TWI421614B - Underwater camera - Google Patents

Description

Underwater camera

The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, and more particularly to an underwater image pickup apparatus.

The underwater unmanned vehicles currently used for underwater exploration and investigation can be mainly divided into Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) and Underwater Towed Vehicle. There are three types of (Towed Vehicle, TV).

In the case of water downloading devices such as ROV (for example, Taiwan's new patents Nos. M348742 and M348743), a camera capable of taking underwater images is provided at the front end of the support frame, but since the camera is oriented in a fixed direction The mode is set. Therefore, in the case where the vehicle's navigation direction is unchanged, the operator cannot remotely change the shooting direction of the camera, affecting the breadth and freedom of the exploration and investigation work.

Furthermore, in the case of a water downloading device such as AUV (for example, Taiwan Patent No. I304038), a pinhole CCD camera is disposed at the front end of the interior of the carrier casing, but since the pinhole CCD camera is also pointed The fixed direction is set. Therefore, in the case where the vehicle's sailing direction is unchanged, the operator can also remotely change the shooting direction of the pinhole CCD camera, and the same missing will occur.

In addition, in the case of a water downloading device such as TV (for example, Taiwan's new patent No. M303395), an underwater camera is respectively locked on the array frame at the bottom of the main body, although the operator launches the vehicle in the carrier. The angle of each underwater camera relative to each set of frames can be adjusted before, but after the vehicle is launched, the operator can no longer change the shooting direction of each underwater camera, and the same missing will occur.

In addition, U.S. Patent No. 4,098,630 discloses a design of a viewing hatch suitable for use in a water downloading device such as an ROV having two partially spherical housings, one disposed between the housings and having an annular band shape. a transparent viewing window, and a camera pivoted in the housing for 360° rotation. Although the camera is disposed in an open spherical space, it does not reveal the actual mechanism for driving the camera to rotate. Design, in addition, due to its large internal space, it can be imagined that its internal organization layout, there is no special difficulty and the need for dense arrangements.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an underwater imaging apparatus that can change the direction of photographing.

Therefore, the underwater camera device of the present invention comprises a housing unit, a fixed pivoting frame, a movable pivoting frame, a shooting unit, a first driving unit, and a second driving unit. The housing unit has a light transmissive cover. The fixed pivoting frame is disposed in the outer casing unit and has two fixed pivoting portions disposed along a first axial interval. The movable pivoting frame has two first pivoting portions spaced along the first axial direction and respectively pivoted on the fixed pivoting portions, and two spaced apart from each other along a second axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction a second pivoting portion is provided. The shooting unit is pivotally disposed on the second pivoting portions. The first driving unit has a first curved rack disposed around the first axial direction of the fixed pivoting portion, a first driving motor disposed on the movable pivoting frame, and a first driving a first gear driven by the motor and meshing with the first curved rack, the first driving unit driving the movable pivoting frame to pivot about the first axial direction relative to the fixed pivoting bracket. The second driving unit has a second curved rack disposed around the second axial portion of the second pivoting portion, a second driving motor disposed on the photographing unit, and a second driving motor a second gear that drives and meshes with the second curved rack, the second driving unit drives the photographing unit to pivot about the second axial direction relative to the movable pivoting bracket.

The above and other technical contents, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of the underwater imaging device of the present invention includes: a housing unit 10, a fixed pivoting frame 20, a movable pivoting frame 30, and a shooting unit 40. A first driving unit 50, a first position detecting unit 60 (see FIG. 4), a second driving unit 70, a second position detecting unit 80 (see FIG. 4), and a circuit board unit 90.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 6, the outer casing unit 10 has a translucent cover 11 having a hemispherical shape, a tubular body 12, a lock ring 13, a bottom cover 14, a first sealing ring 15, and a a second sealing ring 16 , the locking ring 13 is screwed to the cabin 12 to position the translucent cover 11 at one end of the cabin 12 , and the bottom cover 14 is positioned at the other end of the cabin 12 through a plurality of bolts The first sealing ring 15 is disposed between the transparent cover 11 and the body 12. The second sealing ring 16 is disposed between the body 12 and the bottom cover 14. The transparent cover 11 and the compartment The body 12 cooperates with the bottom cover 14 to define an accommodation space 17. It will be appreciated that the housing unit 10 is suitable for mounting on an existing water downloading device (not shown).

