JPH06337356A - Image pickup device for microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the influence of magnetism, vibration and noise, etc., by a driving means for a color resolving filter given to an image pickup part and to improve the quality and accuracy of the pickup image. CONSTITUTION:In the image pickup device for a microscope for picking up the microscopic image of a sample 4 by a surface sequential coloring system, the device is provided with light source parts 3 and 20 including light source means 9 and 21 for generating illuminating light for illuminating the sample 4, color resolving filters 12 and 22 provided with plural filter areas for separately transmitting only the prescribed color component, the driving means 13 and 23 for driving the color resolving filters and an image pickup means 14 for picking up the microscopic image of the sample, and the color resolving filters 12 and 22, the driving means 13 and 23 and the image pickup means 14 are arranged so as to be separated from each other. It is preferable to arrange the color resolving filter and the driving means in the light source parts 3 and 20 with the light source means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a microscope image pickup device, and more particularly to a microscope image pickup device for picking up a microscope image of a sample by a field sequential color system, in which a color separation filter and its driving means are separated from an image pickup means. By arranging in such a manner, the effect of the driving unit on the image pickup unit is removed to improve the quality and accuracy of the image signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows a schematic structure of a conventional image pickup apparatus for a microscope using a frame sequential color image pickup method. The apparatus shown in the figure includes a microscope body 30 and a camera head 31 mounted on the microscope body 30. A light source unit 36 is provided below the microscope body 30.

The camera head 31 includes a color separation section 32 and an image pickup section 34. The color separation unit 32 uses, for example, R, G,
A color separation disk filter 33 having three areas for passing the three primary colors B is provided, and a motor 35 for rotationally driving the color separation disk filter 33. In addition, the imaging unit 34
Although not shown, it includes an image pickup device such as a CCD and an image processing circuit for processing a signal from the image pickup device.

The light source section 36 also includes a light source 37 and a condenser lens 38 for condensing the light emitted from the light source 37. Further, the microscope body 30 is provided with a sample table 40 for mounting the sample 39, an objective lens 41, and an eyepiece section 42 including an eyepiece lens.

In such a microscope image pickup device,
Illumination light emitted from a light source 37 of a light source unit 36 provided under the microscope 30 passes through a condenser lens 38 and a sample 39.
Is irradiated. Then, the image light from the sample 39 passes through the objective lens 41 and other microscope optical system (not shown) and enters the camera head 31. The image light incident on the camera head 31 passes through the color separation disk filter 33 of the color separation unit 32 to R
It is separated into the three primary colors of GB. Color separation disk filter 33
Is rotatably driven by a motor 35, and image light is radiated by a frame sequential method.
It is separated into the three primary colors of GB and supplied to the imaging unit 34. The image capturing unit 34 sequentially captures and stores the image light of each color. Then, the stored image signals for each color are read in parallel and combined to generate and output a color image signal.

[0006]

However, in the conventional image pickup device for a microscope as described above, a motor for driving the color separation unit 32 in the vicinity of the image pickup unit 34, particularly the color separation disk filter 33 of the color separation unit 32. Since 35 is arranged, there is a disadvantage that magnetism, vibration, noise and the like due to the motor 35 are transmitted to the image pickup unit 34 and adversely affect the picked-up image. For example, there has been a problem that the accuracy of the captured image is deteriorated due to position variation, distortion, shaking, etc. of the captured image due to magnetism, vibration, noise, etc. from the motor 35.

Further, in the case of flash photography or slide type photography in which a color filter is slid for photography, when it is desired to change the light source of the color separation section 32 or the light source section 36 to a device of another method, There is also an inconvenience that both the microscope body 30 and the camera head 31 need to be replaced with different ones.

In view of the problems in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the influence of magnetism, vibration, noise, etc. on the image pickup section by the motor driving the color separation disk filter, and to obtain a picked-up image signal. To improve the quality and accuracy of.

