JPH0466555B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a supporting device for shearlings, and particularly for supporting devices prepared for testing etc. from a medium of sauce shearlings in which colonies of various bacteria are propagating in a mixed state. The present invention relates to a support device for a shear, which is suitable for an automatic colony transplanting device for continuously transplanting colonies to a so-called object shear.

[Prior Art] 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 plate, culturing it for a certain period of time in a warmer, 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 platinum loop, transfer them to a test tube or agar medium, culture them, and if the bacteria are promising, repeat various tests and study them, and use them in the fields of medicine, brewing, and other biotechnology. This is done through the steps of applying the

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

Therefore, in order to eliminate such drawbacks,
- An operating device that allows sequential observation of the culture medium using a Y stage is one that processes images using a color TV monitor instead of observing the culture medium directly with the naked eye or through a microscope. Automatic devices have been proposed and developed to improve work efficiency and reduce fatigue by visually observing color TVs.

The automatic transfer device developed as this type of automatic device selects colonies of a predetermined color from the source culture medium in which colonies of various bacteria are propagating in a mixed state, and automatically selects colonies according to the selection. The cells are collected sequentially and sequentially and transferred to a medium on an object shell.

In such devices, the work up to the selection of colonies must be done manually, but once the selection is done, a person operates the automatic transplantation device and performs the specified tasks via the operation panel or keyboard. By giving a command, the transfer device automatically collects the selected colonies and automatically transfers them to an object tray placed at another predetermined location or to a medium in a test tube. . Therefore, there is an advantage that the manpower and fatigue can be partially reduced and the efficiency of the processing can be improved.

By automating the collection work after selection in this way, it has become possible to transfer desired colonies of the cultured source shear from the source shear to the object shear within a relatively short period of time. In such a transplanting operation, it is preferable that the position of the shear is accurate and that the position of the image displayed on the TV screen for color selection matches the actual position of the shear.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when taking out a shear dish from a cartridge or the like and automatically setting it on a predetermined shear dish setting table, it is difficult to set the shear dish on the shear dish setting table using a normal shear handling and transfer mechanism. If only the shear tray is installed, there will be variations in its installation position, and there will also be variations in the external shape of the shear tray itself, making it impossible to position it at an accurate position on the shear tray installation table.

Therefore, it may be possible to set a reference position such as a crosshair for accurate positioning and set the shears one by one according to this, but doing so would result in automatic and continuous translocation. In some cases, it is inefficient in relation to the speed of the migration process, which poses a problem in automatic migration processing.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art.In addition to eliminating these problems, the present invention is suitable for continuous translocation processing and enables early positioning. To provide a supporting device for a shear dish which can be used for transplanting immediately after setting the shear dish on a table.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The support device for a shear plate of the present invention that achieves the above object supports a shear plate at three points by elastic arms arranged at predetermined intervals. The means includes a shear dish setting table, and first, second, and third shear press arms arranged at predetermined intervals on the shear dish setting table at positions corresponding to the outer shape of the shear dish, and The 2nd shear presser arm is
The third shear presser arm is located on the opposite side of the center with respect to the third shear presser arm, and the third shear presser arm is provided so as to be movable inward while being located on the outside with respect to the outer periphery of the shear plate to be installed. This involves moving the tray to be installed to the installation position.

[Function] With this configuration, even if there are variations in the position of the shear dish by the shear handling transfer mechanism or the outer shape of the shear dish, there is less center shift, and the shear dish can be set at a more accurate position at an early stage. .

As a result, the location of the transplant becomes accurate, and the camera provides an appropriate observation image.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an automatic colony transplantation device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram corresponding to the above-mentioned plan view showing the internal structure seen from the front, FIG. 3 is a schematic plan diagram of the top of the tray installation table, and FIG. 4 is a -side sectional view thereof. . In addition, in each of these figures, the same parts are indicated by the same symbols.

In FIG. 1, 1 is an automatic colony transplantation device, 2 is a transfer mechanism thereof, 3 is an object shear supply mechanism, 4 is a source shear supply unit, and 5 is a table on which the shear is set. Objects as objects transport stage, 6
is a similar source shear transfer stage, and 7 is an operation panel.

Further, a shear load is provided between the source shear supply section 4 and the source shear transfer stage 6.
An unloading mechanism 9 is installed, and furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, an image processing section 8 having a built-in TV camera is placed above the source shear transfer stage 6. Note that 8a is a light source that irradiates the source shear.

Here, the video detected by the video processing section 8 is color-processed and displayed on a TV monitor (not shown). As a result, each colony in the medium of Source Sheare 11 is observed to have a certain color on the CRT display.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, a pick-up cut-out supply section 24, which is supported by the frame of the transfer mechanism 2 and arranged at the upper front surface of the transfer arm 23, performs superheat sterilization according to instructions from the control section. Cut out a new pick-up and transfer it to the transfer arm 23.
Set to .

Furthermore, a disposal case 25 is provided on the lower side of the transfer arm 23 to dispose of used pickups.

Now, the object Schare transfer stage 5 and the source Schare transfer stage 6 are as follows.
A stage movable in X, Y, and Z directions,
In order to move independently in each direction,
A moving mechanism (not shown) that combines a ball screw mechanism and a stepping motor is used in the Y and Z directions.

The movement in each direction is controlled by driving the stepping motor, and the amount and direction of rotation of the stepping motor are controlled according to direction control pulses and drive pulse signals from a control section (not shown). be exposed. As a result, the object shear transfer stage 5 and the source shear transfer stage 6 move by a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction toward the target position in response to the control signal.

By the way, the positions shown by solid lines in FIG. 1 are the first set position 5a, which is the set target position when the object shear transfer stage 5 and the source shear transfer stage 6 are transferred in the case of colony transfer processing. It is 6a. In addition, these stages 5 and 6 each have 10 object shares.
and a sauce tray 11 are placed thereon.

On the other hand, the positions indicated by dotted lines 5b and 6b are the second setting positions for loading (taking out and setting) or unloading (retrieving the set items) the respective trays 10 and 11 on the stages 5 and 6. .

Now, here, the transfer mechanism 2 consists of a pair of link mechanisms 21 arranged in parallel and a rocking plate type eccentric cam 22.
In combination with this, the transfer arm 23, which is a lever mechanism having a pivot point in the center, is given a swinging motion. A swinging motion is applied to the pick-up 23a, which is made of a thin wire for transplantation and is set on the tip side of the pick-up 23. As a result, the pick-up 23a moves from the medium in the source shear 11 placed on the source shear transfer stage 6 to the medium in the object shear 10 placed on the object shear transfer stage 5, and is shaken between them. repeat the movement.

In this way, via the pick-up 23a,
From the culture medium of the source tray 11 in which colonies of various types of bacteria are propagating in a mixed state, colonies are automatically and continuously selected according to a predetermined color and positioned at the position of the pick-up 23a, which is one end point of the rocking motion. A process is performed in which the samples are sequentially collected and transferred to a predetermined culture medium positioned at the pick-up 23a on the object tray 10, which is the other end point of the rocking motion.

Here, the position of the medium to be picked up in the source shear tray 11 and the position of the medium to be planted in the object shear tray 10 are set so that the source shear tray transfer stage 6 and the object shear tray transfer stage 5 are the end points of the swinging movement of the pick-up 23a, respectively. This is done by positioning in a predetermined relationship to the position. And these positions are the first set position (solid line display part) 5
This is done by moving each of the stages 5 and 6 to a predetermined target position and setting each time in a and 6a, and the target position is set according to a control signal from the control unit and the movement is controlled. Ru. As a result, a predetermined colony is selected.

By the way, the source shear 11 is taken out from a predetermined position of the source shear cartridges 4a, 4b set in the source shear supply section 4 by the shear shear loading/unloading mechanism 9, and the source shear 11 is taken out from a predetermined position of the source shear cartridges 4a, 4b set in the source shear supply section 4. 9a, and the source shear transfer stage 6 is moved to the second set position 6b shown by the dotted line and set thereon.

