Abstract: A highly thermal conductive member is filled in a gap between a base portion and a movable portion of a spring stage in an image shift type imaging apparatus. Heat from a heat generating surface of a cooling element is conducted from the movable portion to the base portion through the highly thermal conductive member, and it is further conducted to an inner lid and discharged to the outside of an imaging apparatus housing.

Abstract: A clear fluorescence image is obtained by preventing external light from mixing with weak fluorescence emitted from a specimen, while reducing the size of the overall apparatus. The invention provides a fluorescence microscope apparatus including a stage for mounting a specimen; an objective lens for collecting fluorescence from the specimen; a moving mechanism for relatively moving the stage and the objective lens; a first cover member secured to the objective lens; a second cover member, provided at the stage, for enclosing a tip of the objective lens and a space above the stage, together with the first cover member; and a light-blocking member allowing relative movement of the first and second cover members while preventing leakage of light from a gap between the two cover members.

Abstract: A highly thermal conductive member is filled in a gap between a base portion and a movable portion of a spring stage in an image shift type imaging apparatus. Heat from a heat generating surface of a cooling element is conducted from the movable portion to the base portion through the highly thermal conductive member, and it is further conducted to an inner lid and discharged to the outside of an imaging apparatus housing.

Abstract: A highly thermal conductive member is filled in a gap between a base portion and a movable portion of a spring stage in an image shift type imaging apparatus. Heat from a heat generating surface of a cooling element is conducted from the movable portion to the base portion through the highly thermal conductive member, and it is further conducted to an inner lid and discharged to the outside of an imaging apparatus housing.

Abstract: A clear fluorescence image is obtained by preventing external light from mixing with weak fluorescence emitted from a specimen, while reducing the size of the overall apparatus. The invention provides a fluorescence microscope apparatus including a stage for mounting a specimen; an objective lens for collecting fluorescence from the specimen; a moving mechanism for relatively moving the stage and the objective lens; a first cover member secured to the objective lens; a second cover member, provided at the stage, for enclosing a tip of the objective lens and a space above the stage, together with the first cover member; and a light-blocking member allowing relative movement of the first and second cover members while preventing leakage of light from a gap between the two cover members.

Abstract: An objective lens can be reduced in diameter, which allows examination inside a specimen such as a living organism with minimum invasiveness and also reduces costs. The invention provides a microscope apparatus including an objective-lens mounting part for removably mounting an objective lens unit; an apparatus main body for supporting the objective-lens mounting part so as to be movable in the optical axis direction; and an urging mechanism, disposed between the apparatus main body and the objective-lens mounting part, for urging the objective-lens mounting part towards the tip of the objective lens unit relative to the apparatus main body.

Abstract: With the invention, when an external force is applied to the tip of an objective lens in a direction intersecting the optical axis thereof, that external force is effectively relieved, thus maintaining the integrity of the objective lens and specimen. The invention provides a microscope examination apparatus including an apparatus main body, a base member secured to the apparatus main body, an objective-lens mounting member for mounting an objective lens unit, and a support mechanism for supporting the objective-lens mounting member in such a manner as to enable movement thereof in a direction intersecting the optical axis of the objective lens unit relative to the base member.

Abstract: When exchanging a dichroic mirror to detect fluorescence of a different wavelength, it is unnecessary to carry out precise positional adjustment, particularly in a compact examination apparatus, and the dichroic mirror can be easily exchanged. The invention provides a connection unit including a light-source optical fiber, removably connected to the light source, for conveying the excitation light from the light source; a collimator lens for collimating the excitation light emitted from the light-source optical fiber to introduce the excitation light to the optical scanning section; and a dichroic mirror for splitting off fluorescence, which is generated in the sample and which returns via the objective lens and the optical scanning section, from a light path of the excitation light and for directing the fluorescence to a photodetector. The light-source optical fiber, the collimator lens, and the dichroic mirror are secured to each other such that optical axes thereof are aligned.

Abstract: A microscope stage includes a fixed stage, and a movable stage which is set slidably in contact with a predetermined plane of the fixed stage and which includes a surface having a large friction coefficient.

Abstract: An objective lens can be reduced in diameter, which allows examination inside a specimen such as a living organism with minimum invasiveness and also reduces costs. The invention provides a microscope apparatus including an objective-lens mounting part for removably mounting an objective lens unit; an apparatus main body for supporting the objective-lens mounting part so as to be movable in the optical axis direction; and an urging mechanism, disposed between the apparatus main body and the objective-lens mounting part, for urging the objective-lens mounting part towards the tip of the objective lens unit relative to the apparatus main body.

