Method and apparatus for specimen illumination in a microscope
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising a microscope that includes:
- a base having a wall portion defining a chamber, said chamber located above and providing access to a location for a specimen, said wall portion having a plurality of openings therein that extend through said wall portion from said chamber to a region external to said base;
imaging optics supported on said base and at least partially located within said chamber, and configured to image a region that includes said location;
a first illumination module removably installed in a first opening of said plurality of openings and supported on said base, said first illumination module including a first source of first radiation, and including first illumination optics positioned between said first source and said location and configured to deliver said first radiation from said first source to said location, said first illumination optics including a first lens positioned between said first source and said location so that said first radiation travelling from said first source to said location passes through said first lens; and
a second illumination module removable installed in a second opening of said plurality of openings and supported on said base, said second illumination module including a second source of second radiation and second illumination optics configured to deliver said second radiation to said location, said second illumination optics including a second lens positioned between said second source and said location so that said second radiation travelling from said second source to said location passes through said second lens, said second radiation being in a different wavelength range than said first radiation.
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Abstract
A microscope includes a base having thereon first optics that image a region that includes a location for a specimen. A method and apparatus involve: removably supporting on the base an illumination module that includes a source of radiation and second optics; and delivering radiation from the source to the location utilizing optical structure embodied entirely within the second optics, including directing radiation traveling from the source to the location through a lens that is part of the second optics.
10 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising a microscope that includes:
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a base having a wall portion defining a chamber, said chamber located above and providing access to a location for a specimen, said wall portion having a plurality of openings therein that extend through said wall portion from said chamber to a region external to said base; imaging optics supported on said base and at least partially located within said chamber, and configured to image a region that includes said location; a first illumination module removably installed in a first opening of said plurality of openings and supported on said base, said first illumination module including a first source of first radiation, and including first illumination optics positioned between said first source and said location and configured to deliver said first radiation from said first source to said location, said first illumination optics including a first lens positioned between said first source and said location so that said first radiation travelling from said first source to said location passes through said first lens; and a second illumination module removable installed in a second opening of said plurality of openings and supported on said base, said second illumination module including a second source of second radiation and second illumination optics configured to deliver said second radiation to said location, said second illumination optics including a second lens positioned between said second source and said location so that said second radiation travelling from said second source to said location passes through said second lens, said second radiation being in a different wavelength range than said first radiation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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5. An apparatus comprising a microscope that includes:
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a base; imaging optics supported on said base and configured to image a region that includes a location for a specimen; and an illumination module removably supported on said base, said illumination module including; a source of radiation; a thermally conductive member; a circuit board having first and second portions that are mutually exclusive, said first portion being adjacent said thermally conductive member and having said source mounted thereon, and said second portion extending away from said thermally conductive member and having an electrical connector thereon, said circuit board electrically coupling said source and said connector; a first thermally conductive adhesive fixedly coupling said first portion of said circuit board to said thermally conductive member; a tubular support having one end adjacent said thermally conductive member; a second adhesive disposed between said thermally conductive member and said end of said tubular support and fixedly securing said end of said tubular support to said thermally conductive member; illumination optics configured to deliver radiation from said radiation source to said location, said illumination optics including a lens fixedly supported within said tubular support and positioned between said source and said location such that said radiation travelling from said source to said location passes through said lens; a tubular thermal barrier extending around said tubular support; and a third adhesive fixedly securing said thermal barrier to said tubular support. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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14. A method of operating a microscope that includes a base having thereon imaging optics that image a region including a location for a specimen, said method comprising:
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removably supporting on said base a first illumination module that includes a first source of radiation and first illumination optics; delivering first radiation from said first source to said location utilizing first optical structure embodied entirely within said first illumination optics, said delivering first radiation including directing said first radiation from said first source through a first lens that is part of the first illumination optics to said location; removably supporting on said base a second illumination module that includes a second source of radiation and second illumination optics; and delivering second radiation from said second source to said location utilizing second optical structure embodied entirely within said second illumination optics, said delivering second radiation including directing said second radiation from said second source through a second lens that is part of the second illumination optics to said location. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification