Abstract: A controller calculates a focal length of an objective optical system on the basis of position information acquired by a position detector and outputs to a focusing unit a signal for moving a movable lens in a focus direction to make the focus of the objective optical system coincide with a focus point specified by a pointer. It is not necessary to equip an autofocus system to a surgical microscope, and automatic focusing is performed by using a navigation system.

Abstract: A monitor is arranged on the opposite side of a surgery table to a main doctor so that an assistant is able to view a surgery area directly without being blocked by the monitor. A camera has a working distance of more than or equal to 60 cm and is therefore above a view field for the main doctor to view the monitor, so that the visibility of the monitor is not hindered. The working distance is not more than 100 cm so that the resolution of the camera is not lowered too much.

Abstract: A weight balance method of a surgical microscope is able to automatically align, in response to a switching operation, a center of gravity G of the surgical microscope 5 with a rotary shaft S. A weight balance of the surgical microscope is easily attained only by slanting the surgical microscope, and therefore, no part of the surgical microscope protrudes upward to interfere with a supporting structure of the surgical microscope.

Abstract: A surgical microscope system includes a surgical microscope. When an additional unit is added to the microscope, the center of gravity of the microscope upwardly changes. In this case, an extension of a vertical-slider plate is joined with an upper joint location of a horizontal-slider plate, to raise a vertical slider together with a rotary shaft relative to the microscope, so that a weight balance of the microscope can be established only by sliding the vertical slider within its slidable range.

Abstract: A surgical microscope apparatus includes a stand base to which a stand post is fixed. The stand post supports a stand body so that the stand body horizontally turns around the stand post without turning the stand post. The stand body, therefore, is turnable with small force. Load applied to a rotary part at a top part of the stand post is only the weight of the stand body, and therefore, a bearing of the rotary part can be downsized.

Abstract: A surgical stereoscopic observation apparatus includes an objective optical system having an optical axis and emits two focusing beams in parallel with the optical axis toward the objective optical system. If a focal point of the objective optical system agrees with a surgical field, the two focusing beams converge to a single spot on the surgical field, and if disagrees with the surgical field, form two spots on the surgical field. According to the state of the spots, it is possible to quickly determine with naked eye or on a monitor whether or not the focal point is on the surgical field.

Abstract: A weight balance method of a surgical microscope is able to automatically align, in response to a switching operation, a center of gravity G of the surgical microscope 5 with a rotary shaft S. A weight balance of the surgical microscope is easily attained only by slanting the surgical microscope, and therefore, no part of the surgical microscope protrudes upward to interfere with a supporting structure of the surgical microscope.

Abstract: A surgical microscope system includes an infrared thermocamera that directly obtains temperature data on an illuminating spot. If the obtained temperature data indicates a higher temperature than a temperature represented by reference temperature data, an alarm unit generates an alarming sound to notify in advance a risk of overheating so that a counteraction such as stopping an illuminating beam can be taken to surely prevent the overheating of the illuminating spot.

Abstract: A surgical microscope employs a pentaprism beam splitter as a branching unit to branch each beam passed through variable power optical systems into a first beam and a second beam, the first beam being horizontally reflected for an eyepiece unit, the second beam being vertically transmitted for an imaging device. The pentaprism alone is capable of simultaneously conducting reflection to provide an erect image and transmission to provide a photographing image, thereby reducing the number of optical parts in a microscope body of the surgical microscope.

Abstract: A surgical microscope has an upper face provided with a light beam outlet. An assistant scope is mounted on the light beam outlet, and is rotatable in a horizontal plane so as to direct in any direction in the plane.

Abstract: A surgical microscope system includes a surgical microscope. When an additional unit is added to the microscope, the center of gravity of the microscope upwardly changes. In this case, an extension of a vertical-slider plate is joined with an upper joint location of a horizontal-slider plate, to raise a vertical slider together with a rotary shaft relative to the microscope, so that a weight balance of the microscope can be established only by sliding the vertical slider within its slidable range.

Abstract: A stand apparatus for a surgical microscope includes a stand body and a parallel linkage. The parallel linkage is rotatably attached to the stand body by attaching a lower-end joint thereof instead of a vertical intermediate part thereof to the stand body. When the parallel linkage is tilted frontward, no part of the parallel linkage protrudes rearward. Weight balance of the frontward tilted parallel linkage is maintained by, instead of a counterweight, a compression spring arranged along a rear sub-arm.

Abstract: A surgical stereoscopic observation apparatus has a pair of main optical paths A and a pair of secondary optical paths B, an aligning direction of the paths B differing by 90 degrees from that of the paths A. The main and secondary optical paths involve imaging elements D1 and D2, respectively. This apparatus is able to provide not only electronic images oriented for a main operator and an assistant positioned opposite to the main operator but also electronic images orientated for an assistant positioned on the left or right side of the main operator, thereby allowing the main operator and assistants to cooperatively conduct an operation.

Abstract: A surgical stereoscopic observation apparatus defines main optical paths and secondary optical paths that are branched from the main optical paths A and run to a pair of fluorescence imaging elements. The apparatus picks up both visible-light images and fluorescence images, displays the images on an electronic image display unit, and allows an observer to stereoscopically observe the displayed images.

Abstract: A surgical microscope system includes an infrared thermocamera that directly obtains temperature data on an illuminating spot. If the obtained temperature data indicates a higher temperature than a temperature represented by reference temperature data, an alarm unit generates an alarming sound to notify in advance a risk of overheating so that a counteraction such as stopping an illuminating beam can be taken to surely prevent the overheating of the illuminating spot.

Abstract: A surgical microscope apparatus has a discharge pump unit that is attached to a rear arm of a parallel linkage mechanism and is exposed to an outside. The discharge pump unit, therefore, is easy to remove from a stand body when repairing or maintaining the same. Namely, the repair or maintenance of the discharge pump unit is easy to carry out. The discharge pump unit is not present inside a horizontal arm, and therefore, never increases the weight of the horizontal arm.

Abstract: A stand apparatus for a surgical microscope includes a stand body and a parallel linkage. The parallel linkage is rotatably attached to the stand body by attaching a lower-end joint thereof instead of a vertical intermediate part thereof to the stand body. When the parallel linkage is tilted frontward, no part of the parallel linkage protrudes rearward. Weight balance of the frontward tilted parallel linkage is maintained by, instead of a counterweight, a compression spring arranged along a rear sub-arm.

Abstract: A surgical microscope has an upper face provided with a light beam outlet. An assistant scope is mounted on the light beam outlet, and is rotatable in a horizontal plane so as to direct in any direction in the plane.

Abstract: A surgical microscope system includes a surgical microscope. In the surgical microscope, variable power optical systems are arranged horizontally to fold optical paths, thereby reducing a vertical size between eyepieces of the surgical microscope and a lower end of the same and expanding a working space under the surgical microscope. A camera is attached to an upper part of the surgical microscope to free a side face of the surgical microscope so that an accessory such as a fluorescent camera is attached to the side face.

Abstract: A medical stand apparatus includes a cylindrical lower arm that accommodates an upper arm divided into sections, so that only the lower arm is visible from the outside and so that a drape can tightly be fastened to the lower arm. The upper arm sections are connected to each other through a shaft that is guided along an arc groove of a bracket. This configuration is beneficial to reduce a diameter of the lower arm when the upper and lower arms are curved.