JP2010102105A - Stage and microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stage and a microscope that make it easier to move an inspection area of a preparation into a field of view of the microscope. <P>SOLUTION: The stage 3 has a microscope fixing part 23, a Y-axis direction movable part 25, and a specimen holder 45. In the stage 3, the specimen holder 45 includes: a holding part for micro observation, which holds a preparation 31 in a micro observing position 65; and a holding part for macro observation, which holds the preparation 31 in a macro observing position 67. The stage 3 has indexes 89 and 91 indicating the center 85 of macro observation, which is determined relative to the optical axis 83 of an objective lens 11. If the stage 3 is viewed from above, the position of the center 85 of macro observation relative to the preparation 31 held in the macro observing position 67 coincides with the position of an optical axis 83 relative to the preparation 31 held in the micro observing position 65. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a stage and a microscope having the stage.

Conventionally, when placing a preparation on a microscope stage and examining a tissue specimen or cell, it is necessary to set the preparation specimen on the specimen holder and perform the examination after grasping the tissue specimen or cell arrangement of the preparation. Many. That is, after the preparation specimen was set in the specimen holder, the X-axis handle and the Y-axis handle of the stage were operated to move the prepared specimen specimen in advance into the microscope field of view ( For example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-242384 A

  Even if the preparation of the preparation tissue sample and cells can be grasped in advance, it is not easy to move the microscopic region into the field of view of the microscope by stage operation while looking through the binocular of the microscope. In addition, when the stage is operated by looking directly at the preparation specimen without looking into the binocular, it is not easy for the objective lens to get in the way and move the microscopic part into the field of view of the microscope. .

  In order to solve the above problems, the stage of the present invention is provided with a microscope fixing unit fixed to a microscope main body, and a plate-like shape provided on the microscope fixing unit and moved in the Y-axis direction with respect to the microscope fixing unit. And a specimen holder that is provided on the movable part and is moved in the X-axis direction with respect to the movable part and holds a preparation, the specimen holder is disposed at a micro observation position. A holder for micro observation holding the preparation at a position facing the objective lens of the microscope, and a macro observation holding the preparation at a macro observation position deviating from a position facing the objective lens arranged at the micro observation position A macro observation center defined with respect to the optical axis of the objective lens, and is held at the macro observation position when the stage is viewed from above. Is the position of the macro observation center for the preparation of time and is characterized by having the same become indices and position of the optical axis with respect to the preparation when it is held in the micro observation position.

  The microscope of the present invention is characterized by having the stage.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the stage and microscope which are easy to move the microscope part of a preparation in the visual field of a microscope can be provided.

  Hereinafter, a stage and a microscope according to an embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a side view showing a microscope including a stage according to the first embodiment of the present application.

  2A and 2B are diagrams showing a stage according to the first embodiment of the present application, in which FIG. 2A is a plan view, FIG. 2B is a longitudinal sectional view, FIG. 2C is a transverse sectional view, and FIG. It is a top view of the state which matched the microscopic site | part of the preparation hold | maintained in the position to the macro observation center.

  3A and 3B are views showing a stage according to the second embodiment of the present application, in which FIG. 3A is a plan view, FIG. 3B is a longitudinal sectional view, and FIG. 3C is a transverse sectional view.

  4A and 4B are views showing a stage according to a third embodiment of the present application, in which FIG. 4A is a plan view, FIG. 4B is a longitudinal sectional view, FIG. 4C is a transverse sectional view, and FIG. FIG. 5E is a plan view of a state in which the microscope observation site of the preparation held in position is aligned with the macro observation center, and FIG. 5E is a partial plan view of the state in which the preparation is removed from the specimen holder in FIG. In addition, in FIG.2 and FIG.4 (d), the code | symbol of each member is abbreviate | omitted.

  First, the microscope 1 according to the embodiment of the present application will be described. Only the microscope 1 provided with the stage 3 of the first embodiment will be described, but the same applies to microscopes provided with the stage of other embodiments.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the microscope 1 includes a stage 3, a microscope body 5, an eyepiece lens 7, a revolver 9, and an objective lens 11. The microscope main body 5 includes a base 13, a support column 15, and an arm 17. The support column 15 is provided with a sub-stage 21 that moves in the vertical direction (the optical axis direction of the objective lens 11) by operating the vertical movement handle 19. The stage 3 is attached to the substage 21.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the stage 3 has a plate-like microscope fixing portion 23 and a plate-like Y-axis direction movable portion 25 thereon. The microscope fixing unit 23 is fixed to the substage 21 by screws 27 or the like. The stage 3 is provided with an XY handle 29 that protrudes downward from the stage 3. The XY handle 29 has an X-axis handle 33 and a Y-axis handle 35 for moving the preparation 31 placed on the upper surface of the Y-axis direction movable portion 25 in the X-axis / Y-axis direction. Reference numeral 37 denotes a long hole that is formed in the Y-axis direction movable portion 25 and transmits the illumination light to irradiate the specimen. Of course, the microscope fixing portion 23 is also provided with a long hole.

