Abstract:
Dynamic movement of various specimens is effectively suppressed, while easily allowing compatibility with various specimens having a wide range of types, sizes, and shapes, and various types of examination methods of specimens. A stabilizer for in vivo examination that is placed in contact with a biological specimen in the vicinity of an observation optical axis during examination of the specimen to suppress movement thereof includes a tip configured to contact the biological specimen, and a movable member configured to support the tip so that the tip can move in a direction intersecting the observation optical axis. The tip is attached to the movable member in such a manner so as to be attachable thereto and detachable therefrom.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a stabilizer for in vivo examination that is placed in contact with a biological specimen to suppress movement of the biological specimen during examination thereof.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     A known stabilizer for in vivo examination is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2005-338631.  
         [0005]     This stabilizer for in vivo examination includes a tip having a round shape or a U shape. Dynamic movement of a biological specimen, such as pulsing, can be suppressed by applying negative pressure to a suction hole provided on the surface that contacts the biological specimen to suck the specimen by virtue of the suction force. A microscope examination system including this stabilizer for in vivo examination is advantageous in that microscope examination can be performed while suppressing pulsing of the biological specimen, thereby providing sharp blur-free images.  
         [0006]     However, there is a wide range of types, sizes, and shapes of biological specimens examined in such a microscope examination system, and in addition, the magnification or the like may be changed during examination of the same specimen. Accordingly, in the stabilizer for in vivo examination disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2005-338631, which has a single tip, the entire stabilizer for in vivo examination must be replaced. In such a case, the space on a stage for placing a biological specimen is very small because the biological specimen and an objective unit are disposed thereon. Accordingly, a replacement procedure for the entire large stabilizer for in vivo examination may be difficult. Furthermore, the stabilizer for in vivo examination suffers from the problem that it may fall onto on the biological specimen or may contact the specimen during the replacement procedure, resulting damage to the biological specimen.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention has been conceived in view of the above situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a stabilizer for in vivo examination in which dynamic movement of various biological specimens can be effectively suppressed, while easily allowing compatibility with various biological specimens with a wide range of types, sizes, and shapes, and various types of examination methods of biological specimens.  
         [0008]     In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides the following solutions.  
         [0009]     According to an aspect of the present invention, a stabilizer for in vivo examination that is placed in contact with a biological specimen in the vicinity of an observation optical axis during examination of the specimen to suppress movement thereof includes a tip configured to contact the biological specimen, and a movable member configured to support the tip so that the tip can move in a direction intersecting the observation optical axis. The tip is attached to the movable member in such a manner so as to be attachable thereto and detachable therefrom.  
         [0010]     According to the aspect described above, by pressing the tip while in contact with the biological specimen in the vicinity of the observation optical axis, dynamic movement of the biological specimen can be suppressed. By performing examination using, for example, a microscope in this state, sharp blur-free images can be acquired.  
         [0011]     When the biological specimen is changed or when the examination method is changed and movement of the biological specimen must be suppressed using a different tip, the movable member supporting the tip is operated to move the original tip in a direction intersecting the observation optical axis. Accordingly, the tip can be retracted from a narrow space above the biological specimen.  
         [0012]     The tip is attached to the movable member in such a manner that it can be attached thereto and detached therefrom. Therefore, by detaching the tip from the movable member in the state in which the tip is retracted from the narrow space above the biological specimen, the tip can be easily replaced without damaging the biological specimen.  
         [0013]     In the aspect described above, the movable member may be supported so as to rotate around an axis parallel to the observation optical axis and separated therefrom.  
         [0014]     In the aspect described above, the movable member may be supported so as to rotate around an axis parallel to a direction intersecting the observation optical axis.  
         [0015]     According to the above structure, by simply rotating the movable member around the axis, the tip, which is attached to the end of the movable member, can be moved in a direction intersecting the observation optical axis and can be easily retracted from the narrow space above the biological specimen.  
         [0016]     In the aspect described above, the movable member may be provided so as to translate in a direction intersecting the observation optical axis.  
         [0017]     According to this structure, for example, when the tip is replaced with another tip, by simply translating the movable member in directions intersecting the observation optical axis, the tip attached to the end of the movable member can be moved in directions intersecting the observation optical axis and can be easily retracted from the narrow space above the biological specimen.  
