1. A method of determining the distribution of a substance in a measurement region, the substance being transferable
by means of a first optical signal (a) out of a first state in which no measurement signal is available from the substance into a measurement state in which a measurement signal is available from the substance, and
by means of a second optical signal (b) into one of the first state and a second state in which no measurement signal is available from the substance,
the method comprising:
forming a measuring front of the first and second optical signals in the measurement region, wherein intensities of the first and second optical signals, over a depth of the measuring front which is smaller than the diffraction limit at the wavelengths of the first and second optical signal, increase so steeply that a portion of the substance in the measurement state over the depth of the measuring front
increases from essentially zero due to transferring the substance by means of the first optical signal (a) out of the first state into the measurement state, and
decreases to essentially zero again due to transferring the substance by means of the second optical signal (b) into the one of the first and second states;
moving the measuring front over the measurement region in a direction opposite to the increase of the intensities of the first and second optical signals over the depth of the measuring front;
at least recording the measurement signal emitted out of the measuring front for different positions of the measuring front in the measurement region; and
assigning the recorded measurement signal to the corresponding position of the measuring front in the measurement region,
wherein the first and second optical signals have different wavelengths, and
wherein the intensities of both the first and second optical signals in the measurement region are structured in a same way.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the intensities of the first and second optical signals in the measurement region are structured by means of same optical elements.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein a distribution of the measurement signal is recorded with spatial resolution along the measuring front and assigned to the corresponding position of the measuring front in the measurement region.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring front is straight, and wherein the intensities of the first and second optical signals increasing over the depth of the measuring front are constant along the measuring front.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the measuring front is moved in two linearly independent directions over the measurement region.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring front spans over at least hundred times an diffraction limit at the wavelengths of the first and second optical signals.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring front extends over a full width of the measurement region.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement signal is recorded with temporal resolution for each position of the measuring front in the measurement region.
9. The method of claim 3, wherein the distribution of the measurement signal is recorded with a line detector aligned along the measuring front.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein a distribution of the measurement signal is recorded with a detector array covering the entire measurement region.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the intensities of the first and second optical signals increase so steeply over the measuring front that the depth of the measuring front over which the portion of the substance in the measurement state increases from essentially zero, and decreases to essentially zero again is smaller than half of the diffraction limit at the wavelengths of the first and second optical signals.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the substance emits fluorescence light in the measurement state and no fluorescence light in the one of the first and second states.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the substance is excitable for emission of fluorescence light by means of excitation light in the measurement state and not excitable for the emission of the fluorescence light by means of the excitation light in the one of the first and second states, the fluorescence light being the measurement signal.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein a resetting optical signal is applied to the substance in the measurement region over which the measuring front has been moved prior to moving the measuring front again over the measurement region.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the resetting optical signal is selected from the blue to ultraviolet wavelength range.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement region is a part of a data carrier and wherein the distribution of the substance in the measurement region is transcribed into data stored on the data carrier.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the substance is arranged in tracks arranged at a distance of at least the diffraction limit at the wavelength of the measurement signal and wherein the measuring front is aligned perpendicular to the tracks.
18. A scanning light microscope for determining the distribution of a substance in a measurement region, comprising
a light source configured to provide first and second optical signals of different wavelength,
optics configured to form a measuring front of the first and second optical signals in the measurement region,
a scanner configured to move the measuring front with regard to the measurement region, and
a detector configured to at least record a distribution of the measurement signal emitted out of the measuring front with spatial resolution along the measuring front,
wherein the optics comprise same optical elements for structuring intensity distributions of the first and second optical signals in the over the measuring front.
