JP2005201750A - Luminaire for inspecting inside of steel pipe - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a luminaire for inspecting the inside of a steel pipe having a simple structure capable of easily increasing the quantity of light of an illumination part without altering the standards of an image detection part. <P>SOLUTION: The luminaire for inspecting the inside of the steel pipe 12 has the image detection part 1 composed of the camera part 7 inserted in the steel pipe 12 from the gap or the like between the joint part installed in the pipe end part of the steel pipe 12 and the pipe 12 to move and a main illumination part 8, and is constituted so that the image detection part 1 is held to the almost center position in the pipe 12 by at least three freely expansible pipe inside support holders 3A and 3B. By fitting an auxiliary illumination part 6 to the periphery of the main illumination part 8 in a freely detachable manner, the quantity of light is increased simply and inexpensively only by fitting the auxiliary illumination part 6 to the periphery of the main illumination part 8 without altering the standard of the image detection part through the enlarged gap with the pipe to clealy irradiate the inner wall of the pipe 12 to enable sharp imaging. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention provides a video detection unit composed of a camera unit and a main illumination unit that are inserted and moved into a pipe through a gap between a joint part installed at a pipe end and the pipe, and the video detection unit. The present invention relates to an illuminating device for inspecting the inside of a steel pipe configured to be held at a substantially central position in the pipe by at least three in-pipe support holders. Amplifying the light quantity of the lighting device is simply performed.

  Conventionally, in order to maintain and inspect a power transmission tower, an internal inspection of a steel pipe has been performed in which the corrosion state inside the steel pipe is monitored by image processing. In order to capture the inside of a steel pipe with an ultra-small camera such as a CCD camera, it is necessary to install an illuminating unit in addition to the camera unit. Light from a halogen lamp or the like is transmitted from the tip of the optical fiber through an optical fiber (light guide). The inner wall of the tube was irradiated to image the corrosion state, and the processed image was compared with the sample to grasp the progress of the corrosion state. However, since an inspection apparatus using an optical fiber or a halogen lamp is expensive in terms of production and maintenance, recently, as an alternative to this, an apparatus using an inexpensive and long-life LED has been proposed (for example, See Patent Document 1 below).

In addition, as described above, since the camera unit with the illumination unit must be inserted into the narrow steel pipe, the applicant of the present application is required to insert the camera unit with the illumination unit as an inspection device from the narrow steel tube end. In spite of being able to be inserted in a compact manner, there has been proposed a device in which the holder portion expands inside and the moving inspection device can always be held at the center position of the pipeline (for example, see Patent Document 2 below).
Registered Utility Model Publication No. 3007137 (see claim 1) JP-A-9-229868 (refer to claim 1)

  Patent Document 1 will be briefly described with reference to FIG. In the in-pipe inspection camera device 101 provided in a housing (camera head) 104 with an illuminating unit 102 that irradiates a subject such as an inner wall of a tube, and a camera unit 103 that images the subject irradiated by the illuminating unit 102. The illumination unit 102 includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged around the camera unit 103, and the camera unit 103 detects subject reflected light of monochromatic light emitted from the plurality of light emitting diodes. A monochrome video camera having a solid-state imaging device is used.

  The light amount adjustment unit 105 converts the power supply voltage supplied from the power supply unit 107 into a predetermined power supply voltage value and supplies the converted value to the illumination unit 102. The control unit 106 outputs a control signal for controlling each unit in the tube inspection camera device 101 based on an input instruction from an input unit (not shown). The display unit 108 includes a display device using a CRT of about 8 inches, and receives and displays image information captured by the camera unit 103 via the cable 109. Accordingly, an in-tube inspection camera device provided with a lighting device having a low cost, a small size, low power consumption, and a long life has been provided.

  Next, the said patent document 2 is demonstrated using FIG. As shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, a detection head that is a video detection unit that is provided at the distal end of a video transmission cable 202 that is a long video transmission means and that moves by being inserted into a pipe. 201 is an image pickup means holder that holds 201 in the center of a steel pipe A, which is a pipe, and is a guide part that can expand and contract in the radial direction of the pipe A on the image detection unit 201 and that can be pressed into contact with the inner surface of the pipe A 205 is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 5D, 5E, and 5F, the telescopic guide 205, the detection head 201, and the video transmission from the narrow gap between the joint A and the pipe A installed at the end of the pipe A Since the cables 202 and the like are inserted into the pipes, the extension guide 205 can be reduced in diameter against the restoring force of the tension coil spring 210 to be compact as shown in FIG. Once the telescopic guide 205 and the like have been inserted into the pipe A, the elastic guide 205 is brought into sliding contact with the inner wall of the pipe A by the restoring force of the tension coil spring 210, and the detection head 201 is brought to substantially the center of the pipe A. Can be retained.

