JP2008164642A - Optical microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inverted type optical microscope capable of preventing an objective lens from interfering with a stage and further reduction in size. <P>SOLUTION: An optical lens is held by a lens holding part 41, and the holding part 41 is held by a movable holding part so as to be rotatable around the optical axis A. The movable holding part is held by a fixed holding part 43 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis B. The lens holding part 41 is rotated by gears 51 and 52, accompanying the rotation of the movable holding part, and is slid by cam mechanisms 61 and 62 in the direction of an optical axis A accompanying the rotation. That makes it possible to slide the objective lens 21 in the direction of the optical axis A accompanying the rotation of the movable holding part and retract it from a stage when the objective lens 21 is switched. That prevents the objective lens 21 from interfering with the stage and achieves a further reduction in the size of the device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical microscope. More specifically, the present invention relates to an objective lens that irradiates light from above onto a sample on a transparent plate placed on a stage and arranges light from the sample below the stage. The present invention relates to an inverted optical microscope that forms an image for observation.

  A general inverted optical microscope can be equipped with a plurality of objective lenses for enlarging an image at different magnifications. These objective lenses are attached to an objective lens switching device that can rotate around a rotation axis. By rotating the objective lens switching device, any objective lens can be made to face the sample. (For example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part showing a configuration example of an objective lens switching device in a conventional optical microscope. As shown in FIG. 14, in an inverted optical microscope, an opening 113A is formed in a stage 113 on which a transparent plate 112 is placed, and light irradiated on the sample 100 on the transparent plate 112 from above is placed on the stage 113. The light enters the objective lens 121 through the opening 113 </ b> A of 113. Here, an appropriate working distance (working distance) between the transparent plate 112 and the objective lens 121 for focusing on the sample 100 on the transparent plate 112 varies depending on the magnification of the objective lens 121. More specifically, the higher the objective lens 121, the higher the resolution needs to be set so that a minute object can be identified. In order to increase the resolution, a value called a numerical aperture (NA) is increased. There is a need to. Since the numerical aperture value is in inverse proportion to the working distance, the numerical aperture must be arranged closer to the transparent plate 112 so that the working distance of the objective lens 121 with a higher magnification becomes smaller.

  For this reason, the objective lens 121B having a relatively low magnification among the plurality of objective lenses 121A and 121B can focus on the sample 100 on the transparent plate 112 without being inserted into the opening 113A of the stage 113. However, the objective lens 121A having a relatively high magnification may not be able to focus on the sample 100 on the transparent plate 112 unless it is inserted into the opening 113A and brought close to the transparent plate 112. Therefore, when the rotation axis of the objective lens switching device extends in the vertical direction, the high-magnification objective lens 121A located in the opening 113A is located at the periphery of the opening 113A when the objective lenses 121A and 121B are switched. There is a problem of interference.

Therefore, in the conventional inverted optical microscope as disclosed in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 14, as an objective lens switching device that can rotate around a rotation axis B1 inclined with respect to the vertical direction, A so-called revolver 122 is employed. By employing such a revolver 122, the objective lens 121A facing the sample 100 can be switched away from the stage 113 and switched to another objective lens 121B as the revolver 122 rotates. It is possible to prevent the objective lens 121A from interfering with the peripheral portion of the opening 113A of the 113. Note that the optical axis A1 of the objective lenses 121A and 121B needs to be aligned with the optical axis direction of the light from the sample 100 in a state of facing the sample 100, that is, the vertical direction. In particular, the rotation axis B1 of the revolver 122 and the optical axis A1 of the objective lenses 121A and 121B extend in directions intersecting each other.
JP-A-6-167654

  However, when the revolver 122 in which the rotation axis B1 is inclined with respect to the vertical direction is employed as in the conventional optical microscope shown in FIG. 14, the revolver 122 and the objective lenses 121A and 121B attached thereto are arranged. Therefore, there is a problem that the space for the device becomes wide and the apparatus becomes large. In other words, in order to reduce the size of the apparatus, the revolver 122 is used in spite of the configuration in which the plurality of objective lenses 121A and 121B can be attached to the objective lens switching apparatus in a state as close as possible. Since the rotation axis B1 of the revolver 122 and the optical axis A1 of each objective lens 121A, 121B intersect at a predetermined angle, the optical axis A1 of each objective lens 121A, 121B cannot be held in parallel. It is difficult to attach the objective lenses 121A and 121B close to each other.

  FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part showing another configuration example conceivable from the conventional objective lens switching device of FIG. In order to solve the above problem, as shown in FIG. 15, the rotation axis B2 of the objective lens switching device and the optical axis A2 of each objective lens 121A, 121B attached to the objective lens switching device are in the vertical direction. It is preferable to keep the optical axes A2 of the objective lenses 121A and 121B in parallel with each other. According to such a configuration, as compared with the case of the revolver 122 shown in FIG. 14, each objective lens 121A, 121B can be attached in a close state, so that the objective lens switching device and the objective lens attached thereto are provided. The space for arranging 121A and 121B can be narrowed, and the apparatus can be miniaturized.

  However, when the configuration shown in FIG. 15 is adopted, when the objective lenses 121A and 121B are switched, the high-magnification objective lens 121A located in the opening 113A interferes with the peripheral portion of the opening 113A. Such a problem cannot be solved. That is, a configuration that can solve the problem caused by the configuration shown in FIG. 14 that the apparatus is enlarged and the problem that is caused by the configuration shown in FIG. 15 that the objective lens 121A interferes with the stage 113 at once. It was difficult to adopt.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an inverted optical microscope that can prevent the objective lens from interfering with the stage and can be reduced in size.

