To provide a thin-section manufacturing apparatus capable of firmly receiving and transferring a thin-section made by sectioning an embedded block by bringing a transfer belt into a wet state, a thin-section manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a cutter 3 of sectioning an embedded block B, a cutter fixing portion 15 having a fixing base 16 of supporting the cutter 3 and an cutter holder 17 of squeezing the cutter 3 from an upper side, a sample base of fixing the embedded block B, feeding means 4 for moving the sample base 2 relative to the cutter 3 in a predetermined feeding direction X, a liquid bath 6 arranged on a rear side of a cut edge 3a of the cutter 3 for storing a liquid W, and a transfer belt 20 in an endless shape having a first turn back portion 20a provided on an upper side of the cutter 3 and a second turn back portion 20b provided at an inner portion of the liquid bath 6 for transferring a thin-section B1 to the liquid bath 6, an upper face of the cutter holder 17 is formed with a liquid storing portion 18 of storing the liquid W, and the first turn back portion 20a of the transfer belt 20 is arranged at an inner portion of the liquid storing portion 18.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Patent Application No. JP2008-222004 filed on Aug. 29, 2008, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a thin-section manufacturing apparatus of making a thin-section by cutting an embedded block embedding a biological specimen taken out from the human body, a laboratory animal or the like.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a related art, as one of methods of inspecting and observing a biological specimen taken out from the human body, a laboratory animal or the like, there is known a method of observing the biological specimen by making a thin-section from an embedded block of embedding a biological specimen by an embedding material, thereafter, subjecting the thin-section to a staining. The thin-section made from the embedded block needs to be cut uniformly in a thickness of about 3 through 5 mm and without damaging the embedded biological specimen in order to enable a cell level observation. Therefore, an operation of making the thin-section from the embedded block as in the related art is entrusted to a manual operation by a skilled operator by using a thin edge cutter maintained in a sharpened state. On the other hand, for example, in a preclinical test, embedded blocks of several hundreds pieces per test are made, further, several sheets of the thin-sections per one embedded block are made. Therefore, the operator needs to make an enormous number of sheets of thin-sections, and therefore, in recent years, automation of a series of steps of making the thin-section has been desired.

As a thin-section manufacturing apparatus of automating making of the thin-section, there is proposed a constitution including a cutter of sectioning an embedded block, a feed mechanism of sectioning the embedded block by the cutter by moving a sample base of fixing the embedded block to the cutter, a belt mounted with the thin-section for transferring the thin-section, a direction switching portion provided on an upper side of the cutter substantially in parallel with a direction of a cut edge of the cutter proximately to the cut edge, a rear roller provided on a rear side of the cutter, and a liquid bath filled with water on the rear side of the cutter and dipped with a portion of the transfer belt (refer to, for example, Japanese patent publication No. JP-A-2007-178287).

Further, according to the biological specimen thin-section manufacturing apparatus, the transfer belt is traveled while sectioning the embedded block by the cutter. Thereby, the thin-section made from the embedded block is received by the transfer belt and transferred up to the liquid bath on the rear side, detached from the transfer belt and floated on water of the liquid bath. Here, the transfer belt is a belt in an endless shape which is always maintained in a wet state by passing an inner portion of the water of the liquid bath, thereby, the transfer belt is made to be able to receive the thin-section by a surface tension of water.

However, according to the apparatus disclosed by Japanese patent publication No. JP-A-2007-178287, the transfer belt is dipped into water at the liquid bath on the rear side, brought into the wet state, thereafter, traveled to the front side and turned back to receive the thin-section. Therefore, water included in the transfer belt is dropped or perspirated during a time period of moving from the rear side arranged with the liquid bath to the front side of receiving the thin-section, and there is a case in which the transfer belt cannot be brought into the sufficiently wet state in receiving the thin-section.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention has been carried out in view of the above-described situation and provides a thin-section manufacturing apparatus capable of firmly receiving to transfer a thin-section made by sectioning an embedded block by a cutter by bringing a transfer belt into a wet state.

In order to resolve the above-described problem, the invention proposes the following means.

According to the invention, there is provided a thin-section manufacturing apparatus comprising a cutter sectioning an embedded block, a cutter fixing portion including a fixing base supporting the cutter, and an cutter holder squeezing the cutter from an upper side to the fixing base, a sample base fixing the embedded block, feeding means for moving the sample base relative to the cutter in a predetermined feeding direction and sectioning the embedded block by the cutter, a liquid bath arranged on a rear side of a cut edge of the cutter and storing a liquid, and a transfer belt in an endless shape having a first turn back portion provided on an upper side of the cutter and a second turn back portion provided at an inner portion of the liquid bath and transferring a thin-section sectioned from the embedded block to the liquid bath, wherein an upper face of the cutter holder of the cutter fixing base is formed with a liquid storing portion of storing the liquid, and wherein the first turn back portion of the transfer belt is arranged at an inner portion of the liquid storing portion.

According to the thin-section manufacturing apparatus according to the invention, the thin-section can be made by sectioning the embedded block by the cutter by fixing the embedded block to the sample base and moving the embedded block along with the sample base relative to the cutter in the predetermined feeding direction by the feeding means. At this occasion, the transfer belt in the endless shape can be traveled by being turned back at the first turn back portion and the second turn back portion, and the thin-section which is made can be received by the transfer belt turned back at the first turn back portion on the upper side of the cutter. Here, the transfer belt is dipped into the liquid of the liquid bath at the second turn back portion on the rear side, traveled to the front side by being turned back, dipped into the liquid of the liquid storing portion formed at the upper face of the cutter holder at the first turn back portion, thereafter, receives the thin-section. That is, the transfer belt can firmly receive and transfer the thin-section by being brought into a preferable wet state by passing the liquid storing portion immediately before receiving the thin-section.

