JPH11109246A - Motor-driven microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to rapidly stop control in the midst of the control of a stage or a revolver by a control means by stopping the control of an up-and-down driving means at the time of detecting manual operation by an input means in the midst of the control of the up-and-down driving means. SOLUTION: Whether or not input by the manual operation is performed is judged based on control command information 51a when the control processing of the up-and-down movement of the stage is started. At the time of judging that the input by the manual operation is performed, processing for finishing the control by a CPU 81 is performed, and then the processing for starting the manual operation of the stage 40 is performed. Whether or not the manual operation by a handle 50 is performed is monitored by the CPU 81. When the manual operation by the handle 50 is detected in the midst of the control of the up-and-down driving part 41 by the CPU 81, the control of the driving part 41 is stopped, so that the user rapidly stops the stage 40 and switches to the manual operation just by operating the handle 50 when the user is aware of a situation that the stage 40 is excessively moved or it is moved in a direction which is not intended by the user.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a motorized microscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional motorized microscope, a handle capable of manually operating a stage, a revolver driving unit for driving a revolver for switching an objective lens, and moving at least one of the stage and the revolver are moved. Vertical movement drive unit for changing the distance between the objective lenses, an objective lens data storage unit for storing the target position corresponding to the objective lens, and when the objective lens is switched, stored in the objective lens data storage unit corresponding to the switched objective lens A vertical movement control circuit for controlling the vertical movement drive unit so as to reach the set target position.

[0003]

When the target position is stored in the objective lens data storage unit, the user sometimes mistakes the setting of the target position and the moving distance.

In some cases, a user operates a motorized microscope from a remote place using a remote controller. However, the user may inadvertently touch an operation button or the like of the remote controller due to carelessness or the like. The settings may be changed or the operation may be incorrect.

[0005] Therefore, the vertical movement control circuit performs control with an erroneous control target position or control amount (movement amount to the control target position), and the stage moves too much or moves in a direction not intended by the user. May happen.

However, even when the user notices the above-mentioned situation during observation, there is a problem that the control of the stage by the vertical movement control circuit cannot be stopped halfway in the conventional motorized microscope.

[0007] This problem can be dealt with by providing a new input device for stopping control of the stage in the middle or by turning off the power supply.

However, providing a new input device increases the number of parts and increases the cost of the product.
Further, since the power switch is usually located at a position where it cannot be easily accessed, there is a problem that quick operation cannot be performed.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and causes an increase in the cost of an electric microscope that allows a user to quickly stop the control by the control means while the stage or the revolver is being controlled by the control means. Is to provide without.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a motorized microscope, comprising: input means capable of manually operating a stage; revolver driving means for driving a revolver for switching an objective lens; Vertical movement driving means for moving at least one of the stage and the revolver to change the distance between the objective lens and the stage; objective lens data storage means for storing a target position corresponding to the objective lens; Control means for controlling the vertical movement drive means such that when the objective lens is switched, the vertical movement drive means is set to a target position stored in the objective lens data storage means corresponding to the switched objective lens, and the control means Monitoring the presence or absence of manual operation of the input means, when detecting the manual operation by the input means during the control of the vertical movement drive means, Wherein the stop control of the serial vertical movement drive means.

The control means monitors the presence / absence of manual operation of the input means. When the manual operation by the input means is detected during the control of the vertical movement drive means, the control of the vertical movement means is stopped. The stage or revolver can be stopped simply by operating the means. Moreover, since there is no need to add any new input means, the stage or the revolver can be stopped quickly without increasing the cost.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the motorized microscope according to the first aspect, when the control means stops controlling the vertical movement driving means, the stage or the revolver is manually operated. It can be moved up and down.

When the control means stops the control of the vertical drive means, the stage or the revolver can be moved up and down by manual operation, so that the vertical drive means can be controlled manually.

[0014]

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

FIG. 1 is a right side view of a motorized microscope according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The microscope apparatus includes a microscope main body 10 and a lens barrel 2.
0, a revolver 30, a stage 40, a one-axis coarse / fine movement handle (hereinafter, referred to as a handle) 50, and a revolver changeover switch (revolver SW) 60.

The microscope body 10 includes a base 10A, a support 10B, and an arm 10C.

The lens barrel 20 is attached to the upper part of the arm 10C and has an eyepiece 21.

