JPH06102309B2 - Foot switch type micromanipulator - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a micromanipulator that utilizes rapid deformation of a piezoelectric element (piezo) using a foot-operated operation switch.

(Conventional technology) Conventionally, in the world of biotechnology, genes and
There is a field in which artificial manipulation is applied to cells and the like to create a new genetic information body and to use or research it. There are various targets such as genes, cells, nuclei, fertilized embryos, tissues, or protozoa. Among them, there is micromanipulation as a method of applying physical / mechanical manipulation to what can be observed with an optical microscope. . For example, when an exogenous gene is injected into animal or plant cells or the nucleus to analyze the gene expression mechanism, or when an early embryo or morula is divided and transferred to a foster mother to create an identical oocyte. Alternatively, micromanipulation is indispensable when a cloned organism is created by transplanting another individual into the cytoplasm of a fertilized egg.

FIG. 6 is an overall configuration diagram of a conventional micromanipulation system.

In the figure, 1 is a base, 2 is a microscope arranged on the base 1, 3 is a position detector, 4 is a fine movement part, 5 is a coarse movement part, and 6 is a TV.
Camera, 7 is a microinjector, 8 is a left operation box, 9 is a right operation box, 10 is a camera control unit, 11
Is a video monitor and 12 is a main control unit.

As shown in this figure, the two operation boxes 8 and 9 operate the left and right fine movement units 4 and coarse movement units 5 while also controlling various functions such as measuring the amount of the injected liquid.

Further, the microscope 2 is provided with a TV camera 6, and the state of cells and the state of fine operation are displayed on the video monitor 11 and observed.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional micromanipulation system described above, the coarse movement unit 5 is operated by a key,
The fine movement unit 4 is operated by a joystick, the microinjector 7 is operated by a knob, and each micromanipulation operation is performed by hand.
The operation is very complicated. On the other hand, the applicant of the present application has already developed a micromanipulator utilizing rapid deformation of a piezoelectric element (piezo), and the micromanipulator is operated by a hand switch.

By the way, among the main operations of the micromanipulator, the conventional ones are (A) coarse movement switch (or dial = knob), (B) fine movement switch (or dial = knob), and (C) injector drive switch ( Or dial = knob) is a separate manual operation,
Usually, if the previous operation was not completed, the operation could not be performed next. That is, the above-mentioned micromanipulation cannot be performed simultaneously. That is, continuous operation with no time difference is not possible.

Also, in extreme cases, if you do not take your eyes off the microscope,
There was a problem that the micromanipulation could not be operated.

The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned problems, enables the simultaneous operation of micromanipulation such as coarse movement, fine movement, and injector driving, and enables highly continuous operation with no time difference, and without taking the eyes off the microscope. , The objective is to provide a foot switch type micromanipulator that can be dedicated to observation.

(Means for Solving the Problems) According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in a foot switch type micromanipulator, a controller, a coarse movement section connected to the controller, and the controller are connected. A piezo drive unit, a microinjector having a piezo fine movement unit connected to the controller, and a changeover switch connected to the controller and for selecting an operation of the coarse movement unit, the piezofine movement unit, and / or the microinjector A foot-operated operation unit having a plurality of switches including a changeover switch for selecting an operation in one axis direction of the piezo fine movement unit or a changeover switch for changing over an injection / suction mode of the microinjector is provided. .

(Operation) According to the present invention, since it is configured as described above, a required operation of continuous operation (no time difference), for example, selection of coarse movement to fine movement, fine movement to injection, and uniaxial operation of the piezo fine movement portion is selected. The changeover switch that performs the operation, and the multiple changeover switches that change the injection and suction modes during injection can be made into a foot-operated type, and the micromanipulation operation can be performed without releasing the hand control switch for coarse movement or the joystick or dial. Can be done.

(Example) Hereinafter, the Example of this invention is described in detail, referring drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a foot switch type micromanipulator showing an embodiment of the present invention.

In this figure, 20 is a stage, 21 is a microscope, 22 is a piezo micromanipulation controller, and main settings can be made by dialing. 23 is a coarse movement part, 24 is a slide base unit consisting of a slide base body and a ball joint holder, 25 is an injection holder with a micro device attached, and 26 is an injection holder 25.
A piezo fine movement unit integrated with, 27 is a microinjector, and 28 is a foot-operated operation box.

The slide base unit 24 is mounted on the stage 20 via the coarse movement part 23, and the injection holder 25 is inserted in the V groove of the slide base unit 24.
And a piezo-driving micromanipulation slide unit consisting of the piezo-fine movement part 26.

Therefore, the piezo micromanipulation controller 22 can be used to perform micromanipulation, and the foot-operated operation box 28 can be operated to move the microdevice laterally and switch the settings.

2 is a block diagram of a foot switch type micromanipulator showing another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the microinjection device, FIG. 4 is a front view of the microinjection device, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the operation mode.

In the figure, 30 is a base, 31 is a stage, 32 is a coarse movement part, 33 is a support, 33a is a friction part, 34 is an injection holder with an internal thread inside, 35 is a rotary moving body, and A is a rotary drive. It is a first micro-moving device for use, and includes an inertial body 36 and a piezo element 37. Similarly, B is a second minute moving device for rotational driving, and is composed of an inertial body 38 and a piezo element 39. Reference numeral 40 is a microsyringe, 41 is a microdevice, 42 is a wire for supplying electric power to drive the piezo elements 37, 39, and 43 is a plunger that goes in and out of the microsyringe 40.
Reference numeral 44 denotes a shaft that fixes the plunger 43 and the rotary moving body 35, and a male screw 44a formed on the outer periphery of the shaft 43 engages with the injection holder 34 having a female screw on the inner periphery to provide a friction function. Have. 45 is a piezo element, 46
Is an inertial body and constitutes a uniaxial piezo-fine movement unit. 47 is the liquid set in the microsyringe 40, 50
Is a piezo micromanipulation controller that controls the micromanipulator, and a foot-operated operation box 53 is connected to the controller 50. Reference numeral 51 is a position detector, and 52 is a microscope.

Further, the foot-operated operation box 53 is provided with a seesaw-type changeover switch 54 and push button switches 55, 56, for example,
Seesaw type changeover switch when switching from coarse movement to fine movement
Press the left side of 54 with your foot to switch. Further, when performing micromanipulation from slight movement, the right side of the seesaw type changeover switch 54 is pressed by the foot to switch.

In addition, the seesaw type changeover switch 54 includes a piezo element 45 and an inertial body.
This can be used for selection of operation of the piezo fine movement part composed of 46 in one axis direction, that is, for switching the microdevice 41 to the left or right of the microdevice 41 with respect to the stage 31.

The details of the forward and reverse movements in the uniaxial direction by the piezo fine movement unit are described in JP-A-63-299785 (USP 4,894,579).

In addition, the push-button switch 5 is used to switch the injection and suction modes shown in FIG. 5 of the micromanipulation.
It can be done by operating 5,56 with a foot.

For example, when the injection mode is desired, the push button switch 55 provided on the foot-operated operation box 53 is operated by the foot. Then, a pressing force is generated in both the first and second minute moving devices A and B, the rotary moving body 35 slightly rotates clockwise as shown in FIG. 4, and the plunger 43 and the liquid 47 move forward. Then, a positive pressure is generated in the microsyringe 40.

On the other hand, when it is desired to set the suction mode, the push button switch 56 provided on the foot-operated operation box 53 is operated by the foot. Then, a tensile force is generated in both the first and second minute moving devices A and B, the rotary moving body 35 slightly rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 4, and the plunger 43 and the liquid 47 retreat. A negative pressure is generated in the microsyringe 40.