Another object of the present invention is to make it possible to support a plurality of photographing methods by simply replacing the light source section of the microscope, thereby improving the efficiency of microscope observation.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in a microscope image pickup apparatus for picking up a microscope image of a sample by a field sequential color system, an illumination light for illuminating the sample is used. A light source unit including a light source unit for generating, a color separation filter having a plurality of filter regions for passing only predetermined color components, a driving unit for driving the color separation filter, and a microscope image of the sample And an image pickup means for picking up the image, and the color separation filter, the driving means, and the image pickup means are arranged separately from each other.

Further, the color separation filter and the driving means can be arranged between the sample and the light source means, and particularly when the color separation filter and the driving means are arranged together with the light source means in the light source section. It is convenient.

Further, it is preferable that the driving means can be driven so as to stop the color separation filter in a predetermined filter area of the color separation filter or remove the color separation filter from the optical path of the light source means.

Further, the color separation filter can be configured to include a filter area corresponding to each of the three primary colors, and to include a white light or transparent filter area in addition to the filter area corresponding to each of the three primary colors. You can also do it.

Furthermore, it is convenient to construct the light source unit so that it can be removed from the microscope body and replaced.

[0015]

In the image pickup apparatus for a microscope having the above structure, since the color separation filter, the driving means and the image pickup means are arranged separately from each other, magnetism, vibration, noise and the like due to the driving means are generated in the image pickup means. It is possible to reduce or eliminate the influence. Therefore, positional deviation, distortion, and shaking of the captured image signal are removed, and the quality and accuracy of the image signal can be improved.

In particular, by disposing the color separation filter and the driving means between the sample and the light source means or in the light source means, it becomes possible to sufficiently separate the driving means from the image pickup means, and to drive the driving means. It is possible to significantly reduce the influence of magnetism, vibration, noise, etc. from the means on the imaging means. Also, by disposing the color separation filter and the driving means in the light source section, it is possible to easily replace the one including another color separation filter and the driving means by replacing only the light source section. Therefore, the efficiency of microscopic observation is significantly improved.

Further, the driving means can stop the color separation filter in a predetermined filter region of the color separation filter, or can drive the color separation filter so as to be removed from the optical path of the light source means. It is possible to illuminate the sample with or without a filter of a desired color and observe the sample under any desired illumination condition. In particular, when white light is transmitted through the color separation filter, or when a transparent filter area is provided, the color separation filter is stopped at such a white light or transparent filter area so that the light passes through the eyepiece. It becomes possible to correspond to the microscopic observation by visual observation. In the case of visual observation through the eyepiece, the color separation filter may be driven by the driving means so as to be removed from the optical path of the light source means.

Furthermore, by making the light source part of the microscope replaceable, it is possible to perform shooting with a shooting method suitable for the purpose, such as flash shooting or shooting with a slide method in which a color filter is slid for shooting. Will be possible.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a microscope image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a microscope main body 1, a camera head 2 mounted on the microscope main body 1, and a light source unit 3 provided on the lower portion of the microscope main body 1. The microscope body 1 is further provided with a sample table 5 on which a sample 4 is placed, and an objective lens 7 attached to a revolver 6 above the sample 4. In addition, the objective lens 7
A microscope optical system (not shown) is built in above
Furthermore, an eyepiece 8 including an eyepiece for optically observing an image is provided which is optically connected to the microscope optical system.

The light source section 3 is provided with a lamp 9 serving as a light source, a condenser lens 10 for condensing the light of the lamp 9, and a color separation section 11. The color separation unit 11 includes a color separation disk filter 12 inserted in the optical path between the light source 9 and the condenser lens 10, and a motor 13 that rotates the color separation disk filter 12. The light source unit 3 is configured so that it can be detached from the microscope body 1 and replaced together with the unit. The color separation unit 11 also includes a control circuit for controlling the drive of the motor 6.

The camera head 2 also includes an image pickup device (not shown) for receiving image light incident through the microscope optical system, and an image pickup section 14 including an image processing circuit for processing an output signal of the image pickup device. There is. An image display unit 15 including, for example, a monitor television is connected to the image pickup unit 14.

