Objective lens switching and focusing device for microscope

Abstract

The objective lens switching and focusing device comprises a base, an objective lens mounting seat, a focusing mechanism and an objective lens switching mechanism, a plurality of objective lenses arranged along a straight line are mounted on the objective lens mounting seat, and the focusing mechanism is mounted on the objective lens switching mechanism and is in transmission connection with the objective lens mounting seat; the objective lens switching mechanism is mounted on the base and is in transmission connection with the objective lens mounting seat, so that a plurality of objective lenses are sequentially translated to a light path center working position of the microscope; the focusing mechanism and the objective lens switching mechanism are integrated on the same base, so that the focusing and switching functions of the objective lens are cooperatively realized in a compact space. By adopting a switching mode of horizontal linear translation, the problem that the optical axis of an objective lens deviates due to deviation or inclination of a rotating center of a traditional rotary switching mechanism is avoided; the objective lens moves on the linear guide rail, the track is accurate and controllable, and the alignment of the optical axis of the objective lens and the main optical path of the microscope after each switching is ensured, so that the stability of an imaging view and the reliability of observation data are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of microscope technology, specifically to a microscope objective lens switching and focusing device. Background Technology

[0002] Microscopes are indispensable key equipment in modern scientific research and industrial inspection, and the objective lens, as the core optical component of a microscope, directly determines the image quality. In practical applications, it is often necessary to switch between objective lenses with different magnifications according to the detail size of the observed sample and the observation requirements. Therefore, achieving rapid and precise switching and focusing of objective lenses is an important issue in microscope design.

[0003] Existing objective lens switching methods are mainly divided into manual rotation and motorized translation. Manual rotation is the most common structure, where different objectives are brought into the optical path by rotating the objective turret. However, this rotational structure has inherent drawbacks: during rotation, the optical axis of the objective lens is prone to slight tilting or shifting, leading to drift or distortion in the imaging field of view, making it difficult to guarantee positioning accuracy and achieve automated control. Furthermore, the rotational structure requires a large radial space, which is detrimental to the miniaturization and compact design of the overall microscope structure.

[0004] On the other hand, while existing high-end microscopes employ motorized objective lens switching mechanisms, their focusing and switching mechanisms are often designed independently and separately. This discrete design results in a complex system structure, large footprint, and high cost, making it difficult to popularize in applications requiring strict control over space and cost (such as integrated online inspection systems and portable devices).

[0005] Furthermore, existing electric translational switching mechanisms rely heavily on the servo control precision of the motor or simple mechanical hard limits for positioning. The former is costly, while the latter is prone to impact during positioning and may experience a decrease in positioning accuracy due to wear after long-term use. There is a lack of a highly reliable limit mechanism that can provide holding force and has fine-tuning capabilities in the event of a power outage.

[0006] In summary, there is an urgent need in this field for a novel objective lens switching and focusing device that can overcome the precision defects and space limitations of rotary switching, highly integrate focusing and switching functions, achieve high-precision and high-stability automatic switching and focusing of multiple objectives within a limited space, and has the advantages of simple structure, controllable cost, and reliable positioning. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the existing problems, this invention provides a microscope objective lens switching and focusing device to solve the problems of objective lens switching and focusing in existing microscopes.

[0008] A microscope objective lens switching and focusing device includes a base, an objective lens mounting base, a focusing mechanism, and an objective lens switching mechanism. Multiple objectives lenses arranged in a straight line are mounted on the objective lens mounting base. The focusing mechanism is mounted on the objective lens switching mechanism and is connected to the objective lens mounting base for driving the objective lens mounting base and the objective lens assembly on it to move linearly in the vertical direction, so as to adjust the focal length of the objective lens. The objective lens switching mechanism is mounted on the base and is used to drive the objective lens mounting base and the focusing mechanism to move linearly in the horizontal direction, so that multiple objectives are sequentially translated to the working position of the optical path center of the microscope. The focusing mechanism and the objective lens switching mechanism are integrated on the same base, enabling the focusing and switching functions of the objective lens to be achieved collaboratively within a compact space.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the focusing mechanism includes a drive motor, a lead screw driven by the drive motor, a nut slider threaded with the lead screw, and a vertical guide for guiding the vertical movement of the objective lens mount. The drive motor drives the lead screw to rotate through the transmission component, thereby causing the objective lens mounting base, which is fixed to the nut slider, to move in the vertical direction.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the transmission component is a pulley assembly, which includes a driving pulley mounted on the output shaft of a drive motor, a driven pulley mounted on a lead screw, and a synchronous belt connecting the driving pulley and the driven pulley.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the vertical guide is a cross roller guide, the guide rail portion of which is fixed inside the support frame, and the sliding portion is connected to the objective lens mount.

