JPH028283B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an epi-illuminated bright field illumination device for a microscope.

Conventionally, as an epi-illuminated dark-field illumination device for a microscope, a ring-shaped reflector for dark-field illumination and a semi-transparent mirror for bright-field illumination are integrated with a dark-field illumination lens and a bright-field illumination lens, respectively, in the optical path. A so-called epi-illuminated bright-dark-field illumination device is known that can easily switch between dark-field illumination and bright-field illumination by switching and inserting the illumination device. However, in this kind of conventional equipment, there is a large difference in the brightness of the observation field when switching from dark-field illumination to bright-field illumination, and this brightness difference is especially large when the sample is close to a mirror surface with high reflectance. The brightness of the observation field became very large, damaging the eyes of the speculum examiner, and the brightness of the observation field had to be adjusted each time the change was made.

For this reason, a light intensity adjustment filter is removably installed in the bright-field illumination optical path (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1989-1999-1).
No. 103362), but this required the filter to be attached and detached when changing the lighting, making it cumbersome to operate. Furthermore, as in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 52-40149, a filter is inserted into the bright-field illumination optical path in conjunction with switching the illumination, but even when brighter illumination is required for photography etc., the filter is not inserted. The drawback was that it could be inserted.

Therefore, in the present invention, when switching to bright field illumination in conjunction with the illumination switching operation, the illumination light path of the main body frame is
By making it possible to automatically insert a dimming member such as an ND filter, and by pushing the dimming member out of the illumination optical path when brighter illumination is required, the above-mentioned problem can be easily and easily inserted. It is an object of the present invention to provide an epi-illuminated dark field illumination device that can protect the eyes of a speculum examiner by reducing differences in brightness due to illumination switching through quick operation. To explain with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an optical path switching section of an embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a -
FIG. Reference numeral 1 denotes a main body frame which has a mirror base mounting part formed at the bottom and a lens barrel mounting frame 2 fixed to the upper part, and 3 a main body frame to prevent dark-field illumination light from directly entering the objective lens. A light-shielding tube 4 fixed to the frame 1 is equipped with a dark-field illumination lens 5, a ring-shaped reflector 6 for dark-field illumination, a bright-field illumination lens 7, and a semi-transparent mirror 8 for bright-field illumination, respectively. A dovetail 9 constitutes a dark-field illumination optical path and a bright-field illumination optical path, and engages with a dovetail groove formed in the lens barrel mounting frame 2 so as to be able to slide in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. The attached optical path switching frame is configured to selectively configure a dark field illumination optical system (see Fig. 3) and a bright field illumination optical system (see Fig. 4) by operating an optical path switching knob 10. There is. 11 is a light-shielding tube fixed to the ring-shaped reflector 6; 12 is pivotally attached to the optical path switching frame 4 so as to be rotatable around a shaft 13 (see FIGS. 3 to 5), and is provided with an ND filter 14. The rotation of the filter frame is restricted by a stopper 15 on one side. Reference numeral 16 denotes an illumination lens frame fixed to the main body frame 1, which supports an illumination lens (not shown), and is secured to an inner recess by a wire ring and is rotatably disposed so that it can be rotated when not needed.
It has a repelling ring 17 for repelling the ND filter out of the optical path. Hanenoke ring 1
7 has an arm 17a that passes through a slot provided in the illumination lens frame 16 and projects outward, and a claw 17b that projects into the interior of the main body frame 1, and the positions of the arm 17a and the claw 17b are clearly determined. Filter frame 12 facing into the motion path of color 17b in case of visual field illumination
When the protrusion 12a operates the arm 17a to rotate the splash ring 17 counterclockwise when looking in the direction of arrow A in FIG. There is. 18 is a claw 17b of the splash ring 17 at one end.
The other ends of the springs are fixed to the main body 1, and the springs give the deflection ring 17 dextrorotation when viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG.

