JP2002116383A - Relay lens device for microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a relay lens device which can be attached to an eyepiece lens barrel and also attached to both a lens fixed type camera and a camera body. SOLUTION: This relay lens device is equipped with a first optical device 110 having a first lens system 120 and a first housing member 130 housing the first lens system and emitting light made incident from a first end 131 side to a second end 132 side through the first lens system, and a second optical device 150 having a second lens system 160 and a second housing member 170 housing the second lens system and emitting light made incident from a third end 171 side to a fourth end 172 side through the second lens system. The first end 131 is an attaching part for attaching the lens device to a microscope, and the second end 132 and the fourth end 172 are camera attaching parts for attaching the lens device to a camera, respectively. The first optical device 120 and the second optical device 160 are detachably coupled at the second end 132 and the third end 171.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a relay lens device used for mounting a camera on a microscope, and more particularly to a relay lens device for mounting various cameras such as a television camera to the microscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a microscope, an observation image is often taken by a camera. In recent years, since it is possible to capture a temporal change of an observation image and perform image processing of the observation image, an image is taken using a television camera. In order to capture an observation image with a camera, a microscope having a photographic lens barrel is used. When a camera is mounted on a photographic tube, it is common to mount the camera on the photographic tube via a relay lens device, unless the camera can be directly mounted.

In general, since the size of the image plane of the television camera is smaller than the size of the image of the microscope, the relay lens device has a reducing optical system. For example, the image size on the camera side of the microscope is 20 mm in diameter. On the other hand, the size of a CCD used as an imaging surface of a television camera is a 2/3 inch type, 8.5 mm wide, 6.6 mm long, and 11 mm diagonal. It is a イ ン チ inch type, 6.4 mm wide, 4.8 mm long, and 8 mm diagonal.
Therefore, products with a magnification of 0.6 × for 2/3 inch and 0.45 × for 1/2 inch are provided.

[0004] These relay lens devices for television cameras have a size of about 50 mm in diameter and about 70 mm or more in length. Further, the television camera has a size having a diameter larger than that of the relay lens device. for that reason,
When a relay lens device and a television camera having such a size are mounted on a microscope, a dedicated straight cylinder is generally used.

[0005]

Recently, a CCD has been used as an image sensor, and the screen size, pixels, sensitivity, and the like have been improved. For example, if the screen size is 1
A イ ン チ inch is being used for a TV camera for industrial and biological observation. Also, for consumer products, sizes smaller than 1/4 are being used. Along with this, the camera itself has been reduced in size and weight, and a small and lightweight relay lens device has been provided. Further, a relay lens having a function of reducing an image has been provided.

On the other hand, a trinocular microscope having a photographic straight tube is more expensive than a binocular microscope having no photographic straight tube. Therefore,
It is desired that the image can be captured even with a binocular microscope. At that time, it is desired that various kinds of cameras can be mounted on the eyepiece lens barrel. For example, it is desired that various cameras such as a television camera, a digital still camera, and a silver halide photographic camera can be used. In particular, some cameras have a lens fixed type in which the lens cannot be attached to or detached from the body. It would be desirable to be able to accommodate such types of cameras.

An object of the present invention is to provide a camera fixed to a lens, which can be mounted on an eyepiece lens barrel of a microscope,
An object of the present invention is to provide a relay lens device that can be attached to any of the camera bodies from which a lens has been removed.

[0008]

To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first lens system, and a first housing member for housing the first lens system,
One end of the first housing member on which light is incident has a first end having a mounting portion to a microscope, and the other end of the first housing member from which light exits has a mounting portion to a camera. A second optical system having a first optical element having two ends, a second lens system, and a second housing member for housing the second lens system, wherein the light emitted from the first optical element is incident; One end of the member has a third end having a mounting portion to the second end, and the other end of the second housing member from which light is emitted has a fourth end having a mounting portion to a camera. A microscope having a second optical element, wherein the second end and the third end are configured to removably connect the first optical element and the second optical element. A relay lens device is provided.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5 show a configuration of an embodiment of a relay lens according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a relay lens device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The relay lens device 100 of the present invention is used when a camera is mounted on a microscope. The relay lens device 100 includes a first optical element 11
0 and the second optical element 150. First optical element 11
0 and the second optical element 150 are detachably connected to each other.
FIG. 1 shows a state where the first optical element 110 and the second optical element 150 are connected and integrated. FIG. 4 shows a state where the first optical element 110 and the second optical element 150 are separated.

The first optical element 110 includes a first lens system 12
0, and the first lens system 120 is accommodated therein, and the light incident from one end (first end) 131 side is converted to the first light.
A first housing member 130 that emits light to the other end (second end) 132 through the lens system 120 is provided. Further, the second optical element 150 accommodates the second lens system 160 and the second lens system 160, and has one end (third end) 17.
A second housing member 170 that emits light incident from one side to the other end (fourth end) 172 through the second lens system 160.
Having. The first optical element 110 and the second optical element 150 are detachably connected at the second end 132 and the third end 171. The first end 131 functions as a microscope mounting unit for mounting on a microscope. The second end 132 and the fourth end 172 each function as a camera mounting portion for mounting on a camera.

First lens system 120 and second lens system 160
Is provided so as to form a parallel optical system between them. In the present embodiment, each of the first lens system 120 and the second lens system 160 is configured by a single lens.
Of course, it is not limited to this. It can be constituted by a combination of a plurality of lenses. When the first optical element 110 is mounted on a microscope, the first lens 120 has an image formed by a lens system in front of an eyepiece lens system (not shown), for example, an objective lens system (not shown). The position is determined so as to be the image plane position to be formed. On the other hand, the second lens system 160 is determined such that the focal position is a position where an image is formed on the imaging surface of the camera when the second optical element 150 is mounted on the camera body.

The first housing member 130 has a cylindrical shape. An opening 131a is provided on the first end 131 side, and
An opening 132a is provided on the end 132 side. The inside of the first housing member 130 communicates from the opening 131 a to the opening 132 a so that light incident from the first end 121 can be emitted from the second end 132. Inside, the lens holding unit 13
9 are provided. The first lens system 120 is held in the first housing member 130 by the lens holding unit 139. The first housing member 130 is formed of a light-shielding material, for example, metal, synthetic resin, or the like.

On the first end 131 side, a mounting portion 1 for mounting on an eyepiece mounting portion 351 (see FIG. 6) of a microscope is provided.
33. The mounting part 133 is provided with the eyepiece mounting part 35.
The eyepiece (not shown) is removed from the eyepiece 1 and attached to the eyepiece mounting part 351. Therefore, it is formed in the same cylindrical shape as the cylindrical body holding the eyepiece. The outer diameter is slightly smaller than the cylindrical body holding the eyepiece. For example, it is set to 23.1 mm. this is,
As shown in FIG. 7, which will be described later, when the first optical element 110 is mounted on the photographic straight tube 360, the play is provided between the mounting portion 133 and the third insertion hole 363. The play is set, for example, to such an extent that the deviation of the center of the visual field falls within 0.1 mm or less.

On the base side of the mounting portion 133, there is provided a first locking portion 135 having a surface serving as a first reference surface 135a for determining the position of the first lens system 120 when mounted on the eyepiece mounting portion 351. . In addition, the first optical element 110 serves as a second reference surface 137a on the first end 131 side that determines the position of the first lens system 120 when mounted on the photographic straight tube 360 (see FIG. 7) of the microscope. It further includes a second locking portion 137 having a surface. The first locking portion 135 is attached to the mounting portion 1.
At the base of 33, a flange having a diameter larger than that of the mounting portion 133 is provided. Similarly, the second locking portion 137 is provided at the base of the first locking portion 135 in a form like a flange with a diameter larger than that of the first locking portion 135.

