Patent Publication Number: US-2015064777-A1

Title: Apparatus for detecting microorganisms

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting microorganisms, and more particularly, to an apparatus for detecting microorganisms in which a number of living microorganisms can be counted. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In general, a number of microorganisms is counted while the microorganisms are viewed with the naked eye through a microscope in a state in which a sample is put in a container, so as to identify the number of microorganisms, and it is identified whether the microorganisms move by physically stimulating them so as to identify living microorganisms among them. 
     However, in a method of identifying the number of microorganisms by using the microscope, a worker should perform visual identification, and a procedure of stimulating microorganisms is cumbersome, and thus it is very inconvenient to perform an operation of counting the number of living microorganisms. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
     [Technical Problem] 
     The present invention is directed to providing an apparatus for detecting microorganisms in which an operation of counting a number of living microorganisms can be easily performed by electrically stimulating the living microorganisms. 
     The present invention is also directed to providing an apparatus for detecting microorganisms in which location movement depending on whether living microorganisms are electrically stimulated can be identified by an image processing method. 
     [Technical Solution] 
     One aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for detecting microorganisms, including: a sample accommodation container having an accommodation space in which a measurement sample in which a number of living microorganisms is to be counted is accommodated; an electrode portion installed at the sample accommodation container so as to apply electrical stimulation to the microorganisms of the sample accommodated in the accommodation space; a current applying control portion that is capable of controlling a current applied by the electrode portion; and an image processor that captures an image of the sample accommodated in the sample accommodation container and counts the number of living microorganisms. 
     The accommodation space of the sample accommodation container may be formed to constitute a flow path which extends in a zigzag form and of which one end and the other end are closed and upper part is open, and the electrode portion may include first and second electrodes that respectively extend from one end and the other end of the flow path and are spaced apart from each other. 
     The accommodation space of the sample accommodation container may be formed to constitute a flow path which extends in a zigzag form and of which one end and the other end are closed and upper part is open, and the electrode portion may include a transparent electrode installed to extend along the flow path and connection terminals that extend from both ends of the transparent electrode toward an outside of the sample accommodation container and are connected to the current applying control portion. 
     The electrode portion may include: a plurality of horizontal transparent electrodes that are spaced apart from each other in a first direction in the accommodation space of the sample accommodation container; a plurality of vertical transparent electrodes that are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and constitute a matrix shape together with the plurality of horizontal transparent electrodes; and connection terminals that connect the plurality of horizontal transparent electrodes and the plurality of vertical transparent electrodes to the current applying control portion. 
     The image processor may include: a camera that captures an image of the sample accommodation container; and a vision recognition processor that controls the current applying control portion, compares an image captured by the camera before a current is applied to the sample accommodation container by the current applying control portion with an image captured by the camera after the current is applied to the sample accommodation container by the current applying control portion, counts the number of microorganisms of which locations are changed, and displays the counted number of living microorganisms on a display portion. 
     [Advantageous Effects] 
     As described above, a number of living microorganisms can be easily identified by electrically stimulating the living microorganisms, and by comparing an image of the living microorganisms generated before electrical stimulation is applied to the living microorganisms with an image of the living microorganisms generated after electrical stimulation is applied to the living microorganisms, the number of living microorganisms can be easily measured. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an apparatus for detecting microorganisms according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a view of a sample accommodation container of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a control system of the apparatus for detecting microorganisms illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of a sample accommodation container according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a sample accommodation container according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, an apparatus for detecting microorganisms according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings in detail. 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of an apparatus for detecting microorganisms according to an embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 2  is a view of a sample accommodation container of  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a control system of the apparatus for detecting microorganisms illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , an apparatus  100  for detecting microorganisms according to the present invention includes a sample accommodation container  110 , an electrode portion  120 , a current applying control portion  130 , and an image processor  150 . 
     The sample accommodation container  110  has an accommodation space  112 , an upper part of which is open, so that a measurement sample in which the number of living microorganisms is to be counted can be accommodated in the sample accommodation container  110 . 
     The accommodation space  112  of the sample accommodation container  110  constitutes a flow path  116  which extends in a zigzag form and in which one end  113  and the other end  114  are closed and an upper part is open. 
     Here, when the accommodation space  112  of the sample accommodation container  110  constitutes the flow path  116  in the zigzag form, an extension length of the accommodation space  112  of the sample accommodation container  110  may be increased while the width of the flow path  116  is decreased. With respect to flow of the microorganisms, the accommodation space  112  of the sample accommodation container  110  is limited by the width of the flow path  116  in a widthwise direction of the flow path  116  so that flow of the microorganisms in a lengthwise direction of the flow path  116  can be induced and thus efficiency of identifying location movement of the microorganisms depending on whether electrical stimulation is performed, which will be described later, can be improved. 
     The electrode portion  120  is installed at the sample accommodation container  110  so as to apply electrical stimulation to the microorganism of the same accommodated in the accommodation space  112 . 