         [0018]     The present invention affords an advantage in that dynamic movement of various biological specimens can be effectively suppressed, while easily allowing compatibility with various biological specimens with a wide range of types, sizes, and shapes, and various types of examination methods of biological specimens. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is a front view showing a stabilizer for in vivo examination according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the stabilizer for in vivo examination shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a plan view illustrating detachment of a tip attached to the end of a rotating arm of the stabilizer for in vivo examination shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a partial front view illustrating detachment of the tip from the rotating arm of the stabilizer for in vivo examination shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is a front view illustrating a modification of the stabilizer for in vivo examination shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the stabilizer for in vivo examination shown in  FIG. 5 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0025]     A stabilizer for in vivo examination  1  according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.  1  to  4 .  
         [0026]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the stabilizer for in vivo examination  1  of this embodiment is a unit disposed near a microscope examination unit  2 . The microscope examination unit  2  includes a stage  3  on which a specimen (biological specimen) A is placed, and an objective unit  4  that is disposed above the stage  3  so as to face the specimen A on the stage  3 . Examples of the specimen A include biological tissue, such as cells and muscles, and organs, such as the heart and the liver, of mammals, e.g., small laboratory animals.  
         [0027]     The stage  3  includes an adjusting dial (not shown). By operating the adjusting dial, the specimen A can be moved in two horizontal directions orthogonal to an optical axis C of the objective unit  4 , e.g., in the X direction and the Y direction.  
         [0028]     The objective unit  4  of the microscope examination unit  2  is configured so as to move in the vertical direction with an elevating/lowering mechanism (not shown). By disposing the objective unit  4  so as to be oriented downward, the specimen A on the stage  3  can be examined. Furthermore, by operating the elevating/lowering mechanism, the objective unit  4  can be moved closer to or farther away from the specimen A, thereby adjusting the focus.  
         [0029]     The stabilizer for in vivo examination  1  of this embodiment includes an X-stage  6  fixed on a base  5 , a Y-stage  7 , a Z-stage  8 , a rotating arm (movable member)  10  that is attached to a slider  9  of the Z-stage  8  so as to rotate around a vertical axis D, and a tip  11  that can be attached to and detached from the end of the rotating arm  10 . The X-stage  6 , the Y-stage  7 , and the Z-stage  8  include adjusting dials  6   a ,  7   a , and  8   a , respectively. The rotating arm  10  and the tip  11  can be moved in the X, Y, and Z directions by operating the adjusting dials  6   a ,  7   a , and  8   a , respectively.  
         [0030]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , stoppers  12  and  13  are provided at two positions of the slider  9  of the Z-stage  8 . By bringing the rotating arm  10  into contact with the stoppers  12  and  13 , the rotating angle of the rotating arm  10  can be limited within a predetermined angle, for example, 90 degrees.  
         [0031]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the tip  11  includes, for example, a flat-plate portion  11   a  in which a through hole  14  that is larger than an observation area B of the objective unit  4  is provided at the center. During microscope examination, a surface of the flat-plate portion  11   a  is pressed onto the outer surface of the specimen A so that the observation area B of the objective unit  4  is disposed in the through hole  14 . Accordingly, microscope examination can be performed, while suppressing dynamic movement of the specimen A, such as pulsing.  
         [0032]     An attaching-and-detaching mechanism  16  is provided between the tip  11  and the rotating arm  10 . The attaching-and-detaching mechanism  16  is composed of a dovetail  11   b  provided at the tip  11 , a dovetail groove  10   a  provided at the end of the rotating arm  10 , and a push screw  15  that presses the dovetail  11   b  into the dovetail groove  10   a  while the dovetail  11   b  is fitted in the dovetail groove  10   a . To change the tip  11 , the push screw  15  is released, and the dovetail  11   b  is then slid along the dovetail groove  10   a  of the rotating arm  10 , thus easily detaching the tip  11 .  
         [0033]     Various types of tips  11  are prepared corresponding to the types, sizes, and shapes of the specimen A or various examination methods of the specimen A. Each of the tips  11  includes the dovetail  11   b  having a uniform shape that can be fitted into the dovetail groove  10   a  of the rotating arm  10 .  
         [0034]     The rotating arm  10  can move between an observation position (shown by the solid line in  FIG. 2 ) where the through hole  14  of the tip  11  attached to the end of the rotating arm  10  is disposed at a position corresponding to the observation optical axis C of the objective unit  4 , and a retracted position (shown by the chain line in  FIG. 2 ) at which the tip  11  is retracted from the observation position by 90 degrees. The retracted position is preferably at the location of the hand of the user of the microscope examination unit  2 .  
         [0035]     To perform microscope examination of the specimen A using the stabilizer for in vivo examination  1  of this embodiment having the above structure, by operating the Z-stage  8  of the stabilizer for in vivo examination  1 , the tip  11  becomes close to the specimen A placed on the stage  3  of the microscope examination unit  2  from above, and the lower surface of the flat-plate portion  11   a  is brought into contact with the specimen A. In this step, the position of the through hole  14  provided in the tip  11  is adjusted to a position of the specimen A to be examined.  
         [0036]     By further operating the Z-stage  8 , the rotating arm  10  and the tip  11  are moved downward. Accordingly, the specimen A is pressed downward by the flat-plate portion  11   a  of the tip  11  and is sandwiched between the stage  3  and the flat-plate portion  11   a , thereby suppressing dynamic movement of the specimen A in the vertical direction. Furthermore, since the tip  11  is brought into contact with the specimen A with a predetermined pressure, dynamic movement of the specimen A in the horizontal direction can also be suppressed to some degree by a frictional force generated on the contact surface between the lower surface of the flat-plate portion  11   a  of the tip  11  and the specimen A.  
         [0037]     In this case, the observation area B of the objective unit  4  of the microscope examination unit  2  is disposed in the through hole  14  of the tip  11 . Accordingly, the position of the objective unit  4  in the vertical direction is controlled by operating the elevating/lowering mechanism to adjust the focus, and microscope examination can be performed. According to the stabilizer for in vivo examination  1  of this embodiment, microscope examination can be performed with the microscope examination unit  2  while suppressing dynamic movement of the specimen A, thereby providing sharp blur-free images.  
         [0038]     When the type, size, or shape of the specimen A is changed, or when examination conditions, such as the magnification of the specimen A, is changed, the objective unit  4  is moved upward by operating the elevating/lowering mechanism and the tip  11  is also moved upward by operating the Z-stage  8  so as to locate the tip  11  above the specimen A. As shown by the chain line in  FIG. 2 , the rotating arm  10  is then rotated in the horizontal direction with respect to the slider  9  of the Z-stage  8 . Accordingly, the tip  11  is retracted from above the specimen A in the horizontal direction intersecting the optical axis C of the objective unit  4 .  
         [0039]     Subsequently, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the push screw  15  of the attaching-and-detaching mechanism  16  is released, and the dovetail  11   b  is slid along the dovetail groove  10   a  provided at the end of the rotating arm  10 , thereby detaching the tip  11  from the rotating arm  10 . According to this structure, the tip  11  can be detached from the rotating arm  10  at a position retracted from above the specimen A in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the tip  11  need not be detached from the rotating arm  10  in a narrow space between the objective unit  4  and the specimen A. Accordingly, this structure can prevent the problem of the tip  11  falling onto the specimen A, thereby damaging the specimen A, and the problem of the tip  11  colliding with the objective unit  4 , thereby damaging the objective unit  4 .  
         [0040]     Furthermore, since the retracted position is at the location of the user&#39;s hand, the user can easily perform the replacement procedure of the tip  11  while the tip  11  is retracted.  
         [0041]     By changing the tip  11  attached to the end of the rotating arm  10  as described above, appropriate microscope examination can be performed using an optimum tip  11  corresponding to the type, size, and shape of the specimen A or examination conditions such as the magnification of the specimen A.  
         [0042]     In the stabilizer for in vivo examination  1  of this embodiment, a description has been made of the case where the rotating arm  10  provided so as to rotate around the axis D parallel to the observation optical axis C of the microscope examination unit  2 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a rotating arm  10 ′ may be provided so as to rotate around a substantially horizontal axis E of the slider  9  of the Z-stage  8  that is substantially orthogonal to the observation optical axis C.  
         [0043]     In this embodiment, by rotating the rotating arm  10  around the axis D parallel to the observation optical axis C and separated therefrom, the tip  11 , which can be attached to and detached from the end of the rotating arm  10 , is retracted from above the specimen A. Alternatively, for example, the tip  11  may be retracted by translating the tip  11  in a direction or directions intersecting the observation optical axis C by operating the X-stage  6  and/or the Y-stage  7 , without rotating the rotating arm  10 .