Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Microscope
Patent
1995-03-20
1997-11-04
Nguyen, Thong
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Microscope
359384, 359821, G02B 702, G02B 2100
Patent
active
056846240
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a change-over device having a plurality of centerable reception rings, inserted into a sliding bearing, for optical components.
Change-over devices of this type are, for example, revolving turrets on microscopes. In this regard, it is necessary for polarization microscopy that the lenses inserted into a rotatable spherical cap on the turret be centered with respect to the optical axis of the microscope imaging system. The reception rings on the screwing-in part of the lenses are inserted for this purpose into a sliding bearing in the spherical cap and can be displaced in a defined fashion in this sliding bearing at right angles to the optical axis by setting screws. The receptacles are protected against torsion in the sliding bearing. The spherical cap is constructed from two shells. The reception rings are held in the axial direction in the sliding bearing between these two shells of the spherical cap by means of an annular corrugated spring. The production and assembly of the two-shell spherical cap design are very expensive. The overall height of the turret is relatively large and the number of centerable reception rings is limited.
The maximum height of the revolving turret is fixed by standardization measures. It is, however, advantageous if the height can be reduced, since then the exit apertures of the lenses can be brought closer to the downstream imaging optics. The diameters of the imaging beams are then smaller, with the result that further imaging optics can be configured more cost effectively.
The axis of rotation of the spherical cap of the revolving turret is inclined with respect to the optical axis of the microscope. A large angle of inclination has the advantage that the individual lenses swivel very quickly out of the working area when the spherical cap is rotated. Taking account of the prescribed maximum height of the revolving turret, a large angle of inclination reduces the permissible diameter of the spherical cap. It is therefore possible to arrange only a small number of lenses on the spherical cap.
Increasing the diameter of the spherical cap can be achieved under the abovenamed conditions only if the depth of the spherical cap is reduced and, furthermore, the permissible maximum height of the revolving turret is exploited. However, a flatter spherical cap has the disadvantage that in the interior of the turret little space is available between the fixed and the rotating parts, with the result that the arrangement of the centerable reception rings is rendered substantially more difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to reduce the overall height of the revolving turret, to increase the number of centerable reception rings and to simplify the design substantially.
The invention is a change-over device for a microscope. The change-over device includes a spherical cap having friction bearings and reception rings inserted into the spherical cap against the friction bearings. The change-over device also includes an assembly, connected to the spherical cap, to center each of the reception rings and a spring element, connected to the spherical cap. The spring element holds the reception rings in the spherical cap. The spring element has tongues, each tongue being split into two halves to form a pair of lugs, each pair of lugs applying spring pressure to edges of adjacent reception rings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is represented diagrammatically in the drawings and is described in more detail below with the aid of an exemplary embodiment.
FIG. 1 shows a section through a revolving turret, and
FIG. 2 shows a top view of the spherical cap with a star-shaped spring element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a revolving turret 1, which can be exchangeably inserted into the stand of a microscope (not represented), in such a way that its vertical axis 2 coincides with the optical axis of the downstream microscope imaging system. An
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patent: 4018505 (1977-04-01), Peck
patent: 4025171 (1977-05-01), Peck
patent: 4961636 (1990-10-01), Gaul et al.
patent: 5508850 (1996-04-01), Noguchi
Schalz Karl-Josef
Wieber Karl
Leica Mikroskopie und Systeme GmbH
Nguyen Thong
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