JP4854869B2 - Microscope thermal insulation device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a microscope heat retention device that enables observation in a state in which a specimen such as a culture vessel attached to a microscope such as an inverted microscope is set at a desired temperature.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as this type of heat insulating device for a microscope, a heat insulating structure technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 8-114750 and 9-21960 is known.
[0003]
In such a heat insulation structure technology, both of the heat insulation boxes are formed by the first and second box halves obtained by dividing the box into two, and the heat insulation box is included in the microscope main body installed on the base. Attach to the base. Then, a warm air fan device arranged outside is connected to the heat insulation box, and the warm air is supplied from the hot air fan device, and a specimen such as a culture vessel placed on a stage accommodated in the warm air fan device. Is controlled to a desired temperature. At this time, the hot air supplied into the heat insulation box is circulated in the heat insulation box and then exhausted to the outside through a gap formed between the microscope body.
[0004]
The warm air fan device supplies a predetermined warm air to the inside of the heat insulation box based on the temperature inside the heat insulation box, thereby controlling the temperature inside the heat insulation box to be substantially constant.
[0005]
However, in any of the above-described microscope heat-retaining devices, the temperature of the sample placed on the stage of the microscope main body can be set to be substantially constant, but is thermally coupled to the surrounding site including the stage. Due to the state in which the bases are exposed to the outside air, a temperature difference occurs between them, and a temperature gradient is generated in the surrounding area including the stage. When this temperature gradient occurs, there is a problem in that thermal deformation occurs in surrounding parts including stages made of different materials, and the working distance of the imaging objective lens changes to cause defocusing.
[0006]
In particular, since the microscope system has a configuration that continues observation at a high magnification, when performing long-time measurement called so-called time-lapse measurement, the working distance of the imaging objective lens is increased with the passage of time. Defocus due to change is one of the issues in realizing high-precision observation.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, the conventional microscope heat retention device has a problem of causing a focus shift due to thermal deformation.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a microscope thermal insulation device that can realize a highly reliable and highly accurate observation after simplifying the configuration and realizing diversification of usage forms. The purpose is to provide.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention, in the periphery of the inverted microscope main body, at least stage a handle, while exposing the operation section including a handle for Reborubagaido, you shield the outside side thermal of the inverted microscope main body is externally A first heat insulation box and an outer periphery of the base of the inverted microscope main body that is an exposed portion that is not provided in the first heat insulating box, and the exposed portion including the base is located outside the inverted microscope main body. And a second heat insulation box that thermally shields the microscope.
[0010]
According to the above configuration, the inside of the first heat insulating box is thermally controlled by the supplied warm air, and the surroundings of the microscope main body are set to a desired temperature. At the same time, the second heat insulation box covers the operation unit and the base of the microscope main body, cuts off the thermal coupling with the outside world, and minimizes the temperature gradient of the exposed portion exposed from the first heat insulation box of the microscope main body. Set to the limit. As a result, while maintaining the microscope body at a desired temperature, thermal deformation of the operation unit and base of the microscope body is prevented, and highly reliable and highly accurate observation operations that prevent focus deviation due to thermal deformation are possible. Become.
[0011]
Moreover, this invention comprised so that the 2nd heat insulation box might be connected with the 1st heat insulation box so that separation | detachment was possible.
[0012]
According to the above-described configuration, a usage mode that realizes effective use of the peripheral space in which only the first heat insulation box is assembled, and a focus shift in which both the first heat insulation box and the first heat insulation box are assembled are prevented. It is possible to realize usage forms and diversify the usage forms.
[0013]
Further, according to the present invention, the first heat insulation box is further provided with an openable communication window for communicating with the second heat insulation box.
[0014]
According to the above configuration, the first heat insulation box and the second heat insulation box are communicated with each other via the communication window by opening the communication window, and the second heat insulation box is also in the first heat insulation box. The heating control is performed in substantially the same manner. Thereby, the environmental temperature in the 1st and 2nd heat insulation box can be equalize | homogenized, and also prevention of a thermal deformation can be aimed at.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
FIG. 1 shows a heat retention device for a microscope according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is formed of, for example, first and second heat retention boxes 10 and 11 each having a substantially box shape made of an acrylic resin.
[0017]
Among these, the first heat insulation box 10 is externally mounted and thermally connected to the outside side in a state where at least the operation unit, for example, the stage handle 13 and the revolver guide handle 14 are exposed around the inverted microscope body 12. Shield. On the other hand, the second heat insulating box 11 is externally mounted on the periphery of the base 15 that is an exposed portion that is not housed in the first heat insulating box 10 of the inverted microscope body 12, and the exposed portion including the base 15 is externally provided. Thermally shielded from the side.
[0018]
The first heat retaining box 10 is formed of, for example, first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 having a bottomed cylindrical shape obtained by vertically dividing a substantially cubic box body into two. The first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 have their cut surfaces (opening side) hermetically contacting the periphery of the base 15 of the inverted microscope main body 12 and the intermediate portion of the support column 16. Are notched into a predetermined shape. Of these, in the second upper box half 102, an operation handle insertion notch 102 a is formed corresponding to the stage handle 13 and the revolver guide handle 14 of the inverted microscope body 12.
[0019]
Accordingly, when the first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 are covered so as to cover the inverted microscope main body 12 by the cutout shape of the cut surface, a stage on which a specimen (not shown) is placed. For example, the base 13, the lens barrel 17, and a part of the support column 16 are partly connected to each other while maintaining a desired airtightness in a state in which the vicinity of 16 is installed.
[0020]
At the same time, the stage handle 13 and the revolver guide handle 14 disposed in the inverted microscope main body 12 are inserted into the cutout portion 102a of the second upper box half 102, and exposed to the outside so as to be operable. Is done. At this time, the optical system 18 and the condenser 19 disposed on the column 16 are exposed to the outside of the first and second upper box halves 101 and 102, and the condenser 19 is the first. And in the second upper box halves 101, 102.
[0021]
The first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 are provided with a plurality of mounting holes 101b and 102b corresponding to the plurality of screw holes 151 provided in the base 15, as shown in FIG. A screw member (not shown) is screwed into the screw hole 151 of the base 15 and assembled to the base 15 using the mounting holes 101b and 102b.
[0022]
Further, the first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 are engaging levers that form pairs as engaging mechanisms at a plurality of locations on the front side, the back side, and the side surface near the cut surface (opening side). 20 and engaging claws 21 are provided correspondingly. The engaging lever 20 and the engaging claw 21 are engaged with the engaging lever 20 to engage with or release the engaging claw 21, whereby the first and second upper box half bodies 101 are engaged. , 102 merging or merging is realized.
[0023]
Further, the first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 are each provided with an openable / closable door 22 on the wall surface on the front side thereof so as to be freely opened and closed. The open / close door 22 maintains a desired airtightness in the closed state, and in the open state, various operations inside the box with the first heat insulating box 10 assembled to the inverted microscope main body 12, for example, the capacitor 19 The objective lens revolver 23 is adjusted, and a sample (not shown) is taken in and out.
[0024]
Further, the second upper box half 102 is connected to the intake nozzle of the hot air fan device 25 at a predetermined position located above the stage 24 of the inverted microscope body 12 as shown in FIG. 3, for example. The pipe line 251 is connected. The warm air fan device 25 has a signal input terminal connected to, for example, an output terminal of a temperature sensor (not shown) provided in the second upper box half body 102 via a connection cable 252. Based on the detection signal (not shown), the desired warm air is supplied through the conduit 251 so as to ensure the desired temperature in the first heat insulating box 10.
[0025]
The first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 are provided with communication windows 26 and 26 on the wall surfaces serving as the bottom surfaces thereof. The communication windows 26 and 26 are provided with closing doors 27 and 27, for example, screws. Each member 28 is detachably attached (see FIG. 2). As a result, the first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 form an air passage with the second heat insulating box 11 through the communication windows 26 and 26 in a state where the closing doors 27 and 27 are detached. To communicate with each other.
[0026]
On the other hand, the second heat insulation box 11 is formed of, for example, first and second lower box halves 111 and 112 having a shape in which a bottomed cylindrical box body is divided into two vertically from the open side. The first and second lower box halves 111 and 112 are formed such that the lower side of the cut surface is cut out in a predetermined shape corresponding to the lower end peripheral part of the base 15, and the peripheral end on the open side is the above The first and second upper box halves 101, 102 are assembled in contact with the wall surface provided with the mounting holes 101b, 102b.
[0027]
As a result, the second heat insulation box 11 includes a revolver base 29, a revolver guide 30, a pin-on 31, a rack 32, and a pin-on revolver guide that constitute a revolver drive system disposed in the base 15 as shown in FIG. The cover 14 and the stage handle 13 are covered, and the heat release from the revolver base 29, the revolver guide 30, the pinion 31, the rack 32, the pin-on revolver guide handle 14 and the stage handle 13 is reduced to the outside. Regulates the internal flow of outside air from the outside.
[0028]
That is, the first and second lower box halves 111 and 112 are provided with a plurality of pairs of engaging levers 33 and engaging claws 34 corresponding to the engaging mechanism on their cut surfaces. The engaging lever 33 and the engaging claw 34 are engaged with the engaging lever 33 to engage with or release the engaging claw 34, so that the first and second lower box half bodies 111 are engaged. , 112 can be combined or separated.
[0029]
Also, between the open-side peripheral portion of the first and second lower box halves 111 and 112 and the wall surface where the mounting holes 101b and 102b of the first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 are provided. Engaging levers 35 and engaging claws 36 forming a pair as an engaging mechanism are provided at a plurality of locations correspondingly. The engaging lever 35 and the engaging claw 36 are engaged with the engaging lever 35 to engage or disengage the engaging claw 36, so that the first heat insulating box 10 and the second heat insulating box 36 are engaged. Combined coupling or separation with the box 11 is realized.
[0030]
In the above configuration, in the first usage pattern in which only the first heat insulating box 10 is used, the first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 of the first heat insulating box 10 are connected to the engaging lever 20. Operate to detach from the engaging claw 21 and divide into two. Next, in this divided state, the mounting holes 101b, 102b of the first and second upper box halves 101, 102 are made to face the screw holes 151 of the base 15, and the screw members (not shown) are provided from the inside thereof. ) Are inserted into the mounting holes 101b and 102b and screwed into the screw holes 151 of the base 15 to be fixed to the base 15 as shown in FIG.
[0031]
At this time, the inverted microscope main body 12 has its column 16 and lens barrel 17 extended to the outside by the cutout shape of the opening side of the first and second upper box halves 101 and 102, and its stage. The handle 13 and the revolver guide handle 14 are operably extended from the notch 102a of the second upper box half 102 to the outside (see FIG. 4). In this first usage pattern, for example, observation is performed without any risk of measurement error due to defocus due to thermal deformation. As described above, the open / close doors 22 of the first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 are opened. And the desired preparation is performed from the opening.
[0032]
And the pipe 251 connected to the supply nozzle of the warm air fan device 25 is connected to the warm air supply port of the second upper box half body 102, and the observation preparation is completed. Here, the warm air fan device 25 is driven, and warm air is supplied to the first heat retaining box 10 from the warm air fan device 25. Thereby, in the first heat retaining box 10, the warm air from the warm air fan device 25 is internally circulated, the internal temperature environment is set to a desired temperature, and the desired observation is performed. In this first usage pattern, observation is performed using the space around the base 15 sufficiently.
[0033]
And in this 1st usage pattern, the warm air supplied in the 1st heat insulation box 10 from the warm air fan apparatus 25 is the gap | interval of this 1st heat insulation box itself 10, an inverted microscope main body 12, and By exhausting to the outside due to a gap generated between the base 15 and the base 15, internal circulation in the first heat insulation box 10 is performed.
[0034]
Further, in the second usage pattern in which the observation over a long period of time, such as time-price measurement, which is likely to be out of focus, is performed, the first heat insulating box 10 is assembled as described above. First, the engaging lever 33 that combines the first and second lower box halves 111 and 112 of the second heat retaining box 11 is detached and separated from the engaging claws 34 to be separated.
[0035]
In this separated state, the first and second lower box halves 111 and 112 are assembled so as to cover the base 15 located on the lower side of the first holding box 10, and the engaging lever 33 is moved. Coupling is performed by engaging the engaging claw 34 with the engaging operation. Here, the second heat insulation box 11 arranged so as to surround the base 15 is connected to the engaging lever 35 of the first and second lower box halves 111 and 112 of the first heat insulation box 10. The first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 are engaged with and engaged with the engaging claws 36 so as to be engaged with the engaging claws 35 so as to be detached from the first heat insulating box 10. Combined as possible.
[0036]
At this time, in the first heat retaining box 10, the closing door 27 is detached from the communication windows 26 of the first and second upper box halves 101 and 102, and the communication window 26 is opened. Here, the insides of the first and second heat insulation boxes 10 and 11 are communicated with each other through the communication window 26, and the hot air fan device 25 is driven as described above to drive the warm air through the conduit 251. When the wind is supplied into the first heat insulation box 10, the warm air is circulated through the communication window 26 inside each other.
[0037]
In this second usage pattern, the warm air supplied from the warm air fan device 25 into the first heat insulation box 10 is caused by the gap between the first and second heat insulation boxes 10 and 11 itself, or the inverted type inverted. The internal circulation in the first and second heat insulation boxes 10 and 11 is performed by exhausting to the outside due to the gap formed between the main body 12 and the base 15.
