U.S. patent number RE37,445 [Application Number 09/212,295] was granted by the patent office on 2001-11-13 for modular microscope system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Leica Microsystems Wetzlar GmbH. Invention is credited to Karl-Josef Schalz.
United States Patent |
RE37,445 |
Schalz |
November 13, 2001 |
Modular microscope system
Abstract
A modular microscope system includes a plurality of stackable
housing modules each having a plurality of inwardly pointing
protuberances provided with one or more precision stop surfaces
thereon for removably mounting and positioning a plurality of
prealigned functional element carriers having corresponding
precision stop surfaces thereon for engagement with the precision
stop surfaces of the housing module protuberances.
Inventors: |
Schalz; Karl-Josef (Weilburg,
DE) |
Assignee: |
Leica Microsystems Wetzlar GmbH
(Wetzlar, DE)
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Family
ID: |
6468402 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/212,295 |
Filed: |
December 16, 1998 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
397122 |
Mar 9, 1995 |
05585964 |
Dec 17, 1996 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Sep 19, 1992 [DE] |
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42 31 470 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
359/368; 359/381;
359/821 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B
21/00 (20130101); G02B 21/24 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G02B
21/24 (20060101); G02B 021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;359/368,371,381,385,389,819,821,827,828,829 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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30 37 648 |
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Apr 1981 |
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DE |
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3230504 |
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Mar 1983 |
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DE |
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35 23 902 |
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Feb 1986 |
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DE |
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1164241 |
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Sep 1969 |
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GB |
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Other References
504 Zeiss Information, 29 (1987) Jul. No. 98, pp. 4-8, Oberkochen,
W. Germany.* .
Technical Drawing Stativoberteil, 1982. .
Technical Drawing Stativ, Komplett, 1981. .
The Zeiss Information entitled The New Generation of Microscopes
from Carl Zeiss: Research Microscopes Axioplan and Axiophot and
Inspection Microscope Axiotron, pp. 4-8. .
Ergolux Service Information, Publ. Jun. 14, 1982. .
Leitz Ergolux Inspektions-und Messmikroskop fur die
Elektronikindustrie, Jan. 1982..
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Primary Examiner: Zweizig; Jeffrey
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Crowell & Moring LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A modular microscope system comprising:
a stand-foot housing module;
an upper stand housing module having a vertical portion removably
mounted on said stand-foot housing module and a horizontal portion
extending from said vertical portion;
an intermediate housing module removably mounted on said horizontal
portion of said upper stand housing module, said intermediate
housing module having a binocular housing removably attached
thereto;
each of said stand-foot housing module, said upper stand housing
module, and said intermediate housing module having a plurality of
inwardly pointing housing protuberances integrally formed
therewith, each of said protuberances having at least one precision
stop surface thereon;
a plurality of carriers removably mounted within said housing
modules, each of said plurality of carriers having a plurality of
component parts connected thereto in prealigned arrangement to form
a functional unit;
each of said plurality of carriers including a plurality of
precision stop surfaces for correspondence with said precision stop
surfaces of said housing module within which said carrier is
mounted to precisely position said carrier.
2. The modular microscope system according to claim 1, wherein said
plurality of precision stop surfaces of a housing module includes
at least one plane contact stop surface and at least one bearing
stop surface.
3. The modular microscope system according to claim 1, wherein said
plurality of precision stop surfaces of a housing module includes
at least one point contact stop surface and at least one point
bearing stop surface.
4. The modular microscope system according to claim 1, wherein at
least one of said plurality of protuberances of a housing module
includes a pair of precision stop surfaces lying in orthogonal
planes.
5. The modular microscope according to claim 1, wherein at least
one of said protuberances of a housing module is generally in the
form of a cylinder.
6. The modular microscope according to claim 2, wherein at least
one of said protuberances of a housing module is generally in the
form of a truncated cone.
7. The modular microscope system according to claim 5, wherein said
at least one protuberance extends downward from an inner ceiling
wall of said housing module.
8. The modular microscope system according to claim 6, wherein said
at least one protuberance extends downward from an inner ceiling
wall of said housing module.
9. The modular microscope system according to claim 5, wherein said
at least one protuberance extends upward from an inner floor wall
of said housing module.
10. The modular microscope system according to claim 6, wherein
said at least one protuberance extends upward from an inner ceiling
wall of said housing module.
11. The modular microscope system according to claim 5, wherein
said at least one protuberance extends axially in a vertical
direction along an inner side wall of said housing module.
12. The modular microscope system according to claim 6, wherein
said at least one protuberance extends axially in a vertical
direction along an inner side wall of said housing module.
13. The modular microscope system according to claim 1, wherein at
least one of said protuberances of a housing module is in the form
of a wall-shaped inner-space divider.
14. The modular microscope system according to claim 13, wherein
said wall-shaped inner space divider includes a bearing precision
stop surface on an elevated portion thereof.
15. The modular microscope system according to claim 1, wherein
said protuberances of a housing module include boreholes extending
through precision stop surfaces thereof for receiving fasteners
extending through clearances in corresponding precision stop
surfaces of an associated carrier mounted within said housing
module.
16. The modular microscope system according to claim 1, wherein at
least one of said plurality of carriers is a flat plate.
17. The modular microscope system according to claim 1, wherein at
least one of said plurality of carriers is a tube.
18. The modular microscope system according to claim 1, wherein at
least one of said plurality of carriers is slidably received within
an opening in said upper stand housing module and includes a
plurality of consecutive filters individually selectively
positionable on an optical axis.
19. The modular microscope system according to claim 1, wherein one
of said plurality of carriers is mounted within said vertical
portion of said upper stand housing module and includes a
horizontally disposed table connected thereto for vertical
travel.
20. The modular microscope system according to claim 1, wherein at
least one of said plurality of carriers includes a turret
containing a plurality of related optical elements for enabling
selective positioning of one of said plurality of optical elements
on an optical axis of said carrier.
21. The modular microscope system according to claim 20, wherein
said related optical elements are beamsplitters.
22. The modular microscope system according to claim 20, wherein
said related optical elements are objective lenses.
23. The modular microscope system according to claim 1, wherein a
plurality of identically-sized intermediate housing modules are
provided for interchangeable mounting on said horizontal portion of
said upper stand housing module, each of said plurality of
intermediate housing modules containing a different optical system
therein.
24. The modular microscope system according to claim 23, wherein
one of said plurality of intermediate housing modules contains a
tube lens in combination with a Bertrand lens.
25. The modular microscope system according to claim 23, wherein
one of said plurality of intermediate housing modules contains a
zoom lens system.
26. The modular microscope system according to claim 23, wherein
one of said plurality of intermediate housing modules contains a
polarizing module..Iadd.
27. A modular microscope system comprising:
a stand-foot housing module;
an upper stand housing module having a vertical portion removably
mounted on said stand-foot housing module and a horizontal portion
extending from said vertical portion;
an intermediate housing module removably mounted on said horizontal
portion of said upper stand housing module, said intermediate
housing module having a binocular housing removably attached
thereto;
at least one of said stand-foot housing module, said upper stand
housing module, and said intermediate housing module having a
plurality of housing protuberances, each of said protuberances
having at least one precision stop surface thereon;
at least one carrier removably mounted within one of said housing
modules, said carrier having a plurality of component parts
connected thereto in prealigned arrangement to form a functional
unit;
said carrier including a plurality of precision stop surfaces for
correspondence with said precision stop surfaces of said housing
module within which said carrier is mounted to precisely position
said carrier..Iaddend..Iadd.
28. The modular microscope system according to claim 27, wherein
said plurality of precision stop surfaces of said one housing
module includes at least one plane contact stop surface and at
least one bearing stop surface..Iaddend..Iadd.
29. The modular microscope system according to claim 27, wherein
said plurality of precision stop surfaces of said one housing
module includes at least one point contact stop surface and at
least one point bearing stop surface..Iaddend..Iadd.
30. The modular microscope system according to claim 27, wherein at
least one of said plurality of protuberances of said one housing
module includes a pair of precision stop surfaces lying in
orthogonal planes..Iaddend..Iadd.
31. The modular microscope according to claim 27, wherein at least
one of said protuberances of said one housing module is generally
in the form of a cylinder..Iaddend..Iadd.
32. The modular microscope according to claim 27, wherein at least
one of said protuberances of said one housing module is generally
in the form of a truncated cone..Iaddend..Iadd.
33. The modular microscope system according to claim 31, wherein
said at least one protuberance extends downward from an inner
ceiling wall of said one housing module..Iaddend..Iadd.
34. The modular microscope system according to claim 31, wherein
said at least one protuberance extends upward from an inner floor
wall of said one housing module..Iaddend..Iadd.
