JP2000128076A - Underwater inspection and observation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To run a camera and photograph a place to be inspected through a transparent portion, by first floating the entire body on water, driving a filtered water supply device to suck the water therearound, supplying filtered water into a container while deaerating through a deaerating portion, and driving a horizontally moving portion and a vertically moving portion to submerge the entire body to a place where an inspection object is located. SOLUTION: In this device, a sealable container 8 having a front transparent portion 7 for observing an inspection site of an inspection object 2 and which covers a front portion of a camera 6 is detachably installed. A filtered water supply device 10 for filtering the water therearound and supplying it to the container 8 is provided. This allows handling in a lightweight state, that is, without having to fill the container 8 with filtered water in advance. Also, because the filtered water is sealed in the container 8, muddy water therearound does not enter the container 8. Accordingly, by abutting the front transparent portion 7 against the inspection site of the inspection object 2, a constant transparency is maintained at all times, enabling photographing of the inspection site of the inspection object 2 with the camera 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an underwater inspection and observation apparatus for inspecting and observing a part submerged in water, such as an offshore structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an underwater inspection and observation device for inspecting a part submerged in water, such as an offshore structure. And
This underwater inspection and observation device includes a device as shown in FIG. 6, in which a frame 51 is provided at a front end of a diving body 50 with a rotating shaft 5.
2, a bellows-like bellows body 54 connected to an air supply pipe 62 and opened on one side is attached to the opening of the frame body 51 by a raising device 53. A duct 59 having a discharge hole 59a for discharging filtered water (clear water) to the body 54 is spirally wound around the bellows body 54, and a filtering device 55 for supplying filtered water to the duct 59 is provided.
The pump 56, the flow control valve 57, and the hose 58 are connected to the duct 59 in order. Further, a television camera 60 and a projector 61 are mounted in the bellows body 54.

In this underwater inspection and observation apparatus, as shown in FIG. 7, after diving a diving body 50 to an inspection object H, air is supplied from an air supply pipe 62 to a bellows body 54 and expanded. By driving the raising device 53 to adjust the angle of the bellows body 54, the open side of the bellows body 54 is brought into close contact with the inspection object H, and the filtering device 55 and the pump 56 are driven to drive the bellows body 54. The filtered water 63 is spouted from the discharge hole 59a through the hose 58 and the duct 59. The filtered water 63 ensures the transparency of the bellows 54, and the television projector 60 illuminates the floodlight 61 so that the inspection object H can be inspected and observed.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional underwater inspection and observation apparatus, the bellows body 54 having one open side is used so as to closely contact the inspection object H so as to supply filtered water into the bellows body 54. For example, when the inspection object H has a large gap like a bar screen, the bellows body 54 cannot adhere to the inspection object H, and the surrounding turbid water enters into the bellows body 54 and the necessary transparency is required. Could not be secured.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an underwater inspection and observation device that can solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0006]

The object of the present invention is to provide a dive for diving to an inspection location of an inspection object.
A horizontal moving unit for moving the object in the horizontal direction, a vertical moving unit for moving the object in the vertical direction, and a camera for imaging an inspection place of the inspection object; and the horizontal moving unit and the vertical moving unit. Is driven to move the diving body to the inspection location of the inspection target, and the camera is driven to capture an image of the inspection location.It covers the front part of the camera and sees through the inspection location of the inspection target. A sealed container of a predetermined length having a transparent portion for performing filtration, a filtrate water supply device for absorbing ambient water to form filtered water, and supplying the filtered water to the container; An air vent is provided for discharging air from the container as filtered water is supplied from the supply device. In addition, a drainage portion for discharging the filtered water inside the container is provided in the container.

According to the above construction, the whole is floated on the water, and the filtered water supply device is driven to absorb and filter the surrounding water, and the filtered water is supplied to the container while being evacuated as the filtered water from the vent portion. Then, the horizontal moving part and the vertical moving part are driven to dive the whole to the inspection place of the inspection object, and the camera is driven to image the inspection place from the transparent part.

[0008] Further, the horizontal moving unit and the vertical moving unit are driven to raise the whole, the filtered water inside the container is discharged from the drainage unit, the container is floated, and the whole is collected.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. An underwater inspection and observation device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is used, for example, by attaching it to an underwater inspection robot. A horizontal moving unit 4 (also referred to as a horizontal thruster) for moving the vehicle is provided, and a vertical moving unit 5 (also referred to as a vertical thruster) for moving the same in the vertical direction is provided above the diving body 3. A camera 6 is provided at the front of the body 3 for imaging the inspection location of the inspection target 2.

At the front of the diving body 3, a sealed container 8 of a predetermined length having a front transparent part 7 for covering the front part of the camera 6 and for seeing the inspection place of the inspection object 2 is provided.
(Formed in the shape of a truncated cone, also called clear sight) is detachably attached. The front transparent part 7 is formed in a flexible film shape. And, for example, container 8
Is made of acrylic resin, there is almost no difference in the refractive index of water, and the difficulty of viewing due to the difference in the refractive index in water is reduced.