Further, in the above-described thin-section manufacturing apparatus, it is further preferable that an interval between the first turn back portion of the transfer belt and a wall face on a side of the cut edge of the liquid storing portion is formed with a clearance such that a liquid surface of the stored liquid is inclined to form by a surface tension from an upper end of the wall face to a surface of the transfer belt mounted with the thin-section.

According to the thin-section manufacturing apparatus according to the invention, the liquid surface of the liquid stored from the upper end of the wall face on the side of the cut edge of the liquid storing portion to the surface of the transfer belt mounted with the thin-section is inclined to form, and therefore, the thin-section which is made is guided to the surface of the transfer belt by being adsorbed to the liquid surface. Therefore, the thin-section can be received and transferred by the transfer belt further firmly.

Further, in the above-described thin-section manufacturing apparatus, it is further preferable that the liquid storing portion includes supplying and discharging means for supplying and discharging the liquid.

According to the thin-section manufacturing apparatus according to the invention, the liquid can be supplied and discharged to and from the liquid storing portion by the supplying and discharging means, and therefore, the transfer belt can preferably be brought into the wet state by bringing an amount of the liquid stored to the liquid storing portion to an optimum state.

Further, in the above-described thin-section manufacturing apparatus, it is further preferable that the supplying and discharging means includes a supply pipe of supplying the liquid and a discharge pipe of discharging the liquid, and one of the supply pipe and the discharge pipe is arranged substantially at a center in a width direction of the transfer belt, and other thereof are respectively arranged on both sides in the width direction of the transfer belt.

According to the thin-section manufacturing apparatus according to the invention, a distance in the width direction of the transfer belt from supply to discharge can be shortened in the liquid storing portion by arranging one of the supply pipe and the discharge pipe substantially at the center in the width direction of the transfer belt and arranging other thereof on the both sides in the width direction. Therefore, the liquid can be supplied and discharged swiftly in the width direction of the transfer belt and the transfer belt can be brought into the wet state further uniformly in the width direction by the supplying and discharging means.

Further, in the above-described thin-section manufacturing apparatus, it is further preferable to further comprise a control portion that for supplying the liquid by a previously set necessary amount to the liquid storing portion by the supplying and discharging means in accordance with sectioning the embedded block by moving the sample base relative to the cutter by the feeding means, and discharging the liquid of the liquid storing portion by the supplying and discharging means in accordance with finishing to section the embedded block by the cutter and the feeding means.

According to the thin-section manufacturing apparatus according to the invention, the transfer belt can further preferably be brought into the wet state by always storing the liquid of an optimum amount at the liquid storing portion when the thin-section is received by controlling the supplying and discharging means by the control portion, supplying the liquid to the liquid storing portion by the necessary amount in accordance with making the thin-section by sectioning the embedded block, and discharging the liquid of the liquid storing portion in accordance with finishing to section the embedded block.

Further, in the above-described thin-section manufacturing apparatus, it is further preferable that the liquid stored at the liquid storing portion of the cutter holder is liquid including water, and a bottom face of the liquid storing portion is provided with a hydrophilicity.

According to the thin-section manufacturing apparatus according to the invention, the bottom face is provided with the hydrophilicity, and therefore, the liquid supplied to the liquid storing portion can be smoothly spread over to the total, and the transfer belt can further uniformly be brought into the wet state.

Further, in the above-described thin-section manufacturing apparatus, it is further preferable that the liquid stored in the liquid storing portion of the cutter holder is the liquid including water, and a wall face surrounding the liquid storing portion is provided with a hydrophobicity.

According to the thin-section manufacturing apparatus according to the invention, the wall face is provided with the hydrophobicity, and therefore, the liquid stored in the liquid storing portion can be prevented from overflowing to an outer side.

According to the thin-section manufacturing apparatus of the invention, the liquid storing portion is formed at the cutter holder, the first turn back portion of the transfer belt is arranged at the inner portion of the liquid storing portion, and therefore, the thin-section made by sectioning the embedded block by the cutter can firmly be received and transferred by bringing the transfer belt into the wet state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

FIG. 1throughFIG. 7show a first embodiment according to the invention. A thin-section manufacturing apparatus1shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2is an apparatus of automatically sectioning a thin-section from an embedded block B to transfer to successive steps in a procedure of making an extremely narrow thin-section having a thickness of about 3 through 5 μm from the embedded block B embedding a biological specimen, inspecting and observing the biological specimen included in the thin-section. The biological specimen is, for example, a tissue of an organ or the like taken out from the human body, a laboratory animal or the like, and is pertinently selected in a medical field, a pharmaceutical field, a food field, a biological field or the like. Further, the embedded block B embeds the above-described biological specimen by an embedding material, that is, covers to harden a surrounding thereof. Here, the embedding material is of a material which can easily be liquefied and cooled to solidify as described above, and is dissolved by being dipped in ethanol and is a resin, paraffin or the like. Further, the embedded block B is basically formed in a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped having a cut face B2substantially in a rectangular shape, although in the embodiment, an explanation will be given of the embedded block B as being formed in the shape of the rectangular parallelepiped, the embedded block B is not necessarily limited in such a shape. The constitution of the thin-section manufacturing apparatus1will be explained as follows.

