Stage assembly of microscope which prevents its particles of wear from being dispersed

A microscope stage assembly, comprising:

• a microscope stage on which an object to be examined is to be supported;
• an X-axis rack and a Y-axis rack disposed beneath said stage and extending in X- and Y-axis directions perpendicular to one another, respectively;
• an X-axis drive pinion which meshes with said X-axis rack, the X-axis drive pinion and the X-axis rack being connected to said stage so as to move the stage in said direction of the X-axis;
• a Y-axis drive pinion which meshes with said Y-axis rack, the Y-axis drive pinion and the Y-axis rack being connected to said stage so as to move the stage in said direction of the Y axis;
• a stage control column extending vertically beneath said stage and supporting said X-axis and Y-axis drive pinions;
• X-axis and Y-axis control knobs disposed at an end of said stage control column, said X-axis and Y-axis control knobs being connected to said X-axis and Y-axis drive pinions, respectively;
• and
• a vacuum system comprising an X-axis vacuum line open at a location between that at which said X-axis drive pinion meshes with said X-axis rack and said X-axis and Y-axis control knobs, and a Y axis vacuum line open at a location between that at which said Y-axis drive pinion meshes with said Y-axis rack and said X-axis and Y-axis control knobs, whereby particles falling from said rack and pinions are removed through said vacuum lines before reaching the control knobs.

A microscope stage assembly, comprising:

• a microscope stage on which an object to be examined is to be supported;
• a rack and pinion gear system disposed beneath and connected to said stage so as to move said stage in a predetermined direction when a pinion of said gear system is rotated;
• a stage control column on which said pinion is rotatably supported;
• a control knob disposed on said column and connected to said pinion such that rotating said control knob causes said pinion to rotate and move said stage;
• and
• particle trapping means, located between said pinion and said control knob, for preventing particles, generated by the meshing of said pinion with a rack of said rack and pinion gear system, from falling onto the hand of an operator while the operator is manipulating the control knob.