JP3823471B2 - Electric microscope - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a microscope.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, in the field of microscopes, motorization and automation have progressed, and an operator is prevented from applying unnecessary labor other than specimen observation. In particular, in most high-end microscopes, the focusing stage, revolver, and the like are motorized. In the electric revolver, one that switches the objective lens to the next objective lens one by one with the normal rotation button and the reverse rotation button on the microscope operation panel, or all the objective lenses mounted on the revolver on the operation panel There is a button that can insert an arbitrary objective lens directly into the microscope optical path by operating the button.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The objective lens attached to the microscope is an immersion objective lens that fills the space between the tip of the objective lens and the specimen with a liquid such as water or oil, and nothing (the objective lens tip and specimen The objective lens of the dry system used in the above is filled with air.
[0004]
When a specimen is observed using an immersion objective lens, it is necessary to inject water or oil between the objective lens and the specimen with a dropper or the like. At this time, when the objective lens is switched electrically by a conventional microscope, the immersion objective lens is instantaneously disposed on the optical path. In this state, the distance between the sample and the immersion objective lens is very narrow, and it is difficult to inject the liquid. In such a case, after switching to the immersion objective lens, the stage is lowered slightly to widen the distance between the objective lens and the specimen, and after the liquid is dropped on the specimen, the liquid reaches the tip of the objective lens. It is necessary to raise the stage and adjust the focus. Alternatively, only when switching to an immersion objective lens, it may be possible to inject a liquid between the objective lens and the specimen while manually rotating the revolver without performing the electric switching by the switch operation.
[0005]
Also, when switching from an immersion objective lens to a dry objective lens, it is necessary to remove the liquid between the objective lens and the specimen.
However, in the conventional microscope, the operation of the microscope when injecting and removing the liquid as described above is troublesome, and when using an immersion objective lens, manual operation is performed. Manual and electric operation must be performed, and the advantages of electric operation are halved.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electric microscope that is easy to inject and remove liquid when an immersion objective lens is inserted into and removed from a microscope optical path.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention according to claim 1, the plurality of objective lenses (41, 42) has a revolver hole plurality of objective lenses that are mounted, an electric revolver (40 to place any one of the objective lens in the optical path And a revolver position detecting means (8) for detecting the rotational position of the electric revolver, and an instruction means (4) for issuing an instruction for electrically switching the objective lens arranged in the optical path. Storage means (3) for storing whether or not each objective lens is an immersion system, and a signal indicating the rotational position from the revolver position detection means when receiving a switching instruction from the instruction means wherein based on the information stored in the storage means and, if the current objective lens in the optical path, or an objective lens arranged in the optical path to the next is determined to be the objective lens of the immersion, the It is characterized in that it has a revolver hole immersion system objective lens and a control means (10) for controlling the drive of the electric revolver to stop at a rotational position of the middle of the revolver hole next to it.
[0008]
According to the present invention, when the objective lens is switched to the immersion system, and when the objective lens of the immersion system is switched to another objective lens, the revolver is stopped at the rotational position in the middle of switching. Operations such as injection, reattachment, and removal of the liquid used in the objective lens are greatly facilitated.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the microscope according to the first aspect is further connected to the control means and the electric revolver stops at a rotational position in the middle of switching, the operation is performed so that the objective lens is not disposed in the optical path. It has a warning means (60) for notifying a person.
[0009]
According to the present invention, the warning means allows the operator to easily know that the objective lens is not accurately arranged in the optical path.
The present invention described in claim 3 is instructed when the control means of the microscope described in claim 1 or 2 receives a switching instruction from the indicating means again after the electric revolver stops at the rotational position in the middle of switching. The driving of the electric revolver is controlled so that the objective lens is arranged in the optical path.
[0010]
According to the present invention, the objective lens that is stopped in the middle of switching can be easily arranged in the optical path.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the control means of the microscope according to the first to third aspects is less than a normal switching speed when the immersion objective lens is out of the optical path and inserted into the optical path. The electric revolver is controlled to rotate at a slow speed.