  However, in such a conventional steel pipe interior inspection illumination device, in which the LED is used as the illumination means like the former first conventional example, the light quantity as the light source tends to be insufficient, and many LED is required, and the lighting device at the tip of the camera is enlarged. Moreover, when applied to inspection equipment with a large tube diameter, a larger amount of light is required, and a camera head with many standard illumination units must be prepared for each tube diameter. Invited up. Next, in the latter second conventional example, a predetermined effect can be expected with respect to the function of the telescopic guide 205 when applied to an inspection apparatus having a large tube diameter, but no illumination means is assumed. However, there is a possibility that a shortage of light amount is exposed for imaging of a large tube diameter.

  Therefore, the present invention solves the problems of the conventional steel pipe interior inspection lighting device, and has a simple structure that can easily increase the light quantity of the lighting unit without changing the standard of the image detection unit. It aims at providing the illuminating device for a steel pipe inside inspection.

  For this reason, the present invention expands the video detection unit, and a video detection unit including a camera unit and a main illumination unit that are inserted and moved into the pipe through a gap between the joint installed at the pipe end and the pipe. In the steel tube internal inspection lighting device configured to be held at a substantially central position in the tube by at least three in-tube support holders, the auxiliary lighting unit is detachably fitted around the main lighting unit. Features. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the illumination unit is composed of a large number of LEDs surrounding the camera unit. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the power circuit of the auxiliary lighting unit can be connected to the power circuit of the main lighting unit when the auxiliary lighting unit is fitted. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the power circuit of the auxiliary illumination unit is configured as a circuit separate from the power circuit of the main illumination unit. Further, the present invention is characterized in that a light source such as an LED in the illuminating section is configured to be capable of tilting irradiation radially outward in accordance with the tube diameter, and these are used as means for solving the problems. is there.

  According to the present invention, a video detection unit including a camera unit and a main illumination unit that are inserted and moved into a pipe through a gap between a joint installed at a pipe end and the pipe, and the video detection unit is expanded. In the steel pipe internal inspection illumination device configured to be held at a substantially central position in the tube by at least three internal tube support holders, the auxiliary illumination unit is detachably fitted around the main illumination unit. When the tube diameter to be inspected becomes large, it is easy to install the auxiliary illumination part around the main illumination part without changing the standard of the image detection part through the gap with the enlarged pipe. In addition, the amount of light can be increased at a low cost, and the inner wall of the tube can be clearly irradiated to enable clear imaging.

  In addition, since the illumination unit is composed of a large number of LEDs surrounding the camera unit, LEDs that are durable, have few failures, and have low power consumption can be arranged evenly around the camera unit and are inexpensive. Can be obtained. When the auxiliary illumination unit is fitted around the main illumination unit, a large number of LEDs can be evenly arranged on the circumference by the large-diameter auxiliary illumination unit, and the amount of light can be increased rapidly. Furthermore, when the auxiliary illumination unit is fitted, when the power circuit of the auxiliary illumination unit is configured to be connectable to the power circuit of the main illumination unit, the auxiliary illumination unit is automatically fitted only to the main illumination unit. Electric power is obtained from the main power supply circuit, and there is no need to provide a special separate power supply circuit, and wiring and the like are simplified.

  Furthermore, when the power circuit of the auxiliary lighting unit is configured separately from the power circuit of the main lighting unit, a wiring or the like is required, but a connector for connecting the auxiliary power circuit and the main power circuit, etc. Is not required. In addition, when a light source such as an LED in the illumination unit is configured to be able to tilt and radiate outward in the radial direction according to the tube diameter, the illumination irradiation angle is appropriately set to the inner wall of the tube that is far away according to the tube diameter. It is possible to capture the subject, and it is possible to capture the subject clearly and perform the in-tube inspection appropriately.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 show one embodiment of a lighting device for inspecting the inside of a steel pipe of the present invention, and FIG. 1 (A) is a sectional side view of a state in which the auxiliary lighting unit is fitted and the inspecting device moves in the tube. FIG. 1 and FIG. 1B are views as seen from the arrow A in FIG. FIG. 2A is a side view showing an inspection apparatus including only a main illumination unit, and FIG. 2B is a view as viewed in the direction of arrow B in FIG. FIG. 3 shows a camera head which is a video detection unit. FIG. 3A is a front view and a side view of the main illumination unit, and FIG. The basic structure of the lighting device for inspecting the inside of a steel pipe according to the present invention includes a camera unit 7 and a main lighting unit 8 which are inserted into the pipe and moved from a gap between the joint installed at the pipe end and the pipe. In the steel pipe internal inspection illuminating device configured to hold the image detecting unit 1 and the image detecting unit 1 at a substantially central position in the tube 12 by at least three in-pipe support holders 3 which are not expanded. The auxiliary illumination unit 6 is detachably fitted around the illumination unit 8.

