Imaging device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12401876-B2
Application number	US-202218560723-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2022
Priority date	Jun 16, 2021
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a technique for detecting deviation amounts in two directions between a tip of a nozzle of a pipetting device and a target stop position from one image. An imaging device of the present disclosure is an imaging device installed in a pipetting device including a nozzle that aspirates and dispenses liquid and an arm that holds the nozzle and moves the nozzle by a rotation operation. The imaging device includes: a camera that includes an image sensor and a lens; and a pair of mirrors that includes a first mirror having a first reflective surface and a second mirror having a second reflective surface. The pair of mirrors is arranged such that the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface face each other. The pair of mirrors is arranged one by one between the tip of the nozzle and a bottom surface of the arm, on both sides across a plane that includes a rotation axis of the arm and a central axis of the nozzle. The first mirror is disposed closer to the arm than the second mirror, with the first reflective surface facing toward the tip of the nozzle, and the second reflective surface facing toward the camera.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imaging device installed in a pipetting device including a nozzle configured to aspirate and dispense liquid and an arm configured to hold the nozzle and to move the nozzle by a rotation operation, the imaging device comprising:
a camera that includes an image sensor and a lens; and
a pair of mirrors that includes a first mirror having a first reflective surface and a second mirror having a second reflective surface,
wherein the pair of mirrors is arranged such that the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface face each other, and the pair of mirrors is arranged one by one between a tip of the nozzle and a bottom surface of the arm, on both sides across a plane that includes a rotation axis of the arm and a central axis of the nozzle, and
the first mirror is disposed closer to the arm than the second mirror, with the first reflective surface facing toward the tip of the nozzle, and the second reflective surface facing toward the camera.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the second mirror is disposed at a position closer to the plane than the first mirror.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2 , wherein the second mirror is smaller than the first mirror.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is configured to be detachable from the pipetting device.

5. The imaging device according to claim 2 , wherein an optical axis of the camera is disposed out of the plane including the rotation axis of the arm and the central axis of the nozzle.

6. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is attached to the arm such that the camera is located near a base end portion of the nozzle.

7. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein
the lens is disposed such that light from a tip portion of the nozzle viewed from a first viewpoint is directly incident, and
the pair of mirrors is arranged such that light from the tip portion of the nozzle at a second viewpoint different from the first viewpoint is reflected by the first mirror, then reflected by the second mirror, and incident on the lens.

8. The imaging device according to claim 7 , wherein a direction of the first viewpoint is orthogonal to a direction of the second viewpoint.

9. The imaging device according to claim 7 , further comprising a control device configured to process an image captured by the image sensor,
wherein the control device is configured to calculate a deviation amount between the nozzle and a target stop position of the nozzle, which are projected in a region corresponding to the first viewpoint in the image, and
the control device is configured to calculate a deviation amount between the nozzle and the target stop position, which are projected in a region corresponding to the second viewpoint in the image.

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Ochi Manabu
• Horie Yosuke
• Saegusa Takashi
• Kawahara Tetsuji
• Suzuki Yoichiro
• Sakata Kenshiro

Classifications

• G03B17/17

  with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera · CPC title

• B01L3/0213

  Accessories for glass pipettes; Gun-type pipettes, e.g. safety devices, pumps · CPC title

• H04N23/531

  being rotatable or detachable · CPC title

• B01L3/02

  Burettes; Pipettes · CPC title

• G01N2035/103

  using disposable tips · CPC title