JP2017009739A - Microscope and microscope system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a microscope and microscope system that allow controllers to be easily interchanged upon adding or changing units without increase in area requiring for microscope installation.SOLUTION: A microscope 100 of the present invention comprises: at least one motor-driven unit, in which, in the microscope enlarging an image of a sample on a stage observing the enlarged image, a microscope main body 1 has: a base part 1a; a pillar part 1b that is upright provided on a rear side of the base part 1a; and an arm part that is supported by the pillar part 1b to extend toward a front side,; and a controller 11 that controls the motor-driven unit to be detachably mounted on the front side and in an area narrower than in a width direction orthogonal to an uprightness direction of the pillar part from an end part on a rear side of an outer surface of the pillar part 1b and on a rear side of the pillar part 1b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a microscope and a microscope system in which a controller for controlling an electric unit is detachably attached to the back surface of a microscope main body.

  Conventionally, in the fields of medicine and biology, a microscope for illuminating and observing a specimen is used for observing cells and the like. In the industrial field, microscopes are used for various purposes such as quality control of metal structures, research and development of new materials, inspection of electronic devices and magnetic heads, and the like. In such a microscope, an electric revolver, an epi-illumination projection tube, an electric stage, and various optical members can be mounted as options according to the needs of the observer, and the control for controlling each unit according to the mounted unit. A substrate and a controller are built in or externally attached to the microscope (for example, see Patent Document 1 or 2).

JP 2004-45932 A JP 2005-84588 A

  In general, when a microscope unit is added or changed, it is necessary to replace the controller. However, in Patent Document 1 in which the controller is built in, it is necessary to remove the exterior panel in order to replace the controller. It takes. Similarly, when updating software, etc., it is necessary to remove the exterior panel.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 2 in which the controller is externally attached as a separate body from the microscope, the controller can be easily replaced when the unit is added or changed. However, since the controller is separate from the microscope, the controller is not used for observation. There is a problem that a space for mounting is required, and an area required for installing the microscope becomes large.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and provides a microscope and a microscope system in which a controller can be easily replaced even when a unit is added or changed without increasing the area required for installing the microscope. With the goal.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, a microscope according to the present invention includes at least one electric unit, and a microscope for magnifying and observing an image of a specimen on a stage. A column part erected on the back side of the base part, and an arm part supported by the column part and extending toward the front side, on the back side of the outer surface of the column part, A controller is provided that controls the electric unit that is detachably mounted in a region narrower than the width direction perpendicular to the standing direction of the column part and from the rear side end of the column part.

  The microscope according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, a concave portion for housing the controller is formed on the back side of the outer surface of the column portion.

  The microscope of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, an index for guiding the storage position in the recess is formed on the upper surface of the controller.

  In the microscope of the present invention, in the above invention, the column part is formed in a columnar shape having a substantially V-shaped cross section in the horizontal direction, and is integrated with the base part at the lower end of the substantially V-shaped bent part. The side surface of the concave portion in contact with the bottom surface of the controller is substantially the same shape as the bottom surface of the controller.

  The microscope of the present invention is the above-described invention, wherein the controller includes a plug that is fitted and connected to a socket formed in the recess, and a connector that connects a cable that transmits and receives signals to and from the electric unit. The plug is formed on a connection surface side with the pillar portion of the controller, and the connector is formed on a surface that forms an angle of 45 ° or more and less than 90 ° with the connection surface on which the plug is disposed. It is characterized by that.

  Further, the microscope system of the present invention includes a plurality of electric units, and in a microscope system for magnifying and observing an image of a specimen on the stage, the microscope main body has a base portion and a column portion standing on the back side of the base portion And an arm part that is supported by the pillar part and extends toward the front side, and is on the back side of the outer surface of the pillar part, the front side from the end part on the back side of the pillar part, And a plurality of controllers for controlling the electric unit detachably attached in a region narrower than the width direction orthogonal to the standing direction of the pillar portion, and mounted on the microscope among the plurality of electric units. A controller corresponding to the combination of the electric units is attached to the column portion.

  The microscope system according to claim 6, wherein, in the above-described invention, the microscope main body includes a display unit that displays specifications of the attached controller.

  The microscope and the microscope system according to the present invention can easily replace the controller when adding or changing a unit without increasing the area required for installing the microscope.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of the microscope according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view from another direction of the microscope of FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the back side of the microscope of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram in which the controller is removed from the microscope of FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the controller used in the first embodiment. 6 is a diagram of the connection surface side of the controller of FIG. FIG. 7 is a top view of the controller of FIG. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a part of the controller according to the modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a perspective view from the back side of the microscope according to the second modification of the first embodiment. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the column portion of the microscope of FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of the microscope system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a controller used in the microscope system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a controller display unit of the microscope according to the second embodiment.

  Embodiments of a microscope according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited to these embodiment, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a microscope 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the microscope 100 of FIG. 1 from a different direction from that of FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the back side of the microscope 100 of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram in which the controller is removed from the microscope 100 of FIG. 2 to 4 show a state in which the incident light projection tube, the lens barrel, the revolver, and the like are removed for the understanding of the present invention.

  The microscope 100 includes a microscope main body 1, a stage 2 on which a target specimen is placed, a plurality of objective lenses 3, and a revolver 4 that electrically inserts and removes the selected objective lens 3 on the observation optical axis. A light projecting tube 5 and a halogen lamp 6 constituting an illuminating unit, and a lens barrel 7 placed on the upper part of the light projecting tube 5 are provided. The lens barrel 7 is equipped with an eyepiece 8 for visually observing a specimen image of the target specimen and an imaging device 9 for imaging the specimen image of the target specimen.

  The microscope main body 1 includes a base portion 1a, a column portion 1b that stands on the back side of the base portion 1a, and an arm portion 1c that is supported by the column portion 1b and extends toward the front side. The base part 1a is a part that is directly placed on a place such as a desktop where the microscope 100 is installed. The column part 1b is erected on the back side (back side) of the base part 1a, and holds the stage 2 via the stage holding part 2a. The column portion 1b has a substantially V-shaped columnar cross section in the horizontal direction, and is integrated with the base portion 1a at the lower end of the substantially V-shaped bent portion. The arm portion 1c extends from the upper end of the column portion 1b toward the front side of the microscope 100, the revolver 4 is attached to the lower surface side, and the light projection tube 5 is mounted on the upper surface side. In the present specification, the front side of the microscope 100 is the side on which the observer is located, and the back side means the side facing the front side.

  The microscope 100 includes a focusing handle 10 for moving the stage 2 on which the target specimen is placed on the upper surface in the vertical direction. By rotating the focusing handle 10 clockwise or counterclockwise, the stage 2 is moved in the vertical direction to observe the target specimen. The stage 2 has a handle 2b at the end, and moves the target sample in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the objective lens 3 in accordance with the rotation operation of the handle 2b, thereby observing the target sample with respect to the objective lens 3. To change.

  The revolver 4 is rotatably held with respect to the arm portion 1c, and the objective lens 3 is disposed above the target sample. The objective lens 3 is interchangeably attached to the revolver 4 together with other objective lenses having different magnifications (observation magnifications), and is inserted in the optical path of the observation light according to the rotation of the revolver 4 to observe the target specimen. The objective lens 3 used in the above is selectively switched.

  The microscope main body 1 has a transmission illumination unit for transmitting the target specimen in the base unit 1a. This transmitted illumination unit includes an illumination optical system such as a collector lens that collects transmitted illumination light emitted from a light source (not shown) and a bending mirror that deflects the optical path of the illumination light along the optical axis of the objective lens 3. It is arranged at a proper position along the optical path of transmitted illumination light. The transmitted illumination light emitted from the light source is irradiated onto the target specimen by the illumination optical system, and the light transmitted through the target specimen enters the objective lens 3 as observation light.