[0012] In one possible implementation, a limiting component for limiting the horizontal movement of the objective mount is also included. The limiting component includes mechanical limiting blocks disposed at both ends of the movement path of the objective mount. At least one of the mechanical limiting blocks is provided with a magnet. When the objective mount moves to the limiting position, the magnet generates an attractive force with the objective mount or a ferromagnetic material component fixed to the objective mount to provide a positioning and holding force.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the limiting assembly further includes a fine-tuning screw that screws into the mechanical limiting block to fine-tune the precise position of the objective mount in the limiting position by screwing it in or out, so that the optical center of the calibration objective is aligned with the optical path of the microscope.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the lead screw is mounted on a support frame via a bearing assembly, the bearing assembly comprising an upper bearing and a lower bearing located at both ends of the lead screw, for ensuring stable rotation of the lead screw and reducing radial runout.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the objective lens switching mechanism includes a servo motor, a gear driven by the servo motor, and a rack meshing with the gear and fixedly connected to the objective lens mount. The servo drive gear rotates in both directions, and through the meshing of the gear and rack, it moves the animal mirror mounting seat in a straight line in the horizontal direction.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: 1. By adopting a horizontal linear translation switching method, the problem of objective lens optical axis offset caused by rotation center deviation or tilting in traditional rotary switching mechanisms is fundamentally avoided; the objective lens moves on a linear guide rail with precise and controllable trajectory, ensuring that the objective lens optical axis is aligned with the microscope's main optical path after each switch, thereby guaranteeing the stability of the imaging field of view and the reliability of the observation data.

[0017] 2. The limiting component, which combines magnetic attraction with mechanical limiting, effectively suppresses minor wobbling or rebound of the mechanism when the objective lens mount moves to the limiting position, making positioning more accurate and stable. It also avoids the impact and wear caused by purely mechanical hard contact, improving the lifespan and reliability of the mechanism.

[0018] 3. By integrating the focusing mechanism and the objective lens switching mechanism onto the same base, the two functional modules are overlapped and coordinated in space, which is beneficial for integration into space-constrained automated microscopes, online inspection equipment or portable instruments. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of the present invention; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the central focusing mechanism; Figure 4 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the objective lens switching mechanism; Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the middle limit component. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this disclosure from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, and not all of them. This disclosure can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0022] like Figure 1 - Figure 5 As shown, a microscope objective lens switching and focusing device includes: a base 1, an objective lens mounting base 2, a focusing mechanism 3 and an objective lens switching mechanism 4, wherein a plurality of objectives 5 are mounted on the objective lens mounting base 2 arranged in a straight line.

[0023] The base 1 serves as the mounting foundation for the entire device and is typically a precision-machined plate or frame structure. The objective lens mount 2 is the core component that supports the objective lens 5. In this embodiment, two objective lenses 5 with different magnifications are mounted side by side on it, but more than two objective lenses can be mounted as needed.

[0024] The focusing mechanism 3 is mounted on the objective lens switching mechanism 4 and is connected to the objective lens mounting base 2. The focusing mechanism 3 is responsible for driving the objective lens mounting base 2 and all the objective lenses 5 on it to move linearly in the vertical direction (Z-axis), thereby changing the distance between the objective lens 5 and the sample below and achieving precise focusing.

