JP4154641B2 - Confocal light scanner - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a confocal optical scanner mounted on a microscope, and more particularly to an improvement of a naked eye observation unit of a confocal scanner.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 5 shows an example of a main part of a conventional confocal microscope. FIG. 5A is a side view and FIG. 5B is a front view. In addition, the specific location is shown with the cross section in the same figure.
The confocal light scanner 20 is connected to the microscope 10 via a cylindrical camera port 11 so that incident light from the confocal light scanner 20 and return light from the microscope 10 can pass through the cylinder of the camera port 11. It has become.
[0003]
The confocal optical scanner 20 rotates a pinhole substrate 21, and irradiates light from a light source (not shown) that has passed through the pinhole substrate via a sample lens (not shown) of the microscope 10 (not shown). Irradiate and scan (not shown). In order to efficiently use the irradiation light, the microlens substrate 22 in which a large number of microlenses are arranged at the same pitch as the pinholes is connected to the pinhole substrate 21 so as to be able to rotate integrally.
[0004]
Return light from the microscope 10 is reflected by the dichroic mirror (or beam splitter) DM and the first mirror M1, respectively, and travels on an optical axis parallel to the optical axis of the microscope 10. Thereafter, the light is reflected by the second mirror M2 and enters the second lens L2. The operator can observe the image formed by the second lens L2 (sample surface image) with the naked eye via the eyepiece lens L3.
[0005]
In addition, the confocal optical scanner 20 is equipped with a camera 30 for taking an observation image, and the third mirror M3 disposed in the optical path of the second mirror M2 and the second lens L2 is used for the first. The light from the second mirror M2 is reflected and imaged on the light receiving surface of the camera 30 by the lens LC.
[0006]
The third mirror M3 is connected to the switching lever 24 as shown in FIG. 5B, and is formed so as to be manually movable in the horizontal direction. When the switching lever 24 is slid to the right, the mirror M3 is set in the optical path, and only camera shooting is possible (this state is called camera mode). When the switching lever 24 is slid leftward, the mirror M3 is removed from the optical path, and camera photographing is impossible, and monocular observation with the naked eye (this state is called monocular mode) is possible.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, such a conventional confocal microscope has the following problems.
(1) Since there is only one eyepiece lens L3, only observation with a single eye is possible, and observation is not easy. In particular, fatigue becomes large in long-time observation.
(2) Although it is possible to observe with both eyes if a commercially available binocular unit is attached, the binocular unit is usually large and difficult to incorporate. In addition, when the binocular unit is employed, not only the light amount is reduced to half or less, but also there is a disadvantage that a mechanism for adjusting the eye width becomes large.
[0008]
The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to easily switch and observe a camera mode, a monocular mode, and a binocular mode with a simple operation, and the eye width adjustment also affects the image formation. It is an object of the present invention to provide a confocal optical scanner that can be easily performed.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such an object, the invention of claim 1 switches the optical path between a monocular and a camera in an infinitely coupled relay optical system that is mounted on a microscope and transmits a confocal image to an eyepiece or a camera. In the confocal optical scanner having a switching mechanism for performing the switching, a branching mechanism that is integrated with the switching mechanism and transmits a confocal image to the binocular left and right eyepieces , one of which serves as the monocular by switching the optical path, and the branching An eye width adjustment mechanism is provided , in which light from the mechanism is incident, and one of the optical paths to the eyepiece lens is integrated to be movable left and right .
[0010]
With such a configuration, the sample image can be easily observed with both eyes, and the eye width can be easily adjusted with little effect on image formation as a result of skillfully using the infinite parallel part. There is an effect that can be.
[0011]
In this case, as in claim 2, switching recombination mechanism employs a mechanism slide or rotary turret, and improve operability.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention includes a branching mechanism for binocular left and right eyepieces and an eye width adjustment mechanism in a parallel light region of an infinitely coupled relay optical system that transmits a confocal image to an eyepiece lens or a camera.
[0013]
FIG. 1 is a main part configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a confocal optical scanner according to the present invention, where FIG. 1 (a) is a side view, FIG. 1 (b) is a front view, and FIG. 1 (c) is a top view. It is. 1A and 1C are cross-sectional views.
[0014]
In FIG. 1, the same components as those in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1C, a mirror mounting member 25 is connected to the switching lever 24. By sliding the switching lever 24, the three positions A, B, and C are reflected by the second mirror M2. It can be matched on the optical axis.
The portion of the switching lever and mirror mounting member is referred to herein as a switching mechanism that switches the optical path to the eyepiece lens or camera port.
[0015]
