JPS58189604A - Underwater fiber scope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform underwater observation in every direction by sealing the tip part of an image fiber which has a focus adjusting devie and a lighting device with a window member and a sealing end plate and arranging screws at the circumference of the image fiber. CONSTITUTION:A rotary ring 13 having a gear 12 as its outer circumferential surface is equipped rotatably atop of the image fiber 11 and a lens barrel 14 reciprocates lengthwise through the rotation of the rotary ring 13 to make a focus adjustment of a photographic lens. A bracket 28 has plural miniature lamps 29. A casing 21, window member 22, and sealing end part 22 seal the tip part of the image fiber 11. When one of underwater motors 34 arranged at the outer circumference of the case 21 is driven, a screw 33 rotates to jet water from a contraction part 36 and the tip part of the image fiber changes in direction by its reaction to allow the observation in every direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an underwater fiberscope designed to allow the distal end of a sealed structure incorporating a focus adjustment device and an illumination device to be directed in any direction by remote control.

A fiberscope is an optical system built into both ends of an image fiber formed by bundling and fusion-bonding a large number of optical fibers in a lined state, allowing the observation of images of objects located in front of the body. It is particularly effective in narrow spaces such as inside or pipes, or in places that are highly dangerous and cannot be easily accessed by workers, such as nuclear reactors and chemical reaction towers.

Recent fiberscopes can be manufactured relatively easily with lengths of 10 meters or more due to a significant reduction in transmission loss, and there are problems when using such long fiberscopes. The problem is that due to its flexibility, it becomes difficult to direct the tip of the fiberscope in a desired direction. Conventionally, a large number of annular members are connected to each other continuously via pins, and this is used as the outer sheath of the fiberscope, and two wires are passed inside, and these wires are indexed and loosened. The tip of the fiberscope was bent.

However, with this conventional pointing device, the tip of the fiberscope can only be swung in one plane, and the entire fiberscope must be twisted in order to point in any direction. In this case, it is extremely difficult to twist the fiberscope to such an extent that the distal end of the long fiberscope can be rotated, as the twist is often absorbed by its flexibility.

Although it is important to increase the numerical aperture of the di-fiber itself, it is necessary to use a bright imaging lens with a large aperture ratio. However, since the imaging lens with a large aperture ratio has a shallow depth of focus, it is necessary to adjust the focus according to the distance between the object to be observed and the imaging lens, and it is necessary to incorporate a focus adjustment device into the tip of the fiberscope. arise.

In addition, when using a fiberscope underwater, etc., which requires a large amount of illumination light, a light guide that uses optical fiber as the illumination light transmission path is insufficient, and a separate illumination device is attached to the tip. There is a need. Therefore, in order to observe bright images without any problems even underwater,
These focusing devices and illumination devices must be hermetically protected along with the tip of the fiberscope.

Based on the findings of the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to improve the defects of the conventional 7-eye fiberscope and to provide a fiberscope that can particularly brightly observe underwater in all directions.

The configuration of the underwater 7-eye pathscope of the present invention that achieves this object includes: an imaging lens mounted in a lens barrel that is attached to the tip of an image fiber so as to be able to reciprocate along its longitudinal direction; a focus adjustment drive source located at the tip of the lens barrel and connected to a control cable assembled to the image fiber and reciprocating the lens barrel; and a drive source for focus adjustment located around the lens barrel and connected to the control cable assembled to the image fiber; a cylindrical casing surrounding the distal end of the image fiber, the lens barrel, the drive source, and the illumination light source; a transparent casing attached to the distal end of the casing; a window member through which the image fiber passes, and a sealing end plate that cooperates with the window member and the casing to seal the tip of the image fiber; The image fibers are also provided with drive rotatable propellers that are connected to control cables assembled to the image fibers and protrude outside the casing, and each includes a drive motor for driving a light beam or a base.

Below, Fig. 1 and its
This will be explained in detail with reference to FIG. A rotary ring 13 with a gear 12 formed on the outer circumferential surface is rotatably attached to the tip of the image fiber 11 protected by an outer jacket. It matches. Therefore, the lens barrel 14 reciprocates along its longitudinal direction by the rotation of the rotating ring 13, and the imaging lens (not shown) incorporated therein is moved back and forth with respect to the imaging plane of the image fiber 11. Image fiber 11 for clear real images
It becomes possible to focus the image on the image plane.

