Treatment method

Abstract

To provide a processing method that enables automated processing of the contents of a container even with an inexpensive, general-purpose robotic arm. [Solution] The first jig comprises a first arm extending horizontally, a second arm extending horizontally and spaced further apart from the first arm than the width of the body of a container having a body and a lid, and a guide wall located below the first and second arms that guides the rising body to a predetermined location between the first and second arms, thereby opening the container by lowering the container and leaving the lid on the first and second arms; the second jig comprises a first arm, a second arm, and a guide wall, and has a treatment machine mounted on the first and second arms having an opening the same size as the opening of the lid for treating the contents of the container, by raising the body from below the first and second arms to attach the body to the treatment machine; the body is lowered after treatment to detach it from the treatment machine; and the body is raised from below the first and second arms to close the lid of the container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a treatment method.

Background Art

[0002] In fields such as cell culture, a culture container called a well plate is used. The well plate has a main body having a plurality of depressions (wells) in which a liquid medium accumulates, and a single lid that covers the entire main body. In fields such as cell culture, automation has also been desired in recent years, and in particular, automatic replacement of the medium has been desired.

[0003] Since the culture container is stored in a place suitable for culture and taken out from the storage place when necessary for work or the like, it is necessary to automatically transport the culture container in automation. Further, in order to prevent foreign matter contamination in the medium, the lid of the well plate is usually placed on the main body and is opened only when necessary for medium replacement or the like, so it is also necessary to automatically open and close the lid of the culture container.

[0004] Furthermore, although an exchanger that is attached to the culture container and automatically replaces the medium is commercially available, it is also necessary to automatically attach the culture container to the exchanger. For example, in Patent Document 1, a technique has been proposed in which a lid of a Petri dish is opened and closed or a pipette is operated by a robot hand having a complicated shape attached to the tip of an arm.

[0005] Also, in Patent Document 2, a dedicated device for opening and closing the lid of a Petri dish has been proposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

[0007] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 requires highly precise driving by an arm with a dedicated robotic hand, making it difficult to apply with inexpensive, general-purpose robotic arms. Furthermore, the technology described in Patent Document 2 requires a dedicated device for opening and closing the lid, separate from the transport of the culture vessel, and also requires a separate device to be attached to the culture medium exchanger. The above-mentioned problems are not limited to culture medium exchange; they are common issues in automated procedures that involve opening and closing container lids to treat the contents of a container.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a processing method that enables automatic processing of the contents of a container even with an inexpensive, general-purpose robot arm. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the treatment method according to the present invention provides a first jig comprising: a first arm extending in a first direction along the horizontal direction; a second arm extending in the first direction parallel to the first arm, the distance between the first arm and the first arm being wider than the width of the main body and narrower than the width of the lid in a container having a main body and a lid that covers the top of the main body; and a guide wall located below the first and second arms, which guides the rising main body to a predetermined location between the first and second arms; and the method provides a first jig to open the container by lowering it and leaving the lid on the first and second arms. The device includes a step of releasing, a step of attaching the main body to a second jig which comprises the first arm, the second arm, and the guide wall, and on which a treatment machine for treating the contents of the container is mounted, having an opening of the same dimensions as the opening of the lid, by raising the main body from below the first arm and the second arm, a step of lowering the main body after the treatment to detach it from the treatment machine, and a step of closing the lid of the container to the first jig by raising the main body from below the first arm and the second arm.

[0010] This method allows for the opening and closing of the lid and attachment / detachment to the treatment machine through simple movement control, such as lowering or raising the container relative to the jig. In other words, an inexpensive, general-purpose arm can be used to automate the transport of the container, opening and closing the lid, and attachment / detachment to the treatment machine.

[0011] In the above processing method, the first jig has a plate-like shape in which the first arm and the second arm become thinner in the vertical direction as they move toward the first direction, and it is preferable that the step of inserting the container between the first arm and the second arm of the first jig in the direction opposite to the first direction is included before the step of lowering the container relative to the first jig.

[0012] This method of handling allows the first and second arms to be inserted between the lid and body of the container with simple positional control, making it easy to open the container. Furthermore, in the above treatment method, it is preferable that the container is a culture vessel for containing the culture medium, and the treatment device is a changer for changing the culture medium. Such a treatment method enables automatic exchange of the culture medium. Furthermore, in the above processing method, it is preferable that the first jig and the second jig are equipped with, as guide walls, a first guide wall that guides the main body in the first direction on an inclined surface, and a second guide wall that guides the main body in a second direction intersecting the first direction on an inclined surface. With such a processing method, the main body of the container is guided vertically and horizontally by the first guide wall and the second guide wall, making position control when closing the lid and when attaching the processing machine even easier compared to the case where only one of the first or second guide walls is provided.

[0013] Furthermore, in the above processing method, it is preferable that the first jig and the second jig are equipped with a second guide wall as the guide wall, which is an inclined surface that guides the main body in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a third guide wall which is an inclined surface that is in the opposite direction to the inclined surface of the second guide wall and guides the main body in the opposite direction to the second guide wall. With such a processing method, the main body of the container is guided from both sides by the second guide wall and the third guide wall, making it easier to control the position in the second direction compared to the case where only one of the second or third guide wall is provided. Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the treatment method according to the present invention is a first jig comprising: a first arm extending in a first direction along the horizontal direction; a second arm extending in the first direction parallel to the first arm, the distance between the first arm and the first arm being wider than the width of the main body and narrower than the width of the lid in a container having a main body and a lid that covers the top of the main body; and a guide wall located below the first arm and the second arm, which guides the rising main body to a predetermined location between the first arm and the second arm; the steps of inserting the container between the first arm and the second arm in the opposite direction to the first direction; lowering the container with respect to the first jig so that the lid remains on the first arm and the second arm; and the first arm, the second arm, and the guide wall The device comprises the steps of: moving the container from the first jig side to a second jig on which a treatment machine for treating the contents of the container is mounted, having an opening of the same size as the opening of the lid on the first and second arms; attaching the main body to the treatment machine by raising the main body from below the first and second arms relative to the second jig; performing the treatment on the contents of the container with the treatment machine; lowering the main body so that the treatment machine remains on the first and second arms; moving the container from the second jig side to the first jig; and closing the lid of the container by raising the main body from below the first and second arms relative to the first jig. This method allows for the opening and closing of the lid and attachment / detachment to the treatment machine through simple movement control, such as lowering or raising the container relative to the jig. In other words, an inexpensive, general-purpose arm can be used to automate the transport of the container, opening and closing the lid, and attachment / detachment to the treatment machine.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, even a cheap general-purpose robot arm can automatically handle the contents of a container.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] It is a configuration diagram showing a cell culture system incorporating an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing the structure of a robot arm. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing the structure of an exchange device. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing a state where the lid of a well plate is closed. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing a state where the lid of a well plate is open. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view showing the structure of an exchanger. [Figure 7] It is a side view showing the structure of an exchanger. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing a state where the main body of a well plate is attached to an exchanger. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing a modified example of an exchanger. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing an opening / closing jig. [Figure 11] It is a side view showing an opening / closing jig. [Figure 12] It is a front view showing an opening / closing jig. [Figure 13] It is a flowchart showing the procedure of a medium exchange method. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view showing the situation of step S101 in FIG. 13. [Figure 15] It is a side view showing the situation of step S101 in FIG. 13. [Figure 16] It is a top view showing the situation of step S101 in FIG. 13. [Figure 17] It is a diagram showing the first-stage movement in step S102 in FIG. 13. [Figure 18] This is a side view showing the second stage of movement in step S102 of Figure 13. [Figure 19] This is a top view showing the second stage of movement in step S102 of Figure 13. [Figure 20] This is a side view showing the movement in the third stage at step S102 in Figure 13. [Figure 21] This is a front view showing the third stage of movement in step S102 of Figure 13. [Figure 22] This figure shows the movement in step S103 of Figure 13. [Figure 23] Figure 13 is a side view showing the movement in step S104. [Figure 24] Figure 13 is a front view showing the movement in step S104. [Figure 25] This diagram shows the main unit installed in the exchanger. [Figure 26] Figure 13 is a side view showing the movement in step S106. [Figure 27] Figure 13 is a front view showing the movement in step S106. [Figure 28] This figure shows the movement in step S107 of Figure 13. [Figure 29] This is a side view showing the first stage of movement in step S108 of Figure 13. [Figure 30] This is a front view showing the first stage of movement in step S108 of Figure 13. [Figure 31] This figure shows the second stage of movement in step S108 of Figure 13. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, in order to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art, more detailed explanations than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters and redundant explanations of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. In addition, elements described in the previously mentioned drawings may be referred to as appropriate in the subsequent descriptions of the drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a cell culture system to which one embodiment of the treatment method of the present invention is applied. The cell culture system 10 includes a storage cabinet 20, a fume hood 30, an inspection device 40, and a transfer device 50.

[0018] The storage unit 20 stores multiple well plates 70, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, which are examples of culture vessels, and maintains an environment suitable for cell culture. The fume 30 is kept clean inside in order to perform tasks such as opening and closing the well plate 70 and changing the liquid culture medium. In this embodiment, as an example, a culture medium exchange device 60 for automatic exchange is provided inside the fume 30.

[0019] The inspection device 40 has a well plate 70 on it and is used to check the condition of cultured cells, etc. The transfer device 50 moves the well plates 70 between the storage cabinet 20, the fume hood 30, and the inspection device 40, and also moves the well plates 70 within the fume hood 30 for purposes such as changing the culture medium.

[0020] The transfer device 50 comprises a fixed rail 51, a base 52 that moves linearly along the fixed rail 51, and a robot arm 53 mounted on the base 52. The robot arm 53 can grasp and move the well plate 70.

[0021] Figure 2 shows the structure of the robot arm 53. The robot arm 53 is an inexpensive, general-purpose device comprising a base 54, a first link 55, a second link 56, and a hand portion 57. The robot arm 53 also includes multiple joints 58 that rotatably connect these elements, with the axis of rotation of each joint 58 extending horizontally. The first link 55 is rotatable relative to the base 54 by the joint 58, and is also rotatable horizontally relative to the base 54.

[0022] The robot arm 53 can hold the well plate 70 with its hand portion 57, and through the cooperation of each joint 58, it can move the well plate 70 while keeping it in a horizontal position. That is, the robot arm 53 can move the well plate 70 vertically up and down, rotate it in a horizontal plane around the base portion 54, and move it linearly horizontally in a direction toward or away from the center of rotation. In addition, by moving linearly along the fixed rail 51 together with the base 52, the robot arm 53 can move the well plate 70 linearly horizontally along the fixed rail 51.

[0023] Figure 3 shows the structure of the exchange device 60. The exchange device 60 is a device that opens and closes the lid 71 and exchanges the culture medium by moving the well plate 70, which is held by the robot arm 53 of the transfer device 50, in a predetermined procedure. Note that the robot arm 53 is not shown in Figure 3.

[0024] The well plate 70 has a lid 71 and a body 72, and a holding jig 73 for the robot arm 53 to hold the well plate 70 is fixed to the body 72. The exchange device 60 includes an opening / closing unit 61 for opening and closing the lid 71 of the well plate 70, and an exchange unit 62 for exchanging the culture medium.

[0025] The opening / closing section 61 is equipped with an opening / closing jig 100 for opening and closing the lid 71 of the well plate 70. The opening / closing jig 100 corresponds to an example of the first jig as referred to in the present invention. The replacement section 62 is equipped with a detachable jig 63 having a structure similar to that of the opening / closing jig 100, and a culture medium exchanger 64 having dimensions similar to those of the lid 71 of the well plate 70 is mounted on top of the detachable jig 63. The lid 71 of the well plate 70 and the culture medium exchanger 64 only need to have the same opening dimensions, but their height and external dimensions may differ. The detachable jig 63 of the replacement section 62 corresponds to an example of the second jig as referred to in the present invention, and the culture medium exchanger 64 corresponds to an example of a treatment device as referred to in the present invention. The culture medium exchanger 64 can be replaced as needed to avoid contamination of the culture medium.

[0026] The opening and closing jig 100 for the opening and closing section 61 and the attachment and detachment jig 63 for the replacement section 62 make it easy to open and close the lid 71 of the well plate 70 and to attach and detach the main body 72 of the well plate 70 to the culture medium exchanger 64 simply by moving the well plate 70 with the robot arm 53.

[0027] Figures 4 and 5 show the structure of the well plate 70. Figure 4 shows the lid in the closed position, and Figure 5 shows the lid in the open position. The main body 72 of the well plate 70 is provided with multiple wells 74 in which liquid culture medium accumulates. Although six wells 74 are shown here as an example, the well plate 70 may have, for example, 12, 24, or 48 wells 74. The main body 72 has an upper part 72a and a lower part 72b.

[0028] The lid 71 of the well plate 70 covers the upper part 72a of the main body 72, thereby covering the upper part of the recess 74 and preventing contamination. The inner dimensions of the lid 71 are sufficiently larger than the outer dimensions of the upper part (outer frame) 72a of the main body 72, so when the lid 71 is lifted, it separates from the main body 72 without affecting the culture medium or other materials. Also, when the lid 71 is closed (Figure 4), the edge 71a of the lid 71 does not come into contact with the lower part 72b of the main body 72, and the edge 71a is separated from the lower part 72b.

