WO2008110636A1 - Dispositif d'inspection sous-marine - Google Patents

Dispositif d'inspection sous-marine Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2008110636A1
WO2008110636A1 PCT/ES2007/000136 ES2007000136W WO2008110636A1 WO 2008110636 A1 WO2008110636 A1 WO 2008110636A1 ES 2007000136 W ES2007000136 W ES 2007000136W WO 2008110636 A1 WO2008110636 A1 WO 2008110636A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
submersible module
video camera
inspection device
underwater inspection
submersible
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/ES2007/000136
Other languages
English (en)
Spanish (es)
Inventor
Jordi Teixidor Calsina
Original Assignee
Praesentis, S.L.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Praesentis, S.L. filed Critical Praesentis, S.L.
Priority to PCT/ES2007/000136 priority Critical patent/WO2008110636A1/fr
Priority to CL200800729A priority patent/CL2008000729A1/es
Publication of WO2008110636A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008110636A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
    • B63C11/00—Equipment for dwelling or working underwater; Means for searching for underwater objects
    • B63C11/48—Means for searching for underwater objects
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
    • B63B45/00—Arrangements or adaptations of signalling or lighting devices
    • B63B45/02—Arrangements or adaptations of signalling or lighting devices the devices being intended to illuminate the way ahead or other areas of environments

