JP5115387B2 - Self-sinking device for drifting buoy for observation - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a self-sinking device for observation drifting buoys for observing weather and global environment data.

  Conventionally, research on drifting buoys equipped with meteorological observation equipment such as wave height buoys to the ocean and acquiring data with various sensors for a long period of time has been conducted for weather forecasts, global environmental surveys, investigations of global warming phenomena, etc. Yes. Data collected by these buoys is transmitted by a wireless device and an antenna, and sent to a ground station via a communication satellite. In order to improve the accuracy of observation data, drifting buoys are available from many countries with low cost to meet the demands of drifting many inexpensive buoys.

  In general, these drifting buoys were drifted as they were after the battery was exhausted and disappeared spontaneously. However, used non-functioning buoys become marine debris and cause environmental pollution. Therefore, a buoy self-sinking device has been developed that sends a command by radio wave after the observation is completed and self-sinks in a short period of time.

  An example of such a conventional self-sinking device for an observation drifting buoy will be described with reference to FIG. The buoy main body 20 shown in FIG. 5 forms a waterproof container with a built-in observation device and transceiver. The buoy main body 20 housing the observation device and the transmitter / receiver is an observation drifting buoy drifting in the ocean. As a self-sinking device for that purpose, an air vent passage 21 with an opening device is provided in the upper portion, and a seawater introduction passage 22 with an opening device is provided in the lower portion.

Opening device with air vent passage 21 and the opening device with seawater inlet passage 22 is automatically opened device Ru is opened with a saw or the like a pipe by the motor in a closed pipe is attached. When a command for self-sinking is received, these opening devices are activated to open the air vent passage 21 with the opening device and the seawater introduction passage 22 with the opening device, and seawater flows in from the seawater introduction passage 22 with the opening device, and the opening device is attached. The air drifting buoy self settles in a short period of time as air escapes from the air vent path 21.

  The above-mentioned self-sinking device for drifting buoys for observation has no problem for large buoys, but for small buoys, providing a space for providing an upper air vent is an obstacle to achieving miniaturization. It was.

  This air vent path must never be opened except when the self-sink device is operated, and a structure that does not break due to the collision of driftwood is necessary, which increases the space and manufacturing cost. . Furthermore, there are problems that two opening devices must be arranged in the interior, which increases the manufacturing cost and increases the internal space.

  In addition, there is a method of using seawater erosion of the material without causing it to self-sink after completion of observation, but this method has a problem that it does not sink when it is desired to sink, and the timing of sinking varies.

The conventional buoy self-sinking device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-12185 is also provided with a vent hole 12 for venting air in the upper part of the buoy main body 2, so that downsizing is also achieved. Had been an obstacle for.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-12185, paragraph 0006, FIG.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and the object of the present invention is to provide an observation drift buoy that can be surely sunk by a command and can save space and reduce manufacturing costs. It is to provide a sinking device.

The self-sinking device for observation drifting buoys according to the present invention is the self-sinking device for observation drifting buoys that opens the buoy air vent passage and the seawater introduction passage and causes seawater to flow into the buoy to cause the buoy to self-sink. As the opening device for opening the air vent passage and the seawater introduction passage, a single mechanism is used.

  Further, in the self-sinking device for the drifting buoy for observation, the stopper that closes the openings of the air vent passage and the seawater introduction passage at both ends of the lever that is rotated by the output shaft of the motor with a speed reducer. It is a mechanism that pulls out the.

  According to the self-sinking device of the observation drifting buoy of the present invention, it can be surely self-sunk by a command, and space saving and manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to examples.

  1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a self-sinking device for an observation drifting buoy according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The buoy main body 1 shown in FIG. 1 forms a waterproof container with an observation device and a transceiver built therein.

  At the upper part of the buoy main body 1, an air pressure introduction port 2 is provided, and the water reservoir 5 disposed inside the buoy main body 1 and the air pressure introduction port 2 are connected by an upstream air pressure introduction pipe 3. . Furthermore, the water reservoir 5 and the barometer 7 are connected by a downstream side air pressure introduction pipe 6.

  The pipe cutter 4 which is a characteristic part of the present invention is attached to the upstream side air pressure introduction pipe 3. The pipe cutter 4 cuts a pipe with a motor that operates when a command is received.

