Imaging Elements Movable In And Out Of Optical Axis Patents (Class 359/381)
  • Patent number: 8699131
    Abstract: In a microscope controller by which is performed an operation for controlling an operation of each of a plurality of electric units included in a microscope system, the control unit establishes a plurality of functional areas in the display region of the touch panel as regions for making operable the plurality of electric units. When an input to any of the functional areas is detected, the control unit generates a control instruction signal for controlling an electric unit corresponding to this functional area. The communication control unit transmits the control instruction signal to an external device controlling an operation of a corresponding electric unit. When an input to a predetermined functional area is detected, the control unit then reestablishes a plurality of functional areas within the display region of the touch panel so as to enlarge this functional area or a plurality of specific functional areas including this functional area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Shirota, Katsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Minoru Sukekawa
  • Patent number: 8649088
    Abstract: A microscope system stores, for each objective, the movement control information including a type flag indicating the type of an objective depending on the presence/absence of a soak or a type of the soak and a save distance for saving the stage or the objective switch unit by a predetermined distance. When a switch direction of objectives is input, and when there is a change in the type of the objective after the switch, the system stops an operation after the stage or the objective switch unit is moved according to the save distance, and recovers the stage or the objective switch unit to an original position after the operation direction input unit inputs an operation direction for the stage and the objective switch unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuya Shirota
  • Publication number: 20130286474
    Abstract: A microscope apparatus includes a stage and a revolver that holds objective lenses. At least one of the stage and the revolver constitutes an electric movable device that is electrically operated. The microscope apparatus further includes an input device for inputting a command for operating the electric movable device, a manual focusing device for adjusting a relative distance between the stage and the objective lenses, an operation control device for controlling operation of the electric movable device, a state determining device for determining whether the electric movable device is in an operable state or not, and a restriction device for restricting an output of a control signal for commanding the operation to the operation control device when the command for operating the electric movable device is input if the electric movable device is in an inoperable state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro KITAHARA, Shota TAKENAGA
  • Patent number: 8559119
    Abstract: A microscope stage (14) comprising a platform (16) and a holder (42) for a microscope objective (38), which holder is mounted on the platform (16) pivotally about a bearing axis (46) and movably along the bearing axis (46) and holds the objective (38), an operating element (50) which is coupled to the holder (42) and with which the holder (42) is pivotable about the bearing axis (46) and is movable along the bearing axis (46) for its positioning in an operating position, and a locking mechanism (60) which is actuatable by the operating element (50) and with which the holder (42) positioned in the operating position can be fixed to the platform (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
    Inventor: Roland Seifert
  • Patent number: 8553323
    Abstract: A microscope objective changer includes a changing device for changing at least two objectives. A movable objective holder corresponds to each objective. Each movable objective holder is configured to receive a respective one of the objectives and to transfer the respective objective along a respective displacement path from an allocated stand-by position into an operating position. A carrier is associated with each objective holder and includes a guide groove constituting the respective displacement path. Each displacement path includes a first portion beginning at the respective stand-by position and extends substantially perpendicular to the optical axis and a second portion directly bordering the first portion that includes a downwardly component in a direction parallel to the optical axis such that each objective holder is movable from the respective stand-by position to the optical axis of the operating position when reaching a lower end of the second portion of the displacement path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Gilbert, Gerhard Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 8553322
    Abstract: A collection optics having variable magnification, and which enable changing magnification without stopping the spray cooling. The variable magnification is provided by a turret that carries several objectives of different magnifications. A frame is provided above the turret, wherein the spray cooling is provided. By rotating the turret and changing its elevation, different objectives of the turret can be “docked” to a docking port within the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: DCG Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Israel Niv, Prasad Sabbineni, Thomas Kujawa
  • Publication number: 20130235453
