Method and apparatus for adjustment and automatic readjustment of the lamp in a microscope

• US 7,045,984 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: CARL Zeiss JENA GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Gonschor, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): GLASS, ERICK DAVID
• Application Number:
  US10/949,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20050127270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 318/480, 362/268, 362/270, 362/271, 362/272, 362/319, 362/324, 362/575
• US Class Current: 318/480
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/06 Means for illuminating specimens

Abstract

Method and apparatus for the adjustment and automatic readjustment of the lamp in a microscope. The present invention is used for adjusting the lamp in a microscope. In the solution according to the invention, the tilting direction of the glass body relative to the lamp cap is marked at the lamp. The lamp cap is likewise marked for oriented insertion of the marked lamp so that the tilting direction of the lamp lies in direction of the optical axis of the collector after insertion. For adjusting, the collector-reflector unit is displaced in direction of the optical axis of the collector and the lamp cap is then oriented in vertical direction of the optical axis of the collector. For automatic readjustment, the lamp cap has an actuating drive. A reference variable is determined for the actuating drive by a control unit by evaluating lamp voltage or lamp current. The proposed solution can be applied in all devices in which an ultra-high pressure gas discharge lamp is to be moved into and/or maintained in a focus position.

Claims

1. Apparatus for the adjustment of the lamp in a microscope, comprising:

a collector and a reflector which form a mechanical unit;

a lamp cap which is arranged between the collector and reflector for receiving the lamp; and

devices for the adjustment of the lamp and of the collector-reflector unit;

said lamp having a mark of the tilting direction of its glass body relative to the lamp cap;

said lamp cap having a mark for the oriented insertion of the marked lamp so that the tilting direction of the lamp lies in direction of the optical axis of the collector after insertion;

said collector-reflector unit being displaceable for adjusting in direction of the optical axis; and

said lamp cap being displaceable for adjustment in a vertical direction.

2. The apparatus for adjustment according to claim 1, wherein an evaluation of the illumination profile is carried out by measurement device and output devices can indicate when the optimal adjustment has been achieved.

3. The apparatus for adjustment according to claim 1, wherein the collector-reflector unit and the lamp cap have actuating drives for motor-actuated adjustment and a control unit is provided which determines a reference variable for the actuating drives by evaluating the measured illumination profile and sends a corresponding control signal to these actuating drives.

4. The apparatus for adjustment according to claim 1, wherein the lamp has a mark of the tilting direction of its glass body relative to the lamp cap, the lamp cap has a mark for the oriented insertion of the marked lamp so that the tilting direction of the lamp lies at an angle α

to the direction of the optical axis of the collector after insertion, this angle α

being up to 10°

.

5. The apparatus for automatic readjustment according to claim 1, wherein the lamp cap has an actuating drive for readjustment during operation and a control unit determines a reference variable for the actuating drive by evaluating lamp voltage or lamp current and sends a corresponding control signal to this actuating drive.

9. An apparatus for adjustment according to claim 1, wherein the tilting direction of its glass body relative to the lamp cap is marked on the lamp, and the lamp cap is likewise marked for oriented insertion of the marked lamp so that the tilting direction of the lamp lies at an angle α

to the direction of the optical axis of the collector after insertion, said angle α

being up to 10°

.

6. A method for the adjustment of the lamp in a microscope, wherein a lamp cap receiving the lamp is arranged between a collector and a reflector which form a mechanical unit, and the lamp cap and collector-reflector unit have devices for adjustment, wherein the tilting direction of the glass body relative to the lamp cap is marked at the lamp, the lamp cap is likewise marked for oriented insertion of the marked lamp so that the tilting direction of the lamp lies in direction of the optical axis of the collector after insertion, the lamp cap is displaced in direction of the optical axis of the collector for adjusting the collector-reflector unit in order to orient the light arc generated between the electrodes of the lamp in the focal plane of the collector and subsequently, by displacing the lamp cap in vertical direction, on the optical axis of the collector.

7. The method for adjusting the lamp according to claim 6, wherein an evaluation of the illumination profile is carried out by the provided measuring device and output devices can indicate when the optimal adjustment has been achieved.

8. The method for adjustment of the lamp according to claim 6, wherein the collector-reflector unit and the lamp cap both have actuating drives for motor-actuated adjustment and a control unit is provided which determines a reference variable for the actuating drives by evaluating the measured illumination profile and sends a corresponding control signal to these actuating drives.

10. The method for automatic readjustment of the lamp according to claim 6, wherein for purposes of readjustment during operation a control unit determines a reference variable for an actuating drive provided at the lamp cap by evaluating lamp voltage or lamp current and sends a corresponding control signal to this actuating drive.