JPS6136966Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an illumination device for an epifluorescence microscope, particularly to an improvement in a device for selecting a combination of an excitation filter, a dichroic mirror, and an absorption filter.

In epifluorescence microscopes, it is necessary to examine materials in specific wavelength ranges, so it is desirable that excitation filters, dichroic mirrors, and absorption filters can be replaced as needed. In this case, if these three elements can be replaced at once, the objective can be achieved, but in reality, it may not be possible to know the optimal combination of absorption filters for a certain excitation filter. In such cases, it is necessary to try combinations of several absorption filters for one excitation filter.

FIG. 1 schematically shows the overall structure of an epifluorescence microscope, and FIGS. 2 and 3 show typical examples of conventionally known selective exchange devices for the three elements described above. In Figure 1, FS is a fluorescent light source device, EF
is an excitation filter, DM is a dichroic mirror,
BF is an absorption filter, O is an objective lens, S is a subject, 1 is an eyepiece, and in Figures 2 and 3, H is a fluorescent light source device that is removable from the microscope body.
Movable member M configured as FS and Tarzt board
A housing rotatably supporting U ₁ ,
U ₂ , U ₃ and U ₄ are removably arranged at regular intervals on the tart board M, and include specific combinations of excitation filters, dichroic mirrors and absorption filters, one of which is clearly shown in FIG. The cubic unit A is a knob that is rotatably attached to the side wall of the housing H and can rotate the turret plate M through a gear mechanism.By rotating the knob A, the turret plate M is rotated and the unit is rotated.
It is possible to bring into the optical path one of U ₁ , U ₂ , U ₃ and U ₄ , ie a desired combination of excitation filter EF, dichroic mirror DM and absorption filter BF. In the illustrated state, the unit _U1 is inserted into the optical path.

Conventional devices of this type are constructed as described above, so the mutual combination of a plurality of pre-prepared excitation filters, dichroic mirrors, and absorption filters can be changed as necessary during microscopy. Such a thing was impossible. That is, the conventional system had the disadvantage that, despite the number of excitation filters, dichroic mirrors, and absorption filters, there was little variation in their combinations.

In order to eliminate such drawbacks, the present invention is designed so that the excitation filter, dichroic mirror, and absorption filter can be switched as a set, or the excitation filter, dichroic mirror, and absorption filter can be switched separately. However, based on the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 6,
Elements that are substantially the same as those shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals. To explain this specifically, _M1 can be slid on the housing H in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 4. It supports multiple excitation filters EF ₁ and EF ₂ with different characteristics and has a knob A ₁ on the end.
A first movable member, _M2 , is mounted on the housing H so as to be slidable in the direction of the arrow in FIG. A second movable member, C, supports the combination of absorption filters BF ₁ and BF ₂ and has a knob A ₂ at its end.
As shown in FIG. 5, one end is pivotally supported on the shaft of the knob _M2 , and the other end is formed to be removable from the shaft of the knob _M1 , or as shown in FIG. This is a connecting member formed so that it can be attached to and detached from each of the shaft parts of ₁ and _M2 . In this case, the excitation filter
EF ₁ , EF ₂ , absorption filters BF ₁ , BF ₂ and corresponding dichroic mirrors are arranged at equal intervals from each other, and each movable member M ₁ ,
Appropriate click means interposed between _M2 and the housing H allows it to be semi-fixedly stopped at a position aligned with the optical path from the fluorescent light source device FS.

Since the proposed device is configured as described above,
During microscopy, if the connecting member C is operated to disconnect the first and second movable members M ₁ and M ₂ , the first movable member M ₁ and the second movable member M ₂ are separated from each other. Various combinations of excitation filters EF ₁ and EF ₂ , dichroic mirrors, and absorption filters BF ₁ and BF ₂ can be created on the optical path, and as shown in the figure, the first and second Second movable member
If M ₁ and M ₂ are integrally connected, the combination of excitation filter EF ₁ and absorption filter BF ₁ and their corresponding dichroic mirrors, and the combination of excitation filter EF ₂ and absorption filter BF ₂ and their corresponding dichroic mirrors are possible. A combination with a mirror can be inserted into and taken out of the optical path as a set.

In the embodiment described above, the first and second movable members are slidably mounted on the housing, and only two excitation filters and two absorption filters are provided, but the number of these is not necessary. Needless to say, the number of movable members may be further increased as required, and the movable member may be rotatably mounted to the housing as in the conventional system shown in FIG. The connecting member may be pivotally connected to the first movable member, or the knob shaft, that is, the movable member may be provided with a plurality of engagement grooves at predetermined intervals to engage with the connecting member, as shown by the dotted line in Figure 4. For example, different combinations of excitation filters, absorption filters, and corresponding dichroic mirrors can be inserted into and removed from the optical path as a set.

As described above, according to the present invention, the first movable member and the second movable member can be moved together or separately by simple operation of the connecting member, and the excitation filter, absorption filter, and the like can be moved together or separately. A desired combination with a corresponding dichroic mirror can be quickly and easily created even during microscopy, which is extremely effective in practice.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an epi-fluorescence microscope, Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of a conventional example of an epi-fluorescence illumination device, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the - line in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is A second embodiment of the epi-fluorescent illumination device according to the present invention
The corresponding plan views, FIGS. 5 and 6, are sectional views taken along the line -- in FIG. 4, showing different embodiments. EF, EF ₁ , EF ₂ , EF ₃ , EF ₄ ... Excitation filter, DM, DM ₁ , DM ₂ , DM ₃ , DM ₄ ... Dichroic mirror, BF, BF ₁ , BF ₂ , BF ₃ , BF ₄ ...Absorption filter, M ₁ ...First movable member, M ₂ ...
Second movable member, C...connection member.

Claims (1)

[Scope of claims for utility model registration] (1) In an epifluorescence microscope including an excitation filter, a dichroic mirror, and an absorption filter,
A first movable member supporting a plurality of excitation filters and a second movable member supporting a plurality of pairs of dichroic mirrors and absorption filters are provided, and these movable members are integrally connected using a connecting member. An illumination device characterized in that the excitation filter, the dichroic mirror, and the absorption filter can be moved or moved separately so that a combination of the excitation filter, dichroic mirror, and absorption filter can be selected. (2) The lighting device according to claim (1) for utility model registration, in which the connecting member is pivotally attached to either the first or second movable member and is detachable from the other. . (3) The lighting device according to claim (1), wherein the connecting member is detachable from the first and second movable members.