The electric revolver 30 comprises a fixed portion 31 attached to the lower surface of the arm 10C and a rotating portion 32 rotatably attached to the fixed portion 31.
Is provided with a plurality (two in the figure) of objective lenses 33.

The handle 50 is provided on the base 10A. When the handle 50 is operated, the vertical drive unit 41 incorporated in the support 10B moves in conjunction with the operation of the handle 50, and the stage 40 moves up and down along the support 10B.

The revolver changeover switch 60 is connected to the revolver 30.
Button switches 61, 62 for instructing the rotation direction of the revolver 30. When the button switches 61, 62 are pressed, the revolver 30 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the motorized microscope. Here, a configuration in which the stage is moved up and down will be described.

The motorized microscope includes a vertical movement manual control input circuit 51, a vertical movement drive section 41, and a vertical movement counter circuit 42.
, A revolver control input circuit 63, and a revolver driver 31
And a revolver address detection circuit 32 and a vertical movement control circuit (control means) 80.

The vertical movement manual control input circuit 51 includes a handle 5
A rotation amount of 0 or the like is input as rotation information 50a, and control command information 51a indicating the presence or absence of the input is output to the vertical movement control circuit 80.

When the revolver changeover switch 60 is pressed, the revolver control input circuit 63 inputs, as revolver control information 60a, which of the button type switches 61 and 62 is pressed, and performs a forward / reverse control indicating the rotation direction of the revolver 30. It outputs to the vertical movement control circuit 80 as the command information 63a.

The vertical movement control circuit 80 includes a CPU 81 and a memory (object lens data storage means) 82, and is constituted by, for example, a one-chip microcomputer. In the memory 82, the focus position (target position) of the objective lens 33, which is vertical movement control position data, is stored in advance for each address of the revolver 30.

The vertical movement control circuit 80 has control command information 51a.
Are processed by the CPU 81, and a motor drive command 80a for instructing the stage 40 to move up and down is output to the vertical movement drive unit 41.

The vertical movement control circuit 80 performs various processing on the forward / reverse control command information 63a by the CPU 81, determines the control destination address of the revolver 30, and outputs the revolver drive command 8a.
0b is output to the revolver drive unit 31.

After the control of the revolver drive unit 31 is completed, the up / down control circuit 80 controls the up / down drive unit 41.

The vertical movement drive section 41 is constituted by, for example, a motor, and moves the stage 40 up and down based on the input motor drive command 80a.

The up / down movement counting circuit 42 counts the output of, for example, a rotary encoder attached to the motor, and outputs count data 42 a indicating the moving distance to the up / down movement control circuit 80 based on the rotation of the motor.

The revolver drive section 31 is constituted by, for example, a motor, and rotates the revolver 30 based on the input revolver drive command 80b.

The revolver address detection circuit 32 counts the output of the rotary encoder attached to the revolver drive section 31 and outputs revolver address information 32a to the vertical movement control circuit 80 based on the rotation of the motor.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the control processing of the motorized microscope, and S1 to S7 show each step.

When the vertical movement control circuit 80 enters the processing of FIG. 3, it is determined whether or not the CPU 81 controls the vertical movement of the stage 40 (S1).

When the vertical movement of the stage 40 is not controlled by the CPU 81, that is, when NO in S1, it is determined whether or not the revolver changeover switch 60 has been pressed (S
2).

When the revolver changeover switch 60 is depressed, that is, when YES in S2, the control of the CPU 81 of the revolver 30 is performed (S3).

Control of the revolver 30 by the CPU 81 (S
After 3), the count data 42a is read from the vertical movement counter circuit 42, and the current position of the stage 40 is calculated (S4).

Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the CPU 81 controls the vertical movement of the stage 40 (S5).

When the vertical movement of the stage 40 is controlled by the CPU 81, that is, when the result of S5 is YES, the CP
The control of the vertical movement of the stage 40 is continued in U81 (S
6).

It should be noted that when YES in S1 and NO in S2
In the case of, the process proceeds to S4.

When the vertical movement of the stage 40 is not controlled by the CPU 81, that is, when the answer is NO in S5, the vertical movement of the stage 40 is performed manually (S5).
7).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the control process of the revolver, and S3a to S3g show each step.

In the control process of the revolver 30 shown in FIG.
The destination address of the revolver 30 is calculated, and the revolver address information 32a is read from the revolver address detection circuit 32 (S3a).

Next, a process for starting the control of the revolver 30 by the CPU 81 is performed (S3b).

The end of control by the CPU 81 of the revolver 30 is monitored (S3c).

When the control of the revolver 30 by the CPU 81 ends, that is, when S3c is YES, the revolver address detection circuit 32 outputs the revolver address information 3
2a, the focus position of the new revolver address is called from the memory 82 storing the focus position for each revolver address, and the movement destination position of the stage 40 is calculated (S3d). When the control of the revolver 30 by the CPU 81 is not completed, that is, when S3c is NO, the process of S3d is repeated.

Next, the current position of the stage 40 is calculated from the counter data 42a called from the vertical movement counter circuit 42 (S3e).

Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the destination position of the stage 40 matches the current position (S3f).

When the destination position of the stage 40 does not match the current position, that is, when S3f is NO, the control command information 51a is output to the vertical drive unit 41,
A process for starting the control by 81 is performed (S3g).

When the destination position of the stage 40 coincides with the current position, that is, when S3f is YES, the control by the CPU 81 is not performed.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the control processing of the stage up and down movement, and S6a to S6f show each step.

In the stage vertical movement control process shown in FIG. 5, it is determined whether or not there is a manual operation input based on the control command information 51a (S6a).

When it is determined that there is no manual operation input, that is, when S6a is NO, the vertical movement counter circuit 4
It is determined whether or not the current position calculated from the count data 42a called from step 2 matches the destination position (S6b).

When the current position of the stage 40 does not match the destination position, that is, when S6b is NO, the control direction is calculated (S6c).

Thereafter, the above control is repeated until the destination position of the stage 40 matches the current position (S6d).

When it is determined that there is a manual operation input, that is, when S6a is YES,
When the movement destination position and the current position match, ie, S
When the answer to 6b is YES, a process for ending the control by the CPU 81 is performed (S6e).

Thereafter, a process for starting the manual operation of the stage 40 is performed (S6f).

According to this embodiment, the presence or absence of the manual operation of the handle 50 is monitored by the CPU 81, and when the manual operation by the handle 50 is detected during the control of the CPU 81 of the vertical drive unit 41, the vertical drive unit 41 is detected. When the user notices that the stage 40 has moved too much or has moved in a direction not intended by the user, the user can quickly operate the stage 40 simply by operating the handle 50. To manual operation.

Furthermore, since it is not necessary to add any new handle or switch for stopping the stage 40 quickly, the cost does not increase.

In the above embodiment, the distance between the objective lens 33 and the stage 40 is changed by moving the stage 40 up and down. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the revolver 30 provided with the objective lens 33 is moved up and down. May be.

[0062]

As described above, according to the motorized microscope apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, the user may move the stage or the revolver excessively due to an incorrect setting or malfunction during observation. When it is noticed that the stage or the revolver has moved in an unintended direction, the stage or the revolver can be quickly stopped simply by manually operating the input means. In addition, there is no need to add any new input means to quickly stop the stage or the revolver, so that the cost does not increase.

According to the motorized microscope of the second aspect of the present invention, when the control means stops the control of the vertical movement driving means, the stage or the revolver can be moved up and down by manual operation. The control of the dynamic driving means can be performed, and the usability is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a right side view of a motorized microscope according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a motorized microscope.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of the motorized microscope.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of a revolver.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating control processing of stage up / down movement.

[Explanation of symbols]

 31 Revolver drive unit (Revolver drive unit) 33 Objective lens 40 Stage 41 Vertical drive unit (Vertical drive unit) 50 Handle (Input unit) 80 Vertical control circuit (Control unit) 82 Memory (Object lens data storage unit)

Claims (2)

[Claims] An input means capable of manually operating a stage,
A revolver driving means for driving a revolver for switching an objective lens; a vertical movement driving means for moving at least one of the stage and the revolver to change a distance between the objective lens and the stage; Objective lens data storage means for storing a target position;
Control means for controlling the vertical movement driving means so that when the objective lens is switched, the vertical movement driving means is set to a target position stored in the objective lens data storage means corresponding to the switched objective lens; Monitoring the presence or absence of manual operation of the input means, when detecting the manual operation by the input means during the control of the vertical movement drive means, stops the control of the vertical movement drive means, microscope. 2. The motor-operated microscope according to claim 1, wherein the stage or the revolver can be moved up and down by manual operation when the control unit stops controlling the up and down driving unit.