MICROSCOPE HAVING A STAGE WHICH IS MOVABLE MANUALLY OR MOTORIZED

Abstract

The invention relates to a microscope (10) having a movable stage (18) and an adjusting unit (24) for moving the stage (18). The adjusting unit (24) comprises a drive shaft (38) by the rotation of which the distance between the stage (18) and a base (22) of the microscope (10) is adjustable. Further, the microscope (10) has a manually operable operating unit (26) with a first output shaft (46) as well as an electric drive unit (28) for the motorized movement of the stage (18) with a second output shaft (52). In a manual operating mode, the drive shaft (38) is coupled to the first output shaft (46) via a first coupling unit (54), and in a motorized operating mode the drive shaft (38) is coupled to the second output shaft (52) via a second coupling unit (56).

Claims

1. A microscope, comprising a movable stage (18) for holding objects to be microscoped, an adjusting unit (24) for moving the stage (18) relative to a base (22) of the microscope (10) for focusing on the object, this adjusting unit (24) comprising a drive shaft (38) by the rotation of which the distance between the stage (18) and the base (22) is adjustable, a manually operable operating unit (26) for manually moving the stage (18), the operating unit (26) comprising a manually drivable first output shaft (46), and an electric drive unit (28) for the motorized movement of the stage (18), the electric drive unit (28) comprising a second output shaft (52), wherein in a manual operating mode the first output shaft (46) is coupled to the drive shaft (38) via a first coupling unit (54), and wherein in a motorized operating mode the second output shaft (52) is coupled to the drive shaft (38) via a second coupling unit (56).

2. The microscope (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that in the manual operating mode, the drive shaft (38) is not coupled to the second output shaft (52) and in the motorized operating mode the drive shaft (38) is not coupled to the first output shaft (46).

3. The microscope (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the first coupling unit (54) and the second coupling unit (56) is an electromagnetic clutch.

4. The microscope (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of the first coupling unit (54) and the second coupling unit (56) is an electromagnetic friction-plate clutch.

5. The microscope (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that in the manual operating mode only the first coupling unit (54) of the two coupling units (54, 56) is energized, and in that in the motorized operating mode only the second coupling unit (56) of the two coupling units (54, 56) is energized.

6. The microscope (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating unit (24) comprises at least one knob (42, 44) for rotating the first output shaft (46).

7. The microscope (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that the operating unit (24) has a first knob for a coarse adjustment of the stage (18) and a second knob for a fine adjustment of the stage (18).

8. The microscope (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive shaft (38) is a pinion shaft.

9. The microscope (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive shaft (38) forms part of a stationary unit (30) of the adjusting unit (24), and in that the adjusting unit (24) comprises a rack and pinion mechanism (40), drivable by the drive shaft (38), for moving the stage (18) relative to the stationary unit (30).

10. The microscope (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that a sensor unit (60) for determining the position of the stage (18) is provided.

11. The microscope (10) according to claim 10, characterized in that the sensor unit (60) operates independently of the operating unit (26) and independently of the electric drive unit (28), in particular that neither the position of components of the operating unit (26) nor of components of the electric drive unit (28) is detected by the sensor unit (60).

12. The microscope (10) according to claim 10, characterized in that the sensor unit (60) comprises a first sensor element (62) moved together with the stage (18) and a second sensor element (64) which forms part of the stationary unit (30) of the adjusting unit (24), and that the sensor unit (60) detects the position of the first and second sensor element (62, 64) relative to each other.

13. The microscope (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that a manually operable switching unit for switching between the manual operating mode and the motorized operating mode is provided.

14. The microscope (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that the switching unit is designed such that at all times only either the first coupling unit (54) or the second coupling unit (56) is activated.

15. The microscope (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that in a self-locking mode for holding the stage in a predetermined position, the stage is coupled via the first coupling unit (54) to the manual operating unit (26) and/or via the second coupling unit (56) to the electric drive unit (28).

16. The microscope (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that in the manual operating mode only the first coupling unit (54) of the two coupling units (54, 56) is energized, and in that in the motorized operating mode only the second coupling unit (56) of the two coupling units (54, 56) is energized.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING VIEWS

[0031] Further features and advantages of the invention result from the following description which explains the invention in more detail on the basis of embodiments in connection with the enclosed figures.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective illustration of a microscope.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective illustration of an adjusting mechanism for height-adjustment of a stage of a microscope according to FIG. 1.

[0034] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective illustration of an adjusting mechanism according to FIG. 2, with the housing parts being removed.

[0035] FIG. 4 is a further schematic perspective illustration of a part of the adjusting mechanism according to FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0036] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the adjusting mechanism according to FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0037] FIG. 6 is a top view of the adjusting mechanism according to FIGS. 2 to 5.

[0038] FIG. 7 is a further top view of the adjusting mechanism according to FIGS. 2 to 6, with the clutches being removed.

