JPH1082946A - Click retaining mechanism for optical equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent deterioration in objective lens positioning precision and deterioration in operability due to wear in a positioning click part and improve the durability. SOLUTION: In a click mechanism for an optical equipment provided with a pair of members 1, 2 mutually sliding, an elastic member 4 fixing its base end to one side member 2 and attaching a ball 3 to its tip and a click groove 1c provided on the other side member 1, engaging and positioning with the ball 3, a guide 10 floating the elastic member 4 in a middle position between the click groove 1c and the base end of the elastic member 4 is provided on the other side member 1, and the ball 3 is constituted so as not to be in contact with the other side member 1 in the positions 1e, 1d where the ball 3 isn't in contact with the click groove 1c.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a click locking mechanism of an optical device used for an optical device such as a microscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 18 to 22 show a revolver of a conventional microscope, FIG. 18 is a sectional view of the revolver, FIG. 19 is a top view of the revolver, FIG.
FIG. 22 is an enlarged sectional view of a click locking mechanism of the revolver, and FIG. 22 is a view taken in the direction of arrow X in FIG. 18 and 19, a rotating member 101 is rotatably attached to a holding member 102 via a ball 108 and a ball holder 109. The rotary member 101 is provided with an objective mounting screw 101a for screwing the objective lens 107 at a position equally divided into five on the circumference corresponding to the optical axis m of the microscope.
A V-groove 101c, which is a click groove, is formed in the outer peripheral portion 101b of the rotating member 101 at a position corresponding to the number of the objective mounting screws 101a and corresponding thereto.

[0003] A holding member 102 is attached to a mirror body of a microscope (not shown), and holds the revolver itself. The holding member 102 is provided with a click spring 104 and the spacer 10.
5 are attached at two places by screws 106.
As shown in FIG. 20, the click spring 104 has a mounting hole 104a formed at the base end, and the click ball 10
3 is fixed. The click ball 103 is usually fixed to the click spring 104 by means such as press-fitting, bonding, welding or the like. Further, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the click ball 103 is
01c, the objective lens 107 is positioned on the optical axis m by the elastic force of the click spring 104. The periphery of the V-shaped groove 101c has a mountain shape,
d, a middle part 101e and a flat part 101f are continuously provided on both sides. This is because the difference between the amount of rotational force of the rotating member 101 when the objective lens 107 is deviated from the optical axis m and the resilience when the click ball 103 falls into the V-groove 101c at the time of optical axis positioning is a sharp difference. This is so as not to be.

[0004] The replacement of the objective lens of the microscope is performed by rotating the objective lenses of different magnifications attached on the revolver and moving them one after another on the optical axis. When the rotating member 101 is rotated, the click ball 103
01c, it passes while contacting the top 101d and the middle abdomen 101e, and becomes non-contact at the flat portion 101f. When further rotated, the click ball 103 again comes into contact with the next mid-abdomen 101e and the top 101d, falls into the V-groove 101c, and the rotating member 101 and the holding member 102
Is locked. Thereby, the next objective lens coincides with the optical axis m of the microscope. The contact between the click ball 103 and the rotating member 101 is caused by the middle abdomen 101e and the top 1
01d makes one-point contact, and the V-groove 101c makes two-point contact with the slope.

[0005]

However, the click locking mechanism of the conventional revolver has the following problems. Since the ball 103 and the rotating member 101 are in point contact with each other, if the ball 103 and the rotating member 101 are formed of the same material, it becomes easier to cause galling. Wear of the member which is disadvantageous in shape, such as the above member or the edge portion 101g of the V-groove 101c proceeds. The wear points are the point contact portion of the ball 103 with the rotating member and the rotating member 101.
Of the trajectory with the ball 103. In the locus portion of the rotating member 101 with the ball 103, the top 10 in FIG.
Edge portion 101g which is a boundary between 1d and V groove 101c
However, it is particularly worn. The wear on the rotating member 101 side, particularly the wear on the edge portion 101g, weakens the click locking feeling at the time of positioning of the objective lens 107, and furthermore, the ball 103 easily overruns.

