Leica ERGO User Manual

Success is a question
of attitude

ErgoHandbook™

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd

Contents

Section

The purpose of this handbook 1

What do you mean by ergonomics ? 2

Ergonomics applied to improving microscopy workstations 3

Ergonomics, illustrations and tables 4

Assessment of the workplace 5

Why invest in ergonomics? 6

Dimensions with Leica ergonomics modules 7

Want to know more about ergonomics? 8

Agencies 9

Questionnaire about the ergonomic arrangement
of the workplace 10

Current publicity material 11

– Fax order form

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 1 – The purpose of this handbook 1

1. The purpose of this handbook

For an employee to feel "at home" while at work,
ergonomic (human-engineered) workstations
and work sequences are essential. They increa­se motivation and lead to improved performan­ce. Ergonomics, properly applied, brings higher
productivity and increased profits.

Any works doctor with experience in this field
will tell you that workstations equipped with
optical instruments can bring with them a host of
medical problems, particularly as regards postu­ral strain and eyestrain. The ergonomics of video
display terminals have been widely discussed in
the press, but it is less well known that worksta­tions which include a microscope put consider­ably higher demands on the user.

The intention of this handbook is to make you
more familiar with the importance of ergonomic
microscopy workstations and with their advan­tages, to set out the basic principles of ergono­mics, and to show you how to arrange your
workstation to ensure minimum stress. Leica
has given more thought than any other stereo­microscope manufacturer to this subject and
has introduced the world's widest range of
ergonomic accessories. This fact gives Leica a
considerable advantage, particularly in view of
the increasing strictness with which the pro­duct-liability laws are being applied (see inset).

Ignoring or neglecting basic ergonomic rules can cost plenty.
Government sources in the USA put a price label of a hundred
thousand million dollars on the annual cost to the U.S. eco­nomy of unsatisfactory ergonomics. Escalating claims for
damages are pushing the authorities to introduce legislation.
In a widely-publicized legal case, three female employees suc­cessfully sued the manufacturer of their computer keyboards
for damages running into millions of dollars. Working at the
keyboard had caused damage to the fingers, the wrist and the
arm. This verdict affects not only the computer industry, but
also other industrial activities. Many manufacturers will now
have to come to grips with ergonomic facts and to introduce
appropriate measures, because the Brooklyn court declared
industry to be liable for the damage caused by its products.
This specific legal case, together with calculations showing
that injury due to repetitive movement is costing the U.S. health
organizations $20,000 million a year , have driven the authorities
to force the introduction of ergonomic product design by
means of appropriate legislation. In November 1996, California
became the first state in the USA to introduce a law to this
effect.

from USA TODAY, 9. January 1997

An actual example

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 1 – The purpose of this handbook2

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 2 – What do you mean by ergonomics? 1

2. What do you mean by
ergonomics?

The term ‘Ergonomics’ is derived from the Greek words ergos meaning "work" and nomos meaning "natural laws of" or "study of".

‘ergon’= work and ‘nomos’= according to statutes

Ergonomics investigates and analyzes the relationship between
people and their work, with the aim of improving the performance
of the entire work system and of reducing the negative impact on
the individual. Industrial ergonomics involves the systematic
technical equipping of workplaces and the effect on the person
working there. It is the task of ergonomics to derive rules for
fitting the task to the person.

Human engineering and
ergonomics

Starting with the foundations laid by the work of
Taylor in the field of scientific business manage­ment, the science of "human factors" or "human
engineering" has arisen, and is well established
in Europe and in the USA. This new science is in
harmony with the mechanistic views of the 19th
century, which claim that the laws of classical
physics can be applied to all natural pheno­mena, including human life (refer in this connec­tion to Releaux and to the psychophysics of
Fechner).