35. The modular microscope system according to claim 31, wherein
said at least one protuberance extends axially in a vertical
direction along an inner side wall of said one housing
module..Iaddend..Iadd.
36. The modular microscope system according to claim 27, wherein at
least one of said protuberances of said one housing module is in
the form of a wall-shaped inner-space divider..Iaddend..Iadd.
37. The modular microscope system according to claim 36, wherein
said wall-shaped inner space divider includes a bearing precision
stop surface on an elevated portion thereof..Iaddend..Iadd.
38. The modular microscope system according to claim 27, wherein
said plurality of protuberances of said one housing module include
boreholes..Iaddend..Iadd.
39. The modular microscope system according to claim 27, wherein
said at least one carrier is a flat plate..Iaddend..Iadd.
40. The modular microscope system according to claim 27, wherein
said at least one carrier includes a turret containing a plurality
of related optical elements for enabling selective positioning of
one of said plurality of optical elements on an optical axis of
said carrier..Iaddend..Iadd.
41. The modular microscope system according to claim 27, wherein a
plurality of identically-sized intermediate housing modules are
provided for interchangeable mounting on said horizontal portion of
said upper stand housing module, each of said plurality of
intermediate housing modules containing a different optical system
therein..Iaddend..Iadd.
42. A modular microscope system, comprising:
a stand having a foot and an upper part;
at least one carrier on or in which are arranged pre-aligned and
assembled components;
wherein more than one housing protuberance is located on the upper
part or foot of the stand, each of which has a precision stop
surface which corresponds with a counter surface of the carrier for
exactly aligning and mounting the carrier..Iaddend..Iadd.
43. A method of assembling a modular microscope system having a
stand foot module, an upper stand module, an intermediate module
and at least one carrier having a plurality of components in
prealigned arrangement to form a functional unit, the method
comprising the acts of:
placing the carrier into one of the respective stand foot module,
upper stand module and intermediate module in discontinuous contact
on precision stop surfaces formed on the respective module to
provide an exact positioning therein: and
arranging the upper stand module on the foot stand module, and the
intermediate module on the upper stand module to configure the
modular microscope system..Iaddend..Iadd.
44. The method according to claim 43, further comprising the act
of:
exchanging the carrier placed in the respective module on the
precision stop surfaces with another carrier having another
plurality of components in pre-aligned arrangement to form another
functional unit, said another carrier also being placed on the
precision stop surfaces so as to be exactly positioned in the
respective module..Iaddend..Iadd.
45. The method according claim 43, wherein the arranging act
comprises the act of locating at least one of the intermediate
module, upper stand module and foot stand module on discontinuous
precision stop surfaces found in an adjoining one of said
modules..Iaddend..Iadd.
46. The method according to claim 45, further comprising the act
of:
exchanging the carrier placed in the respective module on the
precision stop surfaces with another carrier having another
plurality of components in pre-aligned arrangement to form another
functional unit, said another carrier also being placed on the
precision stop surfaces so as to be exactly positioned in the
respective module..Iaddend..Iadd.
47. The modular microscope system according to claim 27, wherein
said carrier is precisely positioned in one dimension within said
one housing module using at least a three-point contact of the
precision stop surfaces of the carrier and the one housing
module..Iaddend..Iadd.
48. The modular microscope system according to claim 39, wherein
said carrier is precisely positioned in one dimension within said
one housing module using at least a three-point contact of the
precision stop surfaces of the carrier and the one housing
module..Iaddend..Iadd.
49. The modular microscope system according to claim 41, wherein
said carrier is precisely positioned in one dimension within said
one housing module using at least a three-point contact of the
precision stop surfaces of the carrier and the one housing
module..Iaddend..Iadd.
50. The modular microscope system according to claim 42, wherein at
least a three-point contact of said precision stop surfaces located
on the upper part or foot of the stand are used to exactly align
and mount the carrier in one dimension..Iaddend..Iadd.
51. The modular microscope system according to claim 50, wherein at
least one of said housing protuberances has a pair of precision
stop surfaces lying in orthogonal planes..Iaddend..Iadd.
52. The modular microscope system according to claim 50, further
comprising intermediate housing modules interchangeably mountable
on said upper part without changing an eyepiece height for an
observer..Iaddend..Iadd.
