JP5945443B2 - Aperture stop device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an aperture stop device, and more particularly to an aperture stop device used in a measurement optical instrument such as a measurement microscope or an image measuring machine.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in measurement optical instruments such as a measurement microscope and an image measurement machine, an aperture stop device for adjusting the aperture diameter of an optical path is installed in the illumination optical system or measurement optical system.
As such an aperture stop device, a blade stop type aperture stop device is known (see Patent Document 1).

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in a conventional blade diaphragm type aperture diaphragm device 90, a ring member 92 is installed in a cylindrical body 91 through which an optical path passes, and a blade diaphragm mechanism 93 is supported on the inside thereof. Yes. An operation knob 94 is connected to the outer periphery of the ring member 92, and the operation knob 94 is exposed to the outside of the cylinder 91 through an operation opening 95 formed long in the circumferential direction of the cylinder 91.

  In such a blade stop device 90, the opening diameter of the inner periphery of the blade stop mechanism 93 is changed by rotating the ring member 92 by operating the operation knob 94 in the circumferential direction from the outside. Can be adjusted.

JP 2002-98905 A

In the conventional aperture stop device 90 described above, the opening diameter of the blade stop mechanism 93 can be arbitrarily adjusted by operating the operation knob 94.
However, even when an appropriate opening diameter is obtained, if the ring member 92 or the operation knob 94 is moved by an unintended external force or the like, it is necessary to readjust again.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an aperture stop device that can reliably maintain a set aperture diameter.

The present invention includes a ring member rotatably supported by a cylinder through which an optical path passes, a blade diaphragm mechanism supported inside the ring member, and connected to the ring member and formed in the cylinder. An operation knob exposed to the outside of the cylindrical body through the opening for operation,
The operation knob includes a knob shaft connected to an outer periphery of the ring member, a knob member supported by the knob shaft and capable of contacting the outer surface of the cylindrical body, and the knob member being pressed against the outer surface of the cylindrical body. and a pressure mechanism for,
The pressurizing mechanism has a male screw portion formed on the knob shaft and a female screw portion formed on the knob member, and the knob shaft is fixed to the ring member,
A stopper member engageable with the knob member is connected to an end portion of the knob shaft opposite to the ring member .

  As the pressurizing mechanism, a screw mechanism (screwed structure) formed between the knob shaft and the knob member or between the knob shaft and the ring member and moving the knob member back and forth in the axial direction can be used. Further, as the pressurizing mechanism, a spring mechanism that biases the knob member toward the ring member, that is, the surface of the cylindrical body can be used.

In the present invention, by operating the knob member, the ring member can be rotated via the knob shaft, and the blade diaphragm mechanism can be adjusted in the same manner as in the conventional aperture diaphragm device.
When the adjustment is completed, the knob member is pressed against the outer surface of the cylindrical body by the pressurizing mechanism and is restricted from moving. Therefore, even if the knob member receives an unintended external force or the like, it can be prevented from easily moving, and an appropriately set opening diameter can be reliably maintained by adjustment.

In the present invention, the pressurizing mechanism has a male screw portion formed on the knob shaft and a female screw portion formed on the knob member, and the knob shaft is fixed to the ring member . .
In addition, as a means for fixing the knob shaft and the ring member, a structure in which a male screw portion formed on the knob shaft is screwed to a female screw portion formed on the ring member can be used.

In the present invention, by rotating the knob member, the knob member is rotated with respect to the knob shaft, and the knob member is attached to the ring member according to screwing of the male screw portion and the female screw portion. Proximity or separation.
Here, if the knob member is moved in a direction away from the ring member to be separated from the outer surface of the cylinder, the operation knob can be released from the clamp. In this state, the aperture stop can be adjusted by operating the operation knob.
On the other hand, the operation knob can be brought into a clamped state by bringing the knob member close to the ring member and press-contacting the outer surface of the cylindrical body. As a result, the operation knob is clamped, and the previously set aperture stop state is maintained.

In the present invention, with the ring member of the knob shaft at the opposite end, that have engageable stopper member is connected to said knob member.
The stopper member includes a flange portion that engages with the end surface of the knob member, a shaft portion that abuts on the end surface of the knob shaft and defines the distance between the end surface and the flange portion, and is screwed onto the knob shaft. A configuration having a male screw portion can be used.

  In the present invention, in the pressurizing mechanism for screwing the male screw portion formed on the knob shaft and the female screw portion formed on the knob member, the knob member is separated from the ring member to the maximum and the knob is Even if it is likely to come off the shaft, it can be locked by a stopper member to prevent the dropout.

