Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Microscope
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-06
2004-11-30
Nguyen, Thong Q (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Microscope
C359S363000, C356S153000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06825977
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to microscope optical component adjustment and, more particularly, to a device and method for assisting in the alignment of optical components in a microscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
A prior art optical microscope
10
is shown in FIG
1
. The microscope contains a housing
12
which defines two optical paths; an illumination path
14
and an imaging path
16
. The illumination path provides light to an objective lens
18
proximate a sample plane
22
containing a sample (not shown), and the imaging path
16
directs the image of the sample obtained by the objective lens
18
to an output port
31
containing, for example, an eyepiece, camera, or other capturing device
36
. Disposed along the illumination path
14
are illumination components such as a set of lenses
24
and a set of apertures
26
, and the imaging path
16
also contains a set of apertures
30
and a set of lenses
31
. As shown, both paths converge on, or overlap to share, a common path region containing one or more optical elements including a beam splitter
34
. The beam splitter directs the illumination light to the objective lens
18
and passes the resulting image to the output port
32
for processing, for example, by camera
36
.
During microscope assembly as well as during microscope maintenance, the optical components must be aligned along their respective path positions relative to each other and relative to the sample plane
22
to insure proper microscope operation. The alignment and adjustment process is performed independently on each optical path with the use of an alignment telescope
29
, which is typically first positioned at the illumination path input port
28
for directing a generated reference light beam along the illumination path
14
to the objective lens port
38
on the objective lens plane
20
defined on a surface of housing
12
, i.e. to the plane where the objective lens mounts. The term “objective lens plane” is used herein to refer to a surface where the objective lens connects to the housing
12
and also defines a reference surface for an optical alignment target component. The objective lens
18
will not yet be in position in the lens port, as this positioning is typically performed after optical component alignment has been substantially completed. Instead, a target planar mirror having a cross-hair target (not shown) is placed in the objective lens port
38
for reflecting the reference light back through the illumination path
14
to the alignment telescope
29
. Using the reflected light as a guide, the illumination path optical components are inserted on an element-by-element basis and manually manipulated for alignment along the illumination path
14
.
Once alignment of the illumination path optical components is substantially complete, the alignment telescope is positioned at the imaging path output port
32
for directing the reference light to the target mirror along the imaging path
16
. The imaging path optical components can then be installed on an element-by-element basis and aligned with respect to the target planar mirror position (i.e., at the objective lens port
38
), such as by manual manipulation of the individual components. Thereafter, the objective lens
18
is substituted for the target mirror and is adjusted for tilt angle and centration with respect to a target sample (not shown) positioned on the sample plane
22
. Once the objective lens
18
is adjusted, readjustment of the optical components in the illumination and imaging paths may be necessary for fine-tuning the alignment of those components.
A drawback of the prior art alignment technique discussed above is that the location of the target mirror at the sample plane—which is used for adjustment of the objective lens—is different than the location of the target mirror at the objective lens port, i.e. the location used to align the illumination path and imaging path optical components. This not only requires adjustment of the objective lens after alignment of these other optical components but, the use of a different target location as a reference for the objective lens requires further fine-tuning, i.e. realignment and readjustment of the optical path components once the objective lens adjustment is completed. Thus, the alignment telescope
29
would be repositioned at the illumination path input port
28
for fine-tuning the illumination path optical components, and then repositioned at the imaging path port
32
for fine-tuning the imaging path optical components. Such a process is tedious and time consuming. Also, it may not be possible to know for certain which component is responsible for the misalignment, so a repetitive sequence of steps is required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art are overcome by providing a fixture configured for mounting to an objective lens plane of an optical microscope. The fixture includes a base having a mounting surface and an elongated wall or arm having an inner surface. The wall has at least one optical element reference mount for providing removable placement of a reference optical element along an optical path of the microscope. The fixture provides for alignment and adjustment of the microscope optical components, including an objective lens, relative to the reference optical element by positioning the reference optical element at a fixed distance from, and aligned with, the objective lens plane.
In one embodiment, the fixture contains multiple spaced apart mounts for accommodating varying types of reference optical elements for use in alignment techniques.
In another embodiment, a method of aligning optical components in a microscope is provided wherein a fixture having a base and a wall is positioned at an objective lens port of the microscope. An alignment beam is generated and is directed toward the objective lens port through the fixture base. A reference optical element is disposed within a path of the alignment beam for reflecting the alignment beam toward the alignment beam source. The reflected alignment beam is then used to align the optical components in the microscope relative to the reflected alignment beam.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4335313 (1982-06-01), Kreuzer et al.
patent: 4766309 (1988-08-01), Kudo
patent: 4772123 (1988-09-01), Radner
patent: 6025908 (2000-02-01), Houde-Walter
patent: 6525802 (2003-02-01), Novak
Cohen & Pontani, Lieberman & Pavane
Nguyen Thong Q
Soluris Inc.
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