With Optical Switching Means Patents (Class 359/388)
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Publication number: 20090102918Abstract: A microscope image pickup system includes: alight source; an object lens; a display device; a record device; a capture device for performing a preview mode in which an image of the test object obtained by the object lens is repeatedly captured and a plurality of captured images are continuously displayed on the display device, or an image record mode in which the image of the test object is captured and the captured image is recorded on the record device; an illumination light amount control device for controlling the amount of light of the illumination light; and a system control device for controlling an operation of the illumination light amount control device depending on the preview mode or the image record mode performed by the capture device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2008Publication date: April 23, 2009Applicant: Olympus CorporationInventors: Shinya SAKAMOTO, Shinichiro AIZAKI
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Patent number: 7508582Abstract: Confocal optical device for illuminating points on a sample 807 using illuminating beams FE and for detecting beams FD coming from the illuminated points and passing through a pinholes array 806. An exchangeable block 600 comprising a beamsplitter 602 and a redirection mirror 603 is used to superimpose the optical pathes of the illuminating beams FE and the beams to be detected FD.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2004Date of Patent: March 24, 2009Inventor: Vincent Lauer
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Patent number: 7502164Abstract: An illumination system for a fluorescence microscope is provided. The illumination system includes a carriage removably receivable within the microscope and a plurality of filter cubes movably arranged on the carriage, wherein each filter cube is moveable between an active position and an inactive position. Each filter cube includes a housing having first and second openings and a solid state light source secured to the housing. The solid state light source emits light when the filter cube is moved into the active position. Each filter cube further comprises at least one optical filter disposed within the housing, wherein the optical filter corresponds to the solid state light source.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2007Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: Westover Scientific, Inc.Inventors: Steven W. Lytle, Kevin G. Cassady
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Publication number: 20090034063Abstract: An illumination optical system includes a light source section for emitting a beam of substantially parallel rays, a field lens for collecting the beam of substantially parallel rays, a condenser lens for introducing the beam of rays collected by the field lens onto an illumination target surface, and an aperture stop disposed at an entrance-side focal position of the condenser lens. The aperture stop and the light source are in conjugate positional relationship via the collector lens and the field lens. An optical element having different characteristics between the central region and the outer region is arranged in a path of the substantially parallel rays at a position satisfying the condition: 0.03<|L/fCD|<0.4 where FCD is a focal length of the condenser lens and L is a distance from the illumination target surface to a position that is, of positions on which the optical element is projected, closest to the illumination target surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2008Publication date: February 5, 2009Inventors: Kentaro Yamazaki, Yuichiro Hashimoto
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Patent number: 7485846Abstract: A scanning microscope with a first and at least one other detection channel is disclosed. The first detection channel comprises at least one first detector and the other detection channel comprises at least one other detector to detect the detection light given off by a sample. A switching mechanism is provided that selectively directs the detection light into the first or into the other detection channel.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2005Date of Patent: February 3, 2009Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbHInventor: Frank Schreiber
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Patent number: 7480095Abstract: The invention provides a microscope in which the utilization efficiency of light from light sources is high and which can use a bright, uniform line illumination. The microscope includes a plurality of light sources; a fly-eye lens having a plurality of lens elements arrayed in a rectangular shape corresponding to the light sources, the light sources being disposed at the focal points thereof; a cylindrical lens having a flat surface orthogonal to the optical axis of light emitted from the fly-eye lens, and a cylindrical surface whose longitudinal axis is disposed parallel to the arrayed direction of the fly-eye lens; and an objective lens that illuminates a specimen with light from the cylindrical lens.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2005Date of Patent: January 20, 2009Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Masayuki Mizusawa
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Patent number: 7471450Abstract: A confocal reflectance microscope system incorporates a dual-wedge laser scanner assembly. The scanner assembly incorporates a pair of rotatably mounted prisms, each prism having an angle selected to deviate a light beam from a light source by a desired angle. Each prism is mounted for rotation at a desired speed of rotation and in a desired direction to scan the light beam over the target. An image is built up from successive reflected signals returned from the target.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2005Date of Patent: December 30, 2008Assignee: Northeastern UniversityInventors: Charles M. DiMarzio, William C. Warger, II
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Publication number: 20080304147Abstract: A microscope system that is capable of changing a status of observation of a sample comprises an instruction unit for giving instruction for driving one or more optical members including an objective lens or for changing a relative position of the sample and the objective lens; and an image capturing unit for capturing an observed image of the sample as a still image or a live image. The microscope system changes an order for performing operations in accordance with the instruction from the instruction unit, the operations including an operation of driving the one or more optical members or changing the relative position; an operation of switching the illumination light for the sample from being cut-off or reduced to being applied; and an operation of switching the image displayed in a display unit from the still image to the live image.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2008Publication date: December 11, 2008Applicant: Olympus CorporationInventors: Hideyuki KAWANABE, Tetsuya Shirota, Yasuko Ishii, Takashi Yoneyama
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Patent number: 7463344Abstract: Arrangement and method for the optical detection of light radiation which is excited and/or backscattered in a specimen, wherein the illumination of the specimen and/or the detection of the specimen light is carried out by at least two objectives arranged on different sides of the specimen. The specimen illumination is focused in or in the vicinity of a pupil plane of the beam path between the specimen plane and the detection plane at least on one axis and an element for the spatial separation of the illumination light from the detection light are provided in this plane.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2004Date of Patent: December 9, 2008Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbHInventors: Ralf Wolleschensky, Michael Kempe
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Publication number: 20080285123Abstract: Raster scanning light microscope with line pattern scanning with at least one illumination module, in which the means to achieve a variable partition of the laser light into least two illumination channels are envisioned and joint illumination of a sample takes place at the same or at different areas of the sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2007Publication date: November 20, 2008Inventors: Joerg-Michael Funk, Ralf Wolleschensky, Bernhard Zimmermann, Stefan Wilhelm, Ralf Engelmann
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Patent number: 7446936Abstract: An illumination device in a microscope includes multiple light sources arranged on a mirror housing. A mirror is provided which is rotatably or displaceably arranged in the mirror housing for selectably switching each of the light sources into an illumination beam path. At least one drive system is provided for rotating or displacing the mirror so as to switch one of the light sources at a time into the illumination beam path.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2005Date of Patent: November 4, 2008Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbHInventor: Claus Bender
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Patent number: 7443579Abstract: An ophthalmic microscope including an objective lens placed in face of an inspecting eye; a light source for radiating an illumination light, an illumination optics for directing the illumination light to the inspecting eye via the objective lens, an observation optics placed along with an optical axis of the objective lens, a lighting angle switch placed on a light path of the illumination light for changing the angle of incidence of the illumination light to the inspecting eye, and a correlated color temperature changer working in conjunction with the switching of the angle of incidence by the lighting angle switch to change the correlated color temperature of the illumination light.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2006Date of Patent: October 28, 2008Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TopconInventor: Nobuaki Kitajima
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Publication number: 20080259445Abstract: A laser microscope is provided which includes a laser light source, a first optical fiber through which the ultrashort pulse laser light propagates while being positively chirped, a negative dispersion optical system that negatively chirps this propagated laser light, a second optical fiber through which the laser light that has passed through the negative dispersion optical system propagates while being positively chirped, a microscope body that further positively chirps this propagated laser light and irradiates a specimen with the resultant non-chirped ultrashort pulse laser light. The negative dispersion optical system includes a negative dispersion adjuster that adjusts the amount of negative dispersion according to the change in wavelength of the ultrashort pulse laser light outputted from the laser light source or the change in the amount of positive dispersion in the microscope body.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2008Publication date: October 23, 2008Applicant: Olympus CorporationInventor: Hirokazu KUBO
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Patent number: 7440184Abstract: A microscope according to the present invention includes an illumination element changer capable of selectively inserting any of a bright field illumination element, a dark field illumination element, and a fluorescence illumination element into an optical axis of an objective, a field stop disposed on the optical axis and limiting a visual field of the objective, an aperture stop disposed on the optical axis and limiting a pupil area of the objective, a filter member disposed on the optical axis and limiting a given ultraviolet wavelength range or adjusting a light quantity of illumination light of an illumination light source, a rotation shaft rotating in response to the changing movement of the illumination element changer, and an interlocking mechanism that brings the aperture stop, the field stop and the filter member into respective setting conditions corresponding to the selected illumination element in response to the rotation of the rotation shaft.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2006Date of Patent: October 21, 2008Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Atsushi Takeuchi