    Abstract: A device for positioning optical components on a microscope, in particular for objectives, filters, beam splitters, mirrors and lenses, comprising a rotatably mounted turret disk with a plurality of openings used for accommodating the optical components and which can be swiveled into the beam path of the microscope. The device further includes a drive motor for producing the rotational movement of the turret disk. A circular, incremental code, which has an index mark for the purpose of referencing, is applied to the turret disk concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation. A reading head, which is matched to the circumference of the turret disk, is used to scan the incremental code and is connected to the drive motor via a control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Becker, Frank Nolte
  • Publication number: 20130222898
    Abstract: A microscope objective changer includes a changing device for changing at least two objectives. A movable objective holder corresponds to each objective. Each movable objective holder is configured to receive a respective one of the objectives and to transfer the respective objective along a respective displacement path from an allocated stand-by position into an operating position. A carrier is associated with each objective holder and includes a guide groove constituting the respective displacement path. Each displacement path includes a first portion beginning at the respective stand-by position and extends substantially perpendicular to the optical axis and a second portion directly bordering the first portion that includes a downwardly component in a direction parallel to the optical axis such that each objective holder is movable from the respective stand-by position to the optical axis of the operating position when reaching a lower end of the second portion of the displacement path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventor: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
  • Patent number: 8493656
    Abstract: An objective changer for a microscope includes a changing device configured to pendulously swing each of a plurality of objectives into a respective operating position near a focal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
    Inventor: Roland Seifert
  • Patent number: 8488238
    Abstract: A microscope cube includes a housing including a first opening on a first wall of the housing and a second opening on a second wall of the housing, the first wall adjacent to the second wall; an excitation filter disposed within the first opening; an emission filter disposed within the second opening; and a dichroic mirror positioned within the housing. In one aspect, the dichroic mirror has a thickness greater than or equal to 1.5 mm. In another aspect, the excitation filter is positioned at an angle relative to the first wall of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Chroma Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Michael Stanley
  • Patent number: 8482854
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a sample holder for a microscope. The sample holder comprises a sample chamber which is filled with an immersion liquid and in which a sample is located. The sample chamber has an upper opening. It further comprises means for translating the sample relative to a detection objective of the microscope, and means for rotating the sample around an axis of rotation extending in a substantially horizontal plane which encloses an angle other than zero degrees with the optical axis of the detection objective. In a sample holder of this kind, the sample is embedded in a transparent embedding medium having at least partially a greater solidity than the immersion liquid. Further, the sample chamber has means for horizontally supporting the embedded sample against the effect of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Lippert, Benno Radt, Christopher Power, Christian Dietrich
  • Patent number: 8448909
    Abstract: A stand for a surgical microscope is suggested that is provided with vertical and horizontal supports; articulation units; and a displacement unit that is attached to one of the articulation units. At least one pivot support is provided and encompassed by the displacement unit. A displacer is provided at the pivot support. The pivot support has a pivotable parallelogram support that is provided with a spring or a gas damper as energy storing device that interconnects and supports movement of the movable parts in the interior of the parallelogram support assisting with a stored force in a displacement movement. A holding arm is attached to the pivotable parallelogram support and simultaneously serves for displacing the optics carrier in the X direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Instruments (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Andrzej Metelski
  • Patent number: 8439321
    Abstract: A stand for a surgical microscope is suggested that is provided with vertical and horizontal supports, articulation units and a displacer for displacing the optics carrier in an X direction extending horizontally and transversely to an oblique pivot axis. A balancing apparatus is provided for balancing an optics carrier held by a pivot support of the displacer. The optics carrier is rotatable around a first rotational axis in relation to the pivot support. The balancing compensates for the use with and without a microscope holder and with and without add-on units. The balancing apparatus is provided with Y and Z displacement units comprising respective slides. The weight of a second slide of the Z displacement unit compensates the weight of the optics carrier with and without the microscope holder and with and without the add-on units via the first rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Instruments (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Andrzej Metelski