Abstract: A microscope is provided which includes a frame main body having a base portion, an objective lens switching mechanism, a stage, and an ocular lens for observing a specimen image obtained with one of the objective lenses. A rough/fine motion focusing mechanism is disposed rearward of the stage, for moving the objective lens switching mechanism along the observation optical axis in rough motion and fine motion. A first rough motion handle and a first fine motion handle are provided near the rough/fine motion focusing mechanism, for operating the rough/fine motion focusing mechanism. A rough/fine motion focusing operation portion is provided for operating the rough/fine motion focusing mechanism and includes a second rough motion handle and a second fine motion handle provided near a front end of the base portion. And a linkage mechanism is provided for linking the rough/fine motion focusing mechanism with the rough/fine motion focusing operation portion.

Abstract: A microscope is provided which includes a frame main body having a base portion, an objective lens switching mechanism, a stage, and an ocular lens for observing a specimen image obtained with one of the objective lenses. A rough/fine motion focusing mechanism is disposed rearward of the stage, for moving the objective lens switching mechanism along the observation optical axis in rough motion and fine motion. A first rough motion handle and a first fine motion handle are provided near the rough/fine motion focusing mechanism, for operating the rough/fine motion focusing mechanism. A rough/fine motion focusing operation portion is provided for operating the rough/fine motion focusing mechanism and includes a second rough motion handle and a second fine motion handle provided near a front end of the base portion. And a linkage mechanism is provided for linking the rough/fine motion focusing mechanism with the rough/fine motion focusing operation portion.

Abstract: A rough motion shaft 54 and a fine motion shaft 55 are provided on a front side of a stage 37 with respect to an optical axis of an observation optical system of a microscope. Further, a rough motion shaft 45 and a fine motion shaft 46 are provided on a rear side with respect to the optical axis. The rough motion shaft 54 and the fine motion shaft 55 are linked with the rough motion shaft 45 and the fine motion shaft 46 so as to move objective lenses 43 selectively in rough motion or fine motion. Objective lenses 43A, 43B are arranged in a circular shape on a fixing member 111 and a rotating member 113 rotates objective lenses 43A, 43B along the direction of the arrangement. The rotating member 113 includes a weight 123 that applies a rotation force in an inverse direction.

Abstract: The microscope stage has a fixed stage, and a movable stage which is set slidably in contact with a predetermined plane of the fixed stage, and includes a surface having a high large friction coefficient.

Abstract: A highly thermal conductive member is filled in a gap between a base portion and a movable portion of a spring stage in an image shift type imaging apparatus. Heat from a heat generating surface of a cooling element is conducted from the movable portion to the base portion through the highly thermal conductive member, and it is further conducted to an inner lid and discharged to the outside of an imaging apparatus housing.

Abstract: A rough motion shaft 54 and a fine motion shaft 55 are provided on a front side of a stage 37 with respect to an optical axis of an observation optical system of a microscope. Further, a rough motion shaft 45 and a fine motion shaft 46 are provided on a rear side with respect to the optical axis. The rough motion shaft 54 and the fine motion shaft 55 are linked with the rough motion shaft 45 and the fine motion shaft 46 so as to move objective lenses 43 selectively in rough motion or fine motion. Objective lenses 43A, 43B are arranged in a circular shape on a fixing member 111 and a rotating member 113 is provided for rotating these objective lenses 43A, 43B along the direction of the arrangement. This rotating member 113 is provided with a weight 123 and this weight 123 applies a rotation force in inverse direction larger than a rotation force by a rotating body comprised of the rotating member 113 and the objective lenses 43A, 43B depending on a rotation angle of the rotating member 113.

Abstract: A microscope includes a light source for emitting light, a light condenser lens for condensing the light from the light source onto an object, a wavelength selection unit arranged between the light source and the light condenser lens for selecting the wavelength of the light entering the light condenser lens from the light source, a detector for detecting light from the object through the light condenser lens, and an optical path length adjusting unit arranged between the light source and the detector for adjusting the optical path length between the light condenser lens and the detector in order to correct the chromatic aberration of the light condenser lens appearing depending on the wavelength of the light selected by the wavelength selection unit.

Abstract: An optical-path switching apparatus for an optical microscope, which is simple structure, has a plurality of optical devices to be inserted and removed to and from at least two or more switching positions provided for optical paths so as to switch the optical paths. A drive force generator generates a drive force, and an insertion/removal device transmits the drive force generated by the drive force generator so as to insert and remove the plural optical devices to and from the switching positions while relating the plural optical devices to one another. A control unit controls switching of the optical devices to be performed by the insertion/removal device in order to obtain a required optical path.