Oil removal method, oil remover, transporter, and testing system
An oil removal method is disclosed that removes an oil for an oil immersion object lens adhering to a smear surface of a smear of a sample. The method may include removing the oil by moving at least one of a first holder holding the smear to be subjected to oil removal or a second holder holding an oil absorption member that absorbs the oil from a separated state where a contact surface of the oil absorption member and the smear surface are positioned away from each other to a contacting state where the smear surface and the contact surface are in contact with each other, and moving at least one of the first holder or the second holder from the contacting state to the separated state after removing the oil.
1 . A testing system comprising:
a smear preparing device configured to prepare a smear being a glass slide with a sample smeared thereon;
a smear imaging device configured to supply an oil onto the smear prepared by the smear preparing device and image the smear with an oil immersion object lens; and
an oil remover configured to remove, after imaging by the smear imaging device, the oil for the oil immersion object lens adhering to the smear prepared by the smear preparing device, wherein the oil remover comprises:
a first holder that holds the smear to be subjected to oil removal;
a second holder that holds one or more oil absorption members which absorbs the oil;
a movement mechanism that is configured to move at least one of the first holder and the second holder so as to shift from a separated state where a contact surface of at least one of the one or more oil absorption members and the smear are positioned away from each other to a contacting state where the smear and the contact surface are in contact with each other; and
a controller that is configured to control the movement mechanism, wherein
the second holder holds the one or more oil absorption members comprising plural oil absorption members, and
the controller is configured to control the movement mechanism to bring the smear into contact with two or more of the plural oil absorption members.
2 . The testing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the movement mechanism is configured to bring the smear and the contact surface into contact with each other from a state where the smear and the contact surface face each other in a normal direction to the smear.
3 . The testing system according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the plural oil absorption members comprises an elastically deformable porous member, and
the movement mechanism is configured to move the at least one of the first holder and the second holder to compress at least one of the plural oil absorption members with the smear in the contacting state.
4 . The testing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the second holder holds the plural oil absorption members comprising a first oil absorption member, a second oil absorption member, and a third oil absorption member, and
the controller is configured, for each of smears in a first group, to control the movement mechanism to bring the smear into contact with the first oil absorption member and then into contact with the second oil absorption member, and
the controller is configured, for each of smears in a second group after the first group, the smear into contact with the second oil absorption member and then into contact with the third oil absorption member.
5 . The testing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller controls the movement mechanism so as to bring the smear into contact with an oil absorption member of the plural oil absorption members a first number of times and then bring the smear into contact with another one of the plural oil absorption members a second number of times greater than the first number of times.
6 . The testing system according to claim 1 , further comprising
a controller that is configured to control, when the smear is in contact with the contact surface, the movement mechanism to maintain relative positions of the first holder and the second holder to such an extent that the smear and the contact surface do not slide with respect to each other.
7 . The testing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the contact surface of each of the plural oil absorption members is formed to be smaller than the smear, and
the oil remover further comprises a controller that is configured to control the movement mechanism to bring the smear and the contact surface into contact with each other such that the contact surface is fitted inward of an outer peripheral edge of the smear.
8 . The testing system according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the plural oil absorption members comprises a porous member with a continuous pore structure.
9 . The testing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the movement mechanism is configured to move the first holder between a first position at which the smear to be subjected to oil removal is received by the first holder and a second position at which the smear after the oil removal is removed from the first holder, and
the second holder holds the plural oil absorption members in an area between the first position and the second position.
10 . The testing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the movement mechanism comprises a pivotal driver that is configured to pivot the first holder between plural angular positions including a first angular position in which the smear faces a vertical direction and a second angular position in which the smear faces a horizontal direction.
11 . The testing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured, when it is determined that a count of the oil removal by the plural oil absorption members reaches a predetermined threshold value, to display a guidance screen that prompts to replace the plural oil absorption members.
12 . The testing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to display a setting screen to select one of a first mode for executing an oil removal process and a second mode for not executing the oil removal process,
the controller is configured, when it is determined that the first mode is selected, to execute the oil remove process by controlling the movement mechanism, and
the control is configured, when it is determined that the second mode is selected, not to execute the oil removal process.
13 . The testing system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a container transport path configured to transport a container in which a plurality of smears are storable; and
a smear transfer device that is configured to pick up the smear from the first holder after the oil is removed by the oil remover, and store the picked-up smear into the container.
14 . The testing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to display on a display a setting screen to select one of a first mode for executing an oil removal process and a second mode for not executing the oil removal process,
the controller is configured, when it is determined that the first mode is selected, to execute the oil remove process by controlling the movement mechanism of the oil remover, and
the controller is configured, when it is determined that the second mode is selected, not to execute the oil removal process.
15 . A testing system comprising:
a smear preparing device configured to prepare a smear being a glass slide with a sample smeared thereon;
a smear imaging device configured to supply an oil onto the smear prepared by the smear preparing device and image the smear with an oil immersion object lens; and
an oil remover configured to remove, after imaging by the smear imaging device, the oil for the oil immersion object lens adhering to the smear prepared by the smear preparing device, wherein the oil remover comprises:
a first holder that holds the smear to be subjected to oil removal;
a second holder that holds one or more oil absorption members which absorbs the oil; and
a movement mechanism that is configured to move at least one of the first holder and the second holder so as to shift from a separated state where a contact surface of at least one of the one or more oil absorption members and the smear are positioned away from each other to a contacting state where the smear and the contact surface are in contact with each other, wherein
the second holder comprises a holding tool that is detachably attached to the second holder, and
the one or more oil absorption members are attached to the holding tool.
16 . A testing system comprising:
a smear preparing device configured to prepare a smear being a glass slide with a sample smeared thereon;
a smear imaging device configured to supply an oil onto the smear prepared by the smear preparing device and image the smear with an oil immersion object lens; and
an oil remover configured to remove, after imaging by the smear imaging device, the oil for the oil immersion object lens adhering to the smear prepared by the smear preparing device, wherein the oil remover comprises:
a first holder that holds the smear to be subjected to oil removal;
a second holder that holds one or more oil absorption members which absorbs the oil; and
a movement mechanism that is configured to move at least one of the first holder and the second holder so as to shift from a separated state where a contact surface of at least one of the one or more oil absorption members and the smear are positioned away from each other to a contacting state where the smear and the contact surface are in contact with each other, wherein
the movement mechanism is configured to move the first holder between a first position at which the smear to be subjected to oil removal is received by the first holder and a second position at which the smear after the oil removal is removed from the first holder, and
the second holder holds the one or more oil absorption members in an area between the first position and the second position,
the movement mechanism comprises:
a pivotal driver configured to bring the smear and the contact surface into and out of contact with each other by pivoting the first holder about a rotation shaft lying in a horizontal plane while supporting an end portion of the first holder, and
a horizontal driver configured to move the first holder between the first position and the second position by moving the first holder in a horizontal direction.