Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Microscope
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-29
2001-11-06
Nguyen, Thong (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Microscope
C359S363000, C359S385000, C359S398000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06313943
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microscope for observing microorganisms in water. More particularly, the present invention relates to an underwater microscope which can obtain a sharp picture of live underwater microorganisms in motion.
2. Description of Related Art
When researchers wanted to examine underwater microorganisms such as plankton or the like, conventionally, they drew up a water sample on board and carried it to a microscope prepared on board or on the ground and then dropped it on a preparation with sandwiched by cover glasses to observe the underwater microorganisms with an ordinary optical microscope. Especially, when many samples were needed, such as when there were many places to be researched or when a research was required per submerged depth of water, it took not only time and effort in picking up water samples, but also there was a problem with difficulties in securing a place for storing the water samples, or the like. Since underwater microorganisms had been dead by the time when they were observed after being sampled, it was very difficult to observe live underwater microorganisms in motion.
To solve this problem, a submersible microscope, with which researchers can directly observe underwater microorganisms, has been provided (Japanese Patent Application No.3-43916). That is, a camera and a luminous part are equipped within a watertight case, and a channel connecting to inside and outside the watertight case is placed near a focus of the camera. According to the underwater microscope in the present invention, direct observations of microorganisms in water, which eliminate the need for water samples, allow effects such as the prevention of deterioration with time, etc. to be confirmed. However, the following problems have been newly raised. One is that the picture becomes poor in sharpness due to the shake of the underwater microscope caused by ocean waves or the like. The other is that when studying the difference of microorganisms by the depth of water, latency becomes longer because of late interchange of water samples within the channel, which requires a long time for research.
In order to solve these problems, inventors of the present invention previously provided a submersible microscope, which quickly interchanged a water sample by connecting a pump to a channel and decreased the shake of the water sample within the channel by disposing a drain valve (Japanese Patent Application No.7-213314). In the underwater microscope of the present invention, there were still some problems left, regardless of the nearly sure attainment of its serviceable level by confirming prominent effects such as the speedy interchange of the water sample within the channel and the sharp decrease in the shake of the water sample, or the like.
More specifically, when we try to observe live underwater microorganisms in motion as we can see in natural environments, we have to relatively widen and thicken a sample chamber located near a focus of an underwater microscope. However, the following problems have been raised:
1) Brightened whole image is caused by refraction of light due to the water sample, which leads to a lower contrast.
2) A shake of the underwater microscope is caused by a large motion of the water sample within the sample chamber, which leads to a poor sharpness of the picture.
3) Underwater microorganisms in brisk motion may go out of the field of view.
4) It is difficult to observe underwater microorganisms in brisk motion while focusing.
For a method for observing live underwater microorganisms in motion, it is also possible to observe a picture transmitted from a camera on the boat with a microscope placed underwater while being towed by a boat. In this method, it was very difficult to obtain a sharp picture which clearly captured underwater microorganisms because the underwater microscope was terribly shaken by the movement of the boat and researchers observed them under a condition that there was a fairly swift flow of water near a focus of the microscope.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As a result of intensive studies in view of the above mentioned various prior arts to provide an underwater microscope which can capture live underwater microorganisms in motion with a sharp picture, the inventors of the present invention have attained the present invention.
It is one important object of the present invention to provide an underwater microscope which comprises at least a camera having an optical axis of an optical system, a channel for introducing a water sample, a sample chamber having a thickness ranging from 0.5 mm or more to 2 mm or less placed near a focus of the camera and connected to the channel, and light sources placed diagonally behind the sample chamber, wherein the light sources provide dark field illumination to the microscope.
It is another object of the underwater microscope in the present invention to provide an underwater microscope which comprises at least a camera having an optical axis of an optical system, a channel for introducing a water sample, a sample chamber having a thickness ranging from 0.5 mm or more to 2 mm or less placed near a focus of the camera and connected to the channel, and light sources placed diagonally behind the sample chamber, wherein the sample chamber has an inlet and an outlet, and the picture surface of the sample chamber is in a rectangular shape.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an underwater microscope which comprises at least a camera having an optical axis of an optical system, a channel for introducing a water sample, a sample chamber having a thickness ranging from 0.5 mm or more to 2 mm or less placed near a focus of the camera and connected to the channel, and light sources placed diagonally behind the sample chamber, wherein a pump connected to the channel and capable of forward feeding, back feeding, and stopping feeding a water sample into the sample chamber, is equipped, and the sample chamber has an inlet and outlet.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an underwater microscope equipped with an XY mobile device to move a focus position of the camera which comprises at least a camera having an optical axis of an optical system, a channel for introducing a water sample, a sample chamber having a thickness ranging from 0.5 mm or more to 2 mm or less placed near a focus of the camera and connected to the channel, and light sources placed diagonally behind the sample chamber.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an underwater microscope which comprises at least a camera having an optical axis of an optical system, a channel for introducing a water sample, a sample chamber having a thickness ranging from 0.5 mm or more to 2 mm or less placed near a focus of the camera and connected to the channel, and an LED light source arranged in a circle around the optical axis of the optical system of the camera, wherein the LED light source emits light intermittently in synchronism with a video signal of the camera.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2232354 (1941-02-01), Weygand
patent: 2210442 (1973-09-01), None
patent: 4-137315 (1992-12-01), None
patent: 5-249381 (1993-09-01), None
patent: 9-61360 (1997-03-01), None
patent: 641250 (1979-01-01), None
Ikado Kazuyoshi
Morinaga Keiichi
Nishi Katsuya
Kistem Co., Ltd.
Milde Hoffberg & Macklin, LLP
Nguyen Thong
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