US5337177A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Microscope
Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 1992-09-21
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Granted: 1994-08-09
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Expires: 2012-09-21
Abstract
Abstract A microscope having an interchangable objective revolver holding a plurality of objectives and supported on a microscope body. The direction of the revolver can be changed by rotating a rotary member through 180° so that a rotation plane surface of the revolver may be inclined downwardly toward the stand side or the operator side of the microscope selectively.
Inventors
- 👤 Shuji Toyoda
- 👤 Satoru Kumagai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:15
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B21/00; G02B21/24; G02B21/248
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
274 words
A microscope comprising: a microscope body for supporting an ocular lens barrel in a predetermined position, a rotary member disposed at a predetermined location on said microscope body for rotation on a rotation axis, rotary member fixing means for selectively fixing said rotary member in a first position relative to said predetermined position of said ocular lens barrel and a second position to which said rotary member is rotatable relative to said predetermined position through about 180° on said rotation axis from said first position, objective revolver means comprising a revolver portion supporting a plurality of objective lenses and rotatable to enable selection among said objective lenses for viewing a specimen, and a revolver retaining member supporting said revolver portion such that said revolver portion rotates in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to an optical axis of said objective revolver means, and connection means for detachably connecting said revolver retaining member to said rotary member at said first and second positions of said rotary member, selectively, with a predetermined mutual orientation of said revolver retaining member and said rotary member in which said optical axis of said objective revolver means is coincident with said rotation axis of said rotary member, such that when said revolver retaining member is connected to said rotary member at said first position said plane of rotation of said revolver portion is inclined downwardly toward an observer viewing a specimen through said ocular lens barrel, and such that when said revolver retaining member is connected to said rotary member at said second position said plane of rotation of said revolver portion is inclined downwardly away from the observer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
274 words
A microscope comprising: a microscope body for supporting an ocular lens barrel in a predetermined position, a rotary member disposed at a predetermined location on said microscope body for rotation on a rotation axis, rotary member fixing means for selectively fixing said rotary member in a first position relative to said predetermined position of said ocular lens barrel and a second position to which said rotary member is rotatable relative to said predetermined position through about 180° on said rotation axis from said first position, objective revolver means comprising a revolver portion supporting a plurality of objective lenses and rotatable to enable selection among said objective lenses for viewing a specimen, and a revolver retaining member supporting said revolver portion such that said revolver portion rotates in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to an optical axis of said objective revolver means, and connection means for detachably connecting said revolver retaining member to said rotary member at said first and second positions of said rotary member, selectively, with a predetermined mutual orientation of said revolver retaining member and said rotary member in which said optical axis of said objective revolver means is coincident with said rotation axis of said rotary member, such that when said revolver retaining member is connected to said rotary member at said first position said plane of rotation of said revolver portion is inclined downwardly toward an observer viewing a specimen through said ocular lens barrel, and such that when said revolver retaining member is connected to said rotary member at said second position said plane of rotation of said revolver portion is inclined downwardly away from the observer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
A microscope according to claim 1, wherein said connection means includes a male dovetail and a cooperable dovetail channel each disposed on a respective one of said revolver retaining member and said rotary member, said dovetail channel being oriented to receive said male dovetail in a direction perpendicular to said axis of said rotary member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
263 words
A microscope comprising: a microscope body for supporting an ocular lens barrel in a predetermined position, objective revolver means comprising a revolver portion supporting a plurality of objective lenses and rotatable to enable selection among said objective lenses for viewing a specimen, and a revolver retaining member supporting said revolver portion such that said revolver portion rotates in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to an optical axis of said objective revolver means, and a support member supporting said revolver retaining member for rotation on said optical axis of said objective revolver means such that said revolver portion is rotatable, with said revolver retaining member, relative to said support member on said optical axis between two positions about 180° apart, rotation checking means for selectively fixing said revolver retaining member against rotation relative to said support member at said two positions, and attachment means disposed on said microscope body for detachably receiving said support member with said revolver portion at each of said two positions, selectively, with said optical axis coincident with a specimen viewing axis of the microscope, such that when said support member is received by said attachment means with said revolver portion at one of said two positions said plane of rotation of said revolver portion is inclined downwardly toward an observer viewing a specimen through said ocular lens barrel, and such that when said support member is received by said attachment means with said revolver portion at the other of said two positions said plane of rotation of said revolver portion is inclined downwardly away from the observer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
263 words
A microscope comprising: a microscope body for supporting an ocular lens barrel in a predetermined position, objective revolver means comprising a revolver portion supporting a plurality of objective lenses and rotatable to enable selection among said objective lenses for viewing a specimen, and a revolver retaining member supporting said revolver portion such that said revolver portion rotates in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to an optical axis of said objective revolver means, and a support member supporting said revolver retaining member for rotation on said optical axis of said objective revolver means such that said revolver portion is rotatable, with said revolver retaining member, relative to said support member on said optical axis between two positions about 180° apart, rotation checking means for selectively fixing said revolver retaining member against rotation relative to said support member at said two positions, and attachment means disposed on said microscope body for detachably receiving said support member with said revolver portion at each of said two positions, selectively, with said optical axis coincident with a specimen viewing axis of the microscope, such that when said support member is received by said attachment means with said revolver portion at one of said two positions said plane of rotation of said revolver portion is inclined downwardly toward an observer viewing a specimen through said ocular lens barrel, and such that when said support member is received by said attachment means with said revolver portion at the other of said two positions said plane of rotation of said revolver portion is inclined downwardly away from the observer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
A microscope according to claim 3, wherein said attachment means includes a dovetail channel and a male dovetail each disposed on a respective one of said microscope body and said support member, said male dovetail being insertable into said dovetail channel in a direction perpendicular to said optical axis of said objective revolver.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
156 words
A microscope having a microscope body, and comprising: objective revolver means comprising a revolver portion supporting a plurality of objective lenses and rotatable to enable selection among said objective lenses for viewing a specimen, and a revolver retaining member supporting said revolver portion such that said revolver portion rotates in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to an optical axis of said objective revolver means, and attachment means for detachably mounting said revolver retaining member on said microscope body with said optical axis of said objective revolver means coincident with a specimen viewing axis of the microscope, said attachment means being constructed such that said revolver retaining member is dismountable therefrom and thereafter remountable thereto, after rotation through about 180° on said optical axis, by movement in each of only two directions, namely: a first direction perpendicular to said optical axis of said objective revolver means and a second direction opposite to said first direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
156 words
A microscope having a microscope body, and comprising: objective revolver means comprising a revolver portion supporting a plurality of objective lenses and rotatable to enable selection among said objective lenses for viewing a specimen, and a revolver retaining member supporting said revolver portion such that said revolver portion rotates in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to an optical axis of said objective revolver means, and attachment means for detachably mounting said revolver retaining member on said microscope body with said optical axis of said objective revolver means coincident with a specimen viewing axis of the microscope, said attachment means being constructed such that said revolver retaining member is dismountable therefrom and thereafter remountable thereto, after rotation through about 180° on said optical axis, by movement in each of only two directions, namely: a first direction perpendicular to said optical axis of said objective revolver means and a second direction opposite to said first direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
A microscope according to claim 5, wherein said attachment means includes a dovetail channel and a male dovetail each formed on a respective one of said microscope body and said revolver retaining member, said male dovetail being insertable into said dovetail channel in a direction perpendicular to said optical axis of said objective revolver.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
236 words
A microscope comprising: a microscope body for supporting an ocular lens barrel in a predetermined position, objective revolver means comprising a revolver portion supporting a plurality of objective lenses and rotatable to enable selection among said objective lenses for viewing a specimen, and a revolver retaining member supporting said revolver portion such that said revolver portion rotates in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to an optical axis of said objective revolver means, support means disposed on said microscope body for supporting said revolver retaining member with said objective revolver means disposed in a space defined by a mounting portion of said microscope body, and with said optical axis of said objective revolver means coincident with a specimen viewing axis of the microscope, said support means supporting said revolver retaining member for rotation by at least about a half revolution on said optical axis between a first position in which said plane of rotation of said revolver portion is inclined downwardly toward an observer viewing a specimen through said ocular lens barrel and a second position in which said plane of rotation of said revolver portion is inclined downwardly away from the observer, said space defined by said mounting portion being dimensioned to accommodate said objective revolver means when said revolver retaining member is rotated as aforesaid, and fixing means for selectively fixing said revolver retaining member in each of said first and second positions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
236 words
A microscope comprising: a microscope body for supporting an ocular lens barrel in a predetermined position, objective revolver means comprising a revolver portion supporting a plurality of objective lenses and rotatable to enable selection among said objective lenses for viewing a specimen, and a revolver retaining member supporting said revolver portion such that said revolver portion rotates in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to an optical axis of said objective revolver means, support means disposed on said microscope body for supporting said revolver retaining member with said objective revolver means disposed in a space defined by a mounting portion of said microscope body, and with said optical axis of said objective revolver means coincident with a specimen viewing axis of the microscope, said support means supporting said revolver retaining member for rotation by at least about a half revolution on said optical axis between a first position in which said plane of rotation of said revolver portion is inclined downwardly toward an observer viewing a specimen through said ocular lens barrel and a second position in which said plane of rotation of said revolver portion is inclined downwardly away from the observer, said space defined by said mounting portion being dimensioned to accommodate said objective revolver means when said revolver retaining member is rotated as aforesaid, and fixing means for selectively fixing said revolver retaining member in each of said first and second positions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
172 words
A microscope comprising: a microscope body; an ocular lens barrel supported in a predetermined position on said microscope body; objective revolver means comprising a revolver portion supporting a plurality of objective lenses and rotatable to enable selection among said objective lenses for viewing a specimen, and a revolver retaining member supporting said revolver portion such that said revolver portion rotates in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to an optical axis of said objective revolver means, attachment means for detachably mounting said revolver retaining member on said microscope body with said optical axis of said objective revolver means coincident with a specimen viewing axis of the microscope, said attachment means being constructed such that said revolver retaining member is dismountable therefrom and thereafter remountable thereto, after rotation relative to said ocular lens barrel through about 180° on said optical axis, by movement in each of only two direction, namely: a first direction perpendicular to said optical axis of said objective revolver means and a second direction opposite to said first direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
172 words
A microscope comprising: a microscope body; an ocular lens barrel supported in a predetermined position on said microscope body; objective revolver means comprising a revolver portion supporting a plurality of objective lenses and rotatable to enable selection among said objective lenses for viewing a specimen, and a revolver retaining member supporting said revolver portion such that said revolver portion rotates in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle to an optical axis of said objective revolver means, attachment means for detachably mounting said revolver retaining member on said microscope body with said optical axis of said objective revolver means coincident with a specimen viewing axis of the microscope, said attachment means being constructed such that said revolver retaining member is dismountable therefrom and thereafter remountable thereto, after rotation relative to said ocular lens barrel through about 180° on said optical axis, by movement in each of only two direction, namely: a first direction perpendicular to said optical axis of said objective revolver means and a second direction opposite to said first direction.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-08-08 | 1998-02-07 | 1998-08-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-08-08 | 2002-02-07 | 2002-08-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-08-08 | 2006-02-07 | 2006-08-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |