Incubator

Abstract

To provide an incubator capable of maintaining a suitable culture environment.SOLUTION: The incubator includes a casing that forms an internal space, a porous partition plate that divides the internal space into an upper space and a lower space, a shaker that is disposed on the porous partition plate and on which a workpiece capable of accommodating a culture medium is placed, an exhaust unit that exhausts air from a space below the porous partition plate, and an air supply unit that supplies air from above the shaker. Further, a plurality of porous partition plates are disposed in the vertical direction, the shaker is disposed on each porous partition plate, and the air supply unit is provided above each porous partition plate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an incubator. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an automated culture facility. The automated culture facility is equipped with multiple cell culture chambers, raw material processing chambers, and product processing chambers. Cells are transported between the chambers automatically by a robot. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4803196 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] To maintain an appropriate culture environment in a cell culture room, it is necessary to supply air to the culture medium contained in flasks and other workpieces, and to maintain the carbon dioxide concentration and temperature in the culture medium at appropriate levels. It is also necessary to prevent contaminants that inhibit cell growth from entering the workpieces.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an incubator that can maintain an appropriate culture environment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the incubator of the present disclosure comprises a casing that forms an internal space, a perforated partition plate that divides the internal space into upper and lower sections, a shaker that is placed on the perforated partition plate and on which a workpiece capable of containing a culture medium is placed, an exhaust section that exhausts air from the space below the perforated partition plate, and an air intake section that supplies air from above the shaker.

[0007] The incubator according to the present disclosure comprises a casing that forms an internal space, a plurality of partition plates arranged vertically that divide the internal space into upper and lower sections, a shaker that is arranged on each of the partition plates and on which a workpiece capable of containing a culture medium is placed, an exhaust section that exhausts air from within each space formed by the partition plates, and an air supply section that is arranged above each of the partition plates and supplies air from above the shaker. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The incubator of the present disclosure can maintain an appropriate culture environment. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an incubator according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of an incubator according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a porous partition plate according to a modified example of the second embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from above. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of an incubator according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from above. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of an incubator according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from a first horizontal direction. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram of an incubator according to a modified example of the third embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from above. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of an incubator according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from a first horizontal direction. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of an incubator according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from above. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a view of a shaker and an air supply unit according to a modified example of the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from a first horizontal direction. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a view of a shaker and an air supply unit according to another modified example of the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the first horizontal direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] First Embodiment (Incubator configuration) An incubator 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Fig. 1. Hereinafter, the vertical up-down direction Dv will be simply referred to as the up-down direction Dv. The incubator 1 is a facility that performs unmanned and automatic cell culture using a workpiece 2 such as a flask, well plate, or test tube. The workpiece 2 contains cells and a culture solution containing a medium to which nutrients necessary for cell growth have been added. The incubator 1 constitutes, for example, a part of an automated cell culture system.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the incubator 1 includes a workpiece 2, a tray 4, a casing 20, a porous partition plate 30, a shaker 40, an exhaust section 5, an air intake section 6, an outer wall section 7, a blower 9, and a diffusion plate 10.

[0012] (Work) The work 2 is a container capable of containing a medium in which cells are cultured. In this embodiment, a flask is used as the work 2, but this is not limited thereto. The work 2 may also be a test tube or a well plate. The work 2 is open at the top. The work 2 is provided with a cap 3 that closes the opening. An air hole is formed in the cap 3, allowing air to move in and out of the work 2.

[0013] (tray) The tray 4 is a container that stably holds the workpieces 2. The tray 4 of this embodiment holds a plurality of workpieces 2 together. The plurality of workpieces 2 held by the tray 4 are transported together by a robot (not shown).

[0014] (Casing) The casing 20 forms an internal space 21. The casing 20 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. The casing 20 has a lower wall 22 extending horizontally, an upper wall 23 extending horizontally above the lower wall 22, and a side wall 24 connecting the lower wall 22 and the upper wall 23 in the up-down direction Dv. The shape of the casing 20 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped. For example, the casing 20 may be formed in the shape of a polygonal cylinder.

[0015] (Perforated partition plate) The porous partition plate 30 divides the internal space 21 into upper and lower spaces. The porous partition plate 30 has a plurality of holes penetrating in the up-down direction Dv. The porous partition plate 30 of this embodiment is a grating made of steel materials welded in a grid pattern. The porous partition plate 30 may also be a perforated plate formed by punching a metal plate using a punching process. The open area ratio here means the proportion of open areas in a porous member (the perforated partition plate 30 or a diffusion plate 10 described later) having a plurality of holes formed therein. When a blower 9 described later is in operation, the space below the porous partition plate 30 becomes negative pressure relative to the space above the porous partition plate 30. The open area ratio of the porous partition plate 30 is designed to such an extent that the negative pressure in the space below the porous partition plate 30 is maintained.

[0016] (shaker) The shaker 40 is placed on the porous partition plate 30. The shaker 40 is a device that shakes the culture medium in the workpiece 2. The shaker 40 has a shaker body 41 and a stage 42. The shaker body 41 is placed on the porous partition plate 30. The stage 42 is attached to the shaker body 41. A plurality of trays 4 containing the workpieces 2 are placed on the stage 42. The stage 42 is swung in the horizontal direction by the shaker body 41 (for example, the stage 42 performs eccentric motion). As the stage 42 sways in the horizontal direction, the culture medium in the workpiece 2 on the stage 42 is shaken.

[0017] (Exhaust section) The exhaust section 5 exhausts air from the space below the porous partition plate 30. The exhaust section 5 is provided below the porous partition plate 30 and at the lower end of the side wall 24 of the casing 20. The exhaust section 5 in this embodiment is a hole that penetrates the side wall 24 in the horizontal direction.

[0018] (Air supply part) The air intake section 6 supplies the air discharged from the exhaust section 5 from above the shaker 40. An air intake section 6 is provided for each shaker 40. The air intake section 6 is provided directly above the corresponding shaker 40. The air intake section 6 extends horizontally. In this embodiment, the air intake section 6 is a HEPA filter attached to a hole that penetrates the upper wall 23 of the casing 20.

[0019] (Outer wall) The outer wall portion 7 is provided to cover the side wall 24 and the top wall 23 of the casing 20. The inner surface of the outer wall portion 7 and the outer surface of the casing 20 form an air passage 8 that connects the exhaust portion 5 and the intake portion 6.

[0020] (Blower) The blower 9 is installed in the air passage 8. The blower 9 faces the exhaust section 5 in the horizontal direction. When the blower 9 sucks in air from inside the casing 20, the air from inside the casing 20 passes through the exhaust section 5 and is discharged to the outside of the casing 20. The blower 9 blows the air discharged from the exhaust section 5 upward. The air blown by the blower 9 is guided to the air intake section 6 through the air passage 8.

[0021] (diffuser plate) The diffusion plate 10 is provided above the shaker 40 and below the air intake section 6. The diffusion plate 10 is a perforated plate having a plurality of holes formed therethrough in the vertical direction Dv. The diffusion plate 10 diffuses the air supplied from the air intake section 6 in the horizontal direction within the casing 20. The diffusion plate 10 of this embodiment is, for example, a punched plate. The porosity of the diffusion plate 10 is smaller than the porosity of the porous partition plate 30. The diffusion plate 10 does not necessarily have to be provided.

