Zoom Microscope Variable-Power Range Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional zoom microscopes have limited variable-power ranges, particularly lacking in low-power ranges, and face challenges in maintaining telecentricity and expanding the power range without increasing the device's size.
Innovation Solution
A zoom microscope design featuring a replaceable infinity correction objective lens, an afocal zoom system with a variable-power lens group, and an aperture stop disposed near the rear focal plane, allowing for variable stop diameters and integration of coaxial epi-illuminators and phase contrast optical members, which enables a wide variable-power range from 0.5 to 30 while maintaining telecentricity and compactness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a zoom imaging lens with variable-power lens group is used, then observation magnification can be arbitrarily variable, but the variable-power range is narrow and does not include low power (about 0.5 to about 2)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the zoom microscope into separate functional modules: a replaceable objective lens unit, an afocal zoom system with variable-power lens group, and an imaging optical system. This segmentation allows the variable-power lens group to be independently optimized for a wide power range (0.5 to 30) while maintaining a simple overall structure, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The afocal zoom system with variable-power lens group serves multiple functions across a wide magnification range (0.5 to 30) without requiring multiple separate zoom systems. The single variable-power lens group can achieve both low power (0.5 to 2) and high power (up to 30) observations, making the system universally applicable while keeping the structure simple.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the entrance pupil position is fixed at infinity, then telecentricity is maintained, but the pupil position moves due to power variation in the zoom imaging lens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediate aperture stop positioned between the objective lens and the variable-power lens group. This aperture stop acts as an intermediary element that maintains the entrance pupil position at infinity across the entire variable-power range (0.5 to 30), thereby preserving telecentricity while allowing the variable-power lens group to freely adjust its power without moving the pupil position.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple zoom objective lenses with different variable-power ranges are provided, then the variable-power range can be expanded, but the device scale increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing multiple separate zoom objective lenses with different variable-power ranges, the patent uses a single afocal zoom system with a variable-power lens group that can achieve a wide variable-power range (0.5 to 30) through its own internal adjustment mechanism. This universal design eliminates the need for multiple specialized lenses, thereby expanding the variable-power range without increasing the device scale.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a traditional objective lens-based zoom approach to an afocal zoom system approach, changing the dimensional arrangement of the optical elements. The variable-power lens group is positioned after the aperture stop and can adjust its power independently, allowing the system to achieve wide variable-power range (0.5 to 30) without requiring multiple objective lenses, thus avoiding device scale increase.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the aperture stop diameter is fixed, then the structure is simple, but the variable-power range is limited and telecentricity cannot be maintained across the entire range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the aperture stop diameter variable rather than fixed. The aperture stop diameter can be adjusted according to the power setting of the variable-power lens group, allowing the system to maintain telecentricity and achieve a wide variable-power range (0.5 to 30). This dynamic adjustment of the aperture stop diameter resolves the contradiction between adaptability and complexity by enabling the aperture stop to adapt to different power settings without requiring a complex multi-lens system.
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 design effectively expands the variable-power range, supports macro and high-resolution observations, and ensures telecentricity across the entire power range, enabling efficient coaxial illumination and phase contrast observations without increasing the device's size.
Implementation Method 1
an objective lens that turns incident light into parallel light rays
Implementation Method 2
an afocal zoom system having a variable-power lens group that can move in an optical axis direction
Implementation Method 3
an aperture stop that has variable stop diameters
Implementation Method 4
a coaxial epi-illuminator that forms an image of a light source on the aperture stop
Implementation Method 5
an optical member for phase contrast observation that is removably inserted between the objective lens and the afocal zoom system
Data Source
AI summary
It is an object to provide a zoom microscope of a simple structure which can expand a variable-power range. In order to achieve the object thereof, the zoom microscope includes a replaceable infinity correction objective lens, an aperture stop, an afocal zoom system, and an imaging optical system which are arranged in this order from a specimen side. Further, the aperture stop is disposed on or near a rear focal plane of the objective lens.