JP3203698B2 - Microscope immersion objective and waterproof cap - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an immersion objective for a microscope, and more particularly to an immersion objective suitable for an inverted microscope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional water immersion objective lens has a structure as shown in FIG. That is, the front lens 23 is held by the lens ring 24, and the lens ring 24 is
5 is held. The space between the sample 21 and the tip lens 23 is filled with an aqueous solution. In order to prevent the aqueous solution from entering the microscope, the tip lens 23 and the lens ring 2 are used.
4 and between the lens ring 24 and the middle cylinder 25 are each filled with a sealant.

[0003] On the other hand, the middle cylinder 25 is supported inside the outer cylinder 26, but normally, no sealant is filled between the middle cylinder 25 and the outer cylinder 26. The reason for this is that even if the distal end portion of the objective lens collides with the sample 21 when the entire objective lens is moved in the optical axis direction during a focusing operation or the like, the middle tube 25 is prevented from being damaged. Is provided inside the outer cylinder 26 so as to be slidable in the optical axis direction.

[0004]

A conventional immersion objective lens, particularly a water immersion objective lens, is manufactured on the assumption that it is used in an upright microscope.
The objective lens was located above the sample 21, and there was no fear that the aqueous solution 22 reached the gap between the middle cylinder 25 and the outer cylinder 26. However, in the case of a speculum using an inverted microscope, the objective lens is located below the specimen 21. for that reason,
The excess aqueous solution flows down along the outer slope of the lens ring 24 and flows into the objective lens through the gap between the middle tube 25 and the outer tube 26.

Further, in an inverted microscope, an apparatus such as an observation optical system is arranged below the objective lens. When an excess aqueous solution falls down the outer periphery of the objective lens and enters the inside of the microscope, these devices are not used. There was a risk of contaminating the equipment. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an immersion objective lens that can be used for an inverted microscope.

[0006]

A liquid immersion objective lens according to the present invention has a concave liquid holding portion (7) around the tip of the objective lens.
b, 7c, 17a). According to the second aspect of the present invention, an annular waterproof member (7, 17) is provided around a lens ring (4, 14) for holding a tip lens (3) of the objective lens.
Is fixed, and the liquid holding portion (7c, 17a) is formed between the lens ring (4, 14) and the waterproof member (7, 17).

According to the third aspect of the invention, the liquid holding portion (7b) is provided on the waterproof cap (7) attached to the outer periphery of the objective lens and covering the outside of the objective lens, and the liquid flowing down from the tip of the objective lens. Take it. Claim 4
The described waterproof cap (7, 17) can be attached to the immersion objective lens of the microscope, and the liquid holding part (7b, 7) for receiving the liquid flowing down from the tip of the objective lens.
c, 17a).

[0008]

The recessed liquid holding portions (7b, 7c, 17a) provided around the tip of the objective lens serve to remove the solution overflowing from between the sample and the objective lens when the objective lens is brought close to the sample. Hold. The liquid holding unit (7) according to claim 2,
c, 17a) can secure a necessary amount of solution between the specimen and the objective lens during immersion.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the liquid flowing down from the tip of the objective lens is received by the liquid holding portion (7b) along the waterproof cap. The liquid holding portion of the waterproof cap according to claim 4 receives and holds the liquid overflowing from between the sample and the objective lens when the objective lens approaches the sample.

[0010]

FIG. 1 shows an immersion objective according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a front lens 3 is held by a lens ring 4 and the lens ring 4 is held by a middle cylinder 5. The middle cylinder 5 is provided inside the outer cylinder 6 so as to be slidable in the optical axis direction as in the conventional case. A waterproof cap 7 is attached to the outer periphery of the lens ring 4. The waterproof cap 7 is formed of an elastic material such as silicone rubber, and has an annular protrusion 7a protruding in the distal direction to almost the same height as the distal end of the objective lens, and an annular protrusion provided at a position covering the outer surface of the outer cylinder 6. Receiving groove 7b
And A circumferential groove 4a formed on the outer periphery of the lens ring 4
The diameter of the inner peripheral surface of the waterproof cap 7 which fits with the circumferential groove 4a
Is formed slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the. The side surface of the circumferential groove 4a has an inversely tapered shape whose diameter gradually increases in the left direction in the figure, and is configured to prevent the waterproof cap 7 from falling off. Therefore, when the waterproof cap 7 made of an elastic material is attached to the outer periphery of the lens ring 4, the waterproof cap 7 is tightly fixed to the circumferential groove 4a of the lens ring 4 by its own contracting force, thereby preventing liquid from entering between these members. .

