COVER SLIP STICKING DEVICE

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a cover slip sticking device whereby the presence/absence of an immersion tank or the state of an immersion tank can be confirmed. As a solution to this problem, the present invention comprises an immersion tank (32) in which a clearing agent is retained and which stores a basket (21) in which are stored a plurality of slide glasses (22) to which a specimen sample is affixed, an immersion tank arrangement part (33) in which the immersion tank (32) is arranged, an imaging device (70) provided to the immersion tank arrangement part (33), and reporting units (74, 76) for reporting the presence/absence of the immersion tank (32) and the state of the immersion tank (32) in the immersion tank arrangement part (33) as imaged by the imaging device (70).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a cover slip sticking device that sticks a cover slip (a cover film or a cover glass) on a slide glass to which a specimen is attached.

BACKGROUND ART

In pathological examinations, after a specimen obtained by slicing a biological material is attached to a slide glass and dyeing processing is performed, a cover slip which is the cover film or the cover glass is stuck on the surface of the slide glass for protecting the specimen and observed by a microscope.

A device for sticking a cover glass as an example of the cover slip on the surface of the slide glass is disclosed in PTL 1.

In the cover glass sticking device disclosed in PTL 1, a dipping bath storing a clearing agent such as xylene is provided. A basket which houses a plurality of slide glasses to which the specimens are attached is dipped in the dipping bath to prevent drying of the specimen.

In the cover glass sticking device, after the basket is pulled out from the dipping bath, the slide glasses are taken out from the basket one by one and a sealing agent is dropped to the slide glass to stick the cover glass, thereby creating a microscopic specimen in which the specimen is sealed by the cover glass.

Note that, a cover film sticking device that sticks the cover film, not the cover glass, is also provided with the dipping bath storing the clearing agent such as xylene as shown in PTL 2. A basket which houses a plurality of slide glasses to which the specimens are attached is dipped in the dipping bath to prevent drying of the specimen.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

The dipping bath is provided so as to be taken out from the cover slip sticking device. In the dipping bath taken out from the cover slip sticking device, the basket which houses a plurality of slide glasses is housed and the clearing agent such as xylene is stored. The dipping bath which houses the clearing agent and the basket is returned to the cover slip sticking device, and sticking operation of the cover slip is performed.

On the other hand, a system for checking the presence/absence of the dipping bath or the condition thereof is not provided in a related-art cover slip sticking device.

Therefore, even when the dipping bath is not set in the cover slip sticking device or when the dipping bath is not in a state where the sticking operation of the cover slip can be performed, it is difficult to check such state after an operator closes a door. There is thus a problem that it is desired to check the presence/absence of the dipping bath and the condition of the dipping bath.

Solution to Problem

The present invention has been made for solving the above problem, and an object thereof is to provide a cover slip sticking device capable of checking the presence/absence of the dipping bath and the condition of the dipping bath.

A cover slip sticking device according to the present invention includes a dipping bath in which a clearing agent is stored and a basket housing a plurality of slide glasses to which specimens are attached is housed, a dipping bath arrangement part in which the dipping bath is arranged, an imaging device provided in the dipping bath arrangement part, and a notification unit notifying an operator of the presence/absence of the dipping bath and the condition of the dipping bath in the dipping bath arrangement part taken by the imaging device.

According to the above structure, the presence/absence of the dipping bath and the condition of the dipping bath can be checked by the imaging device, and the checked status can be notified to the operator. Therefore, the operator can determine whether a sticking operation is executed or not after the presence/absence of the dipping bath and the condition of the dipping bath are checked.

The cover slip sticking device may further include an image processing device performing image processing of an image taken by the imaging device, in which the image processing device may determine the presence/absence of a lid of the dipping bath and the presence/absence of a basket receiver arranged in the dipping bath as the condition of the dipping bath.

According to the above structure, it is possible to prevent damage of a part due to the sticking operation performed in a state where the lid is attached to the dipping bath or in a state where there is not the basket receiver.

The cover slip sticking device may further include an image processing device performing image processing of an image taken by the imaging device, in which the image processing device may determine a volume of the clearing agent as the condition of the dipping bath.

According to the above structure, it is possible to prevent drying of the specimen due to the sticking operation performed in a state where the volume of the clearing agent is small.

The cover slip sticking device may further include an image processing device performing image processing of an image taken by the imaging device, in which the image processing device may determine the presence/absence of a basket as the condition of the dipping bath.

According to the above structure, needless action and waste of time for seeking a basket that does not exist in the dipping bath can be saved, and it is possible to immediately notify the operator of the absence of the basket.

The image processing device may also determine a type of a size of the basket according to the difference in the number of slide glasses inserted in the basket.

Conventionally, a detection board to be pressed by the basket housed in the dipping path is provided for determining the type of the size of the basket, and a movement of the detection board pressed by the basket is detected by a sensor to thereby determine the type of the basket. However, it is not necessary to provide the dedicated detection board or the sensor for detecting the movement of the detection board according to the above structure, which can reduce costs.

The notification unit may include a display unit on which the presence/absence of the dipping bath and the condition of the dipping bath are displayed.

According to the above structure, the operator can visually check the presence/absence of the dipping bath and the condition of the dipping bath.

The notification unit may also include a speaker generating a notification sound or voice.

According to the above structure, the operator can aurally check the presence/absence of the dipping bath and the condition of the dipping bath.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the cover slip sticking device of the present invention, the presence/absence of the dipping bath and the condition of the dipping bath can be checked.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

FIG.1shows a schematic internal structure of a cover film sticking device as an example of a cover slip sticking device.FIG.2shows a perspective view of a dipping bath in a state where a lid is provided.FIG.3shows a perspective view of the dipping bath without a lid.

A cover film sticking device30has a dipping bath arrangement part33where a dipping bath32storing a clearing agent is arranged. The cover film sticking device30is provided with a not-shown door on a front side inFIG.1, and an operator can take out the dipping bath32from the cover film sticking device30by opening the door.

A lid42of the dipping bath32covers the top of the dipping bath32to thereby prevent volatilization of xylene which is a clearing agent stored in the dipping bath32. When the dipping bath32is arranged inside the cover film sticking device30, the lid42is removed from the dipping bath32.

The operator pours the clearing agent such as xylene into the dipping bath32taken out from the cover film sticking device30and houses a basket21which houses a plurality of slide glasses22to which specimens are attached in the dipping bath32.

The basket21has a shape in which the plural slide glasses22to which sliced specimens are attached are inserted and housed so as to be perpendicular to a bottom surface part. The slide glasses22are housed inside the dipping bath32in a state of being housed in the basket21to be dipped in the clearing agent. A basket which differs in storage capacity of the slide glasses22exists as the basket21. Hereinafter, a kind of the basket which differs in capacity is called a type of the basket.

The dipping bath32is provided with a basket receiver66. The basket receiver66is a member provided for positively holding the basket21inside the dipping bath32even when the basket21is a different type.

The basket receiver66is arranged to be slanted when seen from the front inFIG.1in such a manner as to protrude in an inward direction of the dipping bath32by being biased by a biasing member65. It is not always necessary to provide the biasing member65depending on the shape of the basket receiver66.

When the basket21is housed in the dipping bath32, one end of the basket21pushes the basket receiver66to hold the basket21due to a biasing force of the biasing member65of the basket receiver66. However, the basket21can be held even when the biasing member65is not provided depending on the shape of the basket receiver66as described above.

Although three members with the same shape are provided in parallel as the basket receivers66in the embodiment shown inFIG.2andFIG.3, it is not particularly limited to three members.

The cover film sticking device30includes a take-out arm34for taking out the basket21from the dipping bath32. The take-out arm34is provided with a gripping part36for gripping the basket21at a tip end, turning on a vertical plane around a pivot shaft35directed in a horizontal direction and taking out the basket21from the dipping bath32.

The take-out arm34turns at 90 degrees on the vertical plane and turns to a position where the slide glasses22in the basket21taken out from the dipping bath32are in a horizontal position.

The basket21turning to the position where the slide glasses22are in the horizontal position is placed on a lifting base37lifting and lowering in upward and downward directions. The lifting base37lifts the basket21to a standby position (symbol A inFIG.1).

In the standby position, a push ejector38pushing out the slide glasses22from the basket21one by one is provided.

The push ejector38pushes out the slide glass22from the basket21and moves the slide glass22to a sealing section B on a horizontal table.

A cover film10is stuck on the slide glass22in the sealing section B, where the specimen of the slide glass22is sealed.

The cover film10is wound around a holder11as described above and is mounted on a holding section C on which the holder11is mounted.

The cover film10is drawn out from the side of the holder11and enters a cutting device40via a guide roller41and a feed roller46. The guide roller41is not always necessary depending on the arrangement of the cutting device40and the holding section C.

The cover film10can enter the cutting device40after being drawn around the holding section C for sealing guarantee, though not shown inFIG.1. The sealing guarantee is made so that a distance drawn around the holding section C corresponds to the number of slide glasses housed in one basket21, the cover film10can be stuck on the slide glasses22at least in one basket21even when the cover film10wound around the holder11runs out.

The cutting device40is placed at an angle so as to be approached from diagonally above to the slide glass22arranged in the sealing section B, which includes a cutter48that cuts the cover film10in a predetermined length and a pair of cover rollers50that feeds the cover film10cut in the predetermined length onto the slide glass22.

