Patent ID: 8363317

Claim:
An apparatus comprising a microscope that includes: a base; a barrel member supported by and axially slidable within the base for movement relative to said base along a path of travel; optics supported by and coaxial with said barrel member for movement therewith, and configured to image a region that includes a location for a specimen; a cam having a cam surface thereon, the cam being formed in one of said barrel member and said base; and a cam follower that is movable relative to said cam in a manner so that said cam follower slides along said cam surface in engagement therewith, said cam follower being operatively coupled to the other of said barrel member and said base, wherein in response to relative movement of said cam and said cam follower that causes said cam follower to slide along said cam surface, said cam and said cam follower effect movement of said barrel member along said path of travel relative to said base, wherein the base includes an annular part extending around said barrel member for rotational movement about an axis that is approximately coaxial to said path of travel, said annular part having said cam formed thereon, and said cam and said cam surface each extending circumferentially along said annular part, and wherein said cam follower is supported on said barrel member for pivotal movement about a pivot axis that extends approximately radially with respect to said axis of rotation of said annular part.