Patents by Inventor Atsuhiro Tsuchiya
Atsuhiro Tsuchiya has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 7910355Abstract: A culture observation apparatus, which is used for observing a cultured cell while culturing the cell, includes a culture device that cultures the cultured cell, and a microscope used for observing the cultured cell. The culture device includes a first space that is controlled to an environment suitable for culture of the cell, and a second space that is controlled to a lower humidity condition in comparison with the first space. The microscope includes an objective optical unit including an objective lens; the objective optical unit having at least one portion located in the second space, and another portion extending into the first space through an opening formed in a partition wall that separates the first space and the second space, with a gap between the objective optical unit and the partition wall being sealed by a sealing member, and the objective lens includes a plurality of lens groups, with mutual spaces among the lens groups vented to the second space.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2005Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Ryuichi Hirano, Hideaki Endo, Kenichi Koyama, Kazuhiro Hasegawa, Akitsugu Kagayama, Katsuyoshi Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 7822257Abstract: An observation apparatus includes an incident-light illumination optical system, a transmitting illumination optical system, an imaging unit, an input device, a storage unit, an imaging controller, a microscope controller, an imaging information management unit. The imaging information management unit compares an area position, of an imaging area of the imaging unit, indicated by position information input from the input device with an area position stored in the storage unit to determine whether the area position indicated by the position information is stored in the storage unit. When the area position is not stored in the storage unit, the imaging controller controls the imaging unit to image the specimen and to generate an observation image, and stores the observation image in the storage unit. The microscope controller controls one of the optical systems to illuminate the specimen only during an imaging period, when the imaging unit images the specimen.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2006Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Hideaki Endo, Akitsugu Kagayama, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Kazuhiro Hasegawa
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Patent number: 7816126Abstract: A culture observation apparatus, which is used for observing a cultured cell while culturing the cell, includes a culture device that forms a culture space which is controlled to be an environment suitable for culturing the cultured cell; a sample tray that holds a container housing the cultured cell and a culture medium; a microscope that serves for observing the cultured cell; a tray holding mechanism that holds the sample tray in the culture space in a detachable manner with good reproducibility; and a shifting mechanism that relatively shifts the sample tray held by the tray holding mechanism and a light axis of the microscope along a plane that is orthogonal to the light axis, wherein the sample tray has a heater used for heating the sample tray, and is electrically connectable to an energy supplying unit that supplies energy to the sample tray.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2005Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Akitsugu Kagayama, Ryuichi Hirano, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Kenichi Koyama, Kazuhiro Hasegawa, Katsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Hideaki Endo
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Patent number: 7799559Abstract: A culture microscope apparatus has an illumination unit to apply excitation light to the specimen, a specimen observing portion to observe light generated from the specimen due to the excitation light, and a dimmer unit to dim the excitation light that has penetrated the specimen.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2004Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Kazuhiro Hasegawa, Kenichi Koyama, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Atsushi Yonetani
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Publication number: 20100208053Abstract: A culture microscope apparatus has an illumination unit to apply excitation light to the specimen, a specimen observing portion to observe light generated from the specimen due to the excitation light, and a dimmer unit to dim the excitation light that has penetrated the specimen.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2010Publication date: August 19, 2010Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro Hasegawa, Kenichi Koyama, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Atsushi Yonetani
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Publication number: 20100053744Abstract: A microscope includes a main body, a transmitted light source, and a transmitted-light illumination optical system. The main body has a substantially C-shape when viewed from side, and is composed of a lower horizontal portion, an upper horizontal portion, and a brace portion. The brace portion connects between the lower horizontal portion and the upper horizontal portion on their rear side. The transmitted-light illumination optical system brings an illumination light from the transmitted light source to a specimen supported by the main body, and illuminates the specimen with the illumination light transmitted therethrough. The transmitted-light illumination optical system and the transmitted light source are removably attached to the lower horizontal portion of the main body.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2009Publication date: March 4, 2010Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventors: Atsuhiro TSUCHIYA, Keisuke Tamura