[0022] (Air flow inside the incubator) Next, the air flow inside the incubator 1 will be described with reference to Figure 1. In Figure 1, the air flow is shown by arrows. As shown in FIG. 1, when the blower 9 is operated, the blower 9 sucks air from the space below the perforated partition plate 30 inside the casing 20. As a result, the air inside the casing 20 is exhausted to the outside of the casing 20 through the exhaust section 5. The blower 9 blows the air exhausted from the exhaust section 5 upward. The air passes through the air supply path 8 and is guided to the air intake section 6. In this embodiment, the air intake section 6 is a HEPA filter, so contaminants such as dust (dust and microorganisms present in the air) contained in the air that has passed through the air intake section 6 are captured by the air intake section 6. The air intake section 6 supplies the air exhausted from the exhaust section 5 toward the shaker 40 below. As a result, air from the air intake section 6 is supplied into the workpiece 2. The air that has passed through the shaker 40 then passes through the perforated partition plate 30 and is sent to the space below the perforated partition plate 30. The air sent to the space below the porous partition plate 30 is sucked again by the blower 9 and discharged to the outside of the casing 20. In this way, air circulates within the incubator 1.

[0023] It is noted that the air discharged from the exhaust unit 5 may be returned to the casing 20, and the air may not circulate within the incubator 1. In other words, the exhaust unit 5 and the air supply unit 6 are not connected, and the air discharged from the exhaust unit 5 does not have to be sent to the air supply unit 6.

[0024] (Action and effect) The incubator 1 of this embodiment can achieve the following effects.

[0025] In this embodiment, the incubator 1 includes a casing 20, a porous partition plate 30, a shaker 40, an exhaust unit 5, and an air supply unit 6. The casing 20 forms an internal space 21. The porous partition plate 30 divides the internal space 21 into upper and lower spaces. The shaker 40 is disposed on the porous partition plate 30. A workpiece 2 capable of accommodating a culture medium is placed on the shaker 40. The exhaust unit 5 exhausts air from the space below the porous partition plate 30. The air supply unit 6 supplies air from above the shaker 40.

[0026] According to the above configuration, the exhaust unit 5 exhausts air from within the casing 20 from below the porous partition plate 30. Then, the air supply unit 6 supplies air into the casing 20 from above the porous partition plate 30. The air supplied from the air supply unit 6 passes through the porous partition plate 30 and flows toward the exhaust unit 5. As a result, the air in the casing 20 becomes negative pressure as it flows downward. This creates an air flow from above to below within the casing 20. This allows the air supplied from the air supply unit 6 to spread evenly throughout the casing 20. This prevents unevenness in the carbon dioxide concentration and temperature within the casing 20. Furthermore, the space below the porous partition plate 30 is under negative pressure. This causes contaminants on the porous partition plate 30 to be sucked into the space below the porous partition plate 30. This prevents the contaminants on the porous partition plate 30 from being rolled up and mixed into the workpiece 2. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the air supply unit 6 is provided directly above the workpiece 2. Due to this positional relationship between the air supply unit 6 and the work 2 and the air flow path structure within the casing 20, clean air that has passed through the air supply unit 6 (HEPA filter) is delivered directly to the work 2 without coming into contact with the various devices within the device. This further prevents contamination from entering the work 2. In this way, according to this embodiment, an appropriate culture environment can be maintained.

[0027] In this embodiment, the incubator 1 is provided with a diffusion plate 10 that is provided above the shaker 40 and below the air supply unit 6 and has a plurality of holes formed therethrough in the up-down direction Dv. The aperture ratio of the diffusion plate 10 is smaller than the aperture ratio of the porous partition plate 30.

[0028] This allows the air supplied from the air intake section 6 to be diffused by the diffusion plate 10, making it easier to spread throughout the entire casing 20. Therefore, unevenness in the carbon dioxide concentration and temperature within the casing 20 is further suppressed.

[0029] In this embodiment, the incubator 1 includes a blower 9 that blows the air discharged from the exhaust section 5 to the air supply section 6.

[0030] According to the above configuration, the flow rate of the exhaust air is increased by the blower 9, further reducing the pressure in the space below the porous partition plate 30. As a result, the flow rate of air flowing from above to below the porous partition plate 30 in the casing 20 increases, and the reverse flow of air from below to above the porous partition plate 30 is suppressed.

[0031] Second Embodiment An incubator 101 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Fig. 2. Components common to the above-described embodiments will be designated by the same names and reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate. As with the first embodiment, the incubator 101 of this embodiment constitutes, for example, a part of an automated cell culture system.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the incubator 101 includes a workpiece 2, a tray 4, a casing 120, a porous partition plate 130 (an example of a partition plate), a shaker 40, an exhaust section 105, an air intake section 106, a filter 107, an air supply line 108, and a blower 109.

[0033] (Casing) The casing 120 forms an internal space 121. The casing 120 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. The casing 120 has a lower wall 122 extending horizontally, an upper wall 123 extending horizontally above the lower wall 122, and a side wall 124 connecting the lower wall 122 and the upper wall 123 in the up-down direction Dv. The shape of the casing 120 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped. For example, the casing 120 may be formed in the shape of a polygonal cylinder.

[0034] (Perforated partition plate) The porous partition plate 130 divides the internal space 121 into upper and lower spaces. The porous partition plate 130 has a plurality of holes penetrating in the up-down direction Dv. The porous partition plate 130 of this embodiment is a grating. Note that the porous partition plate 130 may be a punched plate. When the blower 109 described below is in operation, the space below the porous partition plate 130 becomes negative pressure relative to the space above the porous partition plate 130. The aperture ratio of the porous partition plate 130 is designed to such an extent that the negative pressure in the space below the porous partition plate 130 is maintained. The entire periphery of the outer periphery of the porous partition plate 130 is connected to the side wall 124 of the casing 120. Note that a part of the outer periphery of the porous partition may be separated from the side wall 124.

[0035] The porous partition plate 130 has a partition main body portion 131 and a step portion 132. The shaker 40 is placed on the partition main body portion 131. The partition main body portion 131 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate extending in the horizontal direction. The step portion 132 is provided around the entire outer periphery of the partition main body portion 131. In other words, the step portion 132 is formed in the shape of a frame surrounding the partition main body portion 131 when viewed from above. The step portion 132 is formed in an L-shape in cross section. The step portion 132 has a bottom portion 133 and a connecting portion 134. The bottom portion 133 is located below the partition main body portion 131. The connecting portion 134 connects the partition main body portion 131 and the bottom portion 133 in the up-down direction Dv.

[0036] In this embodiment, a plurality of porous partition plates 130 are arranged in the vertical direction Dv. The plurality of porous partition plates 130 divide the internal space 121 of the casing 120 into a plurality of spaces. The shaker 40 is placed on each of the porous partition plates 130. The plurality of spaces divided in the vertical direction Dv by the porous partition plates 130 have a negative pressure toward the lower spaces. Hereinafter, the spaces divided by the porous partition plates 130 are referred to as "small spaces 125."

[0037] (Exhaust section) The exhaust section 105 exhausts air from the space below the porous partition plate 130, while also exhausting air from within each small space 125 defined by the porous partition plate 130. In this embodiment, an exhaust section 105 is provided for each small space 125. Each exhaust section 105 is provided on the side wall 124 of the casing 120. The exhaust sections 105 from the second tier onwards, counting from the bottom, are provided at positions that overlap horizontally with the step portions 132 of the porous partition plate 130. It is preferable that an exhaust section 105 is provided for each small space 125 as in this embodiment, but this is not limiting. For example, only one exhaust section 105 may be provided further below the lowest porous partition plate 130.

[0038] (Air supply part) The air intake section 106 is a duct that supplies the air exhausted from the exhaust section 105 from above the shaker 40. A plurality of air intake sections 106 are provided. The air intake sections 106 are arranged above each shaker 40. In this embodiment, the air intake sections 106 are arranged directly above the shakers 40. The air intake sections 106 may be provided with louvers or fins (not shown). In this case, the air intake sections 106 can adjust the direction of the air flow by using these louvers or fins so that the air is distributed throughout the entire shaker 40. The air intake sections 106 may also have a built-in heater to prevent condensation.

[0039] (filter) The filter 107 collects contaminants from the air discharged from the exhaust unit 105. The filter 107 in this embodiment is, for example, a HEPA filter. Note that this filter 107 does not necessarily have to be provided. If the filter 107 is not provided, each air supply unit 106 may be a HEPA filter, as in the first embodiment.

[0040] (Ventilation line) The air supply line 108 guides the air discharged from the exhaust section 105 to the air supply section 106. The air supply line 108 has an exhaust line 110 and an air supply line 111. The exhaust line 110 connects each exhaust section 105 to the filter 107. The exhaust line 110 is provided for each exhaust section 105, and guides the air discharged from each exhaust section 105 to the filter 107. The air supply line 111 connects the filter 107 to each air supply section 106. The air supply line 111 guides the air that has passed through the filter 107 to each air supply section 106.

[0041] (Blower) The blower 109 is installed in the exhaust line 110. The blower 109 blows the air discharged from the exhaust section 105 toward the air intake section 106. A blower 109 is provided for each exhaust section 105. The blower 109 faces the corresponding exhaust section 105 in the horizontal direction. When the blower 109 sucks in the air inside the casing 120, the air inside the casing 120 passes through the exhaust section 105 and is discharged outside the casing 120. The blower 109 blows the air discharged from the exhaust section 105 upward. The air blown by the blower 109 passes through the filter 107 and is guided to the air intake section 106.

[0042] (Air flow inside the incubator) Next, the air flow inside the incubator 101 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. In Fig. 2, the air flow is shown by arrows. As shown in FIG. 2, when each blower 109 is operated, it sucks air from each small space 125. As a result, the air in each small space 125 is exhausted to the outside of the casing 120 through the exhaust section 105. The blower 109 sends the air exhausted from the exhaust section 105 to the air supply section 106. The air passes through a filter 107 and is guided to each air supply section 106. Contaminants such as dust contained in the air are captured by the filter 107. Each air supply section 106 supplies the air exhausted from the exhaust section 105 toward the shaker 40 below. As a result, air from the air supply section 106 is supplied into the workpiece 2. Thereafter, the air that has passed through the shaker 40 is exhausted from the exhaust section 105. The air that is not exhausted from the exhaust section 105 passes through a perforated partition plate 130 and is sent to the space below the perforated partition plate 130. The air sent to the lowest small space 125 is exhausted from the lowest exhaust section 105. In this manner, the air circulates within the incubator 101.

[0043] It is noted that the air discharged from the exhaust section 105 may be returned into the casing 120, and the air may not circulate within the incubator 101. In other words, the exhaust section 105 and the air supply section 106 are not connected, and the air discharged from the exhaust section 105 does not need to be sent to the air supply section 106.

[0044] (Action and effect) The incubator 101 of this embodiment has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment and can achieve the same effects as those of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the incubator 101 of this embodiment can achieve the following effects.

[0045] In this embodiment, a plurality of porous partition plates 130 are arranged in the vertical direction Dv. The shakers 40 are arranged on each porous partition plate 130. The air supply units 106 are provided above each porous partition plate 130.

[0046] This allows the air supply unit 106 to be installed in each small space 125 partitioned by the porous partition plate 130, so that the air supplied from the air supply unit 106 is distributed evenly within the casing 120. This prevents unevenness in the carbon dioxide concentration and temperature within the casing 120. Furthermore, the shakers 40 can be installed stacked in the vertical direction Dv. This allows the number of workpieces 2 that can be accommodated per installation area of ​​the incubator 101 to be increased. Furthermore, the incubator 101 can be made smaller.

[0047] In this embodiment, the exhaust section 105 is provided in each small space 125 defined by the porous partition plate 130 .

[0048] As a result, an exhaust section 105 is provided for each small space 125 defined by the porous partition plate 130, and an air circulation flow path is formed in each small space 125. This reduces the pressure loss of the entire device, and therefore makes it possible to lower the required specifications for the blower 109.

[0049] In this embodiment, the porous partition plate 130 has a partition main body 131 on which the shaker 40 is placed, and a step portion 132 provided around the entire outer periphery of the partition main body 131. The step portion 132 has a bottom portion 133 located below the partition main body 131, and a connection portion 134 that connects the partition main body 131 and the bottom portion 133 in the up-down direction Dv.

[0050] As a result, the space around the step portion 132 has a negative pressure relative to the space around the partition main body portion 131. This causes a flow to flow horizontally away from the shaker 40, making it difficult for contaminants to get into the shaker 40. In addition, because air is more likely to flow to the step portion 132 where the shaker 40 is not present, the amount of air sent downward through the porous partition plate 130 can be increased. This makes it easier for air to reach the bottom of the casing 120, making it possible to suppress unevenness in the carbon dioxide concentration and temperature in the vertical direction Dv.

[0051] In this embodiment, the porous partition plate 130 has the step portion 132 on the outer periphery side, but this is not limiting. The porous partition plate 130 may be formed in the shape of a flat plate extending in the horizontal direction.

[0052] In this embodiment, each exhaust section 105 is provided on a side wall 124 of the casing 120 .

[0053] This allows air to easily flow into the step portion 132. This makes it even more difficult for contaminants to get into the shaker 40.

[0054] The arrangement and number of exhaust units 105 can be changed as appropriate. The exhaust unit 105 may be provided, for example, on at least one side wall 124. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 3, a plurality of exhaust units 105 may be provided for one shaker 40 so as to surround the shaker 40 from the outside. Furthermore, the exhaust unit 105 may be provided, for example, in a corner of the casing 120 when viewed from above.

[0055] In addition, in this embodiment, the partition plate that divides the internal space 121 of the casing 120 into upper and lower sections is a perforated partition plate 130 such as a grating, but this is not limited to this. The partition plate may be a flat plate that does not have holes that penetrate in the vertical direction Dv. In this case, however, it is necessary to provide an exhaust section 105 for each small space 125 in which an air supply section 106 is arranged.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the case where the shakers 40 are provided in two stages in the vertical direction Dv has been described, but the shakers 40 may be provided in three or more stages in the vertical direction Dv.

[0057] <Third embodiment> An incubator 201 according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. Components common to the above-described embodiments will be designated by the same names and symbols, and descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate. Hereinafter, one horizontal direction will be referred to as the horizontal first direction Dh1, and a horizontal direction intersecting the horizontal first direction Dh1 will be referred to as the horizontal second direction Dh2. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the horizontal first direction Dh1 and the horizontal second direction Dh2 are orthogonal to each other. Note that the horizontal first direction Dh1 and the horizontal second direction Dh2 do not necessarily have to be orthogonal to each other. The incubator 201 according to this embodiment, like the first embodiment, constitutes, for example, a part of an automated cell culture system.

[0058] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the incubator 201 includes a work 2, a tray 4, a casing 220, a perforated partition plate 230, a shaker 240, an exhaust section 205, an air supply section 206, an air supply line 207, a blower 208, a partition wall 209, a movement area 210, an entry area 211, a pass box 212, and a robot 250.

[0059] (Casing) The casing 220 forms an internal space 221. The casing 220 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. The casing 220 has a lower wall 222 extending horizontally, an upper wall 223 extending horizontally above the lower wall 222, and a side wall 224 connecting the lower wall 222 and the upper wall 223 in the up-down direction Dv. The lower wall 222 and the upper wall 223 are formed in a rectangular shape having edges extending in a first horizontal direction Dh1 and edges extending in a second horizontal direction Dh2 when viewed from above. The dimensions of the casing 220 can be designed and modified as appropriate depending on the arrangement and number of shakers 240 housed therein.