[0025] The objective lens switching mechanism 4 is mounted on the base 1. The objective lens switching mechanism 4 is responsible for driving the objective lens mount 2 to move linearly in the horizontal direction (X-axis), thereby accurately translating one of the two objectives 5 to the center of the microscope's optical path. The objective lens switching mechanism 4 first drives the focusing mechanism 3 to move horizontally, and the focusing mechanism 3 and the objective lens mount 2 move together in a horizontal linear motion.

[0026] The focusing mechanism 3 and the objective lens switching mechanism 4 are integrated on the same base 1. The design of vertical focusing and horizontal switching ensures that the two functions do not interfere with each other, while sharing the same base and objective lens mounting seat, thus achieving a highly compact structure.

[0027] The focusing mechanism is explained below: The focusing mechanism 3 includes a drive motor 31, a lead screw 32 driven by the drive motor 31, a nut slider 33 threadedly engaged with the lead screw 32, and a vertical guide 34 for guiding the vertical movement of the objective lens mount 2. The drive motor 31 drives the lead screw 32 to rotate through a transmission component, thereby causing the nut slider 33 to move up and down along the radial direction of the lead screw 32. The nut slider 33 is provided with a support rod, which connects the nut slider 33 to the objective lens mount 2 below the objective lens 5, so that the objective lens 5 can move up and down in a direction perpendicular to the base 1 under the action of the nut slider 33, thereby achieving focusing.

[0028] The drive motor 31 can be a stepper motor or a servo motor. The lead screw 32 is supported on the support frame 353 by the bearing assembly 36 to ensure its smooth and stable rotation. The bearing assembly 36 includes an upper bearing and a lower bearing located at both ends of the lead screw 32. The upper and lower bearings ensure the stable rotation of the lead screw 32 and limit the lead screw in the radial direction, reducing the radial runout of the lead screw.

[0029] The transmission component uses a pulley set 35, which includes a driving pulley 351 and a driven pulley 352. The output shaft of the drive motor 31 is fitted with a drive pulley 351, and the end of the lead screw 32 is fitted with a driven pulley 352. A synchronous belt (not shown in the figure) is tensioned between the drive pulley and the driven pulley. This transmission method has the advantages of being smooth, quiet, absorbing vibration, and allowing for appropriate adjustment of the relative position of the motor and the lead screw.

[0030] The vertical guide 34 employs a crossed roller guide. The guide rail portion is secured to the inside of the support frame 353 with screws, while the sliding portion is connected to the objective lens mount 2, ensuring that the nut slider 33 can only move radially along the lead screw 32. The crossed roller guide can withstand overturning moments from all directions, possessing extremely high rigidity and linearity, effectively ensuring that the objective lens can only move vertically without wobbling during focusing, thus achieving high-precision focusing. The driven wheel 352 is mounted on the upper part of the support frame 353, and the bottom of the support frame 353 is mounted on the objective lens switching mechanism 4, thereby enabling the linkage between the objective lens switching mechanism 4 and the focusing mechanism 3.

[0031] The drive motor 31 rotates, which in turn drives the lead screw 32 to rotate via the pulley assembly 35. The nut slider 33, which meshes with the lead screw 32, cannot rotate due to the constraint of the cross roller guide rail, thus converting the rotational motion of the lead screw 32 into its own up-and-down linear motion, which in turn drives the objective lens mount 2 and the objective lens 5 fixed thereto to achieve precise focusing.

[0032] The objective lens switching mechanism 4 is described below: The objective lens switching mechanism 4 includes a servo motor 41, a gear 42 driven by the servo motor 41, and a rack 43 that meshes with the gear 42 and is fixedly connected to the objective lens mounting base 2; The servo motor 41 drives the gear 42 to rotate in both directions, and through the meshing of the gear and rack, it causes the animal mirror mounting base 2 to move linearly in the horizontal direction.

[0033] Specifically, the servo motor 41 is fixed on the base 1, and the output shaft of the servo motor 41 is connected to the gear 42. The rack 43 is made of 45 steel and meshes with the gear 42. 45 steel has high wear resistance.