A dispensing nozzle (not shown) for dropping a sealing agent is provided in the sealing section B. The dispensing nozzle is connected to a pump and a pipe, sucking up the sealing agent from a solvent bottle55through the not-shown pump and the pipe. A tip end of the dispensing nozzle is arranged above the specimen on the slide glass22arranged in the sealing section B, and the sealing agent can be dropped to an upper face of the specimen.

The cover film10cut in the prescribed length by the cutter48is stuck on the slide glass22by a sticking roller54.

The slide glass22to which the cover film10has been stuck is moved in the horizontal direction so as to be housed in an original position in the basket21by a return ejector56.

When sticking of the cover film10to a piece of slide glass22is completed, the lifting base37lifts the basket21for a thickness of a piece of slide glass22. Then, a next slide glass22to which the cover film10is not stuck yet is pushed out from the basket21to the sealing section B, and the cover film10is stuck.

When sticking of the cover film10on all the slide glasses22in the basket21is completed, the lifting base37moves upward and houses the basket21in a housing part58where the basket21after sticking the cover film is housed.

The sealing agent and so on overflowed from the slide glass22fall into a waste liquid tray59arranged below the sealing section B and are gathered there to be stored in a waste liquid bottle60arranged below the waste liquid tray59.

A camera70which is an imaging device for imaging the dipping bath32from above is provided above the dipping bath32. A digital camera having a CCD imaging sensor or a CMOS imaging sensor is used as the camera70so that data processing can be performed to taken images.

The arrangement position of the camera70is not limited to just above the dipping bath32but may be arranged at a diagonally upward position of the dipping bath32.

FIG.4shows a block diagram relating to execution of image processing by the camera.

The camera70is connected to an image processing device72. The camera70transmits taken image data to the image processing device72.

A display unit74and a speaker76for notifying the operator of a determination result are connected to the image processing device72, and the image processing device72also has functions of performing display control to the display unit74and sound output control to the speaker76.

The image processing device72can determine the presence/absence of the dipping bath32in the dipping bath arrangement part33, the presence/absence of the lid42of the dipping bath32, the presence/absence of the basket receiver66arranged in the dipping bath32, the presence/absence of the basket21, a type of the basket, a volume of the clearing agent in the dipping bath32on the basis of image data taken by the camera70.

The image processing device37is a device which can analyze and measure image data taken by the camera70and can also extract a feature of an object. The image processing device37is formed of a CPU that is a processor executing image processing operation and a memory, and the CPU is operated by software. As the processor executing image processing operation, a GPU that is a processor dedicated to image processing may be used, or a combination of the CPU and the GPU may also be used.

When the image processing device72determines that there is not the dipping bath32regarding the presence/absence of the dipping bath32in the dipping bath arrangement part33on the basis of image data taken by the camera70, the image processing device72displays the absence of the dipping bath on the display unit74and outputs an alarm sound such as a beeping sound from the speaker76.

Moreover, when the image processing device72determines that there is the lid42regarding the presence/absence of the lid42of the dipping bath32on the basis of image data taken by the camera70, the image processing device72displays the presence of the lid on the display unit74and outputs the alarm sound such as the beeping sound from the speaker76.

Moreover, when the image processing device72determines that there is not the basket receiver66regarding the presence/absence of the basket receiver66of the dipping bath32on the basis of image data taken by the camera70, the image processing device72displays the absence of the basket receiver on the display unit74and outputs the alarm sound such as the beeping sound from the speaker76.

Moreover, when the image processing device72determines that there is not the basket21regarding the presence/absence of the basket21in the dipping bath32on the basis of image data taken by the camera70, the image processing device72displays the absence of the basket on the display unit74and outputs the alarm sound such as the beeping sound from the speaker76.

The image processing device72can determine the type of the basket on the basis of image data taken by the camera70. The image processing device72displays the determined type on the display unit74. It is also preferable that the type of the basket is notified by voice from the speaker76.

Furthermore, the image processing device72determines whether the volume of the clearing agent stored in the dipping bath32is sufficient or not so that the specimen is not dried on the basis of image data taken by the camera70.

Specifically, the image processing device72, when determining that a liquid level of the clearing agent in the dipping bath32is lower than a position set in advance, performs a display indicating that the volume of the clearing agent is not sufficient on the display unit74and outputs the alarm sound such as the beeping sound from the speaker76.

The sound outputted from the speaker76is not limited to the alarm sound but may be voice synthesized in advance. In this case, voice data for notifying the abnormality specifically such as “there is not the dipping bath”, “there is the lid”, “there is not the basket receiver”, “there is not the basket”, or “the clearing agent is insufficient” is outputted from the speaker76.

It is necessary to perform the voice output when the type of the basket is outputted from the speaker76.

The function of notifying the operator of the condition concerning the dipping bath32may be provided in either the display unit74or the speaker76.