  In the present invention, the stopper member includes a flange portion that engages with an end surface of the knob member, a shaft portion that is in contact with an end surface of the knob shaft and defines a distance between the end surface and the flange portion, and the knob It is desirable that the length of the shaft portion in the axial direction be larger than the length in the same direction of the female screw portion of the knob member.

  In the present invention as described above, even if the knob member is separated from the ring member to the maximum extent and is likely to be detached from the knob shaft, the knob member can be locked by the stopper member and prevented from falling off. Here, in the present invention, since the axial length of the shaft portion is formed to be larger than the same length of the female screw portion of the knob member, the knob member is in a state where the knob member is locked by the stopper member. The threaded engagement between the female threaded portion and the male threaded portion of the knob shaft has already been released. For this reason, although the knob member is prevented from coming off by the stopper member, it is in a state of being idle from the knob shaft and idling.

  For example, if the screwing of the female screw portion of the knob member and the male screw portion of the knob shaft is maintained even when the knob member is locked to the stopper member, the rotational force applied to the knob member causes the knob shaft to rotate. For example, if the knob shaft is fixed to the ring member by screwing, the screwing acts. However, in the present invention, since the knob member idles, it is possible to prevent a force that releases the screwing between the knob shaft and the ring member from being transmitted.

Sectional drawing which shows 1st Embodiment of this invention. The disassembled side view of the principal part of the said 1st Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The disassembled side view of the principal part of the said 2nd Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the reference form which is not included in this invention. The disassembled side view of the principal part of the said reference form. The longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a prior art example. The cross-sectional view which shows the said prior art example.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, in the aperture stop device 10 of the present embodiment, a ring member 12 is installed in a cylinder 11 through which an optical path passes, and a blade stop mechanism 13 is supported on the inside thereof. An operation knob 14 is connected to the outer periphery of the ring member 12, and the operation knob 14 is exposed to the outside of the cylinder body 11 from an operation opening 15 formed long in the circumferential direction of the cylinder body 11.

2, the operation knob 14 includes a knob shaft 20 connected to the outer periphery of the ring member 12, a knob member 30 supported by the knob shaft 20 and capable of contacting the outer surface of the cylindrical body 11, And a pressurizing mechanism 16 for pressing the member 30 against the outer surface of the cylindrical body 11.
Further, the operation knob 14 has a stopper member 40 that is connected to the knob shaft 20 and can be engaged with the knob member 30.

The knob shaft 20 is a rod-shaped member having a circular cross section, and from the proximal end side connected to the ring member 12 toward the distal end side which is the outside of the cylindrical body 11, the fixing male screw portion 21, the shaft portion 22, and the pressurizing male screw Part 23.
The fixing male screw portion 21 has a smaller diameter than the shaft portion 22 and has a male screw cut on the outer periphery.
The fixing male screw portion 21 is screwed into the female screw portion 17 formed on the ring member 12, and is fixed in a state where the shaft portion 22 is in contact with the outer periphery of the ring member 12.
The axial length of the male screw portion 17 is formed sufficiently longer than the axial length of the fixing male screw portion 21 so that the shaft portion 22 can be brought into a sufficient pressure contact state with the outer periphery of the ring member 12.

The pressurizing male screw portion 23 has a larger diameter than the shaft portion 22 and has a male screw cut on the outer periphery.
When the ring member 12 and the operation knob 14 are mounted on the cylinder 11, the axial length of the shaft portion 22 is such that the entire male pressure screw portion 23 is exposed on the outer periphery of the cylinder 11. The length corresponding to the distance from the outer surface to the outer surface of the cylinder 11, that is, the length corresponding to the difference between the radii.

The knob member 30 is a cylindrical member having a circular cross section, and an anti-slip knurl or the like is processed on the outer periphery. The knob member 30 has a pressurizing female thread portion 31 formed on the inner periphery on the screw shaft 20 side, and a cylindrical accommodating portion 32 formed on the opposite side.
The pressurizing female screw portion 31 is screwed into the pressurizing male screw portion 23 in a state where the ring member 12 and the operation knob 14 are mounted on the cylindrical body 11.
The accommodating portion 32 is a cylindrical cavity having a larger diameter than the female screw portion 31 for pressurization.

