Inverted-design optical microscope

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In view of the above mentioned circumstances, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an inverted-design optical microscope simple in the formation and capable of being manufactured at a low cost wherein respective light paths can be switched by only switching a single operating handle, the switched state of each light path can be confirmed within the visual field and the levels of a stage and microscope base can be kept low.
According to the present invention, this object is attained by a formation wherein a light reflected by a first optical means including a semi-transparent prism or mirror is led to a photgraphing light path, a light having passed through the above mentioned first optical means is reflected by a second optical means set below the first optical means and is lead to an observing optical path and focusing glass corresponding respectively to the photographing light paths set in use as operatively connected with the light path switching of the above mentioned first optical means are inserted into the observing light path.
The formation wherein the second optical means leading the light from the object to be inspected to the observing light path is arranged below the first optical means leading the light to the photographing light path makes it possible to bring the photographing light path to a level high above the surface of a desk on which the microscope is to be placed.
Therefore, not only there is no restriction to the size of the camera device to be attached to the advantage but also the stage level and further the total height of the microscope can be reduced, therefore the photographing and total light amount observation can be switched to each other by a very simple operation and this kind of microscope very high in the operability as a whole can be provided at a low cost.
According to a preferred formation of the present invention, the first optical means is selected to be of a transmission factor of 10 to 40% and reflection factor of 60 to 90% and the second optical means is formed of a prism or mirror arranged as fixed so that the object can be properly photographed by the cameras