Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
,-`` 108~So2
HAND-HELD MICROSCOPE
This invention relates tQ a microscope useful by stu-
dents and others in laboratory and field work. Objects of the
invention are to produce an inexpensive and rugged microscope
which is easy and safe to handle even by unskilled users in the
steps of inserting slide or liquid specimens, focusing and ob-
serving. Moreover, in one embodiment of the microscope a stan-
dard or classical glass slide is not necessary.
According to this invention there is provided a micro- -
scope comprising a stage capable of being illuminated and defin-
ing a specimen position, a viewing aperture arranged to accept
and hold a lens, and means enabling adjustment of the distance
between the lens and stage for focusing. The microscope is fur-
ther characterized in that the lens and the stage are resiliently
joined by connecting structure means which include hand pressure
regions for stressing the connecting structure means to change
the distance between the lens and the stage in a resilient man-
ner. In its unstressed or nonfocused position, the structure
establishes a nonfocused rest relation between the lens and the
stage. The range of movement which-is permitted by stressing
the connecting structure means to a focusing positian in response
to the deflection of the hand pressure regions enables focusing
between the lens and the stage. Subsequent release of the pres-
sure enables the return by the connecting structure means of
the lens and the stage to the rest or nonfocused relation.
In prefer~ed embodiments the microscope comprises top
and bottom members extending as cantilevers from intermediate
connecting structure, one member carrying the viewing lens and
the other providing a specimen stage, at least one of the mem-
bers being resiliently deflectable toward the other about the
. . . ~ :
~L08~50~
intermediate structure to attain desired focusing.
In a first embodiment of the microscope of this inven-
tion, these top and bottom members are joined by a plastic hinge
and comprise a unit molded integrally of resilient re-sinous plas-
tic. The hinge comprises a reduced-thickness segment joining
corresponding edges of the top and bottom parts, the parts having
mutually engaging portions spaced from the hinge ! providing a
fulcrum for the deflection. The top and bottom parts are pro-
vided with hand pressure regions at points spaced from the lens
enabling motion of the parts in response to hand pressure to
translate into relatively reduced motion between the lens and
stage. Flexure points are provided in the top and bottom parts
between the pressure regions and the aperture, and these flexure
points may have openings registering with retainers for a speci-
men slide. A tapered, light-admitting aperture, having the small-
er diameter nearer the lens, serves both to reduce admission
of scattered light and to precisely locate a liquid specimen.
This first embodiment of the microscope may be further
described as being of a clamshell-like configuration comprising
a unitary molding of synthetic resinous plastic having top and
bottom members joined along a respective edge of each by a plas-
tic hinge, one of the members defining a viewing aperture and
the other defining a specimen stage and a light emitting aper-
ture. The microscope is capable of being focused by hinged move-
ment between the top and bottom members. Preferably, the top
and bottom members have a partially closed rest position, which
is achieved by permanent set of the resinous plastic. Also,
slide retainers are preferably associated with the bottom part
in a position to make them capable of entering openings in the
top part when the parts are brought toward each other.
,~
In a second embodiment of the microscope of this
invention, there is provided an initially flat blank suitable
for folding to form the microscope having a clamshell-like
configuration. The sheet is formed of a relatively rigid
material in rectangular form comprising six sections, which
are, in order, first and second top member sections, a first
connecting structure means section, first and second bottom
member sections and a second connecting structure means. The
first and second top and bottom member section are folded over
and adhered to form the top and bottom members, suitable lens
and light admitting apertures being provided. The first and
second connecting structure means sections are adhered to com-
plete the formation of the clamshell-like configuration and to
form a microscope having the characteristic~ described.
In accordance with a specific embodiment of the
first above-described embodiment, there is provided, in a
microscope unit comprising a stage capable of being illuminated
and defining a specimen position, a viewing aperture arranged
to accept and hold a lens, and means enabling adjustment of
the distance between said lens and said stage for focusing,
the improvement wherein said lens and said stage are resiliently
joined by connecting structure means which include hand pressure
regions for stressing said connecting structure means to change
the distance between said lens and said stage in a resilient
manner, in unstressed position said structure establishing a
nonfocused rest relation between said lens and said stage, the
range of movement permitted by stressing said connecting
structure means to a focusing position in response to deflection
of said hand pressure regions enabling focusing between said
lens and said stage, and release of said pressure enabling
return by said connecting structure means of said lens and said
- 3 _
5~
stage, and comprising top and bottom members extending as
cantilevers from said connecting ~tructure means, one carrying
~aid viewing aperture with said lens and the other defining
sa:Ld stage, at least one of said parts being resiliently de-
flectable toward the other about said connecting structure
means for focusing, and wherein said top and bottom members
are provided with said hand pressure regions at points spaced
from said lens in a manner whereby the motion of said members
in response to hand pressure at said regions translates into
relatively reduced motion between said lens and said stage.
