Specimen sealing apparatus and specimen sealing method

Abstract

The present invention provides a technology suitable for automating the storage of a cover member and the conveyance and placement of the cover member onto a slide glass. This specimen sealing apparatus seals a specimen section, which is a test object, with a cover member. The specimen sealing apparatus is characterized by including: a cover member case that has an opening and a protrusion for holding the cover member in a planar state at the opening; a case holder for placing thereon the cover member case; a slide fixing mechanism for fixing a slide on which the specimen section is placed; a conveyance mechanism for conveying the cover member case onto the slide fixed to the slide fixing mechanism; a dropping mechanism for dropping a sealing agent onto the slide fixed to the slide fixing mechanism or onto the specimen section; and a cover member lowering mechanism for pressing the cover member held by the protrusion from above and lowering the cover member over the slide or over the specimen section.

Description

Specimen mounting device and specimen mounting method

[0001] This disclosure relates to a specimen encapsulation device and a specimen encapsulation method.

[0002] In pathological diagnosis, tissue or cells collected during examination or surgery are thinly sectioned and mounted on a glass slide. The specimen is then stained as desired. After that, a cover material is placed over the specimen to enclose it, and the specimen is examined under a microscope. The cover material is a rectangular or square cover glass or cover film that is placed on top of the specimen on the glass slide.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for sealing a specimen using a cover glass. Paragraph 0031 of Patent Document 1 states: "In this initial position, the cover glass 7 is placed on the comb 6. The stopper 5 prevents the cover glass 7 from sliding off the platform. The mechanism 9 for pendulum motion begins to pull the comb 6 to one side. One end of the cover glass 7 is lowered onto the slide glass 2. As the comb 6 continues to move, the cover glass 7 is gradually lowered onto the slide glass 2 by its inclination (see Figure 5B), thereby facilitating the removal of air from the space between the cover glass and the slide. Simultaneously with the pendulum motion of the comb 6, the mechanism 9 begins to move the roller press 11 via the link mechanism 12, causing the roller press 11 to roll along the surface of the cover glass, first in the direction of the stopper 5 (Figure 5c), and then in the opposite direction (Figure 5d)."

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for enclosing a specimen using a cover film. Paragraph 0003 of Patent Document 2 describes that "the slide glass 102 with a mounting agent dropped thereon is transported on a horizontal table 106 by an extrusion ejector 104, and a transparent cover film piece 118 of a predetermined length coated with an adhesive on one surface side is attached. The cover film piece 118 is obtained by cutting a cover film 110 pulled out from a wound body 112 by a feed roller 114 into a predetermined length with a cutter 116, and feeding the cut film toward the slide glass 102 by a cover roller 120. The cover film piece 118 placed on the slide glass 102 is pressed against and attached to the slide glass 102 by an attachment roller 122."

[0005] Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2006-519382, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-300323

[0006] (Problem of Enclosure Using Cover Glass) In the enclosure using a cover glass according to Patent Document 1, the cover glass 7 is slid down only by the tilting operation of the comb-shaped comb 6 on which the cover glass 7 is placed. Therefore, a lowering failure of the cover glass 7 may occur. That is, there is a possibility that the cover glass 7 is caught on the comb 6 and does not fall, or the cover glass 7 is lowered obliquely with respect to the slide glass 2.

[0007] (Problem of Enclosure Using Cover Film) In the enclosure using a cover film according to Patent Document 2, the cover film having an adhesive coated on one surface is wound into a roll and stored. However, due to contact between the films, the adhesive comes into contact with the opposing film and is easily peeled off. Additionally, since the wound film is cut before use, warpage remains in the cut film. As a result, when the film is attached to a slide glass, the film bends into a U-shape, making it easily peelable from the slide glass. Furthermore, since the adhesive of the film adheres to and accumulates in the film cutting mechanism and the film feeding mechanism in the apparatus, it causes defects in cutting and film feeding.

[0008] In view of the above problems, the present disclosure provides a technique suitable for automating the storage, conveyance onto a slide glass, and placement of a cover material.

[0009] To solve the above problems, the present disclosure provides a specimen sealing device for sealing specimen sections to be tested with a cover material, comprising: a cover material case having an opening and a projection for holding the cover material in a planar manner in the opening; a case holder on which the cover material case is placed; a slide fixing mechanism for fixing a slide on which the specimen sections are placed; a transport mechanism for transporting the cover material case onto the slide fixed to the slide fixing mechanism; a dropping mechanism for dropping a mounting agent onto the slide fixed to the slide fixing mechanism or onto the specimen sections; and a cover material lowering mechanism for pressing down on the cover material held by the projection to lower it onto the slide or onto the specimen sections.

[0010] Further features relating to this disclosure will become apparent from the description herein and the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, aspects of this disclosure are achieved and realized through elements and various combinations of elements and the modes of the claims that will be described in detail later. The descriptions herein are typical examples only and do not limit in any way the claims or applications of this disclosure.

[0011] The technology disclosed herein enables the automation of storage of cover materials and their transport and placement onto glass slides. Other issues, configurations, and effects will be clarified by the following description of embodiments.

[0012] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a specimen encapsulation device according to the first embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view for explaining the gripping operation of the transport mechanism, showing the gripping part in an open state. This is a cross-sectional view for explaining the gripping operation of the transport mechanism, showing the state in which the cover material case is gripped. This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the cover material case, showing the state before the cover material is placed on it. This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the cover material case, showing the state with the cover material placed on it. This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the stacking of cover material cases. This is a top view showing an example of the shape of the protrusion. This is a top view showing another example of the shape of the protrusion. This is a top view showing another example of the shape of the protrusion. This is a top view showing another example of the shape of the protrusion. This is a top view showing another example of the shape of the protrusion. This is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the protrusion of the cover material case. This is a top view showing an example of the configuration of the slide holder, showing the state with a slide glass placed on it. This is a top view showing an example of the configuration of the slide holder, showing the state with the cover material case placed on it. This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the shape of the stopper (presses in a point-like manner / tip is hemispherical). This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the shape of the stopper (presses in a point-like manner / tip is cylindrical). This is a perspective view showing an example of the shape of the stopper (pressing linearly / tip is hemispherical). This is a perspective view showing an example of the shape of the stopper (pressing linearly / tip is planar). This is a diagram illustrating the procedure for sealing a specimen using a specimen sealing device. This is a diagram illustrating the procedure for sealing a specimen using a specimen sealing device. This is a diagram illustrating the procedure for sealing a specimen using a specimen sealing device. This is a diagram illustrating the procedure for sealing a specimen using a specimen sealing device. This is a diagram illustrating the procedure for sealing a specimen using a specimen sealing device. This is a diagram illustrating the procedure for sealing a specimen using a specimen sealing device. This is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the projection according to the second embodiment. This is a perspective view showing another projection shape according to the second embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the transport mechanism according to the fourth embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the configuration of the transport mechanism according to the fourth embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the procedure for lowering the cover material using the transport mechanism according to the fourth embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the transport mechanism according to the fifth embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the procedure for dropping an encapsulating agent or water using the transport mechanism according to the fifth embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the transport mechanism according to the sixth embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the configuration of the transport mechanism according to the sixth embodiment.

[0013] [First Embodiment] <Configuration of Sample Encapsulation Device 100> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a sample encapsulation device 100 according to the first embodiment. The sample encapsulation device 100 is configured to automate the sample encapsulation operation. The sample encapsulation device 100 comprises a cover material case 2, a slide holder 23, a transport mechanism 11, a dripping mechanism 31, a cover material lowering mechanism 41, and a control device 300. In Figure 1, the cross-sections of the components other than the control device 300 are shown.

[0014] The cover material case 2 holds the cover material 1. The transport mechanism 11 transports the cover material case 2. The slide holder 23 is protruding and secures the slide glass 21. The dropping mechanism 31 drops the mounting medium 22. The cover material lowering mechanism 41 pushes the cover material 1 down. The control device 300 controls the overall operation of the specimen mounting device 100.

[0015] The dripping mechanism 31 includes a mounting agent tank 32 for storing the mounting agent 22, a pump 33 for drawing the mounting agent 22 from the mounting agent tank 32, and a dispensing nozzle 34 for dripping the mounting agent 22 onto the slide glass 21. The cover material lowering mechanism 41 includes an electric actuator 42 and a stopper 43.

[0016] <About Cover Material 1> Cover material 1 can be a cover glass or a cover film. Cover material 1 is placed over the specimen that has been placed on the observation area of ​​the slide glass 21 (for example, 25 mm x 50-55 mm). Therefore, cover material 1 can be rectangular or square. For example, cover material 1 can have dimensions of 25 mm x 50 mm and a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm.

[0017] Examples of cover glass materials include borosilicate glass. Examples of cover film materials include polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polycycloolefin, polymethyl methacrylate, cellulose acetate, polyurethane, silicone, and polyvinyl chloride.

[0018] <About the Conveying Mechanism 11> Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view illustrating the gripping operation of the conveying mechanism 11, showing the gripping part 12 in an open state. The conveying mechanism 11 has a gripping part 12, a moving mechanism part 13, and a control unit 14. The gripping part 12 grips the cover material case 2. The moving mechanism part 13 moves the gripping part 12 horizontally. The control unit 14 controls the operation of the gripping part 12 and the moving mechanism part 13. As shown in Figure 2A, with the gripping part 12 open by the moving mechanism part 13, the conveying mechanism 11 approaches the cover material case 2. The gripping part 12 has a projection 15.

[0019] Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view illustrating the gripping operation of the transport mechanism 11, showing the state in which the cover material case 2 is gripped. As shown in Figure 2B, the cover material case 2 is gripped by closing the gripping part 12 with the moving mechanism 13.

[0020] <About Cover Material Case 2> The material of the cover material case 2 may be a resin material such as polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyphthalamide (PPA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), or cycloolefin polymer (COP). The cover material case 2 can be manufactured by, for example, injection molding.