53. The modular microscope system according to claim 50, wherein
said at least three-point contact of said precision stop surfaces
are respectively formed on three protuberances extending axially in
a vertical direction along an inner side wall of the upper part or
foot of the stand..Iaddend..Iadd.
54. The modular microscope system according to claim 42, further
comprising intermediate housing modules interchangeably mountable
on said upper part without changing an eyepiece height for an
observer..Iaddend..Iadd.
55. The method according to claim 43, wherein said carrier is
placed into said one module with at least a three-point contact in
one dimension..Iaddend..Iadd.
56. The method according to claim 45, wherein said carrier is
placed into said one module with at least a three-point contact in
one dimension..Iaddend..Iadd.
57. A process of manufacturing a microscope basic unit of a modular
microscope system, the process comprising the phases of:
first manufacturing at least one of a stand-foot, upper-part, and
intermediate module in one-piece with housing protuberances in
inner spaces thereof; and
subjecting the housing protuberances to a mechanical precision
final treatment in a further process phase to form precision stop
surfaces, said precision stop surfaces being dimensioned to
correspond with respectively precise manufactured counter-surfaces
of a carrier mountable thereon to exactly position pre-aligned
optical elements on the carrier in regard to the modular microscope
system..Iaddend..Iadd.
58. The process according to claim 57, wherein each of the
stand-foot, upper-part and intermediate modules are manufactured in
one-piece; and further wherein said mechanical precision final
treatment forms precisely produced mounting surfaces on said
modules for assembling said modules relative to one
another..Iaddend..Iadd.
59. The process according to claim 57, wherein a pair of precision
stop surfaces are formed on at least one of the housing
protuberances, said pair of precision stop surfaces lying in
orthogonal planes..Iaddend..Iadd.
60. A process of manufacturing a modular microscope system, the
process comprising the phases of:
initially manufacturing at least one of a stand-foot, upper part,
and intermediate module housing in a one-piece construction with
housing protuberances in inner spaces thereof, said housing
protuberances having non-final dimensions; and
mechanically precision-final treating, in a further process phase,
the housing protuberances to a final required precision
corresponding with respectively precise manufactured
counter-surfaces of a carrier having optically pre-aligned
components mounted thereon to ensure an exact positioning and
mounting of the carrier in regard to the modular microscope
system..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a modular microscope system with an
assembled microscope basic unit, which has a stand-foot, a stand
upper part, and an intermediate module with an attachable binocular
housing.
2. Prior Art
A microscope is already known from DE 30 37 556 A1, with a basic
frame, in the vertical part of which dovetail-guides are
superposed, so that drawer-shaped modules can be linked into them.
The dovetail-guides, which are referred to as gliding-guides, are
continuously formed at the inner wall of the housing. They require
a high amount of manufacturing precision throughout the entire
sliding length of each module. Because these gliding-guides are
recesses in the inner wall area of the vertical stand carrier-part,
which is designed in a compact construction type, manufacturing
problems occur in the precise production of many superposed-layered
parallel dovetail-guides. Heat influences have a negative impact as
well, since larger temperature intervals may lead to pressure loads
or tensile loads respectively between the inner wall of the housing
on the one hand and the slide-in module on the other hand, which
finally results in a more or less cumbersomely moving
drawer-guide.
Furthermore, a chassis for optical devices is known from EP 90 967
B1, which is designed as a 3-dimensional distortion-stiff hollow
structure, which may be assembled of several parts and for which
extended aluminum oxide is the recommended material. In this, the
individual housing parts may be "trimmed on", i.e., sintered
together or they may be detachably connected with each other, e.g.
screwed connections with a tie rod. In the case of sintered groups
of parts a quick exchange of individual basic-unit-parts is not
possible. In case the parts of the ceramic-chassis are connected
through screws or other anchoring means, problems occur due to the
different choices of materials (on the one hand ceramic, on the
other hand, metal screws or metal rods respectively). It is also
technically not entirely possible to produce basic-unit housings
from ceramic materials with the required narrow tolerances for
precision microscopes. An additional disadvantage is the
susceptibility to damage or wear respectively for
modularly-designed parts made from ceramics (i.e., especially parts
intended for a fast exchange).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is thus the task of the proposed invention to design a
microscope system of the type described above, in which a modular
microscope system is described under consideration of ergonomic
aspects and the utilization of modem manufacturing processes, in
which a system-integrated up and down rating of the individual
system parts is possible, whereby the height of the eyepiece
remains constant for the observer.