[0039] FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective illustration of a detail of the adjusting mechanism according to FIGS. 2 to 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] In FIG. 1, a schematic perspective illustration of a digital microscope 10 is shown. The microscope 10 comprises a stationary stand base body 12 by means of which the microscope 10 can be set up on a surface. Further, the microscope 10 has a pivot unit 14 which is pivotable relative to the stand base body 12. The pivot unit 14 comprises at least one image capturing unit by means of which an image of the object to be microscoped can be captured. In particular, by means of the image capturing unit not only single images can be captured but also videos.

[0041] These videos make it possible to view the object to be microscoped from different angle of views.

[0042] Further, the pivot unit 14 has an objective system or zoom system by means of which different magnifications of the object to be microscoped can be set. The objective system in particular comprises a large number of objectives, one of which being optionally pivoted into the beam path of the microscope.

[0043] The image capturing unit, in particular a camera, and the objective system are not visible in FIG. 1 as they are covered by a housing 16 of the pivot unit 14.

[0044] The objectives of the objective system are in particular parfocal objectives so that when changing the objectives no refocusing by the user is necessary. The objectives are in particular adjusted to the distance between the axis of rotation, about which the pivot unit is rotated, and the interface of the objectives, i.e. the area in which the objective currently in use is arranged so that there results an eucentric system, as a result of which no refocusing is required when the pivot unit 14 is pivoted relative to the stand base body 12.

[0045] Further a stage 18 on which the objects to be microscoped are placed is mounted to the stand base body 12. This stage 18 can be height-adjusted by means of an adjusting mechanism 20, i.e. the distance between the stage 18 and the base 22 of the microscope 10 can be varied. By means of this height-adjustment of the stage 18 a focusing on the objects to be microscoped is achieved so that these can be viewed in a sharply focused manner. The stage 18 is in particular adjusted linearly in the direction of the double arrow P1.

[0046] In each of FIGS. 2 to 8, illustrations of the adjusting mechanism 20 are shown, FIG. 2 showing a schematic perspective general view, FIG. 3 showing a perspective view with the housing being removed, FIG. 4 showing a further perspective view, FIG. 5 showing a sectional view, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 both showing a top view and FIG. 8 showing a schematic perspective illustration of a detail of the adjusting mechanism 20.

[0047] The adjusting mechanism 20 comprises an adjusting unit 24 by means of which the stage 18 can be moved. This adjusting unit 24 can optionally be driven by means of an operating unit 26 for a manual drive or by means of an electric drive unit 28.

[0048] The adjusting unit 24 has a stationary unit 30 which is immovable relative to the microscope base 22 and is firmly connected to the stand base body 12. Further, the adjusting unit 24 has a movable unit 32 which—similar to a slide—can be displaced relative to the stationary unit 30, wherein by means of this displacement the stage 18 which is fixed to this movable unit 32 at the upper side of the movable unit 32 in FIG. 2 is moved.

[0049] The stationary unit 30 has a housing 34, which is omitted in FIG. 3, so that the inner components and in particular the movable slide 36 of the movable unit 32 are visible.

[0050] The adjusting unit 24 has a stationary mounted drive shaft 38 (see e.g. FIG. 5) which, in the present example, is designed as a pinion shaft. This drive shaft 38 is coupled to the slide 36 via a rack and pinion mechanism 40 such that, when the drive shaft 38 is rotated, the slide 36 is moved dependent on the direction of rotation of the drive shaft 38 in the direction of the double arrow P1 so that the stage 18 is correspondingly height-adjusted.

[0051] The manual operating unit 26 comprises two knobs 42, 44, upon rotation of which a first output shaft 46 of the manual operating unit 26 is rotated. One of the two knobs 42, 44 serves as a fine drive, the other one as a coarse drive, wherein, given the same rotation, the shaft is rotated faster by the coarse drive as compared to the fine drive so that a quicker adjustment of the stage 18 is implemented. The coarse drive in particular serves to first move the stage 18 quickly into a position in which the object is roughly focused. An accurate positioning in the focal plane then takes place by means of the fine drive.

[0052] The electric drive unit 28 comprises a motor 48, in particular an electric motor, as well as a gear box 50 via which the motor 48 is coupled to the second output shaft 52. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the motor 48 can also be directly coupled to the second output shaft 52.

[0053] As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 7, the drive shaft 38 of the adjusting unit 24 and the two output shafts 46, 52 are arranged such that their longitudinal axes run on a straight line L. Further, it can be well taken from the Figures, that a gap is formed between the drive shaft 38 and the output shaft 46, as well as between drive shaft 38 and output shaft 52. Thus, the drive shaft 38 is not permanently coupled to said output shafts 36, 52.

[0054] Rather, the coupling between the drive shaft 38 and the first output shaft 46 of the manual operating unit 26 is established via a first coupling unit 54 designed as an electromagnetic clutch and the coupling between the drive shaft 38 and the second output shaft 52 of the electric drive unit 28 is established via a second coupling unit 56 that is likewise designed as an electromagnetic clutch.

[0055] The two electromagnetic clutches 54, 56 are in particular identically designed. In an alternative embodiment, both clutches 54, 56 may not be designed identically. Alternatively, it is likewise possible that other types of clutches than electromagnetic clutches are used.

[0056] The electromagnetic clutches 54, 56 shown in FIGS. 2 to 8 are so-called friction-plate clutches, in which each time one friction plate is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the respective output shaft 46, 52 and the other friction plate is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the drive shaft 38. When the respective clutch 54, 56 is deactivated, i.e. no current is applied, then there is a small gap between the friction plates so that when the respective output shaft 46, 52 is rotated no torque is transmitted to the drive shaft 38 and the drive shaft 38 is not rotated.

[0057] When, on the other hand, current is applied to the respective clutch 54, 56, then a magnet of the respective clutch 54, 56 causes that the two friction plates are pressed together so that, as a result of the friction, the torque of the respective output shaft 46, 52 can be transmitted to the drive shaft 38 and the drive shaft 38 is thus rotated as well.

[0058] The microscope 10 can be operated in two operating modes, namely a manual operating mode and a motorized operating mode. In the manual operating mode, the first clutch 54 is energized so that it is activated and a coupling is established between the first output shaft 46 and the drive shaft 38. The second clutch 56, on the other hand, is deactivated in this manual operating mode, i.e. is not energized, so that no torque is transmitted between the second output shaft 52 of the electric drive unit 28 and the drive shaft 38. Thus, in this manual operating mode the drive shaft 38 can only be driven by the manual operating unit 26 so that the stage 18 can be height-adjusted manually.

[0059] In the motorized operating mode, on the other hand, the second clutch 56 is activated, i.e. energized, so that a torque is transmitted from the second output shaft 52, and thus from the electric drive unit 28, to the drive shaft 38. The first clutch 54 is deactivated, i.e. not energized, so that no coupling exists between the first output shaft 46 of the manual operating unit 26 and the drive shaft 38. In this motorized operating mode, the stage 18 is thus adjusted by means of the electric drive unit 28.

[0060] In particular, a switching unit is provided by means of which a user can optionally switch between these two operating modes so that the user can always determine in an easy manner how the adjustment of the stage 18 is to take place.

[0061] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, also other types of electromagnetic clutches may be used. Alternatively, it is likewise possible that different types of clutches are used for the two clutches 54, 56.

[0062] Further, the adjusting mechanism 20 comprises a sensor unit 60 by means of which the respective current position of the stage 18 can be detected. The sensor unit 60 forms part of the adjusting unit 24 so that it works independently of the operating mode and independently of the manual operating unit 26 and the electric drive unit 28.

[0063] The sensor unit 60 in particular has a first sensor element 62 which is mounted to the slide 36 and is thus moved together with the stage 18. Further, the sensor unit has a second sensor element 64 which forms part of the stationary unit 30 of the adjusting unit 24 and is thus not moved together with the stage. The sensor unit 60 is designed such that at all times it can detect the relative position of the first and the second sensor element 62, 64 to each other, as a result whereof the position of the stage 18 can be determined as well. In this way, it is achieved that the position of the stage 18 can reliably be determined at any time, irrespective of how often and when the operating modes have been switched.

[0064] By means of the afore-described adjusting unit 20, it is in particular achieved that all advantages of a manual adjustment of a stage 18 and all advantages of a motorized adjustment of the stage 18 are combined in an easy manner and nevertheless a very simple structure is achieved. In particular, the manual and the motorized adjustment can be used completely independently of one another as a result of the complete decoupling of the unused unit via the electromagnetic clutches, without the one drive unit having any effect on the other.

[0065] The coarse drive of the manual mechanism in particular allows the user to drive the stage 18 very quickly to find the object, before switching to the fine drive mechanism to find the exact focus. In quick action, the user can also switch to the motorized operating mode via activating/deactivating the corresponding clutches 54, 56 to engage the motorized drive for more precise and accurate focusing.

[0066] Having a manual focus drive enables quick, intuitive sample positioning in the focal plane while driving the same axis with a motor enables accurate and repeatable focusing operation and automated focusing. Thus, the contrary requirements for speed and precision are balanced.

[0067] Moreover, the electromagnetic clutches 54, 56 serve an additional advantage to the main system by limiting the torque transmission to the drive shaft 38. When the applied torque exceeds the holding torque of the engaging clutch 54, 56, the clutch 54, 56 will slip to minimize wear and tear in the system due to improper handling. Therefore, damages to the system are prevented.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0068] 10 microscope

[0069] 12 stand base body

[0070] 14 pivot unit

[0071] 16 housing

[0072] 18 stage

[0073] 20 adjusting mechanism

[0074] 22 base

[0075] 24 adjusting unit

[0076] 26 manual operating unit

[0077] 28 electric drive unit

[0078] 30 stationary unit

[0079] 32 movable unit

[0080] 34 housing

[0081] 36 slide

[0082] 38 drive unit

[0083] 40 rack and pinion mechanism

[0084] 42, 44 knob

[0085] 46 first output shaft

[0086] 48 motor

[0087] 50 gear box

[0088] 52 second output shaft

[0089] 54, 56 clutch

[0090] 60 sensor unit

[0091] 62, 64 sensor element

[0092] P1 direction

[0093] L Longitudinal axis