STEREO TELEVISION MICROSCOPE

• US 3,818,125 A
• Filed: 10/26/1971
• Issued: 06/18/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James F. Butterfield
• Original Assignee: James F. Butterfield
• Inventors: Butterfield, James F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US05/192,012
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 178/DIG.1,DIG.35,DIG.38,6.5,6.8,7.85,7.91 350/14,148
• US Class Current: 348/49
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/361 Optical details, e.g. image relay to the camera or image sensor G02B21/364 takes precedence; illumination details G02B21/06 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/368 details of associated display arrangements, e.g. mounting of LCD monitor

Abstract

There is disclosed herein a stereo television microscope apparatus and system including a housing with beam splitting optics therein which pick up two slightly different images of a small object and relay such images through an optics system to the pickup tube of a television camera. The television camera is connected with a television monitor which displays the two adjacent images. Optics in the face plate of the hood associated with the monitor enable the viewer to observe a single magnified television picture of the object in three dimensions. The instrument can be used in place of a regular optical stereo microscope. The television picture from one device can be connected to and viewed by any desired number of other such devices for group instruction, on-line inspection, transmission of pictures to remote areas for analysis, and so forth. Also, the stereo television picture may be recorded on a recording media, such as video tape or film, for later playback.

Claims

1. Stereo television microscope apparatus for providing a three dimensional enlarged view of an object comprising first optical means including a beam spliter, for picking up images of the object from different angles and magnifying said images, said first optical means including image separation means for providing respective separate different images of the object, pickup means for receiving images of the object and providing electrical signals representative of the respective images, display means for displaying the magnified images represented by said respective signals, and second optical means for directing one image to a first eye and a different image to a second eye of a viewer.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said display means comprises a cathode ray tube.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said display means comprises a cathode ray tube for displaying continuous enlarged images.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first and second optical means, pickup means and display means are mounted together in a single housing.

5. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said display means and second optical means are remotely located with respect to said first optical means and said pickup means.

6. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said image separation means comprises means for reflecting and relaying said respective images of the object to said pickup means by separate and independent light paths.

7. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first optical means including a movable optical assembly and said pickup means including a movable pickup tube and a path between the object and said first optical means and a path between said first optical means and said pickup means are variable, thereby allowing variable magnification of the view of the object.

8. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first optical means includes a plurality of prism wedges for picking up images of the object from different angles.

9. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said images separation means comprises means for refracting and relaying said respective images of the object of said pickup means by separate and independent light paths.

10. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first optical means includes a plurality of mirror flats for picking up images of the object from different angles.

11. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said pickup means comprises a single television camera means.

12. Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said display device comprises a cathode ray tube.

13. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said second optical means includes a viewing means comprising a visor and a hood means, said hood means providing a light-proof enclosure between said display means and said visor, and a viewing optical plate positioned between said display means and said visor for viewing said display means.

14. The apparatus as in claim 13 wherein said viewing optical plate includes a first and second aperture, and a first and second wedge prism respectively deposed behind said first and second aperture.

15. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first optical means includes a matched pair of lenses for image separation.

16. The apparatus as in claim 15 including a baffle, said baffle being positioned between said first optical means and said pickup means for keeping the images separate.

17. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said image separation mEans includes filter means for relaying said respective images to said pickup means by a single light path.

18. Apparatus as in claim 17 wherein said filter means comprises two sets of mutually exclusive polarizing filters.

19. Apparatus as in claim 17 wherein said filter means comprises two sets of mutually exclusive colored filters.

20. Stereo television microscope apparatus for providing a three dimensional enlarged view of an object comprising first optical means having an adjustable stereo base for picking up images of the object from different angles and magnifying said images, and image separation means for providing respective separate different images of the object, electro-optical pickup means comprising a single electro-optical pickup tube for receiving the separated images from said first optical means and providing electrical signals representative of the respective separated images from said first optical means, display means comprising a single display device for displaying continuous magnified images represented by said respective signals, and second optical means for directing one image to a first eye and a different image to a second eye of a viewer.

21. A method of microscopy for providing substantially enlarged three dimensional views of a small object comprising the steps of optically picking up two images of an object from different angles and relaying said images in a side by side relationship thereby forming a first and second image, maintaining the first image separate with respect to the second image, by filtering each image independently with matched exclusive filters, converting said electrical signals to respective enlarged visual images, and channeling one image to each of the eyes of a viewer.

22. Stereo television microscope apparatus for providing a three dimensional enlarged view of an object comprising first optical means for picking up images of the object from different angles and magnifying said images, said first optical means including image separation means for providing respective separate different images of the object, said first optical means including an aperture plate having two slots horizontally separated from each other for image separation, pickup means for receiving images of the object and providing electrical signals representative of the respective images, display means for displaying the magnified images represented by said respective signals, and second optical means for directing one image to a first eye and a different image to a second eye of a viewer.

23. Stereo television microscope apparatus for providing a three dimensional enlarged view of an object comprising first optical means for picking up images of the object from different angles and magnifying said images, said first optical means including image separation means for providing respective separate different images of the object, said first optical means including a matched pair of lenses for image separation and further including a pair of prisms, capable of conveying rays from the object to allow the rays to pass through said matched pair of lenses, pickup means for receiving images of the object and providing electrical signals representative of the respective images, display means for displaying the magnified images represented by said respective signals, and second optical means for directing one image to a first eye and a different image to a second eye of a viewer.

24. The apparatus as in claim 23 including two sets of mutually exclusive filters, said first set of filters being positioned in a first optical means and said second set of filters being positioned immediately in front of said pickup means.

25. Stereo television microscope apparatus for providing a three dimensional enlarged view of an object comprising first optical means for picking up images of the object from different angles and magnifying said images, said first optical means inCluding image separation means for providing respective separate different images of the object, said first optical means including a matched pair of lenses for image separation and further including a beam splitter, said beam splitter capable of converging rays from the object to allow the rays to pass through said matched pair of lenses, pickup means for receiving images of the object and providing electrical signals representative of the respective images, display means for displaying the magnified images represented by said respective signals, and second optical means for directing one image to a first eye and a different image to a second eye of a viewer.

26. The apparatus as in claim 25 wherein said beam splitter includes two pair of reflectors positioned to cross the images.

27. Stereo television microscope apparatus for providing a three dimensional enlarged view of an object comprising first optical means including means for providing an adjustable stereo base, for picking up images of the object from different angles and magnifying said images, said first optical means including image separation means for providing respective separate different images of the object, pickup means for receiving images of the object and providing electrical signals representative of the respective images, display means for displaying the magnified images represented by said respective signals, and second optical means for directing one image to a first eye and a different image to a second eye of a viewer.

28. A method of microscopy for providing substantially enlarged three dimensional views of a small object comprising the steps of adjusting the stereo base for optimum depth perception at a given working distance, optically picking up images of an object from different angles thereby forming a first and second image, maintaining the first image separate with respect to the second image by optically channeling each image independently, converting said images to electrical signals representative of said images, converting said electrical signals to respective enlarged visual images, and channeling one image to each of the eyes of a viewer.