19. The scanning light microscope of claim 18, wherein the detector includes a line detector.
20. A method of locally initiating a conversion of a substance in a conversion region, the substance being transferable
by means of a first optical signal (a) out of first non-reactive state in which the conversion can not be initiated by a physical signal into a reactive state in which the conversion can be initiated by the physical signal, and
by means of at least one of the first and a second optical signal (b) into one of the first non-reactive state and a second non-reactive state,
the method comprising:
forming a converting front of light comprising one of the first optical signal and a combination of the first and second optical signals in the conversion area, wherein the intensity of the light, over a depth of the converting front which is smaller than the diffraction limit at the wavelength of the light, increases so steeply that a portion of the substance in the reactive state over the depth of the converting front
increases from essentially zero due to transferring the substance (a) out of the first non-reactive state into the reactive state, and
decreases to essentially zero again due to transferring the substance (b) into the one of the first and second non-reactive states;
moving the converting front over the conversion region in a direction opposite to the increase of the intensity of the light over the depth of the converting front;
applying the physical signal at least to a longitudinal part of the converting front, if the converting front is in selected positions in the conversion region.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the substance is transferred by means of the first optical signal (a) out of the first non-reactive state into the reactive state and by means of the second optical signal (b) into the one of the first and second non-reactive states, wherein the light includes both the first optical signal and the second optical signal, and wherein the intensity distributions of both the first and second optical signals in the conversion region are structured in a same way by means of same optical elements.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein the physical signal is applied with spatial resolution along the conversion front extending perpendicular to the increase of the intensity of the light.
23. The method of claim 20, wherein effector molecules are released by converting the substance.
24. The method of claim 20, wherein the conversion of the substance is reversible.
25. The method of claim 20, wherein the physical signal is a further optical signal, wherein the substance is arranged in tracks at a distance of at least the diffraction limit at the wavelength of the further optical signal, wherein the converting front is aligned perpendicular to the tracks, and wherein the further optical signal is applied at a spatial resolution differentiating between the tracks.
26. A process of determining the distribution of a substance in a measurement region, the substance being selected from a group of substances which display at least one of the following transfer properties:
the substance, by means of a first optical signal, is transferable (a) out of a first state in which no measurement signal is available from the substance into a measurement state in which a measurement signal is available from the substance,
the substance, by means of at least one of the first optical signal and a second optical signal, is transferable (b) into one of the first state and a second state in which no measurement signal is available from the substance,
the process comprising:
forming a measuring front of light comprising one of the first optical signal and a combination of the first and second optical signals in the measurement region, wherein the intensity of the light, over a depth of the measuring front which is smaller than the diffraction limit at the wavelength of the light, increases so steeply that a portion of the substance in the measurement state over the depth of the converting front displays one of the following courses
(i) an increase from essentially zero up to a saturation value due to transferring the substance (a) out of the first state into the measurement state,
(ii) a decrease from a starting value to essentially zero due to transferring the substance (b) into the one of the first and second states in which no measurement signal is available from the substance,
(iii) an increase from essentially zero due to transferring the substance (a) out of the first state into the measurement state and a decrease from back to essentially zero due to transferring the substance (b) into the one of the first and second states in which no measurement signal is available from the substance;
moving the measuring front over the measurement region in a direction opposite to the increase of the intensity of the light over the depth of the measuring front;
at least recording the measurement signal emitted out of the measuring front for different positions of the measuring front in the measurement region; and
assigning the recorded measurement signal to the corresponding position of the measuring front in the measurement region.
27. The process of claim 26, wherein a distribution of the measurement signal emitted over the depth of the measuring front is recorded at a spatial resolution along the measuring front extending perpendicular to the increase of the intensity of the light and is assigned to the corresponding positions of the measuring front in the measurement region.
28. The process of claim 26, wherein the substance by means of the first optical signal is transferable both (a) out of the first state in which no measurement signal is available from the substance into the measurement state and (b) into the second state in which no measurement signal is available from the substance, wherein the intensity of the light consisting of the first optical signal, over the depth of the measuring front which is smaller than the diffraction limit at the wavelength of the first optical signal, increases in such a way that the portion of the substance in the measurement state increases from essentially zero, due to transferring the substance (a) out of the first state into the measurement state, and decreases back to essentially zero, due to transferring the substance (b) into the second state.
29. The process of claim 28, wherein the measurement state is an excited electronic state out of which the substance spontaneously emits luminescence light, and wherein the second state is a dark state which has a lifetime longer than a measuring time over which the measurement signal is recorded for one position of the measuring front in the measurement region.
30. The process of claim 29, wherein the substance is transferred into the dark state by further exciting the substance out of the excited electronic state.