  An optical microscope according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a transparent plate on which a sample is placed, a stage on which the transparent plate is placed, a light source that irradiates light on the sample on the transparent plate from above the stage, and the stage An objective lens disposed below the lens, and a lens holding unit that holds the objective lens in an inverted optical microscope in which light from the light source enters the objective lens through an opening formed in the stage; A movable holding unit that rotatably holds the lens holding unit around the optical axis of the objective lens, a fixed holding unit that holds the movable holding unit so as to be movable in a plane parallel to the stage, and the lens holding unit. A first gear provided in the portion, a second gear provided in the fixed holding portion so as to engage with the first gear, a guide pin provided in the movable holding portion, and the lens holding Part And a guide groove that engages with the guide pin. When the movable holding portion moves, the first gear rotates, and the guide groove provided in the lens holding portion is rotated along with the rotation. By being guided along the guide pin, the lens holding portion is configured to slide in the optical axis direction of the objective lens.

  According to such a configuration, the first gear is rotated by moving the movable holding portion relative to the fixed holding portion, and the guide groove provided in the lens holding portion is provided in the movable holding portion along with the rotation. By guiding along the guide pins, the lens holding portion can be slid in the optical axis direction of the objective lens. As a result, the objective lens can be slid in the optical axis direction with the movement of the movable holding portion and retracted from the stage, so that the objective lens can be prevented from interfering with the stage. In particular, by adopting such a configuration for an inverted optical microscope, the objective lens positioned in the opening of the stage facing the sample on the transparent plate is moved as the movable holding unit moves. Since it can be slid in the axial direction and retracted from the stage, the objective lens can be prevented from interfering with the peripheral portion of the opening.

  In addition, the revolver system in which the movable holding part is tilted with respect to the stage can prevent the objective lens from interfering with the stage as the movable holding part moves without the movable holding part being inclined with respect to the stage. Compared to the above, the apparatus can be downsized. In addition, the first holding gear and the second gear are engaged, and the lens holding portion is moved along the optical axis of the objective lens as the movable holding portion is moved. Can slide in the direction. When the strength of the movable holding portion is higher than that of the lens holding portion, it is preferable that the guide pin is provided in the movable holding portion and the guide groove is provided in the lens holding portion as in the present invention.

  An optical microscope according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a transparent plate on which a sample is placed, a stage on which the transparent plate is placed, a light source that irradiates light on the sample on the transparent plate from above the stage, and the stage An objective lens disposed below the lens, and a lens holding unit that holds the objective lens in an inverted optical microscope in which light from the light source enters the objective lens through an opening formed in the stage; A movable holding unit that rotatably holds the lens holding unit around the optical axis of the objective lens, a fixed holding unit that holds the movable holding unit so as to be movable in a plane parallel to the stage, and the lens holding unit. A first gear provided in the portion, a second gear provided in the fixed holding portion so as to engage with the first gear, a guide groove provided in the movable holding portion, and the lens In the holding part And a guide pin that engages with the guide groove. When the movable holding portion moves, the first gear rotates, and the guide pin provided on the lens holding portion rotates along with the rotation. By being guided along the groove, the lens holding portion is configured to slide in the optical axis direction of the objective lens.

  According to such a configuration, the first holding gear is rotated by moving the movable holding portion relative to the fixed holding portion, and the guide pin provided in the lens holding portion is provided in the movable holding portion along with the rotation. By guiding along the guide groove formed, the lens holding portion can be slid in the optical axis direction of the objective lens. As a result, the objective lens can be slid in the optical axis direction with the movement of the movable holding portion and retracted from the stage, so that the objective lens can be prevented from interfering with the stage. In particular, by adopting such a configuration for an inverted optical microscope, the objective lens positioned in the opening of the stage facing the sample on the transparent plate is moved as the movable holding unit moves. Since it can be slid in the axial direction and retracted from the stage, the objective lens can be prevented from interfering with the peripheral portion of the opening.

  In addition, the revolver system in which the movable holding part is tilted with respect to the stage can prevent the objective lens from interfering with the stage as the movable holding part moves without the movable holding part being inclined with respect to the stage. Compared to the above, the apparatus can be downsized. In addition, the first holding gear and the second gear are engaged, and the lens holding portion is moved along the optical axis of the objective lens as the movable holding portion is moved. Can slide in the direction. When the strength of the lens holding portion is higher than that of the movable holding portion, it is preferable that the guide pin is provided in the lens holding portion and the guide groove is provided in the movable holding portion as in the present invention.

  In the optical microscope according to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-described configuration, the width of the lens holding portion in the sliding direction of at least one of the first and second gears is associated with the movement of the movable holding portion. It is configured to be set to be larger than the slide amount of the lens holding portion.

  According to such a configuration, the width in the sliding direction of the lens holding portion in at least one of the first and second gears is set to be equal to or larger than the sliding amount of the lens holding portion accompanying the movement of the movable holding portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the engagement state of the first and second gears from being released when the lens holding portion slides with rotation.

