JP5242226B2 - Underwater cleaning robot - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an underwater cleaning robot for cleaning an object to be cleaned such as an aquaculture fish net or a hull by jetting high-pressure water.

  Conventionally, for example, an underwater cleaning robot for removing algae and shellfish adhering to an aquaculture fish net, removing dirt adhering to a hull, and the like is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Such an underwater cleaning robot cleans an object to be cleaned by jetting high-pressure water from a cleaning nozzle unit toward the surface of the object to be cleaned while moving along the surface of the object to be cleaned existing in water. The cleaning nozzle unit is attached to a rotating shaft that is rotatably provided in the robot body, and rotates integrally with the rotating shaft by a reaction force of high-pressure water jet on the surface of the object to be cleaned. .

  Further, the robot body is provided with an underwater camera for imaging the front, and a compass having a core indicating the direction of east, west, south, and north is disposed within the field of view of the underwater camera in front and below the underwater camera. It is common.

  The image captured by the underwater camera is displayed together with a compass on the screen of a monitor device disposed at a position separated from the robot body on land or on the ship. Therefore, when the aquaculture fish net is cleaned by the underwater cleaning robot, the underwater cleaning robot is operated while confirming the image of the aquaculture fish net captured by the underwater camera on the monitor screen. Further, since the compass is displayed in one corner of the monitor screen, the direction of the submersible cleaning robot can be confirmed on the screen.

There is also a well-known television camera pan head in which a television camera is installed in a housing and photographing is performed through the camera housing transparent window (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
Japanese Patent No. 3592204 JP-A-8-178182

  The compass used in the conventional underwater cleaning robot is opaque as a whole including the core indicating the direction of east, west, south, and north. In particular, the characters of east, west, north, and south displayed on the core are often black. For this reason, when the submersible cleaning robot heads from the water to the surface of the water, or when it is backlit when running with the illumination attached to the submersible cleaning robot turned on, the entire compass is opaque, as shown in FIG. In addition, the compass 100 is projected as a black shadow on the monitor screen 101.

  As a result, it is difficult to visually recognize the core 102, and the cleaning operator cannot recognize in which direction the underwater cleaning robot is traveling.

  Also, the backlight for the TV camera pan head that performs photographing through the camera housing transparent window described in Patent Document 2 is not considered.

  Then, this invention makes it a subject to eliminate the malfunction that it becomes difficult to visually observe a compass when it goes to the water surface along the surface of cleaning objects, such as an aquaculture fish net, or when lighting is turned on.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and includes a robot body that moves along the surface of a cleaning target existing in water, and a high-pressure water provided in the robot main body toward the surface of the cleaning target. An underwater cleaning robot having a cleaning nozzle unit for cleaning a cleaning object by spraying an underwater camera for capturing an image of the front of the robot body and a field of view of the underwater camera; A compass indicating a direction, the compass includes a compass body and a core housed in the compass body and provided with a display unit, the compass is fixed to the robot body via a mounting base, the compass body, the core and the mount is transparent is configured to transmit light, the image captured by the underwater camera, and the robot body The screen of the monitor device disposed between a position, in be projected with compass.

  In the present invention, since at least the core displaying the direction of the compass is configured to be transparent, the core of the compass can be surely seen even during the cleaning operation with backlight, and the posture and direction of the submersible cleaning robot can be grasped.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a case where the present invention is applied as a self-propelled underwater cleaning robot for cleaning a cultured fish net will be described.
-Configuration explanation of submersible cleaning robot-
1 to 9 show an underwater cleaning robot 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the underwater cleaning robot 1 according to the present embodiment includes a robot body 2, a cleaning nozzle unit 3, and a propulsion generating propeller 4 (hereinafter simply referred to as a propeller).

  The robot main body 2 includes a lower nozzle side main body 2A, an upper propeller side main body 2B, and a connecting body 2C that connects these main bodies. The propeller side main body 2B is disposed with a predetermined distance from the nozzle side main body 2A, and an introduction space D that functions as a water introduction path is formed between the propeller side main body 2A and the nozzle side main body 2A. .

  The propeller side main body 2 </ b> B has a relatively large-diameter opening 21 formed in the center, and the propeller 4 is accommodated in the opening 21.

