JP4268167B2 - Mechanical stage for polarizing microscope and polarizing microscope equipped with the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a mechanical stage for a polarizing microscope and a polarizing microscope including the same.

  The polarizing microscope mechanical stage is an indispensable instrument for rock classification work and petrological research established by the International Union of Geology.

  In Patent Document 1, preparations or the like in which a subject exists or may exist in a wide area are continuously or partially overlapped in units of partial sections according to the magnification of the microscope, and at a predetermined interval. It can be moved two-dimensionally to automatically sweep the entire area of the desired microscope area, and can be stopped and restarted at an arbitrary position such as the preparation, and the position of the microscope part such as the preparation is displayed as coordinates. A microscope with an automatic sweeping device, characterized in that it has an automatic sweeping device that has a function of storing the position of a specific part such as a preparation in the previous period and automatically setting the specific part at the microscopic position Is described.

  In Patent Document 2, a holder that holds a container in which a subject exists or may exist in a wide area, a position detection container for detecting the position of the speculum region of the container, and a motor are used. A moving mechanism for moving the holder two-dimensionally under the objective lens of the microscope, a motor for driving the moving mechanism, A drive device including a manual operation member for driving the mechanism by manual operation; a position display device for displaying the position of the speculum region; and a switch for attaching and detaching the magnetic clutch, the motor, the electromagnetic clutch, It is described in a microscope with an automatic sweeping device, which comprises a position detector and a control device for controlling the position display device.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No.59-53319 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-68219

  Worldwide, the production of previously used mechanical stages for polarizing microscopes made in the UK (which was the exclusive state of this manufacturer) was discontinued several years ago, making it difficult to use this type of equipment. . A mechanical stage for a polarizing microscope was not so expensive and was a basic instrument. In the world's petrology laboratories, as an alternative to this equipment, very expensive image analyzers are introduced or expensive analyzers are used. At the research level, such alternatives do not interfere with research, but cannot be used to educate basic petrology techniques. Therefore, if an equivalent product can be manufactured at a low cost, many students can use it again, and education can be effectively performed.

  The microscopes shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are biological microscopes, in which the sample stage does not rotate and the gears are considerably increased. Further, the conventional product uses the force of the spring coil to advance in one direction with an electromagnetic switch, and is manual in the Y-axis direction. When arriving at the X-axis limiter, it was necessary to manually pull the spring coil. The selection of the step interval between the X-axis and the Y-axis is limited, and the combination thereof requires skill.

  In view of such a point, the present invention can be easily mounted on a rotary stage, can easily move a sample plate in combination in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and can be manufactured at a low cost. And it aims at providing a polarizing microscope provided with the same.

  The present invention relates to a polarizing microscope mechanical stage for moving a sample plate in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, an outer box fixed to a rotary stage by a fixing means, and an outer box housed in the outer box. A slider that slides in the axial direction, an X-axis step motor that is attached to the outer box and moves the screw extending in the X-axis direction to drive the slider in the X-axis direction, and is placed on the slider and moves with the slider A Y-axis step motor that moves a screw extending in the Y-axis direction, and a sample plate that is placed on the slider and moves with the slider. The Y-axis step motor moves the Y-axis step in the Y-axis direction. There is provided a mechanical stage for a polarizing microscope, comprising: a sample holder that is driven to drive a sample plate in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

  In the polarization microscope according to the present invention, the slider further includes two members connected by two rods in a parallel arrangement and a separation arrangement, and one member is slid by an X-axis step motor. A mechanical stage is provided.

  The present invention further provides a mechanical stage for a polarizing microscope, characterized in that the slider has a storage portion for storing a convex sliding portion integrated with the other member and provided on the sample holder.

  According to the present invention, the polarization is characterized in that the outer box is further provided with a measuring part indicating the sliding amount of the slider in the X-axis direction, and a measuring part indicating the sliding amount of the sample holder in the Y-axis direction. A mechanical stage for a microscope is provided.

  The present invention is further characterized in that it comprises the above-mentioned polarizing microscope mechanical stage, and further comprises a movement drive device comprising an X-axis step motor and a Y-axis step motor for moving the slider in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. A polarizing microscope is provided.