  The optical microscope according to the fourth aspect of the present invention is configured in such a manner that, in addition to the above-described configuration, the movable holding portion is formed with a gripping portion for gripping when the movable holding portion is moved. According to such a configuration, the movable holding unit can be moved while holding the holding unit, and therefore the movable holding unit can be easily moved manually.

  In an optical microscope according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-described configuration, the objective lens includes a first objective lens and a second objective lens that respectively enlarge an image at different magnifications. The first objective lens or the second objective lens is configured to be switched so as to face the sample on the transparent plate.

  According to such a configuration, the objective lens facing the sample on the transparent plate can be switched to the first objective lens or the second objective lens by moving the movable holder, and at the time of this switching, the movable holder As the lens moves, the objective lens held by the lens holding portion can be slid in the optical axis direction. Therefore, when the objective lens is switched, the objective lens held by the lens holding portion can be retracted from the stage, so that the objective lens can be prevented from interfering with the stage. In addition, the rotation axis of the revolver and the optical axis of each objective lens intersect at a predetermined angle, and the first objective lens and the optical axis of each objective lens cannot be held in parallel. Since it can hold | maintain so that the optical axis of a 2nd objective lens may become parallel, it becomes possible to arrange | position each objective lens closer or in contact. Therefore, the apparatus can be reduced in size more effectively.

  In the optical microscope according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-described configuration, the first objective lens enlarges an image at a higher magnification than the second objective lens, and the lens holding unit includes the first objective lens. It is configured to hold and not hold the second objective lens.

  According to such a configuration, when the objective lens is switched, the first objective lens can be slid in the optical axis direction along with the movement of the movable holding portion. The first objective lens having a higher magnification than the second objective lens is used in a state closer to the sample on the transparent plate than the second objective lens. It tends to interfere with the peripheral edge of the opening. However, according to the above configuration, since the first objective lens can be retracted from the stage when the objective lens is switched, it is possible to satisfactorily prevent the first objective lens from interfering with the stage.

  An optical microscope according to a seventh aspect of the present invention includes, in addition to the above configuration, an urging unit that urges the movable holding unit, and the urging direction of the urging unit is accompanied by the movement of the movable holding unit. A direction in which the first objective lens biases the movable holding portion to a first position facing the sample on the transparent plate, and a second position where the second objective lens faces the sample on the transparent plate It is comprised so that it may switch to the direction which urges | biases the said movable holding part.

  According to such a configuration, when the objective lens is switched by moving the movable holding portion, the biasing means biases the first objective lens or the second objective lens so as to face the sample on the transparent plate. be able to. This facilitates the work of adjusting the selected objective lens so as to face the sample on the transparent plate when switching the objective lens.

  An optical microscope according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is configured to include a locking unit that locks the movable holding portion at each of the first position and the second position in addition to the above configuration. According to such a configuration, the movable holding portion is respectively disposed at the first position where the first objective lens faces the sample on the transparent plate and the second position where the second objective lens faces the sample on the transparent plate. Since it can be locked, the work of adjusting the selected objective lens to face the sample on the transparent plate is further facilitated when the objective lens is switched.

  According to the present invention, the objective lens can be slid in the optical axis direction with the movement of the movable holding portion and retracted from the stage, so that the objective lens can be prevented from interfering with the stage and the apparatus can be downsized. Is possible.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optical microscope 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the left front side in FIG. 1 will be described as the front, and the right back side will be described as the rear. The optical microscope 1 is formed by housing a large number of optical components in a resin casing 2. The casing 2 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a part of the front side thereof forms an opening / closing part 3 that can slide in the front-rear direction. FIG. 1 shows the optical microscope 1 in a state where the opening / closing part 3 is closed. By sliding the opening / closing part 3 forward from this state, the inside of the housing 2 is opened, and a sample such as a living cell or bacteria is set in the housing 2 or the optical components are adjusted and replaced. Can do.

  The optical microscope 1 can perform so-called bright field observation, phase difference observation, and fluorescence observation. Bright field observation is performed by irradiating a dyed sample with light and causing the transmitted light to enter a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera. On the other hand, in the phase difference observation, a colorless and transparent sample is visualized and observed by changing the phases of the diffracted light diffracted in the sample and the direct light traveling straight without diffraction. Therefore, in the phase difference observation, it is not necessary to stain the sample as in the bright field observation, and damage to the sample can be suppressed. Fluorescence observation is performed by irradiating a sample with excitation light having a specific wavelength to cause fluorescence to enter the CCD camera.

  A plate 4 that is slidable in the left-right direction is disposed on the upper front side of the housing 2, and the user slides the plate 4 to observe the bright field of the arrangement of optical components in the housing 2. Switching between the arrangement for performing phase difference observation and the arrangement for performing phase difference observation. On the side surface of the housing 2, a vent hole 6 is formed through the inside and outside of the housing 2.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining an installation mode of the optical microscope 1. A personal computer 6 is connected to the optical microscope 1 via a cable, and an image of a sample photographed by a CCD camera can be displayed on a monitor 7 connected to the personal computer 6. Further, by operating an input device such as a keyboard 8 or a mouse 9 connected to the personal computer 6, it is possible to perform operation settings of the optical microscope 1 when performing observation.

