Microscope fluorescence illumination apparatus

• US 20050248839A1
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Katsuyoshi
• Application Number:
  US11/118,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20050248839A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/385
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/16 adapted for ultraviolet illumination ; Fluorescence microscopes G02B21/0076 takes precedence

Abstract

A microscope fluorescence illumination apparatus includes a light source having a solid-state illumination device which generates illumination light, an illumination optical system which guides the illumination light from the light source onto a sample, and a controller configured to control turning ON and OFF of the solid-state illumination device and dimming of the illumination light.

Claims

1. A microscope fluorescence illumination apparatus, comprising:

a light source having a solid-state illumination device which generates illumination light;

an illumination optical system which guides the illumination light from the light source onto a sample; and

a controller configured to control turning ON and OFF of the solid-state illumination device and dimming of the illumination light.

2. A microscope fluorescence illumination apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an observation optical system to which fluorescence generated from the sample is guided; and

an external device which captures the fluorescence guided to the observation optical system,

wherein the controller has a signal output unit which outputs a control signal to the external device in response to turning ON or OFF of the solid-state illumination device.

3. A microscope fluorescence illumination apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an observation optical system to which fluorescence generated from the sample is guided; and

an external device which captures the fluorescence guided to the observation optical system,

wherein the controller has a signal input unit to which a signal according to an operating state of the external device is inputted, and controls turning ON or OFF of the solid-state illumination device based on the signal inputted to the signal input unit.

4. A microscope fluorescence illumination apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the light source has at least two solid-state illumination devices, and

the controller controls turning ON/OFF of the solid-state illumination devices in order in response to the signal inputted to the signal input unit in accordance with the operating state of the external device.

5. A microscope fluorescence illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller dims illumination light of the solid-state illumination devices by means of pulse width modulation control.

6. A microscope fluorescence illumination apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller executes pulse width modulation control in synchronization with a turning ON control period of the solid-state illumination device to control turning ON or OFF in response to the signal inputted to the signal input unit in accordance with the operating state of the external device.

7. A microscope fluorescence illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an external device is imaging device which images the fluorescence guided to the observation optical system.

8. A microscope fluorescence illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller has an operation unit comprising an operation input unit which operates turning ON and OFF the solid-state illumination devices and a dimming operation unit which operates dimming of the solid-state illumination devices.

9. A microscope fluorescence illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the solid-state illumination devices each have an LED.