 3 is a slide glass, 4 is a cover glass, 5 is a mounting medium, and 6 is a specimen (sample) to be mounted.

In the suction holding part 1, 101 is a holding base;
02 is a suction pad, 103 is a tube body, 104 is a pressing rod, 105 is a pressing body, 106 is a spring, 10
7 is Natsuto.

First, referring to FIG. 1, the configuration of main parts of an automatic specimen enclosing device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained. In the suction holding section 1, the holding base 101 is attached to the cover glass 4.
(See FIG. 2) A suction mechanism attachment part 101A is attached to the suction mechanism (suction pad 102 and tube body 103), and a suction mechanism attachment part 101A (the press rod 10
4. A pressing mechanism mounting portion 101B for elastically movably mounting the pressing body 105, spring 106, and nut 107) is integrated.

An intake hole 101a is provided through the suction mechanism attachment portion 101A, and the pressure mechanism attachment portion 1
01B has a press rod insertion hole 101b in its center.
is provided through it.

The suction pad 102 is constructed by forming a soft elastic member, such as silicone rubber, into a hollow, substantially truncated cone shape.

The tube body 103 is made of a flexible member that does not easily collapse, such as a nylon tube.

The pressing rod 104 includes a cylindrical portion 104a having an outer diameter that can be movably inserted into the pressing rod insertion hole 101b of the holding base 101, and a cylindrical column having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 104a and having a recess 104c in the center. The opposite end portion 104d is threaded.

The pressing body 105 is made of relatively hard rubber or the like, and is fitted and fixed in the recess 104c of the pressing rod 104, and has a spherical bulge in the center and presses the pressing rod 10.
It is exposed from the cylindrical portion 104b of No. 4.

The spring 106 has an inner diameter larger than the corresponding diameter of the cylindrical portion 104a of the press rod 104, and a cylindrical portion 104b.
It consists of a coil spring smaller than the outer diameter of the spring.

The nut 107 is, for example, a double nut, and is configured to be screwed and fixed at any location on the end portion 104d of the press rod 104.

The suction mechanism mounting portion 101A of the holding base 101 has a pipe body 103 attached to the upper opening portion 101c of the intake hole 101a, and a suction pad 102 attached to the lower opening portion 101d of the suction mechanism mounting portion 101A. Fitted and fixed. Although not shown in the figure, the other end of the tubular body 103 is connected to a vacuum pump (a pump with a degree of vacuum that can adsorb the cover glass and not damage it) via an opening/closing means such as a solenoid valve. .

Further, a pressing mechanism is attached to the pressing mechanism attachment portion 101B in the following manner. That is, the spring 1 is attached to the cylindrical portion 104a of the press rod 104.
06, it is inserted into the press rod insertion hole 101b from the end portion 104d side, and the nut 107 is screwed and fixed.

The nut 107 is configured with a double nut, for example, and can be fixed at any location on the end portion 104d of the pressing rod 104.
5, that is, the distance X between the tip of the pressing body 105 and the suction surface of the suction pad 102 can be adjusted.

The distance X is set to such a length that the deflection of the cover glass 4 (see FIG. 2c) when the cover glass 4 is pressed onto the slide glass 3 does not exceed its elastic limit.

Next, the enclosing operation process of the automatic specimen enclosing device will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2E.

In the first step of the steps shown in FIGS. 2A to 2E, a sample 6 to be used as a specimen is affixed to the top surface of the slide glass 3 and stained, and the entire surface is wetted with xylene (not shown). It is mounted and held on the upper surface of the mounting table 2. Thereafter, the mounting medium 5 is dropped onto the upper surface of one end of the slide glass 3 near the sample 6. The mounting medium 5 is a liquid that adheres the cover glass 4 and the slide glass 3 and isolates the sample 6 from the outside air to prevent deterioration of the sample 6, and is made by dissolving the adhesive in, for example, xylene.

Further, in a previous step different from the above steps of the steps shown in FIGS. 2A to 2E, one cover glass 4 is suction-held by the suction-holding section 1. That is,
The cover glass 4 is sucked and held at one end of the suction pad 102 by removing the air inside the suction pad 102 through the tube body 103 by a vacuum pump (not shown), and the other end is held by a pressing mechanism. The cover glass 4 is pushed out in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the slide glass 3 and directed downward from the suction end side, and in this way, the cover glass 4 is held in an inclined position by the suction holding part 1. Since the suction pad 102 is made of a soft elastic material, even if the cover glass 4 is tilted, it deforms while adsorbing it, so the cover glass 4 will not fall off and will not be damaged. In addition, the suction pad 102 closely follows the change in the shape of the cover glass 4 and continues to suction and hold the cover glass 4 in each step of FIG. 2 B to D, which will be explained later. .

When the above-mentioned two pre-stage steps are completed simultaneously or separately, the mounting table 2 or the suction holding section 1 moves so that the slide glass 3 and the cover glass 4 face each other as shown in FIG. 2A. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2A, the slide glass 3 and cover glass 4 are set in a positional relationship such that one end portion of the slide glass 3 onto which the mounting medium is dripped faces the lower portion of the slide glass 4. At this point, the mounting table 2 is fixed so that it does not wobble. In addition, in the process shown in FIG. 2A and the process up to FIG.
continues to be held in the suction holding section 1 (until the end of the process shown in FIG. 2D).

In the next step, as shown in FIG. 2B, the support base 101 descends in the direction of arrow B while the cover glass 4 is suctioned in an inclined manner by the suction pad 102 and the pressing rod 104 (pressing body 105). (Although the mounting table 2 may be raised in the opposite direction to the arrow B, the following explanation assumes that the support base 101 is moved downward.) First, the lower end of the cover glass 4 is placed on the slide glass 3. They make contact and the mounting medium 5 spreads between them. At this moment, the angle of inclination of the cover glass 4 is the same as shown in FIG. 2A.

When the support base 101 further descends in the direction of arrow B, the spring 10 applying elastic force to the rod 104
The elastic force of the cover glass 6 is set to be larger than the elastic force of the cover glass 4 (because the cover glass 4 is hard, it has some elastic force). Therefore, as shown in FIG. While being suctioned and held by the suction pad 102 on one end side,
The other end side is pushed by the pressing body 105 and arrow C
curve in the direction. This curvature reaches its maximum when the pressed portion of the cover glass 4 by the pressing member 105 comes into close contact with the slide glass 3 with the mounting medium 5 in between.
At this time, the mounting medium 5 is pushed out and spreads toward the sample 6, and eventually the mounting medium 5 spreads toward the sample 6.
It will be in a state of soaking.

Next, as the support base 101 further descends in the direction of arrow B, the curvature of the cover glass 4 gradually decreases, and the mounting medium 5 further spreads between the slide glass 3 and the cover glass 4. Support base 1
The descent of 01 in the direction of arrow B continues until the portion of the cover glass 4 held by the suction pad 102 comes into close contact with the slide glass 3 with the mounting medium 5 in between, as shown in FIG. 2D. In this state, the cover glass 4 no longer has any curvature. In the process of gradually losing the curvature of the cover glass 4, the restoring force due to the elastic force of the cover glass 4 causes air (air bubbles mixed in the mounting medium 5) between the slide glass 3 and the cover glass 4 to It acts to push the outside. Further, during the period from FIG. 2C to FIG. 2D, the pressing rod 104 compresses the spring 106 and remains in the same position. That is, relatively, it rises in the direction of arrow D with respect to the holding base 101.

When the state shown in FIG. 2D is reached, the mounting medium 5 is diffused and filled over the entire surface between the cover glass 4 and the slide glass 3, and the sample 6 is moved between the cover glass 4 and the slide glass by the mounting medium 6. It is enclosed between 3. When the solenoid valve (not shown) is switched from the vacuum pump side to the atmosphere side after the process up to FIG.
Air flows into the slide glass 2, and the slide glass 4 is released from the suction pad 102. At this time, in order to ensure separation between the suction pad 102 and the slide glass 4, the suction pad 1 is inserted through the pipe body 103.
A small amount of air may be blown into the 02. When the slide glass 4 is released from being suctioned and held by the suction holding section 1, the support base 101 rises vertically in the direction of arrow E and stops, as shown in FIG. 2E. The pressing rod 104 returns to the holding base 101 in the direction of arrow F due to the restoring force of the spring 106, and the suction holding section 1 returns to the state before holding the cover glass 4 by suction.

(Other Embodiments of the Invention) In order to suction and hold the cover glass, for example, a suction cup may be used in addition to the mechanism using the combination of the suction pad 102, a solenoid valve, and a vacuum pump.

That is, a suction cup made of a soft elastic member (for example, silicone rubber, etc.) formed into a hollow hemisphere shape (bowl shape) is used in place of the suction pad 102,
An air hole is provided through the hollow part of the suction cup so that the air hole can be opened and closed by an opening/closing means such as a solenoid valve, and when holding the cover glass by suction, the opening/closing means is closed and the cover is closed. The suction cup is pressed against the glass to attract it, and when removing the suctioned cover glass, the opening/closing means is opened to introduce air into the hollow part of the suction cup to cancel out the suction force of the suction cup.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above explanation with reference to examples, according to the present invention, when mounting a sample, the cover glass is held at an angle and the mounting medium is dripped onto the slide glass. The coverslips are gradually overlapped from the beginning, and the coverslips are curved at the time, and the covering operation is performed gradually while restoring the curvature, which increases the restoring force (elastic force) of the coverslips. acts to push out the air between the slide glass and the cover glass, making it possible to create preparations completely free of air bubbles, and the present invention has extremely significant effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings are all diagrams showing embodiments of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a microscope specimen enclosure apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention, and FIGS. 2A to 2E are illustrations of the enclosure apparatus shown in FIG. 1. It is a diagram showing the operation process of. Main symbols: 1...Suction holding part, 101...Support base, 102...Suction pad, 104...Press rod, 10
5... Pressing body, 106... Spring, 2... Mounting table,
3... Slide glass, 4... Cover glass, 5... Mounting medium, 6... Specimen (sample).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A mounting table on which a slide glass with a sample pasted and a mounting medium dripped near the area where the sample is pasted is placed, and a means for suctioning and holding a cover glass above the slide glass on this mounting table, which is a suction part. is formed of a soft elastic member, and the end of the cover glass on the side facing the mounting medium dripping area of the slide glass is pushed out in the direction of the slide glass, and the state in which the cover glass is held by the above-mentioned suction mechanism is adjusted to the surface of the slide glass. a pressing mechanism that tilts against the
The suction mechanism is fixedly attached, and the pressing mechanism has a support base attached so as to be elastically movable in a direction perpendicular to the slide glass surface, and the support base or the mounting base is moved perpendicularly to the slide glass surface. Then, in the process of moving the slide glass and cover glass toward each other, the end of the cover glass on the side of the pressing point by the above-mentioned pressing mechanism comes into contact with the slide glass surface, and then the cover glass is moved by the above-mentioned suction mechanism. Then, the cover glass is pressed against the surface of the slide glass by the pressing mechanism while being attracted, and is curved within its elastic limit, and as the support base or the mounting table further moves, the cover glass curves. While being gradually removed, the cover glass is gradually brought into close contact with the slide glass surface from the end pressed by the pressing mechanism toward the end held by the suction mechanism. An enclosure device for microscopic specimens.