  This will be described in detail below. As shown in FIG. 2 (A), the inspection device that is inserted into the pipe and moves from the gap (see FIG. 5 (E)) between the joint portion installed at the pipe end and the pipe is used to detect the image of the tip. A camera head 1 that is a section, a cable 2 that transmits an image captured by the camera head 1 to the outside of the steel pipe, or that supplies power from an external power source to the illumination section, and at least three ( 4) in the example shown in the figure, it is composed of an in-pipe support holder 3 that can be expanded. The in-tube support holder 3 has an arc shape in a side view made of an elastic band, and two sets of in-tube support holders 3A and 3B are arranged in the length direction. As shown in FIG. 2B, each in-tube support holder 3A, 3B has four strips every 90 ° on the circumference.

  Holder support pieces 5A, 5B and 5C are fitted to the cable 2 so as to be axially movable at respective end portions of the in-tube support holders 3A and 3B located on the cable 2. The first holder support piece 5A on the most distal end side in the first in-pipe support holder 3A is fixed to a stopper 4 fixed to the cable 2 and cannot be moved axially. The second holder support piece 5B between the first in-pipe support holder 3A and the second in-pipe support holder 3B and the third holder support piece 5C at the rear end of the second in-pipe support holder 3B are axially moved with respect to the cable 2. The pipe holders 3A and 3B are arbitrarily fitted and allowed to expand or contract according to the pipe diameter of the steel pipe 12 or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, a camera head 1 as a video detection unit includes a camera unit 7 such as a CCD camera arranged at the center, and a main illumination unit 8 arranged with four LEDs around it. Consists of Although detailed illustration is omitted, the camera head 1 and the cable 2 are connected to the camera unit 7 and the video signal transmission cable, and are connected to the main illumination unit 8 and the power cable. In the case of inspecting a steel pipe having a relatively small pipe diameter, the inspection apparatus constituted only by the main illumination unit 8 is reduced in diameter and crushed in the pipe support holders 3A and 3B. The inner wall surface of the steel pipe is imaged even when the main illuminating unit 8 is irradiated with a small amount of light even when the main illumination unit 8 is irradiated with a small amount of light. Inspection work for the degree of rusting on the inner wall of the steel pipe can be performed.

  The lighting device for inspecting the inside of a steel pipe of the present invention has an auxiliary lighting part 6 that can be freely fitted around the camera head 1 having the main lighting part 8 as a main part when the pipe diameter of the steel pipe to be inspected is large. It is. As shown in FIG. 3B, the auxiliary illumination unit 6 has a fitting part 10 to the camera head 1 constituting the main lighting part 8 (main lighting LED) on the inner peripheral part, and the fitting part 10. A large number of auxiliary lighting LEDs 9... An auxiliary power cable 11 for supplying power to these auxiliary illumination LEDs 9 is connected. The inner peripheral shape of the fitting portion 10 is preferably a circular shape that conforms to the outer shape of the camera head 1 of the main illumination portion 8, but the outer shape of the camera head 1 is formed in a square shape or the like (with a rectangular cross section). In the case of inspection of a steel pipe or the like, the shape of the inner peripheral portion of the fitting portion 10 of the auxiliary illumination portion 6 is also rectangular. In that case, the arrangement of the LEDs may also be square.

  The auxiliary illumination unit 6 having such a configuration is fitted to the camera head 1 of the main illumination unit, and is inserted and moved for inspection of the inner wall of the large-diameter steel pipe 12 as shown in FIG. If the diameter of the steel pipe 12 is increased, the gap between the joint portion and the pipe installed at the end of the pipe as shown in FIG. A certain camera head 1 can be inserted through the gap. The power supply of the auxiliary illumination unit 6 fitted to the main illumination unit 8 may be connected to the power supply circuit of the main illumination unit 8 through a connection unit interposed as appropriate. Alternatively, a power cable 11 for the auxiliary lighting unit 6 may be wired.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to arrange a large number of LEDs on a circumference having a larger radius than the main illumination unit 8 even in the case of inspection of a large-diameter steel pipe in which light does not easily reach the inner wall. Due to the presence of the auxiliary illumination unit 6, the light quantity of the illumination unit composed of LEDs that are inherently reliable, inexpensive, long in life but poor in light quantity can be significantly increased. In addition, it is not necessary to change the standard of the camera head 1 in the main lighting unit 8, and it is possible to inspect a large-sized steel pipe by a simple operation simply by fitting the auxiliary lighting unit 6 to the camera head 1. It is possible to improve the practicality.