[0021] Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the cover material case 2, and shows the state before the cover material 1 is placed on it. As shown in Figure 3A, the cover material case 2 consists of a case base 4, which serves as a mounting base for the cover material 1, and case legs 3. The case legs 3 are installed 1 mm to 3 mm inward from the end of the case base 4. With this structure, as shown in Figure 2B, the projection 15 of the gripping part 12 can abut against the step between the side of the case legs 3 and the side of the case base 4. This makes it easy to grip the cover material case 2 and prevents it from falling. The case base 4 is provided with an opening 5 that is approximately the same size as the cover material 1. The edge of the opening 5 is provided with projections 6 for holding the cover material 1.

[0022] Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the cover material case 2, with the cover material 1 placed on top. As shown in Figure 3B, the cover material 1 is stored with the protrusion 6 on top.

[0023] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of stacking the cover material cases 2. As shown in Figure 4, the cover material cases 2 holding the cover material 1 are stacked and stored in a case holder 200 provided inside or outside the specimen sealing device 100. At this time, the stacking of the cover material cases 2 is made easy because grooves 7 into which the case legs 3 can be inserted are provided on the upper surface of the case base 4. It is also easy to package and transport multiple cover material cases 2 stacked on top of each other. The transport mechanism 11 grips and transports the uppermost cover material case 2.

[0024] <Regarding the projection 6> Figure 5A is a top view showing an example of the shape of the projection 6 of the opening 5. In Figure 5A, the projection 6 is provided along the two short sides of the opening 5. If the opening 5 is square (not shown), the projection 6 can be provided on the edge of the opening 5 parallel to the short side of the cover material case 2.

[0025] When using cover glass as cover material 1, the length of the projection 6 in Figure 5A can be, for example, 0.2 to 0.5 mm, and especially 0.3 to 0.4 mm. If it is less than 0.2 mm, the holding force of the projection 6 is weak when the cover material 1 is vibrated, and there is a risk that the cover material 1 will fall off. On the other hand, if it is 0.5 mm or longer, the cover material 1 may get caught on the projection 6 even when pushed, making it difficult to lower. Also, there is a possibility that the cover material 1 (cover glass) may break.

[0026] When a cover film is used as the cover material 1, the length of the protrusion 6 in Figure 5A can be, for example, 0.2 to 1.0 mm, and particularly 0.3 to 0.9 mm. If it is less than 0.2 mm, there is a risk that the cover material 1 will fall off if it is subjected to vibration. Also, if the protrusion 6 is formed of resin, there is a risk that the protrusion 6 will break as it approaches its strength limit. On the other hand, if the length of the protrusion 6 is 1.0 mm or more, the cover material 1 will not easily fall down even if it is pushed because it will catch on the protrusion 6.

[0027] Figure 5B is a top view showing another example of the shape of the projection 6. In Figure 5B, the projection 6 is provided along the two long sides of the opening 5. If the opening 5 is square (not shown), the projection 6 can be provided on the edge of the opening 5 parallel to the long side of the cover material case 2.

[0028] When cover glass is used as cover material 1, the length of the projection 6 in Figure 5B can be, for example, 0.2 to 0.4 mm, and particularly 0.25 to 0.35 mm. If it is 0.4 mm or longer, the projection 6 will catch on the cover material 1 when it is pressed, making it difficult for it to descend. When cover film is used as cover material 1, the length of the projection 6 in Figure 5B can be, for example, 0.2 to 0.9 mm, and particularly 0.3 to 0.8 mm. If it is 0.9 mm or longer, the projection 6 will catch on the cover material 1 when it is pressed, making it difficult for it to descend.

[0029] Figure 5C is a top view showing another example of the shape of the projection 6. In Figure 5C, the projection 6 is provided along the entire circumference of the opening 5.

[0030] Figure 5D is a top view showing another example of the shape of the projection 6. In Figure 5D, the projection 6 is provided at the four corners of the opening 5. The projection 6 in Figure 5D can be square or rectangular.

[0031] Figure 5E is a top view showing another example of the shape of the projection 6. In Figure 5E, the projection 6 is provided at the center of the four sides of the opening 5. The projection 6 in Figure 5E can be square or rectangular.

[0032] The length of the projection 6 on the short side in Figures 5C to 5E can be the same as in Figure 5A, for example. The length of the projection 6 on the long side in Figures 5C to 5E can be the same as in Figure 5B, for example. The shape and dimensions of the projection 6 provided in the opening 5 are not limited to those shown in Figures 5A to 5E.

[0033] Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the projection 6 on the cover material case 2. The length of the projection 6 is defined as D in Figure 6.

[0034] <About the slide holder 23> Figure 7A is a top view showing an example of the configuration of the slide holder 23, with the slide glass 21 placed on it. As shown in Figure 7A, the slide holder 23 can be installed in the form of protrusions that extend from the substrate at four locations that restrain the four corners of the slide glass 21. Alternatively, the slide holder 23 may be installed at two locations that restrain the two corners located diagonally opposite each other on the slide glass 21 (not shown).