[0029] The retaining jig 73 shown in Figure 3 is fixed to the lower part 72b of the main body 72, and the height of the upper surface of the retaining jig 73 is, for example, the same as the height of the lower part 72b of the main body 72. Figures 6 to 8 show the structure of the exchanger 64. Figure 6 is a perspective view, and Figure 7 is a schematic diagram viewed from the side. Figure 8 shows the exchanger 64 with the main body 72 of the well plate 70 attached.

[0030] The exchanger 64 comprises a lid 65, an injection pump 68, and a suction pump 69. The shape of the lid 65 is the same as the shape of the lid 71 of the well plate 70. An injection tube 66 and a suction tube 67 are fixed to the lid 65, and the injection tube 66 and suction tube 67 are connected to the injection pump 68 and suction pump 69, respectively, via injection tube 66a and suction tube 67a. The injection tube 66 and suction tube 67 are positioned to correspond to each recess 74 of the well plate 70.

[0031] When the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is attached to the exchanger 64, the injection tube 66 and the suction tube 67 are inserted into the corresponding depressions 74, as shown in Figure 8. The lower end of the suction tube 67 is lower than the lower end of the injection tube 66, and the culture medium 75 accumulated in the depressions 74 is sucked out by the suction pump 69. After the culture medium 75 has been sucked out of the depressions 74, the injection pump 68 injects new culture medium 75 into the depressions 74, and the culture medium in each depression 74 is replaced.

[0032] Figure 9 shows a modified example of the exchanger 64. In the modified exchanger 64, multiple injection tubes 66 are connected to an injection pump 68 by individual injection tubes 66b, and multiple suction tubes 67 are connected to a suction pump 69 by individual suction tubes 67b. The modified exchanger 64 allows for individual suction and injection of culture medium 75 into multiple depressions 74 via the multiple injection tubes 66 and multiple suction tubes 67. This makes it possible to use multiple depressions 74 of the well plate 70 separately.

[0033] Figures 10 to 12 show the opening and closing jig 100, with Figure 10 being a perspective view, Figure 11 a side view, and Figure 12 a front view. The opening / closing jig 100 comprises a fixing part 101, two arm parts 102 and 103, two horizontal guide parts 104 and 105, and one vertical guide part 106. The two arm parts 102 and 103 correspond to examples of the first arm and second arm as referred to in the present invention. The horizontal guide parts 104 and 105 and the vertical guide part 106 correspond to examples of guide walls as referred to in the present invention, the vertical guide part 106 corresponds to an example of the first guide wall, and the horizontal guide parts 104 and 105 correspond to examples of the second guide wall and third guide wall.

[0034] The fixing part 101 is the part that supports the entire opening / closing jig 100, and the opening / closing jig 100 is fixed to the opening / closing part 61 via the fixing part 101. The two arms 102 and 103 extend parallel to each other and horizontally from the fixing part 101. In the following description, the direction in which the two arms 102 and 103 extend will be referred to as the "vertical direction," and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction will be referred to as the "lateral direction." Furthermore, the side of the arms 102 and 103 in the "vertical direction" will be referred to as the "front," and the side of the fixing part 101 will be referred to as the "rear."

[0035] The two arm portions 102 and 103 have a plate-like shape that extends horizontally, and their thickness in the vertical direction decreases as they extend forward. Figures 10 to 12 show, as an example, the upper surfaces of the arm portions 102 and 103 are slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal, but the arm portions 102 and 103 may also have an inclined lower surface, or both the upper and lower surfaces may be inclined.

[0036] The lateral distance between the two arms 102 and 103 is greater than the outer dimensions of the upper part 72a of the main body 72 of the well plate 70, and smaller than the outer diameter of the lid 71 of the well plate 70. Furthermore, the distance between the two arms 102 and 103 widens at their tips. That is, they have inclined portions 102a and 103a that spread out from each other at the front.

[0037] The two lateral guide sections 104 and 105 have a plate-like shape that extends along the vertical and vertical directions, and for example, they extend downward from the two arm sections 102 and 103. The two lateral guide sections 104 and 105 each have inclined surfaces 104a and 105a, and the distance between the inclined surfaces 104a and 105a widens on the downward side.

[0038] The vertical guide portion 106 has a plate-like shape that extends along the horizontal and vertical directions and extends downward from the fixing portion 101. The vertical guide portion 106 has an inclined surface 106a where the lower side is located behind the upper side.

[0039] Figures 10 to 12 show an example structure in which the horizontal guides 104 and 105 and the vertical guide 106 are separated, but the horizontal guides 104 and 105 and the vertical guide 106 may be connected. Furthermore, the horizontal guide sections 104 and 105 may be connected to the vertical guide section 106 and the fixing section 101 on the rear side, separated from the arm sections 102 and 103, and protruding from the rear to the front at the positions shown in Figures 10 to 12.

[0040] As described above, the attachment / detachment jig 63 for the replacement part 62 has the same structure as the opening / closing jig 100. That is, the attachment / detachment jig 63 for the replacement part 62 also includes a fixing part 101, two arm parts 102 and 103, two horizontal guide parts 104 and 105, and one vertical guide part 106. However, in order to keep the exchanger 64 horizontal, the upper surfaces of the arm parts 102 and 103 are horizontal in the case of the attachment / detachment jig 63 for the replacement part 62.

[0041] The following describes in detail the method of changing the culture medium using the exchange device 60, with reference to the flowchart and other diagrams as appropriate. Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the procedure for changing the culture medium. In step S101, the well plate 70 with the lid 71 closed is held by the robot arm 53 from the storage unit 20 and moved to the opening / closing section 61 of the exchange device 60, where the well plate 70 is held in a predetermined position relative to the opening / closing jig 100.

[0042] Figures 14 to 16 show the situation at step S101 in Figure 13, with Figure 14 being a perspective view, Figure 15 a side view, and Figure 16 a top view. For the sake of clarity in the following explanation, the holding jig 73 will not be shown in the side view.

[0043] In step S101 of Figure 13, the well plate 70 is held by the holding point 73a of the holding jig 73 on the robot arm 53 of the transfer device 50, and is brought closer to the opening / closing jig 100 by the robot arm 53 from the front of the opening / closing jig 100, as indicated by the white arrow in Figure 15. The well plate 70 is brought close to the opening / closing jig 100 at a position lower than the arms 102 and 103 of the opening / closing jig 100. Then, as shown in Figure 16, the tip of the holding jig 73 and the arms 102 and 103 are brought close together so that they overlap in the vertical direction, and the lid 71 and the arms 102 and 103 do not overlap in the vertical direction.

[0044] In step S101, the position control of the well plate 70 can be rough in all directions: vertically, horizontally, and vertically. In step S102 of Figure 13, the lid 71 of the well plate 70 is opened by the opening / closing jig 100. The well plate 70 opens its lid 71 through the following three-stage movement.

[0045] Figure 17 shows the movement of the first stage in step S102 of Figure 13. Also, the top view in Figure 16 serves as the top view of the first stage. In the first stage of step S102, the well plate 70 is lifted upward by the robot arm 53, as indicated by the white arrow in the figure. The upper surface of the holding jig 73 then contacts the lower surfaces of the arms 102 and 103, positioning the well plate 70 in the height direction. This positioning ensures that the gap between the lid 71 and the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is at the same height as the arms 102 and 103.

[0046] Furthermore, since the tips of the arms 102 and 103 are thin, even without positioning by contact of the holding jig 73, it is easy to control the position of the tips of the arms 102 and 103 to fit into the gap between the lid 71 and the main body 72. Positioning by having the upper surface of the holding jig 73 contact the lower surface of the arms 102 and 103 makes it even easier to control the height of the well plate 70.

[0047] Figures 18 and 19 illustrate the second stage of movement in step S102 of Figure 13, with Figure 18 being a side view and Figure 19 being a top view. In the second stage of step S102, the well plate 70 is moved horizontally to the rear side of the opening / closing jig 100, as indicated by the white arrow in the figure, and the well plate 70 is inserted between the two arms 102 and 103. As described above, the distance between the two arms 102 and 103 is greater than the dimension of the upper part 72a of the main body 72 of the well plate 70, and smaller than the dimension of the lid 71 of the well plate 70. Therefore, when the well plate 70 is inserted between the two arms 102 and 103, the two arms 102 and 103 enter the gap between the lid 71 and the main body 72 of the well plate 70.

[0048] Furthermore, the well plate 70 is guided by the inclined portions 102a and 103a of the arms 102 and 103 contacting the upper part 72a of the main body 72, and is reliably led between the two arms 102 and 103. Therefore, lateral position control by the robot arm 53 is easier compared to the case where the inclined portions 102a and 103 are not provided.

[0049] Figures 20 and 21 illustrate the movement in the third stage of step S102 in Figure 13, with Figure 20 being a side view and Figure 21 being a front view. In the third stage of step S102, the robot arm 53 moves the well plate 70 downward, as indicated by the white arrow in the figure. As a result, the main body 72 to which the holding jig 73 is fixed moves downward, but the lid 71 remains on the opening / closing jig 100, resting on the arms 102 and 103. Thus, the lid 71 of the well plate 70 is in the open position. The main body 72 of the well plate 70 is moved to a position below, for example, the lower ends of the horizontal guides 104 and 105 and the vertical guide 106.

[0050] Thus, opening the lid 71 of the well plate 70 is possible solely by the movement of the robot arm 53 holding the well plate 70, eliminating the need to install actuators or other devices to open the lid 71 within the limited space of the draft 30. Furthermore, the movement of the well plate 70 by the robot arm 53 is simple, such as vertical or up-and-down movement, making it easy to control. Therefore, the well plate 70 can be opened using an inexpensive, general-purpose robot arm 53.

[0051] In step S103 of Figure 13, the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is moved to the replacement section 62. Figure 22 shows the movement in step S103 of Figure 13. In step S103, the main body 72 of the well plate 70, with the lid 71 remaining on the arms 102 and 103, is moved horizontally along the fixed rail 51 of the transfer device 50 together with the robot arm 53. Then, as indicated by the white arrow in the figure, the main body 72 moves from below the opening / closing jig 100 of the opening / closing section 61 to below the attachment / detachment jig 63 of the replacement section 62.

[0052] The position control of the main body 72 relative to the attachment / detachment jig 63 of the replacement part 62 can be done with rough position control, and the movement control of the base 52 relative to the fixed rail 51 is easy. In step S104 of Figure 13, the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is attached to the exchanger 64.

[0053] Figures 23 and 24 show the movement in step S104 of Figure 13, with Figure 23 being a side view and Figure 24 being a front view. Figure 25 shows the main body 72 attached to the exchanger 64. In step S104, the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is raised from below the arms 102 and 103 of the attachment / detachment jig 63 of the replacement part 62, as shown by the white arrows in Figures 23 and 24. As the main body 72 is raised, the lateral guides 104 and 105 guide the main body 72 laterally by contacting the holding jig 73 fixed to the main body 72 with their inclined surfaces 104a and 105a.

[0054] Guided by the lateral guides 104 and 105, the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is laterally guided to the position of the culture medium exchanger 64, which is mounted on the arms 102 and 103. The lateral guides 104 and 105 may be provided on only one side, but in this embodiment, the lateral guides 104 and 105 are provided on both the left and right sides, so the main body 72 is guided from both sides and is reliably led to the position of the culture medium exchanger 64. Therefore, when the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is moved to the exchanger 62, it is sufficient to control its position so that it fits between the lateral guides 104 and 105, making position control easier compared to when the lateral guides 104 and 105 are on only one side.

[0055] Furthermore, when the main body 72 rises, the vertical guide portion 106 guides the main body 72 in the vertical direction by contacting the main body 72 with its inclined surface 106a. In this embodiment, the vertical guide portion 106 is located behind the lid 71, and the vertical guide portion 106 guides the main body 72 forward. Therefore, it is preferable that the main body 72 of the well plate 70 be brought close to the vertical guide portion 106 before being raised.

[0056] In this embodiment, since horizontal guides 104 and 105 and a vertical guide 106 are provided, position control when the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is moved to the replacement section 62 is facilitated in both the vertical and horizontal directions. However, the attachment / detachment jig 63 for the replacement section 62 may be provided with only the horizontal guides 104 and 105, or only the vertical guide 106. Alternatively, the attachment / detachment jig 63 for the replacement section 62 may be provided with only one of the horizontal guides 104 or 105.

[0057] As a result of being guided by the horizontal guides 104, 105 and the vertical guide 106, the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is securely attached to the exchanger 64 as shown in Figure 25. Furthermore, since the exchanger 64 has a lid portion 65 that has the same shape as the lid 71 of the well plate 70, the injection tube 66 and the suction tube 67 are securely inserted into their respective recesses 74 as shown in Figure 8.

[0058] When the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is attached to the exchanger 64, the exchanger 64 performs a culture medium exchange. Then, in step S105 of Figure 13, the system remains in a waiting state until the culture medium exchange is completed. Once the culture medium exchange is complete, in step S106 of Figure 13, the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is detached from the exchanger 64.

