Modular microscope system

Abstract

A modular microscope system includes a plurality of stackable housing modules each having a plurality of inwardly pointing protuberances provided with one or more precision stop surfaces thereon for removably mounting and positioning a plurality of prealigned functional element carriers having corresponding precision stop surfaces thereon for engagement with the precision stop surfaces of the housing module protuberances.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A modular microscope system comprising: 
       a stand-foot housing module;  
       an upper stand housing module having a vertical portion removably mounted on said stand-foot housing module and a horizontal portion extending from said vertical portion;  
       an intermediate housing module removably mounted on said horizontal portion of said upper stand housing module, said intermediate housing module having a binocular housing removably attached thereto;  
       each of said stand-foot housing module, said upper stand housing module, and said intermediate housing module having a plurality of inwardly pointing housing protuberances integrally formed therewith, each of said protuberances having at least one precision stop surface thereon;  
       a plurality of carriers removably mounted within said housing modules, each of said plurality of carriers having a plurality of component parts connected thereto in prealigned arrangement to form a functional unit;  
       each of said plurality of carriers including a plurality of precision stop surfaces for correspondence with said precision stop surfaces of said housing module within which said carrier is mounted to precisely position said carrier.  
     
     
       2. The modular microscope system according to claim  1 , wherein said plurality of precision stop surfaces of a housing module includes at least one plane contact stop surface and at least one bearing stop surface. 
     
     
       3. The modular microscope system according to claim  1 , wherein said plurality of precision stop surfaces of a housing module includes at least one point contact stop surface and at least one point bearing stop surface. 
     
     
       4. The modular microscope system according to claim  1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of protuberances of a housing module includes a pair of precision stop surfaces lying in orthogonal planes. 
     
     
       5. The modular microscope according to claim  1 , wherein at least one of said protuberances of a housing module is generally in the form of a cylinder. 
     
     
       6. The modular microscope according to claim  2 , wherein at least one of said protuberances of a housing module is generally in the form of a truncated cone. 
     
     
       7. The modular microscope system according to claim  5 , wherein said at least one protuberance extends downward from an inner ceiling wall of said housing module. 
     
     
       8. The modular microscope system according to claim  6 , wherein said at least one protuberance extends downward from an inner ceiling wall of said housing module. 
     
     
       9. The modular microscope system according to claim  5 , wherein said at least one protuberance extends upward from an inner floor wall of said housing module. 
     
     
       10. The modular microscope system according to claim  6 , wherein said at least one protuberance extends upward from an inner ceiling wall of said housing module. 
     
     
       11. The modular microscope system according to claim  5 , wherein said at least one protuberance extends axially in a vertical direction along an inner side wall of said housing module. 
     
     
       12. The modular microscope system according to claim  6 , wherein said at least one protuberance extends axially in a vertical direction along an inner side wall of said housing module. 
     
     
       13. The modular microscope system according to claim  1 , wherein at least one of said protuberances of a housing module is in the form of a wall-shaped inner-space divider. 
     
     
       14. The modular microscope system according to claim  13 , wherein said wall-shaped inner space divider includes a bearing precision stop surface on an elevated portion thereof. 
     
     
       15. The modular microscope system according to claim  1 , wherein said protuberances of a housing module include boreholes extending through precision stop surfaces thereof for receiving fasteners extending through clearances in corresponding precision stop surfaces of an associated carrier mounted within said housing module. 
     
     
       16. The modular microscope system according to claim  1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of carriers is a flat plate. 
     
     
       17. The modular microscope system according to claim  1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of carriers is a tube. 
     
     
       18. The modular microscope system according to claim  1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of carriers is slidably received within an opening in said upper stand housing module and includes a plurality of consecutive filters individually selectively positionable on an optical axis. 
     
     
       19. The modular microscope system according to claim  1 , wherein one of said plurality of carriers is mounted within said vertical portion of said upper stand housing module and includes a horizontally disposed table connected thereto for vertical travel. 
     
     
       20. The modular microscope system according to claim  1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of carriers includes a turret containing a plurality of related optical elements for enabling selective positioning of one of said plurality of optical elements on an optical axis of said carrier. 
     