  • Patent number: 8437076
    Abstract: The present invention, among other things, relates to a front-lens attachment (20) for an optical observation device (10), in particular for a microscope. The front-lens attachment (20) has a retaining element (38) that has a retaining element (32), on which at least one lens element (33, 34) is disposed. Further, it provides a positioning device (21) for positioning the retaining element (32) and the at least one lens element (33, 34) disposed thereon, relative to the optical observation device (10), whereby retaining device (32) is disposed on positioning device (21). Finally, a fastening means (35) for fastening the retaining device (38) to the front-lens attachment (20) is provided. In order to be able to provide such a front-lens attachment (20) in a structurally simple and cost-effective manner, it is provided, for example, that positioning device (21) has at least two positioning components (22, 28), which are joined together via a joint (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Fumio Takanashi, Markus Seesselberg, Andrè Mueller, Peter Reimer
  • Publication number: 20130088776
    Abstract: There is provided a microscope apparatus including: a plurality of objective lenses having different magnifications; an imaging system that receives light, which is generated from a sample and emitted from the objective lens when excitation light is emitted to a sample including a fluorescent material that is activated when irradiated with activation light having a predetermined wavelength and fluoresces to be inactivated when irradiated with excitation light having a different wavelength from the activation light in the activation state and that images the light in a state where an astigmatic difference is given to the image of the sample; and an imaging device that captures the image of the sample from the imaging system. The imaging system includes an astigmatic difference changing device that changes the astigmatic difference according to the depth of focus of the objective lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nikon Corporation
  • Patent number: 8413941
    Abstract: A stand for a surgical microscope is suggested that is provided with vertical and horizontal supports, articulation units and a displacer for displacing the optics carrier in an X direction extending horizontally and transversely to an oblique pivot axis. The displacer has a pivot support provided with a pivotable parallelogram support and a holding arm that is attached to the pivotable parallelogram support and is configured such that it simultaneously serves as a displacer for displacing the optics carrier in the X direction. The pivot support is provided with an additional displacement unit that determines the position of the parallelogram support with reference to the second articulation unit and the additional displacement unit contains a displacement screw that protrudes through the parallelogram support and is connected in an articulated fashion at one of its ends to a displacement element mounted to the parallelogram support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Instruments (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Andrzej Metelski
  • Patent number: 8395840
    Abstract: An apparatus for positioning optical components in an optical device and a microscope with such an apparatus are described, comprising a holding device having a plurality of receptacles on which the optical components can be fixed. A stepper motor comprises a motor shaft for rotating the holding device via a toothed belt and therefore positions the optical components. This allows to position optical components in the optical beam path with low noise and in a vibration-free manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Ganser, Albrecht Weiss
  • Patent number: 8368268
    Abstract: An optical-device switching apparatus of a microscope includes a driving motor, and a rotation unit that is rotatably attached to a body and to which optical devices are attached, and a gear apparatus that is located between the driving motor and the rotation unit and transmits power from the driving motor to the rotation unit. The gear apparatus includes a backlash reduction system that reduces backlash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20130003171
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inverted microscope, including a microscope stand having a stand housing. The stand housing has a rear wall, a front wall, and side walls, and an objective turret, a focusing drive, and a rotatable retaining device, which is designed as a reflector turret and which has a plurality of locations for receiving exchangeable optical components. The retaining device protrudes from a side wall of the stand housing so that the optical components can be quickly changed without having to remove the retaining device from the stand housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MICROSCOPY GMBH
    Inventors: Leander Dietzsch, Matthias Gonschor, Peter Schnuell
  • Patent number: 8339702
