Independent focus compensation for a multi-axis imaging system

A focus compensation system for selectively adjusting the optimal image surface locations of a plurality of optical imaging elements in a multi-axis imaging system wherein the imaging elements are microscopes, each said microscope mapping at least two distinct points of an object to corresponding distinct points in the image produced by the microscope, the compensation system comprising a plurality of image position shifting elements corresponding to a respective plurality of microscopes having respective optical axes and being individually disposed with respect to one another to image respective sections of an object, said image position shifting elements providing different optical path lengths along the optical axes of respective microscopes so as to establish the positions of the image surfaces.

A method for selectively adjusting the image positions of a plurality of optical imaging elements in a multi-axis imaging system wherein the imaging elements are microscopes, each said microscope mapping at least two distinct points of an object to corresponding distinct points in the image produced by the microscope, the method comprising inserting one or more image shifting elements into the optical axes of respective microscopes so as to introduce different optical path lengths along the optical axes of respective microscopes and thereby establish the image positions thereof.

A multi-axis imaging system, comprising:

• a plurality of optical imaging elements arranged in an array, the imaging elements being microscopes having respective optical axes and being individually disposed with respect to one another to image respective sections of an object such that at least two distinct points within each said section of the object are mapped by the respective microscope to corresponding distinct points in the image produced by the respective microscope;
• and
• an image position shifting device having a plurality of distinct portions corresponding to selected microscopes for separately translating the actual image positions of said selected microscopes to establish the image positions thereof.

A focus compensation system for individually adjusting the optimal image plane location of a plurality of optical imaging elements in a multi-axis imaging system wherein the optical imaging elements are microscopes, each said microscope mapping at least two distinct points of an object to corresponding distinct points in the image produced by the microscope, the compensation system comprising an image shifting device having a plurality of distinct portions corresponding to a respective plurality of microscopes having respective optical axes and being individually disposed with respect to one another to image respective sections of an object, two or more of said portions of said image position shifting device introducing different optical path lengths along the optical axes of their respective microscopes so as to establish the image planes therefor.

A method for separately adjusting the image positions of a plurality of optical imaging elements in a multi-axis imaging system wherein the optical imaging elements are microscopes, each said microscope mapping at least two distinct points of an object to corresponding distinct points in the image produced by the microscope, the method comprising inserting an image shifting device into the optical axes of a plurality of respective said microscopes so that at least two distinct portions of said image shifting device introduce different optical path lengths along the optical axes of respective microscopes for separately establishing the positions of the image surfaces.