The source shear transfer stage 6 then moves to this first set position 6a. Note that the recovery is almost the reverse operation.

On the other hand, the object shear 10 is supplied by the object shear supply mechanism 3, and is taken out by operating the hunt rig part 33a.
The cartridge is returned to its original cartridge position and recovered. The object sharing mechanism 3 is
4 mounted at 90 degree intervals on a rotating disk 31
four cartridges 32a, 32b, 32c, 32
d, and a shear load/unload mechanism 33 having a hand rig portion 33a is fixedly arranged in the center of the disk 31 independently of the disk 31.

As shown in FIG. 2, an elevator mechanism 34 for moving the cartridge 32b up and down is arranged corresponding to the bottom of the disk 31 in the cartridge 32b positioned at the take-out position. , are rotationally driven by a motor 35 and positioned.

Next, the setting of the shear dish on the shear dish setting table will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

40 is the object transfer stage 5
Or, on the chaire installation table of the source shear plate transfer stage 6, around the installation position corresponding to the size of the chaire 50 (source shear or object shear) to be installed, which is indicated by a dotted circle on this chaire installation table 40. , almost 120, to correspond to the external shape of the sialet
First, second, and third shear presser arms 41, 42, and 43 are provided, respectively, and are arranged at intervals of degrees.

First and second shear presser arms 41, 42
are L-shaped arms, the fixed ends of which are pivotally connected to a fine adjustment table (not shown) via pins 44 and 45, and are rotatably fixed. And each fine adjustment table has its own adjustment groove 4.
6, 47 and is fixed so that it can slide there.

On the pressing end side of the shear plate 50 of the L-shaped arms of the first and second shear presser arms 41 and 42, rollers 48 and 49 are attached to pins 48a and 49, respectively.
The rollers 48, 49 are pivotally connected at 9a.
The outer peripheral surface of the installed shear dish 50 is pressed and supported around the area.

On the other hand, the third shear presser arm 43 is provided so as to be movable from the outside to the inside with respect to the outer circumference of the installed shear plate 50.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the central protrusion 43a is pivotally connected to the shaft 51, and the tip 43b presses and supports the outer periphery of the shear dish 50. The shaft 51
By rotating around , it stands up on the surface of the shear dish installation table 40, its tip 43b comes into contact with the side surface of the shear dish, and presses and moves the outer circumference of the shear dish 50 to be installed.

Although not shown in the figure, the third shear presser arm 43 is provided with a spring to prevent more than a predetermined force from being applied to the shear plate, and protects the shear plate and also prevents the shear plate from being applied. Even if there are large variations in the external shape, the first and second shear presser arms 41, 4 can be fixed at the predetermined installation position.
2 to press and hold the shear plate 50 under a predetermined force.

The drive to raise the third shear presser arm 43 is performed by air, and when air is supplied to the air cylinder 52, the rod 53 moves forward, and the third shear presser arm 43 This is done by moving the rear end 43c of the. And 40 tables with siales installed
Return to the lower side of the plane (see dotted line in Figure 4)
When the air in the air cylinder 52 is exhausted, the rear end portion 43c of the third shear presser arm 43 returns to its original position due to the return force of a spring (not shown).

The rear end 43c of the third shear pressing arm 43 and the rod 53 are connected by a connecting member 54 having an elongated hole 54a and a connecting shaft 55, as shown in the notch in FIGS. 4 and 3. It is done through.

Incidentally, the shear plate installation table 40 is provided with an installation detection arm 56, which serves as a detection arm such as a limit switch, for example, to detect that the shear plate has been installed when the shear plate has been moved to a predetermined set position and held there. It is being When the third shear presser arm 43 stands up and moves the shear tray 50 to be installed to a predetermined set position and fixes it, the roller 57 of the installation detection arm 56 rotates by a predetermined amount. An installation completion signal is generated.

