JPH116800A - Image pickup device in pipe - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To confirm the upper and lower and right and left parts in the pipe displayed on a monitor and to make it possible to judge whether the running pipe is the iron pipe or not from the monitor image at the same time by containing movable water and a display body in the cavity part of the hollow ring of a state display part provided in the image pickup region in front of an image pickup means. SOLUTION: A guide 6 makes the mud and the like to be accumulated at the connecting part of a pipe and in the pipe easy to ride over when the image pickup device in the pipe advances. A state display part 7 has water 8 and a display body 9 in a cavity part 7a of a hollow ring body made of resin such as transparent vinyl chloride and is used for up and down indication and the confirmation of an iron pipe. The display body 9 comprises a floating part for imparting buoyancy and a magnet part attached to the float part. Furthermore, since the state display part 7 is located in the image pickup range in front of a camera body 1, the display part 7 is imaged on a monitor together with the state in the pipe. The water 8 tends to be located in the lower side in the cavity part 7a all the time by the gravity. The display part 9 floating on the water is always located at the lower side together with the water. The fact that the pipe is the iron pipe can be also recognized by the downward movement of the magnet part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an in-pipe image pickup apparatus for picking up an image of the inside of a pipe such as an electric wire pipe by an image pickup means such as a video camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In-pipe self-propelling devices (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No.
6-293259), there is an in-tube imaging device that is mounted (connected) and moved. The in-pipe imaging device is provided with an imaging means such as a video camera, and displays the inside of the pipe on a monitor outside the pipe so that an operator can check the state.

[0003] A self-propelled machine is designed to travel straight in a pipe. It may run while rotating with respect to the axis.

[0004] When the self-propelled machine rotates, the in-pipe imaging device mounted thereon also rotates together with the self-propelled machine. Then, the inside of the tube projected by the video camera is also rotated and projected. As a result, it is difficult to see the top, bottom, left and right inside the projected tube even when looking at the monitor. For example, even if a crack is found in a pipe, it cannot be determined whether the location is the upper or lower part of the pipe.

Therefore, it is necessary to confirm the self-propelled machine and the in-pipe imaging device based on the traveling amount of the self-propelled machine and to actually dig up the place to check for cracks in the pipe.

In addition, iron pipes (iron pipes) are often used for old pipes buried in the ground, but in recent years iron pipes are considered to be undesirable due to problems such as electromagnetic induction and durability. Iron pipes are being replaced with new clay pipes.

However, the record of burying old iron pipes has been lost or lost due to the war, and the exact burying position is unknown. It is extremely difficult to judge the material of the tube only by looking at the monitor, even when trying to confirm with the in-tube imaging device.

[0008]

Therefore, there is a need for an in-pipe imaging apparatus which can confirm the up, down, left, and right of the inside of a pipe projected on a monitor and can determine from a monitor image whether or not the running pipe is an iron pipe. I have.

[0009]

The in-pipe imaging apparatus of the present invention has an imaging means (1) for imaging the inside of the pipe (A), and an imaging range in front of the imaging means (1). A state display unit (7) is provided.The state display unit (7) includes a hollow ring body having a cavity (7a), and a hollow ring body (7a) housed in the cavity (7a).
a) It consists of water (8) and a display (9)
(9) is characterized by having a float part (9a) for obtaining buoyancy and a magnet part (9b).

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to preferred embodiments. [Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an in-pipe imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view of the same. In actual use, a self-propelled machine (not shown) is connected and used.

In FIG. 1, (A) is a tube to be inspected. (1) is a camera body as an imaging means, which includes a lens unit (1a) and a lighting device (1b). (2) is a cover for protecting the camera body from damage and dirt. Reference numeral (4) denotes a camera control unit that functions to rotate the gears (11a) and (12a) by the motor (11) and the motor (12) to change the direction and posture of the camera.

(5) is a washing water tank for storing washing water. The inside of the washing water tank (5) is pressurized by the injected air. The pressurized state can be adjusted by the adjusting cock. When the solenoid valve (10) is opened, the cleaning water is sprayed on the cover (2) through the cleaning nozzle (3) to cover the cover.
(2) can be washed. The reason for cleaning the cover (2) in this way is that when the device passes through a dirty portion in the pipe such as a pool of sewage, dirt adheres to the cover (2) and the image becomes unclear. is there.

Reference numeral (6) denotes a guide, which is attached so as to make it easy to get over a seam of the pipe or mud accumulated in the pipe when the in-pipe imaging device advances.

(7) is a status display section used for up / down display and iron tube confirmation. The state display section (7) is provided with water (8) and a display body (9) in a hollow ring body made of a transparent resin such as PVC.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the status display section (7). (7
(b) is the inner side wall, (7c) is the outer side wall, and (7a) is both (7
It is a cavity formed between b) and (7c). The cavity (7a) is filled with water (8), and the display body (9) is floating above the water (8).

The display body (9) includes a float (9a) for giving buoyancy, and a magnet attached to the float (9a).
(9b).

Since the status display section (7) is located in the imaging range in front of the camera body (1), the state display section (7) is displayed on the monitor together with the state inside the tube. The water (8) always tries to be located below in the cavity (7a) by gravity,
The display section (9) floating on (8) is also always located below together with the water (8). Therefore, the image on the monitor clearly shows that the side where the display section (9) is located is downward.

Although the user can confirm the up and down direction on the monitor, the upper part of the monitor does not always indicate the upper part of the tube. In such a case, the camera body (1) may be rotated by the motor (12) so that the top and bottom of the monitor and the top and bottom of the tube are aligned.

If a crack is found on the inner wall of the tube (A), the direction of the camera body (1) can be changed to a desired direction by the motor (11).

In order to improve the visibility, it is preferable that a part or the whole of the display section (9) is made a color that is easily visible.

The amount of water (8) is determined by the upper surface of the display section (9) on the inner peripheral side wall (7).
It is desirable that the amount does not come into contact with b). Display
If (9) makes strong contact with the inner peripheral side wall (7b), the display section (9) may be caught and the smoothness of movement may be impaired.

When the in-pipe imaging device advances in the pipe and enters the iron pipe, the magnet part (9b) of the display unit (9) is attracted to the iron pipe, and is opposed to the buoyancy of the float part (9a) on the outer peripheral side wall (7c). Move down until it touches. Since this state can also be seen on the monitor, the operator can recognize at that time that the pipe (A) containing the in-pipe imaging device is an iron pipe.

Therefore, the display unit (9) takes into account the buoyancy of the float unit (9a), the weight of the magnet unit (9b), and the attractive force of the magnetic force.
In the normal state, it is necessary to adjust so that it floats on the water (8) and sinks when it is inside the iron pipe (contacts the outer peripheral side wall (7c)).

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, an in-pipe image pickup apparatus capable of confirming up, down, left, and right in a pipe projected on a monitor and judging from a monitor image whether or not the running pipe is an iron pipe. Could be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an in-pipe imaging device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the in-pipe imaging apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a state display unit according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 (1) Camera body (imaging means) (2) Cover (6) Guide (7) Status display (7a) Cavity (8) Water (9) Display (9a) Float (9b) Magnet

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Akio Saito 6-2-27 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka City Inside Kansai Tec Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup means for picking up an image of a state inside a tube, wherein a state display section is provided in an image pickup range in front of the image pickup means, and the state display section is a hollow ring body having a hollow portion. And a display unit and water stored in the cavity and movable in the cavity, wherein the display unit has a float unit and a magnet unit for obtaining buoyancy.