JPH04134411A - Exchange unit for coaxially falling light in objective tool for macroobservation - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily obtain coaxially falling light by forming the irradiating light from a secondary light source formed by condensing the irradiating light from a toric light source on an objective tool body side by means of plural optical fibers to one point to the coaxially falling light by a reflection mirror and a half mirror thereby irradiating the object to be observed with the light. CONSTITUTION:The objective tool 2 is constituted of the cylindrical objective tool body 3, an optical unit 4 for exchange which is freely attachable and detachable to and from the body 3, and an object front end 5 for exchange. An exchange unit 1 for coaxially falling light or photoconductive gap is used as the object front end 5 for exchange. The light from an external light emitting source 11 is introduced by an optical fiber cable 10 into the body 3 and the front ends of the respective optical fibers 10f are arranged to a toric shape to form the light source 11. The optical unit 4 for exchange is formed by aggregating optical systems 4d for obtaining the magnified image of the object to be observed into a unit and building this unit therein. The exchange unit 1 for the coaxially falling light forms the irradiating light from the secondary light source 13 formed by condensing the irradiating light from the light source 11 by the plural optical fibers 13f to one point to the coaxially falling light by the reflection mirror 14 and the half mirror 15 and irradiates the object M to be observed with this light. The front end of a housing 12 is pressed to the object M to be observed and the focus of the optical system 4d is aligned to the surface of the object M to be observed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention has applications in the medical, academic, and industrial application fields.
For example, regarding an objective tool for magnifying observation, which is used to magnify and observe objects to be observed, such as human skin, microscopic living things, or integrated circuits, in their original position without any processing. The present invention relates to a replacement unit for coaxial incident light in such an objective tool.

[Conventional technology]

As an objective tool for magnified observation as described above, there is, for example, one shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-308527. This objective tool guides light from an external light source into the objective tool body using an optical fiber cable, and arranges the ends of each optical fiber in the optical fiber cable in a ring shape inside the objective tool body to form a light source. is formed, and the irradiation light from this light source is irradiated onto the object to be observed through the light guide cap. This makes it possible to concentrate powerful irradiation light on the observation target part of the object being observed, and also to obtain an appropriate combination of various types of irradiation light such as horizontal light (side-to-side light), incident light, and transmitted light. ing.

Incidentally, depending on the type of object to be observed, observation using incident light parallel to the optical axis of the optical system, that is, coaxial incident light, may be more effective, but the above technique can only obtain non-coaxial incident light.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a replacement unit for coaxial incident light that can be replaced and detached from the above-mentioned objective tool having an annular array of light sources.

[Means to solve the problem]

Such a purpose is to provide a replacement unit for coaxial incident light in an objective for magnifying observation which is equipped with a light source arranged in an annular shape within the objective main body, and the base end is made to correspond to the annular light source. A secondary light source formed by a plurality of optical fibers arranged in an annular shape and with focused tips, and the irradiation light from this secondary light source is perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical system for enlarging the observed object. It is equipped with a reflecting mirror that guides the direction, and a half mirror that is located on the optical axis of the optical system and guides the irradiated light from the reflecting mirror to the object to be observed along the optical axis of the optical system. This is achieved by a freely replaceable unit for coaxial epi-illumination light.

[For production]

This coaxial epi-light replacement unit collects the irradiated light from the annular light source on the objective body side into one point using multiple optical fibers, and uses the irradiated light from the secondary light source as a secondary light source. -, the object to be observed is converted into coaxial incident light and irradiated onto the object to be observed.If this is replaced with a light guide cap and attached to the objective body, coaxial incident light can be easily obtained.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of this invention will be described below.

The coaxial incident light replacement unit 1 is used for an objective tool 2 as shown in FIG. That is, the objective 2 includes a cylindrical objective main body 3, a replacement optical system unit 4 that is detachable from the objective main body 3, and the same objective main body 3.
It consists of a replacement objective tip 5 that can be attached and detached from the lens, and as the replacement objective tip 5, in addition to the coaxial epi-light replacement unit 1 according to the present invention, the light guide cap in the prior art described above is used. It will be done.