With this configuration, even if the shear dish is not placed in the correct position on the shear dish installation table, the third shear plate holding arm stands up, moves the shear dish, and moves the shear dish to the first and second shear dishes. Since it is held and held between the presser arm and these are arranged approximately 120 degrees apart, it is easy to set the target setting position more accurately.

As explained above, in the embodiment, the third shear presser arm is erected and the shear press is pressed.
The third shear plate holding arm is movable from the outside to the inside with respect to the outer periphery of the shear plate to be set, and the shear plate setting table is moved by the shear plate handling and transfer mechanism. Any type of material may be used as long as it does not affect the installation of the shear dish above.

In addition, in the embodiment, the first, second, and third shear presser arms are arranged at approximately 120 degree intervals;
These are arranged at a predetermined interval, and it is sufficient that the first and second shear presser arms are located on the opposite side of the center with respect to the third shear presser arm.

Further, in the embodiment, the third shear presser arm is given an elastic force by a spring, but this is not necessarily necessary and may be moved to a predetermined position according to design specifications.
In addition, when imparting elasticity to the shear presser arm 24, at least one of the first, second, and third shear presser arms may be used, and the elastic force itself may be made of an elastic body. .

[Effects of the Invention] As can be understood from the above description, the present invention includes a shear tray installation table, and first and second trays arranged at predetermined intervals on the shear tray installation table at positions corresponding to the outer shape of the shear tray. 2. A third shear presser arm is provided, the first and second shear presser arms are located on the opposite side of the center with respect to the third shear presser arm, and the third shear presser arm is installed. It is located outside the outer periphery of the shear dish to be placed and is movable inward to move the shear dish to be installed to the installation position, so that the shear dish is not placed on the shear dish by the shear handling transfer mechanism. Even if there are variations in the position of the shear or the outer shape of the shear, there is little deviation from the center, and the shear can be set at a more accurate position at an early stage.

As a result, the location of the transplant becomes accurate, and the camera provides an appropriate observation image.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an automatic colony transplantation device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram corresponding to the above-mentioned plan view showing the internal structure seen from the front, FIG. 3 is a schematic plan diagram of the top of the tray installation table, and FIG. 4 is a -side sectional view thereof. . 1 is an automatic colony transplantation device, 2 is a transfer mechanism, 3
4 is an object shear supply mechanism, 4 is a source shear supply unit, 5 is an object shear transfer stage, . is the source Schare transfer stage, 7
is the operation panel, 10 is the object share, 1
1 is a source seat, 23 is a transfer arm, 23a
is a pick-up, 24 is a pick-up cutting supply unit, 40 is a shear plate setting table, 41 is a first shear presser arm, 42 is a second shear press arm, 43 is a third shear press arm, 4
4, 45 are pins, 46, 47 are adjustment grooves, 48, 4
9 is a roller, and 50 is a shear plate to be set.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A shear dish setting table, a first shear presser arm provided at a position corresponding to the outer periphery of the shear dish placed on the shear dish setting table and in contact with the outer periphery; a second shear presser arm provided at a position abutting the outer periphery at a predetermined distance from the first shear presser arm;
The first and second shear plates are disposed on opposite sides of the center of the shear plate with respect to the first and second shear plate holding arms, and are located outside and movable inward with respect to the outer periphery of the shear plate. and a third shear presser arm that positions the shear plate at a predetermined position on the shear plate installation table by moving the shear plate presser arm toward the second shear plate presser arm and abutting the outer periphery of the shear plate against the shear plate holding arms. Features: A supporting device for the shearle. 2. Supporting the shear plate according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, or third shear plate holding arm has elasticity and presses into contact with the outer periphery of the shear plate. Device. 3. The first, second or third shear presser arm is arranged at an interval of approximately 120 degrees with respect to the center of the shear plate, and the third shear presser arm is located below the surface of the table on which the shear plate is installed, By rotating, the shear dish stands up on the surface of the table where the shear dish is installed, and its tip touches the side surface of the shear dish, moves the shear dish, presses the outer periphery of the shear dish, and holds the shear dish. A shear support device according to claim 1 or 2.