U.S. patent application number 10/905825 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-27 for mounting device for a camera with automatic exposure mode to an optical system.
This patent application is currently assigned to LEICA MICROSYSTEMS (SCHWEIZ) AG. Invention is credited to Randolph Spencer.
Application Number | 20060165400 10/905825 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36686541 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060165400 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Spencer; Randolph |
July 27, 2006 |
MOUNTING DEVICE FOR A CAMERA WITH AUTOMATIC EXPOSURE MODE TO AN
OPTICAL SYSTEM
Abstract
A mounting device for a camera with automatic exposure mode to
an optical system is disclosed. An adapter tube has a first and a
second end, wherein the first end is attached to the camera and the
second end is attached to the optical system. A mounting element,
provided at the first end, provides the mechanical connection to
the camera. A plurality of electric contact pins, located at the
first end, cooperates with respective electric contacts provided at
the camera.
Inventors: |
Spencer; Randolph; (Spring
Hill, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SIMPSON & SIMPSON, PLLC
5555 MAIN STREET
WILLIAMSVILLE
NY
14221-5406
US
|
Assignee: |
LEICA MICROSYSTEMS (SCHWEIZ)
AG
Max Schmidheiny-Strasse 201
Heerbrugg
CH
|
Family ID: |
36686541 |
Appl. No.: |
10/905825 |
Filed: |
January 21, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
396/71 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G03B 17/561 20130101;
G03B 17/48 20130101; G02B 23/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
396/071 |
International
Class: |
G03B 17/00 20060101
G03B017/00 |
Claims
1. A mounting device for a camera with automatic exposure mode to
an optical system comprising: an adapter tube which has a first and
a second end, wherein the first end is attached to the camera and
the second end is attached to the optical system, a mounting
element provided at the first end which provides the mechanical
connection to the camera, a plurality of electric contact pins are
located at the first end which cooperate with respective electric
contacts provided at the camera; and a printed circuit board which
has via the electric contact pins an electric connection to the
camera, wherein the printed circuit board simulates to the camera
the presence of a regular photographic lens.
2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the printed circuit
board comprises a microchip, which simulates the presence of a
regular photographic lens.
3. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the printed circuit
board is a flexible circuit board.
4. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein an optical axis
defined by the optical system runs essentially in the center of the
adapter tube.
5. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the mounting portion
of the adapter provided at the first end is an N-mount.
6. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein an inner tube is
positioned symmetrically around an optical axis and is surrounded
by the N-mount.
7. The device as defined in claim 6, wherein the inner tube carries
the printed circuit board and a contact holder for the plurality of
electric contact pins.
8. The device as defined in claim 7, wherein the contact holder is
a curved plate, which exhibits a similar curvature as the
arrangement of the electric connections at the camera.
9. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the optical system is
a surgical microscope.
10. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the optical system is
a conventional microscope.
11. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the optical system is
a stereo microscope.
12. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the optical system is
a telescope.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention concerns a mounting device for a camera with
automatic exposure mode to an optical system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is important for users to attach a digital or
conventional camera to an optical system in order to take pictures
with the camera. In order to do so the lens of the camera needs to
be removed and an adapter is used to mount the camera to the
optical system. An additional feature for the user is to use the
automatic mode of the camera for taking the pictures. The user
should not be bothered with any manual settings of the camera. It
would be extremely inconvenient for a user if he has to interrupt
the observation in order to set the camera.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,212 shows an adapter for coupling a
camera adapted to receive power from an endoscope to which the
camera is coupled. The adapter is coupled between the ocular
section of the endoscope and the mounting of the taking lens of the
camera. The adapter has electric power terminals for providing the
camera with electric power. The adapter can have a built in power
source or a plug-in power source. There is no indication that the
adapter simulated the presence of an objective to the camera.
[0004] German Utility Model DE 200 10 241 U1 discloses an adapter
for attaching a camera to the photo tube of a microscope. Between
the camera and the pipe like photo tube the adapter is provided.
The mounting means enables an alignment between the optical axis of
the camera and the optical axis of the microscope.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,462,771 discloses a still-picture
acquisition method and device. A still-picture acquisition section
in a computer selects a brightness-periodically-varying portion of
image data of a living cell like a cardiac cell, as a sample, which
makes a self-ordered periodic motion, monitors a change in
brightness, and generates a trigger signal at the timing at which
the value of the brightness exceeds a specific threshold value.
This causes a camera body to repeatedly pick up the image of the
living cell after a predetermined delay time and then averages the
picked-up images. There is no indication of the use of a
conventional camera to pick-up the images from the microscope.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is the object of the present invention to create a
mounting device for a camera with automatic exposure mode to an
optical system, which allows the user to use the automatic exposure
mode of the camera when the lens is removed.
[0007] This object is achieved by way of a mounting device for a
camera with automatic exposure mode to an optical system. An
adapter tube is provided which has a first and a second end,
wherein the first end is attached to the camera and the second end
is attached to the optical system. A mounting element attached to
the first end provides the mechanical connection to the camera. A
plurality of electric contact pins are located at the first end
which cooperate with respective electric contacts provided at the
camera. A printed circuit board is connected via the electric
contact pins to the camera, wherein the printed circuit board
simulates to the camera the presence of a regular photographic
lens.
[0008] The printed circuit board comprises a microchip, which
simulates the presence of a regular photographic lens.
Additionally, the printed circuit board is designed as a flexible
circuit board. An optical axis, defined by the optical system, runs
essentially in the center of the adapter tube. The mounting portion
of the adapter provided at the first end is an N-mount. An inner
tube is positioned symmetrically around an optical axis and is
surrounded by the N-mount. The inner tube carries the printed
circuit board and a contact holder for the plurality of electric
contact pins. The contact holder is a curved plate, which exhibits
a similar curvature as the arrangement of the electric connections
at the camera.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The invention will be described below by way of example and
with reference to the appended figures, from which further
features, advantages, and objects to be achieved may be inferred.
In the figures:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a camera attach to
an optical system, wherein the optical system is in the present
case a surgical microscope;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the adapter;
[0012] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the adapter, showing the first
end of the adapter which is attached to the camera body; and,
[0013] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the adapter, showing the
second end of the adapter which is attached to the optical
system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a camera 2 attach to
an optical system 4. The optical system 4 is in the present case a
surgical microscope 6. It is immediately evident to a person
skilled in the art that the optical system is not limited to a
surgical microscope 6. The optical system may encompass as well a
conventional microscope, an inverted microscope, a stereo
microscope or a telescope.
[0015] In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 the surgical microscope
6 comprises at least one stereo microscope 8 which is mounted to a
freely movable stand 10. In order to reach the optimal position of
the stereo microscope 8 with respect to the location to be observed
or worked on. The stand 10 can be moved freely in space defined by
the x-direction, the y-direction and the z-direction. The stereo
microscope 8 defines an optical beam path 12 around which the
optical elements are arranged symmetrically. A coupling element 16
is mounted to the body of the stereo microscope 8 in order to
couple out a portion of the light in the optical beam path 12. In
the present case the coupled out light is used for photographic
purposes. Therefore, a camera 2 with automatic exposure mode is
mounted to the coupling element 16 with an adapter 20. The lens of
the camera 2 with automatic exposure mode is removed in order to
mount the camera 2 with the adapter 20 to the optical system 4.
Additionally, a remote control 22 is provided which allows the user
to take pictures without the need to operate the picture taking
button 21 of the camera 2. Additionally, the stereo microscope 8
can be equipped with one or more viewing positions for an
additional user.
[0016] FIG. 2 shows the adapter 20 for the camera 2 to the optical
system 4. The adapter 20 is designed as an adapter tube 23 which
has a first end 24 and a second end 25. The first end 24 is
attached to the camera 2 and the second end 25 is attached to the
optical system 4. A mounting element 26 is provided at the first
end 24, which provides the mechanical connection to the camera 2. A
plurality of electric contact pins 28 are located at the first end
24 which cooperate with respective electric contacts (not shown)
provided at the camera 2;
[0017] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show the exploded view of the adapter 20
which is used to attach a camera 2 to an optical system 4. The
adapter 20 has a tube like structure with a first end 24 and a
second end 25. The first end 24 is attached to the camera 2 and the
second end 25 is attached to the optical system 4. The adapter 20
is mounted to the optical system 4 in a way that the beam path 12
of the optical system 4 runs in the center of the adapter. The
second end 25 of the adapter 20 which mounts to the optical system
4 has a dove tail like structure 27 formed. The dove tail like
structure 27 mounts to a corresponding element (not shown) at the
optical system 4.
[0018] The mounting element 26 is provided at the first end 24 of
the adapter is mounted to the adapter tube 23 via a thread. The
mounting element 26 carries an inner tube 31. In the assembled
stage, (see FIG. 2), the inner tube 31 is completely surrounded by
the adapter tube 23. A printed circuit board 30 is mounted to an
outer surface 29 of the inner tube 31. The electric contact pins 28
at the mounting element 26 provide an electric connection to the
camera 2. The purpose of the printed circuit board 30 is to
simulate to the camera 2 the presence of a regular photographic
lens. The printed circuit board 30 comprises a microchip 33. The
printed circuit board is made flexible in order to fit to the
curved shape of the inner tube 28. The mounting portion of the
adapter 20 provided at the first end 24 is an N-mount. The inner
tube 31 carries the printed circuit board 30 and a contact holder
35 for the plurality of electric contact pins 28.
* * * * *