The stated objects of the invention will in part be
obvious and will in part be apparent hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of
construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of
parts which will be exemplified in the constructions herein-
after set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indi-
cated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects
of the invention, reference should be had to the following
detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of
the microscope of this invention,
Figs. 2-7 are views taken re~pectively from the
top, front edge, bottom, back edge and left and right ends of
the embodiment at Fig. 1:
- 3a -
C
. . . . ~ :
108ZS()2
Fig. 8 is a top view of the microscope of Fig. 1 shown
open in the position in which it comes from the mold or as opened
for insertion of a specimen;
Fig. 9 is a partial cross-section taken on line 9-9 of
Fig. 8l
Fig. 10 is a front edge view of the microscope folded
in closed position;
Fig. 11 is a cross-section view taken on lines 11-11
of Fig. 10;
Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the microscope with
the specimen inserted, in the position of use by a student;
Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 10 but showing the
hands of the student focusing the microscope;
Figs. 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views taken on
lines 14-14 and 15-15 of Fig. 13;
Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the light admit-
ting aperture of Fig. 15 on an enlarged scale;
Fig. 17 is a plan view of a blank used in forming an-
other embodiment of the microscope of this invention;
Fig. 18 is a fragmentary plan view showing a modifica-
tion in the construction of the blank used to form the microscope;
Fig. 19 illustrates in a perspective view the steps
of folding to make the microscope of this invention from the
blank of Fig. 17;
Fig. 20 is a perspective view of the microscope in
the rest or nonfocused position; and
Fig. 21 is a perspective view of the microscope in
its stressed or focusing position.
Referring to Figs. 1-16, the first embodiment of the
microscope is shown as a unitary molding of clamshell-like con-
--4--
.. , .~, : : , ... ,.. ,~.~ ,. . .
1~)82502
figuration comprising bottom member 10 joined by living or plas-
tic hinge 12 to top member 14. ~embers 10 and 14 are of elon-
gated form, the hinge extending along their length and the join-
ing long edges of the two members. Top member 14 has a central
aperture 20 for viewing, a spherical lens 22 being mounted in
the apérture 20 by means of peripheral mounting flange 24 re-
tained in position by a resilient c-shaped spring member 26.
The bottom member has a light-admitting aperture 28 aligned with
viewing aperture 20, the aperture tapering from diameter dl to
diameter d2 over length t, (Fig. 16). Typically for a value of
t = 1/8 inch, dl may be 13/64 inch and d2 11/64 inch.
Bottom member 10 also has a pair of specimen slide
retainers 30 mounted to press a specimen slide 32 (see Fig. 8)
against stage surface 18 of the bottom member. In closed posi-
tion, referring to Fig. 12, the user grasps the clamshell micro-
scope, registers viewing aperture 20 with his eye and looks
through the assembly and light-admitting aperture 28 toward a
light source. A liquid specimen introduced into the light-ad-
mitting aperture 28, as suggested by the dropper 34 sho~n in
dotted lines in Fig. 8 and by liquid specimen S in Fig. 16, is
precisely located with respect to the lens by the cooperation
of surface tension effects and the tapered construction of the
aperture. Such a liquid drop specimen is illuminated and viewed.
Certain light rays R, non-parallel to the optical axis L, strike
the tapered wall and that portion of the light which is not ab-
sorbed is reflected to the opposite wall, thence back from the
microscope, with resultant benefit in the quality of illumina-
tion. Coarse focusin~ is achieved by moving the bottom and top
members 10 and 14 from their spread-apart position, e.g. the
_5_
.. . , -: ., .,. . , . .:: . ' :
108Z502
position shown in ~ig. 8, to their preset rest relationship,
e.g. the position of top member 14 shown in dotted lines in Fig.
11. Fine focusing is achieved by the further deflection of the
matching ends of the bottom and top members by the fingers grasp-
ing and squeezing the unit as suggested in Figs. 12-15. DetailS
of construction, now to be discussed! facilitate this action.
