Optical microscope system

An optical microscope system for viewing a planar object-bearing surface of a microscope slide, comprising:

• A. optics system including means for providing an image of an object in a focal plane,
• B. frame member including means for rigidly coupling said optics system thereto and including a frame bearing surface having a substantially planar portion, said planar portion being substantially parallel to said focal plane,
• C. stage having a substantially planar stage-to-frame bearing surface and including means for supporting said slide with its object-bearing surface substantially parallel to said stage-to-frame bearing surface, said stage being positioned with said stage-to-frame bearing surface adjacent to said frame bearing surface,
• D. stage-to-frame coupling means including:
• i. a plurality of air ports in said stage-to-frame bearing surface,
• ii. means for coupling air from a relatively high pressure air reservoir to said air ports,
• wherein said stage-to-frame coupling means further comprises a plurality of vacuum ports in said stage-to-frame bearing surface and means for coupling vacuum from a vacuum reservoir to said vacuum ports whereby said airflow from said air ports and said vacuum from said vacuum ports maintains said object-bearing surface substantially parallel to said focal plane and establishes a relatively frictionless and relatively stiff coupling between said stage-to-frame bearing surface and said frame bearing surface.