Microscope Camera Adapter Pupil Plane Filter Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing microscopes with camera connections and filter interchangers suffer from a bulky and heavy design due to the size and weight of filters, resulting in slow filter switching times due to high inertial forces.
Innovation Solution
The microscope and camera adapter system incorporates an intermediate image in the pupil plane within the camera adapter, allowing for a reduced beam diameter and enabling the insertion of small, lightweight optical means, such as filters, which can be quickly swapped using a compact interchanging device, including a C-mount interface for alignment and motor-driven mechanisms for fast and synchronized switching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a separate filter interchanger with multiple C-mount interfaces is used, then filters can be inserted into the image beam path, but the overall height of the microscope becomes very high and the system becomes bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the filter interchanger with the camera adapter by integrating a C-mount interface directly into the camera adapter structure. This allows filters to be inserted into the image beam path through the camera adapter rather than requiring a separate filter interchanger, thereby reducing the overall height and compacting the system while maintaining filter insertion capability
Solution Approach 2:
The filter interchanger is nested within the camera adapter structure. The filter holding element is positioned inside the camera adapter housing, with the filter insertion direction aligned with the optical axis. This nesting arrangement eliminates the need for external filter interchanger components and reduces the overall microscope height
2Area of stationary object
If large filters covering the entire beam cross section are used, then complete beam coverage is achieved, but the filters become relatively heavy and subject to high inertial forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial dimension by positioning the filter in the pupil plane rather than in the image plane. In the pupil plane, the beam cross section is significantly reduced compared to the full image area. This allows filters to cover the reduced beam cross section with smaller area, thereby reducing filter weight and inertial forces while still achieving complete beam coverage
3Area of stationary object
If heavy filters with high inertial forces are used, then beam coverage is maintained, but the switching time between filters becomes correspondingly long
Solution Approach 1:
By positioning the filter in the pupil plane where the beam cross section is reduced, the filter size and consequently its mass are significantly decreased. The reduced mass leads to lower inertial forces, enabling faster acceleration and deceleration during filter switching, thereby reducing the switching time between filters
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a motor-driven filter interchange mechanism that can rapidly switch between filters. The reduced filter mass enables the motor to accelerate and decelerate the filters more quickly, achieving fast switching times. The system dynamically switches between different filter positions based on imaging requirements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design results in a more compact microscope system with rapid filter switching, avoiding depth of focus deviations and enabling quick focusing and high-resolution imaging by integrating small, lightweight filters and interchanging devices within the camera adapter.
Implementation Method 1
The image beam path is structured such that an intermediate image with a pupil plane is provided within the camera adapter
Data Source
AI summary
A microscope comprising a camera connection in a image beam path is suggested. A camera adapter and a camera can be adapted to the camera connection, and the microscope can be used to reproduce the image of a sample on a sensor of the camera. Imaging of the beam path in the camera adapter comprises an intermediate imaging with a pupil plane having reduced beam diameter next to the pupil plane, and at least one optical means can be inserted into the reproduction beam path in the region of the reduced beam cross-section. An optical means or an interchangeable device comprising a plurality of optical means, such as filters, plane-parallel plates or wedge plate, is integrated into the pupil plane in the camera adapter.