[0035] Figure 7B is a top view showing an example configuration of the slide holder 23, with the cover material case 2 placed on it. The slide holder 23 not only has the function of fixing the slide glass 21, but can also serve as a support column for the cover material case 2, as shown in Figures 1 and 7B. That is, by placing the case legs 3 inside the slide holder 23, the installation of the cover material case 2 onto the slide holder 23 becomes easy. This allows the cover material 1 to be placed directly above the slide glass 21. When the cover material 1 is pushed down, the slide holder 23 acts as a guide, and the cover material 1 fits within the frame of the slide holder 23. This prevents misalignment between the cover material 1 and the slide glass 21.

[0036] <Regarding the mounting agent 22> Mounting agents containing organic solvents (such as xylene) are highly toxic, raising concerns about health risks to workers and environmental impact. Therefore, a mounting agent 22 mainly composed of water-soluble polymers is preferred. Examples of mounting agents 22 include polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol / polyvinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylpyrrolidone / polyvinyl acetate copolymer, polyethylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol derivatives. These substances may also be used as a mixture in any proportion.

[0037] <About the mounting medium dispensing mechanism 31> As shown in Figure 1, the mounting medium dispensing mechanism 31 consists of a mounting medium tank 32 for storing the mounting medium 22, a pump 33, and a dispensing nozzle 34. The pump 33 is used to draw the mounting medium 22 from the mounting medium tank 32 and dispense a fixed amount of mounting medium 22 onto the slide glass 21 via the dispensing nozzle 34. The amount of mounting medium 22 dispensed can be, for example, 50 to 90 μL, and especially 60 to 80 μL. If the amount of mounting medium 22 dispensed is too small, air bubbles are likely to be introduced when the cover material 1 is placed on top, and the entire sample cannot be covered with the mounting medium 22. On the other hand, if the amount of mounting medium 22 dispensed is too large, the mounting medium 22 will overflow from the edge of the cover material 1 when the cover material 1 is placed on top, contaminating the slide glass 21 and the sample mounting device 100.

[0038] <About the cover material lowering mechanism 41> As shown in Figure 1, the cover material lowering mechanism 41 raises and lowers the abutment portion 43 using an electric actuator 42. By bringing the abutment portion 43 into contact with the cover material 1 and pressing it down with an appropriate pressing force, the cover material 1 can be dropped from the opening 5 and placed on the slide glass 21. An example of the electric actuator 42 is a linear motion mechanism having a slider screwed into an electric motor-driven ball screw, but it is not limited to this (not shown).

[0039] The shape of the abutment portion 43 can be divided into two types: a point-type and a linear-type. First, the point-type abutment portion 43 can have the shapes shown in Figures 8A and 8B.

[0040] Figure 8A is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the shape of the abutment portion 43. In Figure 8A, the tip of the abutment portion 43 is hemispherical.

[0041] Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the shape of the abutment portion 43. In Figure 8B, the tip of the abutment portion 43 is cylindrical.

[0042] In either of the shapes of FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, the position where the abutting portion 43 presses the cover member 1 in a point-like manner can be one location at the center point of the cover member 1, or two locations spaced apart in the long-side direction across the center point. When pressing two locations of the cover member 1, the center distance between the two locations can be, for example, 10 to 30 mm, particularly 15 to 25 mm.

[0043] Alternatively, as the abutting portion 43 that presses the cover member 1 linearly, the shapes shown in FIGS. 8C and 8D are also possible.

[0044] FIG. 8C is a perspective view showing another example of the shape of the abutting portion 43. In FIG. 8C, the abutting portion 43 is linear and has a hemispherical tip.

[0045] FIG. 8D is a perspective view showing another example of the shape of the abutting portion 43. In FIG. 8D, the abutting portion 43 is linear and has a planar tip.

[0046] The length L of the abutting portion 43 in the linear direction can be, for example, 15 to 25 mm. The material of the abutting portion 43 can be a resin such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), for example.

[0047] <Regarding Control Device 300> The control device 300 can be configured by a computer device including a CPU (processor), a storage device, an input / output interface, and the like. The CPU of the control device 300 can execute programs stored in a memory to drive the conveyance mechanism 11 and control the dripping mechanism 31 and the cover member lowering mechanism 41.

[0048] <Method for Enclosing Specimen by Specimen Enclosing Apparatus 100> FIGS. 9A to 9F are diagrams for explaining the procedure for enclosing a specimen using the specimen enclosing apparatus 100. Hereinafter, as an example, a procedure for enclosing a specimen using the specimen enclosing apparatus 100 after the specimen attached to a slide glass is stained by an automatic immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining apparatus 400 will be described.

[0049] (Step S01) The user places the slide glass 21 on which the sample is placed into the automatic staining device 400 and performs the desired staining. After the staining of the sample is complete, as shown in Figure 9A, the control device 300 drives the transport mechanism 11 to grasp the slide glass 21. Then, after transporting it to the sample mounting device 100, the slide glass 21 is placed inside the slide holder 23.

[0050] (Step S02) As shown in Figure 9B, the control device 300 operates the pump 33 to draw up the mounting medium 22 from the mounting medium tank 32 and drops a fixed amount of mounting medium 22 onto the slide glass 21 via the dispensing nozzle 34. As an example, the amount of mounting medium 22 dropped is 70 μL.

[0051] (Step S03) As shown in Figure 9C, the control device 300 drives the transport mechanism 11 to grip the uppermost cover material case 2 of the case holder 200.

[0052] (Step S04) As shown in Figure 9D, the control device 300 drives the transport mechanism 11 and places the cover material case 2, which has been removed from the case holder 200, into contact with the slide holder 23.

[0053] (Step S05) As shown in Figure 9E, the control device 300 drives the electric actuator 42 of the cover material lowering mechanism 41 to lower the abutment portion 43. For example, the abutment portion 43 presses against the center of the cover material 1. As a result, the cover material 1 detaches from the cover material case 2 and lowers onto the slide glass 21.

[0054] When a cover glass is used as the cover material 1, the distance between the cover material 1 and the slide glass 21 can be, for example, 2 to 5 mm. When a cover film is used, since it has greater flexibility than glass, the distance between the cover material 1 and the slide glass 21 can be, for example, 3 to 7 mm. By making the distance between the cover material 1 and the slide glass 21 smaller, the displacement of the cover material 1 when it is lowered can be suppressed. On the other hand, if the cover material 1 and the slide glass 21 are too close, when the cover material 1 is pressed, the abutment portion 43 may come into contact with the slide glass 21, and the sealing agent 22 on the slide glass 21 may spill out.

[0055] The mounting medium 22 on the slide glass 21 spreads across the upper surface of the slide glass 21 due to the weight of the cover material 1. The specimen is then sealed by adhering the cover material 1 to the slide glass 21. The mounting medium 22 hardens at room temperature, but the hardening time can be shortened by heating it to 60-70°C.

[0056] (Step S06) As shown in Figure 9F, the control device 300 drives the transport mechanism 11 to grasp the cover material case 2 on the slide holder 23 and transports it to the consumables rack (not shown) for storage. It is also possible to reuse the cover material 1 by placing it in the cover material case 2 after use.

[0057] (Step S07) Although not shown in the diagram, the control device 300 drives the transport mechanism 11 to transport the sealed glass slides 21 to the storage rack for storage.

[0058] <Summary of the First Embodiment> The specimen mounting device 100 according to the first embodiment mounts a specimen section to be tested with a cover material 1. The specimen mounting device 100 includes a cover material case 2 having an opening 5 and a projection 6 that holds the cover material 1 in a planar manner in the opening 5, a case holder 200 on which the cover material case 2 is placed, a slide holder 23 (slide fixing mechanism) that fixes a slide glass 21 on which a specimen section is placed, a transport mechanism 11 that transports the cover material case 2 onto the slide glass 21 fixed to the slide holder 23, a dropping mechanism 31 that drops mounting agent 22 onto the slide glass 21 fixed to the slide holder 23 or onto the specimen section, and a cover material lowering mechanism 41 that pushes down the cover material 1 held by the projection 6 from above and lowers it onto the slide glass 21 or the specimen section.

[0059] In this way, a specimen encapsulation device 100 can be realized that automates the storage of the cover material 1 and its transport and placement onto the slide glass 21. Furthermore, it is possible to suppress descent failures when lowering the cover material 1 onto the slide glass 21.

[0060] [Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment described above, a configuration was described in which the cover material 1 is stored with the cover material 1 resting on the protrusions 6, as shown in Figure 3B. In the second embodiment, a configuration is described in which the protrusions 6 are installed at the upper and lower ends of the opening 5, and the cover material 1 is sandwiched between the two protrusions 6. With this configuration, accidental dropping of the cover material 1 can be suppressed.

[0061] <Regarding the arrangement of the protrusions 6> Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the protrusions 6 according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 10, double protrusions 6A and 6B are provided at the upper and lower ends of the short side of the opening 5. The length Da of the lower protrusion 6A on which the cover material 1 is placed can be, for example, 0.2 to 1.0 mm, and more particularly 0.3 to 0.9 mm. On the other hand, the length Db of the upper protrusion 6B, which functions as a restraint to prevent the cover material 1 from falling, can be, for example, 0.2 to 0.9 mm, and more particularly 0.3 to 0.8 mm. If the length Db of the protrusion 6B is 0.9 mm or more, even if the cover material 1 is pushed, it will catch on the protrusion 6B and will not easily fall. By inserting the cover material 1 between the protrusions 6A and 6B and storing it so that it is sandwiched between the two protrusions 6A and 6B, the cover material 1 can be prevented from falling when the cover material case 2 is stored or transported.

[0062] Figure 11 is a perspective view showing another arrangement of the protrusions. In Figure 11, the lower protrusion 6A on which the cover material 1 rests is provided along the short side of the opening 5. The upper protrusion 6B for fall prevention is provided along the long side of the opening 5. Alternatively, the lower protrusion 6A can be provided along the long side of the opening 5, and the upper protrusion 6B for fall prevention can be provided along the short side of the opening 5.

[0063] <Technical Effects> According to the specimen sealing device and specimen sealing method of the second embodiment, it is possible to prevent the cover material 1 from falling out of the cover material case 2.

