1. An optical microscope apparatus comprising:
a microscope having a stage for mounting a specimen, a transmission-illumination optical system, and an image-forming optical system; and
a housing surrounding the microscope,
wherein the housing includes a fixed housing and a movable housing provided in such a manner as to be openable and closeable relative to the fixed housing,
wherein, among optical parts constituting the transmission-illumination optical system or the image-forming optical system, at least some optical parts disposed above the stage are movable,
wherein a switching mechanism is provided, the switching mechanism being configured to retract said some optical parts away from an optical axis of another optical system when the movable housing is disposed in an open position relative to the fixed housing and to substantially align the optical axes of both optical systems when the movable housing is disposed in a closed position,
wherein the optical microscope apparatus further comprising:
a sensor for detecting an open state or a closed state of the movable housing relative to the fixed housing; and
a control unit for controlling the position of the stage by receiving a detection signal from the sensor.
2. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching mechanism is formed by fixing said some optical parts to the movable housing.
3. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable housing is attached to the fixed housing in a slidable manner.
4. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable housing is attached to the fixed housing in a translatable manner.
5. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a microplate containing a specimen is mountable on the stage.
6. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said some optical parts are attached to the movable housing, and the transmission-illumination optical system further includes a light source, said some optical parts, and an optical fiber for transmitting illumination light from the light source to the some optical parts.
7. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the light source is attached to the fixed housing.
8. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein anti-reflection treatment for visible light is applied to the inner walls of the fixed housing and the movable housing.
9. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a light-blocking member for blocking light from entering a gap between the fixed housing and the movable housing when the movable housing is closed relative to the fixed housing.
10. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein edges of the fixed housing and the movable housing have an engaged structure when the movable housing is closed relative to the fixed housing.
11. An optical microscope apparatus comprising:
a microscope having a stage for mounting a specimen, a transmission-illumination optical system, and an image-forming optical system; and
a housing surrounding the microscope,
wherein the housing includes a fixed housing and a movable housing provided in such a manner as to be openable and closeable relative to the fixed housing,
wherein, among optical parts constituting the transmission-illumination optical system or the image-forming optical system, at least some optical parts disposed above the stage are movable,
wherein a switching mechanism is provided, the switching mechanism being configured to retract said some optical parts away from an optical axis of another optical system when the movable housing is disposed in an open position relative to the fixed housing and to substantially align the optical axes of both optical systems when the movable housing is disposed in a closed position,
wherein the optical microscope apparatus further comprising:
a sensor for detecting an open state or a closed state of the movable housing relative to the fixed housing, and
wherein the image-forming optical system further includes image-acquisition parts for acquiring an image of a specimen on the stage and a control unit for controlling the image-acquisition parts by receiving a detection signal from the sensor.
12. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the switching mechanism is formed by fixing said some optical parts to the movable housing.
13. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the movable housing is attached to the fixed housing in a slidable manner.
14. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the movable housing is attached to the fixed housing in a translatable manner.
15. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a microplate containing a specimen is mountable on the stage.
16. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said some optical parts are attached to the movable housing, and the transmission-illumination optical system further includes a light source, said some optical parts, and an optical fiber for transmitting illumination light from the light source to the some optical parts.
17. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the light source is attached to the fixed housing.
18. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 11, wherein anti-reflection treatment for visible light is applied to the inner walls of the fixed housing and the movable housing.
19. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:
a light-blocking member for blocking light from entering a gap between the fixed housing and the movable housing when the movable housing is closed relative to the fixed housing.
20. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 11, wherein edges of the fixed housing and the movable housing have an engaged structure when the movable housing is closed relative to the fixed housing.
21. An optical microscope apparatus comprising:
a microscope having a stage for mounting a specimen, a transmission-illumination optical system, and an image-forming optical system; and
a housing surrounding the microscope,
wherein the housing includes a fixed housing and a movable housing provided in such a manner as to be openable and closeable relative to the fixed housing,
wherein, among optical parts constituting the transmission-illumination optical system or the image-forming optical system, at least some optical parts disposed above the stage are movable,
wherein a switching mechanism is provided, the switching mechanism being configured to retract said some optical parts away from an optical axis of another optical system when the movable housing is disposed in an open position relative to the fixed housing and to substantially align the optical axes of both optical systems when the movable housing is disposed in a closed position,
wherein the optical microscope apparatus further comprising:
a sensor for detecting an open state or a closed state of the movable housing relative to the fixed housing;
a light source for illuminating a specimen on the stage;
and
a control unit for controlling the light source by receiving a detection signal from the sensor.
22. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the switching mechanism is formed by fixing said some optical parts to the movable housing.
23. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the movable housing is attached to the fixed housing in a slidable manner.
24. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the movable housing is attached to the fixed housing in a translatable manner.
25. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 21, wherein a microplate containing a specimen is mountable on the stage.
26. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said some optical parts are attached to the movable housing, and the transmission-illumination optical system further includes a light source, said some optical parts, and an optical fiber for transmitting illumination light from the light source to the some optical parts.
27. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the light source is attached to the fixed housing.
28. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 21, wherein anti-reflection treatment for visible light is applied to the inner walls of the fixed housing and the movable housing.
29. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:
a light-blocking member for blocking light from entering a gap between the fixed housing and the movable housing when the movable housing is closed relative to the fixed housing.
30. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 21, wherein edges of the fixed housing and the movable housing have an engaged structure when the movable housing is closed relative to the fixed housing.
31. An optical microscope apparatus comprising:
a microscope having a stage for mounting a specimen, a transmission-illumination optical system, and an image-forming optical system; and
a housing surrounding the microscope,
wherein the housing includes a fixed housing and a movable housing provided in such a manner as to be openable and closeable relative to the fixed housing,
wherein, among optical parts constituting the transmission-illumination optical system or the image-forming optical system, at least some optical parts disposed above the stage are movable,
wherein a switching mechanism is provided, the switching mechanism being configured to retract said some optical parts away from an optical axis of another optical system when the movable housing is disposed in an open position relative to the fixed housing and to substantially align the optical axes of both optical systems when the movable housing is disposed in a closed position,
wherein the optical microscope apparatus further comprising:
a sensor for detecting an open state or a closed state of the movable housing relative to the fixed housing;
a temperature regulator for regulating the temperature inside the housing;
a control unit for controlling the temperature regulator by receiving a detection signal from the sensor;
a carbon-dioxide-gas supplier for adjusting the carbon-dioxide-gas concentration inside the housing; and
a control unit for controlling the carbon-dioxide-gas supplier by receiving a detection signal from the sensor.
32. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the switching mechanism is formed by fixing said some optical parts to the movable housing.
33. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the movable housing is attached to the fixed housing in a slidable manner.
34. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the movable housing is attached to the fixed housing in a translatable manner.
35. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 31, wherein a microplate containing a specimen is mountable on the stage.
36. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said some optical parts are attached to the movable housing, and the transmission-illumination optical system further includes a light source, said some optical parts, and an optical fiber for transmitting illumination light from the light source to the some optical parts.
37. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 36 wherein the light source is attached to the fixed housing.
38. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 31, wherein anti-reflection treatment for visible light is applied to the inner walls of the fixed housing and the movable housing.
39. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising:
a light-blocking member for blocking light from entering a gap between the fixed housing and the movable housing when the movable housing is closed relative to the fixed housing.
40. The optical microscope apparatus according to claim 31, wherein edges of the fixed housing and the movable housing have an engaged structure when the movable housing is closed relative to the fixed housing.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A container comprising:
a base having a base rim forming a base channel including a bottom wall, an inner sidewall, and an outer sidewall to define a channel space, a lock projection extending into the channel space from a first portion of the base rim, and a lever projection extending substantially outwardly from a second portion of the base rim and configured to pivot about a hinge formed in the base channel, the hinge comprising a pair of pleats formed in the base channel, the pair of pleats each being formed on an opposite side of the lever projection and proximate the lever projection; and
a lid having a lid rim forming a lid channel including a bottom wall, an inner sidewall, and an outer sidewall,
the lid having a closed position in which the lid channel is aligned with and disposed at least partially within the channel space of the base channel and the lock projection disposed to resist lifting of the lid channel out of the base channel, and
the lever projection configured to pivot upon application of an external force to cause the lock projection to move out from the channel space and to urge at least a portion of the lid rim out of the base channel.
2. The container of claim 1, wherein the lock projection is disposed above the lid channel outer sidewall in the closed position.
3. The container of claim 1, wherein the lock projection is disposed on the base channel outer sidewall, the base channel inner sidewall having an inner lock projection disposed opposite the lock projection and extending into the channel space to further resist lifting of the lid channel out of the base channel in the closed position.
4. The container of claim 3, wherein the lid channel inner sidewall defines a notch to receive the inner lock projection in the closed position.
5. The container of claim 3, wherein the inner lock projection is configured to move out from the channel space when the lever projection is pivoted.
6. The container of claim 1, wherein the lock projection is formed by an undercut in the base rim.
7. The container of claim 1, wherein the lock projection is disposed beneath the at least a portion of the lid rim when in an open position to support the at least a portion of the lid rim.
8. The container of claim 1, wherein the lock projection is disposed proximate the lever projection.
9. The container of claim 1, wherein the lock projection comprises a pair of lock projection parts, each of the pair of lock projection parts being formed on an opposite side of the lever projection and proximate the lever projection.
10. The container of claim 1, wherein the lever projection is disposed at a corner of the base rim.
11. The container of claim 1, wherein the lever projection has a bottom surface to define a fulcrum about which the lever projection pivots.
12. The container of claim 11, wherein the bottom surface is arcuate.
13. The container of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the lever projection defines a recess proximate the base channel.
14. The container of claim 1, wherein a plurality of ribs are disposed on a bottom surface of the base channel bottom wall.
15. The container of claim 14, wherein the plurality of ribs extend along the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of the base channel.
16. The container of claim 1, wherein the base has a base bottom surface defining a base stacking feature, the base stacking feature being shaped to align with a lid stacking feature of a similarly shaped container.
17. The container of claim 1, wherein the lid and the base are formed of sheet plastic.