As shown byFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the thin-section manufacturing apparatus1is provided with a sample base2of fixing a cassette C mounted with the embedded block B, a cutter3of sectioning the embedded block B, a feed mechanism4constituting feeding means of moving the sample base2, transferring means5for transferring a thin-section B1sectioned from the embedded block B by the cutter3along a predetermined transfer direction, a liquid bath6constituting thin-section receiving means for receiving the thin-section B1transferred by the transferring means5, and a controller7constituting a control portion of controlling respective constitutions. The sample base2is provided with a block fixing mechanism9of squeezing the cassette C mounted with the embedded block B from two directions by squeezing members9a,9bto fix and position.

The feed mechanism4includes an X stage4aprovided on a lower side of the sample base2for moving the embedded block B fixed to the sample base2in a feed direction X of sectioning the embedded block B, and a Z stage4bof adjusting a position of the embedded block B in a thickness direction Z. Further, the controller7can move the sample base2in the feed direction X toward the cutter3by the X stage4aat a constant feed speed, thereby, the embedded block B fixed to the sample base2can be sectioned by the cutter3at the feed speed. Further, the controller7can move the embedded block B in the thickness direction Z by a constant amount by the Z stage4b, thereby, the embedded block B can be sectioned by the cutter3by a corresponding thickness.

Here, a block size detector10of detecting a size of the embedded block B, a block position detector11of detecting a position of the embedded block B, and a block kind detector12of detecting a kind of the embedded block B are provided at positions contiguous to the sample base2. For example, the block size detector10is constituted by image taking means arranged on an upper side of the sample base2, and analyzing means for analyzing an image from the image taking means, and by analyzing the image data of taking an image of the cut face B2of the embedded block B, a length of a side along the feed direction X of the cut face B2of the embedded block B, and a length of a side in a direction orthogonal thereto can be detected. The block position detector11detects a position of the embedded block B by, for example, laser light and can detect a position in the feed direction X of the embedded block B by irradiating the laser light to the embedded block B in the direction orthogonal to the feed direction X and detecting reflected light thereof. Further, the position of the embedded block B can also be detected by the image taking means of the above-described block size detector10. Further, the block kind detector12is, for example, a bar code and two-dimensional bar code reader, and can detect the kind of the embedded block B mounted on the cassette C by reading the bar code and the two-dimensional bar code previously printed on the cassette C.

Further, the cutter3is fixed to a cutter fixing portion15. The cutter fixing portion15includes a fixing base16of supporting a cut edge3aof the cutter3by directing the cut edge3adownward to be inclined by a predetermined angle, and a cutter holder17of squeezing the cutter3to the fixing base16from an upper side. Further, both ends of the fixing base16of the cutter fixing portion15are fixed to a frame constituting an outer contour of the apparatus, although not illustrated. Further, an upper face17aof the cutter holder17is formed in a recessed shape as a liquid storing portion18and can store water W as a liquid by supplying and discharging means25as described later. Here, as shown byFIG. 4, the cutter holder17is subjected to a surface treatment constituting a hydrophobicity at an upper face17aand a front face17bfacing a side of the cut edge3aof the cutter3and inclined to correspond to an inclination of the cutter3. Further, in the liquid storing portion18of the cutter holder17, a surface treatment constituting a hydrophilicity is carried out at a bottom face18b, and a surface treatment constituting a hydrophobicity is carried out at wall faces18a,18c,18d, and18esurrounding the bottom face18b. The surface treatment of the hydrophilicity is carried out by, for example, forming a titanium oxide film. Further, the surface treatment of the hydrophobicity is carried out by, for example, coating fluororesin. Further, a material of forming the cutter holder17per se may be constituted by a material of the hydrophilicity or the hydrophobicity, and the surface treatment of the hydrophobicity or the hydrophilicity may be carried out only at a corresponding portion. Further, according to the embodiment, the cutter3is fixed to the cutter fixing portion15such that the cut edge3ais orthogonal to the feed direction X of the embedded block B by the feed mechanism4, that is, an explanation will be given by constituting a knife angle as 90 degrees.

Further, the liquid bath6constituting the thin-section receiving means is stored with, for example, water W as a liquid, and the thin-section can be delivered to a slide glass of a successive step by floating the thin-section B1made from the embedded block B and transferred. Further, transferring means5includes a transfer belt20in the endless shape arranged from an upper side of the cutter3to an inner portion of the liquid bath6along a transfer direction Y, a roller group21of traveling the transfer belt20, and a transfer drive portion22of driving to rotate a middle roller21cconstituting one of the roller group21. Here, the transfer direction Y by the transfer belt20is set to be orthogonal to the cut edge3aof the cutter3in a plane view thereof and according to the embodiment constituting the knife angle as 90 degrees, the transfer direction Y substantially coincides with the feed direction X in the plane view. In the embodiment, the transfer belt20is preferably formed by a mesh shape and particularly formed by a hydrophilic wire member to make water W easy to impregnate thereto.

