Microscope enclosure system

• US 7,902,814 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2008
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ikonisys, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ikonisys, Inc.
• Inventors: Turgeon, Joseph, Kilpatrick, Michael, Tafas, Triantafyllos, Eberle, Richard, Agarwal, Yash, Guo, Wei, Kim, Youngmin, Tsipouras, Petros
• Primary Examiner(s): TANG, MINH NHUT
• Application Number:
  US12/330,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20090116101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/750.3
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/24 Base structure

Abstract

A displaceable light-tight enclosure system housing an automated robotic microscope having electronically controllable components and an image capture device. The enclosure system includes a device(s) for displacement, an externally viewable monitor, and a plurality of electrical power receptacles. The light-tight enclosure system also incorporates an anti-fall support leg that may be extended from the enclosure.

Claims

1. An enclosure for housing an automated robotic microscope having electronically controllable components comprising:

at least one compartment, wherein a lowest exterior surface has rotatable mechanisms affixed thereto that allows said at least one compartment to be easily moved;

a viewing monitor disposed on a surface of said enclosure viewable from a location exterior to said enclosure;

a plurality of receptacles mounted on a surface of said enclosure that transmit electrical power or electronic signals between an outside surface and an interior surface of said enclosure;

an anti-fall support leg attached to said lowest exterior surface.

2. An enclosure, in accordance with claim 1, wherein said anti-fall support leg comprises an angled piece of material that is extendable out from a lower compartment.

3. An enclosure, in accordance with claim 1, wherein said anti-fall support leg is operatively configured to allow for extension and retraction.

4. A displaceable integrated microscope system comprising an automated robotic microscope system housed in a light tight enclosure, wherein

said automated robotic microscope system comprises:

a microscope having a stage;

a light source that is directed, at least, at a portion of said stage;

an image capture device directed at least to a portion of said stage;

an automated feeder arm assembly operatively configured to remove a slide from a plurality of slides and automatically place the same on said stage;

said light-tight enclosure comprises;

at least one compartment, wherein a lowest exterior surface has rotatable mechanisms affixed thereto that allows said at least one compartment to be easily moved;

a viewing monitor disposed on a surface of said enclosure viewable from a location exterior to said enclosure;

a plurality of receptacles mounted on a surface of said enclosure that transmit electrical power or electronic signals between an exterior surface and an interior surface of said enclosure;

an anti-fall support leg attached to said lowest exterior surface.