Illumination system and method for a high definition light microscope
First Claim
1. An illumination system for a transmitted light microscope including a condenser lens means having an optical axis and objective lens means having an optical axis, comprising in combination:
- light beam source means located off the optical axis of the condenser lens means for providing a light beam along a source beam path that passes through the condenser lens means; and
beam path shift means operable to shift the source beam path to be non-parallel to the optical axis of the condenser lens means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An illumination system and method for increasing resolution, sharpness, depth of field, and perception of depth for a transmitted light microscope including a condenser lens having an optical axis, objective lens having an optical axis, and an eye piece wherein a light beam path shift enables two or more separate light beams to be directed onto the condenser along paths that are not coincident with the condenser lens optical axis and that produce beam exit paths from the condenser lens which are at maximum oblique angles relative to the objective lens axis which are within the objective lens aperture.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. An illumination system for a transmitted light microscope including a condenser lens means having an optical axis and objective lens means having an optical axis, comprising in combination:
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light beam source means located off the optical axis of the condenser lens means for providing a light beam along a source beam path that passes through the condenser lens means; and beam path shift means operable to shift the source beam path to be non-parallel to the optical axis of the condenser lens means. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An illumination system for a transmitted light microscope including a condenser lens means having an optical axis and objective lens means having an optical axis, comprising in combination:
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light beam source means for providing a light beam along a source beam path that is non-coincident with the optical axis of the condenser lens means; and beam path shift means disposed off the optical axis of the condenser lens means in said source beam path, said beam path shift means operable to shift the path of said source means light beam and redirect it along an incident path that passes through the condenser lens means, and an exit path from the condenser lens means that passes through the objective lens means, wherein the path between the condenser lens means and the objective lens means is oblique to the optical axis of the objective lens means. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An illumination system for a transmitted light microscope including a condenser lens means having an optical axis, and an objective lens means having an optical axis, comprising in combination:
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light beam source means for providing a plurality of independent light beams along different source beam paths which are non-coincident with the optical axis of the condenser lens means; and a plurality of light beam shift means each of which is operable to shift the path of a source means light beam and redirect it along an incident path that passes through the condenser lens means, and an exit path from the condenser lens means that passes through the objective lens means, wherein the exit path is oblique to the optical axis of the objective lens means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An illumination system for a transmitted light microscope including a condenser lens means having an optical axis, and an objective lens means having an optical axis, comprising in combination:
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light beam source means for providing a plurality of independent light beams along different source beam paths to the condenser lens means; a plurality mirror surfaces optically disposed in source beam paths wherein each said mirror surface is movable radially relative to the optical axis of the condenser means and angularly relative to its associated source beam, wherein said mirror surfaces are movable to positions along radial paths in which they do not intersect the condenser means optical axis whereby said mirror surfaces are operable to direct source beams onto the condenser lens means at locations thereon which are determined by the radial and angular positions of said mirror surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method of increasing resolution in a transmitted light microscope having a condenser lens means having an optical axis, and an objective lens means having an optical axis, comprising the steps of:
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directing a plurality of independent light beams onto the condenser lens means along paths that are not coincident with the condenser lens means optical axis; adjusting the direction of the paths of the light beams to the condenser lens means until the light beams that exit the condenser lens means are directed along paths that pass through the objective lens means and are oblique relative the optical axis of the objective lens means. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method for real-time 3-D imaging with increased resolution in a transmitted light microscope having an condenser lens means having an optical axis, an objective lens means having an optical axis, a source means of source light beams and a binocular eyepiece means, comprising the steps of:
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directing two independent light beams from the source means into the condenser lens means along paths that are not coincident with the condenser lens means optical axis and which produce exit beam paths from the condenser lens means which are oblique to the optical axis of the objective lens means and which pass through the objective lens means, disposing complementary filters between the source means and the condenser lens means; and disposing another set of complimentary filters on the binocular eyepiece means. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
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57. In an illumination system for a transmitted light microscope having a condenser lens means with an optical axis, and an objective lens means with an optical axis, the combination comprising:
light means for providing a plurality of independent light beams having paths which are oblique with respect to the optical axis of the condenser lens means, and which pass through both the condenser lens means and the objective lens means, wherein the paths of the beams between the condenser lens means and the objective lens means are oblique to the optical axis of the objective lens means. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60)
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61. An illumination system for a transmitted light microscope having a condenser lens means with an optical axis, and an objective lens means with an optical axis, comprising:
light means providing a plurality of independent light beams each having an optical axis which lies along a path which is non-coincident with the optical axis of the condenser lens means, which independent light beams overlap at the condenser lens means and which independent light beams pass through both the condenser lens means and the objective lens means, wherein the paths of the optical axes of the independent light beams between the condenser lens means and the objective lens means are oblique to the optical axis of the objective lens means. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64)
Specification