The roller group21includes a direction switch roller21aof turning back the transfer belt20as a first turn back portion20aon a side of being proximate to the cutter3, a rear roller21bprovided at an inner portion of the liquid bath6constituting a rear side of the cut edge3aof the cutter3for turning back the transfer belt20as a second turn back portion20b, and middle rollers21c,21dof changing an angle of the transfer belt20between the direction switch roller21aand the rear roller21b. The direction switch roller21ais rotatably supported by the cutter holder17by containing at least a portion thereof at an inner portion of the liquid storing portion18to be substantially in parallel with the direction of the cut edge3aof the cutter3. Further, as shown byFIG. 3, the transfer belt20is turned back to an upper side at the first turn back portion20aby being wound around the direction switch roller21afrom a lower side and can receive the thin-section B1sectioned by the cutter3by constituting a receive position P by a position of turning back to the upper side by the first turn back portion20a. Further, the direction switch roller21ais contained at the inner portion of the liquid storing portion18as described above, and therefore, in a state of storing water W at the liquid storing portion18, the transfer belt20turned back by the first turn back portion20acan be brought into a wet state by water W of the liquid storing portion18.

Here, as shown byFIG. 3, a distance of separating the direction switch roller21aand a wall face18aon the side of the cut edge3aof the liquid storing portion18is preferably as small as possible since when the distance becomes large, the transfer belt20is separated from the thin-section B1sectioned from the embedded block B and extended to the receive position P. On the other hand, when the transfer belt20is brought into contact with the wall face18aof the liquid storing portion18, traveling of the transfer belt20is hampered, further, water W of the liquid storing portion18is not spread to a side of the wall face18a, and therefore, it is preferable that the direction switch roller21ais slightly separated from the wall face18a. Particularly, although depending on a kind of a liquid stored in the liquid storing portion18and a material of the transfer belt20, by setting the transfer belt20and the wall face18ato a predetermined clearance, a liquid surface W2of the stored liquid is formed to be inclined from an upper end18fof the wall face18ato a surface20cmounted with the thin-section B1of the transfer belt20by a surface tension, and the thin-section B1can be adsorbed to guide by the liquid surface W2, and therefore, the constitution is further preferable.

Further, as shown byFIG. 1, the rear roller21bis rotatably supported by the liquid bath6and dipped to water W constituting the liquid stored to the liquid bath6at the inner portion of the liquid bath6. Therefore, an upper side of the transfer belt20traveling to the liquid bath6while mounting the thin-section B1can be traveled to the first turn back portion20aby being turned back to a lower side by constituting the second turn back portion20bby the rear roller21b. Further, the transfer belt20is dipped into water W at an inner portion of the liquid bath6at a vicinity of the second turn back portion20band can deliver the thin-section B1to water W by constituting a delivery position Q by a position thereof brought into contact with a liquid surface W3.

Further, the controller7can travel the transfer belt20by three kinds of speeds of a receive speed, a transfer speed, and a delivery speed as described later by controlling the transfer drive portion22. Here, the receive speed is a speed of the transfer belt20when the made thin-section B1is received by the transfer belt20at the receive position P. The receive speed is set in accordance with a feed speed by the X stage4aof the feed mechanism4, and set to be substantially equal to the feed speed, or set to be slower than the feed speed within a range up to about 50% of the feed speed in the embodiment in which the knife angle of the cut edge3ais 90 degrees. Further, the transfer speed is a speed when the made thin-section B1is transferred by the transfer belt20and is set to a speed faster than the receive speed. Further, the delivery speed is a speed when the thin-section B1is delivered from the transfer belt20to water W at the inner portion of the liquid bath6and is set to a speed slower than the transfer speed. Further, although the transfer speed may be constituted by a speed which differs by the receive speed, the transfer speed may be set to a constant value by constituting a speed sufficiently larger than the receive speed which varies in accordance with the feed speed, and also the delivery speed may be constituted by a constant value in accordance therewith.

Further, the thin-section manufacturing apparatus1of the embodiment further includes the supplying and discharging means25for supplying and discharging water W constituting the liquid to and from the liquid storing portion18, gas blowing means26for blowing a compressed gas G to the thin-section B1which is going to be made from the embedded block B, a humidifier27of humidifying the embedded block B, and a timer28of measuring time of driving respective mechanisms or the like. The supplying and discharging means25includes a supply tank25aof supplying water W, a supply pump25bof scooping up water W from the supply tank25a, a supply pipe25copened at the liquid storing portion18for supplying water W from the supply pump25b, a discharge pipe25dopened at the liquid storing portion18, and a discharge pump25eof sucking water W at the inner portion of the liquid storing portion18to the supply tank25aby way of the discharge pump25d. The supply pipe25cis provided to be contiguous to one side in a width direction of the transfer belt20, and the opening is provided to constitute a side of the cut edge3aat the inner portion of the liquid storing portion18. Further, the discharge pipe25dis provided to be contiguous to other side in the width direction of the transfer belt20, and the opening is similarly provided to constitute the side of the cut edge3aat the inner portion of the liquid storing portion18. Further, a flow rate or drive time by the supply pump25band the discharge pump25eis controlled by the controller7.

