Abstract:
A cross-slide stage comprises a support element, a first displacement element ( 21 ) joined to the support element, and a second displacement element ( 31 ), wherein the displacement elements ( 21, 31 ) are movable in directions arranged perpendicular to one another. The second displacement element ( 31 ) defines a plane on which a specimen ( 105 ) to be investigated comes to rest. An illumination module ( 3   a ) is provided which defines an illuminated-field plane; and when the cross-slide stage ( 101 ) is placed onto the illumination module ( 3   a ), the plane of the second displacement element ( 31 ) coincides with the illuminated-field plane of the illumination module ( 3   a ).

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority of German patent application no. 10 2005 036 231.1 filed Aug. 2, 2005, which is incorporated by reference herein.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates to a cross-slide stage for a microscope. The invention relates in particular to a cross-slide stage that comprises a support element, a first displacement element joined to the support element, and a second displacement element, wherein both displacement elements are movable in one plane in directions arranged perpendicular to one another; and the second displacement element defines a plane on which a specimen to be investigated comes to rest.  
         [0003]     The invention furthermore relates to a microscope system having a cross-slide stage. The invention relates in particular to a microscope system having a cross-slide stage, the microscope system encompassing a microscope that is mounted on a stand. The stand is embodied with a transmitted-light base that is equipped with an illumination module for illumination of a specimen. Provided on the transmitted-light base is a cross-slide stage that comprises a support element, a first displacement element joined to the support element, and a second displacement element, wherein the displacement elements are movable in directions arranged perpendicular to one another; and the second displacement element defines a plane on which a specimen to be investigated comes to rest.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     U.S. Patent Application 2003/0234979 A1 describes a stage that is characterized by three layers, the lowest of which is U-shaped and serves as carrier for the stage and has an upper surface that comprises guides for the center layer to enable a Y motion of the center layer. The center layer is a closed rectangle and likewise comprises guides for the X motion of the upper layer. The stage thus comprises four guides that are all implemented in this unit. It is additionally disadvantageous is that because of the physical height of the stage, the illuminated-field plane generated by the illumination device does not coincide with the surface of the cross-slide stage when the stage is placed onto the transmitted-light base. The acquisition of morphological and functional data from a living sample using a microscope system is made difficult because the illuminated-field plane no longer coincides with the stage surface, and both the illumination coverage of the specimen and the illumination aperture lie outside that plane.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,788,457 presents a stage for one-dimensional displacement that comprises only one guide along the direction of motion. In this arrangement the stage plate is supported on a baseplate, on a side located opposite the guide, at only one point. This stage, too, comprises a guide, and a baseplate for supporting the stage plate, that are implemented in one unit. The single-point mounting of the one side of the stage furthermore creates the risk of tilting of the stage surface when loaded at the corners.  
         [0006]     According to this existing art, only arrangements in which two plates are arranged above the horizontal part of the illumination module are known; this results in a greater physical height as compared with an arrangement having a fixed stage. Adjustable stages are constituted as a unit made up of carriers, adjustable flat plates, and guidance elements.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     It is the object of the invention to create a cross-slide stage that is ergonomically favorable. A further intention is for the physical height of the cross-slide stage, when in place, to avoid any ergonomically unfavorable increase in viewing height.  
         [0008]     A further object of the invention is to create a microscope system having a cross-slide stage such that optimal illumination coverage of the specimen exists, and such that any ergonomically unfavorable increase in viewing height as a result of a cross-slide stage placed onto a transmitted-light base is avoided.  
         [0009]     A cross-slide stage according to the present invention has the advantage that the illuminated-field plane defined by the illumination device or illumination module coincides with the surface of the cross-slide stage. With the cross-slide stage according to the present invention used in a microscope system, it is possible to acquire morphological and functional data from a living specimen, since the illuminated field diaphragm coincides with the stage surface and illumination coverage of the specimen is thus optimized. In addition, specimen manipulation is not disadvantageously influenced by the use of the cross-slide stage according to the present invention. It is advantageous if the cross-slide stage is constructed from three elements. The cross-slide stage comprises on the one hand a support element, a first displacement element joined to the support element, and a second displacement element. The two displacement elements are embodied displaceably with respect to one another within one plane, in spatial directions arranged perpendicularly to one another. In addition, the second displacement element defines a plane on which a specimen to be investigated comes to rest. The cross-slide stage is placed onto an illumination module that defines an illuminated-field plane. The entire cross-slide stage is configured in such a way that the plane of the second displacement element coincides with the illuminated-field plane of the illumination module.  