Core definition of human engineering according
to the German "Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissen­schaft"

Human engineering is the systematic analysis,
ordering and arrangement of the technical,
organizational and social conditions relating to
work processes. Its purpose is to ensure that
employees engaged in productive and efficient
work processes

• work under safe, achievable conditions,

• see that appropriate social standards regar­ding work content, work analysis, work envi­ronment, remuneration and cooperation are
being met,

• have room for manoeuvre, have the opportuni­ty to learn and, in cooperation with others, can
preserve and further develop their personali­ties.

This "ergonomic wheel diagram" includes all of the factors which affect the well­being of the employee and which therefore impact on the profitability of the
business. The individual and the task are at the centre. The inner circle (activities)
includes the dynamic ergonomic processes which directly affect the fields in the
outer circle (reaction).

Diagram from: Ergonomics, a success factor for every organization.
Swiss Accident Insurance (SUVA)

Human /

task

Safety at work

Economics

Health protection

Motivation

Human

Work

environ-

ment

Work
content

Work
organization

Work-

place

Well-being at

the workplace

Good

results

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 2 – What do you mean by ergonomics?2

In 1857, the Polish investigator Wojciech
Jastrzebowski coined the word "ergonomics" to
denote a branch of science covering certain
aspects of man-machine interaction, but the
term did not become generally accepted at that
time.

In 1949, scientific co-workers of Murell re-intro­duced the word to denote a new branch of
science researching the capabilities and
properties of humans when using technical
equipment. The stated purpose was to establish
facts enabling proposals to be formulated for the
design of tools, instruments and machines. The
roots of this research originated during the
Second World War, when both the Allies and the
Germans carried out investigations which were
considered to be so important that they should
be applied to civilian activities.

The main task of ergonomics is to reduce the
stress on the human operator while improving
the performance of the entire work system.
These goals are achieved by analyzing the task,
the working environment and the interplay
between human and machine. (Schmidtke,

1993).

Human engineering is multidisciplinary. It deri­ves its basic principles from the human scien­ces, from engineering, from economics and from
the social sciences. It includes the disciplines of
medicine, psychology, teaching, technology and
law insofar as they all relate to occupational
aspects, and it also embraces industrial socio­logy. Each of these disciplines is concerned with
human work as seen from the point of view of
the particular aspect science. For the purposes
of practical applicability, this basic knowledge is
combined into what are known as praxeologies
(practical aspects). Of these, organization
theory is primarily social-centred; it provides the
guidelines for organization and for working
groups, whereas ergonomics is more engineer­ing-centred and has the goal of providing guide­lines for the technical planning of workplaces
and tools (Luczak and Volpert, 1987).

Free translation of an extract from the brochure of the
Institute for Ergonomics, Technical University, Munich,
Germany
http://www.lfe.mw.tu-muenchen.de/wasist.html

References

Bubb, H. und Schmidtke, H.:
Systemstruktur. In H. Schmidtke
(Hrsg.): Ergonomie.
Hilf, H.: Einführung in die
Arbeitswissen­schaft.
Luczak, H., Volpert, W., Raithel, A. &
Schwier, W.: Arbeitswissenschaftliche
Kerndefinition, Gegenstandskatalog,
Forschungsgebiete.

Human engineering and its constituents

Theoretical aspects

Human sciences
– Medicine

– Psychology
– Sociology
– Teaching

Engineering
– Physics

– Construction
– Measurement and

control technology

Economics and
social science
– Economics
– Law

Ergonomics.
Oriented to engineering.
Guidelines for planning tools and
workstations.
Organization of work.

Oriented to the social sciences.
Guidelines for planning operations
and working groups.

Human engineering

Practical aspects

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 3 – Ergonomics applied to improving microscopy workstations 1

3. Ergonomics applied to
improving microscopy

workstations

Ergonomics is just a craze. Ergonomics in the
workplace is only a luxury, something for lazy
and difficult people.

Prejudices like these still crop up now and
again. They are based on false information or on
ignorance, because it has been long confirmed
by many investigations in occupational medicine
the world over that ergonomics, scientifically
applied in the workplace, directly affects not
only the individual well-being of employees, but
also their performance and therefore the profits
of the business.

Workstations equipped with optical aids such as
the microscope make seeing easier, but when
used continuously for many hours a day they
place enormous demands on the eyes, the mus­culo-skeletal system and the powers of
concentration (see fig. 2, section 4). These
demands are considerably greater than those
associated with VDUs, but the latter have recei­ved much greater publicity. The present section
is directed primarily towards users of optical
aids and to those responsible for procuring and
installing microscopy workstations. It includes
suggestions for reducing the health risk by
means of:

• ergonomic instruments

• ergonomic workstations

• variety within the work process

• the introduction of work breaks

• appropriately-qualified personnel

• training for users

• problem-awareness in the user.

People are very different

There are tall and short people, some slimmer
than others. This makes workplace require­ments into a personal matter. For example, the
existing height of a microscope equipped for a
certain task with accessories and with a parti­cular working distance may be quite unsuitable
for the specific user . Aches and pains, and redu­ced performance, are inevitable. If the viewing
height is too low, the observer will be forced to
bend forward while working, with resulting mus­cular tension in the neck region. In the ideal
microscope, therefore, the viewing height and
the viewing angle should be adjustable to the
build of the user. In addition, a variable viewing
height is the best way to prevent an entirely­sedentary posture (see fig. 1, section 4). It per­mits the observer to adopt a personal sitting
posture and to change it periodically in accor­dance with the natural urge to shift around from
time to time. It is true that the height of the chair
can be altered so that a relaxed, slightly-bent
posture is substituted for the previous rigidly­upright one (see fig. 3, section 4), but this is not
the best approach. It is much simpler and more
comfortable to use a variable binocular tube in
order to compensate for the height difference.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 3 – Ergonomics applied to improving microscopy workstations2

Dynamic sitting reduces to a
minimum the stresses placed
on the back muscles, putting a
stop to the decrease in perfor­mance and staving off the
onset of fatigue (see fig. 4, sec­tion 4).

All controls ready at hand

Two conditions must be met for frequently-used
controls such as the zoom and focus to be used
comfortably. Firstly, these controls must be as
far down as possible on the microscope and
secondly, it must be possible to operate them
with the forearms supported and the shoulders
relaxed. To avoid unnecessary stress to the
shoulder girdle, the need to stretch out the arms
too far should be avoided. Ergonomically, this
means that the best posture is with the arms
horizontal or sloping slightly downwards, and
with the hands resting on their edges. The drive
knobs should be neither too slack nor too tight;
ideally, their ease of movement should be adju­stable to individual requirements. For higher
magnifications there should be a fine-focus
mechanism.

About the chair and the table

Ergonomics at the workplace naturally relates
not only to the instrument itself, but also to the
chair and table which are used. The limited
adjustment possibilities of the instrument itself
can accommodate the finer ergonomic tuning,
but first the chair and table must be chosen and
arranged so as to meet the more basic ergono­mic requirements. Their height and their tilt must
ensure that the whole person, from head to foot,
including back, head, arms, hands and legs, can
sit and work in the best possible posture.
Because microscopical observation generally
extends over a considerable period of time, and
requires great concentration, the posture is
decisive. In general, the ideal in terms of relaxed
and comfortable sitting is offered by a microsco­py table with adjustable height and which offers
a sufficiently-large surface on which to rest the
hands, combined with a chair which is adapta­ble to the build of the user and which should
have a tall backrest tiltable backwards by up to
30° (see fig. 6, 7, section 4). If the task requires
the user to lean forwards, this forward tilt should
not exceed 20°.

Special arm- and hand supports

To carry out the fine movements required to
position, manipulate and prepare objects, sup­port should be provided by arm- and handrests
which have no sharp edges. The base of the
microscope stand itself can be designed to pro­vide this support. The elbow joint should not be
supported. It is also important that ancillary tools
such as soldering irons are designed adequate­ly; they should not be too heavy, and neither
should they force the hand to adopt an unfavou­rable position.