     
       21. The modular microscope system according to claim  20 , wherein said related optical elements are beamsplitters. 
     
     
       22. The modular microscope system according to claim  20 , wherein said related optical elements are objective lenses. 
     
     
       23. The modular microscope system according to claim  1 , wherein a plurality of identically-sized intermediate housing modules are provided for interchangeable mounting on said horizontal portion of said upper stand housing module, each of said plurality of intermediate housing modules containing a different optical system therein. 
     
     
       24. The modular microscope system according to claim  23 , wherein one of said plurality of intermediate housing modules contains a tube lens in combination with a Bertrand lens. 
     
     
       25. The modular microscope system according to claim  23 , wherein one of said plurality of intermediate housing modules contains a zoom lens system. 
     
     
       26. The modular microscope system according to claim  23 , wherein one of said plurality of intermediate housing modules contains a polarizing module. 
     
     
       27. A modular microscope system comprising: 
         a stand - foot housing module;    
         an upper stand housing module having a vertical portion removably mounted on said stand - foot housing module and a horizontal portion extending from said vertical portion;    
       
         an intermediate housing module removably mounted on said horizontal portion of said upper stand housing module, said intermediate housing module having a binocular housing removably attached thereto;  
       
         at least one of said stand - foot housing module, said upper stand housing module, and said intermediate housing module having a plurality of housing protuberances, each of said protuberances having at least one precision stop surface thereon;    
       
         at least one carrier removably mounted within one of said housing modules, said carrier having a plurality of component parts connected thereto in prealigned arrangement to form a functional unit;  
       
       
         said carrier including a plurality of precision stop surfaces for correspondence with said precision stop surfaces of said housing module within which said carrier is mounted to precisely position said carrier. 
       
     
     
       28. The modular microscope system according to claim  27 , wherein said plurality of precision stop surfaces of said one housing module includes at least one plane contact stop surface and at least one bearing stop surface. 
     
     
       29. The modular microscope system according to claim  27 , wherein said plurality of precision stop surfaces of said one housing module includes at least one point contact stop surface and at least one point bearing stop surface. 
     
     
       30. The modular microscope system according to claim  27 , wherein at least one of said plurality of protuberances of said one housing module includes a pair of precision stop surfaces lying in orthogonal planes. 
     
     
       31. The modular microscope according to claim  27 , wherein at least one of said protuberances of said one housing module is generally in the form of a cylinder. 
     
     
       32. The modular microscope according to claim  27 , wherein at least one of said protuberances of said one housing module is generally in the form of a truncated cone. 
     
     
       33. The modular microscope system according to claim  31 , wherein said at least one protuberance extends downward from an inner ceiling wall of said one housing module. 
     
     
       34. The modular microscope system according to claim  31 , wherein said at least one protuberance extends upward from an inner floor wall of said one housing module. 
     
     
       35. The modular microscope system according to claim  31 , wherein said at least one protuberance extends axially in a vertical direction along an inner side wall of said one housing module. 
     
     
       36. The modular microscope system according to claim  27 , wherein at least one of said protuberances of said one housing module is in the form of a wall- shaped inner - space divider.   
     
     
       37. The modular microscope system according to claim  36 , wherein said wall- shaped inner space divider includes a bearing precision stop surface on an elevated portion thereof.   
     
     
       38. The modular microscope system according to claim  27 , wherein said plurality of protuberances of said one housing module include boreholes. 
     
     
       39. The modular microscope system according to claim  27 , wherein said at least one carrier is a flat plate. 
     
     
       40. The modular microscope system according to claim  27 , wherein said at least one carrier includes a turret containing a plurality of related optical elements for enabling selective positioning of one of said plurality of optical elements on an optical axis of said carrier. 
     
     
       41. The modular microscope system according to claim  27 , wherein a plurality of identically- sized intermediate housing modules are provided for interchangeable mounting on said horizontal portion of said upper stand housing module, each of said plurality of intermediate housing modules containing a different optical system therein.   
     
     
       42. A modular microscope system, comprising: 
       
         a stand having a foot and an upper part;  
       
         at least one carrier on or in which are arranged pre - aligned and assembled components;    
       
         wherein more than one housing protuberance is located on the upper part or foot of the stand, each of which has a precision stop surface which corresponds with a counter surface of the carrier for exactly aligning and mounting the carrier. 
       
     
     
       43. A method of assembling a modular microscope system having a stand foot module, an upper stand module, an intermediate module and at least one carrier having a plurality of components in prealigned arrangement to form a functional unit, the method comprising the acts of: 
       
         placing the carrier into one of the respective stand foot module, upper stand module and intermediate module in discontinuous contact on precision stop surfaces formed on the respective module to provide an exact positioning therein: and  
       
       
         arranging the upper stand module on the foot stand module, and the intermediate module on the upper stand module to configure the modular microscope system. 
       
     
     
       44. The method according to claim  43 , further comprising the act of: 
         exchanging the carrier placed in the respective module on the precision stop surfaces with another carrier having another plurality of components in pre - aligned arrangement to form another functional unit, said another carrier also being placed on the precision stop surfaces so as to be exactly positioned in the respective module.   
     
     
       45. The method according claim  43 , wherein the arranging act comprises the act of locating at least one of the intermediate module, upper stand module and foot stand module on discontinuous precision stop surfaces found in an adjoining one of said modules. 
     
     
       46. The method according to claim  45 , further comprising the act of: 
         exchanging the carrier placed in the respective module on the precision stop surfaces with another carrier having another plurality of components in pre - aligned arrangement to form another functional unit, said another carrier also being placed on the precision stop surfaces so as to be exactly positioned in the respective module.   
     
     
       47. The modular microscope system according to claim  27 , wherein said carrier is precisely positioned in one dimension within said one housing module using at least a three- point contact of the precision stop surfaces of the carrier and the one housing module.   
     
     
       48. The modular microscope system according to claim  39 , wherein said carrier is precisely positioned in one dimension within said one housing module using at least a three- point contact of the precision stop surfaces of the carrier and the one housing module.   
     
     
       49. The modular microscope system according to claim  41 , wherein said carrier is precisely positioned in one dimension within said one housing module using at least a three- point contact of the precision stop surfaces of the carrier and the one housing module.   
     
     
       50. The modular microscope system according to claim  42 , wherein at least a three- point contact of said precision stop surfaces located on the upper part or foot of the stand are used to exactly align and mount the carrier in one dimension.   
     
     
       51. The modular microscope system according to claim  50 , wherein at least one of said housing protuberances has a pair of precision stop surfaces lying in orthogonal planes. 
     
     
       52. The modular microscope system according to claim  50 , further comprising intermediate housing modules interchangeably mountable on said upper part without changing an eyepiece height for an observer. 
     
     
       53. The modular microscope system according to claim  50 , wherein said at least three- point contact of said precision stop surfaces are respectively formed on three protuberances extending axially in a vertical direction along an inner side wall of the upper part or foot of the stand.   
     
     
       54. The modular microscope system according to claim  42 , further comprising intermediate housing modules interchangeably mountable on said upper part without changing an eyepiece height for an observer. 
     
     
       55. The method according to claim  43 , wherein said carrier is placed into said one module with at least a three- point contact in one dimension.   
     
     
       56. The method according to claim  45 , wherein said carrier is placed into said one module with at least a three- point contact in one dimension.   
     
     
       57. A process of manufacturing a microscope basic unit of a modular microscope system, the process comprising the phases of: 
         first manufacturing at least one of a stand - foot, upper - part, and intermediate module in one - piece with housing protuberances in inner spaces thereof; and    
         subjecting the housing protuberances to a mechanical precision final treatment in a further process phase to form precision stop surfaces, said precision stop surfaces being dimensioned to correspond with respectively precise manufactured counter - surfaces of a carrier mountable thereon to exactly position pre - aligned optical elements on the carrier in regard to the modular microscope system.   
     
     
       58. The process according to claim  57 , wherein each of the stand- foot, upper - part and intermediate modules are manufactured in one - piece; and further wherein said mechanical precision final treatment forms precisely produced mounting surfaces on said modules for assembling said modules relative to one another.   
     
     
       59. The process according to claim  57 , wherein a pair of precision stop surfaces are formed on at least one of the housing protuberances, said pair of precision stop surfaces lying in orthogonal planes. 
     
     
       60. A process of manufacturing a modular microscope system, the process comprising the phases of: 
         initially manufacturing at least one of a stand - foot, upper part, and intermediate module housing in a one - piece construction with housing protuberances in inner spaces thereof, said housing protuberances having non - final dimensions; and    
         mechanically precision - final treating, in a further process phase, the housing protuberances to a final required precision corresponding with respectively precise manufactured counter - surfaces of a carrier having optically pre - aligned components mounted thereon to ensure an exact positioning and mounting of the carrier in regard to the modular microscope system.