Illuminating means for operating microscope

Claim 2

The combination with an operating microscope assembly having a floor stand supported on a surface, a head assembly including an optical system and a light directing system including light collecting lens and means for directing light collected by said lens onto an operating area and an arm supporting said head assembly; of an illuminating system comprising light source means located at a substantial distance spaced from said head assembly and above a predetermined level that is safe against explosion hazards, unitary elongated fiber optic light guide means having one end located adjacent said light source receiving the light rays from said light source and another end mounted on said head assembly adjacent said light collecting lens directing the light received from said light source to said light collecting lens from where the light is then directed by said light directing system to the operating area.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said light source in said one end of said light guide means is mounted at the top of said stand at least 5 feet above the supporting surface of said stand.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 which includes a cylindrical housing having rounded corners and in which said light source and said one end of said light guide means are mounted.

Claim 5

In an operating microscope assembly having a stand supported on a surface, a head assembly including an optical system and a light directing system including light collecting lens, a light receptacle, and means for directing light collected by said lens onto an operating area; an illuminating system comprising a housing mounted on said stand above a predetermined height that is safe against explosion hazards, a first lamp and a second lamp mounted in said housing, means normally energizing said first lamp to provide light rays therefrom, unitary elongated fiber optic light guide means having one end located in said housing to receive the light rays form said first lamp and having the other end located adjacent said light collecting lens for transmitting the light received from said first lamp to said light collecting lens whereby the light is then directed by said light directing system to the operating area, cap means retaining said other end of said light guide means and removably mounted in said receptacle to hold said other end in place, means for energizing said second lamp to provide light rays when said first lamp burns out, and means for automatically relatively shifting said one end of said light guide means and the light rays from said second lamp into position so that the light rays from said second lamp are received by said one end of said light guide means when said first lamp burns out.

Claim 6

In an operating microscope assembly having a stand supported on a surface, a head assembly including an optical system and a light directing system including light collecting lens, a light receptacle, and means for directing light collected by said lens onto an operating area; an illuminating system comprising a housing mounted on said stand above a predetermined height that is safe against explosion hazards, a first lamp and a second lamp mounted in said housing, means normally energizing said first lamp to provide light rays therefrom, unitary elongated fiber optic light guide means having one end located in said housing to receive the light rays form said first lamp and having the other end located adjacent said light collecting lens for transmitting the light received from said first lamp to said light collecting lens whereby the light is then directed by said light directing system to the operating area, cap means retaining said other end of said light guide means and removably mounted in said receptacle to hold said other end in place, means for energizing said second lamp to provide light rays when said first lamp burns out, and means for automatically relatively shifting said one end of said light guide means and the light rays from said second lamp into position so that the light rays from said second lamp are received by said one end of said light guide means when said first lamp burns out.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 in which said housing is mounted at the top of said stand at least 5 feet above the supporting surface of said stand.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 which includes a cylindrical housing having rounded corners and in which said light source and said one end of said light guide means are mounted.

Claim 9

An illumination system for an operating microscope having a stand, a head assembly including an optical system and a light directing system, and an arm supporting said head assembly; said illumination system comprising light source means for location in spaced relationship to said head assembly, said illumination system comprising a housing and means for mounting said housing on said stand, light source means mounted in said housing, cap means for attachment to said head assembly, and unitary elongated flexible fiber optic light guide means having one end mounted in said housing adjacent said light source means and the other end mounted in said cap means for transmitting light from said light source means to the light directing system for use in illuminating the operating area.

Claim 10

An illumination system for an operating microscope having a stand, a head assembly including an optical system and a light directing system, and an arm supporting said head assembly; said illumination system comprising light source means for location in spaced relationship to said head assembly, said illumination system comprising a housing and means for mounting said housing on said stand, light source means mounted in said housing, cap means for attachment to said head assembly, and unitary elongated flexible fiber optic light guide means having one end mounted in said housing adjacent said light source means and the other end mounted in said cap means for transmitting light from said light source means to the light directing system for use in illuminating the operating area.