Microscope Incubation Control for Balanced Sample and Objective Temperatures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microscopic examination systems face challenges in maintaining optimal environmental conditions for samples, particularly in balancing temperatures and parameters across the microscope and incubator systems, leading to inefficient and complex operations.
Innovation Solution
A controlling system that integrates feedback control between the microscope and incubation environment conditioning units, allowing for simultaneous adjustment of multiple parameters to achieve balanced temperatures and conditions within the sample chamber, imaging optics chamber, and substage volume, using predefined adjustment setpoints from datasets and look-up tables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cage incubator is used to enclose the microscope, then the sample environment can be controlled, but the system occupies significant space and energy
Solution Approach 1:
The incubation environment is segmented into multiple independent chambers: a first chamber enclosing the objective lens and a second chamber enclosing the sample stage. This segmentation allows each chamber to be controlled independently, reducing the total volume required while maintaining reliable environmental control for the sample.
2Volume of stationary object
If a stage top incubator is used to reduce incubation volume, then space is saved, but access to the sample becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The incubation system is divided into separate chambers with the objective in one chamber and the sample in another. This segmentation allows the sample chamber to be accessed independently without compromising the incubation environment in the objective chamber, improving ease of sample manipulation while maintaining a compact overall structure.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate control of objective and sample temperatures is implemented, then temperature balance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature sensors are placed in both the objective chamber and sample chamber, with temperatures fed back to a controller that independently adjusts heating elements in each chamber. This feedback mechanism enables precise temperature balance between objective and sample while automating the control process to minimize user burden despite the increased system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a controlling system for operating an examination system (130) for microscopic examination of a sample (120), comprising a microscope (100), an incubation environment conditioning unit (110) connected to said microscope (100), and a user interface (142), said microscope (100) comprising: illumination optics (118), a microscope stage (116), imaging optics (124), a sample chamber (106) to receive the sample (120), a microscope interface for connection of the incubation environment conditioning unit (110) to the sample chamber (106), and an imaging optics chamber (122) separated from the sample chamber (106) and enclosing the imaging optics (124), the examination system (130) providing an incubation mode in which the sample chamber (106) is incubated by supply of an incubation atmosphere generated by said incubation environment conditioning unit (110), wherein the controlling system (140) is configured to: receiving a target setpoint (Ts**, CO2**) of at least one examination parameter (Ts, CO2), upon user input via said user interface (142); selecting, based on the received at least one target setpoint (Ts**, CO2**), predefined adjustment setpoints for at least one incubation environment parameter (RH, CO2) of the incubation mode and for at least one microscope parameter; and operating the incubation environment conditioning unit (110) and the microscope (100) based on the selected adjustment setpoints, and to such examination system (130).