Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Microscope
Patent
1995-03-09
1996-12-17
Callahan, Timothy P.
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Microscope
359381, 359821, G02B 2100
Patent
active
055859640
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a modular microscope system, with an assembled microscope basic unit, which has a stand-foot, a stand upper part, and an intermediate module with an attachable binocular housing.
2. Prior Art
A microscope is already known from DE 30 37 556 A1, with a basic frame, in the vertical part of which dovetail-guides are superposed, so that drawer-shaped modules can be linked into them. The dovetail-guides, which are referred to as gliding-guides, are continuously formed at the inner wall of the housing. They require a high amount of manufacturing precision throughout the entire sliding length of each module. Because these gliding-guides are recesses in the inner wall area of the vertical stand carrier-part, which is designed in a compact construction type, manufacturing problems occur in the precise production of many superposed-layered parallel dovetail-guides. Heat influences have a negative impact as well, since larger temperature intervals may lead to pressure loads or tensile loads respectively between the inner wall of the housing on the one hand and the slide-in module on the other hand, which finally results in a more or less cumbersomely moving drawer-guide.
Furthermore, a chassis for optical devices is known from EP 90 967 B1, which is designed as a 3-dimensional distortion-stiff hollow structure, which may be assembled of several parts and for which extended aluminum oxide is the recommended material. In this, the individual housing parts may be "trimmed on", i.e., sintered together or they may be detachably connected with each other, e.g. screwed connections with a tie rod. In the case of sintered groups of parts a quick exchange of individual basic-unit-parts is not possible. In case the parts of the ceramic-chassis are connected through screws or other anchoring means, problems occur due to the different choices of materials (on the one hand ceramic, on the other hand, metal screws or metal rods respectively). It is also technically not entirely possible to produce basic-unit housings from ceramic materials with the required narrow tolerances for precision microscopes. An additional disadvantage is the susceptibility to damage or wear respectively for modularly-designed parts made from ceramics (i.e., especially parts intended for a fast exchange).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is thus the task of the proposed invention to design a microscope system of the type described above, in which a modular microscope system is described under consideration of ergonomic aspects and the utilization of modern manufacturing processes, in which a system-integrated up and down rating of the individual system parts is possible, whereby the height of the eyepiece remains constant for the observer.
The task is solved in the proposed invention by forming the basic-unit as a frame-construction-type in several parts. Moreover it contains precision-stop-surfaces for the exactly-aligned positioning and mounting of carriers, on which optical and/or electronic pre-aligned and completely-assembled individual parts or groups of parts, which are gathered into functional units, are arranged. The precision-stop surfaces may be shaped especially as small-dimensional plane contact surfaces or bearing surfaces respectively, which correspond regarding their arrangement in the plane or the space of the housing to the surface or spatial dimensions respectively of the carrier, which can be placed in the correct position. It is moreover also possible that the precision-stop-surfaces are not shaped as plane contact or bearing surfaces respectively, or as point contact or point bearing surfaces respectively. In an especially advantageous design type, at least one one-piece combination-stop-surface system is intended for the exact positioning of a carrier. It contains at least two precision-stop-surfaces, which are located in defined spatial arrangement--preferably in levels vertically aligned towards each other. The above mentioned precision-stop-surfaces may,
REFERENCES:
patent: 4619503 (1986-10-01), Reinheimer et al.
patent: 5089909 (1992-02-01), Kleinberg
patent: 5091793 (1992-02-01), Goto et al.
504 Zeiss Information, 29 (1987) Jul. No. 98, pp. 4-8, Oberkochen, W. Germany.
Callahan Timothy P.
Leica Mikroskopie und Systeme GmbH
Zweizig Jeffrey
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