JP2008052232A - Manipulator device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a manipulator device capable of achieving improved easiness and sureness in work to shift a foreign substance or a specified part to a slide glass or a container by a manipulator needle. <P>SOLUTION: A second movable stage is disposed between a microscope and a sample placed on a first stage, and in a state the second movable stage is moved, the center part of the second movable stage is positioned on the optical axis of the microscope, then, the work for the captured foreign substance and the specified part can be easily performed by the manipulator needle within the visual field of the microscope. The manipulator device also includes one manipulator and a focus stage for focusing on the sample, and by providing a means for integrally actuating the manipulator and the focus stage or synchronizing the manipulator with the focus stage, the observation can be similarly achieved for the second movable stage while keeping the sample placed on the first stage and the manipulator needle in the focused state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a microscope manipulator device including a controllable manipulator having an operation needle for performing a fine work on a sample placed on a microscope and a stage.

  In the conventional manipulator device using a microscope, the collection of foreign matter and the recovery of a specific part under the microscope are performed in the stage where the sample is placed and the sample collected from the specific part is once separated from the sample. Or the sample was transferred to another container or slide glass for analysis and analysis.

  In the above-described series of operations, when the foreign matter or specific part captured by the manipulator operating needle is separated on the same stage, the work is moved to a place away from the sample. In this case, it is necessary to reproduce the focal point in the microscope field of view and the moving position of the stage for each capture.

  An example of the operation will be described in detail. The operation needle is sampled with a controllable manipulator having an operation needle for performing a fine operation by focusing the stage movement in the XY direction and the microscope on the sample placed on the stage. The sample is collected close to the surface of the sample, and the focus adjustment of the microscope and the movement adjustment of the operation needle are repeated many times until both the sample and the operation needle are in focus to collect foreign matter and collect a specific part. .

  Next, the stage is moved in the XY direction to the position of the collection slide glass or container previously placed on the stage by the operation of the operation needle, and the specific part is captured by the operation needle, and again with the operation needle of the manipulator Work to move foreign objects or specific parts to a slide glass or container.

  However, because the focal point of the sample placed on the stage is different from the focal point of the slide glass or container for collection, there is work to refocus the microscope each time, and the focus is temporarily not in the work process. For this reason, it may happen that the position of the sample placed on the stage or the position of the slide glass for collection placed on the stage in advance is lost, and the skill level is required for the operator.

In addition, when the size and thickness of the slide glass for collection or the container were significantly different from the materials, further attention had to be paid to separation from the sample, and separation could not be performed.
This is because the collection of foreign substances and the recovery of specific parts are performed at the micron level and the image is taken through a microscope. Because you can't, you often lose sight.

  Here, the block diagram of the manipulator apparatus using the microscope in a prior art is demonstrated. FIG. 1 is a front view of a conventional manipulator device using a microscope. A stage 5 on which a sample is placed is movable in the X and Y directions, and a mounting base 4 is locked to a column 3. An XYZ direction stage for performing fine work is arranged on the mounting base 4.

Hereinafter, an XYZ direction stage for performing a fine work is referred to as a manipulator 1.
An operating needle 4 is attached to the manipulator 1.

The microscope 2 is locked to the column 3, and the microscope 2 has a focus adjustment knob 7 that can adjust the focus.
In addition, the manipulator control means for controlling the driving of the manipulator, the image acquisition means 21 for acquiring the image in the visual field in the microscope, and the acquired image are taken into the computer, and the manipulator is controlled by the display display and the input signal such as a mouse. It is the manipulator apparatus of the prior art example comprised with the operation means.

  The problem to be solved is that in the conventional manipulator device, the stage is moved to the position of the collection slide glass or container previously placed on the stage with the foreign matter or specific part captured by the operating needle, and the manipulator operating needle Move the foreign object or specific part to the slide glass or container, but the focus of the sample placed on the stage and the focus of the collection slide glass are different, so there is a work to refocus the microscope each time. It was.

  Since the focus is temporarily out of focus during the work process, it may cause the operator to lose sight of the position of the sample placed on the stage or the position of the collection slide glass or container placed on the stage in advance. The skill level is required.