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Patent number: 7612316Abstract: A focus detection device which is applied to a fluorescent observation device for observing a fluorescent image to be emitted from an observation sample on the basis of an evanescent light, includes an image pickup unit which detects a contrast of the fluorescent image by imaging the fluorescent image, and a detector which detects a focus on the basis of the detection result.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2007Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Masayoshi Karasawa, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Takashi Yoneyama, Kenichi Koyama
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Patent number: 7595188Abstract: An observation apparatus includes a sample tray that holds a container housing a cultured cell and a culture medium and covered with a lid; an observation unit that serves for observation of the cultured cell; and a shifting unit that relatively shifts the sample tray and a light axis of the observation unit along a plane that is orthogonal to the light axis of the observation unit, wherein the sample tray includes a container holding unit that holds the container by utilizing an elastic force, and at least one of the lid and one portion of the lid is made detachable, with the container being held in the sample tray by the container holding unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2005Date of Patent: September 29, 2009Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Kazuhiro Hasegawa, Akitsugu Kagayama, Hideaki Endo, Ryuichi Hirano, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Kenichi Koyama, Katsuyoshi Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 7564621Abstract: A focusing method for an examination apparatus that can quickly and easily perform focusing for fluoroscopy is provided. The focusing method, for an examination apparatus that can observe fluorescence emitted from a specimen, includes a first step of irradiating the specimen with light via an objective lens to generate reflected light and fluorescence; a second step of performing focusing with respect to the surface of the specimen using the reflected light from the specimen; and a third step of performing focusing for the fluorescence based on the focal position of the specimen surface in the second step.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2007Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Yoshihiro Kawano, Isao Ishibe, Yoshihisa Tanikawa, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya
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Publication number: 20090174938Abstract: A microscope includes a condenser lens that is provided in an illumination light path and in which at least one optical device is insertable into and removable from an illumination light axis for switching observation method. The microscope also includes a first polarizing plate that is provided in the same light axis as the optical device and is insertable into and removable from the illumination light axis integrally with the optical device; and a second polarizing plate that is provided in the illumination light axis independently from insertion and removal of the optical device into and from the illumination light axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2009Publication date: July 9, 2009Applicant: Olympus CorporationInventor: Atsuhiro TSUCHIYA
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Publication number: 20080204865Abstract: A microscope system has a stage on which an observation sample, including an observation object and a transparent member, is to be placed. An objective lens is placed to face the observation sample placed on the stage, and a focusing unit moves at least one of the stage and the objective lens to perform a focusing operation. An autofocus unit controls a focusing driving unit by a so-called Through-the-Lens: TTL system. After autofocus is performed for the transparent member by the autofocus unit, the focusing driving unit makes at least one of the stage and the objective lens move by a predetermined constant amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2008Publication date: August 28, 2008Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventors: Takashi YONEYAMA, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Kenichi Koyama
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Publication number: 20080179491Abstract: A focus detection device which is applied to a fluorescent observation device for observing a fluorescent image to be emitted from an observation sample on the basis of an evanescent light, includes an image pickup unit which detects a contrast of the fluorescent image by imaging the fluorescent image, and a detector which detects a focus on the basis of the detection result.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2007Publication date: July 31, 2008Applicant: Olympus CorporationInventors: Masayoshi KARASAWA, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Takashi Yoneyama, Kenichi Koyama
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Patent number: 7382531Abstract: The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a microscope that prevents a dew condensation on an objective lens and allows obtaining a good microscopic image, and a method of preventing a dew condensation on an objective lens. A microscope includes an objective lens having a heater 22 in a cell incubator 3 having a high humidity space. The high humidity space is maintained at 90% to 100% of relative humidity and controlled to be at a predetermined gas temperature. A cultured cell 12 in the cell incubator 3 is observed via the objective lens 1, and the heater 22 is controlled to make the temperature of the objective lens 1 higher than the gas temperature of the high humidity space.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2005Date of Patent: June 3, 2008Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Katsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Akitsugu Kagayama, Kazuhiro Hasegawa, Hideaki Endo, Kenichi Koyama
