Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Microscope
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-25
2001-01-30
Nguyen, Thong (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Microscope
C359S385000, C359S387000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181471
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illuminating system for an image processing measuring apparatus used for measuring dimension, shape or contour and the like of an object based on an image of the object which has been measured by means of an optical system. More specifically, the invention relates to an illuminating system for an image processing measuring apparatus wherein illumination to be applied to an object is adapted to be capable of selecting from a group consisting of vertical-incident illumination, inclined-incident illumination, and ring-shaped incident illumination.
2. Prior Art
In an image processing measuring apparatus wherein a site measured in an object is optically magnified by means of a magnifying optical system, whereby dimension, shape or contour and the like of the object are measured from the magnified image, for example, measuring microscope, tool maker's microscope, projector or the like, illumination with respect to the object to be measured has a very important function from the viewpoint of attaining a clear magnified image of such object. Heretofore, a vertical-incident illuminating system wherein illuminating light is projected upon an object from the direction substantially directly above the object has been known as an illuminating system in such type of the image processing measuring apparatus as described above. However, such vertical-incident illuminating systems are utilized in most cases where an object having a comparatively simple shape is measured, so that if an object having a complicated contour such as a step-shaped object having a number of edge sections, is measured, a shadow of such edge sections cannot be clearly displayed on a display unit or the like.
In this respect, to solve the above described disadvantage, there has been proposed an image processing measuring apparatus wherein an inclined-incident illuminating device having a separate light source from that typically used in the image processing measuring apparatus, or a ring-shaped incident illuminating device having similarly a separate light source from that of the measuring apparatus is mounted on the measuring apparatus main body, and an image of the object measured is obtained by illumination derived from these illuminating devices.
In the above-mentioned inclined-incident illuminating device or ring-shaped incident illuminating device, however, since a separate light source from that involved in an image processing measuring apparatus is required, it becomes expensive, and labor intensive because it is difficult to mount the light sources to the measuring apparatus main body in a prescribed posture. Furthermore, in such an arrangement that an inclined-incident illuminating device and a ring-shaped incident illuminating device were mounted to the measuring apparatus main body at the time of initially assembling the whole apparatus, the apparatus itself becomes large in size and difficult to operate because all the illuminating devices are not always required necessarily dependent upon applications of the image processing measuring apparatus.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the problems as described above involved in the prior art. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an illuminating system for an image processing measuring apparatus in which any of vertical-incident illumination, inclined-incident illumination, and ring-shaped incident illumination can be selected to serve the same for use, and further which is excellent in operability, and, which can be constructed in a compact and economical manner.
The illuminating system for an image processing measuring apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a measuring apparatus main body having a table on which is placed an object to be measured; a vertical-incident illuminating device involving a light source and projecting the luminous flux emitted from the aforesaid light source from the direction just above the aforesaid object; an inclined-incident illuminating device mounted removably to the aforesaid measuring apparatus main body and projecting a luminous flux on the aforesaid object from an inclined direction; a ring-shaped incident illuminating device mounted removably to the aforesaid measuring apparatus main body and projecting a ring-shaped luminous flux on said object; and switching means for switching the luminous flux emitted from the aforesaid light source from the aforesaid vertical-incident illuminating device to either of the aforesaid inclined-incident illuminating device and the aforesaid ring-shaped incident illuminating device.
According to the constitution as described above, since it is constituted in such that the inclined-incident illuminating device and the ring-shaped incident illuminating device are removable with respect to the measuring apparatus main body provided with the vertical-incident illuminating device, such illumination suitable for the contour of an object to be measured can be selected from the group consisting of vertical-incident illumination, inclined-incident illumination, and ring-shaped incident illumination. In addition, since these illuminating devices are removable with respect to the measuring apparatus main body, the apparatus is extremely easy to operate, and compact in construction.
Furthermore, since the switching means for switching the luminous flux emitted from a light source of the vertical-incident illuminating device to either the inclined-incident illuminating device or the ring-shaped incident illuminating device, the light source for the vertical-incident illuminating device may be commonly used for the inclined-incident illuminating device and the ring-shaped illuminating device. For this reason, the measuring apparatus of the present invention can be constituted more economically than that in the case where inclined-incident illumination and ring-shaped incident illumination are conducted on the basis of light sources which are separately provided from that of the vertical-incident illuminating device as in the prior art.
In the above described constitution, it is preferred that only any one of the inclined-incident illuminating device and the ring-shaped illuminating device is removably mounted to the measuring apparatus through an adaptor lens for converting a diameter of the luminous flux emitted from the aforesaid light source to that of a predetermined diameter.
According to the arrangement as described above, the inclined-incident illuminating device and the ring-shaped incident illuminating device can be selectively mounted to the measuring apparatus main body through the adaptor lens, so that no working for mounting individually the inclined-incident illuminating device and the ring-shaped incident illuminating device to the measuring apparatus main body is required. In other words, since one adaptor lens can function as a mount which can be commonly used for the inclined-incident illuminating device and the ring-shaped incident illuminating device, it is possible to make the measuring apparatus simpler from the structural point of view as well as to make the measuring apparatus more economical than that of the prior art. In addition, since a diameter of the luminous flux emitted from the light source may be adapted to be the one suited to the inclined-incident illuminating device and the ring-shaped illuminating device by means of the adaptor lens, the luminous flux from the light source can effectively be utilized.
Moreover, it is preferred that the above described switching means is disposed with respect to the optical path derived from the aforesaid light source in an insertable and retractable manner, and the switching means is composed of an optical path switching mirror for switching the luminous flux emitted from the light source to either of the aforesaid inclined-incident illuminating device and the ring-shaped incident illuminating device dependent upon a position
Mitutoyo Corporation
Nguyen Thong
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