    Abstract: A microscope system improves the operability of a user in performing a microscope observation. The microscope system attains the improvement by including: a microscope apparatus including a plurality of drive units; a display unit for displaying an operation screen for operation of the microscope apparatus; a pointing device for inputting by a pointer an operation instruction to the microscope apparatus on the operation screen; and a control unit for switching the drive units depending on the position of the pointer on the operation screen, and controlling the operation of the switched drive units depending on the operation of the pointing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Shirota, Yasuko Ishii
  • Patent number: 8300308
    Abstract: An eyepiece base unit and a microscope with which a phase contrast observation function can be easily added to the microscope. The eyepiece base unit is removably attached to a main unit of the microscope, and includes, in a state of being attached to the microscope, a pupil conjugate plane, which is a plane conjugate with an image side focal plane of an objective lens in an observation optical system of the microscope. By rotating a turret around a central axis, phase plates installed in the turret can be inserted into the pupil conjugate plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Masaaki Tamura
  • Patent number: 8289383
    Abstract: A microscope, which moves an objective lens along an observation optical axis with respect to a specimen, includes an imaging unit and a supporting unit. The imaging unit has an imaging lens, which is arranged on the observation optical axis and forms an observation image of the specimen, and an imaging element, which is arranged on the observation optical axis and takes the observation image, and is optically connected to the objective lens by a parallel light flux. The supporting unit fixedly supports the imaging unit, and movably supports the objective lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Matsumoto, Hirofumi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8284481
    Abstract: An objective lens to be fitted into a fitting hole of a nosepiece of a microscope includes an imaging lens that is composed of a plurality of lens groups, and a lens barrel that holds the imaging lens. The lens barrel is formed with a fitting portion that is fitted to the fitting hole of the nosepiece and provided at an outer circumference of a tip portion side away by a given distance from the tip portion where a first lens group in the imaging lens is held, and a mount surface that comes into contact with a contact surface of the fitting hole of the nosepiece upon fitting at the fitting portion. The nosepiece is equipped with the objective lens. The inverted microscope is equipped with the nosepiece fitting the objective lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Kawahito
  • Patent number: 8275226
    Abstract: A multi-mode optical fiber delivers light from a radiation source to a multi-focal confocal microscope with reasonable efficiency. A core diameter of the multi-mode fiber is selected such that an etendue of light emitted from the fiber is not substantially greater than a total etendue of light passing through a plurality of pinholes in a pinhole array of the multi-focal confocal microscope. The core diameter may be selected taking into account a specific optical geometry of the multi-focal confocal microscope, including pinhole diameter and focal lengths of relevant optical elements. For coherent radiation sources, phase randomization may be included. A multi-mode fiber enables the use of a variety of radiation sources and wavelengths in a multi-focal confocal microscope, since the coupling of the radiation source to the multi-mode fiber is less sensitive to mechanical and temperature influences than coupling the radiation source to a single mode fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Spectral Applied Research Ltd.
    Inventor: Richard Berman
  • Patent number: 8270104
    Abstract: A turret knob comprises an adjustable member, an engagement member and a plurality of stop members. The adjustable member is capable of being adjustably positionable about an axis of rotation. The engagement member is coupled to the adjustment member, and a relative position of the engagement member with respect to the axis of rotation corresponds to a position of the adjustable member as the adjustable member is adjustably positioned about the axis of rotation. The plurality of stop members are each selectably positioned about the axis of rotation. Each stop member is capable of interfering with the engagement member and blocking movement of the adjustable member as the adjustable member is adjustably positioned about the axis of rotation. The adjustable member is adjustably positionable about the axis of rotation between adjacent stop member positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Inventor: Bernard T. Windauer
  • Patent number: 8270072
    Abstract: A microscope includes a microscope main body, a revolving nosepiece rotatably mounted on the microscope main body and equipped with plural objective lenses, and focusing handles that adjust focal points of the objective lenses. The microscope further includes operation knobs mounted in a vicinity of the focusing handles and configured to move by a predetermined amount in a predetermined directions and an operating-force transmitting mechanism provided between the operation knobs and the revolving nosepiece and configured to transmit, when the operation knobs move, operating force to the revolving nosepiece to cause the movable member to move so that the objective lenses can be switched from one to the other through a single moving operation of the operation knobs by the predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8270071
