Microscope illuminator for cylindrical objects
OwnerDaniel Freifeldinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illumination device for attachment to an optical imaging apparatus, such as a microscope, that provides bright, even illumination throughout the part under observation. The illuminating device has a diffuse light source, an optical element to receive part of the light from the light source and reflecting part toward the object under observation, and reflecting elements to collect and redirect stray light rays toward said object. The reflecting elements can be angled parallel to the beamsplitter and transverse with the part.
Claims23
An illumination device for use with an optical imaging apparatus, said optical imaging apparatus having focusing optics, said focusing optics having an optical axis, light emitted from an object under observation traveling generally in the direction of said optical axis from said object under observation through said focusing optics to be focused into an image, said object being placed within the field of view of said optical imaging apparatus, said illumination device comprising:
- (a) a diffuse light source;
- (b) an optical element having a width and a length, said optical element being positioned to receive light from said light source and having the characteristic of reflecting a portion of the light emitted from said light source toward said object under observation, whereby said object is illuminated and reflects light toward said focusing optics and having the further characteristic of transmitting a portion of the light reflected from said object toward said focusing optics, the length of said optical element being oriented along a second axis and said optical element being positioned at an acute angle with respect to said optical axis;
- and
- (c) a pair of reflecting elements, said reflecting elements being angled to collect and redirect light toward said object under observation, said reflecting elements each having a longer side, each said longer side extending transverse to said optical axis and said second axis.
A method of illuminating a cylindrical object having a sidewall, in an optical imaging apparatus, said optical imaging apparatus having focusing optics, said focusing optics having an optical axis, light reflected from the cylindrical object sidewall and light traveling with an axis parallel to a line tangential to the object sidewall under observation traveling generally in the direction of said optical axis from said object under observation through said focusing optics to be focused into an image, said object being placed within the field of view of said optical imaging apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) illuminating said object with a diffuse light source;
- (b) reflecting a portion of the light emitted from said light source toward said object under observation using an optical element having a width and a length, said optical element being positioned to receive light from said light source and having the characteristic of reflecting a portion of the light emitted from said light source toward said object under observation, whereby said object is illuminated and reflects light toward said focusing optics;
- (c) transmitting a portion of the light reflected from said object toward said focusing optics, the length of said optical element being oriented along a second axis and said optical element being positioned at an acute angle with respect to said optical axis;
- and
- (d) collecting and redirecting light toward said object under observation using a pair of reflecting elements, said reflecting elements each having a longer side, each said longer side extending transverse to said optical axis and said second axis, and orienting said object with its axis parallel to said pair of reflecting elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.