[0011]
According to the present invention, when the immersion type objective lens is arranged in the optical path and when it is removed from the optical path, the revolver moves at a low speed, so that it is difficult for bubbles to enter the liquid between the objective lens and the specimen. Does not scatter.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a microscope according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an objective lens data input method.
The microscope 1 includes a data input unit 20 for inputting objective lens data, an objective lens data storage unit 3, a control circuit 10, a revolver 40, a revolver changeover switch 4, a revolver drive motor 6, and a revolver drive. A circuit 7, a rotation position sensor 8 that detects the rotation position of the revolver (the address of the revolver hole in which the objective lens disposed in the microscope optical path is attached), and the rotation position of the revolver drive motor 6 to detect the rotation position of the revolver 40. The encoder 9 that detects the current rotational position, the stage 14, the stage drive motor 16, the stage drive circuit 17, the sensor 18 that detects the position of the stage in the Z direction, and the objective lens are not arranged in the optical path. Lamp 60 (warning means) for informing the user.
[0013]
Here, in this embodiment, the encoder 9 is used as a member for detecting the rotational position of the revolver drive motor 6, but a potentiometer or the like may be used. Further, the warning means is not limited to a visual appeal such as the lamp 60, and may be a visual appeal such as a buzzer.
Further, the revolver changeover switch 4 in the present embodiment has two switches, a normal rotation switch and a reverse rotation switch, and the control circuit 10 rotates the revolver forward or reverse by one switching instruction from each switch, Switch to the next objective lens.
[0014]
The data input unit 20 is the type of objective lens to be attached to the revolver 40 (immersion type or dry type, etc.), magnification, WD, NA (numerical aperture), and focal length (distance from the focal position of the objective lens to the body surface). ) And the like, and the input data is stored in the objective lens data storage unit 3 via the control circuit 10 as a database corresponding to each objective lens. Specifically, data relating to the above-described objective lens is stored in correspondence with the address of the revolver hole in which each objective lens is mounted (corresponding to the detection signal from the revolver rotational position sensor 8).
[0015]
For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the data input unit 20 reads the objective lens data such as the magnification of the objective lens represented by the barcode 22 on a predetermined sheet with a barcode reader 21 or a numeric keypad ( For example).
The objective lens data storage unit 3 also stores data relating to the focusing position of the stage corresponding to each objective lens.
[0016]
The control circuit 10 controls the drive circuit 7 based on the switching instruction of the revolver switching switch 4, rotates the motor 6 in a predetermined direction, and positions the objective lens according to the instruction of the switching switch on the optical path. At this time, the control circuit 10 can recognize the type of the objective lens currently arranged in the optical path and the type of the objective lens arranged in the optical path after switching. Further, the focusing position data stored in accordance with the objective lens arranged in the optical path after the switching is read out from the objective lens lens data storage unit 3, the drive circuit 17 is controlled to rotate the motor 16 in a predetermined direction, and the stage 14 Is moved to the focusing position of the objective lens arranged in the optical path.
[0017]
Next, the case where the objective lens is switched to place the immersion objective lens in the optical path and the case where the immersion objective lens is switched to another objective lens will be described below.
FIG. 3 shows a state in which the drying objective lens 41 with a magnification of 20 × is switched to the immersion objective lens with a magnification of 40 ×, and FIG. 3 (a) shows a specimen with a 20 × drying objective lens. FIG. 3 (b) shows a state where each objective lens is stopped at a rotational position during switching, and FIG. 3 (c) shows a state where a 40 × immersion system objective lens is arranged in the optical path. Indicates.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 3A, after observing the sample with the 20 × dry objective lens 41, the operator operates the revolver changeover switch 4 to instruct to switch to the adjacent 40 × immersion objective lens 42. do. At this time, the control circuit 10 uses the detection signal from the rotational position sensor 8, the switching instruction signal from the revolver switch 4, and the data stored in the recording unit 3, and the objective lens currently disposed in the optical path. And the type of objective lens to be placed next in the optical path.
[0019]
Normally, when the objective lens is switched, the control circuit 10 outputs a control signal to the revolver drive circuit 7 so as to rotate the revolver drive motor 6 by a predetermined number of pulses (for example, 100 pulses). Then, the objective lens is positioned in the optical path by a mechanical positioning mechanism (for example, a click stop mechanism). However, as shown in FIG. 3, when the next objective lens is an immersion system, the control circuit 10 halves the predetermined number of pulses (50 pulses) and outputs a control signal to the revolver drive circuit 7. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3B, the objective lens stops at a substantially intermediate rotational position during switching. Here, the reason “substantially in the middle” is that the revolver drive circuit 7 does not perform positioning control but performs open loop drive control, so that there are cases where it is before or over the middle of switching due to inertia or friction. However, what is important here is that the revolver stops at the rotational position during the switching.
[0020]
In this way, by stopping the revolver at the rotational position in the middle of switching, the liquid (water, oil, etc.) W necessary for observation with the immersion objective lens can be easily applied to the specimen.
Here, the revolver drive control circuit 7 may perform positioning control using a closed loop instead of an open loop when the revolver is stopped at a rotational position in the middle of switching.
[0021]
After the liquid is applied to the sample, the operator operates the revolver changeover switch 4 again, whereby the control circuit 10 places the 40 × immersion system objective lens 42 which is the objective lens to be changed over in the optical path. At this time, in the present embodiment, when the same switch as the previously instructed switch (forward rotation or reverse rotation) is pressed, a 40 × immersion objective lens is arranged, and when a different switch is pressed, FIG. As shown in a), a 20 × dry objective lens 41 is again placed in the optical path.
[0022]
In addition, when the revolver is arranged from the rotational position in the middle of switching to the switching destination position, the control circuit 10 makes the rotational speed lower than the normal switching speed. This makes it difficult for air bubbles to enter between the liquid applied on the specimen and the tip of the objective lens, making it suitable for observation of the specimen.
Conversely, also when switching to the next objective lens after observation with the immersion objective lens, the revolver stops at an intermediate rotational position as described above. This is the same whether the next objective lens is an immersion system or a dry system. This is because when the next objective lens is a dry system, it is necessary to remove the liquid on the specimen, and even if the next objective lens is an immersion system, work such as reapplying or refilling the liquid. Because it is necessary.
[0023]
Here, also when removing the immersion objective lens from the optical path, the control circuit 10 rotates it at a lower speed than the normal rotation speed. With such a configuration, even if a bubble enters when placing the immersion objective lens 42 in the optical path, the immersion objective lens 42 is moved in and out of the optical path by operating the revolver switch 4 (for example, By repeating the states of FIG. 3C and FIG. 3B, the operation of removing the bubbles can be performed electrically instead of manually.
[0024]
Next, the operation of the microscope of this embodiment will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the microscope by the control circuit 10.
First, the control circuit 10 confirms the revolver position (the address of the revolver hole arranged in the optical path) based on the signal from the revolver rotational position sensor 8 (S1). Thereafter, the data of the objective lens attached to the revolver position is read from the storage unit 3 (S2). Then, the motor 16 is driven via the drive circuit 17 based on the stored focusing position data, and the stage 14 is moved to the focusing position (S3).
[0025]
Next, it is determined whether or not there is a revolver switching instruction from the revolver switching switch 4, and the system waits until there is an instruction (S4). During this time, the operator can move the stage 14 up and down manually while observing the image of the sample to accurately focus or observe the sample.