[0064] [Third Embodiment] In the first embodiment, an example was described in which the encapsulating agent 22 was dropped onto the slide glass 21, and then the cover material 1 was lowered to perform encapsulation. In the third embodiment, a method of encapsulation using a cover material 1 containing a water-soluble polymer coating layer is proposed.

[0065] As the water-soluble polymer constituting the coating layer, for example, a substance similar to the encapsulating agent 22 described above can be used.

[0066] As an example of a water-soluble polymer, a 10 wt% aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol is applied to the cover material 1, and the water is evaporated to form a water-soluble polymer coating layer. The cover material 1 having such a coating layer is placed in the cover material case 2 and subjected to sealing.

[0067] In the specimen encapsulation procedure according to the third embodiment, the difference from the first embodiment is the liquid dropped in step S02. In this embodiment, water is dropped onto the slide glass 21 instead of the mounting agent 22. Then, in step S05, the cover material 1 containing a water-soluble polymer coating layer is lowered onto the slide glass 21. As a result, the water-soluble polymer coating layer of the cover material 1 comes into contact with the water on the upper surface of the slide glass 21 and dissolves, exhibiting adhesive properties. This adheres the cover material 1 and the slide glass 21, allowing the specimen to be sealed.

[0068] <Technical Effects> The specimen encapsulation apparatus and specimen encapsulation method of the third embodiment are safe because they do not use organic solvents.

[0069] [Fourth Embodiment] In the first embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 1, an example was described in which the specimen sealing device 100 is configured with a transport mechanism 11 and a cover material lowering mechanism 41 as separate components. In the fourth embodiment, a configuration in which a stopper 43 is installed on the transport mechanism 11 will be described. With this configuration, the transport mechanism 11 and the cover material lowering mechanism 41 can be integrated, and the specimen sealing device 100 can be made smaller.

[0070] <About the Conveying Mechanism 11> Figure 12A is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the configuration of the conveying mechanism 11 according to the fourth embodiment. Similar to the first embodiment, the conveying mechanism 11 has a gripping part 12, a moving mechanism part 13, and a control unit 14. In this embodiment, the abutment part 43 is installed on the lower side of the moving mechanism part 13. The distance H1 between the tip of the abutment part 43 and the bottom surface of the gripping part 12 can be, for example, 2 to 10 mm, and more particularly 4 to 8 mm. If the distance H1 is less than 2 mm, there is a risk that the amount of push-in of the cover material 1 will be insufficient and it will not descend. On the other hand, if the distance H1 is longer than 10 mm, the gripping part 12 will be larger, and a burden will be placed on the conveying mechanism 11. Furthermore, the distance H2 between the tip of the abutment part 43 and the upper surface of the projection 15 can be, for example, 1 to 4 mm, and more particularly 2 to 3 mm. If the distance H2 is less than 1 mm, there is a risk that the tip of the abutment part 43 will touch the cover material 1 and cause it to fall when the cover material case 2 is conveyed. On the other hand, if the distance H21 is longer than 4 mm, the gripping portion 12 becomes larger, putting a strain on the transport mechanism 11.

[0071] Figure 12B is a cross-sectional view illustrating another configuration example of the conveying mechanism 11 according to the fourth embodiment. Instead of the configuration in Figure 12A, the abutment portion 43 can be installed on the side of the gripping portion 12, as shown in Figure 12B. The distance H3 between the tip of the abutment portion 43 and the bottom surface of the projection 15 can be, for example, 2 to 10 mm, and particularly 4 to 8 mm. If the distance H3 is less than 2 mm, not only will the amount of pressure applied to the cover material 1 be insufficient and it will not descend, but there is also a risk that the cover material 1 will come into contact with the projection 15 and be damaged. On the other hand, if the distance H3 is longer than 10 mm, a burden will be placed on the gripping portion 12, and there is a risk that the conveying mechanism 11 will tilt.

[0072] <Method for lowering the cover material> Figure 12C is a diagram illustrating the procedure for lowering the cover material using the transport mechanism 11 shown in Figure 12A. As shown in Figure 12C, the control device 300 drives the transport mechanism 11 to lower it toward the cover material case 2. At this time, the abutment portion 43 presses, for example, the center of the cover material 1. As a result, the cover material 1 detaches from the cover material case 2 and descends toward the slide glass 21.

[0073] <Technical Effects> According to the specimen sealing device and specimen sealing method of the fourth embodiment, the transport mechanism 11 and the cover material lowering mechanism 41 (butt section 43) are integrated. This makes it possible to miniaturize the specimen sealing device 100.

[0074] [Fifth Embodiment] In the first embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 1, an example was described in which the sample packaging device 100 is configured with a transport mechanism 11 and a dispensing mechanism 31 as separate components. In the fifth embodiment, a configuration in which a dispensing nozzle 34 is installed on the transport mechanism 11 will be described. With this configuration, the transport mechanism 11 and the dispensing nozzle 34 are integrated, and the mechanism for moving the dispensing nozzle 34 is eliminated, thereby making the sample packaging device 100 smaller.

[0075] <About the Conveying Mechanism 11> Figure 13A is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the configuration of the conveying mechanism 11 according to the fifth embodiment. Similar to the first embodiment, the conveying mechanism 11 has a gripping part 12, a moving mechanism part 13, and a control unit 14. In this embodiment, the dispensing nozzle 34 is installed on the lower side of the moving mechanism part 13. The dispensing nozzle 34 is connected to a pump 33 located outside the conveying mechanism 11 via piping (shown by a dotted line in the figure). The pump 33 is connected to an inclusion agent tank 32 and sucks in an inclusion agent or water from the inclusion agent tank 32. The distance H4 between the tip of the dispensing nozzle 34 and the upper surface of the projection 15 can be, for example, 1 to 4 mm, particularly 2 to 3 mm. If the distance H4 is less than 1 mm, there is a risk that the tip of the abutment part 43 will touch the cover material 1 and cause it to fall when the cover material case 2 is conveyed. On the other hand, if the distance H4 is longer than 4 mm, the gripping part 12 will be larger, putting a burden on the conveying mechanism 11.

[0076] <Method for dripping mounting agent or water> Figure 13B is a diagram illustrating the procedure for dripping mounting agent or water using the transport mechanism 11 according to the fifth embodiment. As shown in Figure 13C, the control device 300 drives the transport mechanism 11 and lowers it toward the slide glass 21. The control device 300 then stops the dispensing nozzle 34 at a position where it does not come into contact with the slide glass 21 and operates the pump 33. Mounting agent or water is drawn from the mounting agent tank 32 and a fixed amount of mounting agent or water 22 is dripped onto the slide glass 21 via the dispensing nozzle 34.

[0077] <Technical Effects> According to the specimen sealing device and specimen sealing method of the fifth embodiment, the transport mechanism 11 and the dispensing nozzle 34 are integrated. This eliminates the need for a movement mechanism for the dispensing nozzle 34, and the specimen sealing device 100 can be made smaller.

[0078] [Sixth Embodiment] In the first embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 1, an example was described in which the sample encapsulation device 100 is configured with a transport mechanism 11, a dropper mechanism 31 cover material, and a lowering mechanism 41 as separate components. In the sixth embodiment, a configuration in which a dispensing nozzle 34 and a stopper 43 are installed on the transport mechanism 11 will be described. With this configuration, by integrating the transport mechanism 11, the dispensing nozzle 34, and the stopper 43, the movement mechanism for the dispensing nozzle 34 and the stopper 43 is eliminated, and the sample encapsulation device 100 can be made smaller.

[0079] <About the transport mechanism 11> Figure 14A is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the configuration of the transport mechanism 11 according to the sixth embodiment. In this embodiment, the dispensing nozzle 34 and the stopper 43 are installed on the lower side of the moving mechanism 13. The dispensing nozzle 34 is connected to a pump 33 located outside the transport mechanism 11 via piping (shown by a dotted line in the figure). The pump 33 is connected to a encapsulant tank 32 and sucks up encapsulant or water from the encapsulant tank 32.

[0080] Figure 14B is a cross-sectional view illustrating another configuration example of the transport mechanism 11 according to the sixth embodiment. Instead of the configuration in Figure 14A, it is also possible to install the dispensing nozzle 34 so that it passes through the inside of the abutment portion 43, as shown in Figure 14B.

[0081] The method for dropping the sealing agent or water and the method for lowering the cover material are the same as in the fourth and fifth embodiments, so a description will be omitted.

[0082] <Technical Effects> According to the specimen sealing device and specimen sealing method of the sixth embodiment, the transport mechanism 11, the dispensing nozzle 34, and the stopper 43 are integrated. This makes it possible to miniaturize the specimen sealing device 100.

[0083] [Variations] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, but includes various variations. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail for the purpose of explaining this disclosure, and do not necessarily have to include all the configurations described. Also, parts of one embodiment can be replaced with the configurations of another embodiment. Also, configurations of other embodiments can be added to the configuration of one embodiment. Also, parts of the configuration of each embodiment can be added, deleted, or replaced with parts of the configurations of other embodiments.

[0084] 1...Cover material 2...Cover material case 3...Case legs 4...Case base 5...Opening 6...Protrusion 11...Transport mechanism 12...Gripping part 13...Movement mechanism part 14...Control unit 21...Slide glass 22...Mounting medium 23...Slide holder 31...Drip mechanism 32...Mounting medium tank 33...Pump 34...Dispensing nozzle 41...Cover material lowering mechanism 42...Electric actuator 43...Butt section 100...Specimen mounting device 200...Case holder 300...Control unit

Claims

1. A specimen sealing device for sealing specimen sections to be tested with a cover material, comprising: a cover material case having an opening and a projection for holding the cover material in a planar manner in the opening; a case holder on which the cover material case is placed; a slide fixing mechanism for fixing a slide on which the specimen section is placed; a transport mechanism for transporting the cover material case onto the slide fixed to the slide fixing mechanism; a dropping mechanism for dropping a mounting agent onto the slide fixed to the slide fixing mechanism or onto the specimen section; and a cover material lowering mechanism for pressing down on the cover material held by the projection to lower it onto the slide or onto the specimen section.