  Four wheels (front and rear left and right wheels) 22, 23, 24, and 25 are rotatably attached to the left and right side surfaces of the nozzle-side main body 2A. In FIG. 2, the direction indicated by the arrow F indicates the front of the submersible cleaning robot 1. The right side of the submersible cleaning robot 1 is indicated by an arrow R, and the left side is indicated by an arrow L.

  For example, four submersible motors M1, M2, M3, and M4 are accommodated in the nozzle-side main body 2A. The drive shafts of the submersible motors M1, M2, M3, and M4 are wheels 22, 23, and 24, respectively. , 25 are respectively connected.

  Each submersible motor M1, M2, M3, M4 is connected to a control box 29 disposed on land or on a ship via a motor / control code C as shown in FIG. In a state where the submersible cleaning robot 1 is submerged in water, the motor / control code C extends from the control box 29 toward the submersible cleaning robot 1, and power is supplied to each submersible motor M1, M2, M3, and M4. Thereby, each wheel 22-25 rotates with the drive of these underwater motors M1, M2, M3, and M4.

  For example, when the submersible cleaning robot 1 is traveling forward (traveling in the direction of arrow F in FIG. 2), the rotational speed of the right submersible motors M2 and M4 is set higher than the rotational speed of the left submersible motors M1 and M3. For example, the traveling direction of the submersible cleaning robot 1 is directed to the left direction (arrow L direction) in FIG. Conversely, if the rotation speed of the left submersible motors M1 and M3 is made higher than the rotation speed of the right submersible motors M2 and M4, the traveling direction of the submersible cleaning robot 1 is directed to the right (arrow R direction) in FIG. It is like that.

  It is possible to change the traveling direction in the same manner when the submersible cleaning robot 1 is driven backward by rotating the submersible motors M1, M2, M3, and M4 in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the submersible cleaning robot 1 can be rotated by rotating the submersible motors M1 and M3 and the submersible motors M2 and M4 in opposite directions.

  The underwater motor is provided with two underwater motors M1 and M2 so as to rotationally drive the left and right front wheels 22 and 23, and the left and right front and rear wheels 22 and 24 are interlocked and connected by a belt mechanism or a chain mechanism. The wheels 23 and 25 may be linked and connected in the same manner.

  The cleaning nozzle unit 3 injects the high-pressure water supplied from the high-pressure water hose H toward the aquaculture fish net as an object to be cleaned, and cleans the aquaculture fish net by the jet. The cleaning nozzle unit 3 is attached to the lower part of the rotating shaft 5 inserted through the support cylinder 11 fixed vertically upward from the nozzle-side main body 2A. The rotary shaft 5 is rotatably supported by a rotary joint 51 so as to be positioned at the center of the opening 21 formed in the propeller side main body 2B.

  A high-pressure water hose connection port 27 is provided on the upper surface of the rear part of the nozzle side main body 2A, and the high-pressure water hose connection port 27 and the rotary joint 51 are connected via a connection pipe 52 such as a pipe or a pipe. . One end of the high pressure water hose H is connected to the high pressure water hose connection port 27. The other end of the high-pressure water hose H is connected to a high-pressure pump P disposed on land or on the ship, and high-pressure water pumped from the high-pressure pump P is supplied to the cleaning nozzle unit 3.

  Inside the rotary shaft 5, a high-pressure water passage 53 for sending high-pressure water supplied from the high-pressure water hose H through the rotary joint 51 to the cleaning nozzle unit 3 is formed.

  The cleaning nozzle unit 3 includes a disk-shaped rotating body 35 fixed to the lower end of the rotating shaft 5, and a plurality of cleaning nozzles 33 communicating with the high-pressure water passage 53 are attached to the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body 35. ing. These cleaning nozzles 33 are inclined downward by a predetermined angle so that the injection direction of the high-pressure water faces the surface of the cultured fish net.

  When high-pressure water is jetted from the cleaning nozzle 33, the cleaning nozzle unit 3 rotates together with the rotary shaft 5 due to the jet reaction force generated when the high-pressure water is sprayed on the surface of the fishnet. Yes. In other words, the cleaning nozzle unit 3 sprays high-pressure water onto the surface of the cultured fish net while rotating around the axis of the rotary shaft 5, thereby spreading seaweed algae and shellfish attached to the cultured fish net over a wide range. It is configured so that it can be removed.