Further, the gas blowing means26includes a blow nozzle26aopposedly arranged on a front side of the cut edge3aof the cutter3, a compressor26cconnected to the blow nozzle26aby way of a gas blow pipe26bfor generating compressed air as the compressed gas G, and a valve26dprovided at the gas blow pipe26bfor adjusting a flow rate of the compressed gas G. The blow nozzle26aincludes a slender opening arranged substantially in parallel with the cut edge3a, and is arranged to be able to blow the compressed gas G in a direction of being directed to the cut edge3aand at a position of being separated from the cut edge3aabove the cut face B2of the sectioned embedded block B. Further, an amount of opening and closing the valve26dis controlled by the controller7. Further, as shown byFIG. 3, the blow nozzle26ais provided with blow position adjusting means29for adjusting the position of the blow nozzle26a. The blow position adjusting means29includes a distance adjusting portion29aof adjusting the position toward a front and rear direction of the cut edge3a, a height adjusting portion29bof adjusting a height from the cut face B2of the embedded block B, and an angle adjusting portion29cof adjusting a blow angle Φ of the compressed gas G blown out from the blow nozzle26a. Further, position adjustment of the blow nozzle26aby the blow position adjusting means29is controlled by the controller7. Further, the humidifier27can blow a gas in a mist state to the cut face B2, and can be arranged on an upper side of the cut face B2as necessary under control of the controller7by a moving mechanism, not illustrated.

Further, the controller7includes a memory although not illustrated and the memory is stored with sectioning conditions for sectioning various kinds of embedded blocks as table data. Specifically, as the sectioning conditions, a kind of a biological specimen embedded in the embedded block B, and, in correspondence with the size of the embedded block B, a number of times of face matching, a sectioned thickness, a necessary humidifying amount in sectioning, a sectioning speed, that is, the feed speed in the feed direction X by the feed mechanism, as well as position conditions of the blow nozzle26ain the gas blowing means26(a distance directed in the front and rear direction of the cut edge3a, the height from the cut face B2, the angle of blowing the compressed gas G and the like), and pressure, time, timings of starting and finishing to blow the compressed gas G and the like are pointed out. Further, the controller7makes the thin-section B1from the embedded block B by controlling respective constitutions in accordance with the sectioning conditions determined from the table data in accordance with the kind and size of the embedded block. An operation by the thin-section manufacturing apparatus1will be explained as follows.

FIG. 5throughFIG. 7show a flow of making and transferring a thin-section based on the control by the controller7. First, the following operation is carried out based on a flow shown inFIG. 5as a preparing step S1. When the cassette C mounted with the embedded block B is mounted to the sample base2and is fixed by the block fixing mechanism9, the block kind detector12detects the kind of the embedded block B mounted to the cassette C from information printed on the cassette C, and inputs the kind to the controller7as kind data (step S1-1). Next, the block size detector10detects the size of the embedded block B and inputs the size to the controller7as size data (step S1-2). Next, the controller7refers to a table stored to the memory, not illustrated (step S1-3), and determines the sectioning conditions in correspondence with the inputted kind data and the inputted size data (step S1-4).

Further, face matching is carried out successively. That is, first, the controller7humidifies the cut face B2of the embedded block B based on the necessary humidifying amount constituting one of the previously determined sectioning conditions by driving the humidifier27(step S1-5). Next, the controller7cuts the embedded block B as face matching (step S1-6). That is, first, the controller7moves the embedded block B in the thickness direction Z by a corresponding amount by driving the Z stage4bof the feed mechanism4based on the thickness to be sectioned constituting the previously determined sectioning condition. Next, the controller7moves the embedded block B in the feed direction X toward the cutter3by driving the X stage4aconstituting the feed mechanism based on the sectioning speed determined as one of the sectioning conditions. Thereby, the embedded block B is sectioned by the thickness and the speed which are determined previously as the sectioning conditions. Further, a cut chip of the embedded block B in the face matching is abandoned by being recovered by recovering means on a lower side although not illustrated. Next, the controller7determines whether a number of times of the face matching reaches a number of times N which is previously determined as the sectioning condition (step S1-7). In this case, the number of times is still one time, and therefore, it is determined that the number of times N is not reached, numeral1is added to the current number of times1(step S1-8), the face matching from step S1-5is repeatedly carried out again. Further, when it is determined that the face matching is carried out by the number of times N at step S1-7, the controller7proceeds to next thin-section manufacturing step S2and carries out a flow shown inFIG. 6.

That is, as shown byFIG. 6, first, the controller7travels the transfer belt20by the receive speed by driving the transfer drive portion22of the transferring means5(step S2-1). Here, as described above, the receive speed is determined in correspondence with the feed speed in the feed direction X by the X stage4aof the feed mechanism4, for example, according to the embodiment, the controller7drives the transfer drive portion22by determining the receive speed to be 60% of the feed speed based on the feed speed constituting the sectioning speed constituting one of the determined sectioning conditions. Next, the controller7humidifies the cut face B2of the embedded block B after finishing the face matching by the necessary humidifying amount which is determined again by driving the humidifier27(step S2-2).

Next, sectioning of the embedded block B is carried out (step S2-3). That is, first, the controller7moves the embedded block B in the thickness direction Z by the corresponding amount by driving the Z stage4bof the feed mechanism4based on the thickness to be sectioned which is determined as one of the sectioning conditions. Next, the embedded block B is moved in the feed direction X toward the cutter3by driving the X stage4aof the feed mechanism based on the sectioning speed which is determined as one of the sectioning conditions. Thereby, the embedded block B is successively sectioned and the thin-section B1is made by the thickness and the sectioning speed which are previously determined as the sectioning conditions. Further, although according to the embodiment, an explanation has been given without distinguishing the thicknesses and speeds to be sectioned between in the face matching and in making the thin-section, the thicknesses and the speeds in the two steps may be made to differ from each other.

