Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung

Albert Schilling

Wolfgang Schob

Horst Piller

Axel Rohde

Karl-Wilhelm Schmekel

Ralf Saffert

Edwin Schuttler

A microscope (1) arranged for measuring microscopic structures uses punctiform bundles of rays from a point source (31, 34) of light focused by an optical system on a structure to be measured so that a photoelectric detector (15) can receive the ray bundles reflected from the structure. Plane plates (30a,30b) arranged in a non-parallel ray portion of the path of the optical system can be pivoted through predetermined angles for moving the focal point of the ray bundles on the structure. Encoders (61a, 61b) are coupled with the plates and arranged for measuring the pivot angles used in moving the focal point; and a processor (20) supplied with signals from the encoders and from the detector (15) is arranged for calculating the linear dimensions of the structure over which the focal point has moved.

Microscope arranged for measuring microscopic structures

In addition to providing fine adjustment for precise two-coordinate positioning of a specimen, a microscope stage has a handle for rapid displacement of the stage when the fine adjustment is disconnected. This handle is secured to the underside of the cross-slide (6) of the stage, and in a laterally central position of the stage; the handle also extends through a cut-out in the stage carrier, thereby defining the range of movement of the stage. The arrangement of the handle is ergonomically favorable and reduces the danger of contamination of the specimen. In addition, a rotatable sleeve on the handle enables fine and precise adjustment of the angular orientation of a chucked specimen, with respect to the microscope.

Cross-slide stage for a microscope

An illumination apparatus having two separate optical systems each of which is provided with its own light source for the bright-field and the dark-field illumination beam path and which can be optimized independently on one another to meet the different requirements of both types of illumination. The two optical systems are secured to the microscope such that their axes meet at, or in the vicinity of, the bright-field reflector via which the illumination is directed into the observation beam path.

Incident illumination apparatus for a microscope

The invention contemplates provision of an additional selectively adjustable transmission mechanism, in the coupling of a microscope stage to focusing mechanism within the microscope stand. In the disclosed embodiment, the stage is mounted to a stage carrier (7) which is guided in the stand, and the additional transmission is provided between the stage carrier and the output rack (5) of the primary rack-and-pinion coupling of the focusing mechanism for the stage. The focusing mechanism is of the coaxial coarse-fine variety, with output to the pinion (4) of the coupling. In the additional transmission, an eccentric (11) is journaled for selective rotation in the stage carrier (7), the rack (5) of the coupling has an independent vertical guidance relation (9) with the stage carrier (7), and the rack (5) and eccentric (11) coact to establish instantaneous relative elevation of the stage (6) with respect to the rack (5). Adjustment-knob control of the eccentric enables a short cycle of stage displacement, through selective stage-carrier elevation, independent of instantaneous coarse-fine focusing adjustment.

Device for the rapid adjustment of microscope stages

The invention contemplates adjustment mechanism for a pancratic objective, wherein each of two differently displaceable lens holders are nevertheless correctly driven by a single manual driving rotation, there being a variable-length corrective connection between the respective lens holders, and there being means operated upon manual adjustment of one holder for correctively varying the length of the connection to the other lens holder.

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Aalen, Germany

Albert Schilling