About the optical systems

The literature of occupational medicine contains
the results of numerous investigations into
eyestrain resulting from microscopical observa­tion. A discussion of this aspect requires a spe­cialized knowledge of the properties of optical
instruments and of illumination technology, and
is outside the scope of the present handbook.
One important fact is however this: An
elaborate lens system is more expensive, but in
the long term it pays off because it protects the
eyes and reduces fatigue. High-quality micros­copes have optical and mechanical properties
which simple instruments cannot offer.
Examples are parfocality, which eliminates the
constant need to refocus; and plano objectives,
which produce an image which is sharp right to
the edge and not (as with simpler objectives)
either in the middle or in the peripheral area.

The eyepiece: right next to the user

In every microscope, the eyepieces have a very
important function, because they represent the
visual interface to the user. Wide-field eyepie-

ces for spectacle wearers, and
with dioptric correction and
adjustable eyepieces, are particu­larly recommended. "Wide field"
means that these eyepieces show
a larger area of the object at any
one time, which makes long-term
observation more effective on
account of easier navigation and

because the eye does not need to
adapt so much. Eyepieces for spectacle wea­rers have a high eyepoint, well away from the
eyelens of the eyepiece, and so present the opti­on of working with spectacles or without. The
eyecups keep out stray light from the side, and
prevent disturbing reflections on the eyelens.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 3 – Ergonomics applied to improving microscopy workstations 3

A few words about the work environment

Performance and work satisfaction depend not
only on the ergonomics of the workstation, but
also on the position of that workstation within
the room. Temperature, humidity, light, noise,
vibration and pollutants all have an immediate
effect on the well-being and productivity of
operators. For example, matching the room
brightness and the microscope-field brightness
to one another makes a major contribution to
reducing strain on the eyes. The illumination
provided by these sources should be uniform,
and moderately bright. Avoid reflections, flicke­ring and dazzling; all of these can result in pre­mature fatigue.

Pauses for thought

Variety is the spice of life. In this context, job
rotation is a good way of avoiding muscular pro­blems. It is a good idea to alternate frequently
between various different microscopical tasks
and, if possible, to intersperse these tasks with
others which do not require the microscope. If
these options are not available, the daily wor­king hours at the microscope should be restric­ted and the operator encouraged to take fre-

quent breaks of appropriate
length. It is known that eyes
and muscles can recover
quickly under these conditions.
If these deliberate breaks in
work are accompanied by phy­sical exercises, work takes on
a new dimension.

Microscopy is not for everybody

Those who work at the microscope carry a high
responsibility, whether they are in the research
laboratory or in industrial quality assurance. A
lot is expected of their expertise, their powers of
concentration and their attention to detail.
Microscope operators need to be selected part­ly on the basis of their eyesight and of the capa­bilities of their musculo-skeletal systems. Fine
work with the stereomicroscope needs good

eyes and steady hands. The tendency to tremb­ling is an important example; it depends on indi­vidual makeup, on health and on age. Persons
with back problems, arthritis, sinovial inflamma­tion, carpal syndrome or peripheral circulation
problems are likely to have considerable
problems. Difficulties are also to be expected
with overweight persons, because the distance
between the eye and the eyepiece cannot be
changed.

More training means less troubles

The more demanding the task, the more compre­hensive the training required for it. Thorough
instruction for working with the microscope
should include ergonomic aspects, work plan­ning and optical considerations. Continuous
monitoring and advice from the field of occupa­tional medicine are also very important. The key
to minimizing bodily and optical difficulties in
microscopical work is to know, and to practise ­to know what can be done to arrange and orga­nize a workstation as well as possible, to apply
that knowledge, and to repeatedly practise rou­tine microscope adjustments such as dioptric
setting, focusing, and the resetting of the illumi­nation, until they become second nature.

A healthy approach brings success

The life style and personal attitudes of the indivi­dual affect the subjective perception of stress.
Too little sleep, the taking of medicines and the
use of coffee, tobacco and alcohol, can all redu­ce the visual power. They can all lead to an
increase in hand tremor, as can energetic sport
immediately before working with the microsco­pe. On the other hand, regular and reasonable
exercise in the form of sport during leisure time
is to be encouraged as a means of improving
health generally and of preventing the deteriora­tion of muscles and joints.

To summarize:

Ergonomics is not a slogan; it is a fundamental
theme which relates to the well-being of the
individual when at work. If basic ergonomic
principles are followed during the creation of
microscopical workstations, health problems
are less likely to arise. As many as possible of
the parameters involved need to be matched to
one another so that the individual can work pro­ductively and without making mistakes, and so
that eyes and muscles are not overtaxed. Each
person has a different bodily build, and each
activity has its own specific requirements.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 3 – Ergonomics applied to improving microscopy workstations4

Consequently every workstati­on must be considered separa­tely and equipped individually.
The assessment needs to be
repeated at regular intervals.
The optimization process
covers not only the workstation
itself, but also the content and organization of
the work, and the optical aid itself. To implement
these points successfully, the person respon­sible needs a sound specialized knowledge of
the physiology of vision and of body motoricity.

Finally, it must be emphasized that the initial high
capital outlay invested in ergonomic workplaces
and tooling pays for itself very quickly and brings
long-term benefits for all concerned - through
better performance, a higher-quality end pro­duct, and a lower failure rate.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 4 – Ergonomics, illustrations and tables 1

4. Ergonomics, illustrations
and tables

Diagrams from: Physiologische Arbeitsgestaltung, Etienne Grandjean.

Dynamic and static exertion

- Dynamic exertion is characterized by rhythmic tensioning and
relaxation. The blood circulation is enhanced, particularly in the
muscles, and waste products are washed away. Dynamic exer­tion can be continued for very long periods at an appropriate
rhythm before the first signs of fatigue appear.

- Static exertion (microscopy is an example) is characterized by
tensioning of the muscles over long periods. The blood circula­tion is at a low level. Little or no sugar or oxygen is supplied to
the muscles. Waste products are not washed away; instead
they trigger the pain of muscle fatigue. For this reason, we can­not tolerate static exertion for very long without introducing
some movement.

Fig .1

The effect of dynamic exertion on blood circulation in the muscles is

analogous to that of a motor pump. By contrast, static exertion leads to

restriction of the blood circulation.

Bodily complaints

Static exertion and inappro­priate planning of the workpla­ce lead to an increased inci­dence of back trouble and of
pain in the neck, shoulders,
knees and feet.

Fig. 2

Bodily complaints resulting from a

sedentary posture

Contraction Relaxation

Direction of blood flow

Restriction of blood flow

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 4 – Ergonomics, illustrations and tables2

Sitting upright, sitting relaxed

– Sitting upright tensions the back muscles.
– With a relaxed sitting posture, with the body

leaning slightly forwards, the weight of the
trunk is in equilibrium and over the long term
the back muscles are used less.

Fig. 3

Sitting upright, sitting relaxed

Pressure on intervertebral disks

– When the trunk is relaxed and

inclined slightly backwards, the pressure on
the intervertebral disks is minimized.

– The pressure on the intervertebral disks is less

for backrests which are convex in the lumbar
region than it is for straight ones.

Fig. 4

The influence of various sitting postures on the pressure

applied to intervertebral disks.

Lumbar vertebrae L3/L4. Mpa = 10.2kp/cm2

Back relaxed

Writing position

Work at the typewriter

Lifting

Pressure on intervertebral disks L3/L

4

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 4 – Ergonomics, illustrations and tables 3

Body dimensions

To ensure a natural posture (position of trunk,
arms and legs) it is essential to match the work­place to the build of the individual, and for this
purpose it is necessary to know body dimen­sions. The extreme range of body dimensions
displayed among members of different sexes
and races, and among individuals within a cate­gory, presents great difficulties in this respect.

