Filter accessory for an imaging microspectrofluorimeter

• US 5,009,488 A
• Filed: 06/14/1990
• Issued: 04/23/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Original Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Inventors: Fogarty, Kevin E., Fay, Fredric S., Rodgers, Cyril
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, F. L.
• Application Number:
  US07/538,116
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 356/417, 356/418, 356/419, 350/315, 350/317, 350/318, 358/42, 358/55
• US Class Current: 359/889
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/442 Single-photon detection or photon counting
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4453 PMT
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/123 Indexed discrete filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6421 Measuring at two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6423 Spectral mapping, video display
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6458 Fluorescence microscopy fluorescence microscopes per se G02B21/0076 and G02B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/126 Microprocessor processing
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/06 Means for illuminating specimens
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/007 the movable or deformable optical element controlling the colour, i.e. a spectral characteristic, of the light

Abstract

A microscope is modified to allow for precise imaging of samples using different filters at different focal planes under computer control. A filter accessory includes a filter disc having bandpass filters. The filter disc may be rotated to move a selected filter into the optical path between a light source and the microscope sample. Adjustment of the image plane of the microscope is controlled by the computer using feedback from a lens position sensor.

Claims

1. A filter accessory comprising:

an optical conduit between a light inlet and a light outlet;

an inlet connector at the inlet end of the optical conduit for coupling the conduit into a microscope system;

an outlet connector complementary to the inlet connector at the outlet end of the optical conduit for coupling the conduit into a microscope system;

a filter assembly eccentrically mounted relative to the optical conduit, the assembly including a filter housing and a filter disc within the filter housing, the filter disc having a plurality of removable filter elements circumferentially spaced about a filter axis offset from the optical conduit; and

a filter drive for rotating the filter discs about the filter axis.

2. A filter accessory as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for sensing the position of the filter disc as each filter is positioned between the light inlet and light outlet.

3. A filter accessory as claimed in claim 2 wherein the filter drive is bidirectional and the filter disc is driven in the direction of the shortest angular distance to a selected next position.

4. A filter accessory as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filter drive is a stepper motor.

5. A filter accessory as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inlet connector and outlet connector are complementary pinned bayonet connector elements.

6. A filter accessory comprising:

an optical conduit between a light inlet and a light outlet;

an inlet connector at the inlet end of the optical conduit for coupling the conduit into an optical system;

an outlet connector at the outlet end of the optical conduit for coupling the conduit into an optical system;

a filter assembly eccentrically mounted relative to the optical conduit, the assembly including a filter housing and a filter disc within the filter housing, the filter disc having a plurality of filters circumferentially spaced about a filter axis offset from the optical conduit;

drive means for rotating the filters about the filter axis; and

means for sensing the position of the filter disc as each filter is positioned between the light inlet and light outlet.

7. A filter accessory as claimed in claim 6 wherein each of the filters is a removable filter element.