# US 8,542,440 B2 · Tube for an observation device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,542,440 B2 - Document ID: US8542440B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/378,595 - Filed: 2009-02-17 - Published: 2009-10-01 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2008-02-15 - Assignees: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG - Applicants: Nadine Kolster; Alfons Abele; Christian Luecke - Inventors: Nadine Kolster; Alfons Abele; Christian Luecke - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8542440B2 ## CPC - G02B 21/24: Base structure - A61B 90/20: Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects - G02B 7/001: {Counterbalanced structures, e.g. surgical microscopes} - G02B 7/24: Pivoted connections - G02B 21/0012: {Surgical microscopes (counterbalanced structures for surgical microscopes G02B7/001)} - G02B 21/20: Binocular arrangements - G02B 21/22: Stereoscopic arrangements - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A tube for an optical observation device, in particular for a microscope, with a viewing level that is linearly variable in length and/or height, wherein the tube has an optical light path, in which at least two optical elements are disposed, for example, deflecting elements. The tube can be designed, for example, as a swing-in tube, with a base part, wherein a deflecting element is disposed in the base part so that it can rotate around an axis of rotation, and with an eyepiece support that can swing in relative to the base part, wherein a deflecting element is disposed in the eyepiece support so that it can rotate around an axis of rotation. The optical elements may be disposed so that they can move independently of one another in the optical light path. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tube for an optical observation device, having a viewing level that is linearly variable in length and/or height, wherein the tube has an optical light path, in which at least two optical elements are disposed, wherein at least two optical elements are disposed so that they can move independently of one another in the optical light path, wherein the tube has a base part, in which as an optical element a deflecting element is disposed so that it can rotate around a first axis of rotation, wherein the tube has an eyepiece support which can swing relative to the base part and in which as an optical element a deflecting element is disposed so that it can rotate around a second axis of rotation, wherein an intermediate support is provided which is joined with the base part and with the eyepiece support so that the eyepiece support can swing relative to the base part, via the intermediate support, wherein the intermediate support is joined with the base part via a rotating joint and with the eyepiece support via a rotating joint, wherein the deflecting element of the base part is coupled with the rotating joint which joins the base part and the intermediate support, and wherein the deflecting element of the eyepiece support is coupled with the rotating joint which joins the eyepiece support and the intermediate support, hereby characterized, that the deflecting element of the base part is connected to a coupling element, said coupling element cooperating with a driver element being connected to the base part, and with a driver element being connected to the intermediate support, and that the deflecting element of the eyepiece support is connected to a coupling element, said coupling element cooperating with a driver element being connected to the eyepiece support, and with a driver element being connected to the intermediate support. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that it is designed such that the optical light path of the tube varies by less than 30% when the viewing level is varied. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A tube according to claim 1, wherein the tube is variably adjustable in its mechanical length. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the tube has a base element for mounting with an optical observation device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The tube according to claim 4, further characterized in that at least one optical decoupling element and/or at least one optical coupling element is/are disposed in the base part. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the tube is designed as a swing-in tube. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the deflecting elements contain a translatory component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the deflecting elements are disposed so that they can swing in, but are also rotationally independent of one another. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the deflecting element of the base part and/or the deflecting element of the eyepiece support is/are disposed in the region of a rotating joint. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tube according to claim 9, further characterized in that the deflecting element of the base part and the rotating joint have an identical axis of rotation and/or that the deflecting element of the eyepiece support and the rotating joint have an identical axis of rotation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The tube according to claim 10, further characterized in that the axis of rotation of the deflecting element of the base part is disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of the deflecting element of the eyepiece support. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The tube according to claim 1, further characterized in that the tube is designed for a monocular view or as a binocular tube. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The tube according to claim 1, characterized in that the tube is adapted for being used with a microscope. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The tube according to claim 1, characterized in that the deflecting element of the eyepiece support and the deflecting element of the base part are designed as tilted mirrors.