JPH0698213A - Top/bottom discriminating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a top/bottom discriminating device which requires no electrical processing and has simple constitution at low cost by providing a frame body which is set at the front of the image pickup area of an image pickup element and coaxially to the optical axis and also holds a ball which can freely roll along the inner circumference of a track and shows the direction of gravity. CONSTITUTION:The track 1b having an approximately oval cavity, for example, is set at the center of a frame body 1a, and a steel ball 1c can freely roll along the inner circumference of the track 1b. The track 1b has such a shape of a circle, etc., so that the ball 1c can easily roll along the inner circumference of the track 1b. The ball 1c is always positioned at the lower part of the track 1b by its gravity, and the image of the ball 1c is projected on a monitor screen. The position of the ball image always shows the upper direction of an object on the monitor screen. When the camera is turned in its photographing mode, the image of the ball 1c turns in the opposite direction to the camera turning direction on the monitor screen. In other words, the camera turns counterclockwise when the ball image turns clockwise on the screen.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an upside-down discriminating apparatus used for an in-pipe inspection camera for inspecting the inside of pipes such as gas pipes and water pipes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a pipe inspection camera is inserted into a pipe to inspect the pipe, the camera is not always in a fixed position with respect to the pipe wall. Therefore, the image obtained by the in-pipe inspection camera is constantly changing, and it is difficult to determine the top and bottom of the tube wall, which is the subject.

Therefore, conventionally, a camera is provided with a top-bottom discriminating function in order to discriminate the top-bottom of an object.

However, these upside-down discrimination mechanisms perform electrical processing using a sensor such as a potentiometer.

[0005]

Since the conventional top-bottom discriminating device requires electrical processing, it requires a processing circuit for processing the obtained information. Therefore, the structure is complicated and the cost is not satisfactory.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an upside-down apparatus which does not require electrical processing, has a simple structure, and is inexpensive.

[0007]

According to the present invention, a sphere which is coaxially arranged with respect to an optical axis in front of an image pickup area of an image pickup element and which is rotatable along an inner circumference and indicates a direction of gravity is held. It has a frame.

[0008]

With the above means, the sphere is always downward due to the action of gravity regardless of the movement of the optical device. Therefore, even when the image is viewed on the screen through the optical device, it is determined that the sphere is downward. it can.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an upside-down discriminating apparatus according to the present invention. In the upside-down discriminating apparatus 1, a track 1b having, for example, a substantially elliptical cavity is provided in the center of a frame 1a, and a steel ball 1c is rollable along the inner circumference of the track 1b. Orbit 1
In addition to this, the shape of b may be a circular shape or the like as long as the steel ball 1c is easy to move and rolls along the inner circumference of the track 1b as much as possible. The frame 1a has, for example, a disk shape and a diameter of about 10.
0 mm, the length of the elliptical orbit 1b in the longitudinal direction is about 6.4.
mm, radius of curvature 8.0 mm, length in the lateral direction is about 4.8 m
m, radius of curvature about 6.0 mm, diameter of steel ball 1c is 0.5 ~
It is 0.8 mm.

FIG. 2 shows a case where a camera is equipped with the upside-down device shown in FIG. In a normal camera, the crystal optical filter 2 and the image sensor 3 are arranged on the optical axis of the rear stage of the lens. The upside-down discrimination device 1 is provided between the crystal optical filter 2 and the image pickup device 3.

The upside-down discriminating apparatus will be described below with reference to FIG. In the figure, (a) shows a subject, (b) shows an image of the subject obtained through the upside-down device (when viewed from the rear of the image sensor 3), and (c) shows an image of the subject obtained on the monitor screen. Shows.

First, referring to FIG. 3A, (a),
(B) and (c) will be described. FIG. 3A shows a case where the camera takes an image of a subject at a normal position.
The subject obtained through the upside-down discrimination device is an inverted real image. Further, the steel ball 1c is always located under the track 1b due to gravity. Therefore, an image as shown in (1)-(b) of FIG. On the monitor side, the inverted real image of (1)-(b) in the figure is converted to obtain an image as shown in (1)-(c) of the figure. As shown in (1)-(c) of the figure, the image of the steel ball 1c is located at the upper part of the monitor screen. This is because the steel ball 1c is located on the image forming side with respect to the lens.

In FIG. 3B, the camera is located on the right side 4 from the normal position.
The case where the subject is imaged at a position inclined by 5 ° is shown. Even in this case, since the steel ball 1c is always located at the lower part of the track 1b, an image as shown in (2)-(b) of FIG.
The inverted real image shown in (2)-(b) of FIG.
Obtain an image as shown in (c).

FIG. 3 (3) shows that the camera is located on the right side 9 of the normal position.
The case where the subject is imaged at a position inclined by 0 ° is shown. Even in this case, since the steel ball 1c is always located at the lower part of the track 1b, an image as shown in (3)-(b) of FIG.
The inverted real image shown in (3)-(b) of FIG.
Obtain an image as shown in (c).

The steel ball 1 thus obtained on the monitor screen
The position of the image of c always indicates the upward direction of the subject.
Further, when the camera is rotating during imaging, the image of the steel ball 1c obtained on the monitor is rotating in the direction opposite to the camera rotating direction. That is, when the image of the steel ball 1c is rotated right on the monitor screen, the camera is rotated left.

In the present invention, the case of the orbit having a hollow with a curved periphery is described, but in this case, the steel ball 1c may inevitably cross the central portion of the screen. Therefore, in order to prevent this, a guide groove or the like may be provided on the periphery, and the steel ball 1c may be movable along this groove.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide an upside-down identification device that does not require electrical processing, has a simple structure, and is inexpensive, simply by mounting the device in a conventional camera.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an upside-down device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the upside-down determination device shown in FIG. 1 is attached to a camera.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the upside-down determination apparatus shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Top-and-bottom discriminating device, 2 ... Quartz optical filter, 3 ... Imaging element, 1a ... Frame, 1b ... Orbit, 1c ... Steel ball.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A frame body, which is arranged coaxially with respect to an optical axis in front of an image pickup area of an image pickup element and has a sphere that can roll along an inner circumference and holds a sphere indicating a gravity direction. Upside down device.