JP2001289747A - Apparatus and method for lamina sample preparation - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lamina sample preparation apparatus, having superior stability of shape precision of the edge of a cutter blade and capable of preparing a lamina sample of a target thickness with few number of trials of the limited number. SOLUTION: In this lamina sample preparation apparatus, two cutter blades 2, 3 are attached to one blade holder 5 so that they are connected side by side in the direction parallel to their edges 7. The first cuter blade 2 is used for a face preparation process, where the surface layer part of a sample block 11 is cut to form a plane parallel to the cutting direction, on the surface of the sample block 11. The second cutter blade 3 is used for a thinly slicing process, that is one where a lamina sample of a target thickness is cut off from the surface of the sample block 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is used in medical analysis such as microscopic observation of a biological sample or other scientific sample analysis, when the surface layer of a sample is sliced to obtain a flaky observation sample. Microtome.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 shows a schematic configuration of a main part of a general microtome. The microtome is mounted on the sample stage 15
And a cutter 1. The sample block 11 is held on a sample stage 15 via a sample base 13, and its position and orientation are adjusted. In this example,
As the sample block 11, one in which the sample 10 is embedded in paraffin is used. The cutter 1 is disposed above the sample stage 15, and the cutter 1 can travel in a plane parallel to the upper surface of the sample stage 15. The cutter 1 includes a cutter blade 9, a blade holder 5 for holding the cutter blade 9, a holding block 6 for fixing the cutter blade 9 to the blade holder 5, and the like.

In the drawing, the X axis is an axis parallel to the running direction of the cutter 1, the Y axis is an axis perpendicular to the X axis in the running plane of the cutter 1, and the Z axis is The axis perpendicular to the running surface of the cutter 1 is shown.

[0004] The sample stage 15 is connected to an actuator (not shown) and can move up and down in the Z-axis direction. Similarly, the cutter 1 is connected to another actuator (not shown) and can run parallel to the X-axis direction. In addition, there is a device for manually moving the cutter 1.

[0005] The production of a thin sample is performed as follows using a microtome shown in FIG. First, the sample block 11 is fixed on the sample base 13, and these are held on the sample stage 15. Next, the sample stage 15
Is moved in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) to adjust the position of the sample block 11 in the vertical direction with respect to the running surface of the cutter 1 (hereinafter, this step is referred to as “positioning step”). next,
The cutter 1 is moved in the X-axis direction toward the sample block 11 to cut off the surface layer of the sample block 11, and a surface parallel to the running surface of the cutter 1 is formed on the upper surface of the sample block 11 (hereinafter, this plane is referred to as “the cutter 1”). The process is referred to as a “face-out process”).

Next, after raising the sample stage 15 again by a predetermined distance in the Z-axis direction (hereinafter, this step is referred to as a “feeding step”), the cutter 1 is turned toward the sample block 11 by X.
The sample block 11 is run in the axial direction to slice the surface layer of the sample block 11 (hereinafter, this step is referred to as “slicing step”). Thus, a flaky sample having a predetermined thickness is prepared.

If the feeding step and the slicing step are further repeated, a flaky sample can be continuously cut from the sample block 11.

(Problems of the Prior Art) In the conventional microtome as described above, there is no particular problem when the mounting accuracy of the cutter blade 9 mounted on the blade holder 5 and the shape accuracy of the cutting edge 7 are high. However, as shown in FIG. 7, since the cutter blade 9 has a rake angle θ with respect to the surface (cut surface) of the sample block 11, the mounting accuracy of the cutter blade 9 or the shape accuracy of the cutting edge 7 is poor. In some cases, the effect appears as an error in the thickness of the slice sample obtained by slicing. As a result, immediately after the use position of the cutting edge 7 of the cutter blade 9 is changed, slicing cannot be performed or the slicing is performed too deeply. .

Regarding the cutter blade, a disposable type (for example, 80 mm × 8 mm × 0.254 mm thick) is commercially available, and most of the conventional microtomes use this type of cutter blade. . However, the shape of the cutting edge of a commercially available cutter blade is not clear, but in any case, the center of the cutting edge tends to be concave as shown in FIG. Dozens of cutter blades are sold as one set, and each lot has a tendency as shown in FIG. In addition, the amount of depression at the center (indicated by “d” in FIG. 8) is substantially the same in each lot, and may exceed 0.1 mm at the maximum.

When the blade edge of the cutter blade is worn as a result of use, the central portion of the blade edge retreats in a concave shape. This also causes the same problem as described above.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems in the shape accuracy of the cutting edge of a cutter blade in a conventional microtome, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cutting edge of a cutter blade. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing a flake sample which is excellent in the stability of the shape accuracy of the flake sample and can produce a flake sample of a target thickness with a small number of trials.

[0012]

According to the present invention, there is provided a lamella sample preparation apparatus for slicing a surface layer of a sample block using a cutter blade mounted on a blade holder and collecting a lamella sample. On the holder,
It is characterized in that the first cutter blade and the second cutter blade are continuously arranged in a direction parallel to their cutting edges.

[0013] Preferably, in the thin-section sample preparing apparatus of the present invention, a vertical feed for moving the sample block relatively in a direction perpendicular to a cut surface formed by a first cutter blade and a second cutter blade. A mechanism, a translation mechanism that relatively moves the sample block in a direction parallel to the cutting edges of the first cutter blade and the second cutter blade within the cutting plane, and cuts the sample block. An opposing feed mechanism that relatively moves toward the cutting edge in a plane.

In the apparatus for preparing a sliced sample according to the present invention, the first cutter blade is subjected to a surfacing step, that is, a plane parallel to the cutting direction on the surface of the sample block (the relative position of the cutter blade with respect to the sample block at the time of slice). The second cutter blade is used in a slicing step, that is, in cutting a lamella sample from the surface layer portion of a sample block.

According to the thin-section sample preparing apparatus of the present invention, a cutter blade having a relatively short length is used by arranging two cutter blades continuously in a direction parallel to their cutting edges. It becomes possible. Short cutter blades are easier to obtain with higher cutting edge shape accuracy (“d” value in FIG. 8) than conventional comparatively long cutter blades. Thickness accuracy can be improved.
Further, the running cost of the apparatus can be reduced because it is inexpensive as compared with the conventional relatively long cutter blade.

[0016] The use of two cutter blades as described above, that is, the use of the first cutter blade in the surfacing step and the use of the second cutter blade in the thinning step, is particularly high. It is possible to easily maintain the shape accuracy of the second cutter blade that requires accuracy.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an outline of a cutter constituting a main part of a thin-section sample preparing apparatus according to the present invention. In the apparatus according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, two cutter blades 2 and 3 are attached to one blade holder 5 in a row in a direction parallel to their cutting edges 7. These cutter blades 2 and 3 are fixed to the upper surface of the blade holder 5 by a holding block 6. Hereinafter, 2 is referred to as a first cutter blade, and 3 is referred to as a second cutter blade.

An example of a method of using the above-described thin-section sample preparing apparatus provided with the cutter will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the following, when the slice is sliced, the relative movement direction of the cutter blades 2 and 3 with respect to the sample block 11 is X.
In the plane parallel to the cutting edge 7 and the X-axis direction, the direction perpendicular to the X-axis is the Y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to this plane is the Z-axis direction. In the following example, the sample block 11 is moved in the Z-axis direction and the X-axis direction, and the cutter 1 is moved in a direction parallel to the cutting edge 7. However, the positional relationship between the cutter 1 and the sample block 11 is described. Are relative, the cutter 1 may be moved in the Z-axis direction and the X-axis direction, or the sample block 11 may be moved in a direction parallel to the cutting edge 7.

(Example 1) FIGS. 2 and 3 show an example of a method of using the apparatus for producing a thin sample according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, first, the sample block 1
Position the first cutter blade 2 before 1 and then
After adjusting the position of the sample block 11 in the Z direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface) (positioning step), the sample block 11
Is moved toward the first cutter blade 2 in the X-axis direction. As a result, the surface layer portion of the sample block 11 is sliced by the first cutter blade 2, and a plane parallel to the XY plane is formed on the upper surface of the sample block 11 (surface setting step). In addition, this surfacing step is repeated, if necessary, until a good plane is formed on the upper surface of the sample block 11.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the cutter 1 is moved in a direction parallel to the cutting edge 7 by the length of the first cutter blade 2 and the second cutter blade 2 is moved to the sample block 1.
Position 1 before. Next, after the sample block 11 is sent out in the Z direction by a distance corresponding to a predetermined sliced thickness (feeding step), the sample block 11 is moved in the X-axis direction toward the second cutter blade 3. Thus, the surface layer of the sample block 11 is sliced by the second cutter blade 3, and a slice sample is collected (slicing step).

In this example, in order to improve the sharpness of the cutter blades 2 and 3, the cutting edges 7 are inclined in the XY plane with respect to the running direction of the cutter (X-axis direction).
The surface layer of the sample block 11 is sliced. Here, an angle φ formed by a direction parallel to the cutting edge 7 with respect to the traveling direction (X-axis direction) of the cutter 1 is called a pull angle.