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an underwater inspection device that has application in all types of underwater inspection functions, both in the professional field and in the field of leisure, such as in anchorage inspection applications, structural inspection of ships, control of facilities and port structures, rescue tasks, control of fish farms, detection of fish banks and all kinds of applications related to scuba diving and nautical.
  • the invention allows a precise and complete inspection of both a large underwater area and a certain submerged object, by means of an extremely versatile device that is easy to use.
  • the underwater inspection tasks without immersion are carried out with the help of underwater or underwater cameras that are usually held by a cable, so that the opposite end of said cable is attached to the surface, in order to allow to support the camera during its use and its recovery once it has been used.
  • the visualization of the images is carried out by means of a fixed monitor, so that the intervention of at least two operators is required for the use of the camera in inspection tasks, one operator for the situation of the camera, and another for the visualization of the images, or the sequential realization of said operations, with the consequent delay in the inspection process.
  • Another drawback presented by this type of underwater cameras is that they only provide images from a point of view or direction of focus at a given moment, requiring the movement of the camera lens for the visualization of different points of view, or the installation of More than one camera with different orientations.
  • the present invention relates to an underwater inspection device that allows high precision in the inspection tasks of a large underwater area as well as a submerged object in particular, resulting in an extremely versatile and easy-to-use device, which can be used in a wide variety of applications, such as anchorage inspection tasks, structural review of ships, for example in the inspection of ship propellers and keels, control of facilities and port structures, such as in the detection and verification of cracks in elements Structural submerged as pillars or walls.
  • the device of the invention has special application in rescue tasks in which the location of objects or bodies in an underwater bottom is required, such as the location of corpses in the seabed or in a lake.
  • the device can also be used in the control of fish farms, in the detection of fish banks, for recreational purposes or in the fishing industry, as well as in all types of applications related to scuba diving, such as underwater archeology .
  • the underwater inspection device proposed by the invention comprises a submersible module, configured to be attached to an umbilical cable of negative buoyancy, preferably of high resistance, which serves to hold the submersible module during its immersion, also allowing its recovery to the surface, being able to said cable being attached to a user's waist.
  • the submersible module comprises a sealed compartment, of a hermetic nature, which is defined by a transparent tube, preferably of circular section, located between a lower housing and a upper housing, operatively sealed by gaskets.
  • the lower and upper housings are preferably made of aluminum, so that they act as weights in order to favor the immersion and stability of the submersible module.
  • the waterproof compartment is configured to accommodate at least one video camera, which in turn is configured to rotate a viewing angle of 360 ° with respect to an axis, which usually during the use of the device in the water has a vertical orientation, the lower housing remaining as the lowest element of the submersible module that is attached or fixed to the cable by an area opposite that of said lower housing.
  • the device comprises a single video camera, although the possibility of comprising several cameras or even image capture cameras, ie cameras.
  • the video camera is configured to be driven by a motor and make a movement with respect to an axis, which can be said complete rotation, that is to say having a rotation angle of 360 °.
  • the motor is supported by an upper base that is attachable to
  • the upper housing The upper housing.
  • Logically all the elements of the submersible module are configured to withstand the pressures to which they are subjected when they are submerged at high depths.
  • the device comprises a control command, which is operatively connected to the submersible module, said control command being configured to control the drive and the movement of the video camera and receive images captured by it.
  • control knob By means of the control knob, the user can control the movements of the video camera, allowing the motor to be turned to allow the camera to be turned to the right or left, orienting it in a certain focus direction selected by the user, for which the control knob comprises The necessary instrumentation.
  • control knob has reduced dimensions, being configured so that it can be fixed to the user's waist, its transport being extremely comfortable, without the need to be grasped with the hands or require heavy auxiliary means for transport.
  • the underwater inspection device of the invention comprises means for displaying images captured by the video camera, for which said viewing means are operatively connected to the control command, being able to consist of any device or support that allows the visualization of said images, such as a television monitor.
  • a total underwater inspection can be carried out, in any direction of focus, it covers a whole horizontal plane, being extremely easy to use, with light but robust elements that do not have external moving parts, and can be handled in a manner remote from the surface or from a boat.
  • the described device has great stability in what regards the position of the submersible module, which has an impact on the Obtaining images of greater clarity and quality, without having dead angles in the inspection of the seabed, because the video camera can rotate completely in a horizontal plane.
  • the submersible module When the submersible module is submerged and held by the cable, it has a tendency to make a continuous and random movement of rotation with respect to the point of attachment of said cable, which is mainly due to the effect of the currents, which produces a continuous change of the Focus direction of the video camera.
  • the device of the invention allows, to be able to orient the video camera in the horizontal plane thus allowing to obtain stable images in a certain focus direction in which an object is found whose visualization is of special interest, such as in the observation and detection of cracks in pillars, operation in which it is necessary to observe the cracks for the time necessary to its determination, or in the observation of a fish in motion.
  • the submersible module comprises lighting means, such as spotlights to allow the illumination of the area to be inspected, when it is at a depth at which the luminosity existing on the surface does not sufficiently reach.
  • the lighting means are configured to be activated, and can even control their intensity, by the control knob.
  • the submersible module comprises a depth sensing device, usually called a depth gauge, configured to be activated by the control command, the display means being configured to show the parameters or values of the depth at which the module is located Submersible at every moment.
  • a depth sensing device usually called a depth gauge
  • the submersible module comprises means for detecting the position of the video camera, such as a compass for determining the angle at which the objective of said camera is oriented.
  • the detection of the position of the video camera is configured to be activated and controlled by the control command, the display means being configured to show the parameters indicative of the position, for example the focus angle of said video camera.
  • the image display means may consist of vision glasses, which allow their coupling on the user's head so that the user can visualize the images captured by the cameras, which are projected on screens located in the inner part of said glasses.
  • vision glasses are operatively connected to the control knob, in order to allow the user or operator to visualize the images captured by the video camera, as well as parameters related to the depth at which the submersible module is located and the angle of focus or angle of rotation of the video camera.
  • this embodiment of the visualization means it is possible to free the user's hands, which has greater freedom of movement to simulate the manipulation of the submersible module with the visualization of the images, being able to obtain real-time information of the inspected area.
  • the user can move freely, and must act manually only to activate the control knob, which allows a total mobility during the visualization of the images, unlike the underwater cameras currently in existence that require the user to be in a fixed position in which a monitor for the visualization of the images, with the consequent loss of time since it is not possible to combine the placement and positioning of the camera in the water with the visualization of the captured images.
  • the device comprises an overhead camera, preferably a video camera although it can also be a photographic camera, operatively housed in a sealed housing that has the lower housing in a central area.
  • Said zenith camera is configured to have a parallel focus direction, preferably coincident, to the axis of rotation of the video camera described above.