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Patent number: 7440183Abstract: An indexable microscope is described, that comprises a microscope stand and an optical beam path, having a plurality of optical components that are switchable into and out of the beam path, which are arranged on at least two independent mechanical assemblies to be indexed separately and are switchable selectably into and out of the beam path by indexing the respective assembly. According to the present invention, a space-saving and flexible arrangement of the separately indexable assemblies having the optical components is achieved in that a common central receiving plate is provided, on the upper side and the lower side of which at least one of the assemblies is respectively arranged. Configuration of the assemblies as rotary disks permits very flexible arrangements which allow both manual and motorized actuation of the indexing of the assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2005Date of Patent: October 21, 2008Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbHInventor: Claus Bender
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Patent number: 7436591Abstract: The invention related to an epi illumination optical system for microscopes wherein both a simple yet bright Köhler illumination system and a collective lens array using a collective lens less susceptible of illumination fluctuations are easily interchangeable in simple constructions. The invention provides an epi illumination optical system for microscopes, with a microscope objective lens that also serves as a condenser lens, which also comprises a relay lens. The first illumination optical system comprises a light source, and a collector lens, and a second illumination optical system comprises a light source, a collimate lens and a lens array provided in an interchangeable way.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2007Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Masayuki Mizusawa
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Patent number: 7436562Abstract: It is possible to easily and accurately confirm the position of an optical axis of an objective lens relative to an examination site on a specimen, and positioning of the objective relative to the specimen can be carried out rapidly in a preparation stage.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2006Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Nobuyuki Nagasawa, Yoshihisa Tanikawa, Kazuhiko Osa, Yoshiharu Saito
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Patent number: 7405875Abstract: A system microscope has a specimen mounting part which mounts a specimen, an inverted microscope including an illumination path which radiates illumination light from under the specimen mounting part, and an observation optical path which acquires detection light emitted from the specimen to which the illumination light is radiated, a microscope with upright frame including an illumination path which radiates illumination light from above the specimen mounting part, and an observation optical path which acquires detection light emitted from the specimen to which the illumination light is radiated, and a driving unit which moves at least one of the inverted microscope and the microscope with upright frame in a plane perpendicular to the observation optical path of the inverted microscope or the microscope with upright frame.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2005Date of Patent: July 29, 2008Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Susumu Honda, Yasushi Aono
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Patent number: 7397602Abstract: A fluorescent microscope is provided which includes a light source having a small light emitting element, an illumination optical system which leads light from the light source onto a specimen, an observation optical system to which fluorescence emitted from the specimen is led, an imager which images the fluorescence led to the observation optical system, and a controller which controls turning on and turning off of the small light emitting element synchronously with imaging timing of the imager.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2004Date of Patent: July 8, 2008Assignee: Olympus CorporatonInventor: Hideaki Endo
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Patent number: 7394593Abstract: The invention relates to a transmitted-light base (1) for illuminating an object (15) for imaging through a zoom microscope (21), the transmitted-light base (1) comprising an integrated light source (3) having an associated electrical power regulation system (31) for generating a suitable radiation flux, and means (5, 6), capable of being added downstream, for generating a specified spectral intensity distribution. To allow compensation for brightness changes of low dynamic range, such as those occurring in particular during zooming, a continuously controllable mechanical brightness regulator (4) is proposed which is activatable by means of an associated adjustment device (41) in such a way that the illumination intensity of the transmitted-light base (1) is controllable with no change in the spectral intensity distribution.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2005Date of Patent: July 1, 2008Assignee: Leica Microsystems (Schweiz) AGInventors: Ruedi Rottermann, Patrick Kopf, Otto Geschwentner, Klaus-Peter Zimmer
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Publication number: 20080144170Abstract: Various types of optical members can be electrically inserted/extracted to/from an optical path. The state of the insertion/extraction or the state of opening/closing is detected by a sensor. An operating unit obtains various types of instructions. A controlling unit comprises a memory. The memory records a plurality of states of the insertion/extraction of an optical member in/from an optical path or the state of opening/closing, which is detected by the sensor, as an observation state. A controlling circuit switches an observation state to any of observation states recorded in the memory by controlling the insertion/extraction or the opening/closing each time the operating unit obtains an instruction to request the setting of an observation state.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2007Publication date: June 19, 2008Applicant: Olympus CorporationInventor: Chika Takahashi