  The propeller 4 is provided integrally with the rotary shaft 5 and is accommodated in an opening 21 formed in the propeller side main body 2B. Therefore, when high-pressure water is jetted from the cleaning nozzle 33 and the rotary shaft 5 rotates together with the cleaning nozzle unit 3 by the jet reaction force, the propeller 4 also rotates integrally (in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 2), A water flow for pressing the cleaning robot 1 downward is generated. Thereby, it is the structure which generate | occur | produces the thrust which presses the submersible cleaning robot 1 in the direction which goes to a cultured fish net at the time of cleaning operation | movement.

  As described above, the underwater cleaning robot 1 according to the present embodiment is configured to integrally rotate the cleaning nozzle unit 3 and the propeller 4 via the rotation shaft 5, and jetting when high-pressure water is jetted from the cleaning nozzle 33. These three members 3, 4, and 5 are rotated by the reaction force, and the propulsion force is obtained by the rotation of the propeller 4.

  The submersible cleaning robot 1 is provided with an auxiliary nozzle 6 for preventing the accompanying rotation generated in the robot body 2 due to the rotation of the rotary shaft 5. That is, when the cleaning nozzle unit 3 and the rotary shaft 5 rotate, the robot body 2 also tries to rotate in the rotational direction of the rotary shaft 5 due to the sliding resistance between the rotary shaft 5 and the rotary joint 51. , To counteract that power.

  An underwater camera 70 is provided at the front portion of the propeller side main body 2B so as to check the cleaning status of the aquaculture fish net. The imaging information of the underwater camera 70 is transmitted to the control box 29 via the electric signal line of the motor / control code C. Specifically, a mounting recess 2d is provided in the front portion of the propeller side main body 2B, and a bracket 72 is fixed to the mounting recess 2d.

  The underwater camera 70 is attached to the bracket 72 so as to be able to image the front and the bottom. The underwater camera 70 captures an underwater situation, and the image is displayed on a screen 75a of a monitor device 75 disposed on land or on a ship so that an underwater aquaculture fish net can be checked in real time.

  In the bracket 72, the compass 80 is disposed within the field of view of the underwater camera 70 (in the screen 75a) so as to be displayed at one corner of an image captured by the underwater camera. The compass 80 indicates the posture (up / down / left / right) of the submersible cleaning robot 1 in the underwater cleaning operation, and the direction of east / west / north / south. As shown in FIG. 8, the entire compass 80 may be projected.

  The compass 80 is attached to the bracket 72 via a compass attachment member 81. As shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B and 6, the compass mounting member 81 includes a transparent plate 82 and a mounting base 83 made of a transparent acrylic member fixed to the tip of the plate 82. ing.

  The compass 80 illustrates a spherical compass. The compass 80 includes a transparent compass body 80a fixed to the mounting base 83 and a spherical core 80b accommodated in the compass body 80a. The core 80b is provided with a display portion 80c indicating the direction of east, west, south, and north. The entire core 80b including the display unit 80c is configured to be transparent, or the ground portion excluding the display unit 80c is configured to be transparent.

The whole display including the display unit 80c is transparent when the display unit 80c is translucent enough to be recognized even by backlight. In addition, the ground portion excluding the display portion 80c is transparent, and the ground portion is transparent and light can be transmitted. However, the display portion 80c is made of, for example, black and is opaque and hardly transmits light. Is possible.
-Operation explanation of submersible cleaning robot 1-
Next, the cleaning operation of the cultured fish net N by the underwater cleaning robot 1 configured as described above will be described.

  At the time of cleaning by the underwater cleaning robot 1, the underwater cleaning robot 1 is submerged inside the aquaculture fish net N (aquaculture space) as shown in FIG. Then, the cleaning operator operates the remote control box R shown in FIG. 4 to supply power to each submersible motor from the motor / control code C and to supply high pressure to the cleaning nozzle unit 3 and the auxiliary nozzle unit 6 from the high pressure water hose H. Supply water. Thereby, each underwater motor M1, M2, M3, M4 drives, each wheel 22-25 rotates, and the underwater cleaning robot 1 travels along the aquaculture fish net N.

