Focus Adjustment Patents (Class 359/383)
  • Patent number: 5684627
    Abstract: A microscope (1) is described which has an adjustment knob (2) arranged on the microscope (1) and an encoder (6) assigned to the adjustment knob (2). The encoder (6) is connected to a control device (3). The control device (3) is assigned positioning motors (4, 14, 18, 23, 24) for motorized setting of different microscope functions. The preselected function which can be controlled by motor is preselected via switches (7, 11, 15, 19, 21) arranged on the microscope (1) and triggered via the control device (3) as a function of the encoder pulses generated by the adjustment knob (2). The motor drives are assigned sensors (8) which detect the operating position of the activated microscope function. When the maximum operating position is reached, a braking motor (9) connected to the adjustment knob (2) is activated via the control device (3) and renders the rotation of the adjustment knob (2) more difficult up to complete blockage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Leica Mikroskopie und Systeme GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Ganser, Klaus Felgenhauer, Karl-Josef Schalz
  • Patent number: 5671085
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for three dimensional optical microscopy is disclosed which employs dual opposing objective lenses about a sample and extended incoherent illumination to provide enhanced depth or Z direction resolution. In a first embodiment, observed light from both objective lenses are brought into coincidence on an image detector and caused to interfere thereon by optical path length adjustment. In a second embodiment, illuminating light from an extended incoherent light source is detected to the sample though both objective lenses and caused to interfere with a section of the sample by adjusting optical path lengths. Observed light from one objective lens is then recorded. In a third embodiment, which combines the first two embodiments, illuminating light from an extended incoherent light source is detected to the sample through both objective lenses and caused to interfere with a section of the sample by adjusting optical path lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Mats G.L. Gustafsson, John W. Sedat, David A. Agard
  • Patent number: 5655419
    Abstract: A handle apparatus has a rough movement handle and a fine movement handle for rotating an output shaft at leastwise two stages of rough and fine movements by rotationally operating these handles. The rough movement handle is constructed as a crank handle. The fine movement handle is provided in a position apart from a rotating center of the crank handle. A medium movement handle may be provided coaxially with the fine movement handle. It is therefore possible to provide the inexpensive handle apparatus capable of increasing a driving torque of the rough movement handle, shifting the fine movement handle to an arbitrary position, making an installation thereof easier and reducing the number of parts required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuo Aoki
  • Patent number: 5557456
    Abstract: Apparatus for manually controlling a motorized microscope stage for movement about the X, Y and Z axes. The apparatus includes a main housing having an X axis control knob and a Y axis control knob rotatably mounted to the housing. A Z axis control knob is provided for controlling movement about the Z axis. The Z axis knob is mounted to a removable module so that the position of the Z axis control knob is adjustable with respect to the other knobs. There is a controller for generating stage control signals in response to movement of the knobs. A plug-in connector connects the apparatus to the microscope stage controller such that the stage control signals create corresponding movements of the motorized stage. The apparatus simulates the controls of a nonmotorized stage while maintaining compatibility with existing stage controller units. The apparatus is designed to provide tactile position feedback to the user similar to that of a manual non-motorized microscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Oncometrics Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: David M. Garner, Chun M. Louie, Daniel B. Harrison, Donald J. Dale
  • Patent number: 5532874
    Abstract: A confocal microscope system has a turntable with object locations for mounting multiple samples to be examined in a ring. The turntable is rotated about an axis concentric with the ring. At least one confocal microscope optical system is mounted with components movable axially and radially relative to the ring so that an object region may be scanned through samples mounted in the object locations, each microscope system including a point image detector providing a signal output, and a demultiplexer for receiving the signal output and isolating signal segments associated with different sample locations, and a multiple channel signal processor processes the signals associated with different locations, and a control unit moves axially movable components of each optical system firstly to establish focus reference data for each object and then to control the focus of the microscope responsive to the focus reference data as it scans successive object locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Morphometrix Inc.
