Microscope system having vibration dampening mechanism
View Patent ↗A movable part to which a specimen or optical component is fixed is effectively damped in a short period of time at low cost, while saving space and energy and avoiding heat generation, thus allowing high-precision observation of a specimen to be carried out quickly after stopping at a certain position. The invention provides a microscope system including a driving mechanism for driving a movable part to which a specimen or optical component is fixed and stopping the movable part at a certain position; and a vibration damping mechanism for damping vibrations generated when stopping the movable part with the driving mechanism. The vibration damping mechanism includes an inertial member having a prescribed mass and a viscoelastic member sandwiched between the inertial member and the movable part. Dimensions in a plurality of directions of the viscoelastic member are set on the basis of resonance frequencies of vibrations generated in multiple directions when stopping the movable part.
1. A microscope system comprising:
a driving mechanism configured to drive a movable part to which a specimen or an optical component is fixed and to stop the movable part at a certain position; and
a vibration damping mechanism configured to dampen vibrations generated when stopping the movable part with the driving mechanism;
wherein the vibration damping mechanism includes an inertial member having a prescribed mass and a viscoelastic member sandwiched between the inertial member and the movable part,
wherein dimensions in a plurality of directions of the viscoelastic member are set based on resonance frequencies of vibrations generated in multiple directions when stopping the movable part, and
wherein the vibrations generated in multiple directions are dampened by displacement of the inertial member in all vibration directions.
2. A microscope system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a base member,
wherein the driving mechanism drives the movable part relative to the base member, and
wherein another vibration damping mechanism is provided in the base member.
3. A microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the movable part comprises a stage on which the specimen is mounted; and
the vibration damping mechanism is disposed at substantially a center of a bottom face of the stage and dampens vibrations in a moving direction of the stage and vibrations in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the stage.
4. A microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the movable part comprises a circular-plate-shaped filter turret in which a plurality of filters that modulate light are mounted, and
the vibration damping mechanism is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the filter turret and dampens vibrations in a rotational direction of the filter turret and vibrations in a thickness direction of the filter turret.
5. A microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the movable part comprises a slider supporting at least one of a lens, a prism, and a mirror so as to be movable in a straight line, and
the vibration damping mechanism is disposed on a side face of the slider and dampens vibrations in a moving direction of the slider and vibrations in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the slider.
6. A microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the movable part comprises a slider supporting an objective lens so as to be movable in a straight line in an optical-axis direction, and
the vibration damping mechanism dampens vibrations in a moving direction of the slider and vibrations in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the slider.
7. A microscope system according to claim 1 , wherein the inertial member is configured so that a center of mass thereof can be moved relative to the viscoelastic member.