In the above embodiment, the first and second minute moving devices are used.
Although A and B are arranged so as to be balanced, a single micro-moving device may be used. In that case, either one of the pressing force and the pulling force of the single minute moving device is selected and used.

Further, although not shown in the above embodiment, it is needless to say that the coarse movement operation of the coarse movement unit 32 can be performed by a joystick using a conventional manipulation system. In that case, a hydraulic drive device, an electromagnetic drive device, a pulse motor (not shown) or the like can be used as the drive source to drive in the XY directions.

By configuring in this way, it is possible to perform stepping from coarse movement to fine movement, from fine movement to injection, selection of operation of the piezo fine movement part in one axis direction, mode switching of injection and suction in injection, etc. Micromanipulation can be performed without releasing the control switch, joystick, dial, or the like.

Further, the device can be simplified as a whole, and in particular, the introduction of the uniaxial piezo micromanipulator allows the fine instrument to be smoothly inserted even with an elastic cell membrane or a transparent membrane surrounding an egg cell.

Furthermore, even an unskilled person will not be affected by camera shake, etc., and reliable operation is possible even in the ultrafine movement range.

Also, since the control is performed with a resolution of a minimum of about 0.2 μm, arbitrary positioning can be accurately performed.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment,
Various modifications are possible based on the spirit of the present invention, and these are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

(Effects of the Invention) As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be achieved.

(1) It is possible to use foot-operated multiple switches for selecting coarse-to-fine movement, fine-to-injection, piezo-fine movement part uniaxial operation, and injection / suction mode switching in injection, and hand control for coarse movement. The micromanipulation operation can be performed quickly and accurately without releasing the hand from the switch, the joystick, the dial, or the like.

(2) The device can be simplified as a whole, and in particular, the introduction of the uniaxial piezo micromanipulator enables smooth insertion of a fine instrument even with an elastic cell membrane or a transparent membrane surrounding an egg cell.

Furthermore, even an unskilled person will not be affected by camera shake, etc., and reliable operation is possible even in the ultrafine movement range.

(3) Since the controller is controlled with a minimum resolution of about 0.2 μm, any positioning can be performed accurately by operating the hands and feet.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a foot switch type micromanipulator showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a foot switch type micromanipulator showing another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is its microinjection. FIG. 4 is a front view of the microinjection device, FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of its operation mode, and FIG. 6 is an overall structure diagram of a conventional micromanipulation system. 20,31 …… Stage, 21,52 …… Microscope, 22,50 …… Piezo micromanipulation controller, 23,32…
… Coarse movement part, 24 …… Slide base unit, 25 …… Injection holder with micro-device attached, 26 …… Piezo fine movement part, 27 …… Microinjector, 28,53 …… Foot-operated operation box, 30 …… Base , 33 …… Support, 33
a …… Friction part, 34 …… Injection holder, 35 ……
Rotating moving body, 36,38,46 …… Inertial body, 37,39,45 …… Piezo element, 40 …… Micro syringe, 41 …… Microdevice, 42…
… Wire, 48… Plunger, 44… Shaft, 44a… Male screw, 47… Liquid, 51… Position detector, 54… Seesaw type changeover switch, 55, 56… Pushbutton switch, A… First micro-moving device for rotational drive, B ... Second for rotational drive
Micro mover.

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Toshiro Higuchi 4-14-1-109 Chigasaki Minami, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa (56) References , Y2)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A controller, (b) a coarse movement section connected to the controller, (c) a piezo drive section connected to the controller, and (d) a fine piezo movement connected to the controller. A microinjector having a section, and (e) a changeover switch which is connected to the controller and which selects an operation of the coarse moving section, the piezo fine moving section and / or the microinjector, and an operation of the piezo fine moving section in one axis direction. A foot switch type micromanipulator having a foot-operated operation unit having a plurality of switches including a changeover switch for selecting the above and a changeover switch for changing over the injection / suction mode of the microinjector.