    Abstract: A movable objective lens assembly that includes an infinity-corrected objective lens providing the microscope with an optical field of view. The assembly permits the imaging of a specimen under investigation over an area of the specimen much larger than the field of view of the objective lens without moving the microscope and/or a specimen stage relative to one another. The assembly includes a mirror system and the linearly movable infinity-corrected objective lens. The mirror system includes a plurality of mirrors that provide a folded optical path that allows the objective lens to be moved relative to the specimen without moving the entire microscope. The mirror system and the objective lens are pivotably mounted relative to the rest of the microscope so as to allow the objective lens to be located substantially anywhere within a circular, or circular-sectoral, viewing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Microbrightfield, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacob R. Glaser, Christoph Schmitz, Jeffrey H. Sprenger
  • Patent number: 8264767
    Abstract: A surgical observation system provided with a supporting arm movable in the three-dimensional direction includes an endoscope objective unit having a tubular insertion section and provided with objective optical systems, a microscope objective unit provided with objective optical systems having a focusing optical system and variable magnification optical systems, and a mounting and dismounting section provided in the supporting arm, mountable and dismountable with respect to the objective units by having interchangeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventor: Junichi Nozawa
  • Patent number: 8223428
    Abstract: A microscope includes a microscope main body, a revolving nosepiece rotatably mounted on the microscope main body and equipped with plural objective lenses, and focusing handles that adjust focal points of the objective lenses. The microscope further includes operation knobs mounted in a vicinity of the focusing handles and configured to move by a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction, and an operating-force transmitting mechanism provided between the operation knobs and the revolving nosepiece and configured to transmit, when the operation knobs move, operating force to the revolving nosepiece to cause the movable member to move so that the objective lenses can be switched from one to the other through a single moving operation of the operation knobs by the predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20120140057
    Abstract: Currently, relatively weak light sources with low light intensities are used in wide-field microscopes. Inevitably, focusing in the pupil plane thereby results in low light intensities in the sample, since the output of the light source is distributed over a very large sample area. However, there are also wide-field technologies requiring very high intensities, for example, photo-activates localization (PAL) microscopy. It is the object of the invention to allow, with little expenditure, the flexible adjustment of the illumination light intensity in the sample. For this purpose, a laser (2) is used for a light source, and a variable lens (10) is arranged in the illumination beam path thus making a variable adjustment of a bean cross section of the illumination light in an intermediate image plane possible, wherein a divergence of the illumination light is identical for different beam cross sections. In this way, the size of the visual field of the microscope can be flexibly adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Sebastian Borck, Michael Hilbert, Michael Gölles
  • Patent number: 8194312
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optics changer for arranging an optical element in a target position in a changer chamber of an optical device accessible from the outside via a insertion channel, including a base frame and the optical element that is pivotally fastened to the base frame via a swivel mechanism, wherein the swivel mechanism effects a pivoting movement of the optical element when the optics changer is inserted through the insertion channel in the changer chamber starting at a predetermined insertion depth such that after inserting, the optical element is placed and pivoted in the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
    Inventors: Reiner Mitzkus, Peter Schnuell, Frank Bauer, Uwe Wolf, Hubert Wahl
  • Patent number: 8194169
    Abstract: An optical filter array (2) having a plurality of optical filters (2a to 2d) and a light shielding block (6) having light shielding walls (61a to 61d) forming a plurality of openings (6a to 6d) independent from each other are placed between a lens module (7) integrally having a plurality of lenses (1a to 1d) arranged on a single plane and a plurality of imaging regions (4a to 4d). The light shielding block is provided with first sliding surfaces (66 to 69). The lens module is provided with second sliding surfaces (56 to 59) sliding on the first sliding surfaces so that the lens module can rotate with respect to the light shielding block with an axis normal to the plurality of imaging regions as a rotation center axis. Thus, a small, thin, and low-cost compound eye camera module can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Tamaki, Katsumi Imada, Tatsutoshi Suenaga
  • Patent number: 8179599