  The halogen lamp 6 is an epi-illumination light source that irradiates epi-illumination high light, and the light projection tube 5 is a collector lens that collects epi-illumination light emitted from the halogen lamp 6, and the optical path of the epi-illumination light passes through the objective lens 3. An illumination optical system such as a bending mirror that deflects along the optical axis is arranged at an appropriate position along the optical path of the epi-illumination light. The incident illumination light emitted from the light source is irradiated onto the target specimen by the illumination optical system, and the light reflected from the target specimen enters the objective lens 3 as observation light.

  The lens barrel 7 includes a beam splitter that switches the optical path of the observation light and guides it to the eyepiece 8 or the imaging device 9. A specimen image of the target specimen is introduced into the eyepiece lens 8 by a beam splitter and visually observed by the observer via the eyepiece lens 8. Alternatively, the image is taken by the imaging device 9. The imaging device 9 includes an imaging element such as a CCD or a CMOS that forms a sample image, and images the sample image.

  The microscope 100 includes a controller 11 that controls processing and operation of an electric unit mounted on the microscope 100. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the controller 11 used in the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a view of the connection surface f1 side of the controller 11 of FIG. FIG. 7 is a top view of the controller 11 of FIG.

  A plug 11a is formed on the connection surface f1 of the controller 11 to be fitted into the socket 12a of the recess 12 formed on the back side of the outer surface of the pillar portion 1b. The controller 11 is attached to the microscope body 1 by inserting the controller 11 into the recess 12 and fitting the plug 11a into the socket 12a so that the connection surface f1 side of the controller 11 contacts the recess 12. The bottom surface of the recess 12 is formed so as to have substantially the same area as the connection surface f1 of the controller 11, and the side surfaces 12b, 12c, and 12d of the recess 12 are provided with protruding guides 12e that make it easy to attach and detach the controller 11. It is done. It is preferable that the side surface 12b of the recess 12 in contact with the bottom surface of the controller 11 is substantially the same shape as the bottom surface of the controller 11 so that the controller 11 can be attached and detached by sliding on the side surface 12b. Further, by making the side surface 12b of the recess 12 in contact with the bottom surface of the controller 11 substantially the same shape as the bottom surface of the controller 11, when the microscope 100 is moved or the like, the controller 11 can be gripped in the vicinity of the controller 11 on the back side. Since the side surface 12b can be gripped instead, the controller 11 can be prevented from being damaged. The side surface 12b of the recess 12 is provided with a hole 12f for gripping the controller 11 in the vertical direction when the controller 11 is attached or detached.

  The controller 11 has a hexagonal prism shape whose side surface includes a connection surface f1 and other surfaces f2, f3, f4, f5, and f6. When the controller 11 is mounted in the recess 12, the back surface f6 of the controller 11 is positioned on the front side from the back end b of the column portion 1b, and the side surfaces f2 and f3 of the controller 11 are standing upright of the column 1b. It is located in the region w in the width direction orthogonal to the installation direction. By setting the size of the controller 11 as described above, an increase in the installation area of the microscope 100 can be prevented. In addition, since the epi-illumination halogen lamp 6 is connected to the microscope 100, the rear side end of the column portion 1b may be closer to the front side than the rear side end of the halogen lamp 6. In such a case, if the surface f6 on the back side of the controller 11 is located on the front side from the end on the back side of the halogen lamp 6, the installation area of the microscope will not increase, but the case where epi-illumination is not used is considered. Then, it is preferable that the surface f6 on the back side of the controller 11 is located on the front side from the end b on the back side of the column part 1b.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the controller 11 has a connector 11b for connecting a cable for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the electric unit to the connection surface f1 and surfaces f4 and f5 that form an angle of 45 ° or more and less than 90 °. Is provided. Further, a cable connector 11b for connecting the information processing device (not shown) or the input unit to the controller 11 is also provided on the surfaces f4 and f5. By setting the angle (α) between the surface f4 and / or f5 on which the connector 11 is provided and the connection surface f1 to 45 ° or more and less than 90 °, the force applied to the controller 11 when the cable is removed from the connector is It is possible to prevent the controller 11 from being removed from the recess 12. If the angle (α) between the surfaces f4 and f5 and the connection surface f1 is 45 ° or more and less than 90 °, the controller 11 can be prevented from falling off when removing the cable, but the viewpoint of preventing an increase in the installation area of the microscope 100 is prevented. Is preferably 45 °.