31. The process of claim 26, wherein the substance, by means of a switch-on signal\u2014is switchable out of an off-state in which the substance is not transferable into the measurement state into an on-state in which the substance is transferable into the measurement state, wherein a relative basic concentration of the substance in the on-state in the measurement region is adjusted by means of the switch-on signal.
32. The process of claim 26, wherein the first optical signal is a switch-on signal switching the substance out of the first state in which it is not excitable for emission of luminescence light into the measurement state in which it is excitable for the emission of the luminescence light and wherein an excitation signal which excites the substance in the measurement state for the emission of the luminescence light is additionally applied to the measurement region, the luminescence light being recorded as the measurement signal.
33. The process of claim 26, wherein the measuring front is straight.
34. The process of claim 26, wherein the measuring front spans at least hundred times the diffraction limit at the wavelength of the light of which the measuring front is formed.
35. The process of claim 26, wherein the measuring front covers a full width of the measurement region.
36. The process of claim 26, wherein the measurement signal is recorded at a temporal resolution for each position of the measuring front in the measurement region.
37. The process of claim 26, wherein the distribution of the measurement signal emitted over the depth of the measuring front is recorded with a line detector aligned in width direction of the measuring front.
38. The process of claim 26, wherein the distribution of the measurement signal out of the entire measurement region is recorded with a detector array.
39. The process of claim 26, wherein the intensity of the light increases over a depth of the measuring front which is smaller than half of the diffraction limit at the wavelength of the light so that the transfer of the substance (a) into the measurement state increases from essentially zero and the transfer of the substance (b) out of the measuring state into the one of the first and second states increases to essentially completely.
40. The process of claim 26, wherein the measuring front is moved in at least two linearly independent directions over the measurement region, wherein the distribution of the measurement signal emitted over the depth of the measuring front is recorded with spatial resolution along the measuring front.
41. The process of claim 40, wherein the substance in the measurement region over which the measuring front has already been moved is subjected to a resetting optical signal prior to moving the measuring front again over the measurement region.
42. The process of claim 41, wherein the resetting optical signal is an optical signal of the blue to ultraviolet wavelength range.
43. The process of claim 26, wherein the substance is arranged in tracks at a distance of at least a diffraction limit at the wavelength of the measurement signal and wherein the measuring front is aligned perpendicular to the tracks.
44. The process of claim 43, wherein the distribution of the substance in the tracks is determined for reading information from a data carrier comprising the tracks.
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 transmission housing for a tool carrier the transmission housing having an integral construction comprising:
a bottom wall;
first and second side walls secured to said bottom wall;
first and second power drive cases, the first power drive case defined in combination with the first side wall and the second power drive case being defined in combination with the second side wall, said power drive cases each comprising a housing having a case wall forming an enclosed chamber with the respective side wall and the bottom wall and bring sealingly joined to the respective side wall and bottom wall,
wherein the sealingly joining of the respective side walls and bottom wall to the case walls being selected from the group consisting of formed corners from a single panel, and welding to enclose a chamber for each of the power drive cases; and
rear members closing the chamber of each of the power drive cases at rear ends thereof comprising a support arm mounted to each power drive case, each support arm having a portion fitting into a respective chamber of the respective power drive case, and being welded around a periphery of the respective power drive case to secure the support arm to the respective power drive case and to seal the rear end of the chamber of each of the power drive cases.
2. The transmission housing of claim 1 and a front member comprising a front wall that extends between the side walls of the transmission housing and the front wall being welded to the side wall, bottom wall and case walls.
3. The transmission housing of claim 1, wherein a plurality of axle housings are supported on each of the side walls of the transmission housing and extend laterally outwardly therefrom, the axle housings passing through the side walls into the chambers of the respective power drive cases on opposite sides of the transmission housing, and terminating within the respective power drive case chambers, the axle housings being welded to the side walls.
4. The transmission housing of claim 3, wherein there are four axle housings supported on the transmission housing, the axle housings comprising axle tubes laterally aligned in two pairs for mounting four axles.
5. The transmission housing of claim 4, wherein each of the axle tubes is supported relative to the respective side wall with supports welded to an exterior of the transmission housing side walls and welded to the respective axle tube at a location spaced outwardly from the respective side wall of the transmission housing.