When the revolver switch 4 is pressed, the control circuit 10 reads the next objective lens data (S5). Then, it is determined whether the objective lens currently in the optical path is an immersion objective lens (S6). If the objective lens currently in the optical path is not an immersion objective lens, it is determined whether or not the objective lens to be subsequently entered in the optical path is an immersion system (S8).
[0026]
If it is determined in S6 that the current objective lens is an immersion system, the drive speed of the revolver is set to a speed Vs slower than the normal speed Vn (S7). The speeds Vn and Vs are determined in advance and stored in the storage unit 3. Further, Vs stored in the storage unit 3 can be changed by reading a setting barcode for setting a speed different from Vs by the barcode reader 21 shown in FIG. This change may be made by pressing a numeric keypad on an operation panel connected to the control circuit 10, for example, in addition to reading a barcode.
[0027]
Thereafter, after changing the number of drive pulses for driving the revolver to half (S9), the stage 14 is driven to the focusing position stored corresponding to the next objective lens (S10). The number of drive pulses (50 pulses) is determined in advance and stored in the storage unit 3. Further, the number of drive pulses (50 pulses in the present embodiment) when stopping the revolver at the rotational position in the middle of switching is read by the barcode reader 21 shown in FIG. Thus, the number of pulses can be changed (for example, 80 pulses). This change may be made by pressing a numeric keypad on an operation panel connected to the control circuit 10, for example, in addition to reading a barcode.
[0028]
In S8, if the next objective lens is an immersion system, the process proceeds to S9 described above. If it is not an immersion system, the process proceeds to S10 described above.
After arranging the stage position at the focusing position of the next objective lens in S10, the revolver is rotated (S11). At this time, when the objective lens before switching is an immersion system (YES in S6), the revolver 40 rotates at a slow speed Vs to the rotational position in the middle of switching. When the objective lens before switching is not an immersion system and the objective lens after switching is an immersion system (YES in S8), the objective lens rotates at a normal speed Vn up to a rotational position in the middle of switching. If none of the above applies, the motor rotates at the normal speed Vn until the rotation position for switching to the next objective lens.
[0029]
Next, the control circuit 10 reads the position of the revolver based on the signal from the revolver rotational position sensor 8 (S12). If the position cannot be read, it is determined that the objective lens is not in the optical path, and the lamp 60 is turned on (S13). Thereafter, the revolver rotational speed is set to a low speed (Vs) (S14), and the revolver rotational drive control is set to the position correction drive mode. If it is already set to low speed (Vs) in S14, the state is kept as it is.
[0030]
Here, the position correction mode will be described. Normally, when the revolver is rotated, it is controlled so as to move by a predetermined number of pulses. However, in the position correction mode, control is performed so that the revolver continues to move at a low speed (Vs) until it is confirmed that the revolver has entered the normal rotational position (until a signal from the revolver rotational position sensor 8 is obtained). It is.
[0031]
After the position correction mode is set in S15, the process returns to S4 and waits until a revolver switching instruction is issued again. When there is a revolver switching instruction in S4, S4 to S10 are repeated again, and the stage is rotated in the position correction mode in S11. This is repeated until the revolver position is confirmed in S12.
When the revolver position is confirmed in S12, the number of revolver drive pulses and the drive speed are restored, the position correction mode is canceled, and the lamp is turned off (S16). Then, the process returns to S4 again and waits until a revolver switching instruction is issued.
[0032]
As described above, the microscope according to the present embodiment stops the revolver at the rotation position during switching when the objective lens is switched to the immersion system and when the objective lens of the immersion system is switched to another objective lens. Therefore, operations such as injection, reattachment, and removal of the liquid used in the immersion objective lens become much easier. Also, when the immersion objective lens is placed in the optical path and when it is removed from the optical path, the revolver moves at a low speed, so that bubbles do not easily enter the liquid between the objective lens and the specimen, and the liquid scatters. There is nothing. Further, when the objective lens is not arranged in the optical path, the revolver is rotated until it enters the optical path correctly by the position correction mode, so that the objective lens can be accurately arranged in the optical path by a simple operation. This is not limited to the case of using an immersion objective lens, and if the objective lens is removed from the optical path by rotating the revolver by hand, or if the objective lens is switched due to wear of the revolver, etc., the positioning control is correctly performed. It is possible to deal with the case where it disappears.
[0033]
Further, in the present embodiment, the objective lens is switched one by one to the adjacent objective lens by the forward rotation switch and the reverse rotation switch, but corresponds to all objective lenses mounted on the revolver on the operation panel. There may be a button, and an arbitrary objective lens can be directly inserted into the microscope optical path by operating the button. In this case, when an instruction to switch to the immersion objective lens is given, the total number of pulses until switching is first obtained, and the revolver is driven by an amount obtained by subtracting an arbitrary number of pulses (for example, 50 pulses) from the number of driving pulses. You just have to control it. As a result, the revolver stops at the rotational position before the immersion objective lens is arranged in the optical path, and the same effect as in the above-described embodiment can be obtained.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
According to the electric microscope of the present invention described in claim 1, when the objective lens is switched to the immersion system and when the objective lens of the immersion system is switched to another objective lens, the revolver is rotated during the switching. Since the operation is stopped at the position, operations such as injection, reattachment, and removal of the liquid used in the immersion objective lens are greatly facilitated.
[0035]
According to the second aspect of the invention, the warning means allows the operator to easily know that the objective lens is not accurately placed in the optical path.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily place the objective lens that is stopped during switching in the optical path.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the revolver moves at a low speed when the immersion type objective lens is arranged in the optical path and when it is removed from the optical path, so that bubbles are formed in the liquid between the objective lens and the specimen. Is difficult to enter and the liquid does not scatter.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a microscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an input method of objective lens data.
3A is a state in which a sample is observed with a 20 × dry objective lens, FIG. 3B is a state in which each objective lens is stopped at a rotational position during switching, and FIG. (C) is a figure which shows the state by which the 40x immersion type objective lens was arrange | positioned in the optical path.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure of the microscope.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Microscope 5 ... Sample 3 ... Objective lens data storage part 6 ... Revolver drive motor 7 ... Revolver drive circuit 8 ... Rotation position sensor 9 ... Encoder 10 ... Control Circuit 14 ... Stage 21 ... Bar code reader 40 ... Electric revolver 41, 42 ... Objective lens 50 ... Electric focusing mechanism 60 ... Lamp (warning means)

Claims (4)

A plurality of objective lenses, wherein a plurality of revolver hole objective lens that is attached, any one of the electric revolver to place in the optical path of the objective lens, the revolver position detecting means for detecting a rotational position of the electric revolver And an instruction means for issuing an instruction for electrically switching the objective lens disposed in the optical path,
Storage means for storing information on whether each of the plurality of objective lenses is an immersion system;
When receiving a switching instruction from the instruction means, based on a signal indicating the rotational position from the revolver position detection means and information stored in the storage means, an objective lens currently on the optical path, or next When it is determined that the objective lens disposed in the optical path is an immersion objective lens, the objective lens disposed in the optical path is stopped at a rotation position halfway between the revolver hole of the immersion objective lens and the adjacent revolver hole. Control means for controlling the driving of the electric revolver;
An electric microscope characterized by comprising:  The apparatus further comprises a warning means connected to the control means for notifying an operator that the objective lens is not disposed in the optical path when the electric revolver stops at a rotational position in the middle of switching. The electric microscope according to 1.  The control means drives the electric revolver so as to place the indicated objective lens in the optical path when the electric revolver stops at the rotational position in the middle of switching and receives a switching instruction from the instruction means again. The electric microscope according to claim 1, wherein the electric microscope is controlled.  The control means controls the rotation of the electric revolver at a speed slower than a normal switching speed when the immersion objective lens is out of the optical path and inserted into the optical path. The electric microscope according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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