Focusing in microscope systems

A scanning microscope having an objective lens with a restricted field of view about an optical axis for examination of an object lying at the optical axis, including a tiltable focusing member defining a support plane for the object, the focusing member including a flexible joint defining a pre-established hinge axis restricting rotation in one direction to position said portion of the object at the focal plane of the microscope, the hinge axis lying in a plane substantially normal to the optical axis at a distance spaced therefrom sufficient that rotation of the portion of the object sufficiently approximates translation along the optical axis to enable focusing, a drive mechanism arranged in contact with the tiltable focusing member for rotating the focusing member about the hinge axis and thereby effectively bringing into focus said portion of the object, a scanning drive mechanism to produce relative oscillating scanning motion between the object and the objective lens in a direction substantially transverse to the radial direction of the tiltable member, a photosensitive detector for detecting the stream of single picture elements provided by the objective lens, and a laterally movable carrier arranged to advance the object, relative to the optical axis, in motion substantially in the direction of the radius of the tiltable member.

A method of microscopic examination comprising providing a microscope having an objective lens with a restricted field of view about an optical axis for examination of a portion of an object lying at the optical axis, the microscope including a tiltable focusing member defining a support plane for the object, the focusing member including a flexible joint defining a pre-established hinge axis restricting rotation in one direction to position said portion of the object at the focal plane of the microscope, the hinge axis lying in a plane substantially normal to the optical axis at a distance spaced therefrom sufficient that rotation of the portion of the object sufficiently approximates translation along the optical axis to enable focusing, and a drive mechanism in contact with the tiltable focusing member for rotating the focusing member about the hinge axis and thereby effectively bringing into focus said portion of the object, and under control of an automated control system, moving the tiltable focusing member to bring the portion of the object into the plane of focus of the microscope.

A scanning microscope having an objective lens with a restricted field of view about an optical axis for examination of a portion of an object lying at the optical axis one picture element at a time, including a tiltable focusing member defining a support plane for the object, the focusing member including a flexible joint defining a pre-established hinge axis restricting rotation in one direction to position said portion of the object at the focal plane of the microscope, the hinge axis lying in a plane substantially normal to the optical axis at a distance spaced therefrom sufficient that rotation of the portion of the object sufficiently approximates translation along the optical axis to enable focusing, a drive mechanism arranged to displace linearly the tiltable focusing member for rotating the focusing member about the hinge axis and thereby effectively bringing into focus said portion of the object, a scanning drive mechanism constructed and arranged to produce relative oscillating scanning motion between the object and the objective lens in a direction substantially transverse to the radial direction of the tiltable member, and a photosensitive detector for detecting the stream of picture elements received from the objective lens as it is scanned over the object.