JPH0452112B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a transfer needle supply device in a colony transfer device, and particularly to a transfer needle supply device for a colony transfer device, and in particular, a transfer needle supply device for a colony transfer device. This invention relates to a transfer needle supply device suitable for continuously transferring colonies to a so-called object shed prepared for tests and the like.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, new bacterial species are generally treated and cultured through the following nine steps.

It involves collecting soil, diluting it with water, planting it on an agar medium in a culture culture jar, culturing it in a warmer for a certain period of time, visually determining the colonies of various bacteria that have grown on the agar medium, and finding colonies with the desired color. Collect the microorganisms with a transfer needle such as a platinum loop, transfer them to a test tube or agar medium in a test tube, and culture them. If the bacteria is promising, repeat various tests and study it. This is done through the steps of applying technology to the field.

In the above process, the visual identification, collection, and transplantation of colonies of specific bacteria that appear promising are performed manually, which is cumbersome and inefficient work.

Therefore, the colony transfer device developed to eliminate these drawbacks uses a method that selects and selects colonies of a predetermined color from a source culture medium in which colonies of various bacteria are growing in a mixed state. Colonies according to the conditions are automatically and continuously collected and transferred to the culture medium on the object tray.

Collection and transplantation of colonies in this case is carried out by holding a transfer needle such as a platinum loop on a moving arm that moves between the source shear and the object shear.

According to this, a desired colony of the cultured source shear can be transferred from the source shear to the object shear in a relatively short time.

As a feeding device for the transfer needle moving arm in such an apparatus, there is a device that feeds sterilized transplant needles to each moving arm one by one.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, such a conventional transplantation needle supply device has problems in that it is not only inefficient and has a complicated mechanism, but also increases cost.

[Purpose of the invention]

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and to provide a transplantation needle feeding device that is suitable for continuous transplantation processing, has a simple mechanism, and is inexpensive.

[Means for solving problems]

The means of the present invention for achieving such an object is provided as a device for supplying the transfer needle to the transfer arm of a colony transfer device that transfers colonies via the transfer arm having the transfer needle. a transplantation needle supply section having a plurality of north poles arranged in the same direction and a plurality of south poles arranged in parallel opposite to the plurality of north poles, and a transplantation needle take-out arm, The north pole and the plurality of south poles generate a magnetic field in which the magnetic flux density gradually increases in one direction, and the transfer needles arranged in the magnetic field are moved to the highest magnetic flux density in the transfer needle storage section by the transfer needle take-out arm. The transfer needles are sequentially taken out from the high side and fed to the transfer arm.

[Operation] With this configuration, there is a gap between the plurality of N poles arranged in parallel in the transfer needle storage section and the plurality of S poles arranged in parallel opposite to the plurality of N poles. A magnetic field is created, and an attractive force acts on the transplant needle placed in this magnetic field. As a result, the transplantation needles will be in an antagonistic state in the space between the north pole and the south pole, and will be arranged along the lines of magnetic force flowing from the north pole to the south pole. Then, the transfer needles in the magnetic field with the highest magnetic flux density on one end of the magnetic field are taken out by the transfer needle take-out arm, so that the magnetic flux density of the transfer needles arranged in the magnetic field increases one by one in one direction. They are attracted to the high magnetic field and migrate.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 3 show an embodiment of a transplantation needle supply device according to the present invention.

In addition, in the figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same parts.

A transfer needle storage unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a device that supplies a transfer needle 3 made of a magnetic material such as iron, cobalt, or nickel to a transfer needle take-out arm 2 of a colony transfer device.

The transfer needle storage section 1 for supplying the transfer needles 3 of the transfer needle take-out arm 2 includes a pair of walls 4a and 4b whose distance gradually narrows in the direction of the arrow a.

Then, one wall 4 of the pair of walls 4a and 4b
Inside a, a plurality of north poles of the magnet are arranged in parallel at equal intervals in the direction of the arrow a.

Also, the other wall 4b of the pair of walls 4a and 4b
Inside the magnet, a plurality of S poles are arranged in parallel at equal intervals in the direction of the arrow a, facing the plurality of N poles.

Here, the plurality of north poles and the plurality of south poles of the magnet are of the same magnetic pole strength.

In this way, the magnetic field formed by the plurality of north poles and the plurality of south poles is formed such that a predetermined magnetic flux density is set in the direction of the arrow a, and the magnetic flux density gradually increases in the direction of the arrow a. .

Then, this magnetic field has a plurality of transplant needles 3 within the magnetic field.
When placed, one transfer needle 3 can be attracted between each N pole and S pole, and the space between the N pole and S pole can be antagonized along the magnetic flux. be.

In this way, the transplant needles 3, which are sucked one by one between each N pole and S pole, are arranged in parallel at equal intervals in the direction of the arrow a.

Note that some partition plates 5a and 5b are provided inside the transplantation needle storage section 1, so that the plurality of transplantation needles 3 in the storage section 1 are arranged in parallel at approximately equal intervals. be done.

FIG. 2 shows the transfer needle retrieval mechanism 10 of the colony transfer device.

As shown in the figure, the transfer needle retrieval mechanism 10 includes a drive motor 11 and a transfer needle retrieval unit 12 rotated by the drive motor 11.

The transfer needle retrieval unit 12 has four transfer needle retrieval arms 2 (one is omitted). The transfer needle take-out unit 12 is rotated intermittently by the drive motor 11, whereby each transfer needle take-out arm 2 sequentially takes out the transfer needles 3 from the transfer needle storage section 1. This is then supplied to the moving arm 20 shown in FIG. For this purpose, the transfer needle retrieval arm 2 is formed with a retrieval tip 2a, and a magnet 13 is provided on the retrieval tip 2a. In addition, when feeding the moving arm 20 needle 3, the take-out tip 2a is approximately
The transfer needle 3 is rotated by 90 degrees and taken out horizontally with respect to the storage section 1, and is then turned vertically and supplied to the moving arm 20.

The transplantation needle supply device configured in this way has a first
Drive motor 11 of the transplantation needle retrieval mechanism 10 shown in the figure
By driving, the transfer needle retrieval unit 12
rotates intermittently, and the retrieval tip 2 of one of the four retrieval needle retrieval arms 2
a stops at a portion 6 where the magnetic flux density on one end side of the magnetic field formed in the transfer needle storage section 1 is highest.

Then, the extraction tip 2 of the transfer needle supply arm 2
The magnet 13 provided at a attracts the transplantation needle 3 placed in the part 6 of the magnetic field with the highest magnetic flux density,
This is fixed horizontally to the transfer needle storage section 1, rotated further, and stopped at the supply position shown in FIG. 3.

Then, the extraction tip 2 of the transfer needle supply arm 2
a rotates about 90 degrees with respect to the main body 2b to make the transplant needle 3 perpendicular and feed it to the moving arm 20.

In this way, 4 of the transplantation needle retrieval units 12
The two transfer needle supply arms sequentially take out the transfer needles 3 from the transfer needle storage section 1 and supply them to the moving arm 20.

Note that the movable arm 20 is connected to the source shear arm 21.
and the object strain 22, and collect a colony using the supplied sterilized transplantation needle 3.
Carry out transplantation, etc. And the used transplantation needle 3 is
The tip 20 of the moving arm 20 is connected to another device (not shown).
removed from a.

Now, the plurality of transplantation needles 3 arranged in parallel at equal intervals in the direction of the arrow a shown in FIG.
is taken out by the transfer needle removal arm 2, firstly, the part 6 of the magnetic field with the highest magnetic flux density
The magnetic flux density becomes even higher, and the transplant needle 3 in the magnetic field in front of it is attracted.