Furthermore, when the size or thickness of the slide glass or container for collection is significantly different from the data, it is necessary to pay attention to the separation from the sample, and the separation cannot be performed.
This is because in the conventional manipulator device, since the focus adjustment of the microscope and the manipulator are not linked, the movement of the foreign matter or specific part captured by the operation needle always adjusts the microscope focus adjustment knob 7, the XY stage 5 and the manipulator. It must be.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a manipulator device having improved reliability and certainty of transferring a foreign object or a specific part to a slide glass or a container with an operation needle of the manipulator. .

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention can achieve the purpose of improving the simplicity and certainty of transferring a foreign object or a specific part to a slide glass or a container with the operation needle of the manipulator in the invention according to claim 1.

  According to the invention described in claim 2 and claim 3, the movable stage is disposed between the microscope and the first stage, and the movable second stage is moved. By moving the state to the center of the second stage that can move on the optical axis of the microscope, it is possible to provide a manipulator device that can easily work on a foreign object or a specific part captured by the operation needle in the visual field range of the microscope.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, at least one manipulator having a control needle for performing a fine work on the sample and a focus stage for focusing the sample on the sample. These are integrated or provided with means for synchronizing the manipulator and the focus stage, so that the focus of the focus stage remains in a state where the sample placed on the first stage and the operating needle are in focus. The movement facilitates observation of the slide glass or container placed on the movable second stage.

  According to the invention described in claim 5, the above-mentioned problem is in a state in which the microscope is focused on the sample placed on the first stage and the second stage in which the microscope can be moved. It is equipped with an offset setting means that moves the focus stage to the focal length, and it is the same as the state in which fine work is performed on the sample placed on the first stage, so that foreign substances and specific parts captured by the operating needle can be observed with a microscope. Can easily work in the field of view.

  According to the manipulator device of the present invention, it is possible to provide a manipulator device that facilitates the collection of foreign matter and the recovery of a specific part under a microscope and has improved reliability.

One embodiment of the manipulator device of the present invention is described.
An electrically controllable manipulator 1 having an operation needle 4 for performing a fine work on a sample 11 placed on the microscope 2 and the first stage 8, a manipulator driving means 111 for driving the manipulator 1, and a manipulator To focus the manipulator control means 109, the image acquisition means 21 for acquiring an image in the field of view of the microscope 2, the input device 104 for controlling the mouse 102 and the operation button 112, and the sample in the acquired image. The focus control means 108 for controlling the driving of the focus stage 13 and the movable second stage 9 are configured.
Further, the movable second stage 9 may be a stage by rotational movement.

In the present invention, the sample 11 is placed on the first stage 8 as described in the example of the collection of foreign matter under a microscope and the recovery operation of a specific part.
An observation image obtained from the microscope 2 locked to the focus stage 13 is displayed on the monitor 101 from the image acquisition means 21 via the image display means 103 of the computer main body 100.

  The manipulator device is controlled from the mouse 102 and operation buttons 112 of the computer main body 100 through the input device 104 and the image display means 103 to the mouse pointer in the screen of the monitor 101 and the operation buttons on the screen. The manipulator, focus, etc. are controlled by the signal 112.

First, the sample 11 placed on the first stage 8 is moved to a position just before the operation needle 4 comes into contact with the sample 11 by operating the manipulator 1 with the mouse pointer and operation buttons in the screen of the display 101, and focusing. The focus is adjusted by moving the stage 13.
These operations are alternately repeated so that the image of the sample 11 and the operation needle 4 becomes clear, and then the collection of the foreign matter and the collection of the specific part are captured by the operation needle 4.

Next, the manipulator 1 and the microscope 2 are locked by a mounting base 15 on the foreign matter or specific part captured by the operating needle 4, and the mounting base 15 is attached to the focus stage 13, so that the focus stage 13 is signaled by the mouse. When raised, the manipulator 1 and the microscope 2 are raised.
The movable second stage 9 is slid forward by the slide mechanism 10 after being sufficiently raised from the movable second stage 9 by this operation.
In the above-described operation, the mouse pointer on the screen of the monitor 101 and the operation button on the screen are raised by the mouse, but the position is raised to a predetermined position by the position storage function of the focus stage 13 as will be described later.

