Abstract: An eyepiece structure for a surgical microscope includes an inner barrel, an intermediate barrel, and outer barrels. When the outer barrels are rotated, a protrusion of the inner barrel is guided along a spiral groove of the outer barrel and is moved back and forth along an optical axis. The protrusion is guided through a straight hole of the intermediate barrel that is not rotatable, and therefore, the inner barrel moves along the optical axis without rotating around the optical axis. An astigmatic lens is added to the inner barrel that is nonrotatable, to enable a surgeon suffering from astigmatism to conduct a surgical operation without glasses.

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 system includes a camera that is rotatable around a first rotation axis and a second rotation axis, the rotation axes being orthogonal to each other, so that a photographing direction of the camera is changeable at a given position. The first rotation axis is inclined with respect to a vertical axis, and therefore, a lower end of a first member is able to be set at a height that does not interfere with the photographing direction when the camera is horizontally oriented.

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 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: At a front end of the lateral arm of a surgical microscope apparatus, the apparatus has an intake port. A band is tied around the front end of the lateral arm so that a drape is drawn only to a surgical microscope. Drawing the drape to the surgical microscope results in clearing the field of vision of a surgeon. Part of the drape around the lateral arm and a longitudinal arm is not drawn, to cause no hindrance in operability of the surgical microscope. The lateral arm and the like are hollow to form an inner ventilating path without separately preparing ventilating tubes or the like for ventilation.

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 a camera 9 that is turnable around an optical axis K of the camera 9 to optionally select a photographing orientation. The camera 9 is able to pick up an electronic image of an affected part T in an orientation in which a main doctor sees the affected part T, or in an orientation in which an assistant, who is present at a different position from the main doctor, sees the affected part T, or in any other orientation. The electronic image picked up by the camera 9 in a selected orientation is stereoscopically observable with an electronic image display unit 2.

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.

Abstract: A heat-insulating bearing structure employs three disks so that peripheral edges of the disks come into contact with a circumferential side face of a rotary shaft, to support the rotary shaft. A contact part between the rotary shaft and each disk is small, and therefore, heat conduction from the rotary shaft to each disk is small. Accordingly, the bearing structure surely supports the rotary shaft even if the rotary shaft is heated to a high temperature. Each disk is provided with fins so that, when rotated, the fins draw in surrounding air and blow out the air from the peripheral edge of the disk toward the contact part between the disk and the rotary shaft, thereby cooling the contact part and surely supporting the rotary shaft.

Abstract: An operation microscope includes: an ordinary light path that guides light from an observation target to an eyepiece; a first secondary light path branched off from the ordinary light path; a second secondary light path merging with the ordinary light path; an imaging unit that images the observation target using light from the first secondary path; a display unit that displays an image based on an image signal from the imaging unit toward the second secondary path; and a reflector provided at a branch point of the ordinary light path and the first secondary light path in such a manner as to be capable of pulling off the branch point, and that bends the ordinary light path by reflection. The first secondary light path extends from the branch point along an extension of the ordinary light path before being reflected.

Abstract: An automatic balancing structure of a medical balancing stand includes an elastic member arranged in each clearance C. In a normal state, a lever and a turn plate turn together through the elastic members, to follow a rotative movement of a lateral arm. When an imbalance occurs on the lateral arm, the lateral arm produces torque with which a contact part of the lever presses and deforms one of the elastic members to activate a corresponding one of switches S1 and S2. The activated switch outputs an imbalance detected signal to an adjustment unit, which resolves the imbalance. The switches S1 and S2 are simple to downsize the automatic balancing structure and are effective to carry out balance adjustment.

Abstract: When the compression spring is compressed due to the relative displacement of the stopper which occurs in response to the tilt angle of the arm structure, the compression spring is compressed by the small relative displacement of the stopper over its entire body in the longitudinal direction, so that a repulsive force is obtained which varies little over the entire range of the tilt angle, enabling support of the heavy object in a stable condition.

Abstract: A tool holding articulated arm has articulations each holding a ball between a presser and a front opening of a housing. With small acting force of the presser, a strong fixing force is obtained at each articulation. The presser has a cup shape whose circumferential edge comes into linear contact with the surface of the ball to exert a strong holding force on the surface of the ball.

Abstract: A heliostat includes mirrors. Each mirror is supported with a frame at three points including a fulcrum and movable points. The movable points are provided with electric extendable units, respectively. The electric extendable units are separately controlled to change distances between the mirror and the frame at the movable points, thereby correcting an aberration of the mirror and always directing reflected light from the mirror toward a predetermined position.

Abstract: A surgical microscope system includes a camera that is rotatable around a first rotation axis and a second rotation axis, the rotation axes being orthogonal to each other, so that a photographing direction of the camera is changeable at a given position. The first rotation axis is inclined with respect to a vertical axis, and therefore, a lower end of a first member is able to be set at a height that does not interfere with the photographing direction when the camera is horizontally oriented.

Abstract: A heliostat includes mirrors. Each mirror is supported with a frame at three points including a fulcrum and movable points. The movable points are provided with electric extendable units, respectively. The electric extendable units are separately controlled to change distances between the mirror and the frame at the movable points, thereby correcting an aberration of the mirror and always directing reflected light from the mirror toward a predetermined position.

Abstract: A heat-insulating bearing structure employs three disks so that peripheral edges of the disks come into contact with a circumferential side face of a rotary shaft, to support the rotary shaft. A contact part between the rotary shaft and each disk is small, and therefore, heat conduction from the rotary shaft to each disk is small. Accordingly, the bearing structure surely supports the rotary shaft even if the rotary shaft is heated to a high temperature. Each disk is provided with fins so that, when rotated, the fins draw in surrounding air and blow out the air from the peripheral edge of the disk toward the contact part between the disk and the rotary shaft, thereby cooling the contact part and surely supporting the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A heat exchanging structure of a solar heat exchanger 3 includes a housing 5 and a pipe 11. The solar heat exchanger includes a heat-resistant container 8 having an open top and containing a low-melting-point metal 9 and a light receiving plate 10. The housing accommodates the solar heat exchanger. The pipe passes a heat carrier H. The pipe is arranged in a space between the housing and the solar heat exchanger in such a way as not to touch the solar heat exchanger. The heat carrier is surely heated by radiant heat from the solar heat exchanger that is heated to very high temperatures. The light receiving plate has a container-like shape having an open top, and therefore, has a large light receiving area to heat itself to higher temperatures compared with a flat light receiving plate.

Abstract: An automatic balancing structure of a medical balancing stand has stoppers arranged on a turn plate. In a normal state, the stoppers are in contact with and hold a contact part of a lever so that the lever and turn plate follow a rotative motion of a lateral arm. If the lateral arm causes an imbalance, a strain occurs on the lever to which a strain sensor is attached. The strain sensor detects the strain and outputs a signal to an adjustment unit so as to cancel the imbalance of the lateral arm. The strain sensor helps downsizing the automatic balancing structure and making the balance adjustment easier.