[0059] Figures 26 and 27 illustrate the movement in step S106 of Figure 13, with Figure 26 being a side view and Figure 27 being a front view. In step S106, the robot arm 53 moves the well plate 70 downward, as indicated by the white arrow in the figure. As a result, the main body 72 to which the holding jig 73 is fixed moves downward, and the exchanger 64 remains on the attachment jig 63 with the arms 102 and 103 resting on it. Thus, the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is detached from the exchanger 64. The main body 72 of the well plate 70 moves to a position below, for example, the lower ends of the lateral guides 104 and 105 and the vertical guides 106.

[0060] Thus, the attachment and detachment of the main body 72 of the well plate 70 to the exchanger 64 can be done solely by the movement of the robot arm 53, eliminating the need to install actuators or other devices for attachment and detachment within the limited space of the fume 30. Furthermore, the movement of the robot arm 53 only needs to be a simple up-and-down motion, making it possible to attach and detach using an inexpensive, general-purpose robot arm 53.

[0061] In step S107 of Figure 13, the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is moved to the opening / closing section 61. Figure 28 shows the movement in step S107 of Figure 13. In step S107, the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is moved horizontally along the fixed rail 51 of the transfer device 50 together with the robot arm 53. Then, as indicated by the white arrow in the figure, the main body 72 moves from below the attachment / detachment jig 63 of the replacement section 62 to below the opening / closing jig 100 of the opening / closing section 61, on which the lid 71 rests on the arms 102 and 103.

[0062] The position control of the main body 72 relative to the opening / closing jig 100 can be approximate, and the movement control of the base 52 relative to the fixed rail 51 is easy. In step S108 of Figure 13, the lid 71 of the well plate 70 is closed. The lid 71 of the well plate 70 is closed through a two-step movement described below.

[0063] Figures 29 to 30 illustrate the first stage of movement in step S108 of Figure 13, with Figure 29 being a side view and Figure 30 being a front view. In the first stage of step S108, the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is raised from below the arms 102 and 103 of the opening / closing jig 100, as indicated by the white arrows in the figure. As the main body 72 is raised, the lateral guides 104 and 105 guide the main body 72 laterally by contacting the holding jig 73 fixed to the main body 72 with their inclined surfaces 104a and 105a.

[0064] Guided by the lateral guides 104 and 105, the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is guided laterally to the position of the lid 71 resting on the arms 102 and 103. The lateral guides 104 and 105 may be provided on only one side, but in this embodiment, the lateral guides 104 and 105 are provided on both the left and right sides, so the main body 72 is guided from both sides and is reliably led to the position of the lid 71. Therefore, when the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is returned to the opening / closing part 61, it is sufficient to control its position so that it fits between the lateral guides 104 and 105, making position control easier compared to the case where the lateral guides 104 and 105 are on only one side.

[0065] Furthermore, when the main body 72 rises, the vertical guide portion 106 guides the main body 72 in the vertical direction by contacting the main body 72 with its inclined surface 106a. In this embodiment, the vertical guide portion 106 is located behind the lid 71, and the vertical guide portion 106 guides the main body 72 forward. Therefore, it is preferable that the main body 72 of the well plate 70 be brought close to the vertical guide portion 106 before being raised.

[0066] In this embodiment, since horizontal guides 104 and 105 and a vertical guide 106 are provided, position control when the main body 72 of the well plate 70 is returned to the opening / closing section 61 is facilitated in both the vertical and horizontal directions. However, the opening / closing jig 100 may be provided with only the horizontal guides 104 and 105, or only the vertical guide 106. Alternatively, only one of the horizontal guides 104 or 105 may be provided.

[0067] Figure 31 shows the second stage of movement in step S108 of Figure 13. When the main body 72 of the well plate 70 rises to the point where it contacts the arms 102 and 103 of the opening / closing jig 100, the well plate 70 moves forward of the opening / closing jig 100, as indicated by the white arrows in the figure. As a result, the well plate 70 is removed from the opening / closing jig 100 with the lid 71 over the main body 72, and the lid 71 of the well plate 70 is closed. The well plate 70 is then stored in the storage cabinet 20.

[0068] In this way, the process of closing the lid 71 of the well plate 70 can also be done solely by the movement of the robot arm 53, and the movement of the well plate 70 by the robot arm 53 is also easy to control because it is a simple movement such as vertical movement or upward movement. Although the above description shows an example of application to a cell culture system, the treatment method of the present invention may also be applied to sample processing systems, bacterial testing systems, and the like. Furthermore, the treatment method of the present invention may be used for filling food into containers with lids, or for removing semiconductor wafers stored in containers with lids, thus having applications in a wide range of fields. An example of how the treatment method of the present invention can be used for food applications is, for instance, replacing liquid seasonings in foods that are marinated in liquid seasonings such as soy sauce. In this application, when the freshness of the liquid seasoning deteriorates, the old liquid seasoning is removed and new liquid seasoning is added. In addition, a lid is provided on the container in which the food is stored to prevent dust and dirt from entering the food. When new liquid seasoning is added, the treatment method of the present invention allows a series of steps, including opening and closing the lid, removing the old liquid with a replacement machine, and adding the new liquid seasoning, to be performed automatically. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 10...Cell culture system, 20...Storage cabinet, 30...Fume hood, 40...Inspection equipment, 50...Transfer device, 51...Fixed rail, 52...Base, 53...Robot arm 60...Exchange device, 61...Opening / closing part, 62...Exchange part, 63...Attachment / detachment jig, 64...Culture medium exchanger, 65...Lid, 66...Injection tube, 67...Suction tube, 68...Injection pump, 69...Suction pump, 70...Well plate, 71...Lid, 72...Main body, 73...Holding jig, 100...Opening / closing jig 101...fixing part, 102, 103...arm part, 104, 105...lateral guide part, 104a, 105a...slanted surface, 106...vertical guide section, 106a...slanted surface

Claims

1. A first jig comprising: a first arm extending in a first direction along the horizontal direction; a second arm extending in the first direction parallel to the first arm, the distance between the first arm and the first arm being wider than the width of the body and narrower than the width of the lid in a container having a body and a lid covering the top of the body; and a guide wall located below the first and second arms, which guides the rising body to a predetermined location between the first and second arms; a step of opening the container by lowering the container and leaving the lid on the first and second arms; A second jig comprising the first arm, the second arm, and the guide wall, wherein a treatment machine for treating the contents of the container having an opening of the same size as the opening of the lid is mounted on the first arm and the second arm, the main body is attached to the treatment machine by raising the main body from below the first arm and the second arm, The steps include lowering the main body after the procedure and detaching it from the treatment machine, The first step of closing the lid of the container by raising the main body from below the first arm and the second arm relative to the first jig, A treatment method that includes [a specific procedure].

2. The first jig has a plate-like shape in which the first arm and the second arm become thinner in the vertical direction as they move toward the first direction. The treatment method according to claim 1, wherein the step of inserting the container between the first arm and the second arm of the first jig in the direction opposite to the first direction is performed before the step of lowering the container relative to the first jig.

3. The aforementioned container is a culture vessel for containing culture medium, The treatment method according to claim 1, wherein the treatment device is a replacer for replacing the culture medium.

4. The first jig and the second jig are, as the guide wall, A first guide wall that guides the main body in the first direction on the slope, A second guide wall guides the main body on the slope in a second direction intersecting the first direction, The treatment method according to claim 1, comprising:

5. The first jig and the second jig are, as the guide wall, A second guide wall guides the main body on the slope in a second direction intersecting the first direction, A third guide wall, which has a slope in the opposite direction to the slope of the second guide wall, guides the main body in the opposite direction to the second guide wall, The treatment method according to claim 1, comprising:

6. A first jig comprising: a first arm extending in a first direction along the horizontal direction; a second arm extending in the first direction parallel to the first arm, the distance between the first arm and the first arm being wider than the width of the body and narrower than the width of the lid in a container having a body and a lid covering the top of the body; and a guide wall located below the first and second arms, which guides the rising body to a predetermined location between the first and second arms; a step of inserting the container between the first and second arms in the direction opposite to the first direction; The steps include lowering the container with respect to the first jig so that the lid remains on the first and second arms, A step of moving the container from the first jig side to a second jig, which comprises the first arm, the second arm, and the guide wall, and on the first and second arms is a treatment machine that has an opening of the same size as the opening of the lid and performs treatment on the contents of the container, The steps include: attaching the main body to the treatment machine by raising the main body from below the first and second arms relative to the second jig; The steps include: applying the treatment to the contents of the container using the treatment machine; The steps include lowering the main body and leaving the treatment device on the first and second arms, A step of moving the container from the second jig side to the first jig, The first step of closing the lid of the container by raising the main body from below the first arm and the second arm relative to the first jig, A treatment method that includes [a specific procedure].

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