Liquid immersion microscope objective assembly and related systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10948707-B2
Application number	US-201916268447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2019
Priority date	Feb 5, 2019
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

A liquid immersion microscope objective assembly includes an objective, a liquid delivery system for delivering an immersion liquid to a lens of the objective, and a liquid return system for removing liquid from an area around the lens. The objective may be positioned below a sample container. Liquid is delivered to the lens so as to form a bolus between the lens and the sample container. Excess liquid drains into the return system, which may be done via a notch or a V-shaped channel. Additionally, the direction of flow through the delivery system may be reversed, such that liquid may also be removed from the area around the lens via the delivery system. The assembly may also be utilized to remove liquid from the underside of the sample container. The assembly may also include a leak sensor and/or an electrowetting device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An objective assembly, comprising:
an objective comprising a housing and a lens mounted at the housing, the lens comprising an outer lens surface; and
a liquid handling device mounted at the objective and configured to immerse the outer lens surface in a liquid, the liquid handling device comprising:
a rim surrounding the outer lens surface and defining a device opening through which the lens is exposed, the rim comprising a notch;
a conical portion comprising a conical surface communicating with the notch;
a delivery outlet communicating with the device opening; and
a return inlet communicating with the conical surface,

wherein:
the notch is formed to one side of the lens through which the liquid from the lens is drawn thereinto and by which the liquid is directed downward in direct contact with the notch and the conical surface to the return inlet;
the liquid handling device defines a liquid delivery path from the delivery outlet to the device opening; and
the liquid handling device defines a liquid return path from the device opening, through the notch, along the conical surface, and to the return inlet.

2. The objective assembly of claim 1 , wherein the delivery outlet surrounds the lens, and wherein the housing comprises a housing opening through which the lens is exposed, the device opening surrounds the housing opening, and the delivery outlet is an annular space defined between the housing opening and the lens opening.

3. The objective assembly of claim 1 , wherein the liquid handling device comprises a delivery passage communicating with the delivery outlet, and wherein the delivery passage comprises an annular conical space.

4. The objective assembly of claim 3 , wherein the conical portion of the liquid handling device is a first conical portion, the objective comprises a second conical portion, and the annular conical space is defined between the first conical portion and the second conical portion.

5. The objective assembly of claim 1 , wherein the liquid handling device comprises a return channel running from the notch toward the return inlet.

6. The objective assembly of claim 5 , wherein the return channel is disposed on the conical surface.

7. The objective assembly of claim 6 , wherein the conical surface is an outside surface external to the conical portion.

8. The objective assembly of claim 6 , wherein the conical surface is an inside surface internal to the conical portion.

9. The objective assembly of claim 5 , wherein the return channel has a length between the notch and the return inlet, and a width transverse to the length, and the width increases along the return channel in a direction away from the notch.

10. The objective assembly of claim 5 , wherein the liquid handling device comprises a basin communicating with the return inlet, and the return channel runs from the notch toward the basin.

11. The objective assembly of claim 1 , wherein the delivery outlet comprises a port, and the port and the notch are located at different angular positions relative to a center of the lens.

12. The objective assembly of claim 1 , wherein the notch of the liquid return path is a return notch, the rim further comprises a delivery notch, and the liquid delivery path comprises a primary flow path through the delivery notch to the device opening and a secondary flow path through the delivery outlet to the device opening.

13. The objective assembly of claim 1 , comprising a liquid leak sensor disposed on the liquid handling device.

14. The objective assembly of claim 13 , wherein the liquid leak sensor is disposed at a part of the liquid handling device located at a greater radial distance from the longitudinal axis than the conical surface.

15. The objective assembly of claim 13 , wherein the liquid handling device comprises an outer side, and the liquid leak sensor comprises an electrode disposed on the outer side.

16. A method for immersing a lens of a microscope objective with a liquid, the method comprising:
positioning the microscope objective below a sample support such that the lens and the sample support are separated by a gap, wherein the lens is surrounded by a rim defining an opening through which the lens is exposed, and the rim comprises a notch and a conical portion having a conical surface communicating with the notch;
flowing liquid to the lens to form and maintain a liquid bolus in the gap and in contact with the lens and the sample support; and
while maintaining the liquid bolus, removing liquid by flowing liquid from the lens into the notch formed to one side of the lens through which the liquid from the lens is drawn thereinto and by which the liquid is directed downward in direct contact with the notch and the conical surface to a return inlet communicating with the conical surface.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the sample support comprises a first sample container and a second sample container, and the liquid bolus is in contact with the first sample container, and further comprising:
moving at least one of the lens or the sample support relative to the other, to position the lens below the second sample container; and
while moving, continuing to flow liquid or maintain liquid to keep the lens wet.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein flowing liquid to the lens to form and maintain the liquid bolus is done at a first flow rate, and further comprising:
before or while moving, adjusting the flowing of the liquid to a second flow rate less than the first flow rate.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the liquid bolus in contact with the first sample container is a first liquid bolus, and further comprising:
after moving, forming a second liquid bolus in contact with the lens and the second sample container.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the conical surface is part of a liquid handling device, and further comprising operating a liquid leak sensor to determine whether liquid is present on a portion of the liquid handling device located at a greater radial distance from the lens than the conical surface.

21. An objective assembly, comprising:
an objective comprising a housing and a lens mounted at the housing, the lens comprising an outer lens surface; and
a liquid handling device mounted at the objective and configured to immerse the outer lens surface in a liquid, the liquid handling device comprising:
a rim surrounding the outer lens surface and defining a device opening through which the lens is exposed;
a conical portion comprising a conical surface;
a delivery outlet communicating with the device opening;
a return inlet communicating with the conical surface; and
an annular V-shaped channel communicating with the return inlet via an annular opening at a lower vertex of the annular V-shaped channel,

wherein:
the liquid handling device defines a liquid delivery path from the delivery outlet to the device opening; and
the liquid handling device defines a liquid return path from the device opening, along the conical surface, through the annular V-shaped channel, and to the return inlet.

22. The objective assembly of claim 21 , wherein the housing comprises a housing opening through which the lens is exposed, the device opening surrounds the housing opening, and the delivery outlet is an annular space defined between the housing opening and the lens opening.

Assignees

• Molecular Devices Llc

Inventors

• Lee Lawrence

Classifications

• G02B21/33 Primary

  Immersion oils {, or microscope systems or objectives for use with immersion fluids} · CPC title

• G02B21/02

  Objectives · CPC title

• G02B21/24

  Base structure · CPC title