A third mirror M3 is mounted at a position corresponding to the A position of the mirror mounting member 25, a beam splitter (or half mirror) M4 is mounted at a position corresponding to the C position, and an optical path is set at a position corresponding to the B position. There is nothing to block, and the light from the second mirror M2 can pass through.
[0016]
When the C position of the mirror mounting member 25 is positioned on the optical axis by the switching lever 24, the light from the second mirror M2 enters the beam splitter M4.
One light (transmitted light) branched by the beam splitter M4 is reflected by the fifth mirror M5 and the sixth mirror M6, respectively, and the optical axis is shifted leftward and guided to the lens L4L.
On the other hand, the light reflected by the beam splitter M4 is reflected by the seventh mirror M7, the optical axis is shifted rightward from the optical axis of the second mirror M2, and is guided to the lens L4R.
[0017]
In this way, the light from the second mirror M2 is branched and guided to the lenses L4L and L4R, and the image is formed with both eyes via the eyepiece L4L for the left eye and the eyepiece L4R for the right eye. Can be observed. Such an arrangement is called a so-called binocular mode.
[0018]
The seventh mirror M7 and the portion 77 made up of the lens L4R and the eyepiece lens L8R are formed so as to move integrally left and right, thereby adjusting the eye width, that is, adjusting the distance between the eyepiece lenses L8L and L8R. can do. In this case, the second mirror M2 to the lens L4L is an infinite system, and even if it moves to the left and right, the image formation is not substantially affected.
[0019]
FIG. 2 is a layout diagram in the monocular mode, in which the position B of the mirror mounting member 25 is made coincident with the optical axis. The reflected light of the second mirror M2 passes through the mirror mounting member 25, is reflected by the fifth mirror M5, is further reflected by the sixth mirror M6, and is then guided to the lens L4L. The image formed by the lens L4L can be observed by the eyepiece lens L8L.
[0020]
FIG. 3 is a layout diagram in the case of the camera mode, in which the A position of the mirror mounting member 25 is made coincident with the optical axis. The reflected light of the second mirror M2 is reflected by the third mirror M3, and forms an image on the light receiving surface of the camera 30 by a lens LC (not shown).
[0021]
As described above, by operating the switching lever 24 to switch the position of the mirror mounting member 25, it is possible to easily select the binocular mode, the monocular mode, and the camera mode and observe the sample image.
[0022]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes many changes and modifications without departing from the essence thereof.
[0023]
For example, while the monocular mode is configured to observe with the left eye, it may be configured to allow observation with the right eye as shown in FIG. For example, each arrangement of the mirror M3 and the beam splitter M4, the mirrors M5 and M6, and the mirror M7 in the mirror mounting member 25 is an arrangement in which the left and right are reversed from FIG.
[0024]
Moreover, the monocular mode may not be provided as a simplified version.
Further, when the distance from the lens L1 to the lens L2 is equal to the sum (f1 + f2) of the focal lengths f1 and f2 of L1 and L2, it becomes telecentric and a bright image is obtained up to the peripheral part.
[0025]
Further, the eye width adjustment may be performed by an optical system for the left eye.
The beam splitter M4 may be a dichroic mirror as well as a half mirror. In that case, for example, the left eye can observe the cell nucleus in red, and the right eye can observe the specific protein in green. At this time, if a camera is installed instead of the eyepiece, two-color image measurement can be performed.
[0026]
In addition, the switching lever has a structure that slides by a left and right linear motion in the embodiment, but is not limited thereto, and may be a structure that is switched by a rotating turret.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily switch between the camera mode, the monocular mode, and the binocular mode with a simple operation, and in the binocular mode, the eye width is substantially affected without affecting the image formation. There is an effect that adjustment is possible.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main part of an embodiment of a confocal optical scanner according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a layout diagram in a monocular mode.
FIG. 3 is a layout diagram in the case of a camera mode.
FIG. 4 is another arrangement diagram in the monocular mode.
FIG. 5 is a main part configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional confocal optical scanner.
[Explanation of symbols]
20 confocal light scanner 21 pinhole substrate 22 micro lens substrate 24 switching lever 25 mirror mounting member 30 camera DM dichroic mirror M1, M2, M3, M5, M6, M7 mirror M4 beam splitter L1, L2, L3, LC, L4L, L4R lens L8L, L8R eyepiece

Claims (2)

In a confocal optical scanner equipped with a microscope and equipped with a switching mechanism for switching an optical path between a monocular and a camera in an infinitely coupled relay optical system that transmits a confocal image to an eyepiece lens or a camera .
A branching mechanism that is integrated with the switching mechanism and transmits a confocal image to the binocular left and right eyepieces , one of which serves as the monocular by switching the optical path ;
A confocal light having an eye-width adjusting mechanism that allows light from this branching mechanism to enter and one side of the optical path to the eyepiece lens to be integrated and movable left and right Scanner. The confocal optical scanner according to claim 1, wherein the switching mechanism is configured to switch an optical path by a slide or a rotating turret.

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