JP2590305Y2 - Microscope image converter - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image conversion apparatus for a microscope which allows an image of a specimen to be observed in either an upright image or an inverted image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, microscopes used in the fields of biology and medicine, except for some microscopes such as surgical microscopes and stereo microscopes, generally observe a specimen as an inverted image. However, in recent years, in the field of biology and medicine, specimen manipulation under microscope observation, such as a stereomicroscope, has become more common. Along with this, in many microscopes other than a surgical microscope and a stereo microscope, there has been a strong demand for observing an image of a specimen as an erect image.

[0003] Examples of microscopes which can observe a specimen image in an upright state are described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-164401 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-110817. In these prior arts, an erecting prism is fixedly arranged in an observation optical path of a microscope so that an image can be inverted up and down and left and right to be observed as an erect image. It is also known that a Porro prism, an Abbe's erect prism, a penta roof prism or a Schmidt prism are used as the erect prism. As another example of a microscope using an erecting prism, there is a microscope in which the lens barrel tilt angle is made variable in an erecting prism portion as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-91323, or disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-266517. As described above, there is a device in which information such as a field frame is superimposed on a sample image so that one of the reflection surfaces of a Porro prism for obtaining an erect image is a semi-transmissive surface so that these can be observed.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-188116 discloses a technique in which a lens is used as an image erecting means instead of a prism.

[0004]

In a conventional microscope provided with an image erecting means, an erecting prism and an erecting lens are fixedly arranged integrally with a mirror body or a main body of the microscope. However, there is a drawback that the production cost increases. Also, for an observer who is accustomed to observing the sample image as an inverted image or performing a moving operation of the sample while observing the inverted image, the observer can observe the sample as an upright image, or can observe the sample in an upright image observation state. The user may feel uncomfortable with the moving operation, and there is a problem that it is difficult for such an observer to use a microscope with an erect image. Therefore, it is necessary to unify all specimen images from the microscope into erect images.
There is a problem when considering the usability of the observer. Then, two types of microscopes, one for observing inverted images and the other for observing erect images, must be prepared according to the observer's preference.
It was extremely uneconomical.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image conversion device for a microscope that can selectively observe either an inverted image or an erect image with a single microscope. I do.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an image conversion apparatus used in a microscope in which an infinity optical system is provided between an objective lens and an imaging lens, and is arranged in the infinity optical system. It is characterized by having a detachable erect prism . Further, the erecting prism, with a Porro prism, when mounted on a microscope, the incident optical axis against said erecting prism <br/> and emission optical axis is positioned in the longitudinal direction with respect to the microscope lens barrel Are arranged as follows . Also at this time,
Serial erecting prism is adapted to be held in a state of entering the body arm portion for supporting the microscope lens barrel.

[0007]

[Function] When the image conversion device of the present invention is mounted on a microscope ,
The observer can observe the image of the specimen as an erect image when the erect prism is present in the image conversion device, and can observe the image as an inverted image when the erect prism is removed. or,
When the image conversion device of the present invention is mounted on a microscope , the erecting prism is arranged so that the exit optical axis is close to the microscope barrel and the incident optical axis is far from the microscope barrel.
As a result, the position of the objective lens and the sample becomes farther from the observer by the horizontal distance between the incident optical axis and the exit optical axis, and the space for the observer to operate the specimen becomes wider. Furthermore, the image conversion device of the present invention
By using the device , the erecting prism is held in a state of being inserted into the main body arm portion supporting the microscope lens barrel and the like, so that the distance between the objective lens and the imaging lens can be relatively shortened, and the field of view can be reduced. Even if the
Can be improved .

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram viewed from the side of a microscope.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the Porro prism, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the Porro prism located on the main body of the microscope. In FIG.
The main body 2 of the microscope 1 is formed in a substantially U-shape including a lower base 2a and a side and an upper arm 2b as viewed from the side, and the base 2a receives light emitted from the light source 3. A reflection mirror 4 that bends in the stage direction is provided. A stage 5 on which a sample O is mounted is attached to a side portion of the main body 2, and an objective lens 6 hanging from a lower surface of the arm 2 b is attached to an upper portion of the sample O. Objective lens 6
Is designed to convert the light transmitted through the sample O into a parallel light beam.