  On the upper surface of the controller 11, an index 11c forming a straight line parallel to the connection surface f1 is formed. When the controller 11 is inserted into the recess 12, the controller 11 is securely attached to the recess 12 by inserting the controller 11 until the end of the side surface of the recess 12 in contact with the upper surface of the controller 11 is positioned at the index 11 c. . The index may be any index as long as the controller 11 guides the storage position to the concave portion 12, and may be a triangular index 11c 'as shown in FIG.

  The controller 11 is connected to an electric unit, for example, a transmission light source, a halogen lamp 6, a light projection tube 5 (an electric light flux adjusting unit, an electric optical element switching unit), an imaging device 9, and the like with a cable. Further, the controller 11 is connected to the microscope main body 1 by a cable, and thus operates so as to be interlocked with on / off of the switch of the microscope main body 1. By linking the switch of the controller 11 on / off with the switch of the microscope main body 1, the switch can be input while the controller 11 is mounted on the microscope main body 1.

  In the microscope 100 according to the first embodiment, since the controller 11 is detachably attached to the back side of the microscope main body 1, the controller 11 can be removed without removing the exterior panel or the like. Therefore, by removing the controller 11 from the microscope 100, it is possible to easily update software and the like. Further, when the cable is inserted into and removed from the controller 11, the controller 11 can be removed from the microscope body 1, so that the cable can be easily inserted and removed.

  Further, the controller 11 has a rear surface f6 of the controller 11 positioned on the front side of the rear end b of the column portion 1b, and the side surfaces f2 and f3 of the controller 11 are within the region w in the width direction of the column portion 1b. Since it is attached so as to be positioned, the area required for installing the microscope 100 does not increase.

  In the first embodiment, the controller 11 is attached to the microscope body 1 by fitting the plug 11a and the socket 12a. However, the controller 11 may be fixed to the microscope body 1 by magnet adsorption or the like.

  Moreover, in Embodiment 1, although the recessed part 12 which accommodates the controller 11 is formed in the back side of the pillar part 1b which makes a cross section substantially V-shaped, the shape of a pillar part is not limited to this. However, when the controller 11 is attached to the back side of the outer surface of the column part, it is only necessary to be detachably attached in the region in the front side from the end part on the back side of the column part and in the width direction of the column part. FIG. 9 is a perspective view from the back side of the microscope according to the second modification of the first embodiment. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the column portion of the microscope of FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in the microscope 100A, the microscope main body 1A has a hexagonal column shape in cross section, and includes a column portion 1b 'formed with a recess 12A in which the controller 11 is accommodated on the back side. The recess 12A has a bottom surface that is substantially the same area as the connection surface f1 of the controller 11, and has an opening-side area larger than that of the bottom surface. The height h of the side surface of the recess 12A is a height at which the entire controller 11 is accommodated in the recess 12A, and the controller 11 is accommodated in the vertical projection surface of the column portion 1b '.

  In the microscope 100A, since the controller 11 is accommodated in the projection surface of the column portion 1b ', the installation area of the microscope 100A does not increase. Further, the surfaces f4 and f5 on which the connector of the controller 11 is formed form an angle of 45 ° or more and less than 90 ° with the connection surface f1 as in the first embodiment, and the recess 12A has a quadrangular frustum shape with a wide opening. Therefore, the cable can be easily inserted into and removed from the connector, and the controller 11 can be prevented from falling off from the recess 12A when the cable is removed.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of the microscope system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a controller used in the microscope system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a controller display unit of the microscope system according to the second embodiment.

  The microscope system 200 according to the second embodiment includes a plurality of detachable electric units, and includes a plurality of controllers corresponding to combinations of electric units mounted on the microscope system 200.

