IP Library Granted Patent US 10,670,849
Granted Patent B2
US 10,670,849 · App. 16/003,421 · Granted Jun 2, 2020

Observation device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,670,849
App. No.
16/003,421
Granted
Jun 2, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An observation device where a first light path in an illumination optical system is different from a second light path in an object optical system, the illumination optical system includes a light source that emits the illumination light in a first direction, and an illumination deflector that deflects the illumination light from the first direction to a second direction, a pre-reflected illumination angle between a pedestal surface holding the sample and the first direction is smaller than a post-reflected illumination angle between the pedestal surface and the second direction, the object optical system includes a transmission deflector that deflects the transmission light transmitted through the sample from a third direction to a fourth direction, and a post-reflected transmission angle between the pedestal surface and the fourth direction is smaller than a pre-reflected transmission angle between the pedestal surface and the third direction.

Claims (19)

1. An observation device comprising:

a stage having a pedestal surface, a sample being located on a first side of the pedestal surface, the pedestal surface being transparent;

an illumination optical system located on a second side of the pedestal surface such that the illumination optical system emits illumination light toward the pedestal surface; and

an object optical system located on the second side of the pedestal surface, the object optical system capturing transmission light, the transmission light being generated from the illumination light which is emitted from the illumination optical system, is reflected off a reflection surface on the first side, and is transmitted through the sample, the sample being located between the pedestal surface and the reflecting surface

wherein a first light path in the illumination optical system is different from a second light path in the object optical system,

the illumination optical system includes a light source that emits the illumination light in a first direction, and an illumination deflector that deflects the illumination light from the first direction to a second direction,

a pre-reflected illumination angle between the pedestal surface and the first direction is smaller than a post-reflected illumination angle between the pedestal surface and the second direction,

the object optical system includes a transmission deflector that deflects the transmission light transmitted through the sample from a third direction to a fourth direction, and

a post-reflected transmission angle between the pedestal surface and the fourth direction is smaller than a pre-reflected transmission angle between the pedestal surface and the third direction.

2. The observation device according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination optical system includes a collimator optical system that converts the illumination light into approximately parallel light.

3. The observation device according to claim 2 , wherein the collimator optical system converts the illumination light deflected by the illumination deflector.

4. The observation device according to claim 2 , wherein the illumination light deflector deflects the illumination light converted into the approximately parallel light by the collimator optical system.

5. The observation device according to claim 2 , wherein the illumination light deflector surrounds an optical axis of the transmission light in the third direction.

6. The observation device according to claim 5 , wherein the illumination light deflector is a collimator optical system.

7. The observation device according to claim 6 , wherein the collimator optical system includes a cutout portion that accommodates the object optical system.

8. The observation device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the illumination light deflector includes a plurality of sub-deflectors,

the illumination light is irradiated toward the pedestal surface from any one of the plurality of sub-deflectors, and

the plurality of sub-deflectors are located around an optical axis of the transmission light in the third direction.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2023
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: EVIDENT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062492/0267 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 24, 2018
From: HIRATA, TADASHI
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046437/0873 →