Abstract: An observation device (1) is provided with: a general observation unit (10) for observing sample cells by observing an entire container (C) containing the cells and a culture solution; and a magnification observation unit (20) for magnifying a region within the container (C) and observing the cells, the general observation unit (10) and the magnification observation unit (20) each individually having lighting for illuminating the cells with light, and an optical system for observing the cells. The general observation unit (10) and the magnification observation unit (20) are thereby each provided with an individual optical system and lighting, making it possible to configure an appropriate observation unit for use both when the cells are observed by observing the entire container (C) and when a part within the container (C) is magnified and the cells are observed.

Abstract: A storage apparatus includes: a storage member provided with a pair of first rail members, extending along a horizontal direction, on both side faces thereof; a storage rack; a carrying mechanism to carry the storage member placed thereon in the horizontal direction to a storage location of the storage rack; and a pair of walls, provided so as to be opposed to the side faces of the storage member, respectively, having a pair of second rail members, extending in the horizontal direction, provided on side faces thereof opposed to the pair of first rail members, respectively, in a state where the storage member is stored in the storage rack, the storage member being guided to the storage rack with the pair of first rail members being supported by the pair of second rail members, when the carrying mechanism is moved in the horizontal direction toward the storage rack.

Abstract: A carrier device may include a loading board, a moving mechanism to move the loading board horizontally for a storage member storing a plurality of containers for storing liquid to be loaded on the loading board; a base material having set thereon the loading board and moving mechanism, and a first mounting member mounted to the base material.

Abstract: A recording medium having an observation program recorded therein, the program may cause a computer to execute: an entire-image-pickup process of picking up an image of a sample by picking up an image of an entire container containing the sample and a solution; a sample-mass-identification process of identifying a sample mass having the samples gathering therein, from the image picked up in the entire image-pickup process; a sample-mass-determination process of extracting shape information of the identified sample mass, and determining a state of the sample mass based on the shape information; a coordinate-detection process of selecting a magnifying-observation-target sample mass from the identified sample masses, and detecting coordinates of the center of the magnifying-observation-target sample mass.

Abstract: An observation device (1) is provided with: a general observation unit (10) for observing sample cells by observing an entire container (C) containing the cells and a culture solution; and a magnification observation unit (20) for magnifying a region within the container (C) and observing the cells, the general observation unit (10) and the magnification observation unit (20) each individually having lighting for illuminating the cells with light, and an optical system for observing the cells. The general observation unit (10) and the magnification observation unit (20) are thereby each provided with an individual optical system and lighting, making it possible to configure an appropriate observation unit for use both when the cells are observed by observing the entire container (C) and when a part within the container (C) is magnified and the cells are observed.

Abstract: The image sensing device (1) includes: a vessel holding portion (32) that holds a culture vessel (S); a swing portion (60) in which the vessel holding portion (32) is provided; a vibration application portion (50); an image sensing portion (10) that senses an image of the cells within the culture vessel (S); an image correction portion (4) that uses images at a plurality of image sensing places which include at least one image sensed by the image sensing portion (10) during vibration so as to correct a displacement between the images caused as a result of the image sensing places being different; and an image processing portion (5) that uses the image sensed by the image sensing portion (10) and the image corrected by the image correction portion (4) so as to distinguish between a state of floatation of the cells and a state of adherence thereof.

Abstract: An observation device (1) is provided with: a general observation unit (10) for observing sample cells by observing an entire container (C) containing the cells and a culture solution; and a magnification observation unit (20) for magnifying a region within the container (C) and observing the cells, the general observation unit (10) and the magnification observation unit (20) each individually having lighting for illuminating the cells with light, and an optical system for observing the cells. The general observation unit (10) and the magnification observation unit (20) are thereby each provided with an individual optical system and lighting, making it possible to configure an appropriate observation unit for use both when the cells are observed by observing the entire container (C) and when a part within the container (C) is magnified and the cells are observed.

Abstract: Provided are a container tray in which a position and orientation of a container is hardly displaced from a predetermined position and orientation; a tray base used together with the container tray; and an observation unit. The container tray 8 includes a mounting plate 81 having a mounting surface 811 on which the container is to be mounted, an elastic body 82, and a biasing mechanism 83, 842. The elastic body 82 is arranged on the mounting surface 811 of the mounting plate 81 around a mounting region R where the container is to be mounted. The biasing mechanism 83, 842 is capable of switching states between a biased state in which the elastic body 82 is biased inward by applying a pressing force to the elastic body 82 from outside and a bias released state in which the bias on the elastic body 82 is released.

Abstract: The carrying device comprises a carrying mechanism carrying a fluid vessel containing liquid, a detection device detecting depth information changing with depth of the liquid in the fluid vessel, and a control device controlling the carrying mechanism. The control device comprises: an information acquisition unit acquiring the depth information detected by the detection device; a computing unit calculating a maximum value of an acceleration which can be given to the fluid vessel when carried based on the depth information acquired by the information acquisition unit; and a carry command unit giving the carrying mechanism a command for carrying the fluid vessel at acceleration of the maximum value or smaller. The computing unit calculates a greater value as the maximum value of the acceleration as the depth of the liquid in the fluid vessel increases, and a smaller value as the maximum value of the acceleration as the depth of the liquid in the fluid vessel decreases.

Abstract: An incubator includes: a mount table having placed thereon a container, a holding member holding the container, or a storage member storing the holding members in a vertical-multi-stage manner; a carrying-in door on one side-face of the incubator including first and second antennas in an interior; a discrimination unit to determine that the container or holding member is placed on the table if radio waves are transmitted/received between the first antenna and a tag of the container or holding member, and determine that the storage member is placed if radio waves are transmitted/received between the second antenna and the tag of the holding member in the storage member; and a warning unit to warn if the container or holding member is placed thereon and a specified storage destination is a place for storage member, or the storage member is placed and the destination is a place for holding member.