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Publication number: 20080130105Abstract: The invention is directed to a microscope with a slider for introducing optical elements into the beam path of the microscope. This slider has a holder for a plurality of optical elements and an actuation element by which the optical elements can be moved into the beam path.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2005Publication date: June 5, 2008Inventor: Matthias Gonschor
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Patent number: 7379238Abstract: The invention relates to a reflected-light microscope comprising a light source for generating an illumination light beam, which can be directed through a lens along an illumination beam path onto a sample. Said microscope is provided with imaging optics, which generate a plane that optically corresponds to the pupil plane. At least one attenuation element, which acts in an essentially uniform manner over the entire cross-section of the illumination light beam, can be introduced into the illumination beam path on the optically corresponding plane.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2003Date of Patent: May 27, 2008Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbHInventors: Michael Ganser, Albrecht Weiss
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Patent number: 7369309Abstract: A confocal microscope with improved light use efficiency is provided. Thus, the confocal microscope has a section which concentrates illumination light to a target point of a specimen and non-target points adjacent thereto for simultaneous illumination; a section which receives light entering into a light reception portion conjugated with the target point, without distinguishing light emitted from the target point and light emitted from the non-target points, and outputs a light reception signal according to the intensity of the light; a section which changes the number of non-target points and successively captures the light reception signals before and after the change in the number of the target points; and a section which generates a confocal signal according to intensity of light emitted from the target point, based on a relationship between the captured light reception signals and the number of non-target points.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2006Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Tomoko Ujike, Tomoya Noda
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Patent number: 7369308Abstract: A total internal reflection fluorescence microscope includes a light source which generates laser light having a plurality of wavelengths, a focal optical system which irradiates the laser light from the light source on a specimen at a predetermined incident angle via an objective lens and which generates evanescent illumination, a fluorescence observation unit which observes fluorescence generated from the specimen due to the evanescent illumination, an incident angle adjuster which adjusts the incident angle of the laser light irradiated on the specimen, and a controller which controls the incident angle adjuster such that the amount of the permeation depth of the evanescent light is the same when the wavelength of the laser light from the laser light source is switched.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2005Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Hiroshi Tsuruta, Hiroshi Sasaki, Kenichi Kusaka, Akinori Araya, Tatsuo Nakata
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Patent number: 7359116Abstract: An optical injection system for use in conjunction with a microscope having a turret supporting an objective having an optical path is provided. The optical injection system includes a dichroic mirror disposed between the turret and the objective, along the optical path. A collimating lens is further provided having an optical path directed to intersect the dichroic mirror. A laser source is positioned to project a laser beam through the collimating lens and along the collimating lens optical path. The laser can be used in conjunction with the microscope for a number of microsurgery applications. A method for calculating and displaying the isothermal contours of the energy produced by a laser in a sample is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2002Date of Patent: April 15, 2008Assignee: Hamilton Thome Biosciences, Inc.Inventor: Thomas G. Kenny
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Patent number: 7359117Abstract: A illumination device for microscope, which has a illumination axis, includes illumination unit, which emits rays of illumination light, for illuminating a specimen, a field stop projection lens, which is located on the illumination axis between the illumination unit and specimen, a light deflector array, which is located on the illumination axis between the illumination unit and field stop projection lens in conjugation with the specimen, the light deflector array having micro optical deflection portions, which individually deflect the rays of illumination light from the illumination unit, and switch unit for switching between a state in which the rays of illumination light is applied to the specimen and a state in which the rays of illumination light is not applied to the specimen.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2004Date of Patent: April 15, 2008Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Keiji Shimizu, Yasushi Aono