The task is solved in the proposed invention by forming the
basic-unit as a frame-construction-type in several parts. Moreover
it contains precision-stop-surfaces for the exactly-aligned
positioning and mounting of carriers, on which optical and/or
electronic pre-aligned and completely-assembled individual parts or
groups of parts, which are gathered into functional units, are
arranged. The precision-stop surfaces may be shaped especially as
small-dimensional plane contact surfaces or bearing surfaces
respectively. which correspond regarding their arrangement in the
plane or the space of the housing to the surface or spatial
dimensions respectively of the carrier, which can be placed in the
correct position. It is moreover also possible that the
precision-stop-surfaces are not shaped as plane contact or bearing
surfaces respectively, or as point contact or point bearing
surfaces respectively. In an especially advantageous design type,
at least one one-piece combination-stop-surface system is intended
for the exact positioning of a carrier. It contains at least two
precision-stop-surfaces, which are located in defined spatial
arrangement-preferably in levels vertically aligned towards each
other. The above mentioned precision-stop-surfaces may, e.g., be
arranged on cylindrical or truncated-cone-shaped housing
protuberances, which hang like stalactites from the inner ceiling
wall of a basic-unit part. It is also possible that the
precision-stop-surfaces are arranged on cylindrical or truncated
cone-shaped housing-protuberances, which reach up from the inner
floor-wall of the basic-unit part.
In a further design type of the proposed invention, the housing
protuberances which carry the stop-surfaces may be partially
contained along their longitudinal extent by the side walls of the
basic-unit parts or may spatially merge with them respectively. In
addition, it is possible that plane and/or angular wall-shaped
housing-inner-space dividers are intended for the inner space of
the basic-unit parts, which may possibly contain
precision-stop-surfaces. For this the stop-surfaces can be designed
in such a way that they are located only on a raised partial-area
of the housing-inner-space-divider. The arrangement in the proposed
invention may be such that some of the protuberances or housing
inner-space-dividers respectively which contain the bearing
contacts, have bore holes along their longitudinal extent, which
correspond to respective clearances, e.g. holes, half-holes long
holes, slits and indents in or on the carriers respectively.
The carriers may be shaped basically two-dimensional, e.g., as a
platform, plate or slider for the attachment or insertion to or
into one of the partial systems of the microscope's basic unit. It
is, however also possible that the carriers are shaped as
three-dimensional housing-parts, e.g. as a pipe, block, cube,
prism, or as a parallelepiped or angular chassis-part for the
attachment or insertion or sliding to or into at least one of the
partial systems of the microscope's basic unit.
For a further design type of the proposed invention, at least one
holding-element is additionally intended, which reaches at least
partially around the carrier in due form, whereby corresponding
precision-stop-surfaces are also intended for the exact positioning
of the holding element. The carrier may also be shaped as a
slide-in-module, in which several filters are arranged
consecutively along its optical axis, which may be brought into
operating position individually if chosen with corresponding
filter-slides. The carrier may also be shaped as an angular
holding-element for the microscope-table, whereby the holding or
guide respectively contain precision stop and guide surfaces in the
vertical area of the upper part of the stand for a smooth-working
vertical shifting (z-direction).
It is possible that the carrier contains not only optical parts
like mirrors, lenses and stops but also a completely assembled
turret-installation, which in turn contains pre-aligned and
completely assembled parts of the same type but of different
optophysical function, e.g. fluorescence-dividing cubes. The
carrier may also be shaped as a slide-in module, in which several
stops are arranged along its optical axis, e.g. location fixed or
location variable fixed-stops or form variable stops. These may be
brought into operating position through a designated controlling
device and in a given case be adjusted according to their size. It
is also possible that an intermediate-module, containing a tube
lens is provided, which can be attached to the collar horizontal
part of the upper precision-stop-surfaces. This may then be
exchanged in such a way for another intermediate-module, containing
not only a tube-lens but also a controllable and prealigned
Bertrand lens, that the height of the eyepiece of the entire
microscope system remains unchanged. A further intermediate-module
is characterized by containing additionally a discontinuous
enlargement-changer or a zooming system or a polarizing-arrangement
respectively.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention is described by the figures below in more detail.