[0034] Furthermore, to limit the range of movement of the objective lens, a mechanical stop block 61 is provided at each end of the horizontal movement path of the objective lens mount. At least one mechanical stop block 61 is embedded with a magnet 62. When the objective lens mount 2 moves to the end position, its steel rack 43 or other ferromagnetic components will be firmly attracted by the magnet 62. This arrangement provides reliable physical limiting and attraction force to prevent the objective lens from shifting during operation; on the other hand, the servo motor 41 does not need to continuously output a large torque to maintain the position after reaching the limit, reducing energy consumption and heat generation, and improving reliability.

[0035] To fine-tune the position of the objective lens, a fine-tuning screw 63 is screwed onto the mechanical limit block 61. By rotating the fine-tuning screw 63, the actual position of the mechanical limit block 61 can be slightly adjusted, thereby precisely calibrating the optical axis of the objective lens 5 to be aligned with the main optical path of the microscope when switching endpoints, ensuring image quality.

[0036] The servo motor 41 rotates forward, driving the gear to rotate, which in turn drives the rack 43 and the objective lens mount 2 to move horizontally via the gear 42. When it moves to one end, the magnet 62 attracts the rack 43 (the rack is made of ferromagnetic material), achieving precise positioning. When it is necessary to switch to another objective lens, the servo motor 41 rotates in the opposite direction, driving the mount to move to the limit position at the other end.

[0037] The working principle and process of the objective lens switching and focusing device for microscopes are explained below: 1. Focusing process: When the external control system issues a focusing command, the motor shaft of the drive motor 31 rotates, transmitting power to the lead screw 32 via the pulley assembly 35. The lead screw 32 rotates smoothly under the support of the bearing assembly 36. The nut slider 33, which meshes with the lead screw 32, cannot rotate with the lead screw due to the constraint of the upper cross roller guide 34, and can only convert the rotational motion of the lead screw into its own up-and-down linear motion.

[0038] The nut slider 33 is fixedly connected to the objective lens mount 2. Therefore, the vertical linear movement of the nut slider 33 directly drives the entire objective lens mount 2 and the objective lens 5 on it to move together in the vertical direction, thereby changing the distance between the objective lens and the sample and achieving precise adjustment of the focal length.

[0039] The drive motor rotates a specific angle or number of steps according to the command and then stops. Because the lead screw and nut pair has a self-locking characteristic (lead angle is less than friction angle), the objective lens position can be reliably locked at the target height without the need for an additional braking device.

[0040] 2. Objective lens switching process When the control system issues a switching command, the servo motor 41 is driven to rotate precisely in a specific direction according to a preset program. The gear 42 on the servo motor's output shaft rotates accordingly. The gear 42 meshes with a rack 43 fixed to the objective lens mount 2. The rotational motion of the gear is directly converted into linear motion of the objective lens mount 2 in the horizontal direction through the rack engagement.

[0041] When the objective lens mount 2 moves the target objective lens to the preset endpoint position, the ferromagnetic component on the mount will approach or contact the mechanical limiting block 61. At this time, the magnet 62 embedded in the limiting block 61 will generate a strong attraction force, firmly holding the ferromagnetic component (such as the rack 43). The magnetic attraction provides buffering and final precise positioning, while the mechanical limiting block acts as a physical barrier to prevent overshoot.

[0042] Using magnetic attraction for positioning has the following advantages: a) It provides position retention even when power is off, preventing displacement due to vibration; b) It eliminates the need for the servo motor to continuously output large torque to maintain the position after reaching it, reducing energy consumption and heat generation, and extending its lifespan; c) It eliminates noise and rebound caused by mechanical collisions, improving positioning accuracy.

[0043] If a deviation in the optical path alignment of a certain objective lens is found during long-term use or initial installation, the position of the limiting block 61 can be finely adjusted by rotating the fine-adjusting screw 63 on the limiting block on that side to push or pull it back slightly, thereby ensuring that the optical path is perfectly aligned.