  According to the present invention, the sample plate can be easily mounted on the rotation stage, and the sample plate can be easily combined and moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction without being affected by the rotation (without disturbing the rotation) It is possible to provide a polarizing microscope mechanical stage that can be manufactured at low cost and a polarizing microscope including the same.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a polarizing microscope that is an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a polarizing microscope, and the polarizing microscope 100 includes a concave mirror or light source 3 on a base 2 as is well known, and includes an objective lens 4, an eyepiece lens 5, a polarizing plate 7, a handle 8, and The rotary stage 6 has a mechanical stage 200 mounted thereon. The connector 23 of the mechanical stage 200 is connected to the computer 300 via the control box 400 by the wiring 9. By connecting the mechanical stage 200 to the control box 400 and the computer 300, the operation of the mechanical stage 200 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is performed on the computer 300 and the dial and switch (1A, 1B, 1C) of the control box 400. You will be able to control.
The control box 400 includes an X-axis step interval setting dial 1B, a Y-axis step interval setting dial 1C, and an origin return switch 1A.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing components constituting the mechanical stage 200.
As shown in FIG. 2, the mechanical stage 200 includes an outer box 21, a fixed plate 22, a connector 23, a slider 24, an X-axis step motor 25, a Y-axis step motor 26, and a sample holder 27.

  The outer box 21 is formed in a box shape having no bottom portion by the upper plate 28 and the side plates 30 and 31, and the side facing the side plate 31 is opened. A screw hole 38 is provided in the central portion of the upper plate 28, and a screw 81 is engaged, that is, meshed with the screw hole 38. In addition, a measurement hole 33 drilled in the X-axis direction is provided on the upper surface 28, and a measurement line 32 is provided along the edge of the measurement hole 33. It is composed. The side plate 31 is provided with an attachment hole 34 for attaching the connector 23, an attachment hole 35 for attachment to the X-axis step motor 25, and a passage hole 36 through which a pin 94 inserted and exited by the X-axis step motor 25 passes. Note that wiring holes are omitted.

  The fixing plate 22 has a metal cube shape and is provided with two holes 41 and 42 on the left and right sides. The fixed plate 22 may be formed in a box shape as a fixed box. The inner diameters of the holes 41 and 42 are larger than the diameters of rods 44 and 45 to be described later, and the inside is filled with oil, and rods 44 and 45 of the slider 24 to be described later and a film placed on the rods. An oil damper is formed together with 55 and 56. The upper plate and the lower plate of the fixing plate 22 have screw holes 37 into which screws 81 are engaged. The fixing plate 22 has holes or protrusions for detecting the X-axis direction sliding limit of the slider 24 and the sample holder 27, which will be described later, and the Y-axis direction origin, but they are omitted.

  The connector 23 has an electrical connection portion 43 for connection to the control box 400 and is attached to the attachment hole 34 described above.

  The slider 24 includes two members, that is, members 46 and 47 connected in parallel and spaced apart by two rods 44 and 45. On the two rods 44 and 45, films 55 and 56 constituting an oil damper portion are respectively placed. The member 46 has a plate shape, and a screw hole 48 into which a screw 61 of a later-described pin 94 that is put in and out by the X-axis step motor 25 is engaged is provided in a part thereof. The member 47 includes a plate-like portion 49 and a storage portion 50 formed integrally with the plate-like portion 49. The plate-like portion 49 and the storage portion 50 may be integrally formed, or may be manufactured separately and integrated.

The storage portion 50 also protrudes outward from the plate-like portion 49, the lower end is opened, a guide portion 52 is formed on the lower surface 51, and a measurement line 54 is provided on the inner surface 53. The measurement line 54 constitutes another measurement unit 102 together with a measurement line 73 provided on the sample holder 27 described later.
On the upper surface of the plate-like portion 49, a measurement line 55 is provided in the Y-axis direction. The sliding amount of the slider 24 in the X-axis direction can be understood from the measurement line 55 and the measurement line 32 of the outer box 21.

The X-axis step motor 25 rotates the motor shaft. The X-axis stepping motor 25 includes an integrally engaged driving body 91, and a screw 92 that does not rotate in the direction of the slider 24 is provided at the center of the driving body 91. The screw 92 moves back and forth in the direction of the slider 24 as the X-axis step motor 25 rotates. A connector 93 is provided at the tip of the screw 92 and a stop pin 94 is provided. The fixing pin 94 is provided with a screw 61, and a locking structure is formed by the engagement of the screw 61 and the screw hole 48 as described above. As described above, a screw driving device is configured between the motor shaft and the screw 61.
The X-axis step motor 25 is arranged so as to move the slider 24 in the X-axis direction, and is attached to an attachment hole 35 provided in the outer box 21. The screw 61 may be rotated to engage with a screw hole 48 provided in the slider 24 to move the slider 24 in the X-axis direction.
The step motor is an electric motor used for positioning control, etc., both the stator and rotor have salient pole structures, and when the current is passed through the stator windings in order and excited, the motor rotates by a predetermined angle, for example, If it is 360p / r, it is known as a motor that can be rotated only once when excited once. In this embodiment, for example, a step motor (DRL20PB1-02) manufactured by Oriental Motor Co., Ltd. can be used as the step motor.

    Similar to the X-axis step motor 25, the Y-axis step motor 26 includes a drive body 95, a screw 96, a connector 97, and a pin 98 provided with a screw 62, and allows the pin 98 to be moved in and out. The Y-axis step motor 26 is fixed to the slider 24 by fixing means (not shown).

  Accordingly, when the X-axis step motor 25 moves the slider 24, the Y-axis step motor 26 moves in the X-axis direction as an integrated object. When the Y-axis stepping motor 26 rotates the motor shaft by a predetermined angle, the pin 98 is moved in and out by a predetermined amount in the Y-axis direction.

  The sample holder 27 includes an L-shaped support plate 75 and a member 71 that rotates to sandwich the sample. A notch 76 is provided on the inner side surface of the L-shaped support plate. The sample plate 90 (FIG. 6) is inserted therein, and the sample plate 90 is fixed by sandwiching with the member 71. Furthermore, the support plate 75 with a guide receiving portion of the sample holder 27 has a convex sliding portion 72, a guide receiving portion 74 in the Y-axis direction, and a measurement line 73 in the X-axis direction. The sliding portion 72 is provided with a screw hole 76 with which the screw 62 of the pin 98 that is put in and out by the Y-axis step motor 26 is engaged. The guide receiving portion 74 slides the sample holder 27 in the Y-axis direction by engaging with the guide portion 52. From the measurement line 73 and the measurement line 54, the sliding amount of the sample holder 27 in the Y-axis direction is known.

  When the X-axis step motor 25 moves the slider 24, the sample holder 27 is integrated with the slider 24 by the guide portions 52 and 74, and therefore moves together with the slider 24 in the X-axis direction. The Y-axis step motor 26 moves the sample holder 27 in the Y-axis direction along the guide portions 52 and 74 by causing the pin 98 to enter and exit and engaging with the screw hole 76 of the sliding portion 72. Therefore, the sample holder 27 is moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by the X-axis step motor 25 and the Y-axis step motor 26. As a result, the operations in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are combined. The X-axis step motor 25 and the Y-axis step motor 26 constitute a movement drive device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of the mechanical stage 200.
FIG. 3A is a plan view of the mechanical stage 200 in which the outer box 21, the fixing plate 22, the connector 23, the slider 24, the X-axis step motor 25, the Y-axis step motor 26 and the sample holder 27 are assembled.
FIG. 3B is a side view of the mechanical stage 200.
In these drawings, a connector 23 and an X-axis step motor 25 are fixed to the X-axis direction side plate 31 of the outer box 21. A measurement hole 33 drilled in the X-axis direction is provided on the upper surface of the outer box 21, a measurement line 32 is provided along the edge of the measurement punching, and the measurement unit 101 is configured together with the measurement line 55 provided on the slider 24. is doing. The sliding amount of the slider 24 in the X-axis direction can be understood from the measurement line 55 and the measurement line 32 of the outer box 21.
The fixing plate 22 has a metal cube shape and has two holes 41 and 42 on the left and right sides, and constitutes an oil damper together with the left and right holes 41 and 42 and the rods 44 and 45 of the slider 24. The movement of the
The measurement line 54 constitutes the measurement unit 102 together with the measurement line 73 provided on the sample holder 27, and the amount of sliding of the sample holder 27 in the Y-axis direction is known.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing the relationship between the slider 24 and the X-axis step motor 25. The X axis step motor 25 moves the slider 24 in the X axis direction by moving the pin 94 in and out as determined by the control box 400. At this time, the slider 24 moves in the X-axis direction together with the Y-axis step motor 26 and the sample holder 27.
FIG. 4B is a diagram showing the relationship between the sample holder 27 and the Y-axis step motor 26. The Y-axis step motor 26 moves the sample holder 27 in the Y-axis direction by moving the pin 98 in and out as determined by the control box 400. By driving the Y-axis step motor 26, only the sample holder 27 moves in the Y-axis direction.

