The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 06, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 21, 1997
Rex A Hoover, Sumerduck, VA (US);
Robert G Hoover, Sumerduck, VA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A novel computer-controlled video microscopy system, features a rotatable objective lens turret. The lens turret is a rotatable cylindrical drum having an open end and closed end. A plurality of light-transmitting objective lenses are evenly spaced about the side wall of the cylindrical drum. The objective lenses are each directed perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the cylindrical drum. A computer is used to select a desired objective lens and signal a motor to rotate the cylindrical drum about its axis of rotation, so as to move the selected objective lens into the path of an approaching light beam. When the light beam enters the drum through the objective lens, a prism or mirror inside the cylindrical drum bends the light beam at a right angle and directs it out of the drum through its open end. An image carried by the light beam is then focused onto the imaging plane of a video camera. The microscope also features a computer-controlled stage which moves a sample in any direction in the x-y plane and an illumination system using either transmitted light or incident light.