Microscope condenser with an integrated catch pan

Details Microscope condenser with an integrated catch pan Microscope condenser with an integrated catch pan

1999-08-04

2000-08-08

Nguyen, Thong

Optical: systems and elements

Compound lens system

Microscope

359368, 359391, 359398, G02B 2106

Patent

active

061010294

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a microscope condenser.
Known microscopes for examining living samples or cells have a microscope stand with an objective turret and a specimen holder or specimen stage provided below the objective turret. A glass container with a liquid for holding the living preparation is provided on the stage or on the specimen holder. Below this glass container, a microscope condenser is arranged in a manner allowing vertical displacement on the microscope stand.
In the case of such IN-VITO or IN-VITRO examinations, the glass container is designed as a petri-dish, bath chamber or perfusion chamber, for example. A temperature-regulated nutrient solution, for example a sugar or salt solution, is used as the liquid in this case. This nutrient solution is continuously exchanged in the glass container via an inlet and outlet. Relatively large quantities of liquid have to be stored as a result of this constant exchange of liquid.
During such examinations, moreover, use is made of controllable micromanipulators for processing the cell or the sample. For optical imaging reasons, the glass containers used are constructed with relatively thin walls and, accordingly, are very fragile. The glass containers may be damaged and lose their tightness as a result of inattentiveness during actuation of the manipulators or else in the event of improper actuation of the focusing device and/or of the condenser device.
When glass breaks in such circumstances, the liquid contained in the glass container and the liquid constantly being fed in anew runs onto the microscope condenser and the parts of the microscope stand situated underneath. The sensitive optical components such a diaphragms, phase annuli, lenses, filters, and the like in the microscope condenser and/or in the microscope stand may be damaged in the process due to the aggressiveness of the liquid used, for example a sugar and/or salt nutrient solution.


Summary of the Invention

The object of the present invention, therefore, is to ensure, in the case of a microscope arrangement of this type, that even when the glass container breaks, the liquid emerging cannot penetrate the microscope condenser and the microscope stand.
This object is achieved according to the invention by means of the features described herein. Advantageous developments are also described.
What the invention has achieved is that if the glass container breaks, the liquid emerging flows past the mount of the glass container, in the first instance by way of the condenser head, and is then taken up by the catch pan integrated in the microscope condenser. It has proved to be advantageous if a hose connection for draining away the liquid is integrated in the catch pan. `This ensures that even relatively large quantities of running-out nutrient solution can be reliably caught and drained away. The flowing of the liquid over the condenser head is relatively unproblematic, since the housing of said condenser head is constructed in one piece and the front lens is coated and blocked in such a way that no liquid can penetrate there and simple cleaning is possible.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment with the aid of the diagrammatic drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a side view of the microscope arrangement;
FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the microscope condenser; and
FIG. 3 shows a section along the line D--D (FIG. 2) through the microscope condenser.


DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

FIG. 1 shows a microscope stand 1 with an objective turret 2 and an objective 3 arranged thereon. The objective 3 projects into a glass container 4 containing a liquid 5 and a sample (not additionally illustrated) . The glass container 4 is held by a specimen holder 6, for example a microscope stage, which is designed in such a way that liquid escaping from the glass container can trickle away below the same through the illumination opening. A microscope condenser 8 with a condenser head 7 [sic] is arranged under

REFERENCES:
patent: 2404888 (1946-07-01), Richards
patent: 4431276 (1984-02-01), Weber
patent: 4981345 (1991-01-01), Berry et al.
patent: 5181382 (1993-01-01), Middlebrook
patent: 5257128 (1993-10-01), Diller et al.
patent: 5781338 (1998-07-01), Kapitza et al.

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