Fig. 5

Average values for the body dimensions of individuals

within one Swiss industrial organization.

Chair and table

A tall backrest, slightly concave towards the
top and markedly convex in the lumbar region,
provokes less muscular tension, subjects the
intervertebral disks to a minimum of pressure,
and causes the minimum of back problems.

Fig. 6

Favourable dimensions for chairs, tables and footrests

Fig. 7

If the backrest is tilted slightly backwards

(by about 25° to 30°),

the pressure on the intervertebral disks

is minimized.

Length of forearm
and hand together

Men 47.5
Women 43.8

Length of upper arm

Men 36.3
Women 33.7

Back of knee to sole
of foot

Men 45.4
Women 37.4

Back of knee
to spine

Men 46.8
Women 46.6

Knee height

Men 52.5
Women 47.1

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 4 – Ergonomics, illustrations and tables4

Angle of observation

The working area which is constantly inspected
with the eyes must be positioned so that the
observer has a comfortable head posture. An
angle of observation which is inclined too
steeply upwards or downwards will cause neck
fatigue in due course.

Fig. 8

Favourable angle of observation

Posture

An observation tube with variable viewing can
be matched to the build of the user, who can
then change position at intervals while working
(dynamic sitting).

Fig. 9

Relaxed body and head, arms comfortably

supported, adequate space for the legs,

good use of the chair.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 4 – Ergonomics, illustrations and tables 5

Monotonous work

Monotony is the reaction of a person to conditions which exhibit little change and offer little stimulation. Examples
are easy activities which extend over a long period, or a situation which changes only very occasionally. The main
symptoms of monotony are fatigue, sleepiness, apathy, and decreasing alertness.

Monotonous repetitive work as seen from the viewpoint of various sciences

As seen by Possible consequences

Medicine Atrophy of mental and physical organic systems
Occupational physiology Monotony; risk of mistakes and accidents
Occupational psychology Decrease in work satisfaction
Ethics Obstacle to self-development
Human engineering Increased absenteeism, increased difficulties in recruiting personnel

Precision work

Work beneath the microscope requires rapid and small muscle contractions, coordination and precision in muscle
movements, concentration, and visual inspection.

Making procedures easier during precision work

Procedure Measures taken

Perception Work accompanied by visual inspection.

Optimization of visual inspection procedure.
Clear understanding of task.
Adequate light and colour.

Alertness Screening-out of distractions. Protection against noise.

Clear arrangement of workplace.
Logical organization of work.

Sequence of movements Work rhythms.

Only one operation at any one time.
Ergonomic arrangement of working area.
Optimization of work operations.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 4 – Ergonomics, illustrations and tables6

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program 1

5. Assessment of the workplace

Quality is the starting-point for
ergonomics

•

Leica possesses the ISO 9001 certificate,
which confirms that quality management and
quality systems are of a very high level.

•

A high standard of quality and reliability ensu­res that the stringent demands imposed by
product-liability regulations are met, helps to
minimize risks, and leads to a reduction in
costs.

•

A high level of functionality, absolute reliabili­ty and long life, even under extreme conditi­ons, lead to a reduction in future investment
costs.

•

Comprehensive user-friendly product docu­mentation, didactically structured and in
accordance with product-liability require­ments, simplifies and shortens the training
period, helps to answer queries arising during
the use of the product, and provides confiden­ce.

•

The presence of a Leica customer service in
more than 100 countries ensures competent
advice and quick service.