  For example, as an electric unit that can be attached to and detached from the microscope system 200, an electric beam adjustment unit (light projection tube 5), a halogen lamp 6, an LED light source, an electric revolver 4A, an electric optical element switching unit (light projection tube 5), an electric stage. Can be mounted, the electric beam adjusting unit (light projection tube 5), the halogen lamp 6, the electric revolver 4A, the electric optical element switching unit (light projection tube 5), and when the electric stage is mounted, the controller 11A, the electric beam When the adjustment unit (light projecting tube 5), LED light source, electric revolver 4A, electric optical element switching unit (light projecting tube 5), and electric stage are mounted, depending on the combination of the controller 11B and the mounted electric unit A plurality of controllers 11A, 11B,... Are selected and attached to the microscope system 200.

  The microscope system 200 includes a controller display unit 13 that displays the specifications of the attached controllers 11A, 11B,. 11 A of controllers have the specification display part 11d which displays the electric unit which can be controlled on the connection surface f1 side. The usage display unit 11d displays, for example, a combination of electric units that are formed of magnets and can be controlled by the arrangement of the magnets.

  The microscope system 200 is provided with an identification sensor that reads the specification of the controller 11A from the specification display unit 11d in a recess in which the controller 11A is mounted, and displays on the controller display unit 13 an electric unit that can be controlled by the controller 11A. . The controller display unit 13 uses an LED and blinks the LED of the electric unit that can be controlled by the controller 11A, thereby clearly indicating the specification of the controller 11A to the observer. The observer can determine whether the controller 11A to be mounted is erroneously attached or the electric unit is erroneously connected by comparing the display on the controller display unit 13 with the electric unit mounted on the microscope system 200.

  As described above, the microscope according to the present invention is useful for a microscope including a controller that can control an electric unit such as an electric revolver.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1A Microscope main body 1a Base part 1b, 1b 'pillar part 1c Arm part 2 Stage 2a Stage holding part 2b Handle 3 Objective lens 4 Revolver 4A Electric revolver 5 Projection tube 6 Halogen lamp 7 Lens barrel 8 Eyepiece 9 Imaging device 10 Focusing handle 11, 11A, 11B Controller 11a Plug 11b Connector 11c, 11c 'Indicator 11d Specification display part 12, 12A Recess 12a Socket 12b, 12c, 12d Side face 12e Guide 12f Hole part 13 Controller display part 100, 100A Microscope 200 Microscope system

Claims (7)

In a microscope having at least one electric unit and magnifying and observing an image of a specimen on the stage,
The microscope main body has a base part, a pillar part standing on the back side of the base part, and an arm part supported by the pillar part and extending toward the front side,
The back side of the outer surface of the column part, the front side of the end part on the back side of the column part, and in a region narrower than the width direction orthogonal to the standing direction of the column part, is detachably attached A microscope comprising a controller for controlling an electric unit.   The microscope according to claim 1, wherein a concave portion that houses the controller is formed on a back side of the outer surface of the column portion.   The microscope according to claim 2, wherein an index for guiding a storage position in the concave portion is formed on an upper surface of the controller. The column portion has a substantially V-shaped column shape in a horizontal section, and is integrated with the base portion at a lower end portion of a substantially V-shaped bent portion,
4. The microscope according to claim 2, wherein a side surface of the concave portion in contact with a bottom surface of the controller is formed in substantially the same shape as a bottom surface of the controller. The controller includes a plug that is fitted and connected to a socket formed in the recess, and a connector that connects a cable that transmits and receives signals to and from the electric unit.
The plug is formed on the connection surface side with the pillar portion of the controller,
The microscope according to claim 1, wherein the connector is formed on a surface that forms an angle of 45 ° or more and less than 90 ° with a connection surface on which the plug is disposed. In a microscope system that has multiple electric units and magnifies and observes the specimen image on the stage,
The microscope main body has a base part, a pillar part standing on the back side of the base part, and an arm part supported by the pillar part and extending toward the front side,
The back side of the outer surface of the column part, the front side of the end part on the back side of the column part, and in a region narrower than the width direction orthogonal to the standing direction of the column part, is detachably attached It has a plurality of controllers that control the electric unit,
A microscope system, wherein a controller corresponding to a combination of electric units mounted on the microscope among the plurality of electric units is attached to the column portion.   The microscope system according to claim 6, wherein the microscope main body includes a display unit that displays specifications of the attached controller.

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