Lamp assembly for a microscope

1. A microscope stand comprising a stand having a side wall, said side wall having an aperture keyed to a lamp assembly, said microscope stand further comprising alignment and electrical connection means operatively arranged to engage said lamp assembly, said electrical connection means located entirely within said stand and wherein said alignment means comprises at least one alignment dowel.

2. A lamp assembly for a microscope, comprising:

a microscope stand receiving a male member comprising:

at least two electrical pin terminals;

at least one alignment dowel; and,

a socket electrically connected to said at least two electrical pin terminals, and a second socket arranged to hold said lamp and provide electricity thereto.

3. The lamp assembly recited in claim 2 wherein said male member is keyed to an aperture formed in said microscope.

4. The lamp assembly recited in claim 2 wherein said male member further comprises a pair of alignment dowels.

5. The lamp assembly recited in claim 2 wherein said male member further comprises a tab extending outwardly from said male member to facilitate grasping during insertion and removal of the male member.

6. A lamp assembly for a microscope, said microscope having a stand, comprising:

a female member comprising a first electrical socket, said socket arranged to provide a source of electricity for a lamp, said female member located inside said microscope stand; and,

a male member comprising:

at least two electrical pin terminals arranged to matingly engage said first electrical socket to receive electricity therefrom; and,

a second socket electrically connected to said at least two electrical pin terminals, said second socket arranged to hold said lamp and provide electricity thereto wherein said female member comprises at least one dowel receptacle and said male member comprises at least one alignment dowel operatively arranged to align with and matingly engage said dowel receptacle.

7. The lamp assembly recited in claim 6 wherein said microscope stand includes an aperture formed in an external wall thereof, and said male member is keyed to said aperture such that said male member may be inserted into said aperture in only one orientation.

8. The lamp assembly recited in claim 6 wherein said male member further comprises a tab to facilitate grasping during insertion and removal of said male member relative to said aperture.

9. The lamp assembly recited in claim 6 wherein said lamp is a low voltage lamp and all low voltage electricity supplied to said lamp is supplied within said stand.

10. The lamp assembly recited in claim 6 wherein said male member is operatively arranged to substantially flush-engage said microscope stand.

11. The lamp assembly recited in claim 7 wherein said aperture is located in a side wall of said stand.

12. The lamp assembly recited in claim 7 wherein said male member comprises a flange which circumscribes said male member and engages said external wall proximate said aperture.

13. The lamp assembly recited in claim 6 wherein said female member comprises a pair of dowel receptacles and said male member comprises a corresponding pair of alignment dowels operatively arranged to align with and matingly engage said pair of dowel receptacles.

14. The lamp assembly recited in claim 6 wherein said lamp assembly further includes a light bulb arranged in an illumination beam path of said microscope when said male member is inserted into said female member.