         [0010]     The illumination module is embodied as a transmitted-light base. It produces an illuminated-field plane, and has an elevation having a plane parallel to the illuminated-field plane and at a short distance therebelow, the plane of the elevation serving as a guide for the second displacement element of the cross-slide stage.  
         [0011]     The first displacement element and the support element are embodied in such a way that they partially surround the elevation of the illumination module. In an advantageous embodiment, the first displacement element and the support element are U-shaped. Multiple mounting points are embodied around the illumination module and around the elevation, and are likewise arranged in a plane parallel to the illuminated-field plane. The U-shaped support element is mounted on the mounting points.  
         [0012]     The cross-slide stage can be moved in the various spatial directions by drive knobs. The spatial directions are advantageously the X coordinate direction and the Y coordinate direction. One drive knob is provided for each of the coordinate directions. The first drive knob drives a pinion that engages into a toothed rack that is mounted on the support element. Guidance elements are arranged between the support element and the first displacement element. The second drive knob drives, by means of a cable spool and a cable via a deflection pulley, a block that itself is coupled to the second displacement element, so that a motion in the X coordinate direction is thereby executed.  
         [0013]     It is furthermore advantageous to use the cross-slide stage according to the present invention in a microscope system, the microscope system encompassing a microscope that is mounted on a stand. The stand is embodied with a transmitted-light base that possesses an illumination module for illumination of a specimen. The cross-slide stage, which comprises a support element and a first displacement joined to the support element, and a second displacement element, is provided on the transmitted-light base. The two displacement elements are movable within one plane in spatial directions arranged perpendicular to one another. The second displacement element defines a plane on which a specimen to be investigated comes to rest. The illumination module itself defines an illuminated-field plane, the second displacement element coinciding with the illuminated-field plane of the illumination module of the cross-slide stage when the cross-slide stage is in place.  
         [0014]     The microscope used in the microscope system is a stereomicroscope. The cross-slide stage can also be configured exchangeably so that it can be replaced by a fixed stage, in which context the spacing from a main objective of the stereomicroscope remains the same.  
         [0015]     Further advantageous embodiments of the invention may be gathered from the dependent claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     The subject matter of the invention is depicted schematically in the drawings and will be described below with reference to the Figures, in which:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a microscope system having the cross-slide stage according to the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the transmitted-light base, and an exploded depiction of the elements of the cross-slide stage that is placed onto the transmitted-light base;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section through the transmitted-light base with the cross-slide stage according to the present invention put in place, and with schematically indicated illumination; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  shows in detail the guidance and drive principles of the cross-slide stage. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]     In the description that follows, microscope system  100  encompasses a stereomicroscope. This is in no way to be construed as a limitation.  
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a microscope system  100  having cross-slide stage  101  according to the present invention. Cross-slide stage  101  is placed onto a transmitted-light base  1 . Mounted at rear end  1   a  of transmitted-light base  1  is a column  2  along which microscope  102  of microscope system  100  can be displaced in the direction of an optical axis  103 . Transmitted-light base  1  can contain an illumination device  104  that emits light  110  in the direction of optical axis  103  of microscope  102 . The transmitted-light base includes a deflection element  50  that deflects in the direction of optical axis  103  the light emitted from light source  104 . It is likewise conceivable for the light for transmitted-light illumination to be generated by an external light source and delivered via a flexible light guide to microscope system  100  or optical axis  103  of the microscope. Specimen  105  to be observed lies on cross-slide stage  101 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows a transmitted-light base  1  according to an embodiment of the invention. As already mentioned, a column  2 , along which focusing of microscope  102  takes place in known fashion, is mounted at rear end  1   a  of transmitted-light base  1 . Transmitted-light base  1  is embodied with an elevation  3  having a planar top surface  5  that represents an upper boundary of illumination module  3   a.  