JP2950945B2 - Magnifying observation device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to various fields such as medical, academic, and industrial fields, for example, the outer surface of an object to be observed such as human skin, microscopic organisms, or integrated circuits. To be used for observing the surface layer in an enlarged manner, in particular, by merely bringing the object into contact with or close to the surface of the object to be observed, and subjecting the object to be observed to any processing at the position as it is TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a magnifying observation apparatus that can perform magnified observation without any problem.

[Prior art] Conventionally, a microscope or a loupe has been used as an instrument or device for magnifying observation, but a microscope needs to process an object to be observed and take it to the microscope side, while a loupe is itself. Can be easily observed without any processing performed on the observed object by bringing it to the side of the observed object.However, there is no light source for illuminating the observed object, and the possible magnification is low. Things.

Against this background, the present applicant has previously developed a magnifying observation apparatus having both the advantages of a microscope with high magnification and the advantages of a loupe with ease (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-308527).
, Japanese Patent Application Nos. 1-264623 and 1-273419).

This magnifying observation apparatus includes an observation apparatus main body including a display (display means) and a controller (not shown), and an objective tool (a lens barrel and a light guide cap described in JP-A-1-308527) 100 shown in FIG. The objective 100 includes an optical system 102 for enlarging an image and an optical fiber 103 for guiding irradiation light for illuminating the observation object M from a light source provided on the observation apparatus main body side. Is provided with a light guide cap (object tip) 105. And this objective tool 1
00 while holding the light guide cap 105 in the object M
The image capturing device 104 (CCD device) built in the objective tool 100 reproduces and observes the image captured by the image pickup device 104 on the display. If it is brought into contact with or close to a predetermined proximity distance, it will be focused on itself, so that anyone can easily observe at magnifications of 50 to several thousand times without any skill or skill. That is.

By the way, in this magnifying observation apparatus, a light source is provided in the controller to obtain more powerful irradiation light, and the irradiation light is guided from the light source to the objective tool by an optical fiber,
Also, a signal processing means interposed between the image sensor and the display is provided in the controller. For this reason, a controller is required in addition to the objective and the display, and accordingly, it is insufficient when the overall size is increased and the easiness is further emphasized.

Further, in such a magnifying observation apparatus, control of irradiation light irradiating the observation object or control of image light from the observation object is important for better observation. That is, generally, the irradiation light for irradiating the object to be observed includes incident light for illuminating the object to be observed from the front, side light for irradiating the object to be observed at a steep angle almost parallel to the front of the object, and a light-transmitting object. In the case of an observation object, there is transmitted light that illuminates the surface from the inside with transmitted light, and image light from the object to be observed is surface reflected light that is directly reflected directly on the surface of the object to be observed, and There is surface-reflected light once transmitted through the surface layer of the object, and more effective observation can be performed by appropriately selecting or combining these lights.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a magnifying observation apparatus that can be further miniaturized and can be easily handled, and can select irradiation light.

[Means for solving the problem]

Such an object is constituted by an objective tool and display means for displaying an enlarged image of an object to be observed obtained by the objective tool, and the objective tool is divided into a front block and a rear block which are freely contactable and detachable, An optical system for enlarging the object to be observed and a light source for illuminating the object to be observed in the front block, and an imaging unit for capturing an enlarged image from the optical system in the rear block, and a signal processed by the imaging unit and output to the display unit. Built-in processing means,
Further, a transparent light guide cap having a hemispherical front portion having a through hole formed at the center is connected to the front end of the front block, and the light from the light source is applied to the base end surface of the light guide cap. At the same time, an opaque light-shielding body having a light-collecting hole formed at the tip is disposed inside the light-guiding cap, and the tip of the light-shielding body can close the through-hole of the light-guiding cap. This is achieved by a magnifying observation apparatus that is formed in a shape and that allows the light shield to be relatively movable with respect to the light guide cap so that the through hole of the light guide cap is selectively closed at the tip of the light shield.

