GB2217471A

GB2217471A - Combination telescopes and microscopes

Info

Publication number: GB2217471A
Application number: GB8907908A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shoichi Omi
Original assignee: Lunax Co Ltd
Current assignee: Lunax Co Ltd
Priority date: 1988-04-07
Filing date: 1989-04-07
Publication date: 1989-10-25
Also published as: JPH01149609U; JPH073376Y2; KR890021504U; KR920000836Y1; GB8907908D0

Abstract

A combination telescope and microscope is used as a microscope or as a telescope with or without a supporting stand. The combination includes two objective lens barrels 3, 112 and an ocular lens barrel 31 all with appropriate lenses (7a, 7b, 8, 4, 5, Fig 3). All three barrels are used when the combination is acting as a microscope and only one of the objective lens barrels 3 and the ocular lens barrel 31 are used when the combination is acting as a telescope. In addition the combination may include a rotatable sample stage 21. <IMAGE>

Description

TELESCOPES AND MICROSCOPES The present invention relates to telescopes and microsccpes.

In general, a microscope is popularly used in scientific experiments and can magnify the structure of various kinds of samples magnification 50 through 1,000. The conventional microscope generally comprises an ocular, an objective lens, a stage, a substage condensing mirror and a reflecting mirror and is so constructed that the illuminating ray of light is directed onto the substage condensing mirror arranged in front of the objective lens to reflect the ray toward the sample on the stage in order to observe the magnified structure of the sample through the objective lens and the ocular.

For the prior art microscope, it is necessary to insert an inverting prism into the optical path or to remove it therefrom when desired to change the image from an inverted image to an erect image and vice versa. This makes both the structure and operation of the microscope complicated.

However, the prior art microscope cannot be used in the manner of a telescope.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a combination telescope and microscope which is operable as a microscope and also operable as either a telescope with a supporting stand or a portable telescope, and wherein an ocular and an objection lens of the combination are common to all such uses.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a microscope comprising a stand carrying a first objective lens barrel, having objective lens means, and a second objective lens barrel having objective lens means, the optical axes of the barrels being alignable to function together as a microscope, the barrels being relatively movable such that the second lens barrel can be used as a telescope without the first lens barrel being in the optical path of the telescope, the second barrel carrying an ocular for use in the microscope and telescope modes.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a combination telescope and microscope comprising a base, a post-like main body extending from the base and having a elevating part mounted telescopically in the upper portion thereof, a first lower objective lens barrel having a first objective lens, a second upper objective lens barrel having a second objective lens,the two barrels being alignable for use as a microscope the first lens barrel being mounted on the main body, the second lens barrel being mounted on the elevating part to allow rotation of the second barrel about an axis at an angle to the length direction of the main body, locking means for locking the second lens barrel relative to the elevating part, an ocular lens barrel having ocular lens means, the ocular lens barrel being slidably mounted on and at an angle to the second lens barrel, and a reflecting mirror arranged at an intersection of optical axes of the second objective lens and the ocular lens means.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combination telescope and microscope embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a lensbarrel separated from a main body of the combination telescope and microscope of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic view showing the optical system of the combination telescope and microscope of Figure 1, when in use as a microscope; Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the combination telescope and microscope of Figure 1, in use as a microscope; Figure 5 is a side-elevational view of the combination telescope and microscope of Figure 1 with the elevating post in an elevated position;; Figure 6 is an elevational view of the combination telescope and microscope of Figure 1 showing the lensbarrel rotated about the elevated post; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the combination telescope and microscope of Figure 1 in use as a telescope with a supporting stand.

Generally, a combination telescope and microscope embodying the present invention comprises a base 2, a postlike main body 1 perpendicularly mounted on the base 2 and a lens-barrel 3 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A stage.21 for placing thereon a sample to be observed is mounted on the top surface of the base 2 so that it can be rotated in a horizontal plane. A power switch 22 for an illumination system is also mounted on the top surface of the base 2. A battery box and batteries (not shown) of a power supply for the illumination system is contained within the base 2. A light source 113 for the illumination system is connected to the power supply via the switch 22.

The lens-barrel 3 is formed by an upper portion 35, a middle portion 36 and a lower portion 37. An ocular lensbarrel 31 is mounted on the upper portion 35 at an angle relative thereto. A stud 32 projects from the side face of the middle portion 36. The lens-barrel 3 constitutes a second objective lens-barrel and the ocular lens-barrel 31 is slidably mounted on the lens-barrel i.e. the second objective lens-barrel 3. The lower portion 37 of the lens-barrel 3 is formed by a cylindrical portion 33 having an open bottom end.

The main body 1 has a lower portion 14 of truncated conical configuration secured perpendicularly to the base 2, a cylindrical upper portion 12 and a swivel member i.e. a first lens-barrel supporting member 11 mounted on the upper portion 12 rotatably relative to the lower portion 14 and thus to the base 2. As shown in Fig. 2, a joint member 111 for removably receiving the bottom end of the cylindrical portion 33 is secured on the upper side of the swivel member 11. An objective lens-barrel i.e. a first objective lens-barrel 112 is secured on the under side of the swivel member 11 coaxially with the joint member 111. The light source 113 is also mounted on the under side of the swivel member 11 at an angle so that it illuminates the sample (not shown) placed on the stage 21.

A locking screw i.e. first locking screw 121 is mounted on the side face of the swivel member 11 to lock the swivel member 11 at a desired angular position relative to the main body 1. An elevating post 13 is telescopingly inserted into the upper portion 12 of the main body 1 so that it can vertically slide along the upper portion 12. The locking screw 121 also locks the elevating post 13 at a desired vertical position relative to the main body 1.

A receptacle 131 horizontally projects from the elevating post at the top thereof and is provided with a second locking screw 132. The receptacle 131 forms one part of a second lens-barrel supporting member and detachably receives the stud 32 forming the other part of the second lens-barrel supporting member. The stud 32 is fixedly locked by the second locking screw 132 and is separated from the receptacle 131 by releasing the screw 132.

Then the optical system of the combination telescope and microscope of the present invention will be described. As shown in Fig. 3, when the lens-barrel i.e. the second objective lens-barrel 3 is connected to the first objective lens-barrel 112 via the joint member 111, they form an optical system for the microscope.

Arranged within the first objective lens-barrel 112 is a first objective lens 4 having a focal length 55 mm.

Arranged within the second objective lens-barrel 3 are a second objective lens 5 having a focal length 55 mm and a plane mirror 6 above the second objective lens 5. Arranged within the ocular lens-barrel 31 is an ocular 9 formed by two field lenses 7a and 7b and an eye lens 8 and having a focal length 11.0 mm.

Then the operation of the combination telescope and microscope of the presentembodzent will be described.

Firstly, the operation for use as a microscope will be described. As shown in Figs. 1 and. 2, the lens-barrel 3 and the elevating post 13 are united together by inserting the stud 32 into the receptacle 131 and by fastening the second locking screw 132 and therefore the lens-barrel i.e. the second objective lens-barrel 3 can be vertically moved together with the elevating post 13.

The swivel member 11 is then rotated so that the center of the first objective lens-barrel 112 carried by the swivel member 11 corresponds to the center of the stage 21 mounted on the base 2.

Finally, by inserting the cylindrical portion 33 forming the lower portion of the lens-barrel 3 onto the joint member 111 and by fastening the first locking screw 121, the lens-barrel i.e. the second objective lens-barrel 3 and the first objective lens-barrel 112 is united. Thus the optical system for the microscope is formed by the first objective lens 4 arranged within the first objective lensbarrel 112, the second objective lens 5 within the second objective lens-barrel 3 and the ocular 9 within the ocular lens-barrel 31.

The sample, placed on the stage 219 to be observed is illuminated by light from the environment or by the light source 113. Thus the magnified image of the sample can be observed through the ocular 9.

In the illusted embodiment, the resultant optical length of the ocular 9 is about 11 mm and accordingly the magnification for the microscope and the telescope becomes about 30 and 10 respectively.

Since the stage 21 is freely rotatably mounted on the base 2, it is possible to change the angle of illumination to the sample and therefore it is possible to observe the sample over all directions through 3600, of course, not only as an erect image but also as an inverted image. The condition wherein the combination telescope and microscope of the present invention is used as a microscope is shown in Fig. 4.

t4ow, the operation for use as a telescope will be described. Firstly, the lens-barrel i.e. the second objective lens-barrel 3 is set at a position shown in Fig.5 by slightly releasing the first locking screw 121 and elevating the elevating post 13 to a desired position and fastening again the screw 121. Then the lens-barrel 3 in the elevated position is directed toward a target as shown in Fig. 6 by slightly releasing the second locking screw 132 and rotating the lensbarrel 3 around the stud 32 and finally fastening again the screw 132.

Thus the combination telescope and microscope of the present embodiment is set for use as a telescope with a supporting stand. When desired to use the telescope as an astronomical telescope as shown in Fig. .7, the lens-barrel 3 is rotated around the stud 32 so that the lens-barrel 3 has Qq angle of elevation smaller than 900.

The combination telescope and microscope of the present embod nt can be used as a portable telescope for use in the outdoors by separating the lens-barrel 3 from the main body 1 with the release of the second locking screw 132 and the detachment of the stud 32 from the receptacle 132.

In the present enbodinentJ the stage 21 is mounted on the base 2 so that it can freely rotate over 3600 to obtain the best angle of illumination on the sample placed on the stage 2i. This makes it possible to observe the sample from any direction, not only as an erect image but also as an inverted image. In addition, this makes it possible to eliminate the use of an inverting prism which has been conventionally used to switch the image from an erect image to an inverted image and vice versa.

The combination telescope and microscope of the present enbodirrent can be used in multi-ways by simple operations, for example, as a microscope, a telescope with a supporting stand and a portable telescope.

Claims

1. A microscope comprising a stand carrying a first objective lens barrel, having objective lens means, and a second objective lens barrel having objective lens means, the optical axes of the barrels being alignable to function together as a microscope, the barrels being relatively movable such that the second lens barrel can be used as a telescope without the first lens barrel being in the optical path of the telescope, the second barrel carrying an ocular for use in the microscope and telescope modes.

2. A combination telescope and microscope comprising a base, a post-like main body extending from the base and having a elevating part mounted telescopically in the upper portion thereof, a first lower objective lens barrel having a first objective lens, a second upper objective lens barrel having a second objective lens,the two barrels being alignable for use as a microscope the first lens barrel being mounted on the main body, the second lens barrel being mounted on the elevating part to allow rotation of the second barrel about an axis at an angle to the length direction of the main body, locking means for locking the second lens barrel relative to the elevating part, an ocular lens barrel having ocular lens means, the ocular lens barrel being slidably mounted on and at an angle to the second lens barrel, and a reflecting mirror arranged at an intersection of optical axes of the second objective lens and the ocular lens means.

3. A combination telescope and microscope as claimed in Claim 2 comprising a rotatable sample stage mounted on the base below the first objective lens barrel.

4. A combination telescope and microscope as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the main body is substantially perpendicular to the base.

5. A combination telescope and microscope as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4 wherein the first lens barrel is rotatable about the length direction of the main body.

6. A combination telescope and microscope as claimed in any one of the claims 2 to 5, wherein the first objective lens barrel is rotatable out of the aligned position for use as a telescope without the first lens barrel being in the optical path from the ocular lens means.

7. A combination telescope and microscope substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.