[0044] This invention successfully integrates the two major functional modules of focusing and objective lens switching into a compact device. The focusing and switching of the objective lens are decomposed into two orthogonal linear motions. High-precision focusing is achieved through a lead screw guide mechanism, while high-stability objective lens translation switching is achieved through a gear and rack mechanism with magnetic limiting. This solves the problems of low accuracy in rotational switching and large space requirements in existing technologies.

[0045] The contents not described in detail in this specification are existing technologies known to those skilled in the art.

[0046] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A microscope objective lens switching and focusing device, comprising a base (1), an objective lens mounting base (2), a focusing mechanism (3), and an objective lens switching mechanism (4), wherein a plurality of objectives (5) arranged in a straight line are mounted on the objective lens mounting base (2), characterized in that: The focusing mechanism (3) is installed on the objective lens switching mechanism (4) and is connected to the objective lens mounting base (2) for driving the objective lens mounting base (2) and the objective lens (5) on it to move in a straight line along the vertical direction, so as to realize the focal length adjustment of the objective lens (5); The objective lens switching mechanism (4) is mounted on the base (1) and is used to drive the objective lens mounting base (2) and the focusing mechanism (3) to move in a straight line in the horizontal direction so that multiple objectives (5) are sequentially moved to the working position of the optical path center of the microscope. The focusing mechanism (3) and the objective lens switching mechanism (4) are integrated on the same base (1), so that the focusing and switching functions of the objective lens (5) can be achieved in a compact space.

2. The microscope objective lens switching and focusing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The focusing mechanism (3) includes a drive motor (31), a lead screw (32) driven by the drive motor (31), a nut slider (33) threadedly engaged with the lead screw (32), and a vertical guide (34) for guiding the vertical movement of the objective lens mount (2). The drive motor (31) drives the lead screw (32) to rotate through the transmission component, thereby causing the objective lens mounting base (2) which is fixedly connected to the nut slider (33) to move in the vertical direction.

3. The microscope objective lens switching and focusing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The transmission component is a pulley assembly (35), which includes a drive pulley (351) mounted on the output shaft of the drive motor (31), a driven pulley (352) mounted on the lead screw (32), and a synchronous belt connecting the drive pulley (351) and the driven pulley (352).

4. The microscope objective lens switching and focusing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The vertical guide (34) adopts a cross roller guide, the guide rail part of which is fixed inside the support frame (353), and the sliding part is connected to the objective lens mounting base (2).

5. The microscope objective lens switching and focusing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a limiting component (6) for limiting the horizontal movement of the objective mount (2). The limiting component (6) includes mechanical limiting blocks (61) disposed at both ends of the movement path of the objective mount (2). At least one of the mechanical limiting blocks (61) is provided with a magnet (62). When the objective mount (2) moves to the limiting position, the magnet (62) generates an attraction force with the objective mount (2) or a ferromagnetic material component fixed on the objective mount (2) to provide a positioning holding force.

6. The microscope objective lens switching and focusing device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The limiting component (6) also includes a fine-tuning screw (63), which is screwed into the mechanical limiting block (61) to fine-tune the precise position of the objective mount (2) in the limiting position by screwing it in or out, so that the optical center of the calibration objective (5) is aligned with the optical path of the microscope.

7. The microscope objective lens switching and focusing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lead screw (32) is mounted on the support frame (353) via a bearing assembly (36). The bearing assembly (36) includes an upper bearing and a lower bearing located at both ends of the lead screw (32) to ensure stable rotation of the lead screw (32) and reduce radial runout.

8. The microscope objective lens switching and focusing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The objective lens switching mechanism (4) includes a servo motor (41), a gear (42) driven by the servo motor (41), and a rack (43) meshing with the gear (42) and fixedly connected to the objective lens mounting base (2). The servo motor (41) drives the gear (42) to rotate in both directions, and moves the animal mirror mounting seat (2) in a straight line in the horizontal direction through the meshing of the gear rack.

Images