As the moving method of the movable second stage 9, the position of the focus stage 13 is controlled via the input device 104 so as not to interfere with the microscope 2 by a mechanical method or an electric movement.
On the surface of the movable second stage 9, a slide glass 12 or a container for storing the collected foreign matter or specific part is placed.
Moreover, the movable second stage 9 has fine movement adjustment in the XY directions, and can be used for moving and observing the storage positions of a plurality of foreign matters and specific parts.

In the microscope 2 described above, the image on the display 101 in which the focus stage 13 is raised from the second movable stage 9 is out of focus.
Next, after focusing on the slide glass 12 or the container placed on the movable second stage 9 by lowering the focus stage 13, it is captured by the operation needle 4 that is attached to the manipulator 1. The foreign matter or the specific part that is present is transferred to the slide glass 12 or the container by the operation needle 4.

  At this time, the position of the focus stage 13 is stored in the storage device 105 of the computer main body 100 while the movable second stage 9 and the microscope 2 are in focus.

By memorizing the above position, the sample 11 placed on the first stage 8 is again captured by the operating needle 4 to collect foreign matter and collected by the operating needle 4, and then the microscope 2 is moved to the focus stage 13. When the position is raised to the stored position, the slide glass 12 placed on the movable second stage 9 and the container are in focus, so the foreign matter or specific part captured by the operation needle 4 Can be easily transferred to the slide glass 12 or the container with the operation needle 4.
FIGS. 6 and 7 are views showing a state in which the first stage 8, the movable second stage, and the focus L of the microscope 2 are the same.

As described above, even if the sample 11 placed on the first stage 8 is different in size and thickness, the slide glass 12 and the container placed on the second stage 9 that can always move are focused. Therefore, the foreign matter or specific part captured by the operation needle 4 can be transferred under the microscope, and the work can be shortened and ensured for the operator.
In addition, when the operation needle 4 is in focus, the tip of the operation needle 4 can be clearly seen even during movement of the second stage that can be moved from the first stage. It can be said that it is also a great feature to monitor the removal of a foreign matter or a specific part.
Furthermore, the above-mentioned problem can be similarly solved even with a conventional mechanical manipulator device with the configuration of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of a conventional manipulator body.   FIG. 2 is a front view showing an embodiment of the present invention.   FIG. 3 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention.   FIG. 4 is a front view of a movable second stage in one embodiment of the present invention.   FIG. 5 is a side view of the movable second stage in one embodiment of the present invention.   FIG. 6 is a view showing the focal point of the sample placed on the first stage of the present invention and the microscope.   FIG. 7 is a view showing the focus of the microscope and the slide glass or container placed on the movable second stage of the present invention.   FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a manipulator device showing one embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Manipulator 2 Microscope 3 Support | pillar 4 Operation needle 5 XY stage 6 Base 7 Microscope focus adjustment knob 8 First stage 9 Movable second stage 10 Slide mechanism 11 Sample 12 Slide glass 13 Focus stage 15 Mounting base 21 Image acquisition means

Claims (5)

  At least one manipulator capable of driving control having an operation needle for performing a fine work on a sample placed on a microscope and a first stage, a driving means for driving the manipulator, and a manipulator for controlling the manipulator A control means, an operation means for operating the manipulator, a focus stage for focusing the sample, and a focus control means for controlling the driving of the focus stage and a movable second stage. Characteristic manipulator device   2. The movable second stage according to claim 1, further comprising means for arranging a central portion of the second stage on the optical axis of the microscope when the second stage is moved. Manipulator device   The manipulator device according to claim 1, wherein the moving means of the movable second stage has a mechanical drive or an electric control drive.   At least one controllable manipulator having an operation needle for performing a fine work on the sample placed on the first stage and a focus stage for focusing the sample are integrated, or the manipulator and the focus 2. The manipulator device according to claim 1, wherein the stage includes means for synchronizing.   Controlling at least one manipulator having an operation needle for performing fine work on the sample placed on the microscope and the first stage, driving means for driving the manipulator, and the manipulator It has a manipulator control means, an operation means for operating the manipulator, and a focus stage for focusing the sample, and the focus control means for controlling the driving of the focus stage focuses the sample placed on the first stage. Equipped with offset setting means that moves the focus stage to the state where the microscope and the second stage that can move the microscope are moved, the same as the state of performing fine work on the sample placed on the first stage A manipulator device characterized by becoming.

Images