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Publication number: 20080123185Abstract: A microscope system has a stage on which an observation sample, including an observation object and a transparent member, is to be placed. An objective lens is placed to face the observation sample placed on the stage, and a focusing unit moves at least one of the stage and the objective lens to perform a focusing operation. An autofocus unit controls a focusing driving unit by a so-called Through-the-Lens: TTL system. After autofocus is performed for the transparent member by the autofocus unit, the focusing driving unit makes at least one of the stage and the objective lens move by a predetermined constant amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2008Publication date: May 29, 2008Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventors: Takashi YONEYAMA, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Kenichi Koyama
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Patent number: 7345814Abstract: A microscope system has a stage on which an observation sample, including an observation object and a transparent member, is to be placed. An objective lens is placed to face the observation sample placed on the stage, and a focusing unit moves at least one of the stage and the objective lens to perform a focusing operation. An autofocus unit controls a focusing driving unit by a so-called Through-the-Lens: TTL system. After autofocus is performed for the transparent member by the autofocus unit, the focusing driving unit makes at least one of the stage and the objective lens move by a predetermined constant amount.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2004Date of Patent: March 18, 2008Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Takashi Yoneyama, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Kenichi Koyama
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Publication number: 20080049215Abstract: A focusing method for an examination apparatus that can quickly and easily perform focusing for fluoroscopy is provided. The focusing method, for an examination apparatus that can observe fluorescence emitted from a specimen, includes a first step of irradiating the specimen with light via an objective lens to generate reflected light and fluorescence; a second step of performing focusing with respect to the surface of the specimen using the reflected light from the specimen; and a third step of performing focusing for the fluorescence based on the focal position of the specimen surface in the second step.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Yoshihiro Kawano, Isao Ishibe, Yoshihisa Tanikawa, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya
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Patent number: 7333265Abstract: Provided is a microscope having an immersion objective lens, a nozzle, and a liquid supplying mechanism. The immersion objective lens condenses light from a sample through liquid. The nozzle supplies the liquid to an upper surface of the immersion objective lens. The liquid supplying mechanism cooperates with one of a lens moving mechanism that moves the immersion objective lens and a sample moving mechanism that maintains and moves the sample, and moves the nozzle relative to the immersion objective lens to supply the liquid.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2006Date of Patent: February 19, 2008Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Kazuhiro Hasegawa, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Akitsugu Kagayama, Takashi Yoneyama, Katsuyoshi Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 7304790Abstract: A focusing method for an examination apparatus that can quickly and easily perform focusing for fluoroscopy is provided. The focusing method, for an examination apparatus that can observe fluorescence emitted from a specimen, includes a first step of irradiating the specimen with light via an objective lens to generate reflected light and fluorescence; a second step of performing focusing with respect to the surface of the specimen using the reflected light from the specimen; and a third step of performing focusing for the fluorescence based on the focal position of the specimen surface in the second step.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2005Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Yoshihiro Kawano, Isao Ishibe, Yoshihisa Tanikawa, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya
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Patent number: 7304282Abstract: A focus detection device which is applied to a fluorescent observation device for observing a fluorescent image to be emitted from an observation sample on the basis of an evanescent light, includes an image pickup unit which detects a contrast of the fluorescent image by imaging the fluorescent image, and a detector which detects a focus on the basis of the detection result.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2006Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Masayoshi Karasawa, Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Takashi Yoneyama, Kenichi Koyama
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Patent number: 7301626Abstract: The invention reduces the loss of fluorescence intensity obtained from a specimen to acquire clear fluorescence images when irradiating the specimen with ultrashort-pulse laser light produced by a laser light source. The invention provides a laser-scanning examination apparatus including a laser light source for producing ultrashort-pulse laser light; a laser light source for producing continuous-wave laser light; a measurement head including an optical scanning unit for scanning the laser light on a specimen and an objective optical system; an imaging unit for detecting return light from the specimen in response to the ultrashort-pulse laser light; and an imaging unit for detecting return light from the specimen in response to the continuous-wave laser light. The laser light sources and one imaging unit are connected to the measurement head by an optical fiber, and the other imaging unit is connected to the measurement head by another optical fiber with a larger core diameter.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2005Date of Patent: November 27, 2007Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Yoshihiro Kawano, Yoshihisa Tanikawa, Tadashi Hirata