They show:
FIG. 1a: a perspective view of a modular microscope system as
proposed by this invention;
FIG. 1b: a perspective depiction of the system depicted in FIG. 1a
from a different view with an additional housing module;
FIG. 2a: a stand-foot in perspective depiction, partially cut
open;
FIG. 2b: a slide-in filter-module in perspective depiction;
FIGS. 3a-3c: conical housing protuberances with
precision-stop-surfaces;
FIG. 3d: a wall-shaped housing-inner-space-divider with
precision-stop-surfaces;
FIG. 4a: the upper part of a stand in perspective depiction;
FIG. 4b: a two-dimensional carrier with pre-aligned parts as
proposed by this invention;
FIG. 4c: the carrier depicted in FIG. 4a with an additional
dovetail-guide;
FIG. 5: an intermediate-module.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1a and 1b respectively depict a modular microscope system
with a microscope basic unit, which consists of a stand-foot (1),
the upper part of a stand (2) and an intermediate-module (3), with
an attachable or mountable binocular-housing (4). The stand-foot
(1) merges with the observer facing part into an ergonomical, flat
tooth rest (5) which is mounted on both sides. The upper part of
the stand (2) has a vertical part. Manual operating devices (6) are
provided on or in its side areas, which direct the movement or
controlling processes. A precision-guide for a table-angle (8),
which is detachably linked to the microscope-table (9), is intended
for the vertical part of the upper part of the stand (2), which
faces the observer.
A mirror-housing (10) is adapted in that area of the vertical-part
of the intermediate-module (3), as well as the upper part of the
stand (2), which points away from the observer. Lamp housings
(11,12) on the one hand and an additional housing-module on the
other hand are coordinated to this mirror-housing (10). The
additional housing-module contains among others the electrical or
the electronic respectively provider and controlling installations
for the entire system (cf. FIG. 1b).
The modular construction-alignment and assembly-principle proposed
by this invention is described below in further detail with special
reference to FIGS. 3a to 3d in connection with FIGS. 2a and 4a to
4c.
In order to increase the rigidity of the frame-constructions for
complex assembled, modularly designed optical precision equipment,
especially microscopes and to proceed at the same time in a
flexible manufacturing and material saving process and a service
and assembly-friendly construction concept, the individual
microscope-basic-unit-modules such as stand-foot (1), upper part of
the stand (2) and intermediate-module (3) are manufactured in a
one-piece construction-type. They can be produced e.g. in aluminum
or brass in a single manufacturing process, whereby partition walls
or transverse fins or posts or angles or stakes respectively are
made for the respective inner spaces of these basic-unit-modules
together with the actual housing-module. In this application they
are generally referred to as inward-pointing housing protuberances.
It is significant here that the positioning and final dimensions of
these protuberances need not yet comply to the final required
precision. The truncated cone-shaped protuberances (14-16) depicted
in FIGS. 3a to 3c or the wall-shaped housing-inner-spaces-divider
(17) depicted in FIG. 3d are subject to a mechanical
precision-final treatment in a further processing phase, in which
they receive preferably plane precision-stop-surfaces (18-20),
which correspond to the respectively precise manufactured
counter-surfaces of the carriers. The protuberances may also
contain several precision-stop-surfaces, as is e.g. shown in FIGS.
3b or 3c respectively.
The longitudinal extent of the truncated cone-shaped protuberances
should, due to static construction reasons preferably point in the
direction of gravity, whereby, it is of little importance whether
they are formed like stalactites at the inner upper ceiling wall of
a horizontal housing-part or whether they are positioned on the
inner base surface of the horizontal basic-unit part in
stalagmite-shaped columns or posts or stakes respectively. It is
however also possible to have elements (23) shaped into the inner
vertical walls of the horizontal basic-unit-part, compare FIG. 4a,
which merge as cylindrical or truncated-cone-shaped elements
alongside their longitudinal side partially with the vertical
inner-wall and which narrow-down downwards, i.e., in the direction
of the stand-foot (1). As can be seen directly in FIGS. 4b or 4c
respectively, the carrier depicted there (24) shows corresponding
flange-surfaces in or on the side, facing the upper part of the
stand (2), which correspond to the stop-surfaces (22).
Although a 3-point contact is due to reasons of construction
sufficient for the exactly-aligned positioning of essentially
two-dimensional carriers (24), it may be useful for large-surface
dimensions to produce a 4-point contact or a larger number
multi-point contact. In either case a discontinuous contacting of
modules, module-parts or carriers (24) respectively occurs. This
marks an essential difference to conventional dovetail-guides,
which have to have continuous longitudinal-guides in the
sliding-direction, which leads to the disadvantages described
above.
The carrier (24) in FIG. 4b has individual parts, e.g. a surface
mirror (26), lenses (27-29) as well as--in a given cage--additional
pans which are beam-deflecting, beam-manipulating or change the
diameter of the beam respectively. It is of special significance
for the proposed invention that all of the parts on the carrier
(24) are already pre-aligned and completely assembled so that the
carrier (24) may be regarded in a sense as a "mounting-part" for
every individually positioned optical part. It is thus only
necessary to attach a carrier (24), prepared in such a way, to the,
in the present case, openly accessible upper part of the stand (2),
whereby the precise-stop-surfaces on the carrier (24) as well as in
the inner space of the horizontal part of the upper part of the
stand (2) ensure an exact positioning and mounting of each part
(26-27) in regard to the entire system. The carrier (24) is linked
with screws. Other equivalent linking-means are also conceivable,
although a screwed linking has the advantage of a detachable
connection, e.g., for purposes of reconfiguration in a change from
one microscopic observation type to another.
The arrow (30) in FIG. 4b indicates the direction of incidence of
an illumination beam. The component on carrier (24) represents an
epi-illumination module. It is in optical connection to a
fluorescence-divider turret (31), which contains four
fluorescence-divider cubes (32-35), whereby the
fluorescence-divider cube (34) is in operating position in the
depicted version. It deflects the (30) incident light path in the
direction of the arrow (36) vertically downwards in the direction
of the not-depicted objective-turret, which, as can be seen in FIG.
4a, may be inserted as a slide-in module into that part of the
horizontal area of the upper part of the stand (2), that faces the
observer. This is indicated merely schematically by the depicted
arrow (37a).
A filter module (39) may be inserted into the slide-in opening,
marked by (38), in the familiar way, as shown in FIG. 2b. This
module consists of e.g. four hinged filters (40-43), which may be
brought consecutively into the path of rays, its optical axis in
the area of the module (39), or the carrier (24) respectively,
through correcting elements (44-47), which can be operated from
outside. Because the positioning of filters in the optical
illumination ray path is relatively alignment-uncritical, a highly
precise sliding-guide is not necessary for the module (39).
The second slide-in opening (49) in the horizontal part of the
upper part of the stand (2) serves for the insertion of a
not-depicted stop-module, compare the slide-in direction indicated
by the arrows (50) in FIGS. 4b as well as 4c. The stop-module (51)
is brought into operating position through a dovetail-guide, as can
be seen in FIG. 4c. For this it is of great significance that the
dovetail-guide is integrally connected with the carrier (24). This
means that the precision guide is not installed in the frame-part
of the slide-in opening (49) itself, but at the carrier (24), which
can be positioned in exact alignment. The slide-in opening (49)
itself as well as the already-mentioned slide-in opening (38) may
therefore be manufactured relatively "imprecise", i.e. without
complex detail-finishing and thus with expanded tolerance, because
the required precision-positioning is only realized in the
dovetail-guide (52) which is installed on the carrier (24). Thus
the cumulative tolerances are reduced by one element because the
slide-in opening (49) intended for a first module (2) can be
manufactured with a reduced tolerance, whereas the carrier with its
anyway in narrow tolerance produced precision-stop-surfaces
requires only a correlative precision-treatment regarding its
integrally articulated dovetail-guide. Since the goal of any
manufacturing and service-friendly parts assembly of complex
optical system equipment is a minimizing of cumulative-tolerances,
significant cost and manufacturing advantages result from the by
this invention proposed ways to slide-in and position the
stop-module (51).
As FIGS. 4a and 4b in connection with FIG. 5 show, an
intermediate-module (3) (FIG. 5) may be mounted after the insertion
of the carrier (24) in the open upper part of the stand (2). It
contains a tube lens (53) and has in its lower area as well as in
its upper, the binocular-housing (4) facing area, corresponding,
precisely produced stop and mounting surfaces. Other
intermediate-modules, which contain e.g. besides the tube lens also
a Bertrand lens or an enlargement changer or are designed as a
polarizing-module, are--as a choice of the observer-also adaptable,
without changing the eyepiece height for the observer. Further
clearances (54) or (55) respectively in the side walls within the
horizontal-area of the upper-part of the stand (2) are intended for
the insertion of a polarizer or an analyzer respectively.