When the waterproof cap 7 is mounted on the outer periphery of the lens ring 4, the lens ring 4 and the annular projection 7a form a water holding portion 7c for storing an aqueous solution around the front end lens 3. . When the water immersion objective lens is mounted on an inverted microscope and inspected by a microscope, the left side of the figure is in a position with one upper digit. Therefore, if a few drops of the aqueous solution are dropped on the tip lens 3 of the objective lens, the aqueous solution is held on the tip lens 3 by surface tension. In this state, the objective lens
, The aqueous solution 2 is filled between the specimen 1 and the tip lens 3 as shown.

The amount of the aqueous solution dropped onto the tip lens 3 is adjusted in accordance with the distance between the sample 1 and the objective lens. Is in a filled state as shown in the drawing, or is further spread and held by the surrounding water holding portion 7c. If the amount of the aqueous solution dropped first is too large, when the objective lens is brought close to the specimen 1, excess aqueous solution overflows out of the water holding portion 7c and flows down along the side surface of the waterproof cap 7, It accumulates in the receiving groove 7b. Therefore, the overflowed aqueous solution does not reach the middle cylinder 5 or the outer cylinder 6.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which the waterproof cap is formed in a more compact ring shape. A male screw 15a is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end of the middle cylinder 15, and a waterproof ring 17 made of resin or metal is screwed to the middle cylinder 15 by a female screw formed on the inner peripheral surface. By providing a waterproof seal on the screw fitting portion, a water holding portion 17a is formed between the lens ring 14 and the waterproof ring 17. If the excess aqueous solution is a small amount, the excess aqueous solution is held by the water holding portion 17a and does not flow down below the objective lens.

Since the waterproof ring 17 of the embodiment of FIG. 2 has a smaller outer diameter than the waterproof cap 7 of FIG. 1, the operability can be improved without obstructing the field of view when the sample 1 is opposed to the objective lens. Excellent. Further, there is an advantage that the waterproof ring can be easily attached by adding a machining process for forming a male screw on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder of the conventional objective lens.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the waterproof ring 17 can be fixed to the outside of the middle cylinder 15 by using an adhesive instead of screwing the waterproof ring 17 to the middle cylinder 15. Although each of the embodiments described above is a water immersion objective, it goes without saying that the liquid immersion objective of the present invention can also be applied to an oil immersion objective.

[0016]

According to the liquid immersion objective of the present invention, since the liquid holding portion is provided at the tip of the objective lens, the solution overflowing from between the sample and the objective lens when the objective lens is brought close to the sample. Due to the holding, further leakage to the surroundings is prevented, and an immersion objective lens particularly suitable for an inverted microscope is obtained. According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the liquid holding section can secure a sufficient amount of solution for liquid immersion between the specimen and the objective lens, the liquid is slightly evaporated by the speculum over a long period of time. Even allows the speculum to continue. According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the waterproof cap covers the outside of the front end of the objective lens, it is possible to reliably prevent the liquid from reaching the middle cylinder and the outer cylinder. According to the waterproof cap described in claim 4, since the waterproof cap can be removed from the objective lens when it is unnecessary, when the objective lens is used in an upright microscope, the waterproof cap covers the field of view when the sample and the objective lens are brought close to each other. There is no hindrance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a microscope objective according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a microscope objective according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a conventional microscope objective lens.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sample 2 ... Aqueous solution 3 ... Tip lens 4 ... Lens ring 7 ... Waterproof cap 7b ... Receiving groove 7c ··· Liquid holding unit 14 ··· Lens ring 17 ··· Waterproof ring 17a ··· Liquid holding unit

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An immersion objective lens for a microscope used for microscopy of a specimen in a solution, the objective lens having a tip lens and a lens ring holding the tip lens, and an annular ring around the lens ring. A liquid immersion objective lens for a microscope, wherein the waterproof member is provided, and a concave liquid holding portion is formed between the lens ring and the waterproof member. 2. The liquid holding unit according to claim 1, wherein the liquid holding unit is provided on a waterproof cap attached to an outer periphery of the objective lens and covers the outside of the objective lens, and receives a liquid flowing down from a tip of the objective lens. 2. The immersion objective of the microscope according to 1. 3. A waterproof cap which is attachable to a liquid immersion objective of a microscope and has a liquid holding portion for receiving a liquid flowing down from a tip of the objective lens.