JP7097245B2 - Floating device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a floating body device that inspects while flowing in a water passage.

It is necessary to regularly inspect the waterways in power plants, etc. for defects such as cracks and stains. As a device for inspecting a water passage, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a water channel inspection device. The water channel inspection device of Patent Document 1 includes a parachute-shaped water flow receiving member that receives water flow, a support frame connected to the parachute-shaped water flow receiving member, and a waterproof underwater video camera attached to an instruction frame.

According to Patent Document 1, the water flow receiving member receives a propulsive force from the water flow flowing through the waterway, and while moving in the waterway, the inner wall of the waterway is photographed by a photographing means, and the inside of the waterway is photographed based on the image photographed by the photographing means. Can be inspected. Therefore, it is possible to inspect the inside of the waterway without stopping the power plant, and since the photographing device has a relatively simple structure, it can be manufactured at low cost.

As another device, Patent Document 2 discloses a wall surface automatic tracking type water tunnel imaging device. In Patent Document 2, the photographing apparatus includes a hull that floats on the water surface in a tunnel and flows down, a rotating body base that is rotatably held by the hull, and a photographing camera that is installed on the rotating body base. According to Patent Document 2, it is possible to perform autonomous attitude control as compared with the waterway inspection device of Patent Document 1.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-013643 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-013595

According to the devices of Patent Documents 1 and 2, a certain degree of inspection can be performed while the water passage is kept in a water-passing state. However, since the waterway inspection device of Patent Document 1 moves while being in contact with the tunnel bed (floor) of the waterway by wheels, it is easily affected by the unevenness of the tunnel bed due to scouring. For this reason, it is difficult to connect the captured moving image to the still image because the distance between the wall surface and the camera changes greatly due to the camera swinging from side to side. Further, there is a problem that it is difficult to keep the moving speed constant and it is difficult to grasp the position information of the device.

Unlike the waterway inspection device that slides on the tunnel floor of the waterway of Patent Document 1, the wall surface automatic tracking type waterway tunnel photographing device of Patent Document 2 floats and moves on the water surface of the waterway. Therefore, it is not affected by the unevenness of the tunnel floor due to scouring. However, since the device of Patent Document 2 floats and moves on the water surface of the water channel, it is difficult to keep the distance from the wall surface of the water channel constant, and the device is in a state of being close to either the left or right wall surface. Then, since the image scales of the left and right wall surfaces are different, it becomes difficult to develop the captured moving image and convert it into a still image with high accuracy. Further, the device of Patent Document 2 cannot take a picture of a wall surface or a floor underwater, and is equipped with a mechanism for rotating a camera for taking a picture and a battery. There is also the problem that it is difficult.

In view of such a problem, the present invention provides a floating device capable of inspecting the entire wall surface, upper surface, and bottom surface of an aerial part or an underwater part by controlling the posture in the direction of the water channel in a substantially center of the water channel. I am aiming.

In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of the floating body device according to the present invention is a floating body device that inspects while flowing in the water passage, and is connected to the floating body floating on the water surface of the water passage and the floating body. It is characterized by comprising a parachute, which receives a greater resistance from water than a floating body, and one or more sensor devices mounted on the floating body.

According to the above configuration, the parachute receives more resistance from the water in the channel than the floating body. As a result, the parachute receives resistance from the water, so that the floating body can be towed in the water passage and the posture of the floating body device can be kept constant in the flow direction of the water flow. Then, the floating device moves in the water passage by the water flow of the water passage, so that the speed at which the floating device moves in the water passage is substantially the same as the speed of the water flow in the water passage. Therefore, the moving speed of the floating body device in the water passage can be kept substantially constant.

In addition, the flow velocity of the water passage generally increases toward the center in the width direction. Therefore, when the floating device moves in the water passage, the parachute is flown by the water flow to the center in the width direction of the water passage. This makes it possible to suppress the movement of the floating body in the width direction of the water passage and maintain the distance between the left and right wall surfaces of the water passage and the floating body device almost evenly.

The float device may further include a tail connected to the float opposite the parachute. As a result, by increasing the resistance of the floating body device, it is possible to suppress the inclination and planar rotation of the floating body with respect to the flow direction of the water flow. Therefore, the proper posture of the floating body can be maintained, and the inspection by the sensor device can be suitably performed. Further, according to the above configuration, since the structure of the floating body device is simple, the weight can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the labor of the worker involved in the work of putting into the waterway and collecting from the waterway.

The sensor device may be mounted on the upper side of the floating body. This makes it possible to suitably inspect the space above the water surface by the sensor device.

It is preferable that the sensor device is further provided with a prism connected to the lower side of the floating body and arranged below the water surface, and the sensor device is connected to the floating body via the prism. This makes it possible to suitably inspect the space below the water surface, that is, the wall surface and the bottom surface of the water passage below the water surface by the sensor device.

The parachute may be connected to the floating body via a prism. This allows the parachute to be well placed in the water. Therefore, the attitude control of the floating body and the maintenance of the center position of the water channel by the parachute can be surely obtained, and the above-mentioned effect can be enhanced.

The sensor device may be a camera, a laser sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or an IC tag reader. By mounting a camera as a sensor device, it is possible to observe the wall surface of the waterway. In addition, it is possible to grasp the cross-sectional shape of a water tunnel by using a laser sensor or an ultrasonic sensor as a sensor device. Further, by mounting an IC tag reader as a sensor device, it is possible to accurately grasp the position of the floating body device and collect other measurement data by reading the IC tag provided on the wall surface of the water passage.

It is preferable to further include a transparent capsule attached to the upper side of the floating body and accommodating the camera inside, and a light source for photographing attached to the outside of the capsule. By accommodating the camera in the capsule in this way, the camera can be suitably protected. In addition, by attaching a light source for photography to the outside of the capsule, it is possible to take good pictures of the inside of the water passage even in a dark place.

It is preferable to further include a capsule attached to the lower end of the prism and accommodating the sensor device inside, and a caster attached to the outside of the capsule. This makes it possible to prevent the capsule from being damaged when the floating device is put into the water passage or collected from the water passage.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a floating device capable of inspecting the entire wall surface, upper surface, and bottom surface of an aerial part or an underwater part by controlling the posture of flowing through a substantially center of the water channel in the direction of the water channel.

It is a perspective view of the floating body device which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which observed the floating body device in a water passage. It is a figure explaining the putting in and taking out of a floating body device in a water passage. It is a figure explaining another example of the floating body apparatus of this embodiment.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in the embodiment are merely examples for facilitating the understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are designated by the same reference numerals to omit duplicate explanations, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown. do.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the floating body device 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a view of observing the floating body device 100 in the water passage 10, FIG. 2 (a) illustrates a state in which the floating body device 100 is observed from above, and FIG. 2 (b) shows a state in which the floating body device 100 is observed. Is illustrated from the side.

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the floating device 100 of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a device that moves while being flown in the water passage 10 and inspects the water passage 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the floating device 100 of the present embodiment includes a floating body 110, a parachute 120, a tail 130, and a camera 140 which is a sensor device. The camera 140 is provided with four cameras 140 on the upper side of the floating body and three cameras 140 on the lower side of the floating body, for a total of seven cameras 140.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the floating device 100 includes a transparent capsule (upper capsule 160a and lower capsule 160b) that houses a camera that is a sensor device. Since the camera 140 is protected by the upper capsule 160a and the lower capsule 160b, collisions and damages between the wall surface and the camera 140 when the floating device 100 is thrown into the water passage 10 or collected from the water passage 10 are prevented. It can be suitably prevented.

The floating device 100 does not run on the tunnel floor, but floats on the surface of the water. Therefore, it moves at a constant speed without being affected by the unevenness of the tunnel floor (mainly due to scouring). Therefore, the position of the floating body device 100 can be accurately grasped.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the float 110 is a float that floats on the water surface 10a of the water passage 10, and as a specific material, for example, a PVC pipe can be used. Further, in the present embodiment, an additional float 200 is provided below the floating body 110. As a result, the buoyancy of the floating body device 100 can be increased, and the space above the water surface 10a of the water passage 10 can be inspected more reliably. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the float 200 may not necessarily be provided as long as sufficient buoyancy can be secured only by the floating body 110.

The parachute 120 may be flexible or rigid. The parachute 120 receives more resistance from water than the floating body 110. The tail 130 is a rope-like member connected to the floating body 110 on the opposite side of the parachute 120. Since the tip of the tail 130 is preferably slightly sunk in order to increase the resistance, it is preferable to attach a weight to the tip. The tail 130 receives less resistance from water than the floating body 110.

In the floating body device 100 of the present embodiment having the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 2B, the propulsive force (shown by the arrow) received from the water increases in the order of the tail 130, the floating body 110, and the parachute 120. Therefore, the parachute 120 pulls the floating body 110 to the downstream side, and the tail 130 pulls the floating body 110 to the upstream side. As a result, it is possible to suppress the inclination or planar rotation of the floating body 110 with respect to the flow direction of the water flow and maintain an appropriate posture of the floating body 110, so that it is possible to suitably perform an inspection by the camera 140, which is a sensor device. It becomes.

Since the force of the water flow is used to control the attitude of the floating body 110 in this way, it is not necessary to mount a mechanism for rotating the photographing camera and a battery as in Patent Document 2. Therefore, since the structure of the floating body device 100 is simple, the weight of the floating body device 100 can be reduced.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2A, the flow velocity of the water passage 10 generally increases toward the center in the width direction. Therefore, when the floating device 100 moves in the water passage 10, the parachute 120 is flowed by the water flow to the center in the width direction of the water passage 10. As a result, the floating body 110 is also pulled by the parachute 120 and moves to the center in the width direction of the water passage 10. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the movement of the floating body 110 in the width direction of the water passage 10 and maintain the distance between the left and right wall surfaces of the water passage 10 and the floating body device 100 substantially evenly.

Further, as described above, the floating device 100 of the present embodiment includes seven cameras 140 as sensor devices. This makes it possible to suitably observe the upper part of the water surface 10a of the water passage 10 (the ceiling surface of the tunnel), the left and right wall surfaces on the water surface, the lower part of the water (tunnel floor), and the left and right wall surfaces in the water. In this embodiment, a configuration in which seven cameras 140, that is, seven sensor devices are mounted is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of sensor devices can be appropriately changed.

In this embodiment, a configuration in which the camera 140 is mounted as a sensor device is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this. Examples of other sensor devices include laser sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and IC tag readers (not shown). By mounting a laser sensor as a sensor device, it is possible to grasp the cross-sectional shape and its change in the water passage 10. By mounting an IC tag reader as a sensor device, by reading the IC tag (not shown) provided on the wall surface of the water passage 10, the position of the floating device 100, the change in the crack width, and the deformation of the tunnel can be accurately grasped. It becomes possible.

The camera 140, which is a sensor device on the lower side of the floating body 110, is connected to the floating body 110 via a pillar body 150. This ensures that the lower sensor device is placed at a predetermined water depth. Further, since the prism 150 generates buoyancy, it is preferable to arrange a weight around it. As a result, the weight of the floating body 110 in the vertical direction can be balanced, and overturning can be prevented.

A parachute 120 and a tail 130 are also connected to the prism 150. In other words, the parachute 120 and the tail 130 are connected to the floating body 110 via the prism 150. As a result, the parachute 120 and the tail 130 are arranged at a predetermined water depth. Since the parachute 120 and the tail 130 are well placed in the water, the effect of attitude control can be surely obtained.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the floating body device 100 is provided with handles 180 on both sides of the floating body 110, and can be gripped by hand or hooked by a tool such as a hook. Further, a caster 190 is attached to the outside of the lower capsule 160b.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the loading and unloading of 100 in the water passage. As shown in FIG. 3, the hook 12a of the boat hook 12 can be hooked on the handle 180 and hung so that the floating device 100 can enter the water channel 10 or be collected. At this time, when the caster 190 comes into contact with the revetment 10b of the water passage 10, the caster 190 slides on the revetment 10b. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the capsule from being damaged when collecting the floating body device 100, and to smoothly collect the floating body device 100 from the water passage 10.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the floating body device 100 is provided with a light source 170 for photographing on the outside of the upper capsule 160a and the lower capsule 160b. If the light source 170 is placed inside the capsule, the light will be reflected inside the capsule and enter the image. By arranging the light source on the outside of the capsule, it is possible to take a good picture of the inside of the water passage 10 even in a dark place.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating another example of the floating device. When it is not necessary to inspect the water passage 10 underwater, the camera 140 may be mounted only on the upper side of the floating body 110, for example, as shown in FIG. 4A. If it is not necessary to inspect the space above the water surface 10a of the water passage 10, the camera 140 may be mounted only on the lower side of the floating body 110, for example, as shown in FIG. 4B. According to these, it is possible to reduce the weight of the floating body 100.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modifications or modifications within the scope of the claims, which naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. Understood.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used as a floating device for inspecting while flowing in a water passage.

10 ... Waterway, 10a ... Water surface, 10b ... Seawall, 12 ... Boat hook, 12a ... Hook, 100 ... Floating device, 110 ... Floating body, 120 ... Parachute, 130 ... Tail, 140 ... Camera, 150 ... Pillar body, 160a ... Upper capsule, 160b ... lower capsule, 170 ... light source, 180 ... handle, 190 ... caster, 200 ... float

Claims (8)

It is a floating device that inspects while being swept through the waterway.
A floating body floating on the water surface of the waterway,
A parachute that is connected to the float and receives more resistance from water than the float,
One or more sensor devices mounted on the float and
A floating device characterized by being provided with. The floating device according to claim 1, further comprising a tail connected to the floating body on the opposite side of the parachute. The floating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sensor device is mounted on the upper side of the floating body. Further provided with a prism connected to the underside of the floating body and placed below the surface of the water.
The floating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sensor device is connected to the floating body via the pillar body. The floating body device according to claim 4 , wherein the parachute is connected to the floating body via the prism. The floating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sensor device is a camera, a laser sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or an IC tag reader. A transparent capsule that is attached to the upper side of the floating body and houses the camera inside.
A light source for photography attached to the outside of the capsule,
The floating device according to claim 6, further comprising. A capsule attached to the lower end of the prism and accommodating the sensor device inside,
The casters attached to the outside of the capsule and
The floating device according to claim 4 or 5 , further comprising.

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