Leica

ISO 9001

TQM

Minimizing the strain placed on the stereomicroscope user by the
static posture has long been one of our most important goals. The
user of a Leica stereomicroscope has access to the world's grea­test variety of binocular tubes and ergonomics modules, and can
therefore adopt the most comfortable sitting posture and change
this at any time. Compulsion to use one pre-ordered posture is
superseded by a dynamic and less stressful sitting position.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program2

Leica Design

by Ernest Igl/Christophe Apothéloz

The optical system, the basis for
ergonomic working

•

Design principle - one main objective and two parallel beam
paths - for fatigue-free viewing.

•

High-quality optical glass, multiple-coated for bright and crisp
images.

•

High resolution to enable the finest details to be seen better.

•

Pronounced stereoscopic effect for better perception of depth.

•

Less focusing required, thanks to profound depth of field.

•

Perfectly-matched optical components for parfocality (constant
image sharpness from the lowest magnification to the highest).

•

Large fields of view for a better overall impression of the object.

•

Plano objectives for crisp imaging over the entire field of view.

•

Planapochromatic objectives for the contrast-rich, colour-true
rendering of the finest details.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program 3

For ergonomic viewing

ErgoTubes™ and ErgoModules™ are usable
with all current and past models of Leica Series
M stereomicroscopes.

® The ‘US Patent and Trademark Office’ entered
the trademarks ErgoWedge, ErgoHandbook,
ErgoTube and ErgoModule in the Principal
Register on 23. February 1999 under the follo­wing numbers:

ErgoWedge® Reg. No. 2,228,097
ErgoHandbook® Reg. No. 2,223,420
ErgoTube® Reg. No. 2,270,645
ErgoModule® Reg. No. 2,225,687

The entries remain in force for ten years.

The variable ones

ErgoTube™ 10°-50°

Stock no. 10 445 822

Observation tube with viewing angle continuously
variable between 10° and 50°.
Low viewing angle, long overhang.
Improved viewing conditions for tall and short users and with
various outfits.
Apochromatically corrected.
Manufactured from antistatic material.

ErgoWedge™ 5°-25°

Stock no. 10 446 123

An intermediate piece which enables the viewing angle of the
binocular tube used to be changed continuously within the
range 5° - 25°. The eyepieces are displaced towards the
observer by up to 65mm. Improved viewing conditions with
various binocular tubes. Manufactured from antistatic material.

ErgoModule™ 30mm to 120mm

Stock no. 10 446 171

The ErgoModule™ 30mm to 120mm makes low-built
stereomicroscopes taller, enabling users with different
builds to use the same instrument and to adjust the viewing
height accordingly.
Manufactured from antistatic material.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program4

The higher ones

ErgoModule™ 50mm

Stock no. 10 446 170

A fixed intermediate piece which increases by 50mm the
viewing height of the binocular tube used. Better viewing
conditions for tall observers when using low outfits.

Straight binocular tube

Stock no. 10 429 783

Provides horizontal viewing if the stereomicroscope is fitted
in a tilted position to the swinging-arm stand or to a bonder.

Higher and closer

ErgoTube™ 45°

Stock no. 10 446 253

Erect body position, because the viewing point is
displaced 65mm upwards and 65mm towards the
observer. Interpupillary distance up to 90mm,
magnification factor 1.6x.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program 5

The low ones

Trinocular video-/phototube

Stock no. 10 445 924, 50% or 10 446 229, 100%

Combined tube for observation and photography, with low
viewing height. Improved viewing conditions for
photographing in combination with accessories.

Inclined binocular tube, low

Stock no. 10 429 781

Low viewing height for stereomicroscope outfits which are
tall because they have a transmitted-light stand or are
equipped with a video-/phototube, a drawing tube,
a coaxial illuminator etc.

High and low

ErgoWedge™ ±15°

Stock no. 10 346 910

A fixed intermediate piece with which the angular tilt range
of the various binocular tubes can be extended by 15° both
upwards and downwards. Improved viewing conditions
with various outfits.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program6

Standard

Inclined binocular tube 45°

Stock no. 10 445 619

Binocular tube with 45° viewing angle, for standard
outfits. Fits to ErgoModules and to accessories such
as a video-/phototube, a drawing tube, or a coaxial
illuminator.