Further, in accordance with sectioning the embedded block B at step S2-3, the controller7supplies water W from the supply pipe25cto the liquid storing portion18of the cutter holder17by driving the supply pump25bof the supplying and discharging means25(step S2-4). Further, an amount of supplying water W to the liquid storing portion18is previously set in accordance with a capacity of the liquid storing portion18, and the controller7makes the liquid surface W2set to the upper end18fof the wall face18aon the side of the cut edge3aof the liquid storing portion18as shown byFIG. 3by supplying water W by corresponding time and the previously set flow rate based on a result of measurement by the timer28. Here, according to the embodiment, the bottom face18bof the liquid storing portion18is subjected to the hydrophilic surface treatment, and therefore, water W supplied from the supply pipe25con one end side of the transfer belt20can be spread smoothly over a total thereof. On the other hand, the wall faces18a,18c,18d,18esurrounding the bottom face18bare subjected to the hydrophobic surface treatment, and therefore, the stored liquid can be prevented from overflowing to an outer side. Further, from a positional relationship between the wall face18aon the side of the cut edge3aof the liquid storing portion18and the direction switch roller21a, the liquid surface W2of water W to be stored is formed to incline by the surface tension from the upper end18fof the wall face18ato the surface20cof the transfer belt20. Further, the transfer belt20which travels at the receive speed is turned back at the first turn back portion20aand travels from the receive position P to the delivery position Q on the upper side by being brought into a wet state by passing water W of the liquid bath6, further, by being brought into an optimum wet state by passing water W of the liquid storing portion18. On the other hand, the controller7supplies water W by predetermined time and predetermined flow rate by driving the supply pump25b, and after setting the liquid surface W2disposed at the upper end18fof the wall face18aon the side of the cut edge3aof the liquid storing portion18, the controller7continuously supplies water W by a flow rate smaller than the previously set above-described flow rate. Therefore, even when water W of the liquid storing portion18successively adheres to the transfer belt20in accordance with traveling the transfer belt20, an amount of water W of the liquid storing portion18can always be maintained constant.

Further, as step S2-5, in sectioning the embedded block B, the controller7monitors a position in the feed direction X of the embedded block B based on block position data detected and inputted by the block position detector11. Further, when it is determined that the embedded block B reaches a previously set blow position, the controller7makes the compressed gas G blow from the blow nozzle26ato the cut face B2of the embedded block B by the pressure and the time which are previously determined as the sectioning conditions by the gas blowing means26(step S2-6). Further, the position of the blow nozzle26ais adjusted based on the previously determined sectioning condition by the blow position adjusting means29. Here, the blow position of the embedded block B is a position at which a length made as the thin-section B1which is sectioned after starting sectioning by bringing a front end B3of the embedded block B into contact with the cut edge3aof the cutter3, that is, a distant Lb from the front end B3of the embedded block B to the cut edge3aof the cutter3becomes equal to or larger than a distance Lp from the cut edge3aof the cutter3to the receive position P, and according to the embodiment, the blow position is set as a position at which the both distances becomes substantially equal to each other.

Further, although in accordance with making the thin-section B1gradually by sectioning the embedded block B, the thin-section B1is curled by the thickness of making the thin-section B1and a property of the embedded biological specimen, by blowing the compressed gas G to the cut face B2of the embedded block B by the gas blowing means26at step S2-6, the compressed gas G is once blown onto the cut face of the embedded block, in a direction of being directed to the cut edge, further, at a position of being remote from the cut edge, thereafter, blown to the cut edge3aby which the thin-section B1is made along the cut face B2. Therefore, the compressed gas G is blown to the thin-section B1which is made and extended from the cut edge3afrom a root portion thereof at which the cut edge3ais disposed, and even when the thin-section B1is curled, the compressed gas G is blown to an inner portion of the thin-section B1in the curled shape. Therefore, even when the thin-section B1is curled, the thin-section B1is pushed to be spread from the inner portion showing the curled shape and can firmly be extended without being pushed to crush by the compressed gas G. Further, by carrying out blowing by the gas blowing means26when the embedded block B is disposed at the blow position, the front end of the extended thin-section B1reaches the receive position P and is brought into contact with the transfer belt20. Therefore, the thin-section B1is transferred from the receive position P to the delivery position Q along the transfer direction Y by receiving the made front end side by the transfer belt20while being made from the embedded block B. Here, the transfer belt20is brought into the wet state, and can be brought into the optimum wet state particularly by being dipped to water W of the liquid storing portion18immediately before the receive position P, and can firmly receive the thin-section B1by an adsorption force of the wet water W. Further, according to the embodiment, the liquid surface W2of water W of the liquid storing portion18is inclined to form by the surface tension from the upper end18fof the wall face18ato the surface20cof the transfer belt20, and therefore, the thin-section B1is guided to the surface20cof the transfer belt20by being adsorbed to the liquid surface W2, and the thin-section B1can be received by the transfer belt20further firmly. Further, although there is a case in which in accordance with bringing the thin-section B1into contact with the transfer belt20, the thin-section B1is brought into contact with also the front face17bor the upper face17aof the cutter holder17, by being subjected to the hydrophobic surface treatment, it can be prevented that the transfer by the transfer belt20is hampered by sticking the thin-section B1to the front face17bor the upper face17a.

Further, the front end side of the received thin-section B1is successively transferred by the transfer belt20, and a base end side thereof is further made from the embedded block B. At this occasion, the speed of the transfer belt20is set to the receive speed, and therefore, it can be prevented that the transferred front end side becomes faster than the speed of making the base end side and the thin-section B1is pulled and torn off. Further, it can be prevented that the transferred front end side becomes excessively slower than the speed of making the base end side and the thin-section B1made between the receive position P and the cut edge3aof the cutter3is compressed to wrinkle.

Further, when the controller7monitors the block position data inputted from the block position detector11and determines that the embedded block B has passed the cut edge3aof the cutter3as step S2-7, that is, when sectioning of the embedded block B is finished, the controller7stops driving the X stage4aof the feed mechanism4and proceeds to step S2-8. At step S2-8, the controller7stops supplying water W to the liquid storing portion18by stopping to drive the supply pump25bof the supplying and discharging means25, and proceeds to a transferring step S3to carry out a flow shown inFIG. 7.

That is, as shown byFIG. 7, first, the controller7discharges water W of the liquid storing portion18from the discharge pipe25dby driving the discharge pump25eof the supplying and discharging means25(step S3-1). Next, the controller7switches the speed of traveling the transfer belt20from the receive speed to the transfer speed by controlling the transfer drive portion22(step S3-2). Therefore, the thin-section B1received by the transfer belt20is transferred swiftly to the delivery position Q at the transfer speed faster than the receive speed. Further, the controller7monitors a traveling distance from starting to travel the transfer belt20at step S2-1, determines whether the thin-section B1is traveled by an amount of the previously set traveling distance to reach a vicinity of the delivery position Q (step S3-3) and when traveled by the amount of the traveling distance, the controller7stops discharging water W from the liquid storing portion18by the supplying and discharging means25(step S3-4), and switches the speed of traveling the transfer belt20from the transfer speed to the delivery speed by controlling the transfer drive portion22(step S3-5). Therefore, the thin-section B1on the transfer belt20reaches the delivery position Q by the delivery speed, is touched to the liquid surface W3of water W of the liquid bath6disposed at the delivery position Q, is detached from the transfer belt20and delivered to water W (step S3-6). Further, when the traveling distance of the transfer belt20becomes equal to or larger than the transfer distance from the receive position P to the delivery position Q, the controller7stops driving the transfer drive portion22and stops traveling the transfer belt20.

As described above, according to the thin-section manufacturing apparatus1of the embodiment, the transfer belt20is dipped to water W of the liquid bath6at the second turn back portion20bon the rear side, is turned back and travels to the front side, is dipped to water W of the liquid storing portion18formed at the upper face17aof the cutter holder17at the first turn back portion20a, thereafter, receives the thin-section B1. That is, the transfer belt20can be disposed at the receive position P by being brought into the preferable wet state by being brought into the wet state by the liquid bath6over the total and passing the liquid storing portion18immediately before receiving the thin-section B1, and can firmly receive and transfer the thin-section B1at the receive position P. Further, according to the embodiment, water W stored in the liquid storing portion18is adjusted by being supplied and discharged by the supplying and discharging means25under the control by the controller7. Therefore, when the thin-section B1is received by the transfer belt20, the thin-section B1can be received by bringing the transfer belt20into the wet state further preferably by storing water W of the optimum amount always at the liquid storing portion18.

Further, although according to the embodiment, at preparing step S1, the various sectioning conditions are determined by referring to the table data, all of the various sectioning conditions may be determined by manual input. Further, although at thin-section manufacturing step S2, the transfer belt20is traveled by the receive speed first at step S2-1, the invention is not limited thereto. The transfer belt20may be traveled by the receive speed until at least the distance Lb from the front end B3of the embedded block B to the cut edge3aby starting the sectioning, that is, the sectioned length becomes equal to the distance Lp from the cut edge3ato the receive position P. Further, a timing of storing water W to the liquid storing portion18by the supplying and discharging means25at step S2-4is not limited to that of the embodiment but water supply may be carried out at preparing step S1, and the supply may be finished until at least the front end of the thin-section B1which is being made reaches the receive position P. Further, the control of the amount of supplying water W by the supplying and discharging means25is not limited to a control by time, but, for example, a liquid surface sensor may be provided at the liquid storing portion18and the control may be carried out thereby. Further, with regard to discharge of water W from the liquid storing portion18by the supplying and discharging means25, although the discharge is carried out continuously until the thin-section B1is transferred to the vicinity of the delivery position Q at step S3-3, when the discharge is finished, driving of the discharge pump25emay be stopped at the time point. Further, when the amount of water W of the liquid storing portion18becomes the optimum amount in receiving the thin-section B1, the water may not necessarily be needed to discharge at every time.

Further, although according to the embodiment, at the supplying and discharging means25, the supply pipe25cand the discharge pipe25dof supplying and discharging water W are arranged separately on both sides in the width direction of the transfer belt25, the invention is not limited thereto.FIG. 8throughFIG. 10show modified examples of the embodiment. According to a first modified example shown inFIG. 8, the supply pipe25cis arranged at substantially a center in the width direction on a lower side of the transfer belt20, and the discharge pipes25dare respectively arranged on both sides in the width direction of the transfer belt20. According to the modified example, a distance in the width direction of the transfer belt20from supply to discharge of the liquid storing portion18can be shortened by arranging the supply pipe25cand the discharge pipes25das described above. Therefore, the liquid can be supplied and discharged swiftly in the width direction of the transfer belt20, and the transfer belt20can be brought into the wet state further uniformly in the width direction by the supplying and discharging means25. Further, by arranging the supply pipe25cat the position proximate to the transfer belt20, water W can further firmly be spread in the range of arranging the transfer belt20.