When the mounting portion 133 is mounted on the eyepiece mounting portion 351 of the microscope, the first reference surface 135a contacts the end of the eyepiece mounting portion 351 to regulate the insertion depth of the mounting portion 133. . Thereby, the eyepiece mounting portion 35
The position of the first lens system 120 on the optical axis at the time of attachment to the camera 1 is determined.

In this embodiment, the correction member 14 as shown in FIG. 5 is used when it is necessary to reduce the insertion depth of the mounting portion 133 into the eyepiece mounting portion 351 by a certain length.
1 is further provided. This correction member 141 is attached to the mounting portion 133.
By attaching the correction member 141 to the base, the position of the first reference surface 135a can be moved by the thickness of the correction member 141 in the optical axis direction. As a result, the position of the first reference plane 135a is corrected and becomes the corrected first reference plane 141a. Correction member 14
1 may be, for example, a disk-shaped ring having a constant thickness. Here, the thickness can be, for example, about 1 mm. Of course, it is not limited to this.

The correction member 141 is detachably mounted on the base of the mounting portion 133. Then, it can be fixed by screws (not shown). Further, a fixing clamp mechanism can be used instead of the screw. When the clamp mechanism is used, the position of the first correction reference plane can be adjusted to a target position as long as the fixing position of the correction member can be set to an arbitrary position.

The second reference surface 137a is
Is mounted on the inward flange-shaped step portion 361a located at the lower end of the first insertion hole 361 of the photographic straight tube 360, and the position of the first lens system 120 is adjusted. decide. The second locking portion 137 is
The base of the locking portion 135 is provided with a larger diameter than the first locking portion 135.

On the second end 132 side of the first housing member 130, a fitting projection 134 is provided as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 4. The fitting projection 134 is
It is used to connect to the housing member 170 and is also used when mounted on a camera. Therefore, the fitting projection 134 has a structure corresponding to the mounting mechanism of the lens unit of the camera to which the first optical element 110 is to be mounted. In this embodiment, a male screw is provided. It should be noted that a connection structure different from the fitting convex portion 134 can be adopted. Inside the fitting projection 134,
An opening 132a is provided.

The second housing member 170 has a truncated frustum and a partially cylindrical shape. Opening 1 on the third end 171 side
71a is provided, and an opening 172a is provided on the fourth end 172 side. The inside of the second housing member 170 is the third end 1
The opening 171a communicates with the opening 172a so that the light incident from the opening 71 can be emitted from the fourth end 172. In addition, a lens holding portion 179 is provided inside.
reference). The second lens system 160 includes the lens holding unit 179.
Thus, it is held in the second housing member 170. The second housing member 170 is formed of a light-shielding material, for example, metal, synthetic resin, or the like.

On the third end 171 side, FIG. 3A, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, a fitting recess 173 is provided.
The fitting concave portion 173 is for connecting with the above-mentioned first housing member 130. Therefore, this fitting recess 17
3 has a structure capable of fitting with the fitting protrusion 134 described above. In the present embodiment, the fitting recess 173 is provided with a female screw. It should be noted that a connection structure different from the fitting recess 173 may be employed. This fitting recess 1
An opening 171 a is provided inside 73.

On the fourth end 172 side, a fitting projection 174 is provided as shown in FIGS. 3A and 4. The fitting projection 174 is used when the camera is mounted on a camera. Therefore, the fitting projection 174 has a structure that can be attached and fixed to a mounting mechanism of a camera body, for example. In this embodiment, the fitting projection 174 is provided with a male screw. Note that a connection structure different from the fitting convex portion 174 may be employed. An opening 172a is provided inside the fitting projection 174.

Next, various modes in which the relay lens device of the present invention is mounted on a microscope will be described. Here, the relay lens device 100 is used by connecting the first optical element 110 and the second optical element 150 to be integrated, and the first optical element 11 is removed by removing the second optical element 150.
Both will be described when 0 is used.