Second Embodiment

FIG.5shows a schematic internal structure of a cover glass sticking device which adopts the cover glass as the cover slip.FIG.6shows a plan view of the cover glass sticking device which adopts the cover glass as the cover slip when seen from above.

A cover glass sticking device90is provided with the dipping bath32in which the clearing agent is stored. A plurality of slide glasses22to which sliced specimens are attached are housed in the basket21. The basket21has a shape in which the plural slide glasses22to which sliced specimens are attached are inserted and housed so as to be perpendicular to the bottom surface part. The slide glasses22are housed inside the dipping bath32in a state of being housed in the basket21to be dipped in the clearing agent.

A take-out mechanism unit94for pulling up the slide glasses22upward from the basket21is arranged at an upper part of the dipping bath32. The take-out mechanism unit94moves upward while holding an upper edge of the slide glass22and rotates the slide glass22horizontally after moving upward in a predetermined height to arrange the slide glass22in a first station D.

That is, the present embodiment differs from the first embodiment in a point that the slide glass22is taken out without taking out the basket21from the dipping bath32.

The first station D is provided at a start position in a traveling direction of the slide glass22in a conveying device96. The conveying device96conveys the slide glass22in an order of the first station D, a second station E, a third station F and a fourth station G.

In the second station E, a dispensing nozzle98for dispensing a sealing agent or a solvent for dissolving the sealing agent previously applied to the cover glass to the slide glass22is provided. A tip end of the dispensing nozzle98is inserted into a container100that contains a solvent preventing solidification of the sealing agent.

The third station F is a place where a cover glass80is stuck on the slide glass22.

A mounting part102on which a holder82housing the cover glasses80is placed is provided above the third station F. A suction pad104that sucks and holds the cover glass80is provided above the third station F at a higher position than the mounting part102.

In the third station F, the suction pad104sucks and holds a piece of cover glass80and moves downward to stick the cover glass80on the slide glass22placed on the third station F.

The fourth station G is a station where the slide glass22on which the cover glass80is stuck is placed and for housing the slide glass22on which the cover glass80is stuck in a housing rack107.

On a downstream side in a conveying direction of the fourth station G, a housing mechanism unit108that holds the housing rack107and houses the housing rack107in a housing part106is provided.

The housing mechanism unit108, after housing the slide glass22in the housing rack107at the fourth station G, moves to the downstream side in the conveying direction. Then, the housing mechanism unit108houses the housing rack107in the housing part106.

The camera70is provided above or diagonally above the dipping bath32in the dipping bath arrangement part33inside the cover glass sticking device90in the same manner as the first embodiment. The camera70is connected to the image processing device72, and the display unit74and the speaker76for notifying an operator of a determination result are connected to the image processing device72(seeFIG.4).

The operation in the camera70and the image processing device72is the same as the first embodiment.

That is, when the image processing device72determines that there is not the dipping bath32regarding the presence/absence of the dipping bath32in the dipping bath arrangement part33on the basis of image data taken by the camera70, the image processing device72displays the absence of the dipping bath on the display unit74and outputs an alarm sound such as a beeping sound from the speaker76.

Moreover, when the image processing device72determines that there is the lid42regarding the presence/absence of the lid42of the dipping bath32on the basis of image data taken by the camera70, the image processing device72displays the presence of the lid on the display unit74and outputs the alarm sound such as the beeping sound from the speaker76.

Moreover, when the image processing device72determines that there is not the basket receiver66regarding the presence/absence of the basket receiver66of the dipping bath32on the basis of image data taken by the camera70, the image processing device72displays the absence of the basket receiver on the display unit74and outputs the alarm sound such as the beeping sound from the speaker76.

Moreover, when the image processing device72determines that there is not the basket21regarding the presence/absence of the basket21in the dipping bath32on the basis of image data taken by the camera70, the image processing device72displays the absence of the basket21on the display unit74and outputs the alarm sound such as the beeping sound from the speaker76.

The image processing device72can determine the type of the basket on the basis of image data taken by the camera70. The image processing device72displays the determined type on the display unit74. It is also preferable that the type of the basket is notified by voice from the speaker76.

Furthermore, the image processing device72determines whether the volume of the clearing agent stored in the dipping bath32is sufficient or not so that the specimen is not dried on the basis of image data taken by the camera70. Specifically, the image processing device72, when determining that a liquid level of the clearing agent in the dipping bath32is lower than a position set in advance, performs a display indicating that the volume of the clearing agent is not sufficient on the display unit74and outputs the alarm sound such as the beeping sound from the speaker76.

The sound outputted from the speaker76is not limited to the alarm sound but may be voice synthesized in advance also in the present embodiment. However, the type of the basket is limited to the case of voice.

The function of notifying the operator of the condition concerning the dipping bath32may be provided in either the display unit74or the speaker76.