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the fixed pivoting frame 20 is disposed in the accommodating space 17 of the outer casing unit 10, and has two fixed pivoting portions 21, 22 disposed along a first axial direction X. A substrate portion 23 connected to the fixed pivot portions 21, 22 and positioned on the bottom cover 14, and a first circuit channel 24 extending from the fixed pivot portion 21 to the substrate portion 23, respectively.

The fixed pivoting portion 21 has a first arcuate slot 211 disposed around the first axial direction X and formed on the inner side, and the first circuit passages 24 respectively communicate with the two ends of the first arcuate slot 211 and penetrate the The pivot portion 21 and the substrate portion 23 are fixed.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, the movable pivoting frame 30 has two first pivoting portions 31, 32 that are spaced apart along the first axial axis X and are respectively pivotally disposed on the fixed pivoting portions 21, 22. And a second pivoting portion 33, 34 disposed along a second axial direction Y perpendicular to the first axial direction X, and a first pivoting portion 31, 32, 33, 34 connected to the first and second pivoting portions 31, 32, 33, 34 A base wall portion 35, a second circuit path 36 disposed on the first pivot portion 31, and a third circuit path 37 extending from the second pivot portion 34 to the base wall portion 35.

The first pivoting portion 31 has a first mounting groove 311 corresponding to the first curved slot 211 and formed on the outer side.

The second pivoting portion 34 has a second mounting groove 341 formed on the inner side.

The base wall portion 35 has a first socket hole 351 disposed along the first axial direction X, and a central opening 352.

The second circuit channel 36 communicates with the first mounting slot 311 and extends through the first pivoting portion 31 .

The third circuit path 37 communicates with the second mounting slot 341 and the central opening 352.

As shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the imaging unit 40 is pivotally disposed on the second pivoting portions 33 and 34. In this embodiment, the imaging unit 40 has a second pivoting portion. The casing 41 of 33, 34, and a camera 42 disposed in the casing 41.

The housing 41 has a mounting space 411 for receiving the camera 42 and a second sleeve hole 412 disposed along the second axial direction Y, and is disposed around the second axial direction Y and corresponds to the The second arcuate groove 413 of the second mounting groove 341 and the circuit hole 414 of the second arcuate groove 413 and the mounting space 411 are respectively connected.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the first driving unit 50 has a first curved rack 51 disposed on the inner side of the fixed pivoting portion 21 of the fixed pivoting frame 20 around the first axial direction X. a first driving motor 52 of the first socket hole 351 of the base wall portion 35 of the movable pivot frame 30, and a first gear 53 driven by the first driving motor 52 and meshing with the first curved rack 51 The first driving unit 50 can drive the movable pivot frame 30 to pivot relative to the fixed pivot frame 20 about the first axial direction X.

As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the first position detecting unit 60 is disposed between the fixed pivoting frame 20 and the movable pivoting frame 30. The first position detecting unit 60 has two firstly disposed at the first position. A first fixed conductor 61 at both ends of the arcuate groove 211 and a first movable conductor 62 disposed on the first mounting groove 311.

In the present embodiment, the wires (not shown) of the first fixed conductors 61 are respectively drawn from the first circuit channels 24 to the circuit board unit 90 (see FIG. 6), the first movable conductor 62. A wire (not shown) is drawn from the second circuit path 36 to the circuit board unit 90 (see Figure 6).

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , the second driving unit 70 has a second curved rack 71 disposed on the periphery of the second pivoting portion 33 about the second axial direction Y, and a second curved rack 71 disposed on the imaging unit 40. a second driving motor 72 of the second socket 412 of the casing 41, and a second gear 73 driven by the second driving motor 72 and meshing with the second curved rack 71, the second driving unit 70 The camera unit 40 can be driven to pivot relative to the movable pivot frame 30 about the second axial direction Y.

As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the second position detecting unit 80 is disposed between the movable pivoting frame 30 and the imaging unit 40. The second position detecting unit 80 has two second curved shapes respectively. A second movable conductor 81 at both ends of the slot 413 and a second fixed conductor 82 disposed on the second mounting slot 341.

In this embodiment, the wires (not shown) of the second movable conductors 81 are respectively drawn from the circuit through holes 414 through the mounting space 411 to the circuit board unit 90 (see FIG. 6). The wires (not shown) of the two fixed conductors 82 are drawn from the third circuit path 37 to the circuit board unit 90 (see Fig. 6).

As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the circuit board unit 90 has a circuit board body 91 disposed in the accommodating space 17 of the housing unit 10 and positioned on the bottom cover 14, and is connected to the circuit board body 91. Extending out the waterproof joint 92 of the bottom cover 14, the circuit board body 91 and the first and second driving motors 52, 72 of the first and second driving units 50, 70 and the first and second position detecting units 60, 80 Electrically connected, the waterproof connector 92 can be used to introduce/lead power lines and signal lines to provide remote remote control for the operator.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, when the present invention is installed in the water downloading device, the operator can remotely control the first driving motor 52 of the first driving unit 50 to drive the first gear 53 relative to the first An arcuate rack 51 rotates to drive the movable pivoting frame 30 to synchronously rotate the camera unit 40 relative to the fixed pivoting frame 20 about the first axial direction X, changing the camera 42 relative to the first axial direction. The shooting direction of the X, in the process, when the first movable conductor 62 is driven by the movable pivoting frame 30 to contact with one of the first fixed conductors 61, the circuit board body 91 of the circuit board unit 90 controls the The first driving motor 52 is stopped. It can be understood that in the embodiment, the pivoting of the shooting unit 40 in the counterclockwise direction is represented by the movable pivoting frame 30.

Then, as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the operator can remotely control the second driving motor 72 of the second driving unit 70 to rotate the second gear 73 relative to the second curved gear 72, thereby driving the shooting unit 40 to be opposite. The movable pivot frame 30 pivots about the second axial direction Y to further change the photographing direction of the camera 42 relative to the second axial direction Y, in the process, when one of the second movable conductors 81 is When the imaging unit 40 is brought into contact with the second fixed conductor 82, the circuit board body 91 of the circuit board unit 90 controls the second driving motor 72 to stop operating. It can be understood that in the embodiment, the shooting is performed. The pivoting of unit 40 in a counterclockwise direction is representative.

In this way, in the case that the water downloading device (not shown) has the same navigation direction, the camera 42 can also capture images of different shooting directions within the viewing angle range of the translucent cover 11 to increase the breadth of underwater exploration and investigation operations. With degrees of freedom.

Through the above description, the advantages of the present invention can be further summarized as follows:

The present invention utilizes the fixed pivoting frame 20 and the movable pivoting frame 30 to cooperate with the design of the first and second driving units 50 and 70, so that the operator can remotely control the water downloading device in the same sailing direction. The shooting direction of the camera 42 relative to the first and second axes X and Y is changed. Compared with the prior art, the present invention can effectively increase the breadth and degree of freedom of the water downloading device for exploration and investigation.

The first and second position detecting units 60 and 80 of the present invention can detect whether the movable pivoting frame 30 pivots relative to the fixed pivoting frame 20 about the first axial direction X to the extreme position, and It is detected whether the shooting unit 40 has pivoted to the limit position relative to the movable pivot frame 30 about the second axial direction Y to prevent the first and second driving motors 52, 72 from being stuck due to the mechanism, and the current rise occurs. High problem.

3. The overall structure of the present invention is compact, small in size and light in weight. Therefore, the present invention can reduce the additional flow resistance and load of the water downloading device.