  The X axis and the Y axis are straight lines extending in the direction shown in FIG. 2A, and these directions are determined with respect to the stage 3. In the present embodiment, the X-axis direction coincides with the longitudinal direction of the Y-axis direction movable portion 25.

  A guide groove 39 extending in the X-axis direction is formed in the Y-axis direction movable portion 25. A prismatic moving member 41 is held in the guide groove 39 via bearings 43 disposed on both side surfaces, and can slide in the X-axis direction. A specimen holder 45 holding the preparation 31 is attached to the moving member 41.

  When the X-axis handle 33 is turned, the moving member 41 moves in the X-axis direction along the guide groove 39 with respect to the Y-axis direction movable portion 25 by a rack and pinion mechanism (not shown). At the same time, the specimen holder 45 and the preparation 31 fixed to the moving member 41 move in the X-axis direction. The Y-axis direction movable portion 25 and the moving member 41 are provided with an X-axis direction movement amount scale 47 for measuring the movement amount in the X-axis direction.

  When the Y-axis handle 35 is turned, the entire Y-axis direction movable unit 25 moves in the Y-axis direction with respect to the microscope fixing unit 23 by a rack and pinion mechanism (not shown). Since the preparation 31 and the specimen holder 45 are placed on the Y-axis direction movable portion 25, they are also moved in the Y-axis direction by operating the Y-axis handle 35. The Y-axis direction movable part 25 is installed so as to cover the microscope fixing part 23 and is slidable in the Y-axis direction by bearings 49 arranged on both side surfaces of the microscope fixing part 23. Further, the Y-axis direction moving part 25 and the bent Y-axis indicator plate 53 attached to the microscope fixing part 23 by the screw 51 have a Y-axis direction moving amount scale 55 for measuring the moving amount in the Y-axis direction. Is provided.

  The bearing 49, the rack and pinion mechanism, the Y-axis handle 35, and the like constitute Y-axis direction moving means for moving the Y-axis direction movable unit 25 in the Y-axis direction determined with respect to the microscope fixing unit 23. Further, the X-axis direction movement for moving the sample holder 45 in the X-axis direction determined with respect to the Y-axis direction movable portion 25 by the moving member 41, the bearing 43, the guide groove 39, the rack and pinion mechanism, the X-axis handle 33, and the like. Means are configured.

(First embodiment)
Next, the stage 3 according to the first embodiment will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the thin plate-like specimen holder 45 is fixed to the moving member 41 by two fixing screws 57, and has a rotating claw 63 rotatably attached by a shaft 61 on which a spiral spring 59 is attached. .

  In addition, the specimen holder 45 includes a micro observation holding unit that holds the preparation 31 at a micro observation position 65 facing the objective lens 11 of the microscope 1, and a preparation 31 at a macro observation position 67 that deviates from the objective lens 11 toward the observer. And a macro observation holding part. The micro observation position 65 is a position where the tissue specimen (which may be a cell) 87 of the preparation 31 is examined, and the macro observation position 67 is a position where the tissue specimen 87 of the preparation 31 is directly seen by the eye.

  The micro observation holding unit includes step portions 69 and 71 that support the upper end surface of the preparation 31 in FIG. 2A, a step portion 73 that supports the right end surface, and a rotating claw 63 that supports the apex of the preparation 31. Of the first slope 75.

  The macro observation holding portion includes step portions 77 and 79 that support the lower end surface of the preparation 31 in FIG. 2A, a step portion 73 that supports the right end surface, and a rotating claw that supports the apex of the preparation 31. 63 second slopes 81.

  The rotating claw 63 is urged in a direction to hold the preparation 31 by the spiral spring 59. The portion of the specimen holder 45 that is connected to the moving member 41 is somewhat elastic, and the preparation 31 is urged below the microscope 1 to be surely in contact with the movable portion 25 in the Y-axis direction.

  2A and 2D show a state in which the preparation 31 is held at the macro observation position 67, but the preparation 31 when held at the micro observation position 65 is also indicated by a two-dot chain line.

  An index indicating a macro observation center 85 whose position is determined with respect to the optical axis (micro observation center) 83 of the objective lens 11 and is parallel to the optical axis 83 and aligned with the optical axis 83 in the Y-axis direction is on the stage 3. Is provided. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2D, in the first embodiment, the mark 89 indicated on the Y-axis direction movable portion 25 indicates the position of the macro observation center 85 in the X-axis direction. The mark 91 written on the Y-axis index plate 53 fixed to the microscope fixing unit 23 is a macro observation Y-axis index indicating the position of the macro observation center 85 in the Y-axis direction.

  Further, the X-axis index 89 indicates the position of the micro-observation center 83 in the X-axis direction, and the upper scale of the vernier scale on the Y-axis index plate 53 indicates the position of the micro-observation center 83 in the Y-axis direction. A Y-axis index 93 is obtained.

  2 (a) and 2 (d), the intersection of the alternate long and short dash line indicates the micro observation center 83 and the macro observation center 85, and there is an X-axis index 89 on the alternate long and short dash line in the Y-axis direction. There is a macro observation Y-axis index 91 on the extended line of the one-dot chain line in the X-axis direction. Further, a micro observation Y-axis index 93 is on an extension line of a one-dot chain line in the X-axis direction that intersects the micro observation center 83. The interval between the micro observation Y-axis index 93 and the macro observation Y-axis index 91 is equal to the interval between the micro observation center 83 and the macro observation center 85.

  When the stage 3 is viewed from above along the optical axis 83 of the objective lens 11, that is, in FIGS. 2A and 2D, the position of the macro observation center 85 with respect to the preparation 31 when held at the macro observation position 67. However, the position of the macro observation center 85 is determined so as to be the same as the position of the optical axis 83 with respect to the preparation 31 when the micro observation position 65 is held. Therefore, when the preparation 31 is held at the macro observation position 67, the portion of the tissue specimen 87 that coincides with the macro observation center 85 coincides with the optical axis (micro observation center) 83 when the preparation 31 is moved to the micro observation position 65. That is, it comes to the center of the visual field of the microscope 1.

  Next, an operation procedure for moving the microscopic part 95 of the tissue specimen 87 of the preparation 31 into the visual field of the microscope 1 in the stage 3 of the first embodiment will be described.

  Step 1: The preparation 31 is held at the macro observation position 67 by the macro observation holding portion of the specimen holder 45 (see FIG. 2A).

  Step 2: The X-axis handle 33 is operated to align the X-axis direction position of the microscopic part 95 with the X-axis index 89 (see FIGS. 2C and 2D).

  Step 3: The Y-axis handle 35 is operated to adjust the Y-axis direction position of the microscopic part 95 to the macro observation Y-axis index 91 (see FIGS. 2C and 2D). At this stage, the microscopic part 95 is aligned with the macro observation center 85.

  Step 4: The rotating claw 63 is turned with a finger so as to be separated from the preparation 31, and the preparation 31 is moved to the micro observation position 65 and held by the holding unit for micro observation (see FIG. 2D). At this stage, the microscopic part 95 naturally aligns with the micro observation center (optical axis) 83 and comes to the center of the field of view of the microscope 1. Here, it is also possible to confirm that the microscopic part 95 is aligned with the optical axis 83 by the X-axis index 89 and the micro observation Y-axis index 93.

  Thus, in the first embodiment, the specimen holder 45 has the micro observation holding part and the macro observation holding part, and the position of the macro observation center 85 with respect to the preparation 31 when held at the macro observation position 67 is The position of the optical axis 83 with respect to the preparation 31 when held at the micro observation position 65 is the same. Therefore, if the preparation 31 is set at the macro observation position 67, the stage handles 33 and 35 are operated, and the microscopic part 95 is aligned with the macro observation center 85 using the indices 89 and 91, then the preparation 31 is moved. The microscopic part 95 can be easily aligned with the optical axis 83 simply by setting the micro observation position 65.

  It should be noted that an error that occurs when the microscopic part 95 is aligned with the macro observation center 85 can be suppressed to a very small range, so that the microscopic part 95 can be moved into the field of view of the microscope 1 without any problem.

  In particular, in the case of the first embodiment, as long as there is a space for holding the preparation 31 at the macro observation position 67, an index indicating the macro observation center 85 is formed on the conventional stage body, and the specimen holder of the first embodiment The stage 3 of the first embodiment can be configured simply by attaching 45.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, the stage 97 according to the second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, the stage 97 is horizontally long, and the micro observation position 65 and the macro observation position 67 in the first embodiment are arranged side by side instead of vertically. Portions similar to those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the Y-axis direction movable portion 99 of the second embodiment can hold the preparation 31 at the right micro observation position 65 and the left macro observation position 67 when viewed from the observer. It has a large area on the left and right. Further, the specimen holder 101 of the second embodiment simply holds the preparation 31 by the preparation holding wire 103 without using a rotating claw.

  The specimen holder 101 includes a micro observation holding unit that holds the preparation 31 at a micro observation position 65 facing the objective lens 11 of the microscope 1, and a preparation at a macro observation position 67 that is off the left side when viewed from the observer from the objective lens 11. And a macro observation holding unit 31. The micro observation position 65 is a position where the tissue specimen (which may be a cell) 87 of the preparation 31 is examined, and the macro observation position 67 is a position where the tissue specimen 87 of the preparation 31 is directly seen by the eye.

  The macro observation holding unit includes a preparation holding wire 103 that frictionally supports the left end surface of the preparation 31 in FIG. 3A, a step portion 105 that supports the right end surface, and a step portion 107 that supports the upper end surface. , 109. As shown in FIG. 3A, the micro observation holding unit has the same configuration as the macro observation holding unit, and the reference numerals in the figure are omitted.

  3A shows a state where the preparation 31 is held at the macro observation position 67, but the preparation 31 when held at the micro observation position 65 is also indicated by a two-dot chain line.

  An index indicating a macro observation center 85 whose position is determined with respect to the optical axis (micro observation center) 83 of the objective lens 11 and is parallel to the optical axis 83 and aligned with the optical axis 83 in the X-axis direction is on the stage 3. Is provided. As shown in FIG. 3A, in the second embodiment, the mark 111 written on the Y-axis direction movable portion 99 is a macro observation X-axis index indicating the position of the macro observation center 85 in the X-axis direction. The upper end of the graduated scale on the Y-axis index plate 53 fixed to the microscope fixing unit 23 is a Y-axis index 113 indicating the position of the macro observation center 85 in the Y-axis direction.

  Further, the Y-axis index 113 also indicates the position of the micro observation center 83 in the Y axis direction, and the mark 115 written on the Y axis direction movable portion 99 is a micro indicating the position of the micro observation center 83 in the X axis direction. It is an observation X-axis index.

  In FIG. 3A, the intersection of the alternate long and short dash line in the X direction and the Y direction indicates the micro observation center 83 and the macro observation center 85, and there is a Y axis index 113 on the extended line of the alternate long and short dash line in the X axis direction. There is a macro observation X-axis index 111 on a one-dot chain line in the Y-axis direction that intersects the center 85. Further, the micro observation X-axis index 115 is on the Y-axis direction movable portion 99 that is on the Y-axis direction one-dot chain line intersecting with the micro-observation center 83. The interval between the micro observation X-axis index 115 and the macro observation X-axis index 111 is equal to the interval between the micro observation center 83 and the macro observation center 85.

  When the stage 97 is viewed from above along the optical axis 83 of the objective lens 11, that is, in FIG. 3A, the position of the macro observation center 85 with respect to the preparation 31 when held at the macro observation position 67 is micro observation. The position of the macro observation center 85 is determined so as to be the same as the position of the optical axis 83 with respect to the preparation 31 when held at the position 65. Therefore, when the preparation 31 is held at the macro observation position 67, the portion of the tissue specimen 87 that coincides with the macro observation center 85 coincides with the optical axis (micro observation center) 83 when the preparation 31 is moved to the micro observation position 65. That is, it comes to the center of the visual field of the microscope 1.

  In the stage 97 of the second embodiment, the operation procedure for moving the microscopic part 95 of the tissue specimen 87 of the preparation 31 into the field of view of the microscope 1 is the same as that of the first embodiment. That is, the preparation 31 is held at the macro observation position 67 by the macro observation holding portion of the specimen holder 101 and the X-axis handle 33 is operated so that the X-axis direction position of the microscopic part 95 is aligned with the macro observation X-axis index 111. Further, the Y-axis handle 35 is further operated to adjust the Y-axis direction position of the speculum region 95 to the Y-axis index 113. After aligning the microscopic part 95 with the macro observation center 85 in this way, if the preparation 31 is moved to the micro observation position 65 and held by the holding part for micro observation, the microscopic part 95 naturally becomes the micro observation center ( (Optical axis) 83 and comes to the center of the field of view of the microscope 1. Here, it is also possible to confirm that the microscopic part 95 is aligned with the optical axis 83 by the Y-axis index 113 and the micro observation X-axis index 115.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

  Note that the macro observation position 67 is a position where the preparation 31 is directly observed and observed, so that it is desirable that the field of view is not obstructed by the revolver 9 and the objective lens 11. However, the stage 97 of the second embodiment has left and right positions. In general, there are no components of the microscope on the left side of the microscope, and the macro observation position 67 on the left side can be set to a suitable position. Furthermore, since the specimen holder 101 does not have a rotating claw, the preparation 31 can be easily moved to the micro observation position 65 with one finger so as to slide on the Y-axis direction movable portion 99.

(Third embodiment)
Next, the stage 117 according to the third embodiment will be described. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that an index indicating the macro observation center 85 is described on the upper surface of the microscope fixing unit 23. Portions similar to those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the third embodiment, a long hole 121 for illumination is formed in the Y-axis direction movable portion 119 so as to extend to the Y-axis direction observer side. Also, as shown in FIG. 4E, the index indicating the macro observation center 85 is the X axis index 123 formed on the upper surface of the microscope fixing portion 23 inside the long hole 121 visible through the long hole 121 and the macro observation Y axis. The index 125. In FIG. 4 (e), the intersection of the X-axis index 123 and the macro observation Y-axis index 125 coincides with the macro observation center 85.

  Also in the stage 117 of the third embodiment, the microscopic part 95 of the preparation 31 can be easily moved into the field of view of the microscope 1 by using the cross-shaped indicators 123 and 125 by the same operation as in the first embodiment. .

  In particular, in the case of the third embodiment, by using the cross marks 123 and 125 whose centers coincide with the macro observation center 85, the microscopic part 95 can be positioned more easily and accurately.

  In the present embodiment, the index indicating the macro observation center 85 is formed on the upper surface of the microscope fixing unit 23, and the long hole 121 is formed to extend toward the observer side in the Y-axis direction, but is formed on the microscope fixing unit 23. The long hole is formed to have a shorter length in the longitudinal direction than the long hole 121.

  Note that the stage of the present invention and the microscope having the stage are not limited to the above embodiment.

  For example, in the third embodiment, in order to form an index indicating the macro observation center 85 on the upper surface of the microscope fixing unit 23, another hole is formed instead of the elongated illumination hole 121, and the hole is made of a transparent material such as plastic. You may make it close with a member.

It is a side view which shows the microscope provided with the stage which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this application. It is a figure which shows the stage which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this application, The figure (a) is a top view, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, (c) is a cross-sectional view, (d) is hold | maintained in a macro observation position. It is the top view of the state which matched the microscope part of the prepared slide to the macro observation center. It is a figure which shows the stage which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this application, The figure (a) is a top view, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, (c) is a cross-sectional view. It is a figure which shows the stage which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this application, The figure (a) is a top view, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, (c) is a cross-sectional view, (d) is hold | maintained in a macro observation position. FIG. 5E is a plan view showing a state in which the microscopic portion of the preparation is aligned with the center of macro observation, and FIG. 5E is a partial plan view showing a state in which the preparation is removed from the specimen holder in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Microscope 3 Stage 11 Objective lens 23 Microscope fixing | fixed part 25 Y-axis direction movable part 31 Preparation 33 X-axis handle 35 Y-axis handle 37 Long hole 39 Guide groove 41 Moving member 43 Bearing 45 Specimen holder 49 Bearing 63 Rotating claw 65 Micro observation position 67 Macro observation position 69, 71, 73 Step 75 First slope 77, 79 Step 81 Second slope 83 Optical axis 85 Macro observation center 89 X axis index 91 Macro observation Y axis index 93 Micro observation Y axis index

Claims (4)

A microscope fixing part fixed to the microscope body;
A plate-like movable part provided on the microscope fixing part and moved in the Y-axis direction with respect to the microscope fixing part;
In a stage having a specimen holder provided on the movable part, moved in the X-axis direction with respect to the movable part, and holding a preparation,
The specimen holder deviates from a position facing the objective lens arranged at the micro observation position, and a holding section for micro observation holding the preparation at a position facing the objective lens of the microscope arranged at the micro observation position. Having a macro observation holding section for holding the preparation at a macro observation position;
The macro observation center defined with respect to the optical axis of the objective lens is shown. When the stage is viewed from above, the position of the macro observation center with respect to the slide when the stage is held at the macro observation position is the micro observation center. A stage having an index that is the same as the position of the optical axis with respect to the preparation when held at the observation position.   The stage according to claim 1, wherein the index includes an X-axis index formed on the movable part and a Y-axis index formed on the microscope fixing part. An elongated slot for illumination is formed in the movable part,
The stage according to claim 1, wherein the index includes an X-axis index and a Y-axis index formed on the microscope fixing portion inside the illumination long hole.   A microscope comprising the stage according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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