1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a microscopy system and in particular to a surgical microscopy system comprising a microscopy optics and a stand for carrying the microscopy optics. The invention further relates to a method of controlling a microscopy system.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
A microscopy optics generally comprises an objective lens having an optical axis and an object plane in which an object to be observed is to be disposed. The microscopy optics is configured to image a region of the object being located in a focus region of the microscopy optics.
A stand of a conventional microscopy system comprises a plurality of stand members comprising a base stand member and an objective lens supporting stand member supporting the objective lens. Pairs of stand members are connected to each other by respective such that the hinges of each pair may be displaced relative to each other. For example, the hinge members of the pair may be tilted or swiveled relative to each other. By operating the hinges, i.e. by displacing relative to each other the stand members which are connected with each other by the hinges, it is possible, on the one hand, to displace the focus region of the microscopy optics towards a desired region of the object of interest, and, on the other hand, to orientate an optical axis of the objective lens such that the desired region of the object is imaged by the microscopy optics from a desired point of view or under a desired viewing angle.
The stand of a conventional microscopy system may comprise a group of hinges allowing a user, in at least one operation mode, to substantially freely displace relative to each other the stand members connected to each other by the hinges of that group by applying a force to a component of the microscopy system. The force may be applied to a component such as a stand member or the microscopy optics or any other component provided on the microscopy optics, such as a handle bar or other. The stand members are substantially freely displaceable relative to each other in that sense that only a low force to overcome such as a remaining frictional force of the respective hinges has to be applied to achieve the desired displacement of the microscopy optics.
To this end, the members of the stand may be balanced such that a gravitational force applied to the stand members and the microscopy optics will substantially not provoke any displacement of the microscopy optics.
The hinges which are substantially free displaceable in this operation mode may be further provided with a brake in order to block an accidental displacement of the microscopy optics in another mode of operation.
The conventional microscopy system may further comprise another group of hinges including an actuator to change the relative positions of the stand members which are connected with each other by the respective hinge of this group. These actuators may be controlled by the user by, for example, a switch or the like. Controlling the actuators may result, for example, in a change of the orientation of the optical axis of the objective lens.
If the user wants to observe a region of the object being observed from a different point of view or under a different viewing angle, he will grasp the stand or a component of the microscopy optics with his hand in order to displace the objective lens to a desired new position. Due to the displacement of the objective lens, the focus region of the microscopy optics and the region of interest of the object will no longer coincide, and the user finally has to reorientate and, if necessary, also to displace the optical axis of the objective lens by controlling the respective actuators such that the region of interest of the object again coincides with the focus region of the microscopy optics. This procedure is cumbersome and results in that the user, even if the observation of the object under a different perspective appears desirable, either does not perform such observation or requires a long time for performing the necessary steps.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds