Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Microscope
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-20
2001-02-13
Nguyen, Thong (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Microscope
C359S375000, C359S431000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06188515
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a microscope system in which a barrel on the ocular lens end of the microscope is slanted in relation to a barrel on the objective lens end. More specifically, it refers to a variable inclination angle lens barrel for a microscope and microscope system in which the slanting angle and the like of the barrel on the ocular lens end of the microscope is adjustable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In microscopic observation, from the point of view of ergonomics, it is preferred that one perform an observation with maximum comfort. Therefore, it is conventional in many microscopes for the slanting angle (depression angle) of the barrel on the ocular lens end of the microscope to be variable. This feature of a microscopes in which the slanting angle of the barrel on the ocular lens end is variable is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Sho. 57-20714, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Sho. 61-15116, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Sho. 61-294408, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Hei. 4-179909 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,439.
Also, Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Sho. 59-121607 shows an example of a microscope in which the height of the eye piece section of an ocular lens, that is, the height of eye point is adjustable. In addition, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Sho. 59-159119 shows a microscope with a structure in which the slanting angle, height and depth of the ocular lens are adjustable.
If the slanting angle of the barrel on the ocular lens end is adjustable, as described above, it is possible to provide a comfortable posture for an observer by adjusting the slanting angle to the direction in which the observer looks into the ocular lens. However, this adjustment of the slanting angle is not satisfactory. The position of the eye point is desired to be freely adjustable. Furthermore, adjustability in the position of the eye point provides a comfortable posture for an observer. Nonetheless, it is a problem that this adjustment is not satisfactory by itself.
In the case of the microscope published in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Sho. 59-159119, the slanting angle, height of the ocular lens and depth are all adjustable to satisfy the request for a comfortable posture for observation. To accomplish this the microscope employs a complex structure with a plurality of links which is unwieldy, complex, costly and of increasing size.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a variable-inclination-angle lens-barrel for guiding light through an optical path in a microscope extending from an infinite correction type objective lens group at one end of the microscope to an eyepiece at the other end. The invention permits the microscope to be of a simple structure which enables adjustment of the slanting angle of the ocular lens barrel and the corresponding distance of an eyepiece.
For the above purposes, the present invention provides a microscope structure having a lens-barrel and an optical path extending from an infinite correction type objective lens to an ocular lens, said microscope structure comprising:
a first lens group which has positive refractive power;
a second lens group which has negative refractive power; and
a third lens group which has positive refractive power;
wherein:
the first lens group and the second lens group together form an afocal system;
a first reflective member positioned between the second lens group and the third lens group and which is mounted on a pendular axis; and
at least one second reflective member positioned between the first lens group and the second lens group;
said optical path comprises a first optical path extending from said objective lens group through said first and second lens group to said first reflective member and a second optical path extending from said first reflective member through said third lens group to said eyepiece;
with the position of said first reflective member being rotatable about said pendular axis relative to said second optical path and with said pendular axis passing through said first reflective member at the intersection of the first and second optical path and being perpendicular to the optical axis of said first and second optical path; and
with the third lens group being mounted for rotary motion about said pendular axis in common with the rotation of said first reflective member and with said distance between said first reflective member and said third lens group being adjustable.
The pendular axis passes through the point on the first reflective member where the optical axis of the optical path enters and is perpendicular to the optical axis of the first optical path and the optical axis of the second optical path.
In this microscope, the slanting angle of the ocular lens barrel is arbitrarily adjustable by pendulating a second optical path which extends through a second lens barrel and the ocular lens around a pendular axis in relation to a first optical path which includes the infinite correction type objective lens. Furthermore, the distance (depth) between the optical axis of the objective lens and the ocular lens (or eye point) is adjustable by varying the distance along the second optical path between a first reflective member and a third lens group of the ocular lens barrel.
Also, the first lens group and the second lens group are in an afocal arrangement so that the parallel light beam, which enters the microscope from an objective lens of the infinite correction type passes into the first lens group, remains as a parallel light beam as it passes between the second lens group and the third lens group. Therefore, adjusting the distance between the first reflective member and the third lens group will not affect an image which is imaged by the third lens group so that this adjustment is performed without restrictions.
It is preferable to construct the microscope such that a second reflective member, which performs an odd number of reflections, is located on the optical path extending from the objective lens of the infinite correction type. With this arrangement the first and second reflective member will, in concert, perform an even number of reflections so that an inverted image of an observed object is observed via the ocular lens. As a result, it is possible to observe the inverted image in the same manner as with a conventional microscope without it being different from the usual.
When the second lens barrel which lies in the second optical path is pendulated by a given angle &agr; in relation to the first reflective member which reflects the light beam from the first optical path into the second optical path, it is preferable for the microscope to be configured such that the first reflective member pendulates around the pendular axis about which the second lens barrel pendulates but by an angle which is half of the given angle (&agr;); i.e., by an angle of &agr;/2 and in the same direction. This causes the first reflective member to be automatically pendulated by a desired and necessary angle when the second reflective member group is pendulated. As a result, an extra step of adjusting the angle of the first reflective member can be omitted.
Additionally, it is preferable for the microscope to be configured such that the distance between the infinite correction type objective lens in the first lens barrel and the first lens group along the first optical axis to be expandable. This enables the variable-inclination-angle lens-barrel to be easily moved in the vertical direction so that the height of the eye point can be freely adjusted. Additionally, the light beam between the infinite correction type objective lens and the first lens group is also a parallel light beam, therefore, the above expansion and contraction does not affect imaging.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3459464 (1969-08-01), Smith
patent: 4175826 (1979-11-01), Blaha et al.
patent: 4204748 (1980-05-01), Yonekubo
patent: 4299439 (1981-11-01), Stromblad
patent: 4412727 (1983-11-01), Taira
patent: 4576450 (1986-03-01), Westphal
patent: 4643541 (1987-02-01), Matsubara
patent: 4691997 (1987-09-01), Muchel
patent: 5
Anderson Kill & Olick P.C.
Nguyen Thong
Nikon Corporation
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