The pressurizing mechanism 16 includes a pressurizing male screw portion 23 of the screw shaft 20 and a pressurizing female screw portion 31 of the knob member 30. In the pressurizing mechanism 16, the knob member 30 is advanced and retracted with respect to the screw shaft 20 by screwing between the pressurizing female screw portion 31 and the pressurizing male screw portion 23 when the knob member 30 is rotated by the user. After the knob member 30 is brought into contact with the outer surface of the cylindrical body 11 and further tightened, the end surface on the knob shaft 20 side is strongly pressed against the outer surface of the cylindrical body 11.
Clamping of the operation knob 14 is realized by the pressure contact of the knob member 30 against the outer surface of the cylindrical body 11. Then, if the knob member 30 is rotated in the opposite direction, the clamp can be released.

The stopper member 40 is a rod-shaped member having a circular cross section, and is formed as a fixing male screw portion 41, a shaft portion 42, and a flange portion 43 from the side connected to the knob shaft 20 to the opposite side.
The fixing male screw portion 41 has a smaller diameter than the shaft portion 42, and a male screw is cut on the outer periphery.
The shaft portion 42 has a smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the pressurizing female screw portion 31 of the knob member 30.
The flange portion 43 has a larger diameter than the inner diameter of the pressurizing female screw portion 31 of the knob member 30, but has a smaller diameter than the accommodating portion 32 of the knob member 30.
Therefore, the stopper member 40 including the flange portion 43 can be accommodated in the accommodating portion 32 of the knob member 30.

  When the stopper member 40 is housed in the housing portion 32 of the knob member 30, the fixing male screw portion 41 is screwed into a female screw portion (not shown) formed on the end surface of the screw shaft 20 on the pressure male screw portion 23 side. By being combined, the knob member 30 functions as a stopper.

That is, the knob member 30 is rotated in the tightening direction in a state where the ring member 12 and the operation knob 14 are attached to the cylinder 11 and the knob member 30 and the stopper member 40 are attached to the knob shaft 20 (the state shown in FIG. 1). In this state, the clamp is released by rotating it in the opposite direction, and further, when the rotation in the opposite direction is continued, the male screw portion 23 for pressurization and the female screw portion 31 for pressurization are disengaged. Trying to fall off the knob shaft 20.
However, since the knob member 30 is engaged with the stopper member 40 when the knob member 30 moves in the axial direction by a distance T1 (see FIG. 1), the knob member 30 does not fall off the knob shaft 20 completely.

In the present embodiment, the drop-off prevention mechanism by the stopper member 40 is configured as described above, but the drop-off prevention mechanism of the present embodiment further includes an idling mechanism.
That is, the pressurizing female screw portion 31 of the knob member 30 has an axial length L11, and the pressurizing male screw portion 23 of the screw shaft 20 has a length corresponding thereto. On the other hand, the shaft portion 42 of the stopper member 40 has an axial length L12, and when the stopper member 40 and the knob shaft 20 are connected, there is a gap between the end surface of the knob shaft 20 and the flange portion 43. An interval of length L12 is formed. The above-described maximum movement distance T1 of the knob member 30 is defined by the axial length L12 of the shaft portion 42.

Here, the axial length L12 of the shaft portion 42 is set to be larger than the axial length L11 of the pressurizing female screw portion 31 described above.
With this setting, as described above, in the state where the knob member 30 is detached from the knob shaft 20 and locked to the stopper member 40, the screwing of the pressure male screw portion 23 and the pressure female screw portion 31 is released. The knob member 30 is freely rotatable with respect to the knob shaft 20 or the stopper member 40.

If the axial length L12 of the shaft portion 42 is shorter than the axial length L11 of the pressurizing female screw portion 31, the male screw portion for pressurization even when the knob member 30 is locked to the stopper member 40. 23 and the pressurizing female thread portion 31 are maintained, and in such a case, the reverse operation force applied to the knob member 30 is transmitted from the stopper member 40 to the screw shaft 20, and the screw There is a possibility that the screwing between the shaft 20 and the ring member 12 is released.
However, in this embodiment, since the knob member 30 can freely rotate with respect to the knob shaft 20 or the stopper member 40, it is possible to prevent transmission of the reverse operation force that leads to the above-described disadvantages.

In such a blade stop device 10, by rotating the ring member 12 by operating the operation knob 14 in the circumferential direction from the outside, the opening diameter of the inner periphery of the blade stop mechanism 13 changes, and the aperture stop of the optical path is changed. Can be adjusted.
The pressure mechanism 16 can press the knob member 30 against the outer surface of the cylindrical body 11 to clamp the operation knob 14. The operation knob 14 can be prevented from moving even when an unintended external force is applied, and can be appropriately adjusted. The set opening diameter can be reliably maintained.
Since the pressurizing mechanism 16 has a simple configuration with the pressurizing male screw portion 23 of the knob shaft 20 and the pressurizing female screw portion 31 of the knob member 30, it can be made small, light and low in cost.

Even when the knob member 30 is separated from the ring member 12 to the maximum extent by the stopper member 40 and is likely to come off from the knob shaft 20, it can be locked to prevent the knob member 30 from falling off.
Further, since the axial length L11 of the shaft portion 42 is formed to be larger than the same length L12 of the female screw portion 31 of the knob member 30, the knob member 30 is locked by the stopper member 40. The threaded engagement between the female threaded portion 31 of the knob member 30 and the male threaded portion 23 of the knob shaft 20 has already been released. For this reason, although the knob member 30 is prevented from coming off by the stopper member 40, it can come off from the knob shaft 20 and idle.
As the knob member 30 idles in this way, it is possible to prevent a force that releases the screwing between the fixing male screw portion 21 of the knob shaft 20 and the female screw portion 17 of the ring member 12.

[Second Embodiment]
3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the present invention.
The aperture stop device 10A of the present embodiment has the same basic configuration as that of the first embodiment described above. For this reason, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about a common structure, the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted, and a different part is demonstrated below.

In the first embodiment, the axial length L11 of the pressurizing female screw portion 31 is not more than half of the axial length of the knob member 30, but the axial length of the pressurizing female screw portion 31 of the present embodiment. L21 is extended to more than half of the axial length of the knob member 30.
In the first embodiment, the axial length L12 of the shaft portion 42 of the stopper member 40 is formed longer than the axial length L12 of the pressurizing female screw portion 31, but the axial direction of the shaft portion 42 of the present embodiment. The length L22 is shortened to half or less of the axial length L21 of the pressurizing female screw portion 31.

  In this embodiment, when the knob member 30 is operated and moved in the direction away from the cylinder 11 (clamp release direction), the movement distance is T2 (corresponding to the axial length L22 of the shaft portion 42). When it reaches, the knob member 30 is locked to the stopper member 40. At this time, the pressurizing male screw portion 23 and the pressurizing female screw portion 31 maintain a screwed state.

  Therefore, the knob member 30 does not idle with respect to the screw shaft 20 and the stopper member 40. When a stronger force is applied in this locked state, the screw shaft 20 and the ring member 12 are screwed and fixed. There is a possibility of loosening. However, by applying a screw locking agent or the like to the screwed portion of the screw shaft 20 and the ring member 12 (the screwed portion of the fixing male screw portion 21 and the female screw portion 17) or other loosening prevention, A situation in which the screw shaft 20 is detached from the ring member 12 can be prevented in advance.

On the other hand, even when the knob member 30 is locked to the stopper member 40, the male screw portion 23 for pressurization and the female screw portion 31 for pressurization are maintained in a screwed state, so that an operation for clamping again is easy. Can be done.
In other words, in the first embodiment, the knob member 30 in the idling state is screwed in advance with the pressurizing male screw portion 23 aligned with the pressurizing female screw portion 31 to recover the screwed state, and then further tightened. Can be clamped. For this reason, it is indispensable to screw the knob member 30 in the idle state in accordance with the screw shaft 20. However, in this embodiment, since the male screw portion 23 for pressurization and the female screw portion 31 for pressurization are maintained in a screwed state, an operation of screwing the knob member 30 in accordance with the screw shaft 20 is not necessary, and it is immediately tightened and clamped. State.

Thus, in this embodiment, the idling mechanism of the knob member 30 in the first embodiment is omitted, and the effect due to idling cannot be obtained. However, as described above, the knob member 30 and the knob shaft 20 are screwed together. By maintaining the above, the clamp state can be quickly achieved.
Further, the effects other than the effect of the idling mechanism, that is, the basic function as the aperture stop device 10A, the clamp function of the operation knob 14 by the pressurizing mechanism 16, and the drop prevention function by the stopper member 40 are the same as those of the first embodiment. It can be obtained similarly.

[ Reference form]
5 and 6 show a reference form not included in the present invention.
The aperture stop device 10B of the present embodiment is different from the operation knob 14 and the pressurizing mechanism 16, but the other basic configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment. For this reason, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about a common structure, the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted, and a different part is demonstrated below.