    Inventor: Alfred Stein
  • Patent number: 5530237
    Abstract: In a focusing apparatus, a beam of light from a light beam source is imaged on an object to be inspected through one half of the pupil of an imaging optical system and a reflected beam of light from the object to be inspected passes through the other half of the pupil. The object to be inspected and the imaging optical system are moved relative to each other to effect focusing. A light divider divides the reflected beam of light from the object to be inspected into first and second reflected beams of light which are received by first and second light receiving members, respectively. A light intercepting member intercepts the reflected beam of light from the back of the object to be inspected, which is included in the second reflected beam of light. A controller moves the object to be inspected and the imaging optical system relative to each other on the basis of the outputs of the first and second light receiving members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Sato, Jun Matsuno
  • Patent number: 5496261
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a combination of a viewing and/or documenting apparatus and an endoscope connected forward thereof. The endoscope can be pulled out relative to the apparatus and can be deflected at an angle if desired. A coupling is provided between the focusing position of the main objective of the apparatus and the pull-out length of the endoscope in such a manner that the intermediate image supplied by the endoscope is always focused independently of the particular pull-out length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung
    Inventor: Ulrich Sander
  • Patent number: 5420716
    Abstract: A surgical microscope apparatus comprising a supporting device for suspending a microscope, a detecting device for detecting a location of a pupil of an observer relative to an observing pupil of the microscope and a drive controller for automatically moving the microscope, on the basis of a result detected by the detecting device, so that the observing pupil of the microscope is coincident with the pupil of the observer. This surgical microscope apparatus requires no manual handling for shifting the microscope and permits a continuous observation of a visual field without fail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Fukaya
  • Patent number: 5276550
    Abstract: An optical microscope including a revolver for mounting a plurality of objective lenses having different magnifications, a stage for holding a specimen to be inspected and being movable in a plane perpendicular to an inspection optical axis, a television camera for picking-up an image of the specimen by means of an objective lens which is indexed into the inspection optical axis, and a television monitor for displaying an image of the specimen on a display screen. In order to select an objective lens having a desired magnification and to move the stage with respect to the inspection optical axis automatically, a desired region is denoted on the image displayed on the display screen by operating a mouse. Then, a necessary magnification is calculated in accordance with a division ratio obtained by dividing an area of the desired region by a full area of the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jitsunari Kojima
  • Patent number: 5270855
    Abstract: A microscope which comprises a main unit comprising a base, an arm body mounted on and fixed to the base, an arm top, a revolver attached to the arm top, an objective attached to the revolver, a lens barrel held by the arm top, and an eyepiece attached to the lens barrel, a stage for supporting a specimen, a movable member connected to the front of the arm body, opposing the specimen supported on the stage, and capable of moving in a vertical direction, a revolver/ stage holder attached to the movable member, for holding the revolver or the stage, a focus adjustment knob coupled to the arm body, a focus-adjusting mechanism located within the arm body and mechanically connected to the movable member and the focus adjustment knob, for moving the movable member in the vertical direction for a distance proportional to an angle through which the knob is rotated, a first revolver holder secured to the arm top, for holding the revolver, and a stage support to be mounted on the base in the case where the objective is
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5260825
    Abstract: A microscope has a plural number of objective lenses switchable from one to another, a memory circuit for storing parfocality data for the individual objective lenses, and a correcting device for correcting imaging conditions on the basis of the parfocality data for an objective lens currently used and another objective lens to be selected for microscopy. The microscope is capable of always providing favorably focused condition even when the objective lenses are switched from one to another for changing observation magnification levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nagano, Jitsunari Kojima
  • Patent number: 5260826
    Abstract: A device for microscopic sectioning and imaging of an object specimen illuminated with light comprises an objective lens, a diaphragm, and a pixel filter array. The objective lens focuses light from the object specimen to an image focal plane. The diaphragm blocks a portion of the focused light from the objective lens thereby creating a shadow. Each pixel filter in the pixel filter array has an axis and is arranged so as to cooperate with the shadow so that light from an object focal plane and parallel to the pixel filter axes reaches an output image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: Physical Optics Corporation
    Inventor: Shudong Wu