  • the zenith camera is configured to allow the capture of images according to a zenith angle, providing additional information to the images of the other video camera, for example the seabed.
  • the lower housing has in its central part, in a lower area, a sealed housing with a transparent or glazed part, said zenith chamber being configured to be controlled by the control, send the captured images and allow viewing in the visualization means, like the video camera described in previous paragraphs.
  • the underwater inspection device comprises at least two distant laser emitters to establish a reference, for example several centimeters, and configured to be activated by the control command and project parallel rays, so that when they are projected on an object to be inspected, such as a crack, they allow estimating, in accordance with the captured images, a reference of the length of said crack, when the distance separating the laser beams is known.
  • said separation distance is established based on the order of magnitude of the object whose length is required to be estimated, and may be smaller or greater distances.
  • the submersible module comprises at least three supports, as a tripod so that it has an isostatic support structure that allows great stability even when it is supported on irregular surfaces, such as a seabed, river, of a lake or pond, thus allowing greater precision in the capture of images by video cameras.
  • the supports can have an articulated configuration or any other stable configuration.
  • said supports are preferably located in complementary holes that have the hermetic lower housing configured to allow the fixing of said supports or legs.
  • the submersible module comprises a structure, which in turn comprises rolling means, that is, wheels, being configured to support said wheels on an underwater surface, preferably vertical or inclined, for which part of the weight of said submersible module, the component perpendicular to the support cable, it is supported by said surface, thus allowing a submersible module to move along said surface, the submersible module being maintained in an upright position, being held by the cable at its top.
  • rolling means that is, wheels
  • the device comprises brake means, configured to be operated by the user and act on the cable causing its arrest or movements, of descent or ascent, with what allows to stop the movement of the submersible module.
  • brake means allow to facilitate the collection of the submersible module and especially the downward movement and the braked suspension thereof, with which it is achieved, without any effort for the user, to keep the device at a certain depth. Furthermore, with said brake means, chafing is avoided in a user's hand, and critical or very closed angles in the umbilical cable are avoided, which can be harmful and cause breakage in the outer layer of the submersible module.
  • the submersible module comprises a centering ring, which is in an extreme area of the upper housing, said centering ring being configured to allow the device to be supported when it is out of the water.
  • the centering ring is configured to protect the elements comprising the device, such as optical elements and electrical connections located in said area, usually when the device is submerged.
  • the centering ring is configured to guide the hydrodynamic flow that occurs during the ascent and descent movement of the submersible module.
  • said centering ring is configured to engage an extendable flap by means of any coupling or fixing system, such as by means of screws or by means of its engagement in a groove.
  • Said extensible flap is configured to be oriented and stabilize the free rotation of the submersible module in current areas, avoiding the need to compensate the vision with the rotation of the video camera.
  • the larger the fin the better it will fulfill its basic function, which is to stabilize the rotation of the submersible module in areas of current in which said submersible module tends to rotate so that the vision cannot be stabilized normally having to turn in this case continuously said submersible module to compensate for that rotation due to the current.
  • the fin when the fin is extensible, in waters with a lot of current, it will open to its maximum extent so that it effectively fulfills its stabilizing function.
  • Figure 1.- Shows a schematic perspective view of a user using the underwater inspection device object of the invention.
  • Figure 2. Shows an exploded perspective view of the elements comprising the submersible module.
  • Figure 3. Shows a perspective view of the submersible module comprising the device of the invention.
  • FIG. 4 Schematically shows the control knob and the display means comprising the device proposed by the invention.
  • Figure 5. Shows a perspective view of a variant of the submersible module in which an overhead chamber housed in the lower housing can be seen.
  • Figure 6. Shows a schematic elevation view of a variant of the submersible module in which three supports can be seen that keep the submersible module supported, for example, on a seabed.
  • Figure 7 shows a perspective view of another variant of the submersible module in which a structure with rolling means that are supported on a submerged wall can be seen, keeping the submersible module in an operationally vertical position.
  • the device for Underwater inspection comprises a submersible module (1), configured to be fixed to a cable (2), said submersible module (1) comprising a sealed compartment (3) defined by a transparent tube (5) located between a lower housing (4) and an upper housing (6), operatively sealed by sealing gaskets, as can be seen in Figures 2 and 3.
  • the watertight compartment (3) is configured to house at least one video camera (7) which in turn is configured to rotate a viewing angle of 360 ° with respect to an axis and be preferably driven by a motor (8) which is supported by an upper base (9) attachable to the upper housing (6), as can be seen in detail in Figure 2.
  • the device comprises a control knob (10), which is operatively connected to the submersible module (1), said control knob (10) being configured to control the drive and movement of said at least one camera video (7) and receive images captured by it, for which the control command (10) comprises the necessary instrumentation.
  • control knob (10) has reduced dimensions, being configured to be fixed to the waist of a user (11).
  • the underwater inspection device of the invention comprises means for displaying (12) images captured by said at least one video camera (7), for which said viewing means (12) are operatively connected to the control of control (10).
  • the Submersible module (1) comprises lighting means, not shown, configured to illuminate the area to be inspected and activated, even controlling its intensity, by the control knob (10).
  • the submersible module (1) comprises a depth sensing device configured to be activated by the control knob (10), the display means (12) being configured to show the depth at which the submersible module (1) is located. in every instant.
  • the submersible module (1) comprises means for detecting the position of each, at least one, video camera (7), such as a compass for determining the angle at which the objective of said at least one video camera (7).
  • the means for detecting the position of each, at least one, video camera (7) are configured to be activated and controlled by the control knob (10), the display means (12) being configured to show the parameters indicative of the position, for example the focus angle, of said at least one video camera (7).
  • the image display means (12) consist of vision glasses, which allow their coupling on the user's head (11) .
  • the device comprises an overhead camera (13), preferably video, operatively housed in a sealed housing (14) having the lower housing (4) in a central area, said camera being configured zenith (13) to have a parallel focus direction, preferably coincident, to the axis of rotation of said at least one video camera (7).
  • the overhead camera (13) is configured to be controlled by the control knob (10), send the captured images and allow viewing on the display media (12).
  • the underwater inspection device comprises at least two distant laser emitters to establish a reference, and configured to be activated by the control knob (10) and project parallel rays.
  • the submersible module (1) comprises at least three supports (15) preferably located in complementary holes having the lower housing (4) configured to allow the fixing of said supports (15).
  • the submersible module (1) comprises a structure (16), which in turn comprises rolling means (17), preferably wheels, said structure (16) being configured to support said means of rolling (17) on an underwater surface, preferably vertical or inclined, thus allowing a displacement of the submersible module (1) along said surface.
  • the device comprises brake means configured to be operated by the user and act on the cable (2) causing its arrest, which allows to stop the movement of the submersible module (1).
  • the submersible module (1) comprises a centering ring (18), which is in an extreme area of the upper housing (6), said centering ring (18) being configured to allow supporting the device when it is out of water, as well as to protect the elements that the device comprises, when the device is submerged. Also the centering ring (18) is configured to orient the hydrodynamic flow that occurs during the ascent and descent movement of the submersible module (1).
  • the centering ring (18) is coupled to an extensible fin (19) that is configured to be oriented and stabilize the free rotation of the submersible module (1) in current areas, avoiding the need of compensating the vision with the rotation of the video camera (7).