    Abstract: An optical system includes an optical unit with an optical axis extending through a light transmissive sample embedded in a transparent substrate, to focus on the sample embedded in the substrate and to scan the sample according to the main plane of the transparent substrate. The optical axis extends under an angle unequal to zero relative to the normal of the main plane of the transparent substrate, in order to perform a volumetric observation of a sample by obtaining information items focused in all thickness directions within the sample, at a high speed, without requiring any movement along the thickness direction of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventor: Maarten J. Jansen
  • Patent number: 8174762
    Abstract: A 3-D optical microscope, a method of turning a conventional optical microscope into a 3-D optical microscope, and a method of creating a 3-D image on an optical microscope are described. The 3-D optical microscope includes a processor, at least one objective lens, an optical sensor capable of acquiring an image of a sample, a mechanism for adjusting focus position of the sample relative to the objective lens, and a mechanism for illuminating the sample and for projecting a pattern onto and removing the pattern from the focal plane of the objective lens. The 3-D image creation method includes taking two sets of images, one with and another without the presence of the projected pattern, and using a software algorithm to analyze the two image sets to generating a 3-D image of the sample. The 3-D image creation method enables reliable and accurate 3-D imaging on almost any sample regardless of its image contrast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Zeta Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: James Jianguo Xu, Ken Kinsun Lee
  • Patent number: 8132769
    Abstract: A stand for a surgical microscope is suggested, comprising a vertical support, at least one horizontal support, a first vertical articulation unit that is connected the horizontal support, a second articulation unit determining an oblique pivot axis, a displacement unit that is attached to the second articulation unit and has multiple degrees of freedom for displacement and balancing of an optics carrier carrying the surgical microscope, at least one pivot support encompassed by the displacement unit, and a displacer for displacing the optics carrier in an X direction extending horizontally and transversely to the oblique pivot axis. The pivot support comprises a pivotable parallelogram support and a holding arm that is attached to the pivotable parallelogram support and is configured such that it simultaneously serves as a displacer for displacing the optics carrier in the X direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Leica Instruments (Singapore)Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Andrzej Metelski
  • Publication number: 20120050851
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a microscope (18), including an objective turret (14) for holding at least one micro objective (15) which can be rotated into an operation position on an optical axis (3), further including observation optics (9) in an imaging beam path (29), and a macro objective (5) composed of a plurality of optical subsystems (5a, 5b); a first optical subsystem (5a) being attachable to the objective turret (14), and a second optical subsystem (5b) being insertable into the imaging beam path (29) between the objective turret (14) and the observation optics (9); provision being made for an incident illumination device (20) generating a telecentric illumination beam path (28) and including a beam splitter (12) for coupling the illumination beam path (28) into the imaging beam path (29); said incident illumination device allowing an illumination beam path (28) with an illumination pupil (26) on the objective side to be produced both by a micro objective (15) in its operating position and, alte
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Euteneuer, Ralf Krueger
  • Patent number: 8098427
    Abstract: A microscope system includes a transmission illumination optical system having a light source and a condenser lens; a first dry objective having a magnification of from 20 or higher to 40 or lower and capable of viewing by at least one of a differential interference viewing method and a modulation contrast viewing method; and a second dry objective having a magnification of from 60 or higher to 100 or lower and capable of viewing by a differential interference viewing method; the first objective and the second objective being exchangeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kumiko Matsui, Katsuya Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8094389
    Abstract: A solid immersion lens holder 200 includes a holder main body 8 having a lens holding unit 60 that holds a solid immersion lens 6, and an objective lens socket 9 for attaching the holder main body 8 to a front end of an objective lens 21. The solid immersion lens 6 is held in a state of being unfixed to be free with respect to the lens holding unit 60. A vibration generator unit 120 that causes the holder main body 8 to vibrate is attached to the objective lens socket 9. The vibration generator unit 120 has a vibrating motor 140 held by a motor holding member 130, and a weight 142 structured to be eccentric by weight is attached to an output shaft 141 of the vibrating motor 140. A vibration generated in the vibration generator unit 120 is transmitted to the solid immersion lens 6 via the objective lens socket 9 and the holder main body 8. Thereby, achieving the solid immersion lens holder capable of improving the close contact between the solid immersion lens and an observation object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Terada, Hiroshi Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20120002275