The operation of the apparatus according to the present invention constructed as above will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. In the case of dark-field illumination shown in FIG. 3, the optical path switching knob 10 is pushed in, and the filter frame 12 is in contact with the stopper 15 and inserted into the bright-field illumination optical path. Here, when the optical path switching knob 10 is pulled out to switch to bright field illumination, the bright field illumination optical system is configured with the filter frame 12 inserted into the bright field illumination optical path, so it is as easy as pulling out the optical path switching knob 10. Whenever switching to bright-field illumination through an operation, the ND filter 14 is automatically inserted into the optical path, and the difference in brightness when switching from dark-field illumination to bright-field illumination is linked to the illumination switch. (see Figure 4). Also,
When using bright field illumination, if brighter illumination is required for photography etc., use the light path from the bright field illumination light path.
It is necessary to arbitrarily reject the ND filter 14. To do this, the arm 17a is operated to rotate the splash ring 17 against the tension of the spring 18, and the claw 17b pushes the protrusion 12a formed on the filter frame 12.
2 to remove it from the bright field illumination optical path (see Figure 5). When switching to dark field illumination by pushing in the optical path switching knob 10 from this state, as the optical path switching knob 10 is pushed in, the filter frame 12 is gradually rotated to the left while contacting the side wall of the main body frame 1 and inserted into the bright field illumination optical path. The state returns to the state shown in FIG. Therefore, even if the illumination is switched to bright field illumination again after this, the illumination will not be too bright and damage the speculum's eyes. In this case, if the claw 17b remains in the position where it was pushed away, the filter frame 1 will be removed midway when switching from bright field illumination to dark field illumination.
When switching from dark field illumination to bright field illumination, the filter frame 12 is thrown out of the bright field illumination optical path. Therefore, when the arm 17a is released, the spring 18 causes the deflection ring 17 to rotate to the right, and the claw 17b returns to its initial position. If the optical path switching knob 10 is pushed in from the state shown in FIG. 4, the filter frame 12 remains inserted in the bright-field illumination optical path without rotating, and is switched to the state shown in FIG. 3, that is, the dark-field illumination state.

Incidentally, in the above embodiment, an ND filter is used, but other light attenuation members such as a diffuser plate may be used. The splash ring may also be constituted by other splash mechanisms, such as a plunger with a return spring.
Furthermore, although the filter frame can be rotatably inserted into and removed from the optical path, it may be configured to be slidable into and removed from the optical path on a guide rail provided on the filter frame optical path switching frame.

As described above, according to the present invention, when switching from dark field illumination to bright field illumination, a light reduction member such as an ND filter is automatically inserted into the illumination optical path of the main body frame in conjunction with the illumination switching operation. Therefore, it is very effective to reduce the difference in brightness caused by switching the illumination to protect the speculum person, and to improve the efficiency of observation by eliminating the need to adjust the brightness when switching. or,
If necessary, even brighter illumination can be obtained with bright field illumination, and even if you switch to dark field illumination and then back to bright field illumination, it will automatically return to the dimmed state, making it easier for the speculum to see. It will not cause any damage.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an optical path switching section of an embodiment of an epi-illuminated bright-field illumination device according to the present invention, and FIG.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines shown in Fig. 2 when switched to dark field illumination, Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 when switched to bright field illumination, FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 with the filter frame removed from the bright field illumination optical path. 1... Body frame, 2... Lens barrel mounting frame, 3, 11...
... Light shielding tube, 4 ... Optical path switching frame, 5 ... Dark field illumination lens, 6 ... Ring-shaped reflector, 7 ... Bright field illumination lens, 8 ... Semi-transparent mirror, 9 ... Dovetail, 10 ...
Optical path switching knob, 12...Filter frame, 12a
...Protrusion, 13...Shaft, 14...ND filter, 15...Stopper, 16...Illumination lens frame, 17...Spring release ring, 17a...Arm, 17b...Claw, 18...Spring.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an epi-illuminated bright-dark field illumination device for a microscope that performs epi-illuminated dark-field illumination and epi-illuminated bright-field illumination by switching the reflector and illumination lens, it is equipped with a dark-field illumination optical path and a bright-field illumination optical path and is movable to the device main body frame. The attached optical path switching frame and the apparatus body frame are movably attached to the optical path switching frame and are inserted into the bright field illumination optical path when moved to the optical path switching frame or the bright field illumination position. a light attenuation member arranged so as to be automatically inserted into the illumination optical path; and a claw provided on the illumination lens frame fixed to the apparatus body frame when the optical path switching frame is in the bright field illumination position. A splash mechanism that can remove the light attenuation member from the bright field illumination optical path by a splash ring, and a splash mechanism that can remove the light attenuation member from the bright field illumination optical path by abutting against the side wall of the apparatus body frame when the light path switching frame is returned to the dark field illumination position. An epi-illumination dark-field illumination device comprising: a return mechanism for automatically returning a member to a bright-field illumination optical path.