KR101468182B1 - Grip Tongs for Handling Radiation Source and Having Camera Module - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to grip tongs to handle a radiation source having an image module and, more specifically, to grip tongs to handle a radiation source having an image module to handle an object such as a radiation source positioned on an area unlikely to be directly observed. The grip tongs (10) includes: an extending member (11) which has an extendable length; a grip unit (12) formed on one end of the extending member (11); an adjustment handle (13) formed on the other end of the extending member (11); a stopper (14) coupled with the extending member (11) and fixates the length of the extending member (11); and an image unit (15) formed on the grip unit (12). The adjustment handle (13) controls an operation of the grip unit (12), and an image area of the image unit (15) is adjustable.

Description

[0001] Grip Tongs for Handling Radiation Source and Having Camera Module [

The present invention relates to a gripper for handling a radiation source having an imaging module and, more particularly, to a gripper for handling a radiation source having an imaging module that enables handling of objects such as a radiation source located in areas where direct observation is difficult will be.

A radiation source is any device or material that can emit or artificially emit radiation and may be used, for example, for x-ray generators or radiographic examinations. Radiation sources shall be enclosed in encapsulated or sealed capsules for safety purposes and shall be used, for example, for radiation nondestructive testing. Appropriate equipment needs to be used to move or discard such sources. Specially designed capsules can be used to conduct radiographic examinations with radiation sources such as, for example, iridium-192 or cobalt-60, and the capsule can be guided to a predetermined position via a remote control device or guide tube. In such a process, the capsule or the radiation source may deviate from the predetermined position or malfunction may occur in the device for induction. In this case, equipment that can handle the radiation source from a distance is required for safety.

Prior art related to the handling of radiation sources is disclosed in Patent Publication No. 2003-0032800. The prior art discloses a position adjusting device used in a radiation transmittance inspection apparatus for detecting an internal defect of an object by transmitting a two-dimensional image in a thickness direction through a film by passing radiation through the object.

Another prior art for the safety of radiological examinations is Patent Publication No. 20090045576, " Remote gripper for a radiation shielding facility with joints ". The prior art includes a spherical surface provided on one side and the other side of a spherical body inserted and fixed in a wall of a radiation shielding facility; A through hole formed in the longitudinal direction for inserting a shield and penetrating the wire cable and penetrating through the through hole formed on one side and the other side of the side surface; A first housing and a second housing coupled to one side and the other side of the bar, respectively, and having a structure in which both ends of the wire cable can be fixed and wound, respectively; And a handle including a handle lever which is connected and coupled with the wire cable to one side of the second housing for operating the wire cable at one side of the first housing, .

The prior art is able to obtain images of the device which can be shielded and which can handle the radiation source or related equipment located in the dark area or the low illumination area and the peripheral area necessary for the operation of such device The present invention is not disclosed.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art and has the following purpose.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a gripping force gauge for a radioactivity inspection having a video module that enables secure handling of a radiation source or a related object located in a shielded area or a radioactive contamination danger area while securing an image of a surrounding area will be.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gripper includes an elongate member capable of elongating length; A grip unit formed at one end of the extension member; An adjustment handle formed at the other end of the extension member; A stopper coupled to the extension member to fix the length of the extension member; And an image unit formed in the grip unit, wherein the adjustment handle controls the operation of the grip unit and the image unit is adjustable in the image area.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises a display unit capable of displaying the image transmitted from the image unit 15, and the display has a coordinate setting function.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the image unit includes a driving device, a guide member, a sliding member provided so as to be slidable with respect to the guide member, a tilt adjusting unit formed at one end of the sliding member, And the operation of the driving device is performed by a control unit provided in the adjusting knob.

The grippers according to the present invention can be remotely operated, for example, to allow a work related to a radiation source to be out of a predetermined position or to be discarded, while at the same time enabling the acquisition of peripheral images, . Further, the gripper according to the present invention has an advantage that it can detect a shielded area and can work safely.

1 shows an embodiment of a gripper according to the present invention.
2A and 2B illustrate an embodiment of a grip unit that may be applied to a gripper according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a control handle that may be applied to a gripper according to the present invention.
Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment of an image unit that may be applied to a gripper according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the following description, components having the same reference numerals in different drawings have similar functions, so that they will not be described repeatedly unless necessary for an understanding of the invention, and the known components will be briefly described or omitted. However, It should not be understood as being excluded from the embodiment of Fig.

1 shows an embodiment of a gripper 10 according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a gripper 10 according to the present invention includes an elongate member 11 that can be extended in length; A grip unit (12) formed at one end of the extension member (11); An adjustment handle (13) formed at the other end of the extension member (11); A stopper (14) formed on the extension member (11) to fix the length of the extension member (11); And an image unit 15 formed on the grip unit 12. The adjustment handle 13 controls the operation of the grip unit 12 and the image unit 15 is capable of adjusting the image area.

The grippers 10 according to the present invention can be used for the handling of objects, such as radiation sources, in any area where there is a risk due to radiation, but not limited thereto, as an apparatus for testing radiation. The grippers 10 can be used for the handling of objects or devices remotely and can be used, for example, to move the radiation source from one area to another, or to discard the radiation source. For example, a gripper 10 may be used to handle an off-site radiation source. The grippers 10 may be used independently or in combination with other devices.

The elongated member 11 may extend in a rod-like shape and may be formed in a plurality of stages. This allows the elongate member 11 to be made elongate or extendable. For example, the plurality of stages may be threaded or other suitable structures and a stopper 14 may be attached to the connection site to secure the different extension members in a fixed position.

The stopper 14 may have a locking structure and may have a variety of structures that allow the extension member 11, which is connected to each other by, for example, pushing or winging, to be fixed. The stopper 14 may have any shape known in the art and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

The grip unit 12 formed at one end of the elongated member 11 may have a gripping function for gripping an object. The gripping function is enabled by allowing the branched branch to open and close, and the gripping function of the gripping unit 12 can be adjusted by means of the adjusting handle 13.

The adjustment knob 13 may be installed to control the operation of the grip unit 12. [ Specifically, by operating the adjustment knob 13, both branches of the grip unit 12 are opened or engaged with each other, whereby it is possible to pick and place an object. The adjustment handle 13 and the grip unit 12 may be connected to each other by a connection string formed inside the extension member 11 extending in a hollow shape. The branches of the grip unit 12 are engaged with each other by, for example, pulling the connecting string using the adjustment handle 13. [ And by releasing the connecting string, the branches of the grip unit 12 can be opened to each other. The adjustment knob 13 and the grip unit 12 can be connected to each other by the connection string of various structures and the operation of the grip unit 12 can be controlled by the adjustment knob 13. [

The image unit 15 may be disposed at one end of the grip unit 12 or the extension member 11. [ The image unit 15 can be installed by the grip unit 12 in order to acquire an image of a region in which the radiation source is located or a shielded region or an area to be temporarily monitored due to various reasons. The miniature camera module can be arranged in the image unit 15 and the wiring for the operation of the image unit 15 can be connected to the outside through the inside of the extension unit 11. [ The image unit 15 can be controlled by the control unit 16 disposed in the adjustment handle 13. [ A circuit board including a microprocessor can be disposed inside the illumination unit 15 or the control unit 16, and the power supply can be made on its own or supplied from the outside.

The image unit 15 and the control unit 16 may be arranged in various structures, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

Each of the devices provided in the grippers 10 will be described below.

2A and 2B illustrate an embodiment of a grip unit 12 that may be applied to a gripper according to the present invention.

2A, the grip unit 12 includes a pair of gripping legs 23a and 23b, which can be engaged with each other or can be mutually opened, a pair of gripping legs 23a and 23b, And a fastening bracket 21 for fastening the gripping legs 23a and 23b to the elongated member 11. [ In addition, the image unit 15 may be disposed at a suitable position, for example, a fastening bracket 15.

The pair of gripping legs 23a and 23b may have a structure such as a scissor and the first gripping branch 23a may be fixed to the fastening bracket 21 by a fastening member 231. [ And the second gripping branch 23b can be coupled to the first gripping branch 23a by the rotating screw 24b and to the connecting string 22 by the connecting member 232. [

When the adjusting knob is operated, the connecting string 22 is pulled so that the second gripping branch 23b rotates about the rotating screw 24b in the direction of the first gripping branch 23a. By the rotation, the first gripping legs 23a and 23b are engaged with each other to pick up the object.

The connecting member 232 is integrally formed with the second gripping branch 23b and extends in a bent structure and the first gripping branch 23a or the first gripping branch 23a is bent by the rotating screw 24b at the folded portion, And may be rotatably coupled to a fixing member 231 formed integrally with and extending therefrom. One end of the connecting member 232 may be fixed to the connecting string 22 by a fixing screw 24a.

Referring to FIG. 2B, the clamp units 25a and 25b may be coupled to the first gripping branch 23a or the second gripping branch 23b. The clamp units 25a and 25b may have a shape extending along the first and second gripping legs 23a and 23b and may have a function of picking up an object or object such as a radiation source. The clamp units 25a and 25b may be releasably coupled to the first and second gripping legs 23a and 23b and may have the fastening teeth 251. The detachable structure may be any structure known in the art, such as, for example, a fastening and releasing threaded or interfitting engagement, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

When the first gripping legs 23a and 23b are engaged with each other, the clamping units 25a and 25b are engaged with each other, and the fastening teeth 251 can grip the object. The fastening teeth 251 may have the same structure as the teeth of the gears, for example, and may be formed into a shape that engages with each other. The fastening teeth 251 may be formed along the thickness of the engaging portion and may be formed continuously or non-continuously. The fastening teeth 251 can be made of various structures that can be engaged and gripped and released, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

A video unit 15 is provided in the fastening bracket 21 and a communication unit 17 can be coupled as necessary. The control for the video unit 15 can be made wired through a cable installed inside the extension unit 11 as described above. Further, the control for the video unit 15 can be performed wirelessly via the communication unit 17. [ The communication unit 17 may further have a data transmission function. The communication unit 17 may be any short range communication unit such as, for example, Bluetooth, and may be capable of communicating with a control unit or other communication means. In this way, the control over the image unit 15 can be performed in various ways, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

The clamping units 23a and 23b can be operated by the movement of the connecting string 22 and the connecting string 22 can be controlled by the adjusting handle.

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the adjustment handle 13 which can be applied to a gripper according to the invention.

3, the adjustment handle 13 can be coupled to one end of the extension member 11 and includes a fixing bracket 31, a handle body 32a extending from the fixing bracket 31, And an adjustable member 32b which is installed to be capable of approaching and separating by rotation. One end of the adjusting member 32b can be connected to the connecting string 22 and can be coupled to the handle body 32a by the rotating screw 33. [

When the adjusting member 32b is pulled or when the adjusting member 32b approaches the handle body 32a, the adjusting member 32b rotates with respect to the rotating screw 33. [ By the rotation of the adjusting member 32b, the connecting string is pulled, whereby the first gripping legs 23a and 23b described above can be engaged with each other. The adjusting member 32b may be formed to be separated from the handle body 32a in a state where no force is applied to the adjusting member 32b by a suitable elastic means.

The contact reducing protrusion 321 may be formed on the inner surface of the adjusting member 32b. The contact reducing protrusion 321 may have a function of relieving the contact impact between the adjusting member 32 and the handle body 32a and may be formed on the inner surface of the handle body 32a

Various adjustment knobs 13 for actuating the connecting string The structure can be applied to the grippers according to the invention and the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

On the other hand, the control unit 16 may be arranged at a suitable position of the stationary bracket 31 or the extension member 11 and may be arranged to receive the image transmitted from the control unit 16, A display unit 19 for displaying can be provided.

The control unit 16 may be connected to the image unit 15 by a suitable cable or wiring, or may be connected to the image unit 15 via a communication unit wirelessly. The control unit 16 may include a circuit board including, for example, a microprocessor, or may include a connection terminal for powering the imaging unit. It may also include various input means for operation of the video unit.

The display unit 19 may be connected to the communication unit provided in the image unit or may be connected to the control unit 16. [ Specifically, an image obtained by the image unit can be transmitted to the communication unit. The communication unit may transmit the image unit to the control unit or directly to the display unit 19. [ The video signal transmitted to the control unit 16 may be appropriately processed and transmitted to the display unit 19. [

On the other hand, the display unit 19 may have a coordinate setting function. The coordinate setting function means that the display unit 19 is a touch screen and has a structure that can be input. If the coordinates are set by touching a certain position of the display unit 19, The touched position can be transferred to the control unit 16 and the communication unit and the focus of the image unit can be moved to the touched coordinates sent to the control unit or communication unit. Such a coordinate setting function can be usefully used when a specific region is required to be detected in a work process by a gripper. On the other hand, the control unit 16 may have a memory element and may store the image obtained in the course of operation.

The control unit 15 or the display unit 19 may have various functions and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

Figure 4 shows an embodiment of an image unit 15 which can be applied to a gripper according to the invention.

4, the image unit 15 includes a driving device M, a guide member 42, a sliding member 43 provided so as to be slidable with respect to the guide member 42, And an image acquiring unit 45 coupled to the inclination adjusting unit 431 and the inclination adjusting unit 431. The operation of the driving device M is controlled by the control unit 16 installed on the adjusting knob 13, Lt; / RTI >

The image unit 15 is for acquiring an image of a shielded area or a radioactive area and corresponds to an auxiliary unit for use of the gripping forceps. The image unit 15 can be used for detecting an area where the image is required or a shielded area in order to confirm the position of the radiation source in the process of picking up an object such as a radiation source with a gripper.

