Microscope Illumination Device with Arc-Shaped Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microscope illumination systems lack flexibility in adjusting azimuth and elevation angles, requiring multiple light sources and fixed arrangements that generate heat, limiting adaptability to different specimen shapes and increasing the risk of shadows or glare.
Innovation Solution
A modular illumination device with displaceable carrier elements and point light sources arranged on an arc-shaped guide, allowing adjustable azimuth and elevation angles without repositioning the lighting, and featuring a holder that attaches to the microscope to direct light sources to the focal point, minimizing heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If light-emitting diodes are fixedly arranged on the focusing arm around the receiving opening, then vertical/top down incident illumination is achieved, but the elevation angle and azimuth angle are predefined and flexible illumination from different angles is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination system is segmented into multiple independent carrier elements, each carrying one or more light-emitting diodes. These carrier elements can be independently positioned at different locations along the arc-shaped guide, allowing flexible illumination angles without requiring a complete reconfiguration of all light sources. Each carrier element acts as an independent module that can be adjusted separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a fixed arrangement of light-emitting diodes to a dynamic configuration where carrier elements can be displaceably positioned along an arc-shaped guide. This allows the illumination angles (elevation and azimuth) to be dynamically adjusted by moving the carrier elements to different positions, enabling flexible illumination without permanently fixing the light sources in specific locations.
2Illumination intensity
If high-performance white-light diodes are used for illumination, then high illumination intensity is achieved, but considerable heat is generated and conveyed to the focusing arm and focusing column
Solution Approach 1:
The heat-generating light-emitting diodes are extracted from direct contact with the focusing arm and focusing column by introducing intermediate carrier elements. These carrier elements act as thermal isolators, separating the heat source (light-emitting diodes) from the sensitive microscope components (focusing arm and column), thereby reducing heat transfer while maintaining illumination intensity.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier elements serve as intermediary components between the light-emitting diodes and the microscope structure. These intermediaries not only provide mechanical support for positioning the light sources at various angles but also function as thermal barriers that reduce direct heat conduction to the focusing arm and column, thus protecting the microscope from excessive heat.
3Stability of the object's composition
If light-emitting diodes are arranged in concentric annular rows on an annular carrier, then illumination homogeneity is achieved, but the number of illumination means increases greatly with the number of desired angles
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single annular carrier with all light-emitting diodes arranged in concentric rows, the system segments the illumination means into multiple smaller carrier elements. Each carrier element can hold one or more light-emitting diodes and can be independently positioned. This segmentation reduces the complexity of the overall arrangement while maintaining illumination homogeneity through strategic positioning of the segmented carriers along the arc-shaped guide.
4Adaptability or versatility
If point light sources are arranged in circular fashion on a semi-spherical carrier at different heights, then different elevation and azimuth angles are achieved, but the number of illuminating means increases and dome-shaped arrangement impedes access to the specimen
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the static dome-shaped semi-spherical carrier arrangement with a dynamic configuration where carrier elements can be displaceably positioned along an arc-shaped guide. This allows the illumination system to adapt to different viewing and access requirements by moving the carrier elements to appropriate positions, maintaining angle versatility while improving specimen accessibility.
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
Enables flexible and reproducible illumination for various microscopy techniques, reducing shadows and glare, and improving visibility of specimen topography and surface structures without rotating the specimen, while minimizing heat transfer to the microscope.
Implementation Method 1
several point light sources, such as a light-emitting diode, arranged on a carrier element
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an illumination device (1) for a microscope (10) utilizing at least one point light source (4) arranged on a carrier element (2), at least one carrier element (2) for receiving at least one point light source (4), and a holder (5) attachable to the microscope (10) and having an arc-shaped guide (6), being provided, the at least one carrier element (2) being mounted displaceably along the guide (6) in a horizontal plane. According to a further aspect, the illumination device (1) comprises a connector element (20) for attaching the illumination device (1) both to a stationary focusing column (12) and to an adjustable focusing arm (11) of a microscope (10).