In the microscope image pickup apparatus having such a structure, the light emitted from the lamp 9 of the light source unit 3 is
The sample or the sample 4 is not directly irradiated, but is first color-separated by the color separation disc filter 12 of the color separation unit 11 into the three primary colors of RGB and then condensed by the condenser lens 10 and then irradiated on the sample 4. It The color separation disk filter 12 is rotationally driven by the motor 13 of the color separation unit 11 and sequentially produces light of the three primary colors RGB from the white light emitted from the lamp 9 and irradiates the sample 4 with the light.

By irradiating the sample 4 with the lights of the three primary colors of RGB sequentially emitted from the light source unit 3 in this way, the image signals based on the illumination light of the respective colors from the sample 4 are sequentially objective in the field sequential method. It is supplied to the imaging unit 14 via the lens 7 and a microscope optical system (not shown). In the image pickup unit 14, the image light signal of each color is converted into an electric signal by an image pickup device, and an image electric signal for each color is obtained in synchronization with the rotation of the color separation disk filter 12 of the color separation unit 11. The image electrical signals for each color are sequentially stored in the image memory provided for each color in the image processing circuit.
Then, a color image signal is obtained by reading out and combining the image signals of the respective colors in these image memories. This color image signal is supplied to, for example, the image display unit 15 and used to display a color image of the sample 4.

In the image pickup apparatus for a microscope as described above, since the color separation unit 11 including the color separation disk filter 12 and the motor 13 is moved to the lower portion of the microscope main body 1,
The motor 13 and the imaging unit 14 can be arranged separately. For this reason, magnetism, mechanical vibration, noise, and the like due to the motor 13 that drives the color separation disk filter 12 do not affect the imaging unit 14. This eliminates the positional deviation, distortion, and shake of the captured image, and makes it possible to significantly improve the quality and accuracy of the image signal.

Further, by moving the color separation unit 11 including the color separation disk filter 12 and the motor 13 to the lower part of the microscope main body 1, the center of gravity of the microscope moves downward, and the position stability of the microscope itself can be increased. It will be possible.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of a light source section of a microscope image pickup apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. The light source unit 20 shown in FIG. 2 is for taking a frame sequential color image by a slide method. Therefore, the light source unit 20 is provided with a lamp 21 for a light source, a slide type color separation filter 22, a driving unit 23 for driving the color separation filter 22 to the left and right, and a condenser lens 24. In addition, a drive control unit 25 for controlling the drive of the motor 23
Is also provided.

In such a light source unit 20, the light emitted from the lamp 21 is color-separated by the color separation filter 22. That is, the color separation filter 22 driven to the left and right by the motor 23 performs color separation into the three primary colors of RGB, the light is condensed by the condenser lens 24, and then the sample 4 (FIG. 1) is irradiated with the light. The light source unit having such a configuration can make the color separation filter 22 relatively small, stop the color separation filter 22 in a predetermined color region of the color separation filter 22, or execute the color separation filter 22. The positioning becomes easy when the control is performed so as to remove from the optical path of the light source 21.

That is, for example, when observing the image of the sample 4 from the eyepiece section 8, it is convenient to observe by removing the color separation filter 22 from the optical path of the light source 21. In such cases,
The slide type color separation filter 22 of FIG. 2 can be easily removed from the optical path of the light source 21 by largely moving it to the left or right.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a control state of such a color separation filter, which is performed by the drive control section 25. That is, the drive control unit 25 sets the three RGB values of the color separation filter 22 in the case of capturing a normal frame sequential color image.
The drive control is performed so that the primary color regions are sequentially positioned in the optical path of the light source 21. As a result, the light emitted from the lamp 21 passes through the color separation filter 22 and the condenser lens 24 and is applied to the sample or the sample 4. On the other hand, for example, when observing with the eyepiece unit 8, the drive control unit 25 controls the color separation filter 22 to be removed from the optical path of the light source 21.
As a result, the light emitted from the lamp 21 is irradiated onto the sample 4 after being condensed by the condensing lens 24 without passing through the color separation filter 22.

For the case of such visual observation by the observing section 8, the color separation filter 22 is attached to the lamp 21.
Instead of controlling to remove from the optical path of the
2 may be provided with a transparent portion or a portion that allows white light to pass therethrough, and this portion may be moved to the optical path of the lamp 21.

The operation of the drive control unit 25 as described above is not limited to the slide type color separation filter 22, and is also applied to the case of the disc-shaped filter 12 in the microscope shown in FIG. It is possible. Furthermore, each filter area of the color separation filter is not necessarily limited to one that allows the three primary colors of RGB and transparent or white light to pass therethrough. For example, the filter region of the color separation filter may be configured to include one that allows only light having a spectrum suitable for observing a specific sample to pass through. For example, when observing from the eyepiece 8,
For a sample having a strong reddish color, it is possible to provide a filter region that allows only the light having a strong bluish color to pass through because the image can be more easily viewed and more appropriate observation can be performed by irradiating the sample with a strong bluish color.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the color separation filter and the driving means for driving the color separation filter are separated from the image pickup means and moved to, for example, the light source section of the microscope, the It is possible to eliminate the influence of vibration, noise, etc. on the image pickup unit, and it is possible to significantly improve the quality and accuracy of the picked-up image signal.

Further, when the color separation filter and the driving means are moved to the light source section of the microscope, the center of gravity of the microscope moves downward, and the positional stability of the microscope increases. Further, since the light source unit including such a color separation filter and driving means can be replaced, it is possible to meet a purpose such as capturing a frame sequential color image by a rotating disc, a slide system image capturing, a strobe flash image capturing, or the like. It becomes possible to carry out shooting or shooting by various shooting methods very easily.

Further, since it is possible to stop the color separation filter in a predetermined filter area of the color separation filter or to remove the color separation filter from the optical path, it is possible to easily and appropriately use illumination light suitable for the sample and the observation method. It becomes possible to make observations.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a microscope image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a light source unit in a microscope image pickup apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory block diagram showing a control mode of a color separation filter in the microscope image pickup apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a conventional microscope image pickup apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Microscope Main Body 2 Camera Head 3 Light Source Section 4 Sample or Specimen 5 Sample Stage 6 Revolver 7 Objective Lens 8 Eyepiece 9,21 Light Source Lamp 10,24 Condensing Lens 11 Color Separation Section 12,22 Color Separation Filter 13,23 Motor 25 drive controller

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup apparatus for a microscope for picking up a microscope image of a sample by a field-sequential color system, comprising a light source unit including a light source unit for generating illumination light for illuminating the sample, and a predetermined color component. A color separation filter having a plurality of filter regions for passing only
A driving unit for driving the color separation filter; and an image pickup unit for picking up a microscope image of the sample,
An image pickup apparatus for a microscope, wherein the color separation filter and the driving means are arranged between the sample and the light source means. 2. The image pickup device for a microscope according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup unit is above the sample, and the light source unit is below the sample. 3. The image pickup apparatus for a microscope according to claim 2, wherein the color separation filter and the driving unit are arranged in the light source unit together with the light source unit. 4. The image pickup apparatus for a microscope according to claim 3, wherein the driving unit can stop the color separation filter in a predetermined filter area of the color separation filter. 5. The image pickup device for a microscope according to claim 3, wherein the color separation filter includes a filter region corresponding to each of the three primary colors. 6. The image pickup device for a microscope according to claim 5, wherein the color separation filter further includes a filter region for white light. 7. The driving means can be driven so as to remove the color separation filter from the optical path of the light source means for illuminating a sample without passing through the color separation filter. Image pickup device for microscope. 8. The imaging device for a microscope according to claim 3, wherein the light source unit is replaceable.