IP Library Granted Patent US 8,891,164
Granted Patent B2
US 8,891,164 · App. 13/399,961 · Granted Nov 18, 2014

System for wavefront analysis and optical system having a microscope and a system for wavefront analysis

Inventors: Christoph Kuebler (Oberkochen, DE); Daniel Kolster (Oberkochen, DE)
Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
G02B21/00A61B3/13G01J9/00G02B21/22G02B21/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,891,164
App. No.
13/399,961
Granted
Nov 18, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

An optical system, comprising a microscope housing having a coupling opening for a detachable coupling of an objective lens of the optical system such that the objective lens is arranged in a microscope beam path of the optical system for imaging an object region of the objective lens. The optical system further comprises an assembly. The assembly comprises an assembly housing having a coupling element for the detachable coupling of the coupling element and the coupling opening of the microscope housing; a wavefront analysis system, which provides a wavefront beam path; and a beam splitter, which is arranged in the wavefront beam path. The objective lens, the beam splitter and the wavefront analysis system are arranged such that during the coupling of the coupling opening and the coupling element, the objective lens is arranged in the microscope beam path and the object region is arranged in the wavefront beam path.

Claims (101)

1. An optical system, comprising:

a microscope housing having a coupling opening for a detachable coupling of an objective lens of the optical system such that the objective lens is arranged in a microscope beam path of the optical system for imaging an object region of the objective lens; and

an assembly, which comprises

an assembly housing having a coupling element for the detachable coupling of the coupling element and the coupling opening of the microscope housing;

the objective lens;

a wavefront analysis system configured to analyze shapes of wavefronts that are emitted from an object, wherein the wavefront analysis system provides a wavefront beam path; and

a beam splitter, which is arranged in the wavefront beam path, wherein

the object lens, the beam splitter and wavefront analysis system are arranged such and the coupling element and the coupling opening are designed such that by the coupling of the coupling opening and the coupling element, the objective lens is arranged in the microscope beam path and the object region is arranged in the wavefront beam path, and further wherein

in a state in which the assembly is dismounted from the microscope housing, the object lens, the beam splitter and the wavefront analysis system are supported at the assembly housing.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the beam splitter is supported such that it is arranged in the microscope beam path by the coupling of the coupling opening and the coupling element.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein in a state in which the assembly is dismounted from the microscope housing, a plurality of lenses, in particular at least one of an eyepiece or a zoom system is supported at the microscope housing in the microscope beam path.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the wavefront analysis system comprises a wavefront light source for generating a wavefront measuring light and a wavefront light beam splitter for illuminating the object region with the wavefront measuring light along the wavefront beam path.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the wavefront measuring light comprises wavelengths in a near infrared wavelength range.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the beam splitter comprises a dichroic beam splitter wherein the beam splitter is designed such that a part of an intensity of the wavefront measuring light, which is reflected, is greater than a part of the intensity of the wavefront measuring light, which is transmitted.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the beam splitter is designed such that the wavefront measuring light is deflected by an angle of between 50° and 130°.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the beam splitter is designed such that a part of a microscope imaging light for imaging the object region, which is transmitted, is greater than and a part of the microscope imaging light, which is reflected, wherein the microscope imaging light comprises wavelengths, which are different from the wavelengths of the wavefront measuring light.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the objective lens comprises a plurality of component lenses.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the beam splitter and the objective lens are arranged such that the plurality lenses are arranged outside the wavefront beam path during the coupling of the coupling opening and the coupling element.

11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the beam splitter and the objective lens are arranged such that the wavefront beam path traverses at least one component lens of the plurality of component lenses of the objective lens during the coupling of the coupling opening and the coupling element.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the beam splitter and the objective lens are arranged such that the wavefront beam path traverses all component lenses of the plurality of component lenses of the objective lens during the coupling of the coupling opening and the coupling element.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein

at least one further of the plurality of component lenses is arranged outside the wavefront beam path.

14. The system according to claim 9 , wherein

the beam splitter is arranged in the microscope beam path between two of the plurality of component lenses.

15. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the assembly comprises a protecting plate, which is arranged between the beam splitter and the object region, wherein

the protecting plate is substantially transparent for wavefront measuring light generated by a wavefront light source of the wavefront analysis system and for microscope imaging light for imaging the object region by using the imaging beam path.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein a smallest angle between the surface normal of the protecting plate and an optical axis of the objective lens is 15°±10°.

17. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the wavefront analysis system comprises a wavefront lens system and an array of microlenses for imaging an object region onto the array of microlenses during the coupling of the coupling opening and the coupling element.

18. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling opening and the coupling element comprise at least one of a bayonet catch or a screw catch.

19. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising an interchangeable objective lens having a interchange coupling element for a detachable coupling of the interchangeable objective lens to the coupling opening of the microscope housing.

20. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein

the objective lens, the beam splitter and the wavefront analysis system are adjustable in their position relative to each other.

21. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein

the wavefront analysis system comprises a wavefront sensor.

22. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein

the wavefront analysis system is configured to measure optical properties of an eye by the analyzing of the shapes of the wavefronts.

23. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein

the coupling element comprises an objective lens frame, which surrounds and supports the objective lens.

24. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein

a structure of the coupling opening is complementary to a structure of the coupling element, such that the coupling opening and the coupling element are detachably engageable with each other.

25. An assembly for a microscope having a microscope housing, wherein the assembly comprises:

an assembly housing having a coupling element for a detachable coupling of the assembly to a coupling opening of the microscope housing;

an objective lens for imaging an object region; and

a wavefront analysis system configured to analyze shapes of wavefronts that are emitted from an object, and wherein the wavefront analysis system further provides a wavefront beam path, wherein

by the coupling of the assembly to the coupling opening the objective lens and the wavefront analysis system are arranged such that the object region is arranged in the wavefront beam path, and wherein

in a state in which the assembly is dismounted from the microscope housing, the wavefront analysis system and the objective lens are supported at the assembly housing, and further wherein

the coupling element comprises an objective lens frame, which surrounds and supports the objective lens.

26. The assembly according to claim 25 , further comprising a beam splitter, which is arranged in the wavefront beam path between the object region and the wavefront analysis system.

27. The assembly according to claim 25 , wherein a smallest angle between a reflecting face of the beam splitter and an optical axis of the objective lens is 65°±5° or 55°±5°.

28. The assembly according to claim 25 , further comprising a first lens group and a second lens group, each of which are arranged in the wavefront beam path.

29. The assembly according to claim 28 , further comprising an array of microlenses, which is arranged in the wavefront beam path, wherein the first lens group and the second lens group are designed such and arranged such that the object region is imaged onto the array of microlenses.

30. The assembly according to claim 29 , further comprising a third lens group, which is arranged between the second lens group and the array of microlenses.

31. The assembly according to claim 30 , wherein an optical path of the wavefront beam path between the second lens group and the third lens group is adjustable.

32. The assembly according to claim 28 , further comprising at least one mirror, which is arranged in the wavefront beam path between the first lens group and the second lens group.

33. The optical system of claim 25 , wherein

the wavefront analysis system comprises a wavefront sensor.

34. The optical system of claim 25 , wherein

the wavefront analysis system is configured to measure optical properties of an eye by the analyzing of the shapes of the wavefronts.

35. The optical system of claim 25 , wherein

a structure of the coupling opening is complementary to a structure of the coupling element, such that the coupling opening and the coupling element are detachably engageable with each other.

36. An assembly for a microscope having a microscope housing, wherein the assembly comprises:

an assembly housing having a coupling element for a detachable coupling of the assembly to a coupling opening of the microscope housing, wherein the coupling element comprises a coupling element axis;

a wavefront analysis system configured to analyze shapes of wavefronts that are emitted from an object, wherein the wavefront analysis system has a wavefront light source for emitting wavefront measuring light; and

a beam splitter, wherein

the wavefront light source and the beam splitter are arranged such that the wavefront measuring light is reflected such that the wavefront measuring light propagates substantially parallel to the coupling element axis, and further wherein

a smallest angle formed between a reflecting face of the beam splitter and the coupling element axis is 65°±5°, or 55°±5°.

37. The optical system of claim 36 , wherein

the wavefront analysis system comprises a wavefront sensor.

38. The optical system of claim 36 , wherein

wavefront analysis system is configured to measure optical properties of an eye by the analyzing of the shapes of the wavefronts.

39. The optical system of claim 36 , wherein

in a state, in which the assembly is dismounted from the microscope housing, the wavefront analysis system and the beam splitter are supported at the assembly housing.

40. The optical system of claim 39 , wherein

by the coupling of the coupling element and the coupling opening, an object region imaged by the microscope is arranged in a wavefront beam path provided by the wavefront analysis system.

41. The optical system of claim 36 , wherein the assembly further comprises:

an objective lens for imaging an object region with a microscope beam path of the microscope, and wherein

the coupling element comprises an objective lens frame, which surrounds and supports the objective lens.

42. The optical system of claim 36 , wherein the wavefront analysis system comprises:

an array of microlenses, which define optical axes of the array of microlenses; and wherein

a smallest angle which is formed between the reflecting face of the beam splitter and one of the optical axes of the microlenses is 25°±5° or 35°±5°.

43. The optical system of claim 36 , wherein

a structure of the coupling opening is complementary to a structure of the coupling element, such that the coupling opening and the coupling element are detachably engageable with each other.

44. An assembly with a microscope housing, wherein the assembly comprises:

an assembly housing having a coupling element for a detachable coupling of the assembly to a coupling opening of the microscope housing;

a wavefront analysis system configured to analyze shapes of wavefronts that are emitted from an object, wherein the wavefront analysis system has a wavefront light source for emitting wavefront measuring light; and

a beam splitter, wherein

the wavefront analysis system comprises an array of microlenses, which define optical axes of the array of microlenses, and further wherein

a smallest angle which is formed between a reflecting face of the beam splitter and one optical axis of the optical axes of the microlenses is 25°±5° or 35°±5°.

45. The optical system of claim 44 , wherein the wavefront analysis system comprises:

a wavefront sensor.

46. The optical system of claim 44 , wherein

the wavefront analysis system is configured to measure optical properties of an eye by the analyzing of the shapes of the wavefronts.

47. The optical system of claim 44 , wherein

in a state, in which the assembly is dismounted from the microscope housing, the wavefront analysis system and the beam splitter are supported at the assembly housing.

48. The optical system of claim 47 , wherein

by the coupling of the coupling element and the coupling opening, an object region imaged by the microscope is arranged in a wavefront beam path provided by the wavefront analysis system.

49. The optical system of claim 44 , wherein the assembly further comprises:

an objective lens for imaging an object region with a microscope beam path of the microscope, and wherein

the coupling element comprises an objective lens frame, which surrounds and supports the objective lens.

50. The optical system of claim 44 , wherein

a structure of the coupling opening is complementary to a structure of the coupling element, such that the coupling opening and the coupling element are detachably engageable with each other.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXECUTION DATE OF FIRST NAMED INVENTOR, CHRISTOPH KUEBLER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 028846 FRAME 0346. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CORRECT EXECUTION DATE IS OCTOBER 26, 2009. Recorded Nov 19, 2012
From: KUEBLER, CHRISTOPH; KOLSTER, DANIEL
To: CARL ZEISS SURGICAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 029317/0855 →
MERGER Recorded Aug 27, 2012
From: CARL ZEISS SURGICAL GMBH
To: CARL ZEISS MEDITEC AG
Reel/Frame 028852/0516 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 24, 2012
From: KUEBLER, CHRISTOPH; KOLSTER, DANIEL
To: CARL ZEISS SURGICAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 028846/0346 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2009 037 841 · Aug 18, 2009 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation PCTEP2010005073 · Aug 18, 2010
Provisional Application 61234816 · Aug 18, 2009
Related Publication 20120147460A1 · Jun 14, 2012