Surgical Microscope Filter Switching Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical microscopes require complex, time-consuming, and inaccurate manual operations to switch between working modes due to the manual movement of multiple filters, and automated systems increase the size, weight, and cost with multiple motors and cables.
Innovation Solution
A device with synchronous rotary members in the illumination and observation beam paths, driven by a single power source, allowing filters to be accurately moved into or out of the beam paths, reducing the need for multiple motors and simplifying operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple filters are manually moved into or out of the illumination beam path and observation beam path separately, then the surgical microscope can switch between different working modes, but the operation becomes complex, time-consuming, and inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple filters (illumination filters and observation filters) onto a single rotary member, allowing them to be rotated into or out of the beam paths simultaneously as a unified group. This merging approach eliminates the need for separate manual movement of each filter, simplifying the switching operation while maintaining the ability to achieve different working modes through combinations of filters.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotary member serves multiple functions: it holds both illumination filters and observation filters, rotates to position different filter combinations into the beam paths, and enables switching between multiple working modes. This multi-functional design consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate mechanisms into a single universal component.
2Extent of automation
If each filter is equipped with a separately controlled motor for automatic movement, then the filter switching is automated, but the size, weight, and cost of the surgical microscope increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control of multiple filters into a single motor that rotates one rotary member containing all filters. Instead of having separate motors and cables for each filter, a single motor drives the entire filter set, dramatically reducing the number of components while maintaining automated switching capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The single motor performs the function of multiple motors by rotating the rotary member to position different filter combinations. This universal motor replaces what would otherwise require multiple specialized motors, reducing device complexity while achieving the same automation goal.
3Adaptability or versatility
If more filters are added to the surgical microscope to increase functions, then the versatility improves, but the manual and separate movement of filters becomes more complex and troublesome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple filters onto a single rotary member, allowing them to be moved together as one unit. This approach enables the addition of more filters to increase versatility without proportionally increasing the complexity of the movement mechanism, since all filters are rotated simultaneously by a single motor rather than requiring separate movement mechanisms for each filter.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed to a surgical microscope and a device for switching the same among multiple working modes. The device includes an illumination rotary member and an observation rotary member that are arranged, respectively, in the illumination beam path and the observation beam path of the surgical microscope and are drivable by the same power source to rotate synchronously among multiple rotary positions corresponding to the multiple working modes. In each of the rotary positions, light from a light source of the surgical microscope passes through one or more of multiple light-through-portions of the illumination rotary member along the illumination beam path to illuminate the observed object, and then passes through one or more of multiple light-through-portions of the observation rotary member along the observation beam path to reach the eyepiece and/or an observation instrument of the surgical microscope.