AU2006201507A1 - Underwater housing for a monitoring device - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant: NATIONAL APPLIED RESEARCH LABORATORIES NATIONAL CENTER FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING Invention Title: UNDERWATER HOUSING FOR A MONITORING DEVICE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to UNDERWATER HOUSING FOR A MONITORING DEVICE This invention relates to an underwater housing, and more particularly to an underwater housing for containing a monitoring device, such as a photographic camera, that provides monitoring for long periods of time.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a conventional underwater housing 1 for containing a photographic camera (not shown) includes a tubular housing body 11, a seal cap 12 connected fixedly to a rear end of the housing body 11 so as to define an accommodating space 10 for receiving the photographic camera, a transparent plate 13, a positioning member 14, and a water seal 15. The photographic camera can be used to monitor living creatures fish) via the transparent plate 13.

The housing body 11 has a surrounding wall 16 and an annular front end wall 17 formed with an internally threaded portion 171 and a central opening 172. The photographic camera is disposed within the surrounding wall 16. An inward flange 170 extends radiallyand inwardly froma front end of the front end wall 17, and has a rear side surface formed with an annular groove 173 for receiving the water seal 15. The positioning member 14 has an externally threaded outer periphery engaging the internally threaded portion 171 of the housing body 11. The transparent plate 13 is clamped between the positioning member 14 and the water seal 15. The water seal 15 is in contact with the transparent plate 13 and the inward flange 170 so as to establish a watertight seal between the transparent plate 13 and the housing body 11. An electrical cable 18 extends sealingly through the seal cap 12, and is coupled electrically to the photographic camera.

Typically, the underwater housing 1 is placed at a specific location underwater for more than six months.

Since an annular gap is formed between the transparent plate 13 and the inward flange 170, algae easily grow on a front side surface of the transparent plate 13, as shown in Fig.

2. This adversely affects the quality of the images obtained by the photographic camera.

To remove the algae on the transparent plate 13, it is necessary to first take the housing 1 out of water to gain access to the transparent plate 13. Alternatively, a diver or snorkeler may swing underwater to the housing 1 to shave off the algae and scrub the front side surface of the transparent plate 13 using tools. However, in either case, since algae multiply at an extremely fast pace, the labor costs involved in ensuring that the transparent plate 13 remains algae-free are high.

The object of this invention is to provide an underwater housing for containing a monitoring device that is used for a long period at a set location underwater, in which the underwater housing can prevent algae growth on a transparent plate.

According to this invention, an underwater housing for containing a monitoring device includes: a tubular housing body having an open front end formed with an inward flange extending radially and inwardly therefrom, and an open rear end, the inward flange having a rear side surface formed with an annular groove defined by a groove-defining wall; a seal cap connected fixedly to the rear end of the housing body so as to define an accommodating space therebetween, the accommodating space being adapted to contain the monitoring device; a transparent plate disposed fixedly within the housing body and located behind and adjacent to the inward flange, the transparent plate having opposite front and rear side surfaces, as well as an outer periphery that is in contact with an annular inner surface of the housing body; an annular water seal disposed within the annular groove in the inward flange of the housing body and in contact with the groove-defining wall of the inward flange and an outer peripheral portion of the front side surface of the transparent plate so as to establish a watertight seal between the transparent plate and the annular inner surface of the housing body; and an annular cover disposed fixedly and fittingly within the inward flange of the housing body and having an annular rear end in contact with the front side surface of the transparent plate and disposed in proximity to the water seal for covering the water seal.

Since no gap is formed between the inward flange and the transparent plate, algae growth on the front side surface of the transparent plate can be prevented.

These and other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional underwater housing for containing a photographic camera; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the conventional underwater housing, illustrating algae growth between an inward flange of a housing body and a transparent plate; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of an underwater housing for containing a monitoring device according to this invention; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an annular cover of the first preferred embodiment; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the second preferred embodiment of an underwater housing for containing a monitoring device.

Before the present invention is described in greater detail in connection with the preferred embodiments, it should be noted that similar elements and structures are designated by like reference numerals throughout the entire disclosure.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the first preferred embodiment of an underwater housing 2 for containing a monitoring device (not shown) includes a tubular housing body 3, a seal cap (not shown), a transparent plate 4, an annular water seal 5, apositioningmember 6, and an annular cover 7 made of stainless. In this embodiment, the monitoring device is configured as a photographic camera that maybe used for a long period at a signal, set location.

The housing body 3 has a surrounding wall 31 and an annular front end wall 32 formed with an internally threaded portion 321. The monitoring device is disposed within the surrounding wall 31. An inward flange 320 extends radially and inwardly from an open front end of the front end wall 32, and has a rear side surface formed with an annular groove 323. The annular groove 323 is defined by a groove-defining wall 323'. The positioning member 6 has an externally threaded outer periphery engaging the internally threaded portion 321 of the housing body 3.

The seal cap is connected fixedly to the rear end of the housing body 3 in a know manner so as to define an accommodating space for receiving the monitoring device.

The transparent plate 4 is disposed fixedly within the housing body 3, and is located behind and adjacent to the inward flange 320. The transparent plate 4 has opposite front and rear side surfaces, as well as an outer periphery that is in contact with an annular inner surface of the housing body 3.

The water seal 5 is disposed within the annular groove 323 in the inward flange 320 of the housing body 3, and is in contact with the groove-defining wall 323' of the inward flange 320 and an outer peripheral portion of the front side surface of the transparent plate 4 so as to establish a watertight seal between the transparent plate 4 and the annular inner surface of the housing body 3.

The annular cover 7 is disposed fixedly and fittingly within the inward flange 320 of the housing body 3, and has an annular rear end in contact with the front side surface of the transparent plate 4 and disposed in proximity to the water seal 5 for covering the water seal In this embodiment, the inward flange 320 of the housing body 3 has an internally threaded inner periphery, and the annular cover 7 has an insert portion 71 and an outward flange 72 extending radially and outwardly from a front end of the annular cover 7. The insert portion 71 has an externally threaded portion 711 engaging the internally threaded inner periphery of the inward flange 320 so as to fix the annular cover 7 within the inward flange 320.

The transparent plate 4 is clamped between the positioning member 6 and the annular cover 7.

The outward flange 72 of the annular cover 7 has a flat rear side surface abutting against an annular flat front end surface 322 of the housing body 3.

Referring to Fig. 5, preferably, a transparent protective film 8 is adhered to the front side surface of the transparent plate 4.

Since no gap is formed between the inward flange 320 and the transparent plate 4, algae growth on the front side surface of the transparent plate 4 can be prevented.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context Srequires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the ic invention.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

Ig

Claims (4)

1. An underwater housing for containing a monitoring device comprising: a tubular housing body having an open front end formed with an inward flange extending radially and inwardly therefrom, and an open rear end, the inward flange having a rear side surface formed with an annular groove defined by a groove-defining wall; a seal cap connected fixedly to the rear end of the housing body so as to define an accommodating space therebetween, the accommodating space being adapted to contain the monitoring device; a transparent plate disposed fixedly within the housing body and located behind and adjacent to the inward flange, the transparent plate having opposite front and rear side surfaces, as well as an outer periphery that is in contact with an annular inner surface of the housing body; an annular water seal disposed within the annular groove in the inward flange of the housing body and in contact with the groove-defining wall of the inward flange and an outer peripheral portion of the front side surface of the transparent plate so as to establish a watertight seal between the transparent plate and the annular inner surface of the housing body; and an annular cover disposed fixedly and fittingly within the inward flange of the housing body and having an annular rear end in contact with the front side surface of the transparent plate and disposed in proximity to the water seal for covering the water seal.

2. The underwater housing as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the inward flange of the housing body has an internally threaded inner periphery, the annular cover having an externally threaded portion engaging the internally threaded inner periphery of the inward flange so as to fix the annular cover within the inward flange.

3.The underwater housing as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the annular inner surface of the housing body has a threaded portion, the underwater housing further comprising a positioning member having an externally threaded outer periphery engaging the threaded portion of the annular inner surface of the housing body, the transparent plate being clamped between the positioning member and the annular cover.

4. The underwater housing as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the housing body has an annular flat front end surface, the annular cover being formed with an outward flange extending radially and outwardly from a front end thereof, the outward flange having a flat rear side surface abutting against the front end surface of the housing body. The underwater housing as claimed in Claim 1, further comprising a transparent protective film adhered to the front side surface of the transparent plate. Dated this 11th day of April 2006 NATIONAL APPLIED RESEARCH LABORATORIES NATIONAL CENTER FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING By their Patent Attorneys i0 GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia