Microscope with electronic image sensor

• US 6,594,075 B1
• Filed: 11/27/2000
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Yonetani, Atsushi, Higuchi, Gakuji, Kanao, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thong
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROWE, JESSE C
• Application Number:
  US09/722,993
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 359/362, 359/363, 359/369, 359/368, 359/384, 359/385, 359/387, 359/389
• US Class Current: 359/385
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/362 Mechanical details, e.g. mountings for the camera or image sensor, housings G02B21/364 takes precedence

Abstract

A microscope includes a column which stands upright on a base, an LED light source, a stage for placing a specimen irradiated with light from the LED light source, a lens barrel which is arranged to face the specimen on the stage, and has an observation optical system for acquiring the observation image of the specimen, an image sensing element which is arranged at the imaging position of the observation optical system of the lens barrel, and senses the observation image of the specimen, a monitor for displaying the observation image sensed by the image sensing element, and a recording unit for recording image data of the observation image sensed by the image sensing element. At least the LED light source, stage, observation optical system, and image sensing element are arranged along the optical axis of the observation optical system, and supported along the column.

Claims

1. A microscope comprising:

an LED light source;

a stage for placing a specimen irradiated with light from said LED light source;

a lens barrel which faces the specimen on said stage, and which includes an observation optical system for acquiring an observation image of the specimen;

an image sensing element provided at an imaging position of the observation optical system of said lens barrel, and which senses the observation image of the specimen;

an electrical processing unit for processing an output signal from said image sensing element;

a monitor for displaying image data of the observation image output from said electrical processing unit;

a control unit for controlling an image sensing timing of said image sensing element;

a shutter mechanism disposed along an optical path between said LED light source and the specimen, which shields incident light on said image sensing element in synchronism with an image sensing timing of said image sensing element controlled by said control unit;

a semi-transmission reflecting member for irradiating the specimen with illumination light from said LED light source coaxially with the observation optical system; and

a light-transmitting dustproof member interposed between said LED light source and said semi-transmission reflecting member,

wherein said shutter mechanism includes a mechanical shutter interposed between said LED light source and said light-transmitting dustproof member.

2. A microscope comprising:

a light source;

a stage for placing a specimen irradiated with light from said light source;

an imaging optical system which faces the specimen on said stage, and acquires an observation image of the specimen;

an image sensing element provided at an imaging position of said imaging optical system;

a control unit for controlling said image sensing element;

a shutter mechanism disposed along an optical path between said light source and the specimen, and which shields incident light on said image sensing element in synchronism with an image sensing timing of said image sensing element controlled by said control unit;

a semi-transmission reflecting member for irradiating the specimen with illumination light from said eight source coaxially with the observation optical system; and

a light-transmitting dustproof member interposed between said light source and said semi-transmission reflecting member,

wherein said shutter mechanism includes a mechanical shutter interposed between said light source and said light-transmitting dustproof member.

3. A microscope comprising:

a light source;

a stage for placing a specimen irradiated with light from said light source;

a lens barrel which faces the specimen on said stage, and which includes an observation optical system for acquiring an observation image of the specimen;

an image sensing element provided at an imaging position of said observation optical system of said lens barrel that senses the observation image of the specimen;

an electrical processing unit for processing an output signal from said image sensing element;

a monitor for displaying image data of the observation image output from said electrical processing unit;

a base disposed on a surface of a desk;

a support member which stands substantially upright on said base;

a substantially cylindrical cover which covers said light source, said stage, said observation optical system, said lens barrel, said image sensing element, said electrical processing unit, and said support member;

recording means for recording the image data of the observation image;

zooming lenses provided in said observation optical system, and which rotate to change an observation magnification of the microscope; and

a zooming handle which projects from a side surface of said substantially cylindrical cover, for rotating said zooming lenses,

wherein said light source, said stage, said lens barrel, and said image sensing element are arranged in a substantially vertical line within said substantially cylindrical cover, an opening for insertion/removal of the specimen and a display surface of said monitor are provided in the side surface of said substantially cylindrical cover, and said recording means is detachably provided on an upper surface of said substantially cylindrical cover.

4. A microscope comprising:

a light source;

a stage for placing a specimen irradiated with light from said light source;

a lens barrel which faces the specimen on said stage, and which includes an observation optical system for acquiring an observation image of the specimen;

an image sensing element provided at an imaging position of the observation optical system of said lens barrel that senses the observation image of the specimen;

an electrical processing unit which processes an output signal from said image sensing element;

a monitor for displaying image data of the observation image output from said electrical processing unit;

a base disposed on a surface of a desk;

a support member which stands substantially upright on the base; and

a substantially cylindrical cover which covers said light source, said stage, said observation optical system, said lens barrel, said image sensing element, said electrical processing unit, and said support member,

wherein said light source, said stage, said lens barrel, and said image sensing element are arranged in a substantially vertical line within said substantially cylindrical cover, and an opening for insertion/removal of the specimen and a display surface of said monitor are provided in the side surface of said substantially cylindrical cover.

5. A microscope according to claim 4, further comprising recording means for recording the image data of the observation image, said recording means being detachably provided on an upper surface of said cover.

6. A microscope according to claim 4, further comprising:

zooming lenses provided in said observation optical system, and which rotate to change an observation magnification of the microscope; and

a zooming handle which projects from the side surface of said substantially cylindrical cover, for rotating said zooming lenses.

7. A microscope according to claim 4, further comprising:

a focusing mechanism provided in said support member, which moves said stage in a vertical direction; and

a focusing handle projected from the side surface of said cover, which operates said focusing mechanism,

wherein said focusing mechanism and said focusing handle are operated to focus the microscope on the specimen.

8. A microscope according to claim 4, further comprising a switch operation section provided on a side surface of said substantially cylindrical cover in which said monitor is located, the switch operation section comprising at least a switch for turning on and off a power source for said light source and said image sensing element, and a switch for turning said monitor on and off.

9. A microscope according to claims 4, wherein the opening and monitor are provided on a side of the microscope and wherein heights of positions of the opening and monitor with respect to said stage are different from each other.