JPH0663719B2 - Underwater vehicle equipped with an image sensor built-in lifting device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an underwater vehicle equipped with an image sensor built-in lifting device capable of homing a surface ship by image.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention relates to an underwater vehicle including an elevating device including an image sensor at the tip of a hollow rod-shaped elevating body including a signal line and an elevating / lowering device therein. The structure is such that the lifting body can be changed from a retracted state in which it is completely buried in the outer shell of the underwater vehicle to an extended state in which it projects from the outer shell.
By enabling the image sensor to be exposed on the surface of water and sailing, it is possible to use the image detection device for an underwater vehicle that automatically sails, thereby increasing the homing range for surface ships. Compared to an underwater vehicle that relies only on acoustic methods, it can be dramatically extended and its accuracy can be improved, and the lifting device can be expanded and contracted to be completely stored inside the underwater vehicle shell. As a result, the conventional launching device can be used as it is.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, homing of an underwater vehicle that homs and destroys a surface ship detects the echo of bubbles floating in the ship itself or the track of the ship by transmitting sound waves from the head of the underwater vehicle. Or, by detecting the radiant noise of a surface watercraft that is sailing and knowing its direction. However, the expansion of the azimuth discrimination ability and the detection distance is currently reaching the technical limit.
In addition, homing by a method of detecting a radiant noise of a ship or an echo of bubbles becomes difficult when the ship is stationary. Furthermore, surface ships have recently been called TCCM (Torped
o Counter Counter Measure) Achieved the development of equipment,
Acoustic homing methods have become extremely difficult. In addition, the underwater acoustic method cannot obtain the accuracy of obtaining the shape information of which part of the surface ship to collide with.

[Problems to be Solved by the Present Invention] As described above, in the conventional technology that relies on the acoustic method, the underwater vehicle can be easily driven in the direction of misregistration from the target surface ship by TCCM equipment or the like. I will end up.

Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to equip an image homing device (for example, an infrared homing device), which has been remarkably advanced in recent years, and a conventional underwater vehicle launching device can be used as it is. Image that allows you to easily break through the TCCM of the opposing surface ship and collide with the surface vessel, and further use infrared rays etc. to facilitate image processing and make it possible to collide with a specific part of the surface vessel An object of the present invention is to provide an underwater vehicle equipped with a lifting device with a built-in sensor.

[Means for Solving the Problem] In order to achieve the above object, an underwater vehicle equipped with a lifting device with a built-in image sensor according to the present invention includes a signal line and a lifting assisting device inside, and a combination of a plurality of hollow rods. An image sensor is provided at the tip of a hollow rod-shaped lifting body that is configured to be expandable and contractible to form a lifting device with a built-in image sensor. It is provided so that it can project and be buried above the outer shell of the running body. Further, since the elevating device with a built-in image sensor can be contracted in the outer shell of the underwater vehicle or moved up and down as it is to be completely stored, a conventional launch device such as a launch tube can be used and the image sensor part can be used. By exposing it to the surface of the sea, it enables the homing system to detect the arrival direction of infrared rays or far infrared rays emitted by the target surface ship and to sail in that direction, and to determine which part of the surface ship It is also possible to adopt the image recognition processing that enables it.

[Operation] An underwater vehicle for destroying a surface submarine, which is mainly equipped in a submarine, is required to quietly approach a target and collide with or approach the target without being noticed. The method of homing by emitting underwater ultrasonic waves and capturing the echo may cause the target to be noticed due to the sound emitted by itself. The homing system provided with an image sensor such as an infrared sensor or a light beam sensor is passive, so there is no fear of this, and since image recognition processing can be used, the accuracy of hitting is extremely high.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of an underwater vehicle equipped with a lifting device with a built-in image sensor according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the outer shape of the underwater vehicle of the present invention seen from the side, and FIG. 2 is a rear view of the underwater vehicle seen from directly behind the underwater vehicle.

Generally, underwater vehicles that need to be launched quickly from a mother ship are required to have a very simple shape. This is for simplifying the launching device for the vehicle and enabling the loading operation of the vehicle for launching to be performed quickly, accurately and easily. This requirement asserts that the image sensor attachment parts such as infrared sensor, light sensor, etc. need to be completely housed inside the underwater vehicle.

In these drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a hollow rod-shaped lifting body that can be moved up and down or expanded and contracted to satisfy the above-mentioned needs, and that is provided with a signal line and one means that can be moved up and down or expanded and contracted. Specifically, the hollow rod-shaped lifting body 1 is configured to be expandable / contractible by combining two or more stages of hollow rods in order to increase the expansion / contraction length. 2 is an image sensor such as an infrared ray sensor or a light ray sensor attached to the tip of the hollow rod-shaped lifting body, 3
Is a signal line for sending the output of the image sensor to the commanding control device of homing that guides the underwater vehicle in the target direction by detecting the direction of the underwater vehicle or performing image processing. This is an elevating / lowering device for enabling elevating / lowering or expansion / contraction. Specifically, a multi-hydraulic cylinder or a combination mechanism of a motor and a gear is adopted. In this way, by providing the image sensor 2 at the tip of the hollow rod-shaped lifting body 1 including the signal line 3 and the lifting assistance device 4, the lifting device with a built-in image sensor is configured.

This lifting device with built-in image sensor is used for the outer shell 5 of an underwater vehicle.
Is vertically and telescopically attached, and is completely stored in the outer shell 5 when descending and contracting. Outer shell 5 when stored
Each hollow rod 1 of the hollow rod-shaped lifting body 1 so as to match the curved surface of
The tips of A and 1B preferably have the same curvature as the outer shell 5 as shown in FIG.

Further, in the outer shell 5, a homing command and control device for receiving the output of the image sensor 2 through the signal line 3 to detect the direction of the underwater vehicle or perform image processing to guide the underwater vehicle to the target direction. 6 are arranged. The rear part of the underwater vehicle is the propulsion unit 7, and when acoustic homing is also used, an acoustic sensor 8 is provided at the tip of the underwater vehicle.

FIG. 3 shows a horizontal plane cutting shape of the hollow rod-shaped lifting body 1. FIG. 3A shows a concrete example in which the horizontal plane cutting shape of the hollow rod-shaped lifting body 1 is streamlined, and FIG. This is a specific example.

FIG. 4 is an operational configuration diagram of the underwater vehicle equipped with the lifting device with the built-in image sensor shown in the embodiment on the actual sea surface. P is
Immediately after the underwater vehicle is launched from the mother ship, the elevating device with an expandable image sensor is lowered and contracted, and is completely stored in the outer shell of the underwater vehicle. Q is
The underwater vehicle is in a state where the lifting device with built-in image sensor in the ascended and extended state is taken out from the water surface. That is, the tip of the lifting device provided with the image sensor 2 is in a state of protruding above the water surface.

The underwater vehicle can also send and receive signals between the mother ship 11 and the command and control device 6 through the optical fiber 10. At this time, the underwater vehicle has a built-in image sensor that can extend and contract near the water surface. The operator lifts the lifting device out of the surface of the water and sends the image obtained at this time to the mother ship through the optical fiber, so that the operator recognizes the presence and the direction of the target 12 (surface ship) and guides the underwater vehicle to the target. Can be executed more accurately.

The underwater vehicle equipped with the lifting device with the built-in image sensor according to the present invention is also equipped with the conventional acoustic homing device at the same time, and even if the effects of the acoustic sensor are used in combination, no problem occurs.

Further, as an application of the present invention, by providing a GPS device together with an image sensor in a lifting device with a built-in image sensor, not only can the underwater vehicle collide with a target, but it can also be used as an underwater vehicle for collecting information for reconnaissance. That is, if the GPS device is built in, accurate position measurement can be automatically performed, so that an underwater vehicle that accurately invites itself to the destination, obtains information, and returns to the mother ship can be configured.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the underwater vehicle provided with the lifting device with the built-in image sensor of the present invention, the lifting device with the built-in image sensor is completely embedded in the outer shell of the underwater vehicle. With a structure that can change from the moving state to the extended state protruding from the outer shell, it is possible to sail with the image sensor exposed on the water surface, which allows homing to the surface ship by image detection, In addition, the homing range can be dramatically extended compared to an underwater vehicle that relies only on the acoustic method, and its accuracy can be improved. Further, since the lifting device has a structure that can be completely housed inside the underwater vehicle outer shell, there is an advantage that it can be used as it is in the conventional launching device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an underwater vehicle equipped with a lifting device with a built-in image sensor according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a rear view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a horizontal plane cut shape of a hollow rod-shaped lifting body. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an example, and FIG. 4 is an operation configuration diagram on the actual sea surface of the embodiment. 1 ... Hollow rod-shaped lifting body, 2 ... Image sensor, 3 ... Signal line, 4 ... Lifting assist device, 5 ... Outer shell, 6 ... Command control device.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An elevating device with a built-in image sensor is provided by providing an image sensor at the tip of a hollow rod-shaped elevating body which is configured to be expandable and contractible by combining a plurality of stages of hollow rods and which includes a signal line and an elevating assist device inside. By elongating / contracting the hollow rod-shaped lifting body by the lifting assisting device, the lifting device with a built-in image sensor is provided so as to be able to project and be buried upward with respect to the outer shell of the navigation body, and when the lifting device with a built-in image sensor projects An underwater vehicle equipped with a lifting device with a built-in image sensor, characterized in that the tip of the lifting device provided is projected above the water surface. 2. The underwater vehicle equipped with the lifting device with a built-in image sensor according to claim 1, wherein a horizontal plane cutting shape of the hollow rod-shaped lifting body is streamlined.