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Patent number: 7345816Abstract: An optical microscope includes a light source which irradiates a sample with illuminating light. A mirror, which has a variable reflection surface, reflects the illuminating light. A correction table stores plural data of plural shapes of the reflection surface which correspond to changes in a focal position and an aberration. A controller selects, from the plural data stored in the correction table, data of one of the shapes of the reflection surface that is suitable for correcting the focal position and the aberration. And the controller controls the mirror so that the reflection surface forms the shape corresponding to the selected data.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2005Date of Patent: March 18, 2008Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Sei Ri
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Patent number: 7345815Abstract: A transmission illumination apparatus for a microscope has an optically transparent sample mount plate on which a sample is mounted, a surface light source that projects substantially uniform illumination light toward the sample mount plate, and a light orientation member that restricts diffusion of the illumination light in relation to at least one direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2005Date of Patent: March 18, 2008Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Keiji Shimizu, Minoru Sukekawa, Kazuhiro Hayashi, Tsuyoshi Mochizuki
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Patent number: 7326899Abstract: Provided is a laser scanning microscope having a first focusing-position control unit; and a confocal detecting unit. The first focusing-position control unit shifts a first focusing position of a laser beam on a sample in a direction of an optical axis of an objective lens. The confocal detecting unit has a confocal aperture for a confocal detection of a light emitted from the first focusing position. The microscope may include a second focusing-position control unit shifts a second focusing position of the light emitted from the first focusing position focused by the confocal detecting unit in a direction of an optical path thereof.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2006Date of Patent: February 5, 2008Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Sei Ri
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Patent number: 7312922Abstract: A disk unit for a confocal microscope has a rotary disk having many confocal openings, a rotary drive portion, which rotates the rotary disk, a holding member, which holds the rotary disk and the rotary drive portion, a drive portion, which is allowed to insert into and remove from an optical axis the rotary disk, and a disk replacement mechanism, which allows the rotary disk to be attached to and detached from the rotary drive portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2004Date of Patent: December 25, 2007Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Yusuke Amano
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Patent number: 7307785Abstract: A microscopy system for eye surgery with an objective lens is suggested, which provides a retroillumination system to generate a so-called red reflex illumination during an eye-surgical treatment, in particular during a cataract operation.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2004Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: Carl Zeiss Surgical GmbHInventors: Andreas Obrebski, Christoph Hauger, Peter Reimer, Ludwin Monz, Bernd Spruck, Alfons Abele, Hans Adolf Von Derschau, Gerhard Möller, Peter Amend
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Patent number: 7283297Abstract: A scanning microscope having a light source that emits an illuminating light beam, for illumination of a sample. The illuminating light beam extends along an illumination beam path and can be guided over and/or through the sample using a beam deflection device. A mirror which can be introduced in guided fashion into the illumination beam path directs a manipulating light beam via the beam deflection device onto the sample.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2003Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbHInventor: Werner Knebel
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Patent number: 7283298Abstract: A stereoscopic microscope including a light source section, an illumination optical system, and an observation optical system. The illumination optical system has an optical axis and includes a projection optical system. The projection optical system forms an intermediate image and irradiates a light flux from the light source section onto an observation object. The observation optical system includes an objective lens, a pair of left and right zooming optical systems for changing the magnification of the observation optical system, and a pair of left and right eyepiece optical systems. A center position of the light source section is de-centered from the optical axis of the illumination optical system. Also, the illumination optical system includes a reflecting member which has two rounded notches and is inserted into and removed from a space on the object side of the objective optical system in conjunction with a zooming operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2005Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Yasushi Namii
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Patent number: 7271953Abstract: A confocal microscope includes a light source that emits illuminating light beam, an illuminating optical system that irradiates the illuminating light beam onto a specimen, a condensing optical system that condenses the light reflected off the specimen and a light detection unit. The light detection unit includes a mask member, a movable shutter and a light detector. The mask member includes a plurality of reflecting/transmitting surfaces each constituting a light separating surface, and only the central portion of the light flux entering the mask member from the condensing optical system exits through a pinhole. The movable shutter opens or closes off a plurality of pinholes individually, and the light detector detects the light flux having passed through the pinholes.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2005Date of Patent: September 18, 2007Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Hisashi Okugawa, Naoshi Aikawa
