JPS5825613A - Discriminating device for filter cassette of projection fluorescence microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To set conditons automatically by displaying an energizing means by a cassette installed in an optical path while the kind of the cassette is discriminated magnetically, and storing the condition suitable to the energizing means previously. CONSTITUTION:At a prescribed position in a flank of a cassette 10, a magnet 11 is arranged to generate information which corresponds to each energizing method, and when the cassette 10 is put on an optical path, a magnetic detector 12 which receives information from the magnet 11 is fixed to a microscope body facing the magnet 11. A signal from the detector 12 is inputted to an electric storage circuit 14. In the storage circuit 14, conditions set with keyboard switches 15 are stored corresponding to signals sent from said detector 12 when a storage start switch 18 is turned on.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an identification device for a filter cassette of an epifluorescence microscope, and by using the identification device of the present invention, photometry conditions etc. can be automatically selected for those equipped with a photometry device. .

In epifluorescence microscopes, it is necessary to replace excitation filters, dichroic mirrors, and absorption filters depending on the excitation method.

Conventionally, when changing the excitation method, the excitation filter, dichroic mirror, and absorption filter sets suitable for each excitation method were replaced one by one, or several sets were built in and replaced by switching. I was using the following method.

The latter method is preferred as it is more convenient and allows for quick exchange of excitation methods, but conventional microscopes do not have the ability to memorize each excitation method and the position of each excitation method in advance. (You need to check it each time)
Every time the excitation method changed, it was necessary to reset the detector sensitivity, amplifier gain, etc. 1. An object of the present invention is to automatically identify which set of excitation filters, dichroic mirrors, and absorption filters inserted in the optical path is based on a general excitation method, and thereby overcome the drawbacks of the conventional methods. An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic identification device that can solve the problem.

The present invention will be explained below based on the embodiments shown in the drawings.

1 is a light source for illumination, usually a photomultiplier, 2 is a condenser lens, 3 is an excitation filter, 4 is a dichroic mirror,
5 is an absorption filter, 6 is an objective lens, 7 is a specimen, and 20 is a circuit that processes the output of the photomultiplier 1 and obtains predetermined data. This is the configuration of a photometric microscope. excitation filter 3,
The dichroic mirror 4 selects a wavelength necessary for excitation and irradiates the specimen 7, and the fluorescence emitted from the specimen 7 is selected by the dichroic mirror 4 and the absorption filter 5, and the eyepiece
It is designed to lead to the photometry section.

An excitation filter 3, a dichroic mirror 4, and an absorption filter 5μ are integrally assembled in a filter cassette 10 as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 49-128587, for each excitation method called U excitation, V excitation, etc. , the characteristics of each are selected and incorporated. The above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 49-12
As shown in No. 8587, the cassette 10 can be attached to and detached from a turret or slider provided on the microscope body using a dovetail or the like. By moving the turret or slider relative to the microscope body, the cassette attached thereto can be switched and inserted into the optical path of the microscope. This structure is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, but in FIG. 1, only the cassette 10 inserted into the optical path is shown for simplicity.

A magnet 11 is disposed at a predetermined position on the side surface of the cassette 10 so as to generate information according to each excitation method.When the cassette 10 is inserted into the optical path, the magnet 11 A magnetic detector 12 that receives information from the magnetic detector 11 is fixed to the microscope body (not shown). The signal from the detector 12 is input to the filter type display device 13. The filter type display device 13 is currently inserted into the optical path based on the information from the cassette 10 according to the excitation method. Displays the type of cassette (depending on the excitation method).

For display purposes, it is effective to use a light emitting element such as an LED, taking into consideration the fact that a fluorescence photometric microscope is generally not used in a dark room. Specifically, letters corresponding to each excitation method may be provided on the front of the microscope body, and J, E D 'i may be used as illumination light sources corresponding to those letters, or each excitation method may be marked in advance. It is also possible to configure characters corresponding to the segment elements to indicate the excitation method using the cassette in the optical path.

Meanwhile, the signal from the detector 12 is input to an electrical storage circuit 14. In a fluorescence photometric microscope, it is necessary to set the sensitivity of the photomultiplier as a detector, the gain of the amplifier, etc. each time the excitation method changes, so a keyboard switch 15 is provided so that the user can easily set the conditions. There are nine. When conditions are set using the keyboard switch 15, the conditions are input to the control device 17 via the selection switch 16 n1
The control device 17 switches the voltage of the photomultiply, the gain of the amplifier in the circuit 20 for processing the output of the photomultiply 1, and the like. If switching is performed by a mechanical switch, control device 17 includes a reed relay.

The memory circuit 14 is configured so that when the memory start switch 18 is turned on, the conditions set by the keyboard switch 15 are stored in correspondence with the signal from the detector 12 described above.

The selection circuit 16 described above is a circuit for manually inputting the signal from the keyboard switch 15 and the line 1' stored in the storage circuit 14 to the control device 17 alternatively.

With this structure, for example, when photometrically measuring the same specimen by alternately switching between different excitation methods, the conditions set in advance using the keyboard switch 15 can be
Since it is possible to store information in the memory circuit 14 in correspondence with each excitation method, the memory circuit 14 can be stored by the selection circuit 16.
By switching so that the and control device 17 are connected, the signal from the detector 12 automatically controls
This can be done by switching l-. In particular, when one specimen is examined alternately with two or more excitation methods, it is not necessary to reset the measurement conditions by switching the excitation method, and the measurement can be performed quickly. It is extremely effective from the point of view of measurement under the same conditions.

Next, an example of the structure of the magnet 11 provided in the cassette 10 and the details of the magnetic detector 12 will be fully explained with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. A turret 110 is rotatably provided on the microscope main body 100, and a cassette 10 is fixed to the turret 110 by dovetails or the like. On the side of the cassette 10, magnets 11a, ? 1
C is provided. In this embodiment, no magnet is provided at position iib corresponding to the intermediate bit, and as a result,
The excitation method using the illustrated cassette is represented by information 101. Reed switches 12a, 12b, and 12c are fixed to the microscope body 100 via a printed circuit board 101 in correspondence with each bit. In the state shown in the figure, the reed switch 12a is on, the reed switch 12b is off, and the reed Switch 12c is on. reed switch 12
a,? The 3-bit information from 2b and 12c is used to drive the light emitting elements of the display device 130 by a known method such as code conversion.

Note that it is also possible to detect magnetic information corresponding to each of the excitation methods described above using a magnetic head.

There are many types of identification devices that can identify which cassette is in the optical path, such as photoelectric, capacitance, and mechanical types, but in the case of a microscope, light leakage can be prevented by using light. Considering the complexity and lack of space, the above-mentioned identification device based on the magnetic principle is the most practical and best option.

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. There are applications such as storing conditions suitable for a method (sensitivity, gain, etc.) and automatically setting all the conditions.

When the cassette is changed by using 9 and 9, it is possible to eliminate the need to re-set all the conditions according to the change, and it is also possible to distinguish between cassettes installed externally in various ways. Become. Even in a type of device that incorporates several types of cassettes, the cassettes can be identified regardless of the position in which they are installed, so there is no limit to the number of cassettes that can be installed in advance.

As described above, the present invention is effective not only in eliminating the user's complication during measurement and in misidentifying the installed filter (cassette), but also in eliminating the mounting position restrictions in the built-in type.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an example of the structure of a magnet provided in a cassette and an example of a magnetic detector, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are views taken in the direction of arrow A in FIG. [Explanation of symbols of main parts]

Claims (1)

[Claims] A cassette in which an excitation filter, a dichroic mirror, and an absorption filter are integrated is prepared for each different excitation method, and these cassettes are removably attached to a turret or a slider provided on the microscope body. Alternatively, the attached cassette can be switched and inserted into the optical path by moving a slider relative to the microscope body. A magnetic means is disposed at a predetermined position, and a magnetic detector is provided on the main body of the cassette inserted into the optical path, facing the magnetic means, and the output of the detector detects the cassette inserted into the optical path. A filter cassette identification device characterized by determining which excitation method is used.