Further, according to a second modified example shown inFIG. 9, the supply pipes25care respectively arranged on the both sides in the width direction of the transfer belt20, and the discharge pipe25dis arranged substantially at the center in the width direction on the lower side of the transfer belt20. Further, also in the modified example, similar to the first modified example, a distance in the width direction of the transfer belt20from supply to discharge can be shortened in the liquid storing portion18. Therefore, supply and discharge of the liquid can swiftly be carried out in the width direction of the transfer belt20, and the transfer belt20can be brought into the wet state further uniformly in the width direction by the supplying and discharging means25.

Further, according to a third modified example shown inFIG. 10, both of the supply pipe25cand the discharge pipe25dare arranged substantially at the center in the width direction on the lower side of the transfer belt20. Further, according to the modified example, by being arranged as described above, water W can further firmly be spread and discharged within the range of arranging the transfer belt20.

Second Embodiment

Next, a second embodiment of the invention will be explained.FIG. 11throughFIG. 13show a second embodiment of the invention. Further, according to the embodiment, there is constructed a constitution similar to that of the thin-section manufacturing apparatus1of the first embodiment except that the supplying and discharging means25is not provided and that a control flow by the controller7partially differs, and therefore, a total view of the apparatus will be omitted, and an explanation will be given in reference toFIG. 1. An explanation will be given as follows by centering on a point which differs from the first embodiment in the flow of making and transferring the thin-section.

That is, as shown byFIG. 11, according to a thin-section manufacturing apparatus of the embodiment, at preparing step S10, the controller7determines the sectioning conditions at step S1-4, thereafter, travels the transfer belt20by the receive speed by driving the transfer drive portion22as step S1-10, thereafter, carries out face matching at steps S1-5through S1-7. Here, by previously traveling the transfer belt20, and making the speed by the receive speed of a low speed, the transfer belt20passing water W of the liquid bath6is transferred to the first turn back portion20awhile including water W. Further, by turning back the transfer belt20from a lower side to an upper side at the first turn back portion20a, water W transferred from the liquid bath6by the transfer belt20is dropped and is stored at the liquid storing portion18. Therefore, the liquid storing portion18can be filled with water W by repeatedly traveling the transfer belt20while carrying out face matching, and the transfer belt20can maintain preferably the wet state by water W stored at the liquid storing portion18by the transfer belt20per se. Therefore, at thin-section manufacturing step S20, as shown byFIG. 12, the thin-section B1which is made can firmly be received by the transfer belt20at the receive position P without positively supplying water W to the liquid storing portion18.

Further, as shown byFIG. 13, according to the embodiment, the thin-section B1is delivered to water W of the liquid bath6as step S3-6, thereafter, the transfer belt20is traveled again by the transfer speed for predetermined time as step S3-10. Here, by traveling the transfer belt20by the transfer speed faster than the receive speed, an amount of water W stirred up from the liquid storing portion18on the upper side of the first turn back portion20abecomes larger than an amount of water W transferred from the liquid bath6to the liquid storing portion18on the lower side of the second turn back portion20bby the transfer belt20. Therefore, water W of the liquid storing portion18can be discharged by continuing to travel the transfer belt20for the predetermined time. Further, when the execution of step S3-10is finished, the controller7proceeds to step S3-7, and finishes the operation by stopping to travel the transfer belt20. Further, an end of the execution at step S3-10is judged by determining whether traveling of the transfer belt20is carried out for the predetermined time by the controller7based on the result of measurement by the timer28by previously setting sufficient time for discharging water W of the liquid storing portion18.

As described above, according to the embodiment, by adjusting the traveling and the speed of the transfer belt20, the amount of water W of the liquid storing portion18can be adjusted, the supplying and discharging means25can be omitted, and therefore, low cost formation can be achieved by simplifying the constitution. Further, although in the above-described, in supplying water W to the liquid storing portion18, the transfer belt20is set to the receive speed and when water W is discharged from the liquid storing portion18, the transfer belt20is set to the transfer speed, the invention is not limited thereto. At step S1-10shown inFIG. 11, when the receive speed is a speed slower than a speed of balancing incomings and outgoings of the amount of water W transferred from the liquid bath6and the amount of water W stirred up from the liquid storing portion18, the amount of water W transferred from the liquid bath6becomes larger, and water W can be supplied to the liquid storing portion18. Further, at step S3-10shown inFIG. 13, when the transfer speed is a speed faster than the above-described balanced speed, the amount of water W stirred up from the liquid storing portion18becomes larger, and water W can be discharged from the liquid storing portion18. Further, even when the receive speed and the transfer speed do not comply with the above-described condition, naturally, the speeds in supplying and discharging water W to and from the liquid storing portion18are set to speeds different from the receive speed and the transfer speed.

Although a detailed description has been given of the embodiments of the invention in reference to the drawings as described above, a specific constitution is not limited to the embodiments but a design change or the like within the range not deviated from the gist of the invention is also included.