FIG. 5 is a movement diagram of the slider 24 and the sample holder 27 of the mechanical stage 200.
FIG. 5A is a diagram at the origin of the sample holder 24. The measuring units 101 and 102 indicating the sliding amount of the slider 24 and the sample holder of the outer box 21 indicate the origin.
FIG. 5B is a diagram in which the sample holder 27 is moved from the origin in the X-axis direction. The X axis step motor 25 moves the slider 24 in the X axis direction by moving the pin 94 in and out as determined by the control box 400. At this time, the slider 24 moves in the X-axis direction together with the Y-axis step motor 26 and the sample holder 27. At this time, the Y-axis step motor 26 does not operate, but may be moved simultaneously. The measuring unit 101 that indicates the sliding amount of the slider 24 of the outer box 21 indicates a value of the moving amount. The measuring unit indicating the sliding amount 102 of the sample holder of the outer box 21 indicates the moving amount.
FIG. 5C shows the sample holder 27 moved from the origin in the Y-axis direction. The Y-axis step motor 26 moves the sample holder 27 in the Y-axis direction by moving the pin 98 in and out as determined by the control box 400. Only the sample holder 27 moves in the Y-axis direction. The measuring unit 101 that indicates the sliding amount of the slider 24 of the outer box 21 indicates the amount of movement. The measuring unit 102 indicating the sliding amount of the sample holder of the outer box 21 indicates the value of the moving amount.

FIG. 6 is a step diagram of the observation point of the sample 90 as the sample holder 27 moves in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Hereinafter, it will be described with reference to FIG.
The mechanical stage 200 is set on the rotary stage 6 and fixed with screws 81.
The wiring 9 from the control box 400 is connected to the mechanical stage 200.
The sample plate 90 is set on the sample holder 27.
The computer 300 and the control box 400 are wired 9.
The control box 400 is turned on.
The X-axis step interval and Y-axis step interval of the control box 400 are set using the setting dials (1B, 1C).
The origin return button (1A) of the control box 400 moves the X and Y axis positions of the slider 24 and the sample holder 27 to the origin.

Turn on the computer 300 and launch a mineral number measurement program. The mineral count program consists of the desired total number of measurements, the number of each mineral, and the total number of measurements. (S100 and S101)
Enter the desired total count into the mineral count program. At the same time, each mineral is assigned to the numeric keypad of the computer 300. For example, the desired total number is 2000, gold is key 1, iron is key 2, and so on. (S102 and S103)
Start measurement. After identifying the mineral of the sample 90 under the polarizing microscope 100, the designated numeric keypad for the mineral is input. For example, when iron can be identified with the polarizing microscope 100, the key 2 is input. (S104)
With the input, 1 is added to the number of minerals identified on the mineral number measurement program. The total number of measurements is incremented by 1. For example, in the case of iron, when iron is 3 and the total number of measurements is 5, when key 2 is entered, the total number of irons becomes 4 and the total number of measurements becomes 6 (S105).
At the same time, the X-axis step interval of the control box 400 of the mechanical stage 200 is advanced by one step at the interval specified by the dial 1B. (S106)
Minerals are identified again at the next stop point under the polarizing microscope 100. (S104)
When the X-axis movement of the sample holder 27 reaches the X limit position of the X-axis step motor, the control box 400 moves in the Y-axis direction by one step at the Y-axis interval specified by the Y-axis step interval dial 1C. The sliding direction of the next slider 24 is set in the reverse direction (S106).
By repeating this, the measurement trajectory of the sample plate 90 moves in a zigzag manner as shown in FIG. (S106)
When the desired total number of measurements is reached, the computer 300 issues an end message and ends the measurement. (S107)