In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the operation knob 14 is composed of the separate knob shaft 20 and the knob member 30, respectively. In this reference embodiment, the operation knob 14 is composed of the integral operation knob member 50. Has been.
The operation knob member 50 is formed from a proximal end side connected to the ring member 12 toward a distal end side which is the outer side of the cylindrical body 11, a pressurizing male screw portion 51, a shaft portion 52 which is a knob shaft, and an operation portion 53. Yes.

The pressurizing male screw portion 51 has a smaller diameter than the shaft portion 52, and a male screw is cut on the outer periphery.
The pressurizing male screw portion 51 is screwed into the female screw portion 17 formed on the ring member 12. In the present embodiment, the pressurizing mechanism 16 is constituted by the pressurizing male screw portion 51 and the female screw portion 17.
The shaft portion 52 connects the pressurizing male screw portion 51 screwed into the ring member 12 and the operation portion 53 disposed outside the operation opening 15 of the cylindrical body 11.
The length of the shaft portion 52 is long so that the pressing male screw portion 51 side does not contact the ring member 12 even when the end surface of the operation portion 53 is in contact with the cylindrical body 11.

Therefore, when the operation knob 53 is tightened by operating the operation portion 53, the pressurizing male screw portion 51 is screwed into the ring member 12, and the end surface of the operation portion 53 is brought into contact with the outer surface of the cylindrical body 11 via the shaft portion 52. Abutting and further tightening to press contact, a clamped state is obtained.
On the other hand, when the operation knob 53 is loosened by operating the operation portion 53, the pressure contact between the operation portion 53 and the cylinder 11 is released by moving a slight movement distance T3 as shown in FIG. The state is released.

In this reference embodiment, the pressurizing mechanism 16 can be realized with a very simple configuration, and the aperture stop is adjusted in a state where the clamp of the operation knob 14 is released, and the operation knob 14 is clamped. The obtained setting can be maintained.

[Modification]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications and the like within a range in which the object of the present invention can be achieved are included in the present invention.
For example, as the pressurizing mechanism 16, as in each of the embodiments described above, a screwed structure formed between the knob shaft 20 and the knob member 30, or the shaft portion 52 that is the knob shaft and the ring member 12. The screw mechanism is not limited to a screw mechanism that advances and retracts in the axial direction by rotation, such as a spring mechanism that urges the knob member 30 toward the ring member 12, that is, the outer surface of the cylindrical body 11. You can also

  In addition, the dimensions, detailed shapes, materials, and the like in each of the above-described embodiments can be selected as appropriate in implementation.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 10A, 10B ... Aperture diaphragm apparatus 11 ... Tube 12 ... Ring member 13 ... Blade diaphragm mechanism 14 ... Operation knob 15 ... Operation opening 16 ... Pressure mechanism 17 ... Female thread part 20 ... Knob shaft 21 ... Male thread part for fixation 22 ... Shaft portion 23 ... Pressurizing male screw portion 30 ... Knob member 31 ... Pressurizing female screw portion 32 ... Housing portion 40 ... Stopper member 41 ... Fixing male screw portion 42 ... Shaft portion 43 ... Flange portion 50 ... Operation knob member 51 ... Addition Male screw part for pressure 52 ... Shaft part 53 as knob shaft ... Operation part

Claims (2)

A ring member rotatably supported by a cylindrical body through which an optical path passes, a blade diaphragm mechanism supported inside the ring member, and an operation opening connected to the ring member and formed in the cylindrical body An operation knob exposed to the outside of the cylindrical body through,
The operation knob includes a knob shaft connected to an outer periphery of the ring member, a knob member supported by the knob shaft and capable of contacting the outer surface of the cylindrical body, and the knob member being pressed against the outer surface of the cylindrical body. and a pressure mechanism for,
The pressurizing mechanism has a male screw portion formed on the knob shaft and a female screw portion formed on the knob member, and the knob shaft is fixed to the ring member,
A stopper member that can be engaged with the knob member is connected to an end portion of the knob shaft opposite to the ring member . The aperture stop apparatus according to claim 1 ,
The stopper member is engaged with an end surface of the knob member, a shaft portion that is in contact with the end surface of the knob shaft and defines a distance between the end surface and the flange portion, and is screwed into the knob shaft. A male threaded portion,
The length of the shaft portion in the axial direction is formed larger than the length in the same direction of the female screw portion of the knob member.

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