The image unit 15 can be fixed to the gripping jaw by means of the housing H and each device associated with the operation of the image unit 15 inside the housing H can be installed. The housing H can be fixed to the extension member or another unit in various ways and the present invention is not limited by the fixing position of the housing H. [

The guide member 42 may be fixed to the inside of the housing H and may be rotatable with respect to the adjustment guide 44 as necessary. The sliding member 43 can be coupled to the guide member 42 to be slidable, for example, by a gear engagement or a belt structure. In other words, the sliding member 43 is slidable forward or rearward relative to the fixed guide member 42. A slope adjusting unit 431 may be formed at the front end of the sliding member 43. [ The inclination adjusting unit 431 allows, for example, the image acquiring unit 45 to function as a dome camera. In other words, the inclination adjusting unit 431 may have a function of controlling the inclination or rotation of the image acquiring unit 45. [

The image acquiring unit 45 may be installed in front of the inclination adjusting unit 431. [ The image acquisition unit 45 may be, for example, an infrared camera, a charge coupled device camera, or a closed circuit camera module.

4B, the image acquiring unit 45 includes a camera element 451, an illumination element 453 such as an LED element disposed in the camera element 451, light to the camera element 451 A lens element 452 for guiding light and a light diffusing element 454 for dispersing the light of the illumination element 453. The light diffusing element 454 may be, for example, a cylinder-shaped lens and may be a lens having a structure in which light is dispersed on the side of a cylinder shape. Various image acquisition units 45 can be applied to the grippers according to the present invention and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

According to the present invention, the movement of the sliding member 43 and the rotation of the guide member 42 can be performed by a driving device M such as a motor. The drive device M may be connected to the guide member 42 and the sliding member 43 by means of power transmission means such as a suitable gear or belt. Further, the driving device M can be controlled by a microprocessor 41 provided on a circuit board, for example. The microprocessor 41 can receive an instruction for driving the driving device M through the communication unit 17. [

Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a guide 44 may be provided for rotation of the guide member 42. The adjustment guide 44 may be coupled to the first gear 441 and the first gear 441 may engage the second gear 442 coupled to the drive M. The first gear 441 and the second gear 442 may have a helical structure or a helical gear structure. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4 (c), the adjustment guide 421 may have an arc shape and a moving thread surface 462 may be formed on one side of the arc shape. The moving gear 461 can be engaged with the moving screw surface 462 so as to be movable and the moving gear 461 can be connected to the first rotating gear 441 by the connecting shaft 461a. The first rotary gear 441 can be engaged with the second rotary gear 442 and the second rotary gear 442 can be connected to the driving device M. [

The microprocessor 41 can control the driving device M and the guide member 42 is rotated along the adjustment guide 44 accordingly.

Movement and rotation control of the image unit 15 can be performed in various ways, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

The grippers according to the present invention can be remotely operated, for example, to allow a work related to a radiation source to be out of a predetermined position or to be discarded, while at the same time enabling the acquisition of peripheral images, . Further, the gripper according to the present invention has an advantage that it can detect a shielded area and can work safely.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . The invention is not limited by these variations and modifications, but is limited only by the claims appended hereto.

10: gripping forceps 11: extension member
12: grip unit 13: adjustment handle
14: Stopper 15: Image unit
16: control unit 17: communication unit
19: display unit 21: fastening bracket
22: connection strips 23a, 23b: gripping branches
24a: fixed screw 24b; Rotary screw
25a, 25b; Clamp unit 31: Fixing bracket
32a: extension handle body 32b: adjusting member
33: Rotary screw
41: Microprocessor 42: Guide member
43: sliding member 44: adjusting guide
45: image acquisition unit
231: fixing member 232: connecting member
251: fastening teeth 321: contact relaxation projection
421: adjusting guide 431: adjusting unit
441: first gear 442: second gear
451: Camera element 452: Lens element
453: Illumination element 454: Light diffusion element
462: moving thread face

Claims (3)

An elongate member (11) capable of elongating a length;
A grip unit (12) formed at one end of the extension member (11);
An adjustment handle (13) formed at the other end of the extension member (11);
A stopper (14) coupled to the extension member (11) to fix the length of the extension member (11);
A video unit 15 formed on the grip unit 12; And
And a display unit (19) capable of displaying an image transmitted from the image unit (15)
The adjustment handle 13 is composed of a handle body 32a and an adjusting member 32b which is installed so as to allow the handle body 32a to move away from the handle body 32a in a rotational manner. The handle body 32a or the adjusting member 32b Wherein the image unit 15 is capable of adjusting the image area by the control unit 16 and the display unit 19 is capable of adjusting the focus of the image unit to the coordinates Wherein the gripper has a setting function. delete The image unit (15) according to claim 1, wherein the image unit (15) includes a driving device (M), a guide member (42), a sliding member (43) installed so as to be slidable with respect to the guide member And an image acquisition unit 45 coupled to the adjustment unit 431. The operation of the drive unit M is controlled by a control unit 16 installed on the adjustment handle 13 Wherein the image acquisition unit (45) comprises an illumination element (453), a lens element (452) and a light diffusion element (454).

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