A seating member 9 which sits on the bottom of the water is provided below the diving body 3, and the seating member 9 absorbs surrounding water to form filtered water (fresh water) and supplies the filtered water to the container 8. Is provided with a submersible pump 11 and a submersible pump 11
, And the vessel 8 and the filter 12 are connected via a supply pipe 13. Further, a U-shaped vent portion 14 for discharging air from inside the container 8 as filtered water is supplied from the filter 12 is provided at an upper portion of the container 8. The vent portion 14 is provided with a float check valve 15 to prevent the filtered water in the container 8 from leaking from the vent portion 14 after the diving body 3 is submerged in water. are doing. A drain valve 16 is attached to a lower part of the container 8. The horizontal moving unit 4, the vertical moving unit 5, the filtered water supply device 10, and the drain valve 1
Reference numeral 6 denotes a hull (not shown) that can be remotely controlled via a cable 17.

In the above configuration, when the underwater inspection / observation device 1 is submerged, the underwater inspection / observation device 1 is floated on the water as shown in FIG. At this time, air is contained in the container 8, the diving body 3 is submerged in the water, and the container 8 is in a floating state. From this state, the submersible pump 11 is driven by remote control to supply the surrounding water to the filter 12 for filtration, and the filtered water after filtration is supplied to the container 8. Then,
Air is evacuated from the evacuating section 14 by an amount corresponding to the supply of the filtered water to the container 8, and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the container 8 gradually sinks in the water, and the whole is located substantially below the water surface. In this state, the horizontal moving unit 4 and the vertical moving unit 5 are driven by remote control, the whole is dive to the inspection place of the inspection object 2, and the container 8 is brought close to the inspection place of the inspection object 2. At this time, since the front transparent part 7 is formed in a flexible film shape, even if there is unevenness in the inspection place of the inspection object 2,
Since filtered water is supplied into the container 8, the inspection location of the inspection object 2 can be driven by remote control of the inspection object 2 in a state where the transparency is ensured, and can be clearly imaged and inspected.

By the way, when the imaging is completed, the horizontal moving unit 4 and the vertical moving unit 5 are driven to float the whole, and FIG.
Return to the state shown in. Then, the drain valve 16 is opened by remote control to discharge the filtered water in the container 8. At this time, since the check valve 15 is of a float type, it is necessary to float on the water, whereby the check valve 15 is opened and air is supplied into the container 8, and as shown in FIG. In addition, since the container 8 is in a floating state, the underwater inspection and observation device 1 can be collected in a lightweight state.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the hermetically sealed container 8 having the front transparent portion 7 for covering the front portion of the camera 6 and for seeing the inspection place of the inspection object 2 is detachable. The container 8 is provided with a filtered water supply device 10 for filtering and supplying surrounding water to the container 8, so that the container 8 can be lightened without filling the container 8 with filtered water in advance. It can be easily handled, and the filtered water is sealed in the container 8, so that the turbid surrounding water does not enter the container 8, and the front transparent part 7 is brought into contact with the inspection place of the inspection object 2. By doing so, the inspection location of the inspection target 2 can be imaged by the camera 6 while always maintaining a certain degree of transparency.

[0015]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a closed-length container having a transparent portion for covering the front portion of a camera and having a transparent portion for seeing through the inspection location of an inspection object. A filtered water supply device for absorbing surrounding water to obtain filtered water and supplying the filtered water to the container, and supplying air from the container as filtered water is supplied from the filtered water supply device. A vent is provided to discharge the air, the horizontal moving unit and the vertical moving unit are driven to dive the diving body to the inspection location of the inspection object, and the camera images the inspection location of the inspection object. The inspection location of the inspection object can be imaged in a state in which the water does not enter the container and maintains a certain degree of transparency.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an underwater inspection and observation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic configuration.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state where the container is floating.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the same container while it is submerged in water.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state where the container and the diving body are substantially submerged in water.

FIG. 6 is an overall configuration diagram of a conventional underwater inspection and observation device.

FIG. 7 is a view showing the state of use similarly.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Underwater inspection observation apparatus 2 Inspection object 3 Diving body 4 Horizontal moving part 5 Vertical moving part 6 Camera 7 Front transparent part 8 Container 10 Filtration water supply device 11 Underwater pump 12 Filter 14 Vent part 15 Check valve 16 Drain valve

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A diving body for diving to an inspection place of an inspection object, a horizontal moving section for moving the same in a horizontal direction, a vertical moving section for moving the inspection object in a vertical direction, and an inspection place of the inspection object A camera for capturing an image of the object, and driving the horizontal moving part and the vertical moving part to move the diving body to the inspection location of the inspection object, and driving the camera to capture an image of the inspection location. An inspection / observation device, which is provided with a sealed container of a predetermined length having a transparent portion for covering a front portion of the camera and having a transparent portion for seeing through an inspection location of an inspection object, and absorbing and filtering surrounding water. A filtered water supply device for supplying the filtered water to the container as water and a vent portion for discharging air from the container as filtered water is supplied from the filtered water supply device are provided. An underwater inspection and observation device, characterized in that: 2. The underwater inspection and observation device according to claim 1, wherein a drainage portion for discharging filtered water inside the container is provided in the container.