A gear 17 that meshes with the gear 12 is integrally provided at the tip of a rotating shaft 16 that is rotatably supported by a shaft holder 15 fitted to the image fiber 11.
The rear end of 6 is connected via a joint 20 to a drive motor 19 supported by the image fiber 11 via a cylindrical frame 18 . On the other hand, a transparent window member 22 is attached to the tip of a cylindrical casing 21 that surrounds these through a lock ring 23, and a seal end plate that passes through the image fiber 11 is attached to the rear end of the casing 21. 24 is attached via multiple sets of bolts 25 and nuts 26, and the tip of the image fiber 11 is sealed from the outside by the casing 21, window member 22, and seal end plate 24. . Note that the reference numeral 27 in the figure is a sealing material, which is made by sealing high-pressure fluid in the casing 21 in advance to make the cage puffer 21 etc. pressure resistant, and also to prevent the tip of the image fiber 11 from becoming too buoyant due to the buoyancy of the air. It is also possible to prevent the surface from rising too much. Casing 2 located around lens barrel 14
An annular bracket 28 is formed on the inner periphery of 1.
A plurality of miniature light bulbs 29 for illumination are arranged in a ring shape on this bracket 28. Cables 30 and 31 for power supply to the miniature light bulb 29 and the drive motor 19 are incorporated inside the image fiber 11, and are connected to a power source (not shown) at the base end thereof. On the other hand, a plurality of (three in this embodiment) hollow pillars 32 are protruded radially from the outer periphery of the casing 21 at equal intervals, and a screw 33 is driven at the rear end of each of these pillars 32 so as to be freely rotatable. A mounted underwater motor 34 is attached to each. Underwater motor 3
A power supply cable 35 for the image fibers 4 is incorporated into the image fibers 1, 1 from within the pillar 32, and is connected to a power source (not shown) at its base end. In this embodiment, a cylindrical rectifier tube 37 is fixed to the pillar 32 with a constriction portion 36 formed at the rear end and covers the underwater motor 34, and the water flow due to the rotation of the screw 33 is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the casing 21. We are taking care to ensure that the occurrence occurs in the following direction. Note that the underwater motor 34 may be installed inside the 34-color casing 21 so that the screw 33 protrudes outside from the seal end plate 24. In this case, a normal motor can be used instead of the underwater motor 34. .

Therefore, by driving any one submersible motor 34, the screw 33 is rotated, and as a result, water is vigorously ejected backward from the constriction part 36, and a propulsive force is generated by the reaction. At this time, if the remaining underwater motors 34 are not being driven, these act as propulsion resistance, so the tip of the image fiber 11 changes its direction to the opposite side of the underwater motor 340 that is being driven. When all the underwater motors 34 are activated, the tip of the image fiber 11 is propelled underwater, but it is also possible to make a sharp turn or a gentle turn by changing the relative rotational speed of the screw 33. . In this embodiment, three underwater motors 34 are used to propel the fiberscope underwater and change direction, but four or more underwater motors may be used. It is also possible to use a fluid pressure motor in place of the drive motor 19, or to directly drive the lens barrel 14 with a fluid pressure cylinder.

As described above, according to the underwater fiberscope of the present invention,
The tip of the image fiber provided with the focus adjustment device and the illumination device is sealed with a casing, a channel member, and a sealing end plate, and at least three motors equipped with screws are arranged around the image fiber, and these motors are connected relative to each other. Since the image fiber is driven in conjunction with the image fiber, it is possible to clearly observe a bright image underwater, and the tip of the image fiber can be directed and propelled in all directions.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the tip of an embodiment of an underwater fiberscope according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line ■-■. 14 is a lens barrel, 19 is a drive motor, 21 is a casing, 22 is a window member, 24 is a seal end plate, 30, 31, 35 is a cable, 33 is a screw, and 34 is a whirling submersible motor. Patent applicant: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Patent attorney: Shibu Mitsuishi (and 1 other person)

Claims (1)

[Claims] A photographic lens is installed in a lens barrel that is attached to the tip of the image fiber so as to be able to reciprocate along its longitudinal direction, and a control cable is located at the tip of the image fiber and attached to the image fiber. a driving source for focus adjustment that is connected to each other and reciprocates the lens barrel; a light source for illumination that is connected to a power supply cable arranged around the lens barrel and assembled to the image fiber; A cylindrical casing that surrounds the tip, the lens barrel, the drive source, and the illumination light source, a transparent window member attached to the tip of the casing, and the window member through which the image fiber passes. and a sealing end plate that cooperates with the casing to seal the distal end of the image fiber, and a sealing end plate that is arranged at approximately equal intervals around the image fiber and is connected to a control cable assembled to the image fiber, and An underwater fiberscope comprising at least one drive motor each having a drive rotatable propeller that protrudes outside the casing.