Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Microscope
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-30
2002-08-20
Sikder, Mohammad (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Microscope
C359S379000, C359S390000, C359S369000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06437912
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Applications No. 11-348529, filed Dec. 8, 1999; No. 2000-076684, filed Mar. 17, 2000; and No. 2000-078721, filed Mar. 21, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an erecting type microscope and a transillumination condenser used therefor.
The present invention also relates to an optical element slider for an microscope.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, an erecting type microscope (prior art
1
) having a transillumination is designed such that a space for a base portion
201
, condenser portion
202
, and stage portion
203
is ensured between the desk surface and a specimen. In general, the distance from the desk surface to the specimen is about 200 mm.
The base portion
201
needs to have a space for housing collector and relay lenses (not shown) for efficiently guiding light from a light source (not shown) to a specimen.
The condenser portion
202
needs to have a space for ensuring the stroke of vertical movement of a condenser
212
and the stroke of vertical movement of a stage
213
so as to easily interchange dedicated condensers corresponding to various types of microscopes such as a phase-contrast microscope and dark-field microscope or the magnification and type of an objective lens
211
. In addition, the stage portion
203
needs to have a space for ensuring the rigidity of the stage
213
.
In any case, a focusing handle
214
for focusing the microscope on a specimen and a stage handle
215
for adjusting the observation position of the specimen are disposed at distances of 60 to 80 mm from the upper surface of the table to allow the user to easily operate them while resting his/her hands on the table, minimizing occasions when he/she must move his/her hands in the air. The distance from the focusing handle
214
or stage handle
215
to the upper surface of the stage
213
is therefore set to 120 to 140 mm.
As a “microscope with a focusing mechanism”, a technique (prior art 2) is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2966514 (registered Aug. 13, 1999). FIG. 6 in this reference shows a revolver elevation type microscope whose object lens vertically moves. A stage 38′ is held on a stage support 41 fixed on the upper surface of the base. A condenser 39′ is also held on the stage support 41.
As an “optical microscope”, a technique (prior art 3) is disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-174977. Referring to FIG. 7 in this reference, a mount portion 41 of a condenser unit is mounted with a gap with respect to a mount base 40 fixed to the upper surface of the microscope base, and the mount portion 41 can move in the range of this gap.
As a “an illumination optical system for a microscope”, a technique (prior art 4) is disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-56091. This optical system serves as a condenser optical system with a reduced distance from a light source to the position of a specimen. A relay lens for forming a light source image at the position of an aperture stop is divided into two parts, which are respectively disposed before and after a reflecting mirror.
The following problems arise in the above prior arts. In prior art
1
, as shown in
FIG. 1
, when a specimen is to be replaced with another during observation, the user must release the focusing handle
214
or stage handle
215
and remove the specimen placed on the stage
213
. The user then must place the next specimen on the upper surface of the stage
213
.
In this case, if the focusing handle
214
or stage handle
215
is located far from the upper surface of the stage
213
, the moving distance is long. In clinical examinations, an enormous number of specimens, i.e., several hundred to thousand or more specimens, are interchanged a day. If, therefore, the moving distance of the hand is long, fatigue builds up, and the user feels burdensome.
The shorter the distance from the focusing handle
214
or stage handle
215
to the upper surface of the stage
213
, the better. In a conventional microscope in which the distance from the upper surface of the table to that of the stage is 200 mm, the moving distance is as long as 120 to 140 mm.
According to the arrangement of prior art 1, the upper surface of the stage
213
cannot be placed at a distance of about 130 mm from the upper surface of the table. The space for the base portion
201
may be reduced by placing, for example, a light-emitting flat plate using a fluorescent lamp or the like below the stage
213
or condenser
212
instead of sending illumination light emitted from the light source through the base portion
201
. In this case, however, for example, the brightness decreases, and the requirement for the numerical aperture of the object lens cannot be satisfied. As a consequence, the illumination performance of the prior arts cannot be ensured.
In addition, since a field stop operation ring
216
is generally mounted on the upper surface of the base portion
201
below the condenser
212
, the space for this component must also be ensured.
To reduce the space for the condenser portion
202
, both the condenser portion
202
and the stage
213
may be lowered so as to reduce the space below the condenser
212
. For this purpose, the stroke of vertical movement of the condenser
212
may be decreased. If, however, the stroke of vertical movement of the condenser
212
is decreased, limitations are imposed on the use of the condenser. For example, the condenser cannot be interchanged with another dedicated condenser corresponding to each type of microscope. This makes it impossible to satisfy the requirement for illumination performance.
Furthermore, if the space below the condenser
212
is reduced, the stroke of vertical movement of the state
213
, i.e., the focusing guide stroke, is also reduced. To reduce the space for the stage portion
203
, the stage
213
itself must be thinned, resulting in a deterioration in stage performance, e.g., a reduction in stage rigidity.
According to prior art 2, even in a revolver elevating type microscope, the condenser is laterally held by the stage support and spaced apart from the upper surface of the stage. It is therefore difficult to decrease the level of the specimen mount surface.
In prior art 3, although the condenser is directly mounted on the upper surface of the stage, a stage elevating scheme is used, and the condenser is designed to vertically move in almost the same stroke as the stroke of vertical movement of the stage to be interlocked with the vertical movement of the stage. This makes it impossible to decrease the level of the specimen mount surface.
In prior art 4, the operation/effect of setting the specimen mount surface at a position lower than the upper surface of the table by using an optical system for reducing the distance from the light source and the specimen is disclosed. However, the arrangement of an actual microscope is not disclosed.
The optical element slider of a conventional microscope will be described next with reference to FIG.
2
. In a microscope
331
capable of switching various observation methods, a turret
333
incorporating optical elements
332
such as ring slits is rotatably supported below a stage
340
of the microscope body to easily switch between a bright-field observation and a phase-contrast observation and between a bright-field observation and a dark-field observation.
To change the observation method, the turret
333
is turned to change an optical element
333
on the optical axis.
A base
341
of the microscope body has ND filters
334
a
and
334
b
for adjusting the brightness of illumination light independently of the optical elements
332
, and a filter inserting/removing unit
335
for inserting/removing the filters, thereby allowing the observer to insert/remove filters as needed.
In a phase-contrast observation and dark-field observation, since a specimen is illuminated through a r
Hayasaka Toshimi
Shiba Shinichiro
Frishauf Holtz Goodman & Chick P.C.
Olympus Optical Co,. Ltd.
Sikder Mohammad
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