6. The transmission housing of claim 4, and tubular members adjacent at least a pair of axle tubes, one on each side of the transmission housing, the tubular members extending across a respective power drive case chamber, and outer surfaces of the tubular members being sealed with respect to the power drive case walls and side walls to provide a passage from an interior of the transmission housing across the respective power drive case of the transmission housing to exterior sides of the transmission housing.
7. The transmission housing of claim 3, wherein a separate cross drive shaft extends across the chamber of each power drive case, and an inner bearing carrier welded to interior sides of each of the respective power drive cases on an interior of the transmission housing, each inner bearing carrier having a first bearing mounting a first portion of the respective cross drive shaft, and an outer bearing carrier mounted on an exterior of each of the side walls, each outer bearing carrier having a second bearing supporting a second portion of the respective cross drive shaft, each cross drive shaft having at least one drive member thereon between the first and second bearings for driving an axle supported on an axle housing on the transmission housing.
8. The transmission housing of claim 7, wherein said cross drive shafts each have a pair of drive members, and drive links drivably engaging the drive members on each cross drive shaft and extending in opposite directions from the respective cross drive shaft toward a front and a rear of the transmission housing, respectively, the drive links being drivably engaged with driven members on respective front and rear axles mounted in the axle housings.
9. The transmission housing of claim 7, wherein said inner bearing carriers each have portions that engage a respective inner power drive case wall and spaced flanges extending across the respective power drive case, and the flanges having ends that abut against an inner surface of an adjacent side wall, said flanges being spaced apart and on opposite sides of the respective cross drive shaft.
10. The transmission housing of claim 9, wherein said outer bearing carriers on the exterior of said side walls, and the flanges of the inner bearing carriers have mating dowels extending into both the flanges and the respective outer bearing carrier for aligning the second bearing carried by the respective outer and bearing carrier with the first bearing carried by the associated inner bearing carrier.
11. A transmission housing for a tool carrier, said transmission housing having at least one power drive case adjacent a side of the transmission housing, a drive assembly in the at least one power drive case including a cross drive shaft extending across the power drive case, said cross drive shaft having an inner drive shaft carrier on an interior wall of the power drive case, and having an outer drive shaft carrier mounted on an exterior of a first side wall of the transmission housing forming a wall of the power drive case, said cross drive shaft extending through an opening of the first side wall, a first bearing carried by the inner drive shaft carrier supporting a first portion of the cross drive shaft, a second bearing carried by the outer drive shaft carrier supporting a second portion of the cross drive shaft, and at least one drive member on the cross drive shaft positioned in the power drive case for driving drive components for powering ground drives for a tool carrier with which the transmission housing is used.
12. The transmission housing of claim 11, and a shaft drive coupled to an end of the cross drive shaft supported by the inner drive shaft carrier.
13. The transmission housing of claim 11, wherein said power drive case interior wall is substantially parallel to the first side wall of the transmission housing, the interior wall having an opening therein, and the inner drive shaft carrier having a pair of flanges that pass through the opening on the interior wall and which abut against an inner surface of the first side wall of the transmission housing, the outer drive shaft carrier being removably supported on an exterior of the first side wall of the transmission housing, said outer drive shaft carrier covering an opening in the first side wall of size to permit the cross drive shaft and drive member thereon to pass through the opening in the first side wall.
14. The transmission housing of claim 11, wherein the transmission housing has a pair of power drive cases, one on each side of the transmission housing, and wherein each of the power drive cases has a cross shaft supported on inner and outer drive shaft carriers.
15. The transmission housing of claim 14, wherein said transmission housing is an all welded and formed integral construction, and includes a bottom wall and two side walls to form parts of exterior sides of the power drive cases, and wherein the power drive cases have a generally rectangular cross section and include top and bottom walls, the power drive case walls having edge portions that mate with other walls of the transmission housing, and wherein the power drive case walls are welded to the other walls to enclose and seal junctions between all walls forming the power drive cases.
16. A transmission housing for a tool carrier, the transmission housing having first and second spaced side walls; first and second power drive cases, the first power drive case being adjacent the first side wall and the second power drive case being adjacent the second side wall, the power drive cases each being between the first and second spaced side walls, the power drive cases forming interior chambers and having rear end openings, and a support arm mounted in rear portions of each of the first and second power drive cases, each support arm having a portion fitting into a respective interior chamber of the respective power drive case and being welded to the respective power drive case to secure the support arms and to seal the rear end openings of the interior chambers of the power drive cases, the support arms having support portions extending rearwardly of the power drive cases for supporting members mounted on the transmission housing.
17. The transmission housing of claim 16, wherein the support arms extend rearwardly of the support portions formed thereon, and a rear pan secured to the support arms, the rear pan extending under the support arms and being secured to the transmission housing.
18. The transmission housing of claim 17 further comprising a cross support tube pivotally mounted on the support portions of the support arms, a pair of upright arms secured to a cross support tube to form portions of a tool carrier.
19. The transmission housing of claim 18 further comprising lift arms pivotally mounted on upper ends of the upright arms.
20. A transmission housing for a tool carrier the transmission housing having an integral construction comprising:
a bottom wall;
first and second side walls secured to said bottom wall;
first and second power drive cases, the first power drive case defined in combination with the first side wall and the second power drive case being defined in combination with the second side wall, said power drive cases each comprising a housing having a case wall forming an enclosed chamber with the respective side wall and the bottom wall and bring sealingly joined to the respective side wall and bottom wall,
the sealingly joining of the respective side walls and bottom wall to the case walls being selected from the group consisting of formed corners from a single panel, and welding to enclose a chamber for each of the power drive cases;
wherein a plurality of axle housings are supported on each of the side walls of the transmission housing and extend laterally outwardly therefrom, the axle housings passing through the side walls into the chambers of the respective power drive cases on opposite sides of the transmission housing, and terminating within the respective power drive case chambers, the axle housings being welded to the side walls;
wherein a separate cross drive shaft extends across the chamber of each power drive case, and an inner bearing carrier welded to interior sides of each of the respective power drive cases on an interior of the transmission housing, each inner bearing carrier having a first bearing mounting a first portion of the respective cross drive shaft, and an outer bearing carrier mounted on an exterior of each of the side walls, each outer bearing carrier having a second bearing supporting a second portion of the respective cross drive shaft, each cross drive shaft having at least one drive member thereon between the first and second bearings for driving an axle supported on an axle housing on the transmission housing;
wherein said inner bearing carriers each have portions that engage a respective inner power drive case wall and spaced flanges extending across the respective power drive case, and the flanges having ends that abut against an inner surface of an adjacent side wall, said flanges being spaced apart and on opposite sides of the respective cross drive shaft; and
wherein said outer bearing carriers on the exterior of said side walls, and the flanges of the inner bearing carriers have mating dowels extending into both the flanges and the respective outer bearing carrier for aligning the second bearing carried by the respective outer and bearing carrier with the first bearing carried by the associated inner bearing carrier.
21. A transmission housing for a tool carrier the transmission housing having an integral construction comprising:
a bottom wall;
first and second side walls secured to said bottom wall;
first and second power drive cases, the first power drive case defined in combination with the first side wall and the second power drive case being defined in combination with the second side wall, said power drive cases each comprising a housing having a case wall forming an enclosed chamber with the respective side wall and the bottom wall and bring sealingly joined to the respective side wall and bottom wall,
the sealingly joining of the respective side walls and bottom wall to the case walls being selected from the group consisting of formed corners from a single panel, and welding to enclose a chamber for each of the power drive cases;
wherein a plurality of axle housings are supported on each of the side walls of the transmission housing and extend laterally outwardly therefrom, the axle housings passing through the side walls into the chambers of the respective power drive cases on opposite sides of the transmission housing, and terminating within the respective power drive case chambers, the axle housings being welded to the side walls;
wherein there are four axle housings supported on the transmission housing, the axle housings comprising axle tubes laterally aligned in two pairs for mounting four axles; and
tubular members adjacent at least a pair of axle tubes, one on each side of the transmission housing, the tubular members extending across a respective power drive case chamber, and outer surfaces of the tubular members being sealed with respect to the power drive case walls and side walls to provide a passage from an interior of the transmission housing across the respective power drive case of the transmission housing to exterior sides of the transmission housing.