[0006] Further, due to the wear of the edge portion 101g, V
The slope of the groove 101c also begins to wear, and the click spring 104
Of the ball 103 and the V-groove 10
The position of contact with the slope 1c changes, and the positioning accuracy deteriorates. When the wear further proceeds, the shape of the V-shaped groove 101c collapses, and the resilience of the click spring 104 is reduced by the rotating member 101.
And the backlash occurs between the ball 103 and the V-groove 101c, and the positioning accuracy is further deteriorated. Further, when the point contact portion of the ball 103 is worn, the V-groove 101
The contact of the slope c with the slope is changed from two-point contact to line or surface contact, or one of the two-point contact becomes a point contact and the other becomes a line or surface contact, and the contact position changes, deteriorating the positioning accuracy. Furthermore, when the line contact or the surface contact is changed from the point contact, a rough edge occurs, and the operability is also deteriorated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the invention according to claim 1 or 2 is to reduce the deterioration of the positioning accuracy of an objective lens and the deterioration of operability due to wear of a positioning click portion. It is an object of the present invention to provide a click locking mechanism for an optical device which prevents and improves durability.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 or 2 is directed to a pair of members sliding with each other, a base end fixed to one member and a ball taken at the end. In a click mechanism of an optical device having an elastic member attached thereto and a click groove provided on the other member for locking and positioning the ball, the other member includes a base formed by the click groove and the elastic member. A guide for floating the elastic member is provided at an intermediate position between the ends, and at a position where the ball and the click groove are not locked, the ball does not contact the other member. .

In the operation of the invention according to claim 1 or 2,
The other member is provided with a guide for floating the elastic member at an intermediate position between the click groove and the base end of the elastic member, so that the ball does not contact the other member at a position where the ball and the click groove are not locked. With this configuration, wear between the ball and the click groove is avoided. In the operation of the invention according to claim 2, in addition to the above operation, the means for preventing the ball from contacting the other member includes a second elastic member fixed to one member,
Since the elastic member is lifted by the rotation of the guide through the second elastic member by being interposed between the guide and the elastic member, the rotational force of the guide does not directly act on the elastic member, and the click force is increased. The operation of the stop mechanism becomes smooth.

[0010]

1 to 13 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a revolver, FIG. 2 is a top view of the revolver, and FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a click spring. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a click locking mechanism of the revolver, and FIG.
6 is an arrow view of FIG. 4, FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing the operation of the click locking mechanism of the revolver, FIG. 8 is a view of the arrow A of FIG. Fig. 7 when clicked
10 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 7 when the click locking starts to be released, FIG. 11 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow B in FIG. 7 when the click locking is released, and FIG. FIG. 7A is a view when the lock is released, and FIG. 13 is FIG. 7 when the click is released.
FIG.

1 and 2, a rotating member 1 is rotatably mounted on a holding member 2 via a ball 8 and a ball holder 9. The rotating member 1 includes an objective lens 7
Is screwed at five equally-divided positions on the circumference corresponding to the optical axis m of the microscope. A V-groove 1c as a click groove is formed in the outer peripheral portion 1b of the rotating member 1 at a position corresponding to the same number as the number of the objective mounting screws 1a. As shown in FIG. 5, the periphery of the V-groove 1c has a convex shape, and flat tops 1d and flat portions 1e are respectively provided on both sides. Further, inside the outer peripheral portion 1b of the rotating member 1, flange-shaped guides 10 are attached at five places by screws 11.
Inside the guide 10, a cylindrical portion 10a is provided upright, and a concave groove 10b is formed at a position corresponding to the V-shaped groove 1c of the rotating member 1. As shown in FIG. 6, the periphery of the concave groove 10b has a mountain shape, and a crest 10c, a middle abdomen 10d, and a flat portion 10e are continuously provided on both sides.

The holding member 2 is attached to a microscope body (not shown) and holds the revolver itself. A click spring 4 is attached to the holding member 2 via a spacer 5 with a screw 6.
Are attached at two places. As shown in FIG. 3, the click spring 4 has a mounting hole 4a formed at the base end, and the click ball 3 fixed to the tip end. Click ball 3
Is usually fixed to the click spring 4 by means such as press-fitting, bonding, welding or the like. Further, the click spring 4 includes
The shaft 12 is fixed at a position corresponding to the concave groove 10b of the guide 10 at an intermediate position between the base end and the front end.
3 is pivoted. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the click ball 3 falls into a V-groove 1 c formed in the outer peripheral portion 1 b of the rotating member 1 and contacts the slope thereof. 7 is positioned on the optical axis m. At this time, the bearing 13 pivotally attached to the click spring 4 falls into the concave groove 10b of the guide 10 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, but the wall surface and the bottom surface of the concave groove 10b are formed so as not to contact. Have been.

Here, the relationship between the cylindrical diameter d of the bearing 13 and the ball diameter D of the click ball 3 is d <D. This is because when the bearing 13 falls into the concave groove 10b, the click ball 3 comes into contact with the V groove 1c, and the bearing 13 becomes free in the concave groove 10b. The difference between the height H of the top 1d of the rotating member 1 and the height h of the top 10c of the guide 10 is set according to the relationship between the mounting positions of the click ball 3 and the bearing 13. Note that a bearing cannot be attached instead of the click ball 3 of the click spring 4. This is because the bearing has radial play, which deteriorates the positioning accuracy of the objective lens.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. As in the conventional example, the replacement of the objective lens of the microscope is performed by rotating the objective lenses having different magnifications attached to the revolver and moving them sequentially on the optical axis. Before the replacement of the objective lens, as shown in FIGS. 4, 8 and 9, the click ball 3 of the click spring 4 falls into the V-groove 1c, and the objective lens 7 is positioned on the optical axis m. At this time, the bearing 13 is
b, and is free without contacting the wall surface and the bottom surface.

When the rotating member 1 is rotated, as shown in FIG. 11, a bearing 13 pivotally mounted on the click spring 4 is provided.
Contacts the wall surface of the concave groove 10b of the guide 10, slides over the wall surface, and slides on the top 10c. On the other hand, since the click spring 4 is levitated by the bearing 13, the click ball 3 does not contact the V-groove 1 c and the top 1 d of the rotating member 1 as shown in FIG.
Since the bearing 13 has a play with respect to the groove 10b, the click ball 3 slightly contacts the slope of the V-groove 1c, but when the bearing 13 contacts the wall surface of the groove 10b, the click ball 3 Is in a floating state.

As shown in FIG. 13, until the stage at which the next objective lens is to be inserted into the optical axis m, the bearing 1
3 slides from the top 10c of the guide 10 to the middle of the hillside 10d while passing through the flat portion 10e without contact, and slides again to the next hillside 10d and the top 10c, It approaches the next concave groove 10b. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12, the click ball 3 passes while floating from the top 1d and the flat portion 1e, and approaches the next V-groove 1c. Before the next objective lens enters the optical axis m, the bearing 1
3 falls into the concave groove 10b and becomes free, and instead, the click ball 3 falls into the V-groove 1c and positions the next objective lens on the optical axis.

According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the click ball is configured to be in contact with the V-groove only at the time of positioning, so that the click ball and the V-groove are prevented from being worn and the positioning click portion is worn. It is possible to prevent deterioration of the positioning accuracy of the objective lens and operability, and to improve the durability of the click locking mechanism. Further, since the contact between the hair ring and the top and the hillside of the guide is a rolling motion, the progress of wear is extremely small.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, an example is shown in which five object mounting screws are drilled. However, the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to a revolver having a plurality of objective mounting screws. Further, the present click locking mechanism can be applied not only to the revolver but also to a turret device such as a cube or a filter, and has the same function and effect.
In the first embodiment of the present invention, an example in which the click locking mechanism is employed as the rotation mechanism has been described. However, the present invention is also applicable to a click locking mechanism of a linear slide type switching device such as an optical measuring device. Can be.

[0019]

Embodiment 2 FIGS. 14 and 15 show Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a plan view of a click spring, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a ball plunger mounted on a click spring. The second embodiment of the present invention has the same basic configuration as the first embodiment of the present invention, and differs only in the guide mechanism of the click spring. Therefore, only the portion will be described, and the drawings and description of the common portion will be omitted.

In FIG. 14, click spring 20 has
A ball plunger 21 is provided at that position instead of the bearing 13 of the first embodiment of the invention. A burring 20a is erected on the click spring 20, and a female screw is threaded on the inner periphery. The ball plunger 21 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, a bottomed hole 22a is formed in the case 22, and a guide spring 23 and a guide ball 24 are provided therein.
Are stored, and the guide ball 24 is pressed outward by the elastic force of the guide spring 23. On the outer periphery of the case 22, a male screw 22b is threaded, screwed into the female screw of the burring 20a of the click spring 20, and the ball plunger 21 is fixed to the click spring 20 by an adhesive.
The spring constant of the click spring 20 is
Is set smaller than the spring constant.

The operation of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Instead of the bearing 13 in the first embodiment of the invention, a guide ball 24 of a ball plunger 21 is provided with a concave groove 10b formed in an outer peripheral portion 10a of the guide 10,
The ball 3 fixed to the tip of the click spring 20 is moved up and down by coming into contact with or separating from the top 10c, the hillside 10d, and the flat portion 10e. The action of the ball 3 dropping into the V groove 1c of the rotating member 1 to position the objective lens is the same as that of the first embodiment of the invention. The contact between the guide ball 24 and the concave groove 10b, the top 10c, and the hillside 10d is a point-contact rolling motion, and the progress of wear is extremely slight. Other operations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

According to the second embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment of the present invention, since the rolling of the guide ball is performed in all directions, the specific portion does not wear. Therefore, the durability can be further improved.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the modification shown in the first embodiment of the present invention can be applied, and the same operation and effect can be exerted.

[0024]

Third Embodiment FIGS. 16 and 17 show a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a longitudinal sectional view of a revolver, and FIG. 17 is a top view of the revolver. The third embodiment of the present invention has the same basic configuration as the first embodiment of the present invention, and differs from the first embodiment only in the guide mechanism of the click spring. Therefore, only the portion will be described, and the same members will be denoted by the same reference numerals. Description is omitted.

In FIGS. 16 and 17, the click spring 30 is formed like a leaf spring by removing the shaft 12 and the bearing 13 from the click spring 4 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The click spring 30 is similar to the first embodiment in that a mounting hole 4a is formed at the base end and the click ball 3 is fixed at the tip. Further, the point that the click spring 30 is attached to the holding member 2A with the screw 6 at two places via the spacer 5 is also similar to the first embodiment of the invention. A leaf spring 31 is interposed between the click spring 30 and the holding member 2A. The leaf spring 31 is fixed by screws 6 via spacers 5 at two locations at the base end. A guide ball 32 is fixed to the distal end of the leaf spring 31 at a position corresponding to the concave groove 10 b of the guide 10.

The operation of the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the objective lens 7 is on the optical axis m, the click ball 3 of the click spring 30 falls into the V-groove 1c due to the resilience of the click spring 30, and is positioned. On the other hand, a guide ball 32 fixed to a leaf spring 31
Is dropped into the concave groove 10b in a free state so as not to affect the positioning of the click ball 3 and the V groove 1c. From when the objective lens 7 is about to deviate from the optical axis m to when the next objective lens is positioned on the optical axis m,
The guide ball 32 of the leaf spring 31 is
0b is brought into contact with the wall surface, the top 10c and the hillside 10d, and thereby the click spring 30 which is in contact with the vertex of the guide ball 32 is also brought up.
Does not contact the V-groove 1c and the top 1d of the rotating member 1. Other operations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

According to the third embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the same effects as those of the first embodiment of the present invention, the click spring does not directly receive the rotational force due to the rotation of the rotating member.
The operation of the click locking mechanism can be smoothly performed, and the positioning accuracy can be improved.

In the third embodiment of the present invention, the guide ball is fixed to the tip of the leaf spring. However, as in the first embodiment, the bearing is attached to the click spring. By mounting, it is possible to reduce the wear of the groove and the top of the guide. Also,
Also in the third embodiment of the present invention, the first embodiment of the present invention
Can be applied, and the same operation and effect can be exerted.

[0029]

According to the first or second aspect of the present invention,
Since wear of the ball and the click groove is avoided, deterioration of the positioning accuracy of the objective lens and deterioration of the operability due to wear of the positioning click portion can be prevented, and the durability of the click locking mechanism can be improved. According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-described effects, the rotation of the guide does not directly act on the elastic member, and the operation of the click locking mechanism is smooth, so that the positioning accuracy of the click locking mechanism is improved. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a revolver according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the revolver according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a click spring according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a click locking mechanism of the revolver according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view on arrow A in FIG. 4 of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view on arrow B in FIG. 4 of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing the operation of the click locking mechanism of the revolver according to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a view on arrow A of FIG. 7 at the time of click locking according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a view on arrow B of FIG. 7 at the time of click locking according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a view as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 7 when the click locking of the first embodiment of the present invention is released.

FIG. 11 is a view taken in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 7 when the click locking of Embodiment 1 of the invention starts to be released.

FIG. 12 is a view on arrow A of FIG. 7 when the click locking of the first embodiment of the invention is released.

FIG. 13 is a view on arrow B in FIG. 7 when the click locking of the first embodiment of the invention is released.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a click spring according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view of a ball plunger mounted on a click spring according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a longitudinal sectional view of a revolver according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a top view of the revolver according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a sectional view of a conventional revolver.

FIG. 19 is a top view of a conventional revolver.

FIG. 20 is a detailed view of a conventional click spring.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged sectional view of a click locking mechanism of a conventional revolver.

FIG. 22 is a view as seen from an arrow X in FIG. 21 of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rotating member 1c V-groove 1d Top part 1e Flat part 2 Holding member 3 Click ball 4 Click spring 10 Guide

Claims (2)

[Claims] A pair of members sliding with each other, an elastic member having a base end fixed to one of the members and a ball attached to the end,
A click locking mechanism for an optical device having a click groove provided on the other member for locking and positioning the ball, wherein the other member has an intermediate portion between the click groove and a base end of the elastic member. A guide for floating the elastic member at a position, wherein the ball does not contact the other member at a position where the ball and the click groove are not locked. Locking mechanism. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the means for preventing the ball from contacting the other member includes a second elastic member fixed to the one member interposed between the guide and the elastic member. The click locking mechanism for an optical device according to claim 1.