    Abstract: An optical element switching apparatus is provided that includes: a connecting portion connecting a transmitting portion with a traveling body portion via a predetermined elastic body and displacing the traveling body portion in each of first and second directions in a range of an elastic displacement width greater than a unit travel distance; a holding portion applying a force greater than an elastic force occurring in the connecting portion to the traveling body portion shifted to the travel limit position, in a direction opposite to the direction where the elastic force acts, so as to hold the traveling body portion at a travel limit position; and a control portion adapted to control a drive force generating portion to supply a drive force capable of shifting the traveling body portion farther than the travel limit position when the traveling body portion is to be shifted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kunihiko Hayashi, Yu Hirono
  • Patent number: 8077386
    Abstract: A movable objective lens assembly that includes an infinity-corrected objective lens providing the microscope with an optical field of view. The assembly permits the imaging of a specimen under investigation over an area of the specimen much larger than the field of view of the objective lens without moving the microscope and/or a specimen stage relative to one another. The assembly includes a mirror system and the linearly movable infinity-corrected objective lens. The mirror system includes a plurality of mirrors that provide a folded optical path that allows the objective lens to be moved relative to the specimen without moving the entire microscope. The mirror system and the objective lens are pivotably mounted relative to the rest of the microscope so as to allow the objective lens to be located substantially anywhere within a circular, or circular-sectoral, viewing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Microbrightfield, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacob R. Glaser, Christoph Schmitz, Jeffrey H. Sprenger
  • Patent number: 8072699
    Abstract: A solid immersion lens optics assembly, a test station for probing and testing of integrated circuits on a semiconductor wafer, and a method of landing a SIL on an object. The optics assembly comprises an objective lens housing for receiving an objective lens, and a solid immersion lens (SIL) housing for mounting an SIL and adapted for connection to the objective lens housing; wherein a peripheral wall of the SIL housing comprises an integrated spring section adapted to provide a biased support for the SIL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Semicaps Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Lian Ser Koh, Choon Meng Chua, Wah Pheng Chua, Chee Hong Jacob Phang, Soon Huat Tan
  • Patent number: 8072701
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a positioning apparatus (10) of a positioning unit for positioning an optical device of the positioning unit comprising at least one optical element in the ray path of a microscope in front of an eye to be observed, wherein the positioning apparatus comprises a carrier device (11) for coupling the positioning apparatus to the microscope and a holding apparatus (12) for holding the optical element, whereby the holding apparatus comprises holding devices (20) for connection of the optical device to the holding apparatus which are configured in such a manner that a distance space (24) is formed between the optical device and the holding apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Oculus Optikgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Feiertag, Günter Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 8049958
    Abstract: A changing device (60) for an optical examination device, for example a microscope, comprising two beam paths (61.1, 61.2) for a first optical image, and a changing optics (21) which is rotatably arranged in the changing device and is, for example, a Galilei magnification changer having at least two, here three pairs of beam paths (35.1, 35.2 and 45.1, 45.2 and 55.1, 55.2, respectively) which can optionally be switched into the beam paths (61.1, 61.2) of the changing device by rotating the changing optics. In accordance with the invention, the changing optics (21) comprises for each pair of beam paths at least one, here two additional beam paths (36.1, 36.2 and 46.2, 46.2 and 56.1, 56.2, respectively), assigned to the respective pair of beam paths, and the changing device (60) likewise comprises at least one, here likewise two additional beam paths (61.3, 61.4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Haag Streit AG
    Inventor: Hansruedi Widmer
  • Publication number: 20110134517
    Abstract: In a microscope controller by which is performed an operation for controlling an operation of each of a plurality of electric units included in a microscope system, the control unit establishes a plurality of functional areas in the display region of the touch panel as regions for making operable the plurality of electric units. When an input to any of the functional areas is detected, the control unit generates a control instruction signal for controlling an electric unit corresponding to this functional area. The communication control unit transmits the control instruction signal to an external device controlling an operation of a corresponding electric unit. When an input to a predetermined functional area is detected, the control unit then reestablishes a plurality of functional areas within the display region of the touch panel so as to enlarge this functional area or a plurality of specific functional areas including this functional area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya Shirota, Katsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Minoru Sukekawa