Illumination module  3   a  is embodied with a light exit opening  4  through which the light generated by the illumination device travels onto specimen  105 . Light exit opening  4  ends below an illuminated-field plane with which illumination module  3   a  is embodied. Illumination module  3   a  is closed off at the top by a plane of top surface  5  of elevation  3  that is arranged parallel to the illuminated-field plane at a small distance therebelow. Top surface  5  of elevation  3  serves as a guide for second displacement element  31  of cross-slide stage  101 . The illuminated-field plane is perpendicular to optical axis  103  of microscope system  100  or microscope  102 . Multiple mounting points  7  are arranged in one plane next to elevation  3  on transmitted-light base  1 . Mounting points  7  serve for installation of a support element  11  on transmitted-light base  1 . On upper side  11   a  of support element  11 , two guides  12  are embodied in the Y coordinate direction. These guides coact with a first displacement element  21 . Support element  11  additionally has a respective toothed rack  13  installed on it parallel to each guide  12 . Toothed rack  13  coacts with a functional group  40  that is provided for moving first displacement element  21  and second displacement element  31 . Second displacement element  21  is likewise embodied with a guide  22  that constitutes a guide in the X coordinate direction for second displacement element  31 . Second displacement element  31  is equipped with a cylindrical slide element  33  that is braced, in the region of column  2 , directly on top surface  5  of illumination module  3   a.  Second displacement element  31  is embodied with a portion  31   a  in which a transparent plate  32  comes to rest. Transparent plate  32  can also be replaced by a heating stage, a rotary stage, Petri dishes, microtitration plates, and the like. It is likewise possible to provide devices for micromanipulation on cross-slide stage  101 . Displacement of first displacement element  21  in the Y coordinate direction with respect to the stationary support element  11 , and displacement of second displacement element  31  in the X coordinate direction with respect to first displacement element  21 , result in a displacement of specimen  105  in the X/Y plane. The X/Y plane is parallel to the illuminated-field plane and to the plane of top surface  5  of elevation  3  of illumination module  3   a,  which plane is defined by elevation  3  of illumination module  3   a.  First displacement element  21  and support element  11  are embodied in such a way that they partially surround elevation  3  of illumination module  3   a.  In a particularly preferred embodiment, first displacement element  21  and support element  11  are U-shaped.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a detail view of a cross section through transmitted-light base  1  and through cross-slide stage  101  placed on transmitted-light base  1 . Mounted on transmitted-light base  1  is an illumination device  104  that sends light  110  into transmitted-light base  1  to illuminate specimen  105 . A deflection element  50 , which deflects light  110  of illumination device  104  in the direction of optical axis  103 , is provided in transmitted-light base  1 .  FIG. 3  clearly shows the arrangement according to the present invention of cross-slide stage  101 , second displacement element  31  being displaceable in the X coordinate direction and Y coordinate direction on plane  5  defined by elevation  3 . All the other elements of cross-slide stage  101  (first displacement element  21  and support element  11 ) are arranged with their planes below plane  5 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  shows in detail how cross-slide stage  101  according to the present invention is driven. Functional group  40 , provided for driving cross-slide stage  101  in the X coordinate direction and Y coordinate direction, comprises a first drive knob  41  and a second drive knob  43 . First drive knob  41  serves to move cross-slide stage  101  in the Y coordinate direction. Second drive knob  43  serves to move cross-slide stage  101  in the X coordinate direction. First drive knob  41  and second drive knob  43  are arranged coaxially. A pinion  42 , which engages into toothed rack  13  on support element  11 , is driven with first drive knob  41 . Upon rotation of pinion  42 , first displacement element  21  is moved along guidance elements  12  in the Y coordinate direction.  FIG. 4  also shows that functional group  40  can likewise be placed on the opposite side of cross-slide stage  101  in order to drive the cross-slide stage in the X coordinate direction and Y coordinate direction. Both left-handed and right-handed operation of cross-slide stage  101  is thus possible for the user of microscope system  100 . Left-handed operation of cross-slide stage  101  is represented by functional group  40  depicted in  FIG. 4 . Second drive knob  43  drives a cable spool  44  that winds and unwinds a cable  45 . the cable  45  is deflected by deflection pulleys  46  to provide a cable portion extending in the X axis direction and having a block  47  fixed thereto. The block, which moves along an X axis direction when cable  45  is wound or unwound, is coupled to second displacement element  31  to drive the second displacement element. The guidance elements for moving second displacement element  31  in the X coordinate direction are on the one hand the cylindrical slide element  33  that rests on plane  5 , and a further cylindrical slide element  34  that rests in guide  22  of first displacement element  21 .  
         [0026]     Because the drive embodiment described above has no self-locking function, second displacement element  31  can be adjusted in both coordinate directions both in precise fashion with functional group  40 , and rapidly by manual application of a force.  
         [0027]     A friction wheel and a rail can also be used instead of a pinion  42  and a toothed rack  13 .  
         [0028]     Although only manual adjustment of the cross-slide stage is depicted, the invention is not limited thereto. A motorized drive system can also be provided.  
         [0029]     The invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment. It is self-evident, however, that changes and modifications can be made without thereby leaving the range of protection of the claims below.