2. The specimen encapsulation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the projections are installed along at least a portion of the upper edge of the opening and at least a portion of the lower edge of the opening, and the cover material is sandwiched between the two projections.

3. The specimen sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening has a short side and a long side, and the projection is installed on the opposite short side of the opening.

4. The specimen encapsulation device according to claim 3, characterized in that the cover material is a cover glass and the length of the protrusion is 0.3 to 0.4 mm, or the cover material is a cover film and the length of the protrusion is 0.3 to 0.9 mm.

5. The specimen encapsulation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the projections are installed on the opposing long sides of the opening.

6. The specimen encapsulation device according to claim 5, characterized in that the cover material is a cover glass and the length of the protrusion is 0.25 to 0.35 mm, or the cover material is a cover film and the length of the protrusion is 0.3 to 0.8 mm.

7. The specimen encapsulation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover material is a cover glass, and the distance between the cover material and the slide when the cover material case is transported onto the slide is 2 to 5 mm, or the cover material is a cover film, and the distance between the cover material and the slide when the cover material case is transported onto the slide is 3 to 7 mm.

8. The specimen encapsulation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the tip of the cover material lowering mechanism is hemispherical or cylindrical.

9. The specimen encapsulation device according to claim 1, wherein the material of the cover case is polypropylene, polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyoxymethylene, polyphthalamide, polybutylene terephthalate, or cycloolefin polymer.

10. The specimen encapsulation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover material case comprises a case base on which the cover material is placed and legs, wherein the legs are installed 1 mm to 3 mm inward from the end of the case base.

11. The specimen encapsulation device according to claim 10, characterized in that a groove into which the legs can be inserted is provided on the upper surface of the case base.

12. The specimen sealing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover material case is stored in a stacked manner within the case holder.

13. The specimen sealing device according to claim 11, characterized in that the cover material cases are stacked and stored by inserting the legs of other cover material cases into the grooves.

14. The specimen encapsulation device according to claim 1, wherein the material of the cover material is borosilicate glass, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polycycloolefin, polymethyl methacrylate, cellulose acetate, polyurethane, silicone, or polyvinyl chloride.

15. The specimen encapsulation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport mechanism further transports the slide.

16. A specimen mounting method for enclosing specimen sections to be tested with a cover material, the specimen mounting method comprising: transporting a slide on which the specimen sections have been stained to the specimen mounting device described in claim 1 and placing the slide inside the slide fixing mechanism; dropping a mounting agent onto the specimen section or onto the slide; transporting the cover material case on which the cover material is placed and placing it on the slide fixing mechanism; pressing the cover material down from above onto the slide or the specimen section to spread the mounting agent between the cover material and the slide and to make the cover material and the slide adhere tightly; and curing the mounting agent at room temperature.

17. A method for encapsulating a specimen according to claim 16, further comprising heating the encapsulating agent when it is cured.

18. A method for mounting a specimen according to claim 16, wherein the total amount of the mounting medium dropped onto the specimen section or the slide is 50 μL or more and 90 μL or less.

19. The method for encapsulating a specimen according to claim 16, characterized in that one central point of the cover material is pressed down from above and brought down.

20. The method for encapsulating a specimen according to claim 16, characterized in that two locations 10 to 30 mm apart on either side of the center point of the cover material, or the entire length of the cover material, are pressed down from above and brought down.

21. The method for encapsulating a specimen according to claim 16, characterized in that the cover material includes a coating layer of a water-soluble polymer.

22. A method for encapsulating a specimen, wherein the water-soluble polymer in claim 21 is polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol / polyvinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylpyrrolidone / polyvinyl acetate copolymer, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol derivative, or a mixture thereof.

23. A method for mounting a specimen according to claim 21, wherein the mounting agent dropped onto the specimen section or the slide is water.

24. The specimen encapsulation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport mechanism comprises the cover material lowering mechanism.

25. The specimen sealing device according to claim 24, wherein the cover material lowering mechanism is a stopper that pushes the cover material down from above onto the slide or onto the specimen section, and the stopper is installed below the transport mechanism.

26. The specimen encapsulation device according to claim 24, wherein the cover material lowering mechanism is a stopper that pushes the cover material down from above onto the slide or onto the specimen section, and the stopper is installed on the side of a gripping portion of the transport mechanism that grips the cover material.

27. The specimen packaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport mechanism comprises the dropping mechanism.

28. The specimen packaging device according to claim 27, characterized in that the dropping mechanism comprises a dispensing nozzle, and the dispensing nozzle is installed below the transport mechanism.

29. The specimen sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport mechanism comprises the cover material lowering mechanism and the dropping mechanism.

30. The specimen encapsulation device according to claim 29, wherein the cover material lowering mechanism is a stopper that pushes the cover material down from above onto the slide or onto the specimen section, the dropping mechanism comprises a dispensing nozzle, and the stopper and the dispensing nozzle are installed below the transport mechanism.

31. The specimen sealing device according to claim 30, characterized in that the dispensing nozzle passes through the inside of the stopper portion.

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