# US 10,502,942 B2 · Integrated illuminator and condenser for microscopes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,942 B2 - Document ID: US10502942B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/178,672 - Filed: 2016-06-10 - Published: 2016-12-15 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-12 - Assignees: Techshot, Inc. - Applicants: Techshot, Inc. - Inventors: Paul W. Todd; N. Samuel Logan; Michael A. Kurk; Nathan A. Thomas; Paul Faget - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502942B2 ## CPC - G02B 21/125: {affording both dark- and bright-field illumination} - F21V 23/003: {the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array} - G02B 21/02: Objectives - G02B 21/06: Means for illuminating specimens - G02B 21/08: Condensers - G02B 21/086: {for transillumination only} - G02B 21/14: affording illumination for phase-contrast observation - G02B 21/16: adapted for ultraviolet illumination {; Fluorescence microscopes (G02B21/0076 takes precedence)} - G02B 27/30: Collimators - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A Light-Emitting Diode (LED) illuminator-condenser capable of supplying bright-field, dark-field, fluorescence, oblique, and phase-contrast illumination under Köhler-like conditions. A single lens may be permanently focused on the specimen plane. Illumination conditions may be made by a combination of uniform LEDs, collimating masks and diffusers. LEDs may be arranged in one or more ring-shaped patterns. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An integrated illuminator and condenser for microscopes, in which illuminator and condenser functions are coupled, comprising: a single lens wherein the number of lenses with refractive power in the integrated illuminator and condenser is equal to one, and wherein said single lens is a convergent lens; at least one multiwavelength light-emitting diode for bright field illumination passing through said single lens; a first circular array of green light-emitting diodes for low-magnification phase contrast illumination passing through said single lens; at least one second circular array of green light-emitting diodes for high-magnification phase contrast illumination passing through said single lens, said at least one second circular array of green light-emitting diodes for high-magnification phase contrast illumination having a diameter greater than said first circular array of green light-emitting diodes for low-magnification phase contrast illumination; a third circular array having at least one of multiwavelength light-emitting diodes for dark field illumination, single-wavelength light-emitting diodes for fluorescence illumination, or a combination thereof, and wherein the dark field illumination, the fluorescence illumination, or the combination thereof from said third circular array does not pass through any lens element with refractive power; and one or more light-absorbing annular masks having a fixed aperture geometry to limit light from one or more of said circular arrays of light-emitting diodes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An illuminated microscope comprising a microscope having 10× and 20× phase-contrast microscope objective lenses; and the integrated illuminator and condenser of claim 1 wherein said first circular array of green light-emitting diodes is of a diameter for low-magnification phase contrast illumination for 10× and 20× magnification. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2) The illuminated microscope of claim 2 further comprising 40× or higher magnification phase-contrast microscope objective lenses; and the integrated illuminator and condenser of claim 1 wherein said diameter of said at least one second circular array of green light-emitting diodes for high-magnification phase contrast illumination is for 40× or higher magnification. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 in which said third circular array includes multiwavelength light-emitting diodes for dark-field illumination of a diameter and includes individual light-emitting diodes so directed as to illuminate specimens with light that is obliquely incident at the specimen plane. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 in which said third circular array includes single-wavelength light-emitting diodes for fluorescence illumination of a diameter and includes individual light-emitting diodes so directed as to illuminate specimens with light that is obliquely incident at the specimen plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 in which said third circular array includes single-wavelength light-emitting diodes for fluorescence illumination emitting light having a wavelength that is capable of exciting fluorescence. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 in which said one or more light-absorbing annular masks form rings of light that define parallel-propagating light incident on said single lens emitted from said first circular array of green light-emitting diodes and said at least one second circular array of green light-emitting diodes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 further including electrical switches, wherein said electrical switches activate said at least one multiwavelength light-emitting diode, said first circular array of green light-emitting diodes, said at least one second circular array of green light-emitting diodes, and said third circular array. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 further including a computer, wherein said computer activates said at least one multiwavelength light-emitting diode, said first circular array of green light-emitting diodes, said at least one second circular array of green light-emitting diodes, and said third circular array said computer being connected by cable or by wireless means. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 9 in which said computer is operated by screen commands using a graphical user interface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 wherein each one of said at least one multiwavelength light-emitting diode, said first circular array of green light-emitting diodes, and said at least one second circular array of green light-emitting diodes is a planar LED source. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 wherein said one or more light-absorbing annular masks limit at least one of an inner diameter and an outer diameter of the light from one or more of said circular arrays of light-emitting diodes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 further comprising a thin layer of light-diffusing material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 wherein said one or more light-absorbing annular masks limits light from each one of said circular arrays of light-emitting diodes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 wherein one or more of said light-emitting diodes are an organic-LED (OLED) display plane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 15 further including a computer, wherein said computer controls said OLED display plane to produce at least one of bright-light, phase contrast, dark-field and fluorescence illumination. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 15 further including a computer, wherein said computer controls said OLED display plane to produce light-source images having various shapes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 15 further including a computer, wherein said computer controls said OLED display plane to produce light-source images having various shapes suitable for bright field, dark field, phase contrast and fluorescence excitation illumination. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 15 further including a computer, wherein said computer controls said OLED display plane to produce light-source images having various spectra. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 19 in which said OLED display plane is controlled by said computer to produce light-source images having various spectra suitable for bright field, dark field, phase contrast and fluorescence excitation illumination. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) An illuminated microscope comprising a microscope including a condenser carrier; and the integrated illuminator and condenser of claim 1 further including a mounting cylinder and a circuit board, wherein said mounting cylinder is provided below said circuit board for the purpose of mounting said integrated illuminator and condenser to said condenser carrier of said microscope. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) An illuminated microscope comprising a microscope including a condenser carrier; and the integrated illuminator and condenser of claim 1 further including a mounting cylinder and a circuit board, wherein said mounting cylinder is provided above said circuit board for the purpose of mounting said integrated illuminator and condenser to said condenser carrier of said microscope. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) An illuminated microscope comprising a microscope including a microscope body and a specimen plane; and the integrated illuminator and condenser of claim 1. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 further comprising at least one circular array of a plurality of said at least one multiwavelength light-emitting diodes for bright field illumination. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The integrated illuminator and condenser according to claim 1 wherein said single lens, said at least one multiwavelength light-emitting diode, said first circular array, said second circular array, and said third circular array are fixed relative to each other.