JP2617450B2 - Underwater work equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to an underwater working device used for maintenance, inspection and repair work of an underwater part such as an underwater structure or a ship.

<Conventional Technology> A conventional underwater working device will be described with reference to FIGS. A thruster 2 is provided at the center of the body 1 composed of a buoyant body, and three wire brushes 4 are provided on the main body 1 around the thruster 2 to clean the work surface 3a of the work 3. . The body 1 has a buoyancy tank 5 for controlling the posture of the body 1.
The posture of the main body 1 is appropriately controlled by adjusting the valve 6 of the buoyancy tank 5. The work surface 3a is provided on the main body 1.
A driving wheel 7 rolling on the upper side is attached, and the main body 1 is hung by a hanger 8.

When the underwater working device is placed underwater, a remote or submerged diver 9 adjusts the valve 6 of the buoyancy tank 5 to align the surface of the wire brush 4 with the working surface 3a. Next, the wire brush 4 is pressed against the work surface 3 a by the propulsion device 2, the main body 1 is moved by the driving wheel 7, and the work surface 3 a is cleaned by the wire brush 4. When the position of the main body 1 is displaced due to a polishing reaction force or the like during the operation, a correction for the displacement is performed by the operation of the diver 9 or the operation of the hanging device 8 remotely.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> In the underwater working device described above, it is necessary to perform the operation by the diver 9 or the operation of the hanging device 8 when the main body 1 is misaligned. In addition, this underwater working device is difficult to work on an inclined surface or a bottom surface. Therefore, in the conventional underwater working device, it may be extremely difficult to determine the positioning posture by approaching the device to various structures, and it is also difficult to correct the positional deviation generated during the work. In particular, when positioning the structure on the overhanging structure or the bottom surface of the structure, it takes time and money to assist the diver 9 and the like, and there is a problem in that there is a danger in work.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an underwater operation device capable of positioning near any work surface of an underwater structure.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object is characterized in that the main body frame is provided with a running wheel that can be crimped on an underwater work surface on one surface and a work implement is held. At least a pair of main propulsion units that generate a propulsive force in a direction perpendicular to one surface of the main frame and move the main frame in an arbitrary direction that intersects the work surface side, in a plane substantially parallel to one surface of the main frame. Then, at least a pair of second propulsors for generating a propulsive force in directions orthogonal to each other and moving the main body frame in an arbitrary direction along the work surface are provided on the main body frame, and the main body frame is disposed underwater. In this case, a floating body is provided at one end of the main body frame for tilting the one surface and the underwater work surface.

<Operation> The floating body inclines one surface of the main body frame with respect to the underwater work surface so that the main body frame approaches the work surface. The main propulsion unit is operated in the opposite direction so that one side of the body frame is parallel to the work surface, and when the one side of the body frame is parallel to the work surface, the main propulsion unit is operated in the same direction to move the main body to the work surface. Press one side of the frame and press the running wheels against the working surface. When moving the main body frame, the second propulsion device is appropriately operated to move the main body frame in an arbitrary direction along the work surface.

<Embodiment> FIG. 1 shows a front view of an underwater working apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows a side view thereof, and FIG.

Rotary tables 12a to 12b are provided on one surface 11a of the body frame 11.
The main frame 11 is provided with a pair of main thrusters 14 and 15 for generating thrust in a direction orthogonal to the surface 11a. The main body frame 11 is provided with a vertical propulsion device 16 and a left and right propulsion device 17 as second propulsion devices that generate propulsion forces in directions orthogonal to each other in a plane substantially parallel to one surface 11a of the main body frame 11. . Stopper rings 18a and 18b are provided at both ends (upper and lower ends in FIG. 1) of one surface 11a of the main body frame 11, and a water-burst type cleaning apparatus 19 as a working tool is attached to the main body frame 11. ing. Further, a floating body 11b is attached to the main body frame 11. In the figure, 20 is a power distribution box, 21 is a cable, 22 is a cable floating body, and 23 is an underwater television camera.

Next, the operation of the underwater working device having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. First of all, the underwater working device put into the water is a floating body 11
Due to b, it automatically tilts and floats in water in the state of FIG. 3 (A).

When working on the elevation 32 of the structure 31, the main propulsor 14,1
5. Drive the up-down and left-right propulsion units 16 and 17 to bring the underwater working device close to the upright surface 32. With approach, the underwater television camera 23 confirms the elevation 32. Stopper wheel 18b at the lower end on the elevation 32
Comes closer first (the state of FIG. 3 (B)). At this point, the upper main propulsion unit 14 is driven in the pressing direction, and the lower main propulsion unit 15 is driven in the opposite direction by a small force to give a rotational moment to the main body frame 11. As a result, the stopper wheels 18a, 18b become parallel to the upright surface 32, and in this state, the main propulsion units 14, 15 are
The driving wheels 13a to 13b can be crimped to the upright surface by driving the propulsion wheel 1 toward the upright surface 32 (third embodiment).
FIG. (C). Thus, the main body frame 11 can be freely moved along the vertical surface 32, and the surface of the vertical surface 32 can be cleaned by the cleaning device 19.

When working on the bottom surface 33 of the structure 31, the main propulsion unit 16 is driven to lower the main frame 11 to the position (E) in FIG. By moving the body frame 11 close to the bottom surface 33 while checking the bottom surface 33 with the underwater TV camera 23,
a is applied to the bottom surface 33 (state (F) in FIG. 3). In order to give a rotational moment for orienting the main body frame 11 toward the bottom surface 33, the upper main propulsion device 14 is initially driven in the reverse direction for a short time, and then driven in the forward direction to press the main body frame 11 against the bottom surface 33. As a result, the running wheels 13a to 13d are pressed against the bottom surface 33 so that the underwater operation device can perform a predetermined operation.

Main propulsion unit to support the reaction force generated by the work during the predetermined work and maintain an appropriate work distance, and to obtain a frictional force that can be freely positioned and moved by sticking to the wall surface
14,15 continue working during the work.

The above-mentioned underwater working device can easily perform positioning on any structural surface by appropriately operating the main propulsion devices 14, 15 and the vertical and horizontal propulsion devices 16, 17 so that the operation can be continued. You.

<Effects of the Invention> Since the underwater working device of the present invention can be positioned close to any working surface of an underwater structure, the work efficiency of various works of the underwater structure can be improved and the work safety can be improved. Improvement can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an underwater working device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view thereof, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of its operation, FIG. FIG. 5 is a side view thereof. In the drawing, 11 is a main body frame, 11a is one side, 11b is a floating body, 13a to 13d are running wheels, 14 and 15 are main propulsion devices, 16 is a vertical propulsion device, 17 is a left and right propulsion device, and 19 is a cleaning device. .

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A traveling wheel which can be pressed against an underwater working surface is provided on one surface, and a main frame holding a working tool is provided with a propulsive force in a direction orthogonal to one surface of the main body frame, so that the main body frame is moved. Providing at least a pair of main propulsion units for moving in an arbitrary direction intersecting the work surface side, and generating a propulsion force in directions orthogonal to each other in a plane substantially parallel to one surface of the main body frame, thereby setting the main body frame to At least a pair of second propulsors for moving in any direction along the work surface are provided on the main body frame, and a floating body for inclining the one surface and the underwater work surface when the main body frame is arranged in water is provided. Underwater working device provided at one end of the main frame.