[0060] (Perforated partition plate) The porous partition plate 230 divides the internal space 221 into upper and lower spaces. The porous partition plate 230 has a plurality of holes penetrating in the up-down direction Dv. The porous partition plate 230 in this embodiment is a grating. Note that the porous partition plate 230 may be a punched plate. When the blower 208, which will be described later, is in operation, the space below the porous partition plate 230 becomes negative pressure relative to the space above the porous partition plate 230. The aperture ratio of the porous partition plate 230 is designed to such an extent that the negative pressure in the space below the porous partition plate 230 is maintained. Furthermore, a central hole 231 is formed in the center of the porous partition plate 230 in the second horizontal direction Dh2. The central hole 231 penetrates in the up-down direction Dv. The central hole 231 is formed in a rectangular shape extending in the first horizontal direction Dh1 when viewed from above.

[0061] (shaker) The shaker 240 is placed on the porous partition plate 230. The shaker 240 is a device that shakes the culture medium in the work 2. The shaker 240 has a shaker body 241 and a stage 242. The shaker body 241 is placed on the porous partition plate 230. The stage 242 is attached to the shaker body 241. A plurality of trays 4 containing the work 2 are placed on the stage 242. The stage 242 is swung in the horizontal direction by the shaker body 241 (for example, the stage 242 performs eccentric motion). As the stage 242 sways in the horizontal direction, the culture medium in the work 2 on the stage 242 is shaken.

[0062] In this embodiment, the shakers 240 are provided in equal numbers (three on each side in the illustrated example) on both sides of the central hole 231 in the horizontal second direction Dh2. The multiple shakers 240 are also arranged in the horizontal first direction Dh1 along the central hole 231. In this embodiment, the multiple shakers 240 lined up in the horizontal first direction Dh1 are arranged at intervals in the horizontal first direction Dh1. The stage 242 is also formed in a rectangular shape extending in the horizontal second direction Dh2 when viewed from above. The stage 242 has a work area 243 on its upper surface that extends in the horizontal second direction Dh2. Multiple workpieces 2 are placed on the work area 243. The work area 243 is provided in a position facing the entry area 211, which will be described later. In the example of FIG. 4, for the shaker 240 on the left side of the paper, the work area 243 is provided only on the right side of the stage 242 in the paper. For the central shaker 240, work areas 243 are provided on both the left and right sides of the stage 242. For the shaker 240 on the right side of the page, the work area 243 is provided only on the left side of the stage 242. The number of shakers 240 in the casing 220 can be changed as appropriate.

[0063] (Exhaust section) The exhaust section 205 exhausts air from the space below the porous partition plate 230. The exhaust section 205 is provided below the porous partition plate 230 and at the lower end of the side wall 224 of the casing 220. A plurality of exhaust sections 205 are provided lined up in the circumferential direction of the side wall 224. The number of exhaust sections 205 can be changed as appropriate.

[0064] (Air supply part) The air intake section 206 supplies air exhausted from the exhaust section 205 from above the shaker 240. In this embodiment, the air intake section 206 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the side wall 224 of the casing 220 over the entire circumferential direction, excluding the pass box 212 described below. The air intake section 206 is provided above the porous partition plate 230. In this embodiment, the air intake section 206 is provided above the shaker 240 and the work 2. The air intake section 206 may be a duct or a HEPA filter. When the air intake section 206 is a duct, a filter for capturing contaminants, such as a HEPA filter, is installed in the air intake section 206 or in the air supply line 207. The air intake section 206 blows air downward and obliquely toward the center of the casing 220 as it goes downward.

[0065] (Ventilation line) The air blowing line 207 guides the air discharged from the exhaust section 205 to the air supply section 206. The air blowing line 207 connects the exhaust section 205 and the air supply section 206. The air blowing line 207 is provided for each exhaust section 205.

[0066] (Blower) The blower 208 is installed in the air supply line 207. The blower 208 blows the air discharged from the exhaust section 205 to the air supply section 206. A blower 208 is provided for each exhaust section 205. The blower 208 faces the corresponding exhaust section 205 in the horizontal direction. When the blower 208 sucks in the air inside the casing 220, the air inside the casing 220 passes through the exhaust section 205 and is discharged outside the casing 220. The blower 208 blows the air discharged from the exhaust section 205 upward. The air blown by the blower 208 is guided to the air supply section 206.

[0067] (Partition wall) The partition wall 209 is provided along the entire periphery of the central hole 231 of the porous partition plate 230. The partition wall 209 extends in the vertical direction Dv and connects the bottom wall 222 of the casing 220 and the porous partition plate 230. The area surrounded by the partition wall 209 is a movement area 210 of the robot 250, which will be described later.

[0068] (Moving area) The transfer area 210 is provided within the internal space 221. The transfer area 210 is provided in the center of the internal space 221 in the second horizontal direction Dh2, and extends in the first horizontal direction Dh1. In this embodiment, the transfer area 210 is defined by a partition wall 209. The transfer area 210 is adjacent in the second horizontal direction Dh2 to a plurality of shakers 240 lined up in the first horizontal direction Dh1. In this embodiment, a plurality of shakers 240 lined up in the first horizontal direction Dh1 are provided on both sides of the transfer area 210 in the second horizontal direction Dh2.

[0069] (Intrusion area) The entry area 211 is adjacent to the movement area 210 in the second horizontal direction Dh2. The entry area 211 is an area into which a transport mechanism 253 of a robot 250, which will be described later, can enter. In this embodiment, the entry area 211 is the space between multiple shakers 240 lined up in the first horizontal direction Dh1. In other words, the entry area 211 is provided between work areas 243.

[0070] (pass box) The pass box 212 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the side wall 224 of the casing 220, at a position facing the horizontal first direction Dh1 and one end of the transfer area 210 in the horizontal first direction Dh1. The pass box 212 is a facility for taking the workpiece 2 in and out of the casing 220.

[0071] (robot) The robot 250 transports the workpiece 2 inside the casing 220. The robot 250 has a robot body 251 and a transport mechanism 253.

[0072] (Robot body) As shown in FIG. 6, the robot body 251 is disposed within the movement area 210. The robot body 251 moves within the movement area 210 in a first horizontal direction Dh1. A travel motor, a drive motor for driving the transport mechanism 253, and the like are built into the robot body 251. The robot body 251 of this embodiment moves on rails 252 that are provided within the movement area 210 and extend in the first horizontal direction Dh1. The robot body 251 may also move on wheels.

[0073] (Transport mechanism) The following embodiment will be described taking as an example a case where the transport mechanism 253 is a robot arm that grips the tray 4 on which the workpieces 2 are placed. Note that the transport mechanism 253 is not limited to a robot arm. The transport mechanism 253 may be, for example, a mechanism that incorporates a mechanism that scoops up the tray 4 from below or a mechanism that attracts the tray 4 with a magnet into a linear motion mechanism or a one-axis slider mechanism.

[0074] The transport mechanism 253 has a transport mechanism main body 254 and a gripping unit 255. The transport mechanism main body 254 is provided so as to be movable in three directions: the vertical direction Dv, the first horizontal direction Dh1, and the second horizontal direction Dh2. In Figs. 4 and 5, the movement directions of the transport mechanism main body 254 are indicated by arrows. The gripping unit 255 is capable of entering the entry area 211 and gripping the workpiece 2. In this embodiment, the gripping unit 255 is a robot hand that grips multiple workpieces 2 together with the tray 4. The configuration of the transport mechanism 253 is not limited to the example shown in the figures and can be modified as appropriate.

[0075] (Air flow inside the incubator) Next, the air flow inside the incubator 201 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. In Fig. 5, the air flow is indicated by arrows. As shown in FIG. 5 , when the blower 208 is operated, the blower 208 sucks air from the space below the porous partition plate 230 inside the casing 220. As a result, the air inside the casing 220 is exhausted to the outside of the casing 220 through the exhaust section 205. The blower 208 blows the air exhausted from the exhaust section 205 upward. The air is guided to the air supply section 206 through the air supply line 207. The air supply section 206 supplies the air exhausted from the exhaust section 205 toward the shaker 240 below. As a result, air from the air supply section 206 is supplied into the workpiece 2. Thereafter, the air that has passed through the shaker 240 passes through the porous partition plate 230 and is sent to the space below the porous partition plate 230. The air sent to the space below the porous partition plate 230 is sucked again by the blower 208 and discharged outside the casing 220. In this way, air circulates within the incubator 201.