  High pressure water is jetted from the cleaning nozzles 33 and 34 of the cleaning nozzle unit 3. By a jet of high-pressure water from the cleaning nozzles 33 and 34, algae, shellfish, and the like attached to the cultured fish net N are removed and discharged out of the aquaculture space, and the cultured fish net N is cleaned.

  The cleaning nozzle unit 3, the rotating shaft 5, and the propeller 4 rotate integrally by the injection reaction force accompanying the injection of the high-pressure water. By the rotation of the propeller 4, water is introduced from the introduction space D toward the propeller 4, and a water flow blown out from the opening 21 is generated, whereby a propulsive force is obtained for the underwater cleaning robot 1, and each wheel 22-25. Is maintained in contact with the cultured fish net N at a predetermined pressure.

  Therefore, the wheels 22 to 25 are not lifted from the cultured fish net N, and the cultured fish net N is cleaned while the underwater cleaning robot 1 travels stably along the cultured fish net N.

  During this cleaning, an image captured by the underwater camera 70 is displayed on the screen 75 a of the monitor device 75. On this screen 75a, a compass 80 indicating the azimuth taken by the underwater camera 70 is also displayed. Therefore, the cleaning operator can perform the cleaning operation while constantly checking the cleaning status of the cultured fish net N and the traveling direction of the underwater cleaning robot 1.

  For example, when cleaning is performed while raising or lowering the peripheral portion N1 of the cultured fish net N with the lower surface of the robot body 2 facing the sun, the light is backlit against the underwater camera 70. However, since the mounting base 83 and the compass 80 themselves are transparent, sunlight passes through the mounting base 83 and the compass 80. For this reason, the cleaning operator can clearly see the core 80b even in the backlight, and can grasp the posture and the traveling direction of the submersible cleaning robot 1.

  As described above, even when the underwater camera 70 is backlit, the effect of allowing the monitor device 75 to visually observe the compass 80 is an illumination device that is provided above the cultured fish net N in addition to the sun and illuminates the cultured fish net N, and the robot body The same applies to the case of the lighting device attached to 2 as appropriate.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, the object to be cleaned is not limited to the cultured fish net N, but can also be used for cleaning piers, hulls, pools, and the like.

  In the above embodiment, the underwater camera 70 is illustrated as traveling in one direction, but it may be provided in the other direction (the side opposite to the arrow F shown in FIG. 2). The robot body 2 does not need to be divided into the nozzle side body 2A and the propeller side body 2B, and may be one in which a part of the robot body 2 is opened to form the introduction space D.

1 is an overall perspective view of an underwater cleaning robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of the same underwater cleaning robot. It is a side view including a partial cross section of the submersible cleaning robot. It is a perspective view which shows the outline of the control system of the submersible cleaning robot. The compass and compass attachment member which are used for the same underwater cleaning robot are shown, (a) is a top view, (b) is a sectional side view. It is an expanded sectional view of the compass and compass attachment member used for the submersible cleaning robot. It is a front view which shows the image projected on the monitor apparatus. It is a front view which shows the image projected on the monitor apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the state which cleans a cultured fish net with an underwater cleaning robot. It is a front view which shows the image projected on the monitor apparatus of a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Underwater cleaning robot 2 Robot main body 3 Cleaning nozzle unit 20 Control box 70 Underwater camera 75 Monitor apparatus 80 Compass 81 Compass mounting member 82 Plate 83 Mounting base C Motor / control code H High-pressure water hose N Cultured fish net (object to be cleaned)

Claims (1)

A robot main body that moves along the surface of the cleaning target existing in water, and a cleaning nozzle unit that is provided in the robot main body and that jets high-pressure water toward the surface of the cleaning target to clean the cleaning target. Underwater cleaning robot
The robot body is provided with an underwater camera that images the front of the robot body, and a compass that is disposed within the field of view of the underwater camera and indicates an orientation,
The compass includes a compass main body and a core that is housed in the compass main body and provided with a display unit, and the compass is fixed to the robot main body via a mounting base,
The compass body, the core and the mounting base are configured to be transparent so that light can pass through,
An underwater cleaning robot that projects an image captured by the underwater camera together with a compass on a screen of a monitor device disposed at a position separated from the robot body.

Images