[0038]
In the assembled state of the first and second heat insulation boxes 10 and 11, as shown in FIG. 4, the first heat insulation box 10 includes the stage 24, the objective lens 231, and the stage 24 constituting the inverted microscope body 12. The objective lens revolver 23 and the frame 37 are accommodated, and the second heat insulation box 11 includes a revolver base 29, a revolver guide 30, a pinion 31, a rack 32, and a pin constituting a revolver driving system disposed in the base 10. The on-revolver guide handle 14 and the stage handle 13 are accommodated. Here, the second heat insulation box 11 shields the revolver base 29, the revolver guide 30, the pinion 31, the rack 32, the revolver guide handle 14 and the stage handle 13 from the outside air, and suppresses the generation of the temperature gradient. To prevent thermal deformation. Thereby, the focus determined by the stage 24, the frame 37, the objective lens 231 and the objective lens revolver 23 accommodated in the first heat retaining box 10 can be maintained in the initial state.
[0039]
As described above, the microscope warming device is the first warming box 10 to which warm air is supplied, and the inverted microscope body 12 mounted on the base 15 is replaced with the stage handle 13 and the revolver guide handle 14. The base 15 including the stage handle 13 and the revolver guide handle 14 of the inverted microscope main body 12 is externally covered with the second heat insulating box 11.
[0040]
According to this, the inside of the first heat insulating box 10 is thermally controlled by the supplied hot air to set the periphery of the inverted microscope main body 12 to a desired temperature, and the second heat insulating box 11 is The stage handle 13, the revolver guide handle 14 and the base 15 of the inverted microscope body 12 are covered and the thermal coupling with the outside is blocked, and the stage handle 13, the revolver guide handle 14 and the base of the inverted microscope body 12 are blocked. By setting the temperature environment of the table 15 to be substantially constant, the temperature of the stage handle 13, the revolver guide handle 14, and the base 15 of the inverted microscope body 12 is maintained while keeping the inverted microscope body 12 at a desired temperature. The gradient is reduced and its thermal deformation is prevented. This prevents a focus shift due to thermal deformation during observation and enables highly reliable and highly accurate observation operation.
[0041]
Further, the second heat insulation box 11 is configured to be detachably connected to the first heat insulation box 10. According to this, the 1st usage form which implement | achieves the effective utilization of the surrounding space which assembled | attached only the 1st heat retention box 10, and both the 1st heat retention box 10 and the 1st heat retention box 11 were assembled | attached. It is possible to realize the second usage pattern in which the focus shift is prevented, and it is possible to realize diversification of the usage pattern after realizing highly accurate observation.
[0042]
According to this, for example, in the second usage pattern described above, the inside of the first heat insulation box 10 is maintained at a desired temperature by detaching the second heat insulation box 11 from the first heat insulation box 10. In addition, the culture state of the specimen being observed can be maintained, and favorable observation conditions can be executed without affecting the observation performance of the microscope body.
[0043]
Further, a communication window 26 for communicating with the second heat insulation box 11 is provided in the first and second upper box halves 101, 102 of the first heat insulation box 10, and selective through the closed door 27. It was configured to block. According to this, by removing the closed door 27 from the communication window 26, the first heat insulation box 10 and the second heat insulation box 11 are communicated with each other via the communication window 26, and the second heat insulation box 11 is heated and controlled in substantially the same manner as in the first heat insulation box 10, so that the environmental temperature in the first and second heat insulation boxes 10 and 11 can be made uniform, and further, thermal deformation can be prevented. I can plan.
[0044]
In the above embodiment, the case where the warm air supplied to the first heat retaining box 10 is configured to be naturally circulated has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, forced circulation fan as shown in FIG. It is also possible to arrange the fan 40 in the first heat insulation box 10 and use the blower fan 40 to forcibly circulate hot air. However, in FIG. 6, for the sake of convenience, the same parts as those in FIGS. 1 to 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0045]
That is, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, a plurality of fan mounting hooks 41 corresponding to the communication windows are provided inside the first and second upper box halves 101 and 102 constituting the first heat retaining box 10. The blower fan 40 is attached to these fan attachment hooks 41 using attachment members 42 provided at predetermined intervals. The blower fan 40 is driven and controlled via a controller (not shown) when hot air is supplied into the first heat insulation box 10 via the pipe 251 of the hot air fan device 25. Thereby, the ventilation fan 40 forcibly circulates and guides the warm air supplied to the first heat retaining box 10 in the first usage pattern described above, and sets the internal environment temperature substantially uniformly.
