Patent ID: 6483642
Filing Date: 2002-11-19
Classification: A61B,G02B

Abstract:
An illumination system for a surgical microscope for illuminating an object to be viewed, said microscope having a main objective lens aligned on a main optical axis, said illumination system comprising:illumination means including a light source for providing an illumination beam of light along an illumination optical axis; and three prisms placed between said main objective and said light source, each of said three prisms including a light admission surface, said three prisms being arranged side-by-side such that said light admission surfaces are in a single plane intersected by said illumination optical axis, two of said three prisms operating to divert part of said illumination beam at a small angle to said main optical axis of said objective lens and a remaining one of said three prisms operating to divert another part of said illumination beam along said main optical axis; wherein said three prisms have a combined light admission surface area facing said illumination beam.