A switching unit 8 having a built-in Porro prism 7 is detachably mounted on the upper surface of the arm 2b. The porro prism 7 is an erecting prism that inverts the image by the light beam from the objective lens 6 up, down, left, and right.
And the incident optical axis a ₁ from the objective lens 6 and the exit optical axis a ₂ are in the same direction.
Also, the top of the switching unit 8, an imaging lens 9 located on the exit optical axis a _2, barrel 11 which incorporates the eyepiece optical system 10 for observing the erect image of the specimen O, and is detachable It is attached to. Next, a description will be given of an attachment / detachment structure of the arm portion 2b and the switching unit 8. The groove 2c is formed on the upper surface of the arm portion 2b, and the groove 8a that fits with the groove 2c is formed on the lower surface of the switching unit 8. and, both 2c, the optical axis of the objective lens 6 in the fitted state 8a are adapted to coincide with the incident optical axis a ₁ of the Porro prism 7. Further, in the detachable structure of the switching unit 8 and the lens barrel 11, a groove 8b is formed on the upper surface of the switching unit 8, and a groove 11a that fits with the groove 8b is formed on the lower surface of the lens barrel 11, both 8b, emission optical axis a ₂ of the Porro prism 7 in fitted state 11a the imaging lens 9
Of the optical axis.

[0010] Moreover, in the state shown in FIG. 1, the switching unit 8 is mounted to the microscope 1, the incident optical axis a ₁ of the Porro prism 7 and the emission optical axis a _2, the eyepiece optical system 10 (i.e., the viewer) They are arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction against, moreover towards the exit optical axis a ₂ is such that the position close to the eyepiece optical system 10, a Porro prism 7 is held (see FIGS. 1 and 3). That is, in this embodiment, with respect to the observer's eye have observed the lens barrel 11, since the sample O is located on an extension of the emission optical axis a ₂ farther incident optical axis a _1, the viewer The sample O is disposed at a position farther than the conventional structure by the horizontal distance between the _two optical axes a ₁ and a ₂ , and the space for the sample O is increased, thereby facilitating the sample operation. . When the switching unit 8 is detached from the microscope optical system, the recess 11a of the lens barrel 11 becomes the recess 2c of the arm 2b.
Can be fixed by fitting to
The optical axis of the objective lens 6 coincides with the optical axis of the imaging lens 9. This shortens the optical path length,
Also, the position of the observer is the distance between the optical axes a ₁ and a _2, and the specimen O
Will approach.

This embodiment is configured as described above.
When the observer wants to observe the image of the sample O as an erect image, the switching unit 8 is provided between the arm 2b of the main body 2 and the lens barrel 11, and the groove 2c and the valley 8a, the groove 8b and the It is attached by the ridge 11a. In this state, the luminous flux transmitted through the sample O on the stage 5 becomes a parallel luminous flux by the objective lens 6, is incident on the porro prism 7 along the incident optical axis a ₁ , is reflected four times, and the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the inverted image are changed. Invert. The parallel light beam is then emitted along the emission optical axis a _2, is imaged on the image plane of the eyepiece optical system 10 by the imaging lens 9, the observer can observe the erected image by the eyepiece optical system 10. When the user wants to observe the image of the specimen O as an inverted image, the switching unit 8 may be removed from the microscope optical system, and the arm 2b and the lens barrel 11 may be mounted with the groove 2c and the groove 11a.

As described above, according to this embodiment, if the Porro prism 7 for inverting the inverted image is attached to and detached from the microscope optical system, the observer can selectively use the inverted microscope and the erect image with one microscope. Can be observed. Further, in a state where the switching unit 8 having the Porro prism 7 is mounted, the position of the eye of the observer is provided at a position far from the sample O by a horizontal distance between the incident optical axis a ₁ and the exit optical axis a ₂ with respect to the Porro prism 7. Since the space can be expanded, the operation of the specimen O on the stage 5 becomes easy. Further, there is an advantage that the operation space for the manipulator and the like is widened.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described below. FIG. 4 is a main part configuration diagram of the microscope showing a state where the Porro prism is mounted, and FIG. 5 is a state diagram showing a state where the Porro prism is removed. The same reference numerals are used for the same parts or members as in the first embodiment. The description is omitted. In the case of the first embodiment, since the switching unit 8 is mounted on the upper surface of the arm portion 2b of the main body 2, the infinity optical system from the objective lens 6 to the imaging lens 9 with the porro prism 7 mounted is mounted. If the distance is increased and the observation field of view is widened, there arises a problem that the amount of peripheral light in the field of view becomes insufficient. The second embodiment has improved such a problem. That is,
A stepped recess 2 having a depth close to the thickness of the arm 2b
d is formed, and the switching unit 13 in which the Porro prism 7 partially protrudes from the lower end surface and is fixed has a step-like side surface 13a that fits into the recess 2d. Thus, when the switching unit 13 is mounted on the arm 2b, the upper surface of the unit 13 is configured to substantially coincide with the upper surface of the arm 2b (see FIG. 4). Further, on the upper surface of the switching unit 13, a groove 13 which fits with the groove 11a of the lens barrel 11 is provided.
b is formed. In this case, in the optical system according to the present embodiment, the distance between the objective lens 6 and the imaging lens 9 is reduced by a distance approximating the thickness of the arm portion 2b as compared with the first embodiment. Shortage of light can be suppressed.

When the switching unit 13 is detached, a mounting plate 14 is mounted on the concave portion 2d of the arm portion 2b so that the upper surface thereof coincides with the upper surface of the arm portion 2b. A dovetail groove 14a is formed to fit into the 11 dovetail 11a. In the present embodiment, the groove 13b and the groove 14a in the present embodiment employ, for example, a round groove structure. That is, the groove 13b (14a) is formed in a circular shape in a plan view, and has a cutout in a part. On the other hand, there is one
When mounting the lens barrel 1a, the rivet 11a is inserted into the groove 13b from the notch and rotated by about 120 °, so that the lens barrel 1
1 is the normal position for microscopic observation and the groove 1
The pin inside 3b and the pin on the dent 11a come into contact and stop. Then, the switching unit 13 is screwed.
By screwing the (mounting plate 14), the pins are fitted and fixed. Further, a straight groove structure may be employed instead of the round groove structure.

As described above, in this embodiment, the distance of the infinity optical system from the objective lens 6 to the imaging lens 9 when the porro prism 7 is mounted is shorter than that in the first embodiment. The shortage of the peripheral light amount can be improved.
When the Porro prism 7 is removed, both optical axes a
_1, further optical path length by a distance between a ₂ is shortened.

In each of the above embodiments, the Porro prism 7 is used as the erect prism, but a penta roof prism, an Abbe erect prism, a Schmidt prism, or the like may be used instead.

[0017]

As described above, the image conversion device for a microscope according to the present invention, when mounted on a microscope, has an upright prism detachably disposed in the optical system at infinity. This has a practically important advantage that an inverted image and an erect image can be selectively observed with a microscope. Further, the image conversion apparatus of a microscope according to the present invention, since in a mounted state to the microscope the incident optical axis of the erecting prism and the exit optical axis becomes to lie back and forth with respect to the microscope lens barrel, the observer The position of the specimen is farther than conventional microscopes, allowing a wider space for specimen operation and a less fatigued operating posture.
Become . Further, the image conversion device of the microscope according to the present invention is a microscope.
In the mounted state, the erecting prism is held in a state where it has entered the inside of the main body arm that supports the microscope lens barrel,
The distance from the objective lens to the imaging lens can be shortened, and insufficient light quantity at the periphery of the visual field can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a microscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a Porro prism.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a Porro prism.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a microscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, with the switching unit removed.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... microscope, 2 ... body, 2b ... arm, 6 ...
Objective lens 7, Porro prism 8, 13, Switching unit 9, Image forming lens 11, Lens barrel.

Claims (3)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] An image conversion apparatus used in a microscope having an infinite optical system between an objective lens and an imaging lens.
And a detachable positive lens disposed in the optical system at infinity.
An image conversion device for a microscope, comprising a standing prism . 2. The erecting prism is a Porro prism, and when mounted on a microscope , the incident optical axis and the emitting optical axis with respect to the erecting prism are positioned in the front-rear direction with respect to the microscope lens barrel. The image conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the image conversion device is arranged. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said erecting prism is held in a state of being inserted into a main body arm portion for supporting a microscope lens barrel when mounted on a microscope.
An image conversion device according to claim 1.