The attracted transplant needle 3 is then placed along the magnetic flux within the portion 6 of the magnetic field where the magnetic flux density is highest.

On the other hand, the magnetic field in front of the part 6 where the magnetic flux density is highest is the part 6 where the transfer needle 3 has the highest magnetic flux density.
As a result, the magnetic flux density becomes slightly higher, and the transplant needle 3 in the magnetic field in front of it is further attracted.

Thus, the plurality of transplantation needles 3 are successively attracted to the magnetic field in the direction of the arrow a and move. Then, the transplantation needle 3 in the part 6 with the highest magnetic flux density is
It will be taken out at the taking-out tip 2a of the sequential transfer needle taking-out arm 2.

According to the embodiment, a magnet is provided at the tip of the transplantation needle retrieval arm, and the transplantation needle is taken out using the magnet, which simplifies the device. In addition, the magnetic poles of the magnet's multiple N poles and multiple S poles have the same magnetic pole strength, and the spacing between the multiple N poles and multiple S poles is gradually narrowed in one direction. The device can be easily manufactured and is inexpensive.

The embodiments have been described above, but it is sufficient that the magnetic flux density of the plurality of magnetic fields gradually increases in one direction, and a plurality of N poles and a plurality of S poles with different magnetic pole strengths are arranged in parallel in order of strength of the magnetic poles. Good too. Further, in this case, the S pole and the N pole do not necessarily have to be narrow on the extraction side of the transplantation needle 3, but may be widened on the contrary.

Further, the removal of the transplant needle by the distal end of the moving arm is not limited to the magnet, and the removal mechanism may be used. Moreover, it goes without saying that the locus of movement of the transplantation needle extraction arm and the method of taking out the transplantation needle are not limited.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, the transfer needle supply device of the present invention supplies the transfer needle to the transfer arm of the colony transfer device that transfers colonies via the transfer arm having the transfer needle. The device includes a transfer needle supply section having a plurality of north poles arranged in parallel and a plurality of south poles arranged in parallel opposite to the plurality of north poles, and a transfer needle extraction arm. The plurality of north poles and the plurality of south poles generate a magnetic field whose magnetic flux density gradually increases in one direction,
The transfer needles arranged in a magnetic field are sequentially taken out from the side of the transfer needle storage section with the highest magnetic flux density by the transfer needle take-out arm and supplied to the transfer arm, so that continuous transfer is possible. It is suitable for processing, has a simple mechanism, and is inexpensive.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a transfer needle storage section showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a transfer needle retrieval mechanism, and FIG. 3 is a moving It is a top view which showed the arm and the extraction tip part of a transfer needle extraction arm. 1...Transfer needle storage section, 2...Transplant needle retrieval arm, 3
... Transplantation needle, 6... Part with the highest magnetic flux density, 10...
Transfer needle extraction mechanism, 13... magnet, 20... moving arm.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A device for supplying the transfer needle to the transfer arm of a colony transfer device for transferring colonies via a transfer arm having transfer needles, the device comprising a plurality of transfer needles arranged in parallel. A transfer needle storage section having a N pole and a plurality of S poles arranged in parallel opposite to the plurality of N poles, and a transfer needle retrieval arm. The pole generates a magnetic field in which the magnetic flux density gradually increases in one direction, and the transfer needles arranged in the magnetic field are sequentially taken out from the side of the transfer needle storage section where the magnetic flux density is highest by the transfer needle take-out arm. A device for supplying a transplantation needle, characterized in that the needle is supplied to the transfer arm. 2 A magnetic field whose magnetic flux density gradually increases in one direction is
The spacing between a plurality of north poles arranged in parallel and a plurality of south poles arranged in parallel opposite to the plurality of north poles is gradually narrowed in the one direction. A device for supplying a transplantation needle according to claim 1. 3. The transplantation needle supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transplantation needle retrieval arm has a magnet on the distal end side, and the transplantation needles are attracted to this magnet and are successively taken out. .