  The in-pipe support holder 3 that is easily expanded in the radial direction also has an elastic restoring force that can cope with a predetermined large steel pipe diameter. Each LED in the auxiliary illuminating unit 6 (or the main illuminating unit 8) is automatically in the radial direction manually or through an appropriate actuator according to the diameter of the steel pipe 12 with which the outer diameter of the in-tube support holder 3 is in sliding contact. It is configured to be able to tilt and illuminate outward, and it is possible to properly capture the illumination angle with respect to the inner wall of the tube that is far away according to the tube diameter, and to clearly inspect the subject and properly inspect the tube to enable.

  As for the image processing form of the imaged video signal, the control mechanism for feeding the cable from the cable drum etc. is operated by a personal computer etc. at the site where the steel pipe tower etc. is installed, or the imaged video information is Appropriate methods such as processing from a personal computer via a mobile phone etc. to the management center via the Internet can be considered. As for image processing, the image of the rusting color of the inner wall of the tube is recorded on a magneto-optical disk, etc., and the degree of rust is judged by comparison with a sample of the rusting color, or the rusting color image captured by the CCD camera is captured by the computer. Appropriate forms are possible, such as taking in and processing in real time on site.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was described, within the meaning of this invention, the kind of steel pipes etc. (it is not restricted to a steel pipe, but if it is a tubular body which should test | inspect a secular change, a test object may be sufficient) , Shape (in addition to circular cross section, square, etc.), type, shape of joint installed at the end of pipe, type and gap between pipe, shape of camera part, type and type of camera, main lighting part And the type of illumination in the auxiliary illumination unit (preferably LEDs are employed, but the use of other illuminations is not excluded). LED arrangement form (circular, square, etc. on the circumference), shape, type and number of support holders in the tube (at least three in addition to the four in the embodiment), number of sets (in the embodiment, two sets) And may be more than that), and materials (in addition to the spring material having elasticity as in the embodiment, the tube inner wall portion may be arbitrarily expanded by a tension coil spring as in the conventional example of FIG. 5), the main Attaching form of the auxiliary lighting part to the lighting part (screwed, appropriate one-touch fitting form, etc.), power supply form of the auxiliary lighting part (connected to the power circuit of the main lighting, or a circuit different from the power circuit of the main lighting) ), A tilting form (manually, automatically by an actuator, etc.) etc. can be selected as appropriate in the radially outward direction according to the tube diameter of a light source such as an LED in the illumination unit. The specifications described in the examples are merely examples in all respects and should not be interpreted in a limited manner.

FIG. 1 (A) is a side sectional view showing a state in which an auxiliary illumination unit is fitted and the inspection apparatus moves in the pipe, FIG. ) Is a view on arrow A in FIG. 2A is a side view showing an inspection apparatus including only the main illumination unit, and FIG. 2B is a view as seen from the direction of arrow B in FIG. 2A. FIG. 3A shows a camera head that is a video detection unit. FIG. 3A is a front view and a side view of a main illumination unit, and FIG. It is a perspective view of the conventional camera apparatus for in-pipe inspection. It is explanatory drawing of the imaging means holder inserted in the conventional pipe inside.

Explanation of symbols

1 Camera head (image detector)
2 Cable (Video signal + LED power supply)
3 In-pipe support holder 4 Fixing bracket 5 Holder support frame 6 Auxiliary illumination unit 7 CCD camera (camera unit)
8 Main illumination LED (main illumination part)
9 Auxiliary lighting LED
10 fitting part 11 auxiliary power cable 12 steel pipe

Claims (5)

An image detection unit composed of a camera unit and a main illumination unit that are inserted into the tube and moved through a gap between the joint unit installed at the tube end and the tube, and at least three image detection units A steel pipe internal inspection lighting device configured to be held at a substantially central position in a pipe by a pipe support holder, wherein an auxiliary lighting part is detachably fitted around the main lighting part. Lighting equipment. 2. The steel pipe interior inspection illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the illumination unit is configured by a plurality of LEDs surrounding the camera unit. The steel pipe internal inspection lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a power circuit of the auxiliary lighting unit is connectable to a power circuit of the main lighting unit when the auxiliary lighting unit is fitted. 3. The steel pipe internal inspection illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the power circuit of the auxiliary illumination unit is configured as a separate circuit from the power circuit of the main illumination unit. 5. The lighting device for inspecting a steel pipe interior according to claim 1, wherein a light source such as an LED in the illuminating unit is configured to be capable of tilting irradiation radially outward in accordance with a tube diameter.

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