# US 10,501,718 B2 · Observation apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,718 B2 - Document ID: US10501718B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/848,623 - Filed: 2017-12-20 - Published: 2018-06-28 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-27 - Assignees: Olympus Corporation - Applicants: Olympus Corporation - Inventors: Akira Matsushita; Shintaro Takahashi; Masaru Mizunaka; Shinichi Takimoto; Tadashi Hirata; Yohei Tanikawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501718B2 ## CPC - C12M 41/46: {of cellular or enzymatic activity or functionality, e.g. cell viability} - G01J 5/0003: {for sensing the radiant heat transfer of samples, e.g. emittance meter} - G01J 5/04: Casings - G01J 5/061: by controlling the temperature of the apparatus or parts thereof, e.g. using cooling means or thermostats - G01J 5/064: {Ambient temperature sensor; Housing temperature sensor; Constructional details thereof} - G01J 5/0896: {using a light source, e.g. for illuminating a surface} - G01J 5/10: using electric radiation detectors - H04N 23/23: from thermal infrared radiation - H04N 23/51: Housings - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - G01J 2005/0077: {Imaging} - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Provided is an observation apparatus including: a housing that has, in a top face thereof, a transmission window on which a container accommodating cells can be placed and through which light can pass; a camera portion that is accommodated in the housing and that captures observation light coming from the cells irradiated with illumination light emitted from an illumination portion and entering the housing by passing through a bottom face of the container and the transmission window of the housing; and a housing-interior heating portion that is accommodated in the housing and that heats the cells. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An observation apparatus comprising: a housing having a transmission window on a face of the housing, the transmission window being configured for light to pass through and to support a container accommodating a sample; an image sensor accommodated in the housing for capturing an image of the sample irradiated with illumination light, the image sensor capturing the image of the sample through the transmission window; and a heater accommodated in the housing for heating the sample; wherein the heater is a housing-interior layer; and the heater is provided with a housing-interior reflection layer disposed on an opposite side of the transmission window of the housing with the housing-interior layer sandwiched between the transmission window and the housing-interior reflection layer, the housing-interior reflection layer reflecting the radiant heat emitted from the housing-interior layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heater is provided with a resistor that generates radiant heat. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The observation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the resistor is disposed parallel to the transmission window of the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The observation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the heater is provided with a housing-interior radiation layer that is disposed between the transmission window of the housing and the housing-interior layer resistor, the housing-interior radiation layer making radiation of the radiant heat emitted from the housing-interior layer resistor uniform. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing-interior layer resistor is a transparent metal film. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The observation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the transparent metal film is an ITO film. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The observation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of the sample. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The observation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermal camera that measures a temperature of a medium accommodated in the container. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The observation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of the resistor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The observation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a lid positioned on the transmission window of the housing, the lid forming a sealed space in a peripheral area of the container. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The observation apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a lid heater disposed in the sealed space, the lid heater being configured to heat the sample. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The observation apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the lid heater is provided with a lid-interior layer resistor disposed on the container parallel to the transmission window of the housing, the lid-interior layer resistor generating radiant heat. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The observation apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the lid heater is provided with a lid-interior radiation layer disposed between the container and the lid-interior layer resistor, the lid-interior radiation layer making the radiation of the radiant heat emitted from the lid-interior layer resistor uniform. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The observation apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the lid heater is provided with a lid-interior reflection layer disposed above the container such that the lid-interior reflection layer reflecting the radiant heat toward the container. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heater is provided with a housing-interior infrared-light generator that generates infrared light at 1450 nm±50 nm or at 1940 nm±50 nm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The observation apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a lid positioned on the transmission window of the housing, the lid forming a sealed space in a peripheral area of the container. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The observation apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a light-absorbing material disposed in the sealed space, the light-absorbing material absorbing light. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The observation apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a lid heater disposed in the sealed space, the lid heater radiating infrared light at 1450 nm±50 nm or at 1940 nm±50 nm onto the sample. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The observation apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a lid-interior reflection layer disposed on the container, the lid-interior reflection layer reflecting the infrared light emitted from the housing-interior infrared-light generator.