JP4382775B2 - In-pipe inspection camera - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-pipe inspection camera suitable for in-pipe inspection of waterworks, sewers, gas pipes and the like.

  A conventional in-pipe inspection camera is used by inserting a camera head into a tube to be inspected using a camera cable. In addition, an illumination unit is arranged in front of the camera head to illuminate the shooting direction.

  The above-described conventional in-pipe inspection camera has the following problems when inspecting the inside of a pipe that is horizontally piped. As for the illumination on the tube, the bottom of the tube (lower wall) is bright and the upper portion of the tube (upper wall) is dark. This is because the camera head is provided with illumination means so that illumination light is uniformly irradiated to the entire front. In addition, the camera head is small with respect to the diameter of the tube, and the camera head is biased toward the lower wall of the tube. Here, for example, when a charge-coupled device (CCD) is used as the imaging device, it is a cause of image degradation (generation of halation, etc.) due to illumination imbalance.

  One end of a camera cable is connected to the rear part of the camera head, and the camera head is inserted into the tube by operating the camera cable. However, it is difficult to control the rotation posture of the camera head with just the camera cable in the tube.

  Therefore, the present invention is provided with a mechanical illumination adjustment mechanism that distributes illumination for in-tube photographing in a well-balanced manner and improves illumination imbalance in the inspection tube without depending on a change in posture due to rotation of the camera head. The purpose is to provide an in-pipe inspection camera.

  The present invention relates to a camera head, an image sensor housed in the camera head, a lens disposed in front of the image sensor, and illumination means disposed in front of the camera head for illuminating the shooting direction of the camera. And a case in front of the illuminating means, and a light shielding material that is accommodated in the case and restricts illumination of the bottom of the case.

  According to the above means, the illumination of the tube bottom of the inspection tube is always performed by the shading material in the case placed in front of the illumination means staying on the bottom of the case without depending on the change in posture due to the rotation of the camera head. Can be limited. This makes it possible to distribute the illumination for in-tube photographing in a well-balanced manner and improve the illumination imbalance in the inspection tube.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1A and 1B are one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view taken perpendicular to an axis in the same direction as the shooting direction of the camera, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken parallel to the axis.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes an inspection tube. The diameter of the test tube 100 is sufficiently larger than the diameter of the camera head 200.

  The camera head 200 is configured such that the periphery is surrounded by an outer case 201. One end of a camera cable 301 is attached to the rear part of the outer case 201. An opening is formed in front of the outer case 201. A lens 203 is attached so as to close the opening.

  An imaging element (not shown) is disposed behind the lens 203 in the outer case 201. The optical image incident through the lens 203 is formed on this image sensor, photoelectrically converted, and guided as an imaging signal to a monitor disposed outside the tube to be inspected via the camera cable 301.

  Here, an illumination unit 204 is provided around the lens 203 of the outer case 201 and inside the outer case 201 to output irradiation light from the inside of the case to the outside. The illumination means 204 has a configuration in which a light emitting diode or a lamp is attached to a substrate, for example. Electric power for the illumination means 204 is supplied through a power line in the camera cable 301.

  Further, a ring-shaped space chamber 211 is provided in front of the illumination unit 204 by a partition wall that transmits light integrally with the outer case 201. The space chamber 211 accommodates an appropriate amount of a light shielding material 212 made of, for example, particles that move downward due to its own weight. The color of the particles is preferably a color that does not reflect light.

  According to the above configuration, even if the camera head 200 rotates about its axis, the light shielding material 212 always moves downward and stays at the bottom of the space chamber 211. And the irradiation light of the lower side of the illumination means 204 will be restrict | limited. As a result, when the inside of the tube is viewed from the camera head 200 side, light distribution is performed with a good balance of illumination between the upper side and the lower side of the tube, and illumination imbalance can be improved.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the above embodiment, the light shielding material 212 is not limited to a particulate material. For example, it can be replaced with light ink that is not fixed in the space chamber portion 211 and stays at the bottom of the space chamber portion 211 without depending on the change in posture due to the rotation of the camera head 200, such as light ink.

  In the above example, the space chamber 211 is constructed in the camera head 200. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a donut-shaped case having the space chamber 211 may be prepared so that it can be attached to and detached from the front surface of the camera head 200 from the outside. With such a configuration, the conventional camera head can be used effectively.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment as it is, It can implement by changing a component in the range which does not deviate from the summary in an implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, you may combine suitably the component covering different embodiment.

The figure which shows one embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Test tube, 200 ... Camera head, 201 ... Outer case, 203 ... Lens, 204 ... Illuminating means, 211 ... Space room part, 212 ... Light shielding material, 300 ... Camera cable.

Claims (5)

A camera cable having one end attached to the rear of the enclosing case constituting the camera head;
A lens attached to close the front opening of the outer case;
An image sensor housed in the outer case and disposed behind the lens;
Illuminating means provided inside the outer case around the lens of the outer case, and for outputting irradiation light from the inner case to the outside,
A ring-shaped space chamber that is attached to the outer case and transmits light in front of the illumination means;
An in-pipe inspection camera having a light shielding material housed in the space chamber and moving downward by its own weight.   The in-tube inspection camera according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding material is a plurality of particles.   The in-tube inspection camera according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding material is a liquid.   The in-pipe inspection camera according to claim 1, wherein the space chamber is configured integrally with the outer case.   The in-pipe inspection camera according to claim 1, wherein the space chamber is detachable from the outside with respect to the outer case.

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