The objective main body 3 has a built-in light source arranged in an annular shape, and in this example, light from an external light source is guided into the objective main body 3 through an optical fiber cable lO. The tips of each optical fiber 10f are arranged in an annular shape within the objective main body 3 to form a light source 11 (FIG. 4).

However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of light emitting sources may be directly arranged in an annular shape within the objective main body 3.

The replacement optical system unit 4 has a built-in optical system 4d for obtaining an enlarged image of the object to be observed, and has a light-shielding bottom 4C for an aperture attached to its tip, and a light-shielding bottom 4C formed in the middle. It can be screwed onto the objective tool main body 3 using the screw 4s provided therein.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the coaxial epi-light replacement unit 1 includes a secondary light source 13, a reflecting mirror 14, and a half mirror 15 in a cylindrical housing 12.
A threaded screw 12 formed at the base end of the housing 12
It can be screwed onto the objective tool main body 3 at s.

The secondary light source 13 is formed of a plurality of optical fibers 13f and 13f1 whose base ends correspond to the annular light source 11 and which are arranged in an annular shape, and whose tips are converged to one point, and the converged light is A light source lens 16 is provided at the tip of the fibers 13f, 13f, -"""°°" for collimating the irradiated light emitted from the optical fiber 13f.

The reflecting mirror 14 is a plane mirror provided at the tip of the light source lens 16 at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis of the light source lens 16, and converts the direction of the irradiated light from the secondary light #13 by 90 degrees to the optical system 4.
d in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis LA.

The half mirror 15 is a plane mirror having a structure in which half of the light that hits it passes through and half of the light is reflected. The light is directed toward the object M along the optical axis LA.
It is intended to lead to.

This coaxial epi-light replacement unit 1 is used by being attached to the objective main body 3 in place of the above-mentioned light guide cap as necessary, and is used by attaching the irradiation light from the annular light source II on the objective main body 3 side. Multiple optical fibers 13f, 13f1
It has the function of converting the irradiated light from the secondary light source 13, which is formed by concentrating it into one point, into coaxial incident light using the reflecting mirror 14 and the half mirror 15, and irradiating the object M to be observed. The coaxial epi-light replacement unit 1 also has the function of focusing the optical system 4d on the object M to be observed, and the housing 12
When the tip of the optical system 4d is brought into contact with the object M to be observed, the focus of the optical system 4d will be on the surface of the object M to be observed.

In this example, the optical system 4d is replaced by the replacement optical system unit 4.
In addition to the coaxial epi-light exchange unit l, the half mirror 15 is placed ahead of the objective lens, but depending on the type of objective lens in the optical system 4d, the distance between the objective lens and the object to be observed M may vary. If it is not possible to obtain a sufficient amount of light, the optical system 4d will also be integrated into this coaxial epi-light exchange unit l, and a half mirror 15 will be provided behind the objective lens.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The replacement unit for coaxial incident light according to the present invention is as described above, and by using it interchangeably, observation using coaxial incident light can be easily performed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a coaxial epi-light replacement unit cut in half, Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a coaxial epi-illumination replacement unit attached to the objective main body, and Fig. 3 is an objective 4 is a schematic exploded side view including a partial cross section, and FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the objective main body as viewed in the direction of the arrow 3 in FIG. 3. 1-1111・-Replacement unit for coaxial incident light 2---
-1, 1 object tool 3 - 1 object main body 11 11 1 light source 13 - 1 secondary light source 14 1 reflector 15 -...-Half mirror 13f -°・°゛・Optical fiber Fig. 1 2s ＼ 15 Half mirror No. 4 Fig. 0f Fig. 3 Kodou low bottom ~ 5 `` ''

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A replacement unit for coaxial incident light in an objective for magnification observation comprising a light source arranged in an annular shape within an objective main body, the base end being adapted to correspond to the annular light source. A secondary light source formed by a plurality of optical fibers arranged in an annular shape and with focused tips, and the irradiation light from this secondary light source is perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical system for enlarging the observed object. It is equipped with a reflecting mirror that guides the direction, and a half mirror that is located on the optical axis of the optical system and guides the irradiated light from the reflecting mirror to the object to be observed along the optical axis of the optical system. A flexible replacement unit for coaxial incident light.