The mineral count measurement program displays the total number of measurements and the number of each mineral, and calculates the content of each mineral by dividing the number of each mineral from the total number of measurements. (S108)
Output data results to a file. (S109)
According to this example, the mineral volume ratio in the rock flakes can be statistically analyzed. By this analysis, rocks can be classified and the elemental content can be estimated. The mechanical stage 200 can be stepped at regular intervals in the X-axis and Y-axis directions by stepping motors 25 and 26 mounted on the rotary stage 6 of the polarization microscope. The movement switch can be operated from the numeric keypad on the computer 300. The mechanical stage 200 is designed to be compact and does not hinder the rotation of the rotary stage 6. Since the sample holder 27 is driven by the direct drive in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, a highly accurate step width can be guaranteed. Since the X-axis and Y-axis move independently, there are various step width selections, and the selection operation is easy. The measurement information is displayed on the computer 300, and the measurement is automatically terminated when a certain total number is reached. The data can be immediately processed as digital data on the computer 300. Since the drive mechanism is simple and input is performed from the numeric keypad of the computer 300, maintenance is easy with few failures.

1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a component diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. The top view (FIG. 3 (a)) and side view (FIG. 3 (b)) of the Example of this invention. The figure which shows the slider movement by the X-axis step motor of the Example of this invention (FIG. 4 (a)), The figure which shows the sample holder movement by a Y-axis step motor (FIG.4 (b)). FIG. 5 is an operation diagram of the embodiment of the present invention, an origin diagram (FIG. 5A), an X-axis direction movement diagram (FIG. 5B), and a Y-axis direction movement diagram (FIG. 5C). The step figure of the observation point of the Example of this invention. The flowchart of the Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  100 ... Polarizing microscope, 200 ... Mechanical stage, 300 ... Computer, 400 ... Control box, 6 ... Rotary stage, 21 ... Outer box, 22 ... Fixed plate, 23 ... Connector, 24 ... Slider, 25 ... X-axis step motor, 26 ... Y-axis step motor, 27 ... sample holder, 90 ... sample plate.

Claims (5)

In the polarization microscope mechanical stage that moves the sample plate in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction,
An outer box that is fixed to the rotary stage by a fixing means, a slider that is housed in the outer box and that slides in the X-axis direction, and a screw that is attached to the outer box and extends in the X-axis direction is moved. An X-axis step motor that drives the slider in the X-axis direction, a Y-axis step motor that is placed on the slider and moves with the slider, and moves a screw extending in the Y-axis direction, and a sample plate, A sample holder mounted on the slider and moved together with the slider, driven by a Y-axis step motor in the Y-axis direction to drive the sample plate in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction;
A mechanical stage for a polarizing microscope, comprising:   2. The polarization microscope mechanical according to claim 1, wherein the slider is composed of two members connected by two rods in a parallel arrangement and a separation arrangement, and one member is moved by an X-axis step motor. stage.   3. The polarizing microscope mechanical stage according to claim 2, wherein the slider has a storage portion for storing a convex sliding portion integrated with the other member and provided on the sample holder.   2. The polarizing microscope according to claim 1, wherein the outer box is formed with a measuring portion indicating the sliding amount of the slider in the X-axis direction and a measuring portion indicating the sliding amount of the sample holder in the Y-axis direction. Mechanical stage.   A moving drive device comprising an X-axis step motor and a Y-axis step motor that includes the mechanical stage for a polarizing microscope according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and that moves a slider in an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction. A polarizing microscope characterized by comprising.

Images