Objective Gel Unit Attachment for Seamless Immersion Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of liquid immersion in optical microscopy imposes a significant burden on users due to maintenance requirements, handling difficulties, and interruptions during objective switching, and gel attachment methods often result in damage and detachment issues.
Innovation Solution
A gel unit is attached to an objective using an assisting member that facilitates easy handling and minimizes damage by ensuring secure attachment through adhesive forces and precise alignment, allowing for seamless switching between dry and immersion objectives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If liquid immersion is used for deep cell observation, then spherical aberration is suppressed and observation depth is increased, but user burden increases due to maintenance requirements and handling difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the immersion medium from liquid to gel. This parameter change eliminates the maintenance and handling issues associated with liquid immersion while preserving the optical benefits of refractive index matching for deep cell observation.
Solution Approach 2:
The gel unit is designed as a disposable component that is attached to the objective lens for the duration of the experiment and then discarded. This eliminates the need for cleaning and maintenance of immersion objectives, significantly reducing user burden while maintaining deep observation capabilities.
2Power
If liquid immersion is used, then numerical aperture is increased, but objective switching is interrupted and handling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the immersion medium (gel) from the objective lens by using a detachable gel unit. This segmentation allows the objective to be switched independently without removing or cleaning immersion liquid, enabling seamless transitions between dry and immersion objectives while maintaining high numerical aperture when needed.
3Ease of manufacture
If gel is attached directly to objective without assisting member, then attachment process is simple, but gel damage and detachment issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an assisting member as an intermediary between the gel and the objective lens. This assisting member provides a stable mounting surface with proper mechanical features for secure attachment, preventing gel damage during handling and ensuring reliable attachment without complicating the overall process.
Solution Approach 2:
The gel is pre-attached to the assisting member in a controlled manner before being mounted on the objective. This preliminary action ensures proper positioning and secure attachment of the gel, preventing damage and detachment issues during subsequent handling and observation.
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
The solution enables efficient and damage-free gel attachment to objectives, reducing user burden and maintaining optical performance by facilitating smooth transitions between objective types without interruptions.
Implementation Method 1
a part of the first surface is fixed to a bottom surface of the gel by an adhesive force
Data Source
AI summary
An optical signal detection device includes an objective and a gel unit including a gel and an assisting member. The assisting member includes a first surface, a second surface, and an opening. The opening has a diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the gel and larger than an effective diameter of the objective. The first surface faces the gel, and a part of the first surface is fixed to a bottom surface of the gel by an adhesive force. A center of the bottom surface is not in contact with the assisting member. In a state where the gel unit is attached to a frame member of the objective, the second surface faces the frame member of the objective, a part of the first surface is fixed to the gel outside the effective diameter of the objective, and the gel is in close contact with the objective.