Referring to Figs. 8, 9 and 11, the living hinge 12 ~ ~ -
comprises a thin flexible strip of generally well-known prede-
termined form, and each edge joined by the hinge comprises a
first elongated rib 40 joined to the hinge. A second rib 42
is spaced from first rib 40 by a distance which generally corre-
sponds to the thickness of the ribs, each rib 40 being joined
to a rib 42 at the bottom by the body of the respective member
10 or 14. Excepting at their ends, the outer ribs 40 are short-
er in height by distance d (e.g. 0.010 inch) than the inner ribs
42 as shown in Fig. 9. Thus, when the top and bottom members
are pressed together as shown in the solid lines in Fig. 11,
inner ribs 42 meet at contact region A while ribs 40 do not meet
except at their extreme ends. For stabilizing the ribs, cross
ribs 44 are provided, being spaced,for example, about one inch
apart. When folded to the position of Figs. 1 and 11, the major
widths of the top and bottom members extend as cantilevers from
the region of contact A. Deflection of these cantilevers to-
wards each other is increasingly resisted by the hinge 12, the
contact region A serving as a fulcrum and the hinge being placed
under increasing tension.
Serrated finger pressing regions 50 on both extremi-
ties of both top and bottom members, as shown in Figs. 2 and
4, locate the proper position of the fingers for producing this
focusing deflection.
1~)8ZS02
Because the pressure applyin~ regions 50 are spaced
longitudinally at distance Q from the central viewing line, and
because the resilient hinge is continuous along the edge of the
top and bottom members, deflection of the r`egions 50 toward each
other results in a deflection of somewhat lesser magnitude of
the lens toward the specimen than that of the outer ends of the
top and bottom members. Thus motion of the user's fingers result
in relatively finer focusing movement of the lens toward the spec-
imen. This effect is further enhanced by cut-outs 52 and 54 in
both members 10 and 14, providing flexure points in the body of
top and bottom members 10 and 14, resulting in reduced movement
of the central portion, which carries the lens relative to that
of the extremities beyond the cut-outs. Furthermore, the increased
thickness 56 of the top member in the region of the lens, rela-
tive to the thickness of the extremities, provides further resis-
tance to deflection of the top member and reduces again the ratio
of the deflection of the lens to the deflection of the extremi-
ties 50 of the microscope.
The cut-outs 52 and 54 serve other purposes as well.
By looking downward through the cut-outs 52 in top member 14,
on either side of the aperture 20, it is possible to see the out-
lines of the specimen slide, this serving as a visual guide for
aligning the specimen slide with the viewing aperture. Further-
more, slide retainers 30, projecting integrally from the inner
rib 42 of the lower member, and serving as spring retainers for
the specimen slide 32 as viewed in Fig. 8, can, upon deflection
of parts 10 and 14 towara each other, enter the openings 52 in
the upper member. This in turn avoids concentration of detrimen-
tal force upon the specimen slide that would result if the retain-
ers were forced against the upper member.
--7--
.. , . .. ' ... .
10~3'h50Z
The size of the top and bottom members 14 and 10 isgreater than the predetermined size of the specimen slide 32,
thus allowing freedom for the specimen to be moved longitudinally
or laterally for alignment with the aperture while being retained
within the protective boundaries offered by the top and bottom
members. This protects the user from cuts and the specimen slide
from breakage.
In the embodiment of Figs. 1-16, the entire microscope
body, i.e. top and bottom members 14 and 10 and joining hinge
12, is moided as an integral unit of a suitable polymeric resin
such as polypropylene. Then, while still warm from the molding
process, the unit of Fig. 8 is folded to assume its closed con-
figuration and chilled. Thus a permanently set, partially closed
position is achieved as shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 11.
Lens 22, e.g. of 30x or 50x magnification, is then inserted, fol-
lowed by insertion of the spring retainer 26.
Typically, the top and bottom members are about 4 inches
long, 1 1/2 inches wide, and generally 1/8 inch thick. Ribs 42
extend somewhat in excess of an additional 1/8 inch from the
main body of the top and bottom members, establishing a closed
spacing between the lens and specimen in excess of 1/4 inch and
an overall thickness of the microscope in closed position of less
than one inch. Thus the microscope is readily portable.
The permanent set of the unit in partially open posi-
tion produces some resistance by the hinge before closure to par-
allelism of the top and bottom members, which is helpful to achiev-
ing focus, especially when unusually thick specimen slides are
employed. For portability the unit is slipped into an envelope
which overcomes this resistance and holds the unit compactly in
closed position.
--8--
1~:)8;~50Z : ~
Figs. 17-21 illustrate another embodiment of the micro-
scope of this invention, an embodiment which is initially formed
as a flat piece or blank of a relatively rigid material such as
cardboard, boxboard or a bendable plastic. This initial flat
blank is then folded to form the microscope having the desired
characteristics.
Fig. 17 is a plan view of the internal surface of a -
flat blank 60 divided into sections 61 and 62 used to form the
top member 63, sections 64 and 65 used to form the bottom member
66, section 67 joining top member 63 and bottom member 66, and
serving as one part of the connecting structure means, and section
68 used to form the other part of the connecting structure means.
Flat blank 60 may be constructed in one of several
ways. For example, as shown in Fig. 18, the various sections
61-68 may be separate individual pieces of cardboard, plastic
film or the like adhered on their internal surface to a continu-
ous bendable sheet material 70 such as a resin coated paper.
The sections are placed in spaced relationship, the spaces, such
as space 71 between sections 61 and 62, being of a sufficient
width to allow free bending of the sections 6i, 62 etc., relative
to each other. Alternatively, the flat blank may be formed of
a unitary piece of material as shown in Fig. 17 and the bound-
aries 72-76 between the sections may be scored or otherwise treat-
ed to permit bending of the sections as hereinafter described.
The central viewing aperture of the assembled micro-
scope includes openings 78 and 79 (normally circuIar) in sections
61 and 62 forming upper member 63. Lens 80 is affixed to either
section 61 or 62 to be concentric with either opening 78 or 79
so that when section 61 is folded through 180 to contact section
62, and is adhered thereto, openings 78 and 79 coincide and lock
lQ82502
in lens 80 to form central viewing aperture 81 (Fig. 20) corxes-
ponding to central viewing aperture 20 of Fig. 1. In like man- -
ner, the light-admitting aperture comprises openings 82 and 83
in sections 64 and 65 which, when section 65 is folded through
180 to contact section 64 and is adhered thereto, coincide to
form light-admitting aperture 84 (Fig. 20) corresponding to light-
admitting aperture 28 of Fig. 1.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the inner
surface 85 of the initial blank is coated with an adhesive 86
which may be a delayed-tack, pressure-sensitive adhesive or a so-
called cohesive adhesive covered with an easily removable release
sheet 87 whichl when pulled off, allows the microscope to be formed
as illustrated in Fig. 19. Alternatively, the inner surface of
the initial blank may be coated with an appropriate adhesive just
prior to assembly.
The external surface, i.e., that surface opposite to
the internal surface shown in Fig. 1, may have indicia (e.g., de-
signs, instructions etc.) imprinted thereon. As a final coating
on the external surface, it is preferable to have a film or layer
of a material which will release a pressure-sensitive tape through
a number of applications and removals. Thus, it is preferable
when the assembly of the microscope is complete to have the inside
surface 88 and outside surface 89 coated with a material such as
polyurethane, varnish, a film of polyethylene teraphthalate, or
the like.
In forming the microscope, section 60 is folded in-
wardly, as indicated by arrow 90a in Fig. 19, to contact and be
adhered to section 62 to form top member 63 with lens 80 firmly
held between sections 61 and 62 and positioned in central viewing
aperture 81. In like manner, section 65 is folded inwardly, as
indicated by arrow 90b to contact and be adhered to section 64
--10--
~0~502
to form bottom member 66. Finally, section 66 is folded back
as indicated by arrow 90c and adhered to section 67 to complete
formation of the connecting structure means 91. The inside sur-
face of bottom member 66 forms stage surface 92 which, as noted
above, is preferably coated with a material to which a strip of
a transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive 93 may be repeatedly
applied and removed. This permits specimens 94 which are to be
examined in the microscope to be adhered to the surface of the
pressure-sensitive adhesive which is exposed, through light-ad-
mitting aperture 84, on the outside of the assembled microscope.Thus, in this mode of operation, the cost and danger of using a
thin glass slide are eliminated. It is, however, also possible
to adhere a glass slide to stage surface 92 through the use of a
pressure-sensitive adhesive. Alternatively, a drop of liquid
for examination may be placed in light-admitting aperture 84 in
the same manner as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 16 for aperture 28.
As in the case of the embodiment of Figs. 1-16, the
embodiment of Figs. 17-21 has both an unstressed nonfocusing
position (Fig. 20) and a focusing position (Fig. 21) due to the -
resilient nature of the joining of the top and bottom member
through the connecting structure means. The top member 63 pro-
vides finger pressing regions 96 (shown only for top member 63)
which may or may not be marked as shown in Fig. 21 and the micro-
scope embodiment of Figs. 17-21 is used in the same manner as
illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13.
The embodiment of the microscope of this invention
shown in Figs. 17-21 is partlcularly suited for being printed
on containers for cutting out or for sale as a flat blank along
with a lens. It thus provides an educational toy possessing many
different applications.
-11-
.
.. , ~ . ..
- : . .. ...
.
108Z502
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above,
among those made apparent from the preceding description, are ef-
ficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the
above constructions without departing from the scope of the inven-
tion, it is intended that all matter contained in the above de-
scription or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be inter-
preted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
. -12-