[Action]

In this magnifying observation apparatus, since the light source and the signal processing means are also built in the objective tool, the controller which was required in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus is not required, and accordingly,
The whole is downsized. In addition, the incorporation of the light source and the signal processing means into the objective means that the light source becomes closer to the object to be observed when viewed from the light source, so that the output of the light source can be smaller, and the light source itself can be significantly reduced. In connection with the fact that it can be miniaturized, and when looking at the signal processing means,
Since the signal processing means is closer to the imaging means, the capacity of the signal processing means can be much smaller than in the conventional case, which leads to a much smaller signal processing means. In other words, the incorporation of the light source and the signal processing means into the objective tool leads to the miniaturization of the light source and the signal processing means, and the organic relation that this miniaturization also enables the incorporation leads to the overall miniaturization. It is.

In addition, this magnifying observation apparatus incorporates the light source and the signal processing means in the objective tool, and incorporates the objective tool with the front block containing the optical system and the light source, and the imaging means and the signal processing means. The front block is divided into a rear block and both can be freely contacted and separated.Therefore, a dedicated front block is prepared in advance according to the magnification and the type of the object to be observed. Can be handled, and handling becomes even easier.

Further, in the objective device of this magnifying observation apparatus, the incident light from the light source passes through the space between the inner surface of the light guide cap and the outer surface of the light-shielding body, and the incident light illuminates the object from the front through the through hole, Side light that irradiates the object under observation at an acute angle close to the front of the light guide cap by passing through the solid interior of the light guide cap by total internal reflection and exiting from the inner surface of the light transmission, and other parts than traffic By passing through the surface layer and illuminating the observed object from the inside, it is possible to obtain transmitted light, but by moving the light shield and closing the through hole of the light guide cap at its tip, It is possible to select only transmitted light by cutting incident light and side light, and observation is possible using transmitted light.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

This magnifying observation apparatus includes an objective 1 as shown in FIG.
And display means (not shown), such as a CRT, for reproducing and displaying an enlarged image of the observed object M obtained by the objective 1.

The objective tool 1 has a long and slender cylindrical shape and is divided into a front block 3 and a rear block 4 so that the front block 3 can be attached to and detached from the rear block 4.

The front block 3 includes an optical system 5 for enlarging an object to be observed.
And a light source 6 for illuminating the object to be observed, a light guide cap 7 is connected to the tip of the light source 6, and a light shield 8 is provided inside the light guide cap 7.

The optical system 5 is configured by holding an objective lens 10 and other lenses in a cylindrical holder 9, and a light-shielding eave 11 formed in a tapered shape is provided at the tip of the holder 9.
The optical system 5 is basically positioned so that the tip of the light guide cap 7 abuts on the surface of the object M by focusing on the surface of the object M.
By adjusting the screwing state of the light guide cap 7 with respect to the front block 3, non-contact observation is also possible.

The light source 6 is disposed so as to face the base end surface 14 of the light guide cap 7 at a position corresponding to the outside of the light-shielding eave 11 of the holder, and care is taken so that the irradiation light does not directly enter the optical system 5. Have been. As the light source 6, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of light emitting sources 6b may be arranged in an annular shape,
Alternatively, an annular lamp may be used.

The light guide cap 7 is for bringing the tip of the light guide cap 7 into contact with the surface of the object M so that the surface of the object M is aligned with the focal point of the objective lens 10 of the optical system 5. The irradiation light from the light source 6 is divided into the incident light Ld, the side light Ls, and the transmitted light Lt to irradiate the observation object M, and is a highly transparent synthetic material such as an acrylic resin (methacrylic resin). Made of resin. The front block 3 is screwed to the front end of the front block 3 by a screw 13 formed in the rear portion 7r, and the above-mentioned focusing is performed in this screwed state. In more detail, it is composed of a cylindrical rear part 7r and a hemispherical front part 7f, and a base end face 14 is formed at the end of the rear part 7r. A through hole 15 is formed. The through hole 15 has a tapered shape, and the inner surface thereof is formed as an inclined surface 16 having a predetermined angle (FIGS. 2 and 4).

Here, the above-mentioned side emission light Ls is covered by the irradiation light entering the solid interior of the light guide cap 7 from the base end face 14 passing therethrough by total reflection and exiting from the inclined surface 16 of the through hole 15. It irradiates the observation object M substantially parallel to its front surface.
The incident light Ld passes through the inner space of the light guide cap 7 and passes through the through hole 15.
Further, the object M is illuminated from the front, and the transmitted light Lt impinges on the object M from a portion other than the through-hole 15 and once passes through the surface layer, is reflected in the surface layer, and illuminates the surface layer from the inside. The transmitted light Lt obtained from the incident light Ld transmitted through the light guide cap 7 at a portion other than the through hole 15 and the inclined surface of the through hole 15
There is transmitted light Lt obtained from the reflected light reflected at 16.

The light-shielding body 8 has a rear portion 8r formed in a cylindrical shape in conformity with the inner surface shape of the light guide cap 7, but a front portion 8f having a shape capable of closing the through hole 15 of the light guide cap 7 at its front end. It has a conical cylindrical shape, and a lighting hole 17 is formed at its tip. The light guide cap 7 is combined so as to be able to move relative to the light guide cap 7 in the directions indicated by arrows X and Y. When the light guide cap 7 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow, the front end thereof closes the through hole 15 of the light guide cap 7. Thus, the incident light Ld and the side incident light Ls are cut.

Specifically, an elongated support hole formed on the side surface of the light guide cap 7 with a bracket projection 18 protruding from the side surface of the light shielding body 8.
19 and the bracket projection 18 with the operation ring.
The light shielding body 8 can be moved as indicated by arrows X and Y through the operation ring 18r. In addition, the light shield 8
A spring 20 is interposed between the light guide cap 7 and the light guide cap 7, and the spring 20 always urges the light shielding body 8 upward.

Since the front block 3 can be attached to and detached from the rear block 4, a plurality of dedicated blocks corresponding to the enlargement ratio and the type of the object to be observed are prepared in advance, and the dedicated block is selectively used. It is possible to use properly.

The rear block 4 has built-in imaging means (CCD element) 22 for capturing an enlarged image of the observation target M obtained by the optical system 5 and signal processing means 23 for processing signals from the imaging means 22. In the rear block 4, a fitting tube 24 for connecting the front block 3 is protruded from a front end surface, and a cable 125 connected to a display means is led out from a rear end portion. A switch 26 for ON / OFF is provided on the side,
The terminal 27 of the lead from the switch 26 faces the front end face, and is connected to the terminal 28 of the lead from the light source 6 facing the rear end face of the front block 3.

In order to observe the object to be observed M using such a magnifying observation device, the objective 1 is brought to the side of the object to be observed M, and if the object to be observed is capable of contact observation, its light guide cap is used. It is only necessary to make the tip of 7 come into contact with the surface of the observation object M. If non-contact observation is required, the screwing state of the light guide cap 7 with respect to the front block 3 is adjusted, and the light guide cap 7 is separated from the object M for observation.

[Effects of the Invention] Since the magnifying observation apparatus according to the present invention is as described above, it has the following effects.

(A). Since the light source and the signal processing means are also built in the objective tool, the overall size is reduced and the handling becomes easier.

(B). The objective tool is divided into a front block and a rear block, and both can be freely moved in and out of the way. It can be easily handled, making observation easier.

(C). A light-shielding body is provided inside the light-guiding cap, and the through-hole of the light-guiding cap can be closed with the light-shielding body. Observation using light can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view including a partial cross section of an objective of the magnifying observation apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial schematic cross sectional view of a distal end portion of the objective, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing a relationship between an end face and a light source, FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view near a through hole of a light guide cap, and FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of an objective tool of a conventional magnifying observation apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Object tool 3 ... Front block 4 ... Back block 5 ... Optical system 6 ... Light source 7 ... Light guide cap 8 ... Light shield 14 ... Base end face 15 ... Through hole 17 ... Lighting hole 22 ... Imaging means 23 ... Signal processing means

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A magnifying observation apparatus comprising an objective and a display means for displaying an enlarged image of an object to be observed obtained by the objective, wherein the objective is divided into a front block and a rear block which are freely contactable and detachable. Divided, the front block is used to enlarge the optical system for observing the object and the light source for illuminating the object, and the rear block processes the signals from the image capturing unit that captures the enlarged image from the optical system and the signal from the image capturing unit to the display unit. A signal processing means for outputting is built in, and a transparent light guide cap having a hemispherical front portion formed with a through hole at the center is connected to the front end of the front block. Irradiation light from the light source is applied to the end face, and an opaque light shield having a light-collecting hole formed at the tip is disposed inside the light guide cap, and the tip of the light shield is guided by the light guide. Cap holes can be closed That together form the shape, magnifying observation apparatus characterized by the freely relative movement with respect to the light guide cap shielding body to selectively close the hole of the light guide cap at the distal end of the light shield.