In summary, the underwater camera device of the present invention not only allows the operator to remotely change the shooting direction of the camera, but also detects the extreme positions of the active pivoting frame and the camera without excessively increasing the flow resistance of the water downloading device. With the load, it is indeed possible to achieve the object of the present invention.

The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of the invention is not limited thereto, that is, the simple equivalent changes and modifications made by the scope of the invention and the description of the invention are All remain within the scope of the invention patent.

10. . . Shell unit

11. . . Transmissive cover

12. . . Cabin

13. . . Lock ring

14. . . Bottom cover

15. . . First seal ring

16. . . Second seal ring

17. . . Housing space

20. . . Fixed pivot bracket

twenty one. . . Fixed pivot

211. . . First curved slot

twenty two. . . Fixed pivot

twenty three. . . Substrate part

twenty four. . . First circuit channel

30. . . Activity pivot

31. . . First pivot

311. . . First mounting slot

32. . . First pivot

33. . . Second pivot

34. . . Second pivot

341. . . Second mounting slot

35. . . Base wall

351. . . First set of holes

352. . . Central opening

36. . . Second circuit channel

37. . . Third circuit channel

40. . . Shooting unit

41. . . cabinet

411. . . Installation space

412. . . Second set of holes

413. . . Second curved slot

414. . . Circuit through hole

42. . . camera

50. . . First drive unit

51. . . First curved rack

52. . . First drive motor

53. . . First gear

60. . . First position detection unit

61. . . First fixed conductor

62. . . First active conductor

70. . . Second drive unit

71. . . Second curved rack

72. . . Second drive motor

73. . . Second gear

80. . . Second position detection unit

81. . . Second active conductor

82‧‧‧Second fixed conductor

90‧‧‧Circuit unit

91‧‧‧Board body

92‧‧‧Waterproof connector

X‧‧‧first axial direction

Y‧‧‧second axial

1 is a perspective view showing a stereoscopic appearance of a preferred embodiment of the underwater imaging device of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view of the preferred embodiment;

3 is a perspective view of a fixed pivoting frame, a movable pivoting frame, a shooting unit, a first driving unit and a second driving unit;

Figure 4 is a perspective exploded view of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the line VII-VII of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, illustrating the movable pivoting frame driving the camera unit to pivot relative to the fixed pivoting frame;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the IX-IX cut line of Figure 7; and

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 illustrating the pivoting of the camera unit relative to the movable pivot frame.

20. . . Fixed pivot bracket

twenty one. . . Fixed pivot

twenty two. . . Fixed pivot

twenty three. . . Substrate part

30. . . Activity pivot

31. . . First pivot

32. . . First pivot

34. . . Second pivot

35. . . Base wall

40. . . Shooting unit

41. . . cabinet

42. . . camera

50. . . First drive unit

51. . . First curved rack

52. . . First drive motor

53. . . First gear

70. . . Second drive unit

71. . . Second curved rack

72. . . Second drive motor

73. . . Second gear

X. . . First axial direction

Y. . . Second axial direction

Claims (8)

An underwater camera device comprising: a housing unit having a transmissive cover; a fixed pivoting frame disposed in the housing unit and having two fixed pivotal portions spaced along a first axial direction, the fixing One of the fixed pivoting portions of the pivoting frame has a first arcuate groove disposed around the first axial direction and formed on the inner side; a movable pivoting frame having two spaced apart along the first axial direction and respectively pivoted a first pivoting portion of the fixed pivoting portion, a second pivoting portion spaced apart from each other along a second axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction, and a first and second pivotal connection a base wall portion between the portions, the base wall portion having a first sleeve hole disposed along the first axial direction, wherein a first pivot portion of the movable pivot frame has a first arc corresponding to the first arc a first mounting slot formed on the outer side; a camera unit pivotally disposed on the second pivoting portion; a first driving unit having a first pivoting portion disposed around the first axial direction a curved rack, a first driving motor disposed on the movable pivoting frame, and a first driving motor a first gear that is coupled to the first curved rack, the first driving motor is mounted on the first socket, and the first driving unit drives the movable pivoting frame to surround the fixed pivoting bracket a first axial pivoting; a second driving unit having a second curved rack disposed around the second axial portion of the second pivoting portion, and a second driving motor disposed on the photographing unit, And being driven by the second drive motor and with the second arc a second gear that meshes with the rack, the second driving unit drives the camera unit to pivot relative to the movable pivoting frame about the second axis; and a first position detecting unit disposed on the fixed pivoting frame Between the movable pivoting frames, the first position detecting unit has two first fixed conductors respectively disposed at two ends of the first curved slot, and a first movable conductor disposed on the first mounting slot. The underwater camera device of claim 1, wherein the fixed pivoting frame further has a base plate portion connected to the fixed pivoting portions, and the two are respectively connected to the two ends of the first curved slot. And extending through the fixed circuit portion and the first circuit channel of the substrate portion, the movable pivot frame further has a second circuit channel that communicates with the first mounting slot and penetrates the first pivot portion. An underwater camera device comprising: a housing unit having a transmissive cover; a fixed pivoting frame disposed in the housing unit and having two fixed pivotal portions spaced along a first axial direction; The pivoting frame has two first pivoting portions disposed along the first axial interval and respectively pivotally disposed on the fixed pivoting portions, and two spaced apart from each other along a second axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction a second pivoting portion; a camera unit pivotally disposed on the second pivoting portion, the camera unit having a casing pivoted on the second pivoting portion, and a camera disposed on the casing The casing has a second sleeve hole disposed along the second axial direction; a first driving unit having a first axial direction disposed therein a first curved rack of a fixed pivoting portion, a first driving motor disposed on the movable pivoting frame, and a first gear driven by the first driving motor and meshing with the first curved rack The first driving unit drives the movable pivoting frame to pivot relative to the fixed pivoting frame about the first axial direction; and a second driving unit has a second pivotal portion disposed around the second axial direction a second curved rack of the joint, a second drive motor disposed on the photographing unit, and a second gear driven by the second drive motor and meshing with the second curved rack, the second drive The motor is mounted on the second socket, and the second driving unit drives the camera unit to pivot relative to the movable pivot frame about the second axis. The underwater camera device of claim 3, further comprising a second position detecting unit disposed between the movable pivoting frame and the photographing unit, wherein the second pivot of the movable pivoting frame The joint has a second mounting groove formed on the inner side, the casing has a second arcuate groove disposed around the second axial direction and corresponding to the second mounting groove, and the second position detecting unit has two separate portions a second movable conductor disposed at two ends of the second curved slot, and a second fixed conductor disposed at the second mounting slot. The underwater camera device of claim 4, wherein the movable pivoting frame further has a base wall portion connected between the first and second pivoting portions, and a second pivot from the second pivot The connecting portion extends to the third circuit channel of the base wall portion, the base wall portion has a central opening, the third circuit channel communicates with the second mounting slot and the central opening, and the housing further has a receiving The installation space of the camera, and the circuit through holes respectively connecting the two ends of the second arcuate groove and the installation space. The underwater camera device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the outer casing unit further has a cabin body, a lock ring, a bottom cover, a first seal ring, and a first a second sealing ring, the locking ring is positioned at one end of the cabin, the bottom cover is disposed at the other end of the cabin, the first sealing ring is disposed between the transparent cover and the cabin The second sealing ring is disposed between the body and the bottom cover, and the transparent cover, the body and the bottom cover cooperate to define an accommodation space. The underwater camera device according to claim 6, wherein the fixed pivoting frame further has a substrate portion connected to the fixed pivoting portion and positioned on the bottom cover. The underwater camera device of claim 6, further comprising a circuit board unit having a first space disposed in the housing space of the housing unit and the first and second driving units And a circuit board body electrically connected to the driving motor, and a waterproof joint connected to the circuit board body and extending out of the bottom cover.