Patent · US Expired

Method of and apparatus for the automatic focusing of stereoscopic microscopes

US4025785A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
5References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 6, 1975
Grant dateMay 24, 1977
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 6, 1995

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B21/247
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

For automatic focusing of a stereoscopic microscope a focusing beam of rays, preferably in the infrared range of wave length, is generated by a pulse light source, and focused on the object to be observed in the form of a small luminous area which is superimposed on the observation rays. The rays reflected back by the object along the divided paths of the observation rays are deflected from those paths and directed to impinge on separate photoelectric detectors which convert axial shifts of the object plane with respect to the microscope into a directionally dependent electric signal which controls a focusing motor to move the microscope to compensate for such shifts. A switch is provided to permit manual adjustment of focus preparatory to automatic adjustment.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.