     The electrode portion  120  includes first and second electrodes  121  and  122  that respectively extend from one end  113  and the other end  114  of the flow path  116  into the flow path  116 . 
     Here, the first electrode  121  has a first contact portion  121   b  that protrudes from a first connection terminal  121   a  that protrudes outward from one end  113  of the flow path  116  of the sample accommodation container  110 , into the accommodation space  112  by a predetermined length. Here, the first contact portion  121   b  of the first electrode  121  may be installed to be exposed in the accommodation space  112  so that the first electrode  121  can maintain contact with the sample put in the accommodation space  112 . Alternatively, the first contact portion  121   b  of the first electrode  121  may be inwardly inserted from one end  113  of the flow path  116  and may be exposed, and when the first contact portion  121   b  of the first electrode  121  protrudes into the accommodation space  112 , a protrusion length of the first contact portion  121   b  may be properly set. 
     The second electrode  122  has a second contact portion  122   b  that protrudes from a second contact terminal  122   a  that protrudes outward from the other end  114  of the flow path  116  of the sample accommodation container  110 , into the accommodation space  112  by a predetermined length. 
     Here, the first electrode  121  and the second electrode  122  are spaced apart from each other along the flow path  116  and apply electric potentials applied by the current applying control portion  130  that will be described later to the microorganisms through the sample in the flow path  116 . 
     The current applying control portion  130  controls currents applied through the first and second electrodes  121  and  122  of the electrode portion  120 . 
     The current applying control portion  130  is configured to control currents by adjusting the electric potential or impedance applied through the first and second electrodes  121  and  122  by control of the image processor  150  that will be described later. 
     The image processor  150  captures an image of the sample accommodated in the accommodation space  112  of the sample accommodation container  110 , counts the number of living microorganisms and displays the counted number of living microorganisms on a display portion  155 . 
     The image processor  150  includes a camera  151 , a manipulation portion  153 , the display portion  155 , and a vision recognition processor  157 . 
     The camera  151  is installed at a body  101  so as to capture an image of the accommodation space  112  of the sample accommodation container  110  mounted on a base frame  103  of the body  101  in a separate location. 
     Here, the camera  151  having a magnification at which the microorganisms can be identified may be used. 
     The manipulation portion  153  includes keys that support manipulations for an operation of counting the number of living microorganisms, such as an execution key for performing an operation of counting the number of microorganisms and a manipulation key for setting a current value to be applied. 
     The display portion  155  is controlled by the vision recognition processor  157  and displays display information. 
     The current applying control portion  159  is controlled by the vision recognition processor  157  and controls a current to be applied by the electrode portion  120 . 
     When the execution key is manipulated by the manipulation portion  153 , the vision recognition processor  157  stores, in an internal memory, an image generated in a no-current-applied state in which an image of the sample accommodation container  110  is captured by the camera  151  in a state in which no current is applied to the sample accommodation container  110 , controls the current applying control portion  130  so that the set current can be applied through the sample accommodation container  110 , stores, in the internal memory, an image generated in a current-applied state in which the image of the sample accommodation container  110  is captured by the camera  151 , compares the image captured by the camera  151  before a current is applied to the sample accommodation container  110  by the current applying control portion  130  with the image captured by the camera  151  after the current is applied to the sample accommodation container  110  by the current applying control portion  130 , counts the number of microorganisms of which locations are changed, and displays the counted number of living microorganisms on the display portion  155 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , an electrode portion  220  that is installed at the sample accommodation container  110  and has a structure including a transparent electrode  225  that is installed in a band shape to extend along the flow path  116  formed in the zigzag form and two connection terminals  221  and  223  that extend from both ends of the transparent electrode  225  toward an outside of the sample accommodation container  110  and respectively extend outward from one end  113  and the other end  114  of the flow path  116 , so as to be connected to the current applying control portion  130 , may be used. 
     Here, the transparent electrode  225  may be an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode. 
     Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , an electrode portion  320  including a plurality of horizontal transparent electrodes  315   a  that are spaced apart from each other in a first direction in an accommodation space  212  inserted in a rectangular shape of a sample accommodation container  210 , a plurality of vertical transparent electrodes  316  that are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and constitute a matrix shape together with the plurality of horizontal transparent electrodes  315   a  and connection terminals  321  and  323  that connect the plurality of horizontal transparent electrodes  315   a  and the plurality of vertical transparent electrodes  316  to the current applying control portion  130  may be used. 
     Here, portions at which the horizontal transparent electrodes  315  and the vertical transparent electrodes  316  cross one another, are joined to each other so that currents can flow through the portions. 
     When the apparatus  100  for detecting microorganisms operates after a measurement sample, for example, sea water, is injected into the sample accommodation container  110  or  210 , the number of living microorganisms can be easily measured using information regarding a change in locations of the microorganisms before electrical stimulation is applied to the microorganisms and locations of the microorganisms after electrical stimulation is applied to the microorganisms, through the above-described procedures. 
     While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.