  Although FIG. 2 shows a configuration in which the monitor 7 is connected to the optical microscope 1 via the personal computer 6, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration, and the monitor is connected to the optical microscope 1 via another device. The structure which can connect a monitor directly to the optical microscope 1 may be sufficient.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the optical microscope 1 with the housing 2 removed, showing a cross section cut along the front-rear direction. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the optical microscope 1 with the housing 2 removed, with some optical components omitted. Various components provided in the optical microscope 1 are held by a base 10, and the outside of the base 10 is covered with a housing 2, so that an appearance as shown in FIG. 1 is formed. A plurality of fans 11 are attached to the rear end portion of the base 10, and by rotating these fans 11, outside air is introduced into the housing 2 through the vent holes 5 formed in the housing 2. The components in the housing 2 can be cooled.

  A sample to be observed using the optical microscope 1 is placed on a transparent plate 12 such as a preparation or a petri dish, and the transparent plate 12 is placed on a stage 13 provided in the housing 2. The upper surface of the stage 13 is a horizontal plane, and the stage 13 can be moved in a direction parallel to the upper surface (hereinafter referred to as “XY direction”). The upper surface of the transparent plate 12 on the stage 13 forms a sample surface 121 for placing a sample, and the sample surface 121 is held horizontally by the stage 13.

  When performing bright field observation or phase difference observation, a sample is placed on the sample surface 121, and light is irradiated from the halogen lamp 14 as a light source toward the sample on the sample surface 121. Between the halogen lamp 14 and the sample surface 121, a condenser lens 15, an aperture stop mechanism 16, a phase difference stop mechanism 17, a reflection mirror 18, and a condenser lens 19 are arranged on the optical path L from the halogen lamp 14 in this order. Has been placed. These optical components constitute a transmission illumination unit 20 for irradiating a sample with light and performing bright field observation and phase difference observation using the transmitted light.

  The light irradiated forward from the halogen lamp 14 is collected by the condenser lens 15 and passes through the aperture stop mechanism 16. The aperture stop mechanism 16 is formed with a circular opening through which the irradiation light passes. By changing the diameter of the opening, the light irradiated onto the sample can be reduced. The phase difference diaphragm mechanism 17 is provided with the plate 4 described above, and the plate 4 is formed with a slit for allowing the irradiation light to the sample to pass therethrough. At the time of phase difference observation, the plate 4 is opposed to the aperture stop mechanism 16 so that the slit formed in the plate 4 is disposed on the optical path L, and the light passing through the opening of the aperture stop mechanism 16 passes through the slit. pass. On the other hand, at the time of bright field observation, the plate 4 is slid from the optical path L by sliding, and is not opposed to the aperture stop mechanism 16.

  The irradiation light that has passed through these optical components is reflected by 90 ° by the reflection mirror 18, travels downward, and enters the condenser lens 19. The condenser lens 19 includes a plurality of lenses arranged on the optical path L of the irradiation light. The objective lens 21 is disposed below the sample surface 121, and the irradiation light that has passed through the condenser lens 19 is irradiated onto the sample on the sample surface 121, and the light that has passed through the sample enters the objective lens 21.

  The objective lens 21 is disposed below the stage 13, that is, on the side opposite to the transmission illumination unit 20 with respect to the transparent plate 12. A circular opening 131 is formed in the stage 13, and the transparent plate 12 is placed on the stage 13 so as to face above the opening 131. Therefore, the irradiation light from the transmission illumination unit 20 passes through the transparent plate 12 on which the sample is placed, and then enters the objective lens 21 through the opening 131 of the stage 13.

  The optical microscope 1 can be provided with a plurality of objective lenses 21 for enlarging an image at different magnifications, and any one of the objective lenses 21 can be opposed to the sample on the sample surface 121. . Each objective lens 21 is formed by holding a lens in a cylinder, and the cylinder is configured to be detachable from the objective lens switching device 22. The objective lens switching device 22 can move a plurality of held objective lenses 21 on the same arc, and the user operates the objective lens switching device 22 so that the optical path L of the transmitted light from the sample is obtained. It is possible to switch so that one of the objective lenses 21 is arranged on the top. 3 and 4, only one of the plurality of objective lenses 21 is shown. In FIG. 4, the objective lens switching device 22 is omitted.

  The transmitted light from the sample that has passed through the objective lens 21 enters the filter cassette 23 that integrally holds the dichroic mirror 231, the absorption filter 232, and the excitation filter 233. The dichroic mirror 231 is arranged in a state inclined by 90 ° with respect to the optical path L of the transmitted light from the sample, and only the transmitted light in a specific wavelength region out of the transmitted light from the sample is the dichroic mirror 231 and the absorption filter 232. And enters the imaging lens 24.

  The optical microscope 1 is provided with a plurality of types of filter cassettes 23, and the filter cassette 23 arranged on the optical path L can be switched by a filter switching mechanism 25. The transmitted light that has entered the imaging lens 24 is collected by the imaging lens 24, reflected 90 ° by the reflection mirror 26, travels backward, passes through various optical components of the imaging system 27, and passes through the CCD camera 28. Is incident on.

  With such a configuration, when performing bright field observation or phase difference observation, it is possible to perform observation by allowing the transmitted light of the light irradiated from the transmission illumination unit 20 to the sample to enter the CCD camera 28. On the other hand, when performing fluorescence observation, the sample is irradiated with light from the epi-illumination unit 30 disposed below the sample surface 121, and light from the fluorescent sample is incident on the CCD camera 28 for observation. Be able to.

  The epi-illumination unit 30 is provided with a mercury lamp 31, and light irradiated forward from the mercury lamp 31 passes through various optical components and enters the filter cassette 23. The light incident on the filter cassette 23 from the epi-illumination unit 30 is excited by passing through the excitation filter 233, is then reflected 90 ° by the dichroic mirror 231, travels upward, passes through the objective lens 21, and on the sample surface 121. The sample is irradiated.

  Thereby, the sample is fluorescent by being irradiated with the light excited in the specific wavelength region, and the light is incident again on the filter cassette 23 through the objective lens 21. The light from the sample incident on the filter cassette 23 passes through the dichroic mirror 231 and the absorption filter 232 and enters the imaging lens 24 as in the case of the bright field observation and the phase difference observation described above. The transmitted light collected by is reflected by the reflection mirror 26 and enters the CCD camera 28.

  FIG. 5 is a front view showing a configuration in the vicinity of the objective lens switching device 22. The objective lens switching device 22 includes a lens holding part 41 that holds the objective lens 21, a movable holding part 42 that rotatably holds the lens holding part 41, and a fixed holding part 43 that rotatably holds the movable holding part 42. It has. The fixed holding portion 43 is supported by the support portion 44 so as to be slidable in the Z direction perpendicular to the XY direction. By driving the stepping motor 45, the fixed holding portion 43 is slid in the Z direction, and the objective lens 21 is moved. The position in the Z direction can be finely adjusted.

  In this example, the two objective lenses 21 including the first objective lens 211 and the second objective lens 212 can be held by the movable holding portion 42. The first objective lens 211 is held by the movable holding portion 42 via the lens holding portion 41, and the second objective lens 212 is directly attached to the movable holding portion 42. The first objective lens 211 and the second objective lens 212 are held by the movable holding portion 42 such that their optical axes A extend in the Z direction, that is, in a direction orthogonal to the sample surface 121.

  The lens holding portion 41 is formed of a cylindrical body, and can be held in a state where the first objective lens 211 is inserted inside thereof. A cylindrical portion 421 for accommodating the lens holding portion 41 is formed in the movable holding portion 42, and the lens holding portion 41 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 421 so that the lens holding portion 41 becomes the cylindrical portion 421. The first objective lens 211 is held rotatably around the optical axis A. The movable holding part 42 is held by a fixed holding part 43 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis B extending in a direction parallel to the optical axis A. Therefore, by rotating the movable holding portion 42 around the rotation axis B with respect to the fixed holding portion 43, the movable holding portion 42 and the objective lens 21 can be moved in a plane parallel to the sample surface 121, respectively.

  The optical axes A of the first objective lens 211 and the second objective lens 212 are located on the same arc centered on the rotation axis B in a state where the objective lenses 211 and 212 are held by the movable holding portion 42. ing. As a result, when the movable holding portion 42 is rotated about the rotation axis B, the optical axis A of each objective lens 211, 212 moves on the same arc, and any one of the objective lenses moves on the sample surface 121. It is switched so as to face. On the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 421 of the movable holding portion 42, a gripping portion 46 for gripping when the movable holding portion 42 is rotated is formed so as to protrude in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis B. Therefore, since the user can rotate the movable holding portion 42 by gripping the holding portion 46 and applying a rotational force about the rotation axis B, the user can easily rotate the movable holding portion 42 manually. be able to.

  The first objective lens 211 is designed to be higher in magnification than the second objective lens 212 and longer in the optical axis A direction than the second objective lens 212. The upper end of the first objective lens 211 held by the objective lens switching device 22 is located above the second objective lens 212 held by the objective lens switching device 22 and faces the sample on the sample surface 121. In this state, the upper end portion is located in the opening 131 of the stage 13. On the other hand, the upper end of the second objective lens 212 is positioned below the stage 13. As described above, the first objective lens 211 having a higher magnification than the second objective lens 212 is disposed so as to face the sample closer to the second objective lens 212.

  6 and 7 are perspective views of the objective lens switching device 22, FIG. 6 shows a state in which the first objective lens 211 is opposed to the sample on the sample surface 121, and FIG. 7 shows the second objective lens 212 in the sample surface. A state of facing the sample on 121 is shown. 8 and 9 are plan views of the objective lens switching device 22, FIG. 8 shows a state in which the first objective lens 211 is opposed to the sample on the sample surface 121, and FIG. 9 shows the second objective lens 212 in the sample surface. A state of facing the sample on 121 is shown. In the following, the position of the movable holding portion 42 where the first objective lens 211 faces the sample on the sample surface 121 is the first position, and the position of the movable holding portion 42 where the second objective lens 212 faces the sample on the sample surface 121. The position will be described as the second position.

  The upper end portion of the lens holding portion 41 protrudes upward from the cylindrical portion 421 of the movable holding portion 42, and a gear 51 is formed in an arc shape along the outer periphery of the upper end portion. The gear 51 is engaged with a gear 52 attached to the fixed holding portion 43 via the gear attaching portion 50. When the movable holding portion 42 is rotated about the rotation axis B, the gear 51 is fixed to the fixed holding portion 43 side. The gear 51 meshed with the gear 52 is subjected to rotational force, and the lens holding portion 41 rotates about the optical axis A. At this time, the lens holding portion 41 rotates counterclockwise in the plan view shown in FIG. Here, the pair of gears 51 and 52 that are engaged with each other constitute a gear mechanism that rotates the lens holding portion 41 as the movable holding portion 42 rotates. In FIGS. 8 and 9, the gear mounting portion 50 is omitted.

  The movable holding portion 42 and the fixed holding portion 43 are connected via a spring 53 which is an example of an urging means. More specifically, each of the movable holding portion 42 and the fixed holding portion 43 is formed with attachment shafts 54 extending in the Z direction, and by attaching each end portion of the spring 53 to these attachment shafts 54, An urging force is applied to the mounting shaft 54 facing each mounting shaft 54. The attachment shaft 54 on the movable holding portion 42 side moves on an arc centering on the rotation axis B as the movable holding portion 42 rotates.

  At this time, the line connecting the two mounting shafts 54, that is, the center line of the spring 53 is the rotation axis of the movable holding portion 42 when the movable holding portion 42 is in the first position and when it is in the second position. Located on the opposite side of B. That is, in the first position shown in FIG. 8, the center line of the spring 53 is located behind the rotation axis B, whereas in the second position shown in FIG. Is positioned in front of the rotation axis B.

  With such a configuration, the direction of the urging force acting on the movable holding portion 42 is switched to the opposite direction with the state where the center line of the spring 53 is located on the rotation axis B as a boundary. That is, when the center line of the spring 53 is behind the rotation axis B, the movable holding portion 42 is urged toward the first position shown in FIG. On the other hand, when it is ahead, the movable holding portion 42 is biased toward the second position shown in FIG.

  Accordingly, when the objective lens 21 is switched by rotating the movable holding portion 42, the first objective lens 211 or the second objective lens 212 may be biased by the spring 53 so as to face the sample on the sample surface 121. it can. This facilitates the operation of adjusting the selected objective lens 21 to face the sample on the sample surface 121 when the objective lens 21 is switched. In this example, a pair of gears 51 and 52 are formed on the center line of the spring 53 with the movable holding portion 42 between the first position and the second position in plan view. When the center line of the spring 53 is on the rotation axis B, the central portions of the gears 51 and 52 are located on the center line.

  The movable holding portion 42 is formed with two locking protrusions 422 and 423 that protrude in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis B. The one locking projection 422 faces the fixed holding portion 43 in a state where the movable holding portion 42 is in the first position. On the other hand, the other locking projection 423 faces the fixed holding portion 43 in a state where the movable holding portion 42 is in the second position.

  One locking projection 422 is provided with a magnet 55 at a position facing the fixed holding portion 43 in the first position. The fixed holding portion 43 is formed with a metal portion 56 at a position facing the magnet 55 in the first position, and when the locking projection 422 approaches the fixed holding portion 43 within a predetermined distance range. The magnet 55 is attracted toward the metal portion 56 by the magnetic force, and the locking projection 422 is locked to the fixed holding portion 43.

  The other locking projection 423 is formed with a metal portion 57 at a position facing the fixed holding portion 43 in the second position. A magnet 58 is attached to the fixed holding portion 43 at a position facing the metal portion 57 in the second position, and when the locking projection 423 approaches the fixed holding portion 43 within a predetermined distance range. The metal portion 57 is attracted toward the magnet 58 by the magnetic force, and the locking projection 423 is locked to the fixed holding portion 43.

  As described above, the magnets 55 and 58 and the metal parts 56 and 57 provided in the movable holding portion 42 and the fixed holding portion 43 respectively engage the movable holding portion 42 at the first position and the second position. It constitutes stopping means. Therefore, the movable holding portion 42 is engaged at the first position where the first objective lens 211 faces the sample on the sample surface 121 and at the second position where the second objective lens 212 faces the sample on the sample surface 121. Therefore, when the objective lens 21 is switched, the work of adjusting the selected objective lens 21 so as to face the sample on the sample surface 121 is further facilitated.

  10 to 12 are perspective views of the objective lens switching device 22 in which the movable holding portion 42 is omitted, FIG. 10 is a state where the movable holding portion 42 is in the first position, and FIG. 11 is a movable holding portion. FIG. 12 shows a state where 42 is between the first position and the second position, and FIG. 12 shows a state where the movable holding portion 42 is in the second position. As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, a guide groove 62 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lens holding portion 41 located in the cylindrical portion 421 of the movable holding portion 42, and the movable holding portion is included in the guide groove 62. A guide pin 61 fixed to 42 is slidably engaged. The guide pin 61 and the guide groove 62 that engage with each other constitute a cam mechanism that slides the lens holding portion 41 in the direction of the optical axis A of the objective lens 21 as the lens holding portion 41 rotates with respect to the movable holding portion 42. is doing.

  FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the shape of the guide groove 62 formed in the lens holding portion 41. As shown in FIG. 13, the guide groove 62 formed in the lens holding portion 41 includes two horizontal portions 621 and 622 extending in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the lens holding portion 41, and these horizontal portions 621 and 622. And an inclined portion 623 connecting the two. The two horizontal portions 621 and 622 are at different positions in the optical axis A direction of the objective lens 21, and are located on the side far from the sample surface 121 and the first horizontal portion 621 on the side far from the sample surface 121. And a second horizontal portion 622. The inclined portion 623 extends linearly in a direction inclined at a predetermined angle θ with respect to the circumferential direction.

  When the movable holding portion 42 is in the first position, the guide pin 61 is in contact with the end portion of the first horizontal portion 621 of the guide groove 62 formed in the lens holding portion 41 as shown in FIG. It becomes. When the movable holding portion 42 is rotated to the second position side from this state, the lens holding portion 41 connected to the fixed holding portion 43 via the pair of gears 51 and 52 is rotated with respect to the movable holding portion 42. Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the guide pin 61 slides from the first horizontal portion 621 to the inclined portion 623. When the movable holding portion 42 is rotated to the second position, as shown in FIG. 12, the guide pin 61 is placed at the end of the second horizontal portion 622 of the guide groove 62 formed in the lens holding portion 41. It comes into contact. In order to allow the guide pin 61 to slide smoothly in the guide groove 62, the angle θ is preferably 45 ° or less.

  As described with reference to FIG. 5, the first objective lens 211 having a higher magnification than the second objective lens 212 is disposed so as to approach and face the sample on the sample surface 121, and the upper end portion of the first objective lens 211 of the stage 13. It is used in a state where it is located in the opening 131. Therefore, when the first objective lens 211 does not slide in the optical axis A direction from the state shown in FIG. 5 when the movable holding portion 42 is rotated, the upper end portion of the first objective lens 211 is the periphery of the opening 131. It will interfere with the part.

  However, by using the gear mechanism and the cam mechanism as described above, the lens holding portion 41 is rotated with the rotation of the movable holding portion 42, and the lens holding portion 41 is provided with the rotation of the lens holding portion 41. By guiding the guide groove 62 along the guide pin 61 provided in the movable holding portion 42, the lens holding portion 41 can be slid in the direction of the optical axis A of the objective lens 21. Thereby, when the objective lens 21 is switched, the first objective lens 211 can be slid in the direction of the optical axis A along with the rotation of the movable holding portion 42 and can be retracted from the stage 13. 13 can be prevented from interfering.

  Further, it is possible to prevent the first objective lens 211 from interfering with the stage 13 as the movable holding part 42 rotates without tilting the movable holding part 42 with respect to the stage 13 as in the revolver method. As a result, the rotation axis of the revolver and the optical axis of each objective lens intersect at a predetermined angle, and a plurality of objective lenses 211, 211, compared to a revolver system that cannot hold the optical axes of each objective lens in parallel. Since the optical axis A of 212 can be held in parallel, the objective lenses 211 and 212 can be arranged closer to or in contact with each other. Therefore, the apparatus can be further downsized.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, the lens holding portion 41 is attached to the objective lens 21 as the movable holding portion 42 rotates with a simple configuration in which the guide pin 61 is slidably engaged with the guide groove 62. It can be slid in the direction of the optical axis A. In the present embodiment, the lens holding portion 41 is formed with a thinner thickness than the movable holding portion 42, and the movable holding portion 42 has higher strength than the lens holding portion 41. Therefore, by forming the guide pin 61 in the movable holding part 42 and forming the guide groove 62 in the lens holding part 41, a cam mechanism with higher strength can be configured.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the height difference H between the first horizontal portion 621 and the second horizontal portion 622 of the guide groove 62 formed in the lens holding portion 41 is that the guide pin 61 that slides in the guide groove 62 is the objective lens. 21 is defined as a range that can be slid in the optical axis A direction. That is, the lens holding portion 41 is positioned relative to the guide pin 61 by the height difference H between the state in which the guide pin 61 is in the first horizontal portion 621 and the state in the second horizontal portion 622. It is possible to slide in the direction of the optical axis A. In the present embodiment, the vertical width W (see FIG. 5) of the gear 52 formed on the fixed holding portion 43 side is set to the height difference H or more. As a result, the width W in the sliding direction of the lens holding portion 41 of the gear 52 is set to be equal to or larger than the sliding amount of the lens holding portion 41 accompanying the rotation of the movable holding portion 42. It is possible to prevent the engagement state of the pair of gears 51 and 52 from being released when sliding.

  In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the two objective lenses 21 can be attached to the objective lens switching device 22 has been described. However, the configuration is not limited to this configuration, and the objective lens 21 is attached to the objective lens switching device 22. Only one lens may be attached, and the objective lens 21 may be held by the lens holding portion 41. Further, three or more objective lenses 21 can be attached to the objective lens switching device 22, and at least one of the objective lenses 21 may be held by the lens holding portion 41.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the movable holding portion 42 can rotate around the rotation axis B with respect to the fixed holding portion 43 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the movable holding portion 42 is in a straight line. The movable holding part 42 may be configured to be movable with respect to the fixed holding part 43 in a manner other than rotation. However, if the movable holding portion 42 is configured to be rotatable with respect to the fixed holding portion 43 as in the above-described embodiment, the objective lens 21 can be switched in a narrower space, and thus the apparatus can be further downsized. it can.

  In the above embodiment, as an example of the cam mechanism, the configuration in which the guide pin 61 formed on the movable holding portion 42 is slidably engaged with the guide groove 62 formed on the lens holding portion 41 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and a guide pin 61 may be formed on the lens holding portion 41 and the guide pin 61 may be engaged with a guide groove 62 formed on the movable holding portion 42. . In this case, the lens holding portion 41 is rotated with the rotation of the movable holding portion 42, and the guide pin 61 provided on the lens holding portion 41 is provided on the movable holding portion 42 with the rotation of the lens holding portion 41. By guiding along the guide groove 62, the lens holding portion 41 can be slid in the direction of the optical axis A of the objective lens 21.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the configuration of the optical microscope 1 capable of performing bright field observation, phase difference observation, and fluorescence observation has been described. The present invention can be applied to various optical microscopes that can perform optical observation using either phase difference observation or fluorescence observation.