[0046]
And in the said 2nd usage pattern, the ventilation fan 40 is as shown to the arrow in FIG. 6 through the one communicating window 26 by the warm air supplied in the 1st heat insulation box 10 from the warm air fan apparatus. Forcibly circulate in the second heat insulation box 11 and forcibly guide the hot air guided to the second heat insulation box 11 to the first heat insulation box 10 through the other communication window 26, It operates so as to set the environmental temperature in the first and second heat insulation boxes 10 and 11 to be substantially constant.
[0047]
In the embodiment of FIG. 6 described above, a case has been described where a plurality of blower fans 40 are arranged in the first heat insulation box 10 and the hot air is forcedly circulated. Instead, one blower fan 40 may be arranged in the first heat retaining box 10 and forcedly circulated.
[0048]
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although demonstrated when the 1st and 2nd heat insulation box 10 and 11 were each comprised for forming in 2 divisions, it is not restricted to this division number, and it is divided into 2 or more divisions It is also possible to configure so as to form numbers.
[0049]
Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to an inverted microscope has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to an upright microscope, and substantially the same effect is expected.
[0050]
Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention at the stage of implementation. Further, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements.
[0051]
For example, even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment, the problems described in the column of problems to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effects described in the effects of the invention can be obtained. In some cases, a configuration from which this configuration requirement is deleted can be extracted as an invention.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, there is provided a heat retention device for a microscope that can realize a highly reliable and highly accurate observation while simplifying the configuration and realizing diversification of usage patterns. can do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an essential part of a heat retention device for a microscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the first heat insulating box and the inverted microscope main body of FIG. 1 in an exploded manner.
3 is a configuration diagram showing a state in which the first and second heat insulation boxes in FIG. 1 are assembled to an inverted microscope main body. FIG.
4 is a configuration diagram showing a part of the first and second heat insulation boxes in FIG. 1 in an assembled state.
FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram shown for explaining a first usage pattern of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a main part of a microscope heat retention device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
10: First heat insulation box.
101 ... first upper box half.
101b: Mounting hole.
102 ... Second upper box half.
102a ... Notch part.
102b ... Mounting hole.
11 ... 2nd heat insulation box.
111 ... first lower box half.
112 ... Second lower box half.
12 ... Inverted microscope body.
13 ... Stage handle.
14 ... Revolver guide handle.
15 ... Base.
151: Screw holes.
16 ... A strut.
17 ... A lens barrel.
18: Optical system.
19: Capacitor.
20 ... Engaging lever.
21 ... The nail.
22 ... Opening / closing door.
23: Objective lens revolver.
231 ... Objective lens.
24 ... Stage.
25 ... A warm air fan device.
251 ... pipeline.
252 ... Connection cable.
26 ... Communication window.
27 ... Closed door.
28: Screw member.
29… Revolver stand.
30 ... Revolver guide.
31 ... Pinion.
32 ... rack.
33, 35 ... Engaging lever.
34, 36 ... Claws.
37 ... Frame.
40 ... A blower fan.
41 ... Fan mounting hook.
42: Mounting member.

Claims (6)

Around portions of the inverted microscope main body, at least stage a handle, while exposing the operation section including a handle for Reborubagaido, first insulation you shielded from external side thermal of the inverted microscope main body is externally A box,
A first shield that is externally mounted on the periphery of the base of the inverted microscope main body, which is an exposed portion that is not mounted in the first heat insulation box, and that shields the exposed portion including the base from the outside of the inverted microscope main body; A heat insulating device for a microscope, comprising: 2 heat insulating boxes. The first heat insulation box is formed of bottomed cylindrical first and second upper box halves obtained by vertically dividing a substantially cubic box body into two, and the first and second upper boxes. base surrounding portion of the opening-side cut surface the inverted microscope main body of the box halves, and that you have formed-out so notched as to abut in an airtight manner relative to the intermediate portion of the installed struts to said base The microscope thermal insulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The second heat insulation box is formed of first and second lower box halves having a shape in which a bottomed cylindrical box body is divided into two vertically from the open side. The lower side of the cut surface of the lower box half is notched to correspond to the lower periphery of the base of the inverted microscope main body, and the open side peripheral ends of the first and second lower box halves are first and second in contact with the wall surface of the upper box half body, characterized in Rukoto assembled in claim 1 Symbol placement microscope insulation device. 4. The microscope heat retaining device according to claim 1, wherein the second heat retaining box is detachably connected to the first heat retaining box. The first heat insulation box has a freely openable communication window for communicating with the second heat insulation box.
The microscope thermal insulation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: Warm air is blown into the first heat insulation box and the second heat insulation box through the communication window to set the internal environmental temperature of the first heat insulation box and the second heat insulation box to be substantially uniform. The thermal insulation apparatus for microscopes of Claim 5 characterized by these.

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