[0076] It is noted that the air discharged from the exhaust section 205 may be returned into the casing 220, and the air may not circulate within the incubator 201. In other words, the exhaust section 205 and the air supply section 206 are not connected, and the air discharged from the exhaust section 205 does not have to be sent to the air supply section 206.

[0077] (Work transport procedure) Next, the procedure for transporting the workpiece 2 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in Figure 4, the robot 250 moves to a position adjacent to the entry area 211 in the second horizontal direction Dh2. Thereafter, the transport mechanism 253 extends in the first horizontal direction Dh1 and enters the entry area 211. At this time, the transport mechanism 253 moves in the up-down direction Dv, the first horizontal direction Dh1, and the second horizontal direction Dh2 to adjust the position of the gripper 255. When the gripper 255 grips the workpiece 2, the transport mechanism 253 operates to move away from the entry area 211. Thereafter, the robot 250 moves to the pass box 212, and the workpiece 2 is stored in the pass box 212. In this manner, the workpiece 2 is transported.

[0078] (Action and effect) The incubator 201 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the first and second embodiments and can achieve the same effects as the first and second embodiments. Furthermore, the incubator 201 of this embodiment can achieve the following effects.

[0079] In this embodiment, a plurality of shakers 240 are arranged in a first horizontal direction Dh1. The incubator 201 includes a movement area 210, an entry area 211, and a robot 250. The movement area 210 extends in the first horizontal direction Dh1 within the internal space 221, and is adjacent to the plurality of shakers 240 arranged in the first horizontal direction Dh1 in a second horizontal direction Dh2 that intersects with the first horizontal direction Dh1. The entry area 211 is adjacent to the movement area 210 in the second horizontal direction Dh2. The robot 250 moves in the first horizontal direction Dh1 within the movement area 210. The shaker 240 also has a work area 243 on which the workpiece 2 is placed. The entry area 211 is provided between the work areas 243. The robot 250 is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction Dv, the first horizontal direction Dh1, and the second horizontal direction Dh2, and has a transport mechanism 253 that can enter the entry area 211 and grip the workpiece 2.

[0080] In this embodiment, a three-axis arm with a simple configuration can be used as the transport mechanism 253 of the robot 250, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the incubator 201. Furthermore, since the workpieces 2 can be densely arranged in the horizontal direction, it is possible to increase the number of workpieces 2 that can be accommodated while installing the robot 250 in the incubator 201.

[0081] (Modification of the third embodiment) Next, a modified example of the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6, in this modification, the entry area 211 is provided at a position overlapping with the shaker 240 in the up-down direction Dv. For the shaker 240 on the left side of the page, the work area 243 is provided only on the left side of the stage 242 on the page, and the entry area 211 is on the right side of the stage 242 on the page. For the shaker 240 in the middle, the work area 243 is provided on both the left and right sides of the stage 242. For the shaker 240 on the right side of the page, the work area 243 is provided only on the right side of the stage 242 on the page, and the entry area 211 is on the left side of the stage 242 on the page.

[0082] By providing the entry area 211 as in this modified example, it becomes possible to install a part of the shaker 240 within the entry area 211 of the transfer mechanism 253. Therefore, the shakers 240 can be densely arranged while ensuring the space of the entry area 211, and the incubator 201 can be further reduced in size.

[0083] In this embodiment, the shaker 240 is provided in only one stage in the vertical direction Dv, but this is not limiting. The shaker 240 may be provided in multiple stages in the vertical direction Dv, as in the second embodiment.

[0084] <Fourth embodiment> An incubator 301 according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Components common to the above-described embodiments will be given the same names and reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate. As with the first embodiment, the incubator 301 of this embodiment constitutes, for example, a part of an automated cell culture system.

[0085] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the incubator 301 includes a work 2, a tray 4, a casing 220, a porous partition plate 230, a shaker 340, an exhaust section 305, an air supply section 306, an air supply line 307, a blower 308, a partition wall 209, a cable storage section 309, a loading plate 310, a movement area 210, a pass box 212, and a robot 350.

[0086] (Perforated partition plate) In this embodiment, a plurality of porous partition plates 230 (two in the illustrated example) are arranged in the vertical direction Dv. The plurality of porous partition plates 230 divide the internal space 221 of the casing 220 into a plurality of sections. A partition wall 209 is attached only to the lowest porous partition plate 230. A shaker 340 is placed on each porous partition plate 230. In addition, the upper central hole 231 is formed wider in the horizontal second direction Dh2 than the lower central hole 231.

[0087] (shaker) The shaker 340 is placed on the porous partition plate 230. The shaker 340 is a device that shakes the culture medium in the work 2. The shaker 340 has a shaker body 341 and a stage 342. The shaker body 341 is placed on the porous partition plate 230. The stage 342 is attached to the shaker body 341. A plurality of trays 4 containing the work 2 are placed on the stage 342. The stage 342 is swung in the horizontal direction by the shaker body 341 (for example, the stage 342 performs eccentric motion). As the stage 342 oscillates in the horizontal direction, the culture medium in the work 2 on the stage 342 is shaken.

[0088] In this embodiment, the shakers 340 are provided in equal numbers (two on each side in the illustrated example) on both sides of the central hole 231 in the second horizontal direction Dh2. The multiple shakers 340 are also arranged in the first horizontal direction Dh1 along the central hole 231. In this embodiment, the multiple shakers 340 lined up in the first horizontal direction Dh1 are arranged close to each other. The stage 342 is also formed in a rectangular shape extending in the first horizontal direction Dh1 when viewed from above.

[0089] Furthermore, the upper shaker 340 is provided at a position farther away from the robot 350 in the horizontal direction (in the present embodiment, the second horizontal direction Dh2) than the lower shaker 340.

[0090] (Exhaust section) The exhaust section 305 exhausts air from the space below the porous partition plate 230. The exhaust section 305 is provided below the lowest porous partition plate 230 and at the lower end of the side wall 224 of the casing 220. A plurality of exhaust sections 305 are provided and lined up in the circumferential direction of the side wall 224. The number of exhaust sections 305 can be changed as appropriate.

[0091] (Air supply part) The air intake section 306 supplies air exhausted from the exhaust section 305 from above the shaker 340. The air intake section 306 is provided above each porous partition plate 230. In this embodiment, an air intake section 306 is provided for each shaker 340. The air intake section 306 is disposed directly above the shaker 340. In this embodiment, the air intake section 306 is a duct opening toward the casing 220. A filter for capturing contaminants, such as a HEPA filter, is installed inside the air intake section 306. The air intake section 306 is provided so that its inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane can be changed. In the illustrated example, each air intake section 306 changes its inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane by rotating around an axis O that passes through the air intake section 306 and extends in the first horizontal direction Dh1. Each air intake section 306 may be provided so that it can move to a horizontal position (for example, a position in the second horizontal direction Dh2). Each air intake section 306 may be provided so that both the tilt angle with respect to the horizontal plane and the horizontal position can be changed. Also, the air intake section 306 itself may be a HEPA filter.

[0092] (Ventilation line) The air blowing line 307 guides the air discharged from the exhaust section 305 to the air supply section 306. The air blowing line 307 connects the exhaust section 305 and the air supply section 306 together.

[0093] (Blower) The blower 308 is installed in the air supply line 307. The blower 308 blows the air discharged from the exhaust section 305 to the air supply section 306. A blower 308 is provided for each exhaust section 305. The blower 308 faces the corresponding exhaust section 305 in the horizontal direction. When the blower 308 sucks in the air inside the casing 220, the air inside the casing 220 passes through the exhaust section 305 and is discharged outside the casing 220. The blower 308 blows the air discharged from the exhaust section 305 upward. The air blown by the blower 308 is guided to the air supply section 306.

[0094] (cable storage area) The cable storage section 309 is a box-shaped container that stores cables such as those for the shaker 340. The cable storage section 309 extends horizontally. The cable storage section 309 is disposed below the lowest porous partition plate 230. The cable storage section 309 is placed on a mounting plate 310. The mounting plate 310 is a plate that allows air to pass through, such as a grating or a punched plate, and is disposed between the porous partition plate 230 and the bottom wall 222 of the casing 220.

[0095] (robot) The robot 350 transports the workpiece 2 inside the casing 220. The robot 350 includes a robot body 351 and a transport mechanism 353.

[0096] (Robot body) The robot body 351 is disposed within the movement area 210. The robot body 351 moves within the internal space 221. In this embodiment, the robot body 351 moves within the movement area 210 in a first horizontal direction Dh1. A travel motor and a drive motor for driving the transport mechanism 353 are built into the robot body 351. The robot body 351 of this embodiment moves on rails 352 that are provided within the movement area 210 and extend in the first horizontal direction Dh1. The robot body 351 may also move on wheels.

[0097] (Transport mechanism) The following embodiment will be described taking as an example a case where the transport mechanism 353 is a robot arm that grips the tray 4 on which the workpieces 2 are placed. Note that the transport mechanism 353 is not limited to a robot arm. The transport mechanism 353 may be, for example, a mechanism that incorporates a mechanism that scoops up the tray 4 from below or a mechanism that attracts the tray 4 with a magnet into a linear motion mechanism or a one-axis slider mechanism.

[0098] The transport mechanism 353 has a transport mechanism main body 354 and a gripping unit 355. The transport mechanism main body 354 is movable in three directions: the vertical direction Dv, the first horizontal direction Dh1, and the second horizontal direction Dh2. In Figures 7 and 8, the movement directions of the transport mechanism main body 354 are indicated by arrows. The gripping unit 355 is capable of gripping the workpiece 2. In this embodiment, the gripping unit 355 is a robot hand that grips multiple workpieces 2 together with the tray 4. The configuration of the transport mechanism 353 is not limited to the example shown in the figure, and can be modified as appropriate.

[0099] (Air flow inside the incubator) Next, the air flow inside the incubator 301 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. In Fig. 7, the air flow is shown by arrows. As shown in FIG. 7 , when the blower 308 is operated, the blower 308 sucks air from the space below the porous partition plate 230 inside the casing 220. As a result, the air inside the casing 220 is exhausted to the outside of the casing 220 through the exhaust section 305. The blower 308 blows the air exhausted from the exhaust section 305 upward. The air is guided to the air supply section 306 through the air supply line 307. The air supply section 306 supplies the air exhausted from the exhaust section 305 toward the shaker 340 below. At this time, the air supply section 306 blows air toward the shaker 340 from the opposite side to the robot 350 in the second horizontal direction Dh2. As a result, air from the air supply section 306 is supplied into the workpiece 2. Thereafter, the air that has passed through the shaker 340 passes through the porous partition plate 230 and is sent to the space below the porous partition plate 230. The air that has passed through the lowermost porous partition plate 230 is sucked again by the blower 308 and discharged to the outside of the casing 220. In this manner, air circulates within the incubator 301.

[0100] It is noted that the air discharged from the exhaust section 305 may be returned to the casing 220, and the air may not circulate within the incubator 301. In other words, the exhaust section 305 and the air supply section 306 are not connected, and the air discharged from the exhaust section 305 does not have to be sent to the air supply section 306.

[0101] (Work transport procedure) Next, the procedure for transporting the workpiece 2 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the robot 350 moves to a position adjacent to the entry area in the horizontal second direction Dh2. Then, the transport mechanism 353 moves in the vertical direction Dv, the horizontal first direction Dh1, and the horizontal second direction Dh2 to adjust the position of the gripper 355. The transport mechanism 353 then starts the operation of removing the workpiece 2. At this time, the air supply unit 306 rotates around an axis O extending in the horizontal first direction Dh1 to prevent interference between the transport mechanism 353 and the air supply unit 306. When the gripper 355 grips the workpiece 2, the transport mechanism 353 is activated to move away from the shaker 340. The robot 350 then moves to the pass box 212, and the workpiece 2 is stored in the pass box 212. In this manner, the workpiece 2 is transported.

[0102] (Action and effect) The incubator 301 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the first to third embodiments and can achieve the same effects as the first to third embodiments. Furthermore, the incubator 301 of this embodiment can achieve the following effects.

[0103] In this embodiment, the incubator 301 is equipped with a robot 350 that moves within the internal space 221. The robot 350 is provided so as to be movable in two horizontal directions and in the vertical direction Dv, and has a transport mechanism 353 that can grip the workpiece 2. The air supply unit 306 is disposed above each shaker 340. The air supply unit 306 is provided so that its inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane or its horizontal position can be changed.

[0104] In this embodiment, a three-axis arm with a simple configuration can be used as the transport mechanism 353 of the robot 350, allowing the incubator 301 to be made smaller. In addition, air is supplied to each workpiece 2 from the air supply unit 306, preventing unevenness in the carbon dioxide concentration and temperature between the workpieces 2. Furthermore, by adjusting the attitude and position of the air supply unit 306, it is possible to prevent the air supply unit 306 from interfering with the transport mechanism 353 when removing the workpiece 2. In addition, by changing the attitude and position of the air supply unit 306, the direction of air blowing to the workpiece 2 can be adjusted, allowing air to be supplied uniformly to each workpiece 2.

[0105] In this embodiment, the upper shaker 340 is provided at a position farther away from the robot 350 in the horizontal direction (in this embodiment, the second horizontal direction Dh2) than the lower shaker 340.

[0106] This allows the transfer mechanism 353 of the robot 350 to easily access the workpiece 2 placed on the lower shaker 340. This improves work efficiency.

[0107] In this embodiment, the incubator 301 includes a cable storage section 309 that extends horizontally and can store the cable of the shaker 340 .

[0108] This prevents the cable storage section 309 from becoming long in the vertical direction Dv, thereby reducing the installation space in the vertical direction Dv of the incubator 301. Note that cables of devices other than the shaker 340 may be stored in the cable storage section 309.

[0109] (Modification of the fourth embodiment) Next, a modified example of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 9 , in this modification, the stage 342 of the shaker 340 may include a pedestal 343. The pedestal 343 is provided on the stage 342 at a position spaced apart from the robot 350 in the horizontal direction (the second horizontal direction Dh2 in the illustrated example). The pedestal 343 is L-shaped in cross section. The pedestal 343 includes a pedestal top plate 344 and a pedestal connection part 345. The pedestal top plate 344 is provided at a position spaced apart above the stage 342. The pedestal top plate 344 is a plate-like member extending in the horizontal direction. The pedestal top plate 344 is a plate, such as a grating or a punched plate, that has a plurality of holes formed therethrough in the vertical direction Dv and allows air to pass through. The pedestal connection part 345 connects the pedestal top plate 344 and the stage 342 in the vertical direction Dv. Hereinafter, on the stage 342, the portion closer to the robot 350 (nearer) than the pedestal 343 in the horizontal direction (the second horizontal direction Dh2 in the illustrated example) will be referred to as the first placement portion 346, and the pedestal top plate 344 of the pedestal 343 will be referred to as the second placement portion 347. Workpieces 2 are placed on both the first placement portion 346 and the second placement portion 347. The second placement portion 347 is provided at a position farther away from the robot 350 in the horizontal direction (the second horizontal direction Dh2 in the illustrated example) than the first placement portion 346. The second placement portion 347 is provided above the first placement portion 346.