  A seawater introduction path 8 with an opening device is provided at the bottom of the buoy body 1. This opening device opens the seawater introduction path 8 by a motor that operates when a command is received. The observation drifting buoy of the first embodiment activates the respective motors of the opening devices attached to the pipe cutter 4 and the seawater introduction path 8 when a receiver (not shown) commands self-sinking. The air pressure introduction pipe 3 and the seawater introduction path 8 are opened with respect to the inside of the buoy main body 1.

  As a result, air escapes from the buoy main body 1 from the upstream side air pressure introduction pipe 3 and seawater flows into the buoy main body 1 from the seawater introduction path 8, and the drifting buoy for observation self settles in a short time. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a special air vent path in the upper part of the buoy body 1, and space saving and manufacturing cost reduction are achieved.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a self-sinking device for an observation drifting buoy according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. .

  The buoy main body 10 shown in FIG. 2 forms a waterproof container with a built-in observation device and transceiver. At the upper part of the buoy main body 10, an air pressure introduction port 2 is provided, and the water reservoir 11 disposed inside the buoy main body 10 and the air pressure introduction port 2 are connected by an upstream air pressure introduction pipe 3. . Further, the water reservoir 11 and the barometer 7 are connected by a downstream side air pressure introduction pipe 6.

  A seawater introduction path 12 is provided at the bottom of the buoy body 10. The opening device 13 will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, and the water reservoir 11 and the seawater introduction path 12 are opened to the inside of the buoy main body 1 by a motor.

  As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the opening device 13 is attached by a motor 13a with a speed reducer, a lever 13b fixed to the output shaft of the motor 13a with a speed reducer, and both ends of the lever 13b. 12 includes plugs 13d and 13c that open and close 12 respectively.

  When this observation drifting buoy is used, as shown in FIG. 3, the stoppers 13d and 13c close the water reservoir 11 and the seawater introduction path 12, respectively. The observation drift buoy of the second embodiment drives the motor 13a with a speed reducer so that the output shaft rotates counterclockwise when a receiver (not shown) commands self-sink.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the plugs 13d and 13c are removed from the water reservoir 11 and the seawater introduction passage 12, respectively, and the air passes from the buoy body 1 through the water reservoir 11 and the upstream air pressure introduction pipe 3 as indicated by arrows. Seawater flows from the buoy main body 1 and seawater flows into the buoy main body 10 from the seawater introduction path 12, and the drifting buoy for observation self-sinks in a short time.

  In this embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a special air vent path in the upper part of the buoy body 11, and space saving and manufacturing cost reduction are achieved. Furthermore, it is only necessary to provide one opening device, and the effects of reducing the manufacturing cost and saving the space are greater than those of the first embodiment.

  The embodiment is configured as described above, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the opening device of the second embodiment may be driven by a solenoid instead of being driven by a motor with a speed reducer.

It is sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the self-sinking apparatus of the drifting buoy for observation which is Example 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the self-sunk apparatus of the drifting buoy for observation which is Example 2 of this invention. It is a side view which shows the opening apparatus of the self-sunk apparatus as a partial cross section. It is a side view which shows the other state of the opening apparatus as a partial cross section. It is sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the self-sinking apparatus of the conventional drifting buoy for observation.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Buoy body 2 Atmospheric pressure introduction port 3 Upstream side atmospheric pressure introduction pipe 4 Pipe cutter 5 Water reservoir 6 Downstream side atmospheric pressure introduction pipe 7 Barometer 8 Seawater introduction path with opening device 10 Buoy main body 11 Reservoir, 11a opening 12 Seawater introduction path 13 Opening Device, 13a Motor with reduction gear, 13b Lever, 13c, 13d Plug 20 Buoy body 21 Air vent path with opening device 22 Seawater introduction path with opening device

Claims (2)

In the self-sinking device for drifting buoys for observation, which opens the buoy air vent and the seawater introduction passage and allows seawater to flow into the buoy to self-sink the buoy, use a pressure introduction pipe that introduces air pressure into the barometer as the air vent. A self-sinking device for an observation drifting buoy , wherein a single mechanism is used as an opening device for opening the air vent passage and the seawater introduction passage . 2. The observation drifting buoy according to claim 1 , wherein the opening device is a mechanism for pulling out a plug that closes each opening of the air vent passage and the seawater introduction passage at both ends of a lever that is rotated by an output shaft of a motor with a speed reducer. Self-sinking device.

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