A pipe-shaped carrier (56) is located in the inner area of the
stand-foot (1), as shown in FIG. 2a, in which lenses (57, 58) as
well as a radiant field stop (59) and an aperture stop (60) are
mounted as an already pre-made and pre-aligned unit. The
pipe-shaped carrier (56) serves as a mounting and represents a
module which can be positioned in exact alignment in the optical
axis (61) of the illumination area through its housing
protuberances with their precision-stop-surfaces proposed by this
invention. The illumination beam, after leaving the
radiant-field-stop (59), hits a surface-mirror (62), which is
exactly positioned on two battered walls, which in turn have
precision-stop-surfaces themselves. While the carrier (24),
depicted in FIGS. 4b or 4c respectively, is designed essentially
two-dimensional (plane), the carrier (56) is designed as a
cylindrical three-dimensional pipe. Such special forms may require
at least one holding element, which reaches at least partially
around the cylindrical carrier in due form and has
precision-stop-surfaces, too, which correspond to the already in
the housing-modules present precision-stop-surfaces. Further
details regarding this pipe-shaped carrier-mounting are described
in a patent application with the title "microscope stand-foot,"
which has been filed at the same time.
The modular microscope system proposed by this invention makes it
possible to attach, screw in, and to produce and assemble all
required or by choice included housing-modules or under-modules or
carriers respectively, on which pre-aligned and completely
assembled individual parts or groups of parts are arranged, on the
provided precision-stop-surfaces or attachment surfaces
respectively, without additional alignment or optical adjustment
expenditure. The upper part of the stand or the foot part
respectively contain for this purpose mechanical,
precisely-produced mounting surfaces for the mounting of these
modules, as well as additional housing parts.
This results in the following overall advantages:
1. Adjustment mistakes or alignment inaccuracies are detected
early, i.e., already in the individual module, not just in the
final end-product.
2. A service-friendly parts-assembly is parallel possible.
3. The modularity of the entire system reaches a new step in
quality; all construction groups are easily exchanged. This also
allows for a reconfiguration from one illumination type to another
with no changes to the ergonomical or conceptual overall concept.
The filter module (39), e.g. may be inserted into the stand-foot
(1) (see FIGS. 1b, 2a and 2b) or into the slide-in opening (38) in
the upper part of the stand (2). The exact positioning of the
carrier on the protuberances of the inner walls of the housing
result by way of a "stilt" or a "pile-work" construction type, in a
construction principle which is stable and free of
interference-susceptibility, also under thermal considerations,
because temperature influences have an especially negative impact
in the area of construction of optical precision-equipment, since
they lead to unwanted de-alignments and adulterations. An
uncontrolled heat-flow to the carrier is impressively avoided
through the material-saving construction design "on stacks." The
proposed multi-point contact mounting or hinge respectively, avoids
as a discontinuous mounting or translational direction-concept
respectively disadvantages, which occur due to the system design in
the continuous translational mechanism of the dovetail-type. The
concept proposed by this invention finally leads to an ergonomical
modular microscope system, in which a system-integrated up and down
rating of modules or under-modules respectively can be done safely
and is reproducible without accepting any other disadvantages.
PARTS LIST
1. stand-foot
2. upper part of the stand
3. intermediate-module
4. binocular-housing
5. tooth-rest
6. manual-operating-device
7. precision-guide
8. table-angle
9. microscope-table
10. mirror-housing
11/12. lamp-housing
13. housing module
14/15/16. truncated cone-shaped protuberances
17. wall-shaped housing-inner-space-divider
18-22. precision-stop-surfaces
23. elements shaped to the inner wall
24. carrier
25a. boreholes
25b. clearances
26. surface mirror
27-29. lenses
30, 36. arrows
31. fluorescence-divider turret
32-35. fluorencence-divider cube
37a . slide-in direction for objective-turret
37b. objective-turret
38. slide-in opening for filter-module (39)
39. filter-module
40-43. filter
4-47. correcting elements
49. optical axis
49. slide-in opening for stop-module
50. slide-in direction
51. stop-module
52. dovetail-guide
53. tube-lens
54. polarizing-slide-in opening
55. analyzer-opening
56. pipe-shaped carrier
57-58. lenses
59. radiant field-stop
60. aperture-stop
61. optical axis
62. surface-mirror
* * * * *