CORRECTOR RING DRIVING DEVICE OF MICROSCOPIC OBJECTIVE LENS PROVIDED WITH CORRECTOR RING

• US 20080225416A1
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: HARADA, Mitsuo, SHIMADA, Yoshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/830
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0088 Inverse microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/241 Devices for focusing focusing in general G02B7/28
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/248 objective (or ocular) turrets
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0068 having means for controlling the degree of correction, e.g. using phase modulators, movable elements controlling the phase of light using moving or deformable elements G02B26/06

Abstract

A device driving a corrector ring of a corrector ring mounting objective lens mounted to an objective mounting and dismounting section of a revolver includes a rotation driving mechanism having a motor and a turning effort transmitting section which transmits a turning effort of the motor to the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens mounted to the revolver to drive the corrector ring; and a connection unit for connecting the turning effort transmitting section to the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens introduced into an observation optical path in association with a switching operation performed by the revolver and disconnecting the turning effort transmitting section from the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens removed from the observation optical path.

Claims

1. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring which drives the corrector ring of a corrector ring mounting objective lens mounted to an objective switching device having a plurality of mounting and dismounting sections for mounting and dismounting a plurality of kinds of objective lenses, to each of which is mounted the corrector ring mounting objective lens, and allowing a desired objective lens to be introduced into an observation optical path by rotating on a shaft fixed to a microscope body, the corrector ring driving device comprising:

a rotation driving mechanism having a motor and a turning effort transmitting section which transmits a turning effort of the motor to the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens mounted to the objective switching device to drive the corrector ring; and

connection means for connecting the turning effort transmitting section to the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens introduced into the observation optical path in association with a switching operation performed by the objective switching device and disconnecting the turning effort transmitting section from the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens removed from the observation optical path.

2. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 1, wherein an annular member having a spur gear portion is provided to be mountable with respect to the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens and the turning effort transmitting section has a gear portion engaging with the spur gear portion of the annular member mounted to the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens along a direction of rotation and a disengagement portion disengaging the gear portion from the spur gear portion of the annular member.

3. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 2, wherein the connection means controls an amount of rotation of the motor so that when the corrector ring mounting objective lens is introduced into the observation optical path, the gear portion of the turning effort transmitting section engages with the spur gear portion of the annular member mounted to the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens, while when the corrector ring mounting objective lens is removed from the observation optical path, the spur gear portion of the annular member mounted to the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens is disengaged through the disengagement portion of the turning effort transmitting section.

4. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 1, wherein the turning effort transmitting section has a rotary roller constructed of an elastic member and the connection means is constructed so that the rotary roller is pressed against the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens.

5. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 4, wherein the turning effort transmitting section has a pressure exerting portion pressed against the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens along a direction of rotation and a pressure release portion releasing a pressure on the corrector ring.

6. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 5, wherein the connection means controls an amount of rotation of the motor so that when the corrector ring mounting objective lens is introduced into the observation optical path, the pressure exerting portion of the turning effort transmitting section is pressed against the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens, while when the corrector ring mounting objective lens is removed from the observation optical path, a pressure on the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens is released through the pressure release portion of the turning effort transmitting section.

7. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 1, wherein the rotation driving mechanism is constructed to be mountable and dismountable with respect to each of the mounting and dismounting sections of the objective switching device.

8. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 1, wherein the rotation driving mechanism is secured to a shaft fixed to a microscope body which is a center of rotation of the objective switching device.

9. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 1, wherein the rotation driving mechanism is supported by a support independent of the objective switching device.

10. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 9, wherein the support is constructed of an elastic member fixed to a microscope body.

11. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 9, wherein the support is constructed to be movable and the connection means has a travel control means making the support movable with respect to positions where the turning effort transmitting section is connected to, and disconnected from, the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens introduced into, and removed from, the observation optical path in association with a switching operation performed by the objective switching device.

12. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring which drives the corrector ring of a corrector ring mounting objective lens mounted to an objective switching device having a plurality of mounting and dismounting sections for mounting and dismounting a plurality of kinds of objective lenses, to each of which is mounted the corrector ring mounting objective lens, and allowing a desired objective lens to be introduced into an observation optical path by rotating on a shaft fixed to a microscope body, the corrector ring driving device comprising:

a rotation driving mechanism having a motor and a turning effort transmitting section which transmits the turning effort of the motor to the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens mounted to the objective switching device to drive the corrector ring,

the rotation driving mechanism being constructed to connect the turning effort transmitting section to the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens introduced into the observation optical path in a switching operation performed by the objective switching device and to disconnect the turning effort transmitting section from the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens removed from the observation optical path.

13. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 12, wherein the turning effort transmitting section has a rotary roller constructed of an elastic member and a connection means is constructed so that the rotary roller is pressed against the corrector ring of the corrector ring mounting objective lens.

14. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 13, wherein the rotation driving mechanism is constructed to be mountable and dismountable with respect to each of the mounting and dismounting sections of the objective switching device.

15. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 13, wherein the rotation driving mechanism is secured to a shaft fixed to the microscope body which is a center of rotation of the objective switching device.

16. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 13, wherein the rotation driving mechanism is supported by a support independent of the objective switching device.

17. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 12, wherein the support is constructed of an elastic member fixed to the microscope body.

18. A corrector ring driving device of a microscopic objective lens provided with a corrector ring according to claim 13, wherein the support is constructed of an elastic member fixed to the microscope body.