Prior to the description, a microscope to which a relay lens device can be attached will be described. FIG. 6 shows an example of a binocular microscope. FIG. 7 shows an example of a trinocular microscope having a photographic straight tube.

The microscope 300 shown in FIG.
0, a light source 320 that emits illumination light, a condenser lens 331 that collects illumination light from the light source, a stage 332 that supports the sample M, an objective lens 341, a revolver 342 that switches the objective lens 341, and binoculars Tube part 3
50 and an eyepiece mounting portion 351 provided in the binocular tube portion 350. An eyepiece is attached to the eyepiece attachment 351 in a normal state. FIG.
In the state shown in (1), one of the binocular eyepieces is detached from the eyepiece mounting portion 351, and the relay lens device 100 is mounted instead.

The microscope 30 shown in FIGS. 7, 9 and 10
Reference numeral 0 denotes a trinocular microscope having a photographic straight tube 360. However, the other configuration is the same as that of the binocular microscope shown in FIG. Therefore, here
The difference will be described.

The photographic straight tube 360 is for mounting a camera when capturing an image formed by the objective lens system. In the present embodiment, a first insertion hole 361, a second insertion hole 362, and a third insertion hole 363 are provided in this order from the upper end side. The first insertion hole 361, the second insertion hole 362, and the third insertion hole 363 are provided coaxially with the optical axis as a common center, and are provided so as to decrease in diameter in this order. As a result, the first insertion hole 36
An inward flange-shaped step portion 361a is formed at the lower end of 1. Similarly, at the lower end of the second insertion hole 362,
A step 362a is formed.

Here, the above-described mounting portion 133 of the first housing member 130 is inserted into the third insertion hole 363. Second
The locking portion 135 is inserted into the insertion hole 362. Also,
The insertion member 136 including the locking portion 137 is inserted into the insertion hole 361.
The largest diameter part is fitted. The depth of the second insertion hole 362 is longer than the length of the locking portion 135 in the optical axis direction. Also, the second
The diameter of the insertion hole 362 is also longer than the diameter of the locking portion 135. These are provided by connecting the first optical element 110 to the photographic straight tube 3.
This is to prevent the positioning by the first locking portion 135 from being interfered with when the mounting member 60 is mounted. Similarly, the depth of the third insertion hole 363 is longer than the length of the mounting portion 133, and the diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the mounting portion 133, as described above. On the other hand, the inner diameter of the first insertion hole 361 is
It is determined so as to be substantially equal to the outer diameter of the maximum diameter portion (including the locking portion 137) to be inserted. Accordingly, in the photographic straight tube 360 of the microscope shown in FIGS. 7, 9 and 10, the first optical element 110 regulates the displacement of the visual field with respect to the optical axis in a state where the locking portion 137 is accommodated in the first insertion hole 361. At the same time, positioning in the optical axis direction is performed. That is, the second reference surface 137a contacts the step 361a, and the position in the optical axis direction is determined.

The microscope shown in FIG. 8 is an example in which the structure of a photographic straight tube is different. Other structures are the same as those shown in FIG. Thus, differences will be described.

The microscope shown in FIG. 8 is a trinocular microscope having a photographic straight tube 370. The photo straight tube 370 has an insertion hole 37 for receiving the insertion of the mounting portion 133 of the first optical element 110.
1 is provided. Photograph straight tube 36 of the microscope shown in FIG.
The difference from 0 is that only one insertion hole is provided.

Next, the mounting of the camera will be described with reference to FIGS.
0 will be described.

In the microscope shown in FIG. 6, a relay lens device 100 includes a first optical element 110 and a second optical element 15.
0 is attached with both connected. A camera 500, in this embodiment, a digital still camera, is mounted on the relay lens device 100. FIG.
In the example shown in (1), the correction member 141 is mounted on the mounting portion of the first optical element 110. Therefore, the corrected first reference plane 14
1a determines the position on the optical axis of the first lens system 120 in the first optical element 110. On the other hand, the second optical element 150
Has its fourth end 172 (see FIG. 1) attached to the camera 500. Here, the camera 500 is a camera body without a lens, that is, a camera body. In this way, the first lens system 120 allows the microscope 300
The image formed by the objective lens 341 is taken out,
As shown in FIG. 4, the light is sent to the second lens system 150, reduced by the second lens system 150, and imaged on the imaging surface of the camera 500, for example, the surface of a CCD.

Here, when the camera is a fixed lens camera 600 as shown in FIG.
After removing 50, the fitting projection 134 (see FIG. 2A) of the second end 132 of the first optical element 110 is attached to the lens portion of the camera. In this case, by setting the focus of the camera lens to infinity, light from the first lens
It can be received like a lens system 150 and imaged on an imaging surface.

Next, a fixed lens camera 600 is attached to the microscope shown in FIG. However, unlike the one shown in FIG. 6, the camera 600 is mounted on the photographic straight tube 360. That is, the first optical element 110 of the relay lens device
Is mounted on the camera 600, and the first optical element 110 is inserted up to the first insertion hole 361 to the third insertion hole 363 of the photographic straight tube 360. At this time, the locking portion 137 contacts the step 361a of the first insertion hole 361, and the position in the optical axis direction is determined.

It should be noted that this trinocular microscope can also be equipped with a detachable lens camera such as the camera 500. In that case, the second optical element 150 is connected to the first optical element 110 so that the fourth end 1
Attach 72 to the camera. This is described below in FIG.
The same applies to the examples shown in FIGS.

The microscope shown in FIG. 8 is equipped with the same camera 600 as that shown in FIG. 7 described above using the first optical element 110 of the same relay lens device. However, in this example, the mount adapter 410 is used. The mount adapter 410 has a cylindrical shape, and has a structure in which a lower end is supported by an outer peripheral step portion 372 of the photographic straight tube 370 and an upper end is engaged with the engaging portion 137. In this example, by providing the mount adapter 410 for each of different types of cameras, it is possible to make the relay lens device compatible with various cameras.

In the microscope shown in FIG. 9, the first optical element 11
This is an example in which a countermeasure is taken in a case where the fitting projection 134 at the second end 132 of the camera cannot be connected to the lens unit of the camera as it is. That is, the fixed lens camera 700
And a connection adapter 450 interposed between the fitting projections 134 of the first optical element 110. By providing this type of connection adapter 450 for each type of camera, the relay lens device can be adapted to various cameras.

The microscope shown in FIG. 10 is an example in which a television camera 800 with a detachable lens is mounted on a photographic straight tube 360 via a relay lens device 100. In this example,
As in the example shown in FIG. 6, the fourth end 172 of the second optical element 150 of the relay lens device is connected to the camera body.
Then, similarly to the example shown in FIG. 7, the mounting portion 133, the locking portion 135, and the locking portion 137 of the first optical element 110 of the relay lens device are connected to the first insertion holes 361 to 361 of the photographic straight tube 360.
The television camera is mounted on the microscope 300 by inserting up to the third insertion hole 363. FIG. 10 shows a state where the camera controller 810 and the monitor 850 are connected to the television camera 800.

As described above, according to the present invention, the relay lens device is constituted by the first optical element and the second optical element,
Various cameras such as a detachable lens camera and a fixed lens camera can be mounted not only on a trinocular microscope but also on a binocular microscope by setting either the state where both are connected or the state where the second optical element is removed. It is possible to do.

[0041]

According to the present invention, it can be mounted on an eyepiece lens barrel of a microscope. Also, as a camera that can be mounted, it is possible to mount only the camera body of a fixed lens camera or a detachable lens camera to an eyepiece lens barrel or a photographic straight tube.