(Example 2) FIGS. 4 and 5 show another example of a method of using the apparatus for producing a thin sample according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4A, first, the first cutter blade 2 is positioned in front of the sample block 11, and then the position of the sample block 11 in the Z direction (perpendicular to the paper) is adjusted. Thereafter, the sample block 11 is moved in the X-axis direction toward the first cutter blade 2. Immediately before the sample block 11 comes into contact with the first cutter blade 2 (FIG. 4B), the cutter 1 starts to move in a direction parallel to the cutting edge 7. By moving the sample block 11 in the X-axis direction while moving the first cutter blade 2 in the direction parallel to the cutting edge 7 in this manner,
The surface layer of the sample block 11 is sliced (FIGS. 4C and 4D), and a plane parallel to the XY plane is formed on the upper surface of the sample block 11. Note that this surface setting step is repeatedly performed, if necessary, until a good plane is formed on the upper surface of the sample block 11.

Next, as shown in FIG.
Is moved in a direction parallel to the cutting edge 7 by an amount corresponding to the length of the first cutter blade 2, and the second cutter blade 2 is positioned in front of the sample block 11. Then, sample block 1
After feeding 1 in the Z direction by a distance corresponding to the slice thickness, the sample block 11 is moved in the X-axis direction toward the second cutter blade 3. Immediately before the sample block 11 comes into contact with the second cutter blade 3 (FIG. 5B),
The cutter 1 is started to move in a direction parallel to the cutting edge 7.
In this way, while moving the second cutter blade 3 in the direction parallel to the cutting edge 7, the sample block 11
Is moved in the X-axis direction to slice the surface layer portion of the sample block 11 (FIGS. 5C and 5D), and a slice sample is collected.

By repeating the slicing step using the second cutter blade 2, a predetermined number of slice samples can be continuously collected.

[0027]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION The thin sample preparation apparatus of the present invention uses a relatively short cutter blade by arranging two cutter blades continuously in a direction parallel to their cutting edges. Becomes possible. Short cutter blades, compared to conventional relatively long cutter blades,
Since it is easy to obtain a blade having a high shape accuracy, the accuracy of the thickness by slicing can be improved as compared with the conventional case. Further, the running cost of the apparatus can be reduced because it is inexpensive as compared with the conventional relatively long cutter blade.

[0028] Further, by using the two cutter blades properly as described above, that is, by using the first cutter blade in the surfacing step and using the second cutter blade in the thinning step, the cost is particularly high. It is possible to easily maintain the shape accuracy of the second cutter blade that requires accuracy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a cutter used in a thin sample manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method of using the thin-section sample manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for using the thin-section sample manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining another example of the method of using the apparatus for producing a slice sample of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining another example of the method of using the apparatus for producing a slice sample of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an outline of a conventional microtome.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a rake angle of a cutter.

FIG. 8 is a view for explaining the shape accuracy of the cutting edge of a cutter blade.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... cutter, 2 ... cutter blade, 3 ... cutter blade, 5 ... blade holder, 6 ... holding block, 7 ... cutting edge, 9 ... cutter blade, 10 ... -Sample, 11 ... sample block, 13 ... sample base, 15 ... sample stage.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A flake sample preparation apparatus for slicing a surface layer of a sample block using a cutter blade mounted on a blade holder and collecting a flake sample, wherein a first cutter blade and a second cutter blade are provided on a blade holder. An apparatus for producing a thin sample, wherein cutter blades are continuously arranged in a direction parallel to their cutting edges. 2. A vertical feed mechanism for moving the sample block in a direction perpendicular to a cutting plane formed by a first cutter blade and a second cutter blade, and cutting the sample block. A parallel movement mechanism that relatively moves in a plane in a direction parallel to the cutting edges of the first cutter blade and the second cutter blade; and the sample block moves relative to the cutting edge in the cutting plane. The apparatus for producing a thin sample according to claim 1, further comprising: an opposite feed mechanism that moves to: 3. A flake sample preparation method for slicing a surface layer of a sample block using a cutter blade mounted on a blade holder and collecting a flake sample, wherein a first cutter blade and a second cutter blade are provided on a blade holder. Cutter blades are arranged continuously in a direction parallel to the cutting edges thereof. First, the surface layer of the sample block is cut using the first cutter blade, and the surface of the sample block is cut parallel to the cutting direction. A method for producing a slice sample, comprising: forming a flat surface and then using a second cutter blade to obtain a slice sample having a predetermined thickness from the surface of the sample block.