Microscope collision protection apparatus
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy
InventorCharles R. DeNure
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microscope collision protection apparatus for a remote control microscope which protects the optical and associated components from damage in the event of an uncontrolled collision with a specimen, regardless of the specimen size or shape. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a counterbalanced slide for mounting the microscope's optical components. This slide replaces the rigid mounts on conventional upright microscopes with a precision ball bearing slide. As the specimen contacts an optical component, the contacting force will move the slide and the optical components mounted thereon. This movement will protect the optical and associated components from damage as the movement causes a limit switch to be actuated, thereby stopping all motors responsible for the collision.
Claims13
An apparatus for protecting an optical package of a microscope from collision damage during focusing of the optical package on a specimen, said apparatus comprising:
- a first support member for supporting the specimen;
- a second support member for supporting the optical package;
- means for moving one of said support members relative to the other of said support members to focus the optical package on the specimen;
- and,
- means for slidably mounting the other of said support members on a base so that said other support member slides relative to said base to prevent damage to the optical package when the specimen supported by said first support member comes into contact with the optical package supported by said second support member.
An apparatus for protecting an optical package of a microscope from collision damage during focusing of said optical package on a specimen, said microscope including a base, a motor-driven stage mounted on the base for holding the specimen, a vertical support member for supporting the optical package on the base to allow focusing of the optical package on the specimen, said apparatus comprising:
- a first slider slidably mounting the optical package on a first side of the vertical support member;
- a second slider slidably mounting a counterweight on a second side of the vertical support member;
- and,
- a rocker arm pivotably mounted on the vertical support member and connecting the first and second sliders to counterbalance the optical package with the counterweight, such that the optical package moves without being damaged when the specimen being held by said stage comes into contact with the optical package supported by said vertical support member.
An apparatus for protecting an optical package of a microscope from collision damage during focusing of said optical package on a specimen, said microscope including a base, a motor-driven stage for holding the specimen and mounted for motion relative to the base, a vertical support member for supporting the optical package on the base to allow focusing of the optical package on the specimen, said apparatus comprising:
- a first slider slidably mounting the optical package on a first side of the vertical support member;
- a second slider slidably mounting a removable counterweight on a second side of the vertical support member;
- a rocker arm pivotably mounted on the vertical support member and connecting the first and second sliders to counterbalance the optical package with the counterweight;
- a limit switch positioned to be actuated in response to sliding movement of the optical package;
- and,
- means for stopping the motion of the motor-driven stage in response to actuation of the limit switch, such that the optical package moves without being damaged when the specimen being held by said stage comes into contact with the optical package, wherein motion of the motor-driven stage is stopped when the limit switch detects that the optical package has moved.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.