1 is a perspective view of an optical microscope according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the schematic for demonstrating the installation aspect of this optical microscope. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the optical microscope of the state which removed the housing | casing, Comprising: The cross section cut | disconnected along the front-back direction is shown. It is a perspective view of an optical microscope in the state where a case was removed, and a part of optical parts are omitted and shown. It is the front view which showed the structure of the vicinity of an objective-lens switching device. It is a perspective view of an objective-lens switching apparatus, and has shown the state which made the 1st objective lens oppose the sample on a sample surface. It is a perspective view of an objective-lens switching apparatus, and has shown the state which made the 2nd objective lens oppose the sample on a sample surface. It is a top view of an objective-lens switching apparatus, and has shown the state which made the 1st objective lens oppose the sample on a sample surface. It is a top view of an objective-lens switching apparatus, and has shown the state which made the 2nd objective lens oppose the sample on a sample surface. It is a perspective view of an objective lens switching device shown omitting a movable holding part, and shows the state where a movable holding part is in the 1st position. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the objective lens switching device with the movable holding portion omitted, showing a state in which the movable holding portion is between a first position and a second position. It is a perspective view of an objective lens switching device shown omitting a movable holding part, and shows the state where a movable holding part is in the 2nd position. It is the figure which showed the shape of the guide groove formed in the lens holding | maintenance part planarly. It is principal part sectional drawing which showed one structural example of the objective-lens switching apparatus in the conventional optical microscope. It is principal part sectional drawing which showed the other structural example considered from the conventional objective lens switching apparatus of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical microscope 12 Transparent plate 121 Sample surface 13 Stage 131 Aperture 14 Halogen lamp 21 Objective lens 211 First objective lens 212 Second objective lens 22 Objective lens switching device 41 Lens holding part 42 Movable holding part 43 Fixed holding part 46 Grip part 51 , 52 Gear 53 Spring 55, 58 Magnet 56, 57 Metal part 61 Guide pin 62 Guide groove

Claims (8)

A transparent plate on which the sample is placed;
A stage on which the transparent plate is placed;
A light source for irradiating the sample on the transparent plate from above the stage;
An objective lens disposed below the stage,
In an inverted optical microscope in which light from the light source enters the objective lens through an opening formed in the stage,
A lens holding unit for holding the objective lens;
A movable holding portion that rotatably holds the lens holding portion around the optical axis of the objective lens;
A fixed holding unit that holds the movable holding unit so as to be movable in a plane parallel to the stage;
A first gear provided in the lens holding portion;
A second gear provided on the fixed holding portion to engage with the first gear;
A guide pin provided in the movable holding portion;
A guide groove provided in the lens holding portion and engaged with the guide pin;
When the movable holding portion moves, the first gear rotates, and along with this rotation, the guide groove provided in the lens holding portion is guided along the guide pin, so that the lens holding portion is moved. An optical microscope characterized by sliding in the optical axis direction of the objective lens. A transparent plate on which the sample is placed;
A stage on which the transparent plate is placed;
A light source for irradiating the sample on the transparent plate from above the stage;
An objective lens disposed below the stage,
In an inverted optical microscope in which light from the light source enters the objective lens through an opening formed in the stage,
A lens holding unit for holding the objective lens;
A movable holding portion that rotatably holds the lens holding portion around the optical axis of the objective lens;
A fixed holding unit that holds the movable holding unit so as to be movable in a plane parallel to the stage;
A first gear provided in the lens holding portion;
A second gear provided on the fixed holding portion to engage with the first gear;
A guide groove provided in the movable holding portion;
A guide pin provided in the lens holding portion and engaged with the guide groove;
When the movable holding portion moves, the first gear rotates, and with the rotation, the guide pin provided in the lens holding portion is guided along the guide groove, so that the lens holding portion is moved. An optical microscope characterized by sliding in the optical axis direction of the objective lens.   The sliding width of the lens holding portion in at least one of the first and second gears is set to be equal to or larger than the sliding amount of the lens holding portion accompanying the movement of the movable holding portion. The optical microscope according to claim 1 or 2.   The optical microscope according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the movable holding part is formed with a holding part for holding the movable holding part when the movable holding part is moved. The objective lens includes a first objective lens and a second objective lens that enlarge the image at different magnifications, respectively.
2. The optical microscope according to claim 1, wherein the first objective lens or the second objective lens is switched so as to face the sample on the transparent plate as the movable holding portion moves. The first objective lens enlarges the image at a higher magnification than the second objective lens,
The optical microscope according to claim 5, wherein the lens holding unit holds the first objective lens and does not hold the second objective lens. A biasing means for biasing the movable holding portion;
The urging direction by the urging means is a direction in which the first objective lens urges the movable holding portion to a first position facing the sample on the transparent plate as the movable holding portion moves. The optical microscope according to claim 5, wherein the second objective lens is switched to a direction in which the movable holding portion is urged to a second position facing the sample on the transparent plate.   The optical microscope according to claim 7, further comprising a locking unit that locks the movable holding portion at each of the first position and the second position.

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