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Patent number: 7268940Abstract: An illuminating device, as for a microscope, includes a light source and a reflecting filter system. The beam of light of the light source undergoes a plurality of reflections in the reflecting filter system. The entering beam of the reflecting filter system has an optical beam offset and/or a change in direction relative to the exiting beam.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2002Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignee: Vistec Semiconductor Systems GmbHInventors: Michael Veith, Lambert Danner
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Patent number: 7262910Abstract: An illuminating device (10). In one embodiment, the illuminating device includes a light source (12), optical components (16, 18, 20) that define a plurality of light paths (14) originating from the light source, a light-conditioning array (22) on at least one of the plurality of light paths, at least one light output (34) to which an associated device that is to be supplied with light or conditioned light is connectable, at least one light path-selecting unit (24) which is provided with several input light path sections associated with another light path and at least one output light path section leading to said light output or another associated light output.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2003Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: Olympus Biosystems GmbHInventors: Matthias Seel, Ines Schaller, legal representative, Klaus Schaller, deceased
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Patent number: 7253950Abstract: A scanning laser microscope is provided which includes at least one laser light source for emitting laser light, a plurality of modulating sections for adjusting the laser light emitted from each laser light source, a storage section for storing delay time information on an input/output of each modulating section, and signal production section for producing a driving signal to drive at least one modulating section selected from the plurality of modulating sections based on the delay time information of the at least one selected modulating section. The delay time information includes information on a response time from a start of driving to development of a function of each modulating section.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2004Date of Patent: August 7, 2007Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Akinori Araya
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Patent number: 7248404Abstract: The invention provides a microscope having high utilization efficiency of light from a light source and capable of using a bright, uniform line illumination. The microscope includes a plurality of light sources; a collimator lens that substantially collimates light from the light sources; a cylindrical lens having a flat surface orthogonal to the optical axis of light emitted from the collimator lens, and a cylindrical surface whose longitudinal axis is disposed parallel to the arrayed direction of the light sources; and an objective lens that illuminates a specimen with light from the cylindrical lens.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2005Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Masayuki Mizusawa
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Patent number: 7245426Abstract: A total internal reflection illumination apparatus applied to a microscope which illuminates a sample through an objective having a numerical aperture enabling total internal reflection illumination, comprises a first total internal reflection mirror which is arranged in the vicinity of an outermost peripheral part of an observation optical path of the microscope to reflect an incident illumination light in a direction of the objective, a second total internal reflection mirror which is arranged at a symmetrical position with the first total internal reflection mirror to sandwich an observation optical axis and reflects return light reflected on a surface of the sample in a direction different from the illumination optical path, and a return light dimming part configured to dim the return light reflected by the second total internal reflection mirror.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2006Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasushi Aono, Tsuyoshi Mochizuki
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Patent number: 7227113Abstract: A confocal laser scanning microscope acquires confocal images of a sample. The microscope is provided with an optical-microscope optical system which acquires non-confocal images of the sample by detecting measurement light coming from the sample. The optical-microscope optical system includes optical systems corresponding to at least two observation methods, and one of the optical systems is selected during use.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2004Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Akihiro Kitahara
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Patent number: 7224522Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 31, 2004Date of Patent: May 29, 2007Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Hideyuki Kawanabe, Katsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Mitsuhiko Saito, Junzo Sakurai
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Patent number: 7212337Abstract: An arrangement in the illumination beam path of a laser scanning microscope, comprising a mirror which can be introduced into the beam path for coupling in at least one additional wavelength, and a method for the operation of a laser scanning microscope with a mirror which can be swiveled in rapidly for coupling at least one additional wavelength into the illumination beam path, wherein the swiveling process is synchronized with the illumination control by a control unit in such a way that at least one additional wavelength is coupled into the illumination beam path when the mirror is swiveled out.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2004Date of Patent: May 1, 2007Assignee: Carl Zeiss Jena GmbHInventors: Ralph Lange, Stefan Wilhelm, Ulrich Meisel, Matthias Reich
