Hydraulically-operated micromanipulator apparatus

• US 6,131,480 A
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Narishige Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Narishige Company Limited
• Inventors: Yoneyama, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannon, Thomas R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANSEN, COLBY M
• Application Number:
  US09/455,500
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 74/490.12, 74/490.13, 60/533, 60/567, 60/568, 60/571, 60/572, 92/75, 414/1, 414/2, 414/3, 414/4, 414/5, 414/6, 414/7, 414/8
• US Class Current: 74/490.13
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 7/00 Micromanipulators specimen supports for investigating or analysing materials G01N23/2204; associated with microscopes G02B21/32; means for supporting or positioning the objects or the material in discharge tubes H01J37/20
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 35/00 Means for application of stress for stimulating the growth of microorganisms or the generation of fermentation or metabolic products; Means for electroporation or cell fusion machines for extracting juice from animal or plant tissue by electroplasmolysis A23N1/006, processes employing electric or wave energy B01J19/08; treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy C12N13/00; methods for cell fusion C12N15/02; introduction of foreign genetic material C12N15/87
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/32 Micromanipulators structurally combined with microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20378 Planar surface with orthogonal movement or rotation

Abstract

A hydraulically-operated micromanipulator apparatus is disclosed. The micromanipulator apparatus comprises:

a micromanipulator fine control unit including an operating-side piston finely movable with respect to an operating-side hydraulic cylinder and fine control means, either the operating-side piston or the operating-side hydraulic cylinder being stationarily retained, while the rest being finely operable by the fine control means;

a hydraulically-operated micromanipulator including an actuating-side piston finely movable with respect to an actuating-side hydraulic cylinder and a fine displacement member, the actuating-side hydraulic cylinder being connected to said operating-side hydraulic cylinder through a hose, either the actuating-side piston or the actuating-side hydraulic cylinder being stationarily retained, while the rest being attached to the fine displacement member; and

compensating means for compensating a pressure change of the hydraulic fluid between said operating-side hydraulic cylinder and said actuating-side hydraulic cylinder when ambient temperature changes.

Claims

1. A hydraulically-operated micromanipulator apparatus, which comprises an operating unit and an actuating unit,

said operating unit including:

first operating-side hydraulic fluid chamber to be filled with hydraulic fluid, and second operating-side hydraulic fluid chamber to be filled with drift-prevention fluid; and

fine control means for controlling volume of said first operating-side hydraulic fluid chamber;

said actuating unit including;

a first actuating-side hydraulic fluid chamber connected to said first operating-side hydraulic fluid chamber through a hose and filled with hydraulic fluid;

a second actuating-side hydraulic fluid chamber connected to said second operating-side hydraulic fluid chamber through a hose and filled with drift-prevention fluid;

first slider means having a stationary member and a sliding member, the sliding member being slidable with respect to the stationary member by volume change of said first actuating-side hydraulic fluid chamber;

second slider means having a stationary member and a sliding member and attached to said first slider means, the sliding member being slidable with respect to the stationary member by volume change of said second actuating-side hydraulic fluid chamber;

microtool fixing means mounted to said second slider means; and

the volume of hydraulic fluid between said first operating-side hydraulic fluid chamber and said first actuating-side hydraulic fluid chamber being substantially the same as that of drift-prevention fluid between said second operating-side hydraulic fluid chamber and said second actuating-side hydraulic fluid chamber, and volume change of hydraulic fluid being compensated by drift-prevention fluid when ambient temperature changes, thereby stationary retaining said microtool fixing means.

2. A hydraulically-operated micromanipulator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stationary member of said second slider means is oppositely fixed to the sliding member of said first slider means.

3. A hydraulically-operated micromanipulator apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said operating unit ensures three-directional fine displacement of said microtool fixing means.

4. A hydraulically-operated micromanipulator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stationary member of said second slider means is fixed to the sliding member of said first slider means so as to fix said first slider means and said second slider means in the same direction, and the sliding member of said second slider means slides oppositely to the direction which the sliding member of said first slider means slides with respect to the stationary member thereof, and further said microtool fixing means is mounted on the sliding member of said second slider means.

5. A hydraulically-operated micromanipulator apparatus according to claim 4, wherein first and second fine control means are employed for controlling volume of said first and second operating-side hydraulic fluid chambers, respectively, and the drift-prevention fluid between said second operating-side hydraulic fluid chamber and said second actuating-side hydraulic fluid chamber functions as hydraulic fluid.

6. A hydraulically-operated micromanipulator apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said microtool fixing means is movable for the total amount of displacement of said first slider means and second slider means.

7. A hydraulically-operated micromanipulator apparatus according to claim 6, wherein one of said first and second fine control means is a fine control device, while the other is a coarse control device.

8. A hydraulically-operated micromanipulator apparatus according to claim 7, wherein repositioning means is employed so as to enable a repositioning operation of said microtool fixing means, the repositioning operation being carried out by retracting and advancing said microtool fixing means to a predetermined distance with the use of said coarse control device, while said fine control device is stationary retained.

9. A hydraulically-operated micromanipulator apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said operating unit ensures three-directional fine displacement of said microtool fixing means.