[0110] In this way, the shaker 340 has the first placement section 346 and the second placement section 347 provided above the first placement section 346, so that the workpieces 2 can be densely arranged in the horizontal direction while ensuring an operating space for the transfer mechanism 353. Therefore, the robot 350 can remove the workpieces 2 on the second placement section 347 without moving the workpieces 2 on the first placement section 346. In addition, the internal space 221 of the incubator 301 can be used effectively.

[0111] The second placement portion 347 is a plate, such as a grating or a punched plate, having a plurality of holes formed therethrough in the vertical direction Dv and allowing air to pass through.

[0112] This allows the air to pass through the second placement portion 347, and the change in the air flow caused by the second placement portion 347 is suppressed.

[0113] The pedestals 343 may be provided in multiple stages on the opposite side (rear side) from the robot 350 in the horizontal first direction Dh1. In this case, for pedestal top plates 344 adjacent in the horizontal second direction Dh2, the pedestal top plate 344 on the robot 350 side (front side) in the horizontal first direction Dh1 becomes the first placement section 346, and the pedestal top plate 344 on the opposite side (rear side) from the robot 350 in the horizontal first direction Dh1 becomes the second placement section 347.

[0114] As shown in FIG. 10, the air supply unit 306 may blow air from the robot 350 side toward the shaker 340. The configurations of the first placement section 346 and the second placement section 347 may be applied to the third embodiment.

[0115] (Other embodiments) The above describes in detail the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes and the like are also included within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0116] <Additional Notes> The incubators 1, 101, 201, and 301 described in the respective embodiments can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0117] (1) An incubator 1, 101, 201, 301 according to a first embodiment comprises a casing 20, 120, 220 that forms an internal space 21, 121, 221, a porous partition plate 30, 130, 230 that divides the internal space 21, 121, 221 into upper and lower spaces, a shaker 40, 240, 340 that is arranged on the porous partition plate 30, 130, 230 and on which a workpiece 2 capable of accommodating a culture medium is placed, an exhaust section 5, 105, 205, 305 that exhausts air from the space below the porous partition plate 30, 130, 230, and an air supply section 6, 106, 206, 306 that supplies air from above the shaker 40, 240, 340.

[0118] According to the above configuration, the air inside the casing 20, 120, 220 is discharged from below the porous partition plate 30, 130, 230 by the exhaust section 5, 105, 205, 305. Then, the air supply section 6, 106, 206, 306 supplies air into the casing 20, 120, 220 from above the porous partition plate 30, 130, 230. The air supplied from the air supply section 6, 106, 206, 306 passes through the porous partition plate 30, 130, 230 and heads toward the exhaust section 5, 105, 205, 305. As a result, negative pressure develops in the casing 20, 120, 220 as it moves downward. This creates an air flow from above to below within the casing 20, 120, 220. As a result, the air supplied from the air supply units 6, 106, 206, 306 is distributed uniformly within the casings 20, 120, 220. Therefore, the carbon dioxide concentration and temperature are uniform within the casings 20, 120, 220. Furthermore, the space below the porous partition plates 30, 130, 230 is under negative pressure. As a result, contaminants on the porous partition plates 30, 130, 230 are sucked into the space below the porous partition plates 30, 130, 230. Therefore, the contaminants on the porous partition plates 30, 130, 230 are prevented from being lifted up and mixed into the workpiece 2.

[0119] (2) The incubator 1 of the second aspect is the incubator 1 of (1), which is provided with a diffusion plate 10 that is located above the shaker 40 and below the air supply section 6 and has a plurality of holes formed therein that penetrate in the vertical direction Dv, and the aperture ratio of the diffusion plate 10 may be smaller than the aperture ratio of the porous partition plate 30.

[0120] This allows the air supplied from the air intake section 6 to be diffused by the diffusion plate 10, making it easier to spread throughout the entire casing 20.

[0121] (3) The incubator 101 of the third aspect is the incubator 101 of (1), wherein the porous partition plates 130 are arranged in a plurality in the vertical direction Dv, the shaker 40 is arranged on each of the porous partition plates 130, and the air supply section 106 is provided above each of the porous partition plates 130.

[0122] This allows the air supply section 106 to be installed in each space partitioned by the porous partition plate 130, so that the air supplied from the air supply section 106 is distributed evenly within the casing 120. This prevents unevenness in the carbon dioxide concentration and temperature within the casing 120. Furthermore, the shakers 40 can be installed stacked in the vertical direction Dv. This allows the number of workpieces 2 that can be accommodated per installation area of ​​the incubator 101 to be increased. Furthermore, the incubator 101 can be made smaller.

[0123] (4) The incubator 101 of a fourth aspect is the incubator 101 of (3), wherein the exhaust section 105 may be provided in each space partitioned by the porous partition plate 130.

[0124] As a result, exhaust section 105 is provided for each space partitioned by porous partition plate 130, and an air circulation flow path is formed in each space, thereby reducing pressure loss throughout the device.

[0125] (5) The incubator 101 according to the fifth aspect is the incubator 101 of (4), wherein the porous partition plate 130 has a partition main body portion 131 extending horizontally and a step portion 132 provided around the entire outer periphery of the partition main body portion 131, and the step portion 132 may have a bottom portion 133 located below the partition main body portion 131 and a connection portion 134 connecting the partition main body portion 131 and the bottom portion 133 in the vertical direction Dv.

[0126] As a result, the space around the step portion 132 has a negative pressure relative to the space around the partition main body portion 131. This causes a flow to flow horizontally away from the shaker 40, making it difficult for contaminants to get into the shaker 40.

[0127] (6) The incubator 101 of a sixth aspect is the incubator 101 of (5), wherein each of the exhaust units 105 may be provided on the side wall 124 of the casing 120.

[0128] This allows air to easily flow into the step portion 132. This makes it even more difficult for contaminants to get into the shaker 40.

[0129] (7) The incubator 201 of the seventh aspect is the incubator 201 of (1), which includes a plurality of the shakers 240 arranged in a horizontal first direction Dh1, a movement area 210 extending in the horizontal first direction Dh1 within the internal space 221 and adjacent to the plurality of shakers 240 arranged in the horizontal first direction Dh1 in a horizontal second direction Dh2 that intersects with the horizontal first direction Dh1, an entry area 211 adjacent to the movement area 210 in the horizontal second direction Dh2, and and a robot 250 that moves within the movement area 210 in the horizontal first direction Dh1, wherein the shaker 240 has a work area 243 on which the work 2 is placed, and the entry area 211 is provided between the work areas 243, and the robot 250 is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction Dv, the horizontal first direction Dh1, and the horizontal second direction Dh2, and may have a transport mechanism 253 that can enter the entry area 211 and transport the work 2.

[0130] In this embodiment, a three-axis arm with a simple configuration can be used as the transport mechanism 253 of the robot 250, thereby reducing the size of the incubator 201. Furthermore, since the workpieces 2 can be densely arranged in the horizontal direction, the number of workpieces 2 that can be accommodated can be increased while the robot 250 is installed in the incubator 201.

[0131] (8) The incubator 201 according to an eighth aspect is the incubator 201 of (7), wherein the entry area 211 may be provided at a position overlapping the shaker 240 in the up-down direction Dv.

[0132] This allows a portion of the shaker 240 to be installed within the entry area 211 of the transfer mechanisms 253, 353. Therefore, the shakers 240 can be densely arranged, and the incubator 201 can be further reduced in size.

[0133] (9) The incubator 301 of the ninth aspect is the incubator 301 of (1), and is equipped with a robot 350 that moves within the internal space 221, the robot 350 being movable in two horizontal directions and in the vertical direction Dv, and having a transport mechanism 353 that can transport the work 2, and the air supply section 306 being arranged above each shaker 340, and the air supply section 306 may be configured so that its inclination angle relative to the horizontal plane or its horizontal position can be changed.

[0134] In this embodiment, a three-axis arm with a simple configuration can be used as the transport mechanism 353 of the robot 350, allowing the incubator 301 to be made smaller. Also, air is supplied to each work 2 from the air supply unit 306, preventing unevenness in the carbon dioxide concentration and temperature between the works 2. Furthermore, by adjusting the attitude and position of the air supply unit 306, it is possible to prevent the air supply unit 306 from interfering with the transport mechanism 353 when the work 2 is removed.

[0135] (10) The incubator 301 of the tenth aspect may be any one of the incubators 301 of (9), and may include a cable storage section 309 that extends horizontally and can store the cable of the shaker 340.

[0136] This prevents the cable storage section 309 from becoming long in the vertical direction Dv, thereby reducing the installation space of the incubator 301 in the vertical direction Dv.

[0137] (11) The incubator 301 of the eleventh aspect is the incubator 301 of (1), and is equipped with a robot 350 that moves within the internal space 221, the robot 350 being movable in two horizontal directions and in the vertical direction Dv, and having a transport mechanism 353 that can transport the work 2, the shaker 340 having a first mounting portion 346 on which the work 2 is placed, and a second mounting portion 347 on which the work 2 is placed, which is located at a position horizontally farther from the robot 350 than the first mounting portion 346, and the second mounting portion 347 may be located above the first mounting portion 346.

[0138] This allows the robot 350 to take out the workpieces 2 on the second placement section 347 without removing the workpieces 2 on the first placement section 346, while arranging the workpieces 2 closely in the horizontal direction.

[0139] (12) The incubator 101 according to the twelfth aspect comprises a casing 120 that forms an internal space 121, a plurality of partition plates that divide the internal space 121 into upper and lower spaces and are arranged in the vertical direction Dv, a shaker 40 that is arranged on each of the partition plates and on which a work 2 capable of containing a culture medium is placed, an exhaust section 105 that exhausts air from within each space formed by the partition plates, and an air supply section 106 that is arranged above each of the partition plates and supplies air from above the shaker 40. Examples of the partition include the porous partition plate 130 of the above-described embodiment and a metal plate without holes penetrating in the vertical direction.

[0140] As a result, the exhaust section 105 exhausts air from each space partitioned by the partition plates. Then, the air supply section 106 supplies air into the casing 120 from above each partition plate. The air supplied from the air supply section 106 flows toward the exhaust section 105. This allows the air supplied from the air supply section 106 to spread evenly throughout the casing 120. This suppresses unevenness in the carbon dioxide concentration and temperature within the casing 120. Furthermore, the shakers 40 can be installed stacked in the vertical direction Dv. This allows the number of workpieces 2 that can be accommodated per installation area of ​​the incubator 101 to be increased. Furthermore, the incubator 101 can be made smaller. [Explanation of symbols]

[0141] 1. Incubator 2 Work 3 Cap 4 trays 5 Exhaust section 6 Air supply section 7 Exterior wall 8 Air duct 9 Blower 10 Diffuser 20 Casing 21 Interior Space 22 Lower wall 23 Upper Wall 24 Side wall 30 Perforated partition plate 40 Shaker 41 Shaker body 42 Stages 101 Incubator 105 Exhaust section 106 Air supply section 107 filters 108 Ventilation Line 109 Blower 110 Exhaust line 111 Air supply line 120 Casing 121 Interior Space 122 Lower Wall 123 Upper Wall 124 Side wall 125 Small space 130 Perforated partition board (partition board) 131 Partition body 132 Step 133 Bottom 134 Connection 201 Incubator 205 Exhaust section 206 Air supply section 207 Ventilation Line 208 Blower 209 Compartment Wall 210 Moving Area 211 Invasion Area 212 Pass Box 220 Casing 221 Interior Space 222 Lower Wall 223 Upper Wall 224 Side wall 230 Perforated partition plate 231 Central hole 240 Shaker 241 Shaker body 242 Stages 243 Work Area 250 robots 251 Robot body 252 Rail 253 Transport Mechanism 254 Transport mechanism body 255 Gripping part 301 Incubator 305 Exhaust section 306 Air supply section 307 Blow Line 308 Blower 309 Cable storage area 310 Loading plate 340 Shaker 341 Shaker body 342 Stages 343 Pedestal 344 Pedestal top 345 Pedestal connection part 346 First loading section 347 Second loading section 350 Robot 351 Robot body 352 Rail 353 Transport Mechanism 354 Transport mechanism body 355 Gripping part Dh1 horizontal 1st direction Dh2 Horizontal 2nd direction Dv vertical direction O axis

Claims

1. a casing that forms an interior space; A perforated partition plate that divides the internal space into upper and lower sections; A shaker that is placed on the porous partition plate and on which a workpiece capable of accommodating a culture medium is placed; an exhaust section that exhausts air from a space below the porous partition plate; an air supply unit that supplies air from above the shaker; An incubator equipped with:

2. a diffusion plate provided above the shaker and below the air supply unit, the diffusion plate having a plurality of holes formed therethrough in the vertical direction; The aperture ratio of the diffusion plate is smaller than the aperture ratio of the porous partition plate.

2. The incubator of claim 1.

3. The porous partition plate is arranged in a plurality of vertical directions, The shakers are disposed on each of the perforated partition plates, The air supply section is provided above each of the porous partition plates.

2. The incubator of claim 1.

4. 4. The incubator according to claim 3, wherein the exhaust section is provided in each space partitioned by the perforated partition plate.

5. The perforated partition plate is a partition body portion extending horizontally; a step portion provided around the entire outer periphery of the partition main body portion; and The step portion is a bottom portion located below the partition main body portion; a connecting portion that connects the partition main body portion and the bottom portion in the vertical direction; 5. The incubator of claim 4, comprising:

6. 6. The incubator according to claim 5, wherein each of the exhaust sections is provided in a side wall of the casing.

7. A plurality of the shakers are arranged in a horizontal first direction; a movement area extending in the first horizontal direction within the internal space and adjacent to the plurality of shakers arranged in the first horizontal direction in a second horizontal direction intersecting the first horizontal direction; an entry area adjacent to the movement area in the second horizontal direction; a robot that moves in the movement area in the horizontal first direction; Equipped with The shaker has a work area on which the workpiece is placed, the intrusion area is provided between the work areas, the robot is provided so as to be movable in a vertical direction, the first horizontal direction, and the second horizontal direction, and has a transport mechanism capable of entering the entry area and transporting the workpiece; 2. The incubator of claim 1.

8. The intrusion area is provided at a position overlapping with the shaker in the vertical direction.

8. The incubator of claim 7.

9. a robot that moves within the internal space; the robot is provided so as to be movable in two horizontal directions and in an up-down direction, and has a transport mechanism capable of transporting the workpiece; The air supply unit is disposed above each of the shakers, The air supply unit is provided so that its inclination angle with respect to a horizontal plane or its horizontal position can be changed.

2. The incubator of claim 1.

10. 10. The incubator according to claim 9, further comprising a cable storage section extending horizontally and capable of storing a cable of the shaker.

11. a robot that moves within the internal space; the robot is provided so as to be movable in two horizontal directions and in an up-down direction, and has a transport mechanism capable of transporting the workpiece; The shaker is a first placement portion on which the workpiece is placed; a second placement unit on which the workpiece is placed, the second placement unit being located at a position horizontally farther from the robot than the first placement unit; and The second placement portion is provided above the first placement portion.

2. The incubator of claim 1.

12. a casing that forms an interior space; A plurality of partition plates are arranged in the vertical direction to divide the internal space into upper and lower sections; A shaker is placed on each of the partition plates and on which a workpiece capable of accommodating a culture medium is placed; an exhaust section that exhausts air from each space defined by the partition plate; an air supply unit provided above each partition plate and supplying air from above the shaker; An incubator equipped with:

Images