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Patent number: 7206128Abstract: In an illumination switching frame fixed to the end of an objective of Greenough stereomicroscope, a folding mirror is fixed removably to illumination optical axes q and q? to switch coaxial vertical illumination and episcopic illumination.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2004Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Masahito Tonooka
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Patent number: 7190514Abstract: The present invention provides a confocal scanning microscope whereby fluorescence observations can be made using a plurality of types of excitation light without the need for attaching and detaching a light source to and from the optical fiber. The confocal scanning microscope comprises: a light source unit for emitting excitation light that excites a sample; a scanner unit for scanning the sample with the excitation light; and an imaging camera for capturing an image of the sample by receiving fluorescent light emitted from the sample; the light source unit having a plurality of light sources for emitting laser light with different wavelengths and a multicore optical fiber cable for transmitting light from the plurality of light sources, one end of the multicore optical fiber cable being separated into a plurality of optical fibers, and light from each of the plurality of light sources being input to one end of each of the separate optical fibers.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2004Date of Patent: March 13, 2007Assignee: Yokogawa Electric CorporationInventors: Kenta Mikuriya, Yasuhiro Tanibata, Hideomi Negishi, Naoki Seki, Yasuhito Kosugi
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Patent number: 7187494Abstract: A microscope includes a laser light source, a deflecting device, an objective lens, an irradiating system for irradiating a sample with laser light via the objective lens, a detecting device that detects fluorescence from a sample, and a collector lens unit insertable and removable in and out of the path of rays. When the collector lens unit is in the path, laser light converges on the pupil position of the objective lens decentered from the center of the pupil position of the objective lens with chief rays being substantially parallel with the optical axis, and, when the collector lens unit is out of the path, the laser light converges on and, via the deflecting device, scans the sample surface, to achieve a prompt switching between a laser scanning microscopy mode and a total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy mode at low cost.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2004Date of Patent: March 6, 2007Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Daisuke Nishiwaki, Eiji Nakasyo
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Patent number: 7183633Abstract: An optical cross-connect switch comprises a base (216), a flap (211) and one or more electrically conductive landing pads (222) connected to the flap (211). The flap (211) has a bottom portion that is movably coupled to the base (216) such that the flap (211) is movable with respect to a plane of the base (216) from a first orientation to a second orientation. The one or more landing pads (222) are electrically isolated from the flap (211) and electrically coupled to be equipotential with a landing surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2002Date of Patent: February 27, 2007Assignee: Analog Devices Inc.Inventors: Michael J. Daneman, Franklin Wall, Behrang Behin, Murali Chaparala, Mark W. Chang, Scott Dalton, Timothy Beerling, Stephen Panyko, Meng-Hsiung Kiang, Boris Kobrin, Chuang-Chia Lin
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Patent number: 7170676Abstract: The optical path used is switched between a first optical path and second optical path. The first optical path is used to make illumination light, output from a light source, transmits along the optical axis of an objective via an illumination system. The second optical path is used to guide the illumination light, output from the light source, to a transmits via the illumination system and the objective, thereby illuminating the target in a total reflection observation mode.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2004Date of Patent: January 30, 2007Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Yasushi Aono
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Patent number: 7151634Abstract: An arrangement tilts the illumination carrier on light microscopes of the inverse type which include a microscope stand on which an illumination carrier having a light source is attached. The arrangement for tilting the illumination carrier (2) having a light source (3) includes an electric motor (10) with which the tilt movement of the illumination carrier (2) can be controlled in such a manner that the motor-controlled tilting of the illumination carrier (2) takes place manually utilizing an actuating element or can be triggered automatically and is stepwise adjustable. A device for damping the tilt movement is provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2006Date of Patent: December 19, 2006Assignee: Carl Zeiss Jena GmbHInventor: Carsten Hoyer
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Patent number: 7142359Abstract: Lighting device for a microscope comprising at least one observation beam path, in particular a surgical microscope, with an illumination system (3, 4, 5, 28, 29) and a deflection device (8; 48, 49) for deflecting light emitted from the illumination system onto an object to be observed, in particular an eye to be operated on, the deflection device providing an illumination of the object under various illumination angles with regard to the at least one observation beam path, wherein the deflection device comprises two deflection elements (16, 17) at least partly provided as physical beam splitters.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2004Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: Leica Microsystems (Schweiz) AGInventor: Ulrich Sander