Abstract: A storage apparatus includes: a storage member provided with a pair of first rail members, extending along a horizontal direction, on both side faces thereof; a storage rack; a carrying mechanism to carry the storage member placed thereon in the horizontal direction to a storage location of the storage rack; and a pair of walls, provided so as to be opposed to the side faces of the storage member, respectively, having a pair of second rail members, extending in the horizontal direction, provided on side faces thereof opposed to the pair of first rail members, respectively, in a state where the storage member is stored in the storage rack, the storage member being guided to the storage rack with the pair of first rail members being supported by the pair of second rail members, when the carrying mechanism is moved in the horizontal direction toward the storage rack.

Abstract: An observation device (1) is provided with: a general observation unit (10) for observing sample cells by observing an entire container (C) containing the cells and a culture solution; and a magnification observation unit (20) for magnifying a region within the container (C) and observing the cells, the general observation unit (10) and the magnification observation unit (20) each individually having lighting for illuminating the cells with light, and an optical system for observing the cells. The general observation unit (10) and the magnification observation unit (20) are thereby each provided with an individual optical system and lighting, making it possible to configure an appropriate observation unit for use both when the cells are observed by observing the entire container (C) and when a part within the container (C) is magnified and the cells are observed.

Abstract: The observation unit according to the present invention comprises an observation device observing a sample, a placing table on which the sample is placed, a drive device moving the placing table to an observation position where the sample is observed by the observation device, and a casing sealing a first space extending in a vertical direction. The first space and the placing table are arranged so as to be displaced from each other in a horizontal direction, and the drive device is arranged in the first space.

Abstract: Provided are a container tray in which a position and orientation of a container is hardly displaced from a predetermined position and orientation; a tray base used together with the container tray; and an observation unit. The container tray 8 includes a mounting plate 81 having a mounting surface 811 on which the container is to be mounted, an elastic body 82, and a biasing mechanism 83, 842. The elastic body 82 is arranged on the mounting surface 811 of the mounting plate 81 around a mounting region R where the container is to be mounted. The biasing mechanism 83, 842 is capable of switching states between a biased state in which the elastic body 82 is biased inward by applying a pressing force to the elastic body 82 from outside and a bias released state in which the bias on the elastic body 82 is released.

Abstract: The carrying device comprises a carrying mechanism carrying a fluid vessel containing liquid, a detection device detecting depth information changing with depth of the liquid in the fluid vessel, and a control device controlling the carrying mechanism. The control device comprises: an information acquisition unit acquiring the depth information detected by the detection device; a computing unit calculating a maximum value of an acceleration which can be given to the fluid vessel when carried based on the depth information acquired by the information acquisition unit; and a carry command unit giving the carrying mechanism a command for carrying the fluid vessel at acceleration of the maximum value or smaller. The computing unit calculates a greater value as the maximum value of the acceleration as the depth of the liquid in the fluid vessel increases, and a smaller value as the maximum value of the acceleration as the depth of the liquid in the fluid vessel decreases.

Abstract: The observation unit according to the present invention comprises an observation device observing a sample, a placing table on which the sample is placed, a drive device moving the placing table to an observation position where the sample is observed by the observation device, and a casing sealing a first space extending in a vertical direction. The first space and the placing table are arranged so as to be displaced from each other in a horizontal direction, and the drive device is arranged in the first space.

Abstract: A conveyance control device includes a drive mechanism to drive a reciprocating body, an origin sensor, a drive amount detection unit for detecting the drive amount of the drive mechanism, and a movement detection unit for optically detecting the reciprocating body's shifting from a resting state to a moving state. After the reciprocating body is moved in one direction until the origin sensor turns from a first output state to a second output state, the reciprocating body is moved in the opposite direction until the origin sensor turns back to the first output state. A first drive amount from when the origin sensor turns to the second output state to when the reciprocating body shifts from the resting state to the moving state, and a second drive amount from when the reciprocating body shifts to the moving state to when the origin sensor turns to the first output state are acquired.

Abstract: The invention provides an incubator 1 wherein stackers 3 having a plurality of microplate accommodating portions are arranged in a chamber 11, and a microplate transport device 5 is arranged for transporting a microplate 31 within the chamber 11 and moving the microplate 31 into or out of a desired microplate accommodating portion. A camera 7 is provided on a position opposed to a microplate accommodating portion of an uppermost stage in the stacker 3. The camera 7 faces said microplate accommodating portion, whereby a sample on the microplate 31 can be photographed.

Abstract: The invention provides an incubator 1 wherein a microplate transport device 5 is disposed inside a chamber 11 centrally thereof. The transport device 5 comprises a transport table 50 for placing a microplate thereon and is capable of driving the table 50 along the directions of three axes, i.e., X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis. A plurality of stackers 3 are arranged in the direction of Y-axis at each of opposite sides of the transport device 5 along the direction of X-axis. Each of the stackers 3 has a plurality of microplate accommodating portions arranged in the direction of Z-axis. The microplate is movable into or out of the desired accommodating portion by the transport device 5.

Abstract: The invention provides an incubator 1 wherein stackers 3 having a plurality of microplate accommodating portions are arranged in a chamber 11, and a microplate transport device 5 is arranged for transporting a microplate 31 within the chamber 11 and moving the microplate 31 into or out of a desired microplate accommodating portion. A camera 7 is provided on a position opposed to a microplate accommodating portion of an uppermost stage in the stacker 3. The camera 7 faces said microplate accommodating portion, whereby a sample on the microplate 31 can be photographed.