Search

JP-2026074614-A - Microscope system and control method

JP2026074614AJP 2026074614 AJP2026074614 AJP 2026074614AJP-2026074614-A

Abstract

[Problem] To improve the operability of the operation of placing optical elements in the observation light path of a microscope. [Solution] The holding unit holds multiple optical elements. The drive unit drives the holding unit so that a specific optical element among the multiple optical elements held by the holding unit is positioned in the optical path for observing the sample. The rotary operation unit receives rotational operation and outputs an operation signal. Based on the operation signal, the control unit determines the rotation direction and amount of rotation of the rotary operation unit, selects a specific optical element from among the multiple optical elements based on the rotation direction and amount, and controls the drive unit so that the specific optical element is positioned in the optical path. [Selection Diagram] Figure 1

Inventors

  • 村田 和貴
  • 藤木 洋

Assignees

  • 株式会社エビデント

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241021

Claims (20)

  1. A holding part that holds multiple optical elements, A drive unit drives the holding unit so that a specific optical element among the plurality of optical elements held by the holding unit is positioned in the optical path for observing the sample. A rotary control unit that receives rotational input and outputs an operation signal, A control unit that determines the rotation direction and amount of the rotary operating unit based on the operation signal, selects a specific optical element from the plurality of optical elements based on the rotation direction and amount of rotation, and controls the drive unit so that the specific optical element is positioned in the optical path, A microscope system characterized by being equipped with the following features.
  2. The rotary operating unit has an increment function, The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that the amount of rotation represents the number of times the rotation angle of the rotary operating unit has been incremented.
  3. The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that, if a predetermined time has elapsed without detection of the operation signal after the operation signal has been detected during the period from the first time to the second time, the control unit selects the specific optical element based on the rotation direction and rotation amount determined from the operation signal detected during that period.
  4. The microscope system according to claim 3, characterized in that the predetermined time can be changed by the user.
  5. The microscope system according to claim 3, further comprising a display unit that displays information regarding optical elements arranged in the optical path when the holding unit is driven.
  6. The microscope system according to claim 5, characterized in that the control unit causes the display unit to display information regarding the optical elements arranged in the optical path based on the rotation direction and rotation amount determined from the operation signal detected at a third time point during the period.
  7. The microscope system according to claim 3, further comprising a drive target unit that is driven in conjunction with the holding unit.
  8. The system further includes a confirmation operation unit that receives an input for an instruction to confirm the aforementioned rotation operation and outputs a confirmation signal. The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that, if the control unit detects the operation signal at a first time and then detects the confirmation signal at a second time, it determines the rotation direction and the amount of rotation based on the operation signal detected during the period from the first time to the second time.
  9. The microscope system according to claim 8, characterized in that the rotary operating unit and the fixed operating unit are an integrated operating unit.
  10. The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotary operating unit includes a rotary encoder.
  11. The microscope system according to claim 10, characterized in that the rotary encoder is an incremental rotary encoder.
  12. The aforementioned plurality of optical elements are a plurality of objective lenses, The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding part is a revolving nosepiece.
  13. The microscope system according to claim 12, further comprising a display unit that displays information indicating the magnification of the objective lens positioned in the optical path when the revolving nosepiece is driven, or information indicating the position of the mounting hole of the revolving nosepiece to which the objective lens positioned in the optical path is attached.
  14. The microscope system according to claim 13, characterized in that the rotation of the revolving nosepiece is regulated by information indicating the magnification of the objective lens or information indicating the position of the mounting hole of the revolving nosepiece.
  15. The microscope system according to claim 14, characterized in that the rotation of the revolving nosepiece between the lowest magnification objective lens and the highest magnification objective lens attached to the nosepiece is restricted by information indicating the magnification of the objective lenses.
  16. The aforementioned plurality of optical elements are a plurality of mirror units, The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding part is a mirror turret.
  17. The microscope system according to claim 16, further comprising a display unit that displays information indicating the wavelength characteristics of the mirror unit arranged in the optical path when the mirror turret is driven, or information indicating the position of the mounting holes of the mirror turret to which the mirror unit arranged in the optical path is attached.
  18. The aforementioned plurality of optical elements are Multiple objective lenses, Multiple mirror units, Includes, The aforementioned retaining part is A revolving nosepiece that holds the plurality of objective lenses, A mirror turret that holds the plurality of mirror units, Includes, The rotary operating unit is A first rotary operating unit that receives rotational operation and outputs an operating signal for driving the revolving nose, A second rotary-type operating unit that receives rotational input and outputs an operating signal for driving the mirror turret, Includes, The microscope system according to claim 1, characterized in that the second rotary operating unit is arranged adjacent to the second rotary operating unit.
  19. The microscope system according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the control unit does not accept the operation signal while the holding unit is being driven.
  20. A microscope system according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized by comprising a microscope console including the aforementioned rotary operating unit.

Description

This invention relates to a microscope system and a method for controlling the microscope system. Conventional optical microscopes include a motorized revolving nosepiece. Multiple objective lenses are mounted on the motorized revolving nosepiece. The user can switch between objective lenses by operating the motorized revolving nosepiece, positioning the desired magnification objective lens in the observation light path for viewing the sample (specimen). Regarding the operation of electric revolving nose cones, electric revolving nose cone control devices for microscopes are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The operating section of the electric revolving nose cone control device in Patent Document 1 has push-button switches for left and right rotation. When the left rotation push-button switch is pressed, the revolving nose cone rotates to the left; when the right rotation push-button switch is pressed, the revolving nose cone rotates to the right. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-20911 This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a microscope system according to an embodiment.This is a diagram showing a revolving nosepiece.This diagram shows the magnification of the objective lens.This is a diagram showing a microscope console.This figure shows the output waveform of an incremental rotary encoder.This is a flowchart of the first objective lens switching process.This is a flowchart for the second objective lens switching process.This is a flowchart for the third objective lens switching process.This is a flowchart for the fourth objective lens switching process.This is a hardware configuration diagram of an information processing device. The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows an example configuration of a microscope system according to an embodiment. The microscope system in Figure 1 includes a transmitted illumination optical system 111, an electric condenser 112, a stage 113, an electric revolving nosepiece 114, an eyepiece 115, a microscope tube 116, and an reflected illumination optical system 117. The microscope system further includes a transmitted illumination light source 118, a focusing device 119, a correction ring switching mechanism 120, an reflected illumination light source 121, a control device 122, a microscope console 123, and a host device 124. These components are hardware. The motorized revolving nosepiece 114 includes a revolving nosepiece 131 and a motor 132. The revolving nosepiece 131 holds multiple objective lenses. The reflected light illumination optical system 117 includes an autofocus mechanism 141 and a motorized mirror turret 142. The motorized mirror turret 142 includes a mirror turret 151 and a motor 152. The mirror turret 151 holds multiple mirror units. The objective lenses and mirror units are examples of optical elements. The transmitted illumination optical system 111, the motorized capacitor 112, the stage 113, the motorized revolving nosepiece 114, the eyepiece 115, the microscope tube 116, the reflected illumination optical system 117, the transmitted illumination light source 118, the focusing mechanism 119, the correction ring switching mechanism 120, and the reflected illumination light source 121 constitute an inverted microscope. The sample 161 to be observed is placed on the stage 113. Illumination light from the transmitted illumination light source 118 is irradiated onto the sample 161 via the transmitted illumination optical system 111 and the motorized capacitor 112. The motorized capacitor 112 includes a polarizer, an aperture diaphragm, and a capacitor turret, which drive the polarizer, aperture diaphragm, and capacitor turret. Multiple capacitors are mounted on the capacitor turret. The focusing device 119 changes the relative position of the electric revolving nose 114 to the sample 161 by driving the electric revolving nose 114. Alternatively, the focusing device 119 may change the relative position of the sample 161 to the electric revolving nose 114 by driving the stage 113 instead of the electric revolving nose 114. Figure 2 shows an example of a revolving nosepiece 131. Figure 2 is a top view of the revolving nosepiece 131, showing its appearance as seen from the side of the stage 113. The revolving nosepiece 131 in Figure 2 has mounting holes 201-1 to 201-6, and an objective lens can be attached to each mounting hole 201-i (i = 1 to 6). In this example, objective lens 202-1 is mounted in mounting hole 201-1, objective lens 202-2 is mounted in mounting hole 201-3, and objective lens 202-3 is mounted in mounting hole 201-4. Mounting holes 201-2, 201-5, and 201-6 do not have objective lenses mounted. Figure 3 shows examples of magnifications for objective lenses 202-1 to 202-3. The number "i" indicates the position of mounting hole 201-i, and the magnification represents the magnification of the objective lens mounted in mounting hole 201-i. The objective lens 2