Accordingly, various types of cameras can be used as cameras mounted on the microscope, and an appropriate camera can be selected according to the application.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the appearance of an embodiment according to the relay lens device of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a side view showing an appearance of a first housing member of a first optical element constituting the relay lens device of the embodiment, and FIG. 2B is a rear view showing a second end side thereof.

FIG. 3A is a rear view showing a fourth end side of a second housing member of the first optical element constituting the relay lens device of the embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a side view showing the second housing member.

FIG. 4 is a first optical element and a second optical element constituting a relay lens in the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of a housing member and a second housing member, and an optical path in a first lens system and a second lens system.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state where a correction member is mounted on the relay lens device of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway side view showing a state where a camera body is mounted on an eyepiece mounting portion of a microscope using the relay lens device of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a partially broken side view showing an example of a state in which a fixed lens camera is mounted on a photographic straight tube of a microscope using the first optical element of the relay lens device of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway side view showing another example of a state in which a fixed lens camera is mounted on a photographic straight tube of a microscope using the first optical element of the relay lens device of the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway side view showing an example in which a lens-fixed camera having another structure is mounted on a photographic straight tube of a microscope using the first optical element of the relay lens device of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway side view showing a state in which a television camera body is mounted on a mounting portion of a photographic straight tube of a microscope using the relay lens device of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

100: relay lens device, 110: first optical element, 1
20 first lens system 130 first housing member 131
1st end, 131a ... opening, 132 ... 2nd end, 132
a ... opening, 133 ... mounting part, 134 ... fitting convex part, 135
... Locking portion, 135a First reference plane, 137 Second locking portion, 139 Lens holding portion, 141 Correction member, 141
a: corrected first reference plane, 150: second optical element, 160 ...
Second lens system, 170: second housing member, 171: third end, 172: fourth end, 173: fitting concave portion, 174: fitting convex portion, 179: lens holding portion, 300: microscope, 31
0 ... stand, 320 ... light source, 332 ... stage, 34
Reference numeral 2: revolver, 341: objective lens, 350: binocular tube part, 351: eyepiece mounting part, 360: photographic straight tube, 3
67: mount unit, 410: mount adapter, 500: camera 600, 700: fixed lens camera 800: television camera

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A first lens system comprising: a first lens system; and a first housing member for housing the first lens system, wherein the first housing member on which light is incident has a mounting portion to a microscope at one end of the first housing member. A first optical element having an end and a second end provided with a mounting portion to a camera at the other end of the first housing member from which light is emitted; a second lens system; and the second lens A second housing member for housing the system, and a third end having a mounting portion to the second end at one end of the second housing member on which light emitted from the first optical element enters. And a second optical element having a fourth end provided with a mounting portion to a camera at the other end of the second housing member from which light is emitted, wherein the second end and the third end are provided. Is a relay lens device for a microscope, wherein the first optical element and the second optical element are detachably connected to each other. 2. The relay lens device for a microscope according to claim 1, wherein the first housing member has a mounting portion on the first end side for mounting to an eyepiece mounting portion of the microscope. And a first locking portion on a base side of the mounting portion serving as a first reference surface for determining a position of the first lens system when mounted on the eyepiece mounting portion. Relay lens device. 3. The relay lens device for a microscope according to claim 2, wherein the first housing member has a position of the first lens system on the first end side when mounted on a photographic straight tube of a microscope. A second locking portion serving as a second reference surface to be determined, wherein the second locking portion is provided at a base of the first locking portion with a larger diameter than the first locking portion. Characteristic relay lens device for microscopes. 4. The relay lens device for a microscope according to claim 2, further comprising a correction member for correcting the position of the first reference plane, wherein the correction member is mounted on the mounting member. A relay lens device for a microscope, which is detachably attached to a base of the unit. 5. The relay lens device for a microscope according to claim 1, wherein a space between the first lens system and the second lens system is a parallel optical system. Microscope relay lens device.