For competitors’ instruments

Tube adapter

Stock no. 10 446 251 Tube adapter for Nikon

10 446 250 Tube adapter for Olympus

Adaptation of the Leica ErgoTube™ 10°- 50° or of the
ErgoWedge™ 5° - 25° to fit on Nikon and Olympus
stereomicroscopes. Better viewing comfort for the custo­mers of our competitors as well.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program 7

Wide-field eyepieces for spectacle wearers,
distortion-free

Stock no. 10 445 111 (10x), 10 445 301 (16x)

10 445 302 (25x), 10 445 303 (40x)

Usable either with spectacles or without, adjustable
eyecups, distortion-free imaging.
Dioptric settings adjustable within the range +5 to -5.

Rotatable optics carrier

Leica MS5, MZ6, MZ75, MZ95, MZ125, MZ APO

Optics carrier rotatable 360° in microscope carrier.
Direction of viewing is matched to work situation.
Comfortable observation without twisting the head.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program8

For ergonomic operation

Motor-focus system

Stock no. 10 446 176 MF drive with column and with

transformer for transmitted-light bases

10 446 259 MF drive with inclinable column and

with transformer for swinging-arm /
table clamp stand

Effortless operation with hand control or footswitch, or
through computer.
Use of the footswitch leaves the hands free for manipulation.
Increased flexibility as regards the working position.
The same ease of movement in both directions of adjustment,
even with heavy outfits.
Rapid travel to stored positions saves time.

Focusing drive

Stock no. 10 445 615 (300mm)

10 446 100 (500mm)

Ease of movement individually adjustable
Low, bilateral drive knobs
Comfortable use with hands supported

Focusing drive, coarse/fine

Stock no. 10 445 616 (300mm)

Fine focusing for high magnifications
Low, bilateral drive knobs
Comfortable use with hands supported

Focusing drive, coarse/fine, for 50mm diameter
columns

Stock no. 10 445 629

Coarse / fine focusing
Bilateral drive knobs
Easy movement even with heavy outfits

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program 9

Microscope carrier

Stock no. 10 445 617

Microscope carrier mountable in two basic positions (low
and high) in accordance with object size and working
distance. The focusing drive can always be placed in an
ergonomically-favourable position.

Incident-light stands

Stock no. 10 445 631 (large)

13 445 630 (small)

Pleasant supporting surface for the hands
Large stage insert, diameter 120mm

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program10

Transmitted-light stands

Stock no. 10 445 387 (bright field)

13 445 363 (bright-/dark field)

Pleasant supporting surface for the hands
Large stage insert, diameter 120mm. Long overhang
(120mm) between column and optical axis.
Comfortable manipulation of larger objects.

Comfortable stages

Stock no. 10 446 301 Gliding stage

Makes it easier to manipulate the object.
Careful displacement of the object.
Usable on incident- and transmitted-light stands, with
black/white stage insert, glass stage plate or cup stage.

Stock no. 10 446 303 Cup stage

A holder for petri dishes.
Rubber surface for pinning plant and insect specimens.
The stage is tiltable, facilitating the observation of spatial
objects from all sides.

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program 11

Ergonomic outfits

LEICA MZ6 stereomicroscope with ErgoWedge™ 5° - 25°,
positions 25° and 5°

ErgoTube™
10° - 50°

ErgoWedge™
5° - 25°

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program12

Ergo-Module™ 30 bis 120mm

ErgoWedge™ ±15°

LEICA MS5 stereomicroscope with ErgoModule™ 50mm

ErgoHandbook™, Leica Microsystems Ltd – Section 5 – The Leica ergonomics program 13

LEICA MZ6 stereomicroscope with ErgoTube™ 45°

LEICA MZ12 stereomicroscope with trinocular
video-/phototube