  • Patent number: 7944609
    Abstract: A 3-D optical microscope, a method of turning a conventional optical microscope into a 3-D optical microscope, and a method of creating a 3-D image on an optical microscope are described. The 3-D optical microscope includes a processor, at least one objective lens, an optical sensor capable of acquiring an image of a sample, a mechanism for adjusting focus position of the sample relative to the objective lens, and a mechanism for illuminating the sample and for projecting a pattern onto and removing the pattern from the focal plane of the objective lens. The 3-D image creation method includes taking two sets of images, one with and another without the presence of the projected pattern, and using a software algorithm to analyze the two image sets to generating a 3-D image of the sample. The 3-D image creation method enables reliable and accurate 3-D imaging on almost any sample regardless of its image contrast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Zeta Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: James Jianguo Xu, Ken Kinsun Lee
  • Publication number: 20110109960
    Abstract: A microscope system stores, for each objective, the movement control information including a type flag indicating the type of an objective depending on the presence/absence of a soak or a type of the soak and a save distance for saving the stage or the objective switch unit by a predetermined distance. When a switch direction of objectives is input, and when there is a change in the type of the objective after the switch, the system stops an operation after the stage or the objective switch unit is moved according to the save distance, and recovers the stage or the objective switch unit to an original position after the operation direction input unit inputs an operation direction for the stage and the objective switch unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuya SHIROTA
  • Patent number: 7940455
    Abstract: An ophthalmic surgical microscope system (100) includes a surgical microscope (101). The surgical microscope (101) is accommodated on a carrier unit (109) so as to be adjustable in elevation in order to be able to adjust a work distance (124) between the surgical microscope (101) and a patient eye (120). A first drive (112) is provided for adjusting the elevation of the surgical microscope (101). The ophthalmic surgical microscope system (100) includes an ophthalmic ancillary module (114) having an adjustable ophthalmic magnifier lens (116). The work distance (125) between the ophthalmic magnifier lens (116) and the patient eye (120) can be adjusted with a second drive (117). A drive coupling (123) is provided which couples the first drive for adjusting elevation of the surgical microscope (101) to the second drive (117) for adjusting the ophthalmic magnifier lens (116).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Surgical GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Gaida
  • Publication number: 20110096392
    Abstract: A multifunctional microscope with a plurality of light sources made of various materials is provided. Plural light sources enable solid objects and slide specimen observations possible at a single microscope. Cordless power supply is also equipped to give the microscope portability of providing convenient field study. Further to the portability, low manufacturing cost makes the microscope suitable for any budgets, even toys for children and young adults learning science at early age. The plural light sources with adjustable angles provide further research capability and more fun in learning through observation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventor: Ming Hua Xiang
  • Publication number: 20110063724
    Abstract: A microscope includes a microscope main body, a revolving nosepiece rotatably mounted on the microscope main body and equipped with plural objective lenses, and focusing handles that adjust focal points of the objective lenses. The microscope further includes operation knobs mounted in a vicinity of the focusing handles and configured to move by a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction, and an operating-force transmitting mechanism provided between the operation knobs and the revolving nosepiece and configured to transmit, when the operation knobs move, operating force to the revolving nosepiece to cause the movable member to move so that the objective lenses can be switched from one to the other through a single moving operation of the operation knobs by the predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuhiro HASEGAWA
  • Patent number: RE42948
    Abstract: An optical microscope apparatus selectively arranges a plurality of optical elements in an optical path, and includes: a manual switch unit capable of manually switching any of the plurality of optical elements; a detection unit detecting an arrangement status of manually switched optical elements; a storage unit storing information relating to the arrangement of the plurality of optical elements for each observing method; and an arrangement control unit arranging the plurality of optical elements according to the detection result by the detection unit and the information stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Hideyuki Kawanabe, Katsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Mitsuhiko Saito, Junzo Sakurai