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Studio Devices (AREA)
  • Accessories Of Cameras (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention porte sur un dispositif d'inspection sous-marine permettant l'inspection détaillée, rapide et simple d'une large zone du milieu sous-marin, qui comprend un module submersible (1) qui loge une caméra vidéo (7) configurée pour tourner à 360° par rapport à un axe, une commande (10) configurée pour commander l'actionnement et le mouvement de la caméra de vidéo (7) et recevoir les images captées par celle-ci, ainsi que des moyens de visionnement (12) des images qui peuvent adopter la forme de lunettes.
PCT/ES2007/000136 2007-03-13 2007-03-13 Dispositif d'inspection sous-marine WO2008110636A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/ES2007/000136 WO2008110636A1 (fr) 2007-03-13 2007-03-13 Dispositif d'inspection sous-marine
CL200800729A CL2008000729A1 (es) 2007-03-13 2008-03-12 Dispositivo de inspeccion subacuatica que comprende un modulo sumergible con un compartimento estanco con una camara que puede girar en su interior 360 grados, un mando de control conectado operativamente a dicho modulo para controlar la camara y rec

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/ES2007/000136 WO2008110636A1 (fr) 2007-03-13 2007-03-13 Dispositif d'inspection sous-marine

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2008110636A1 true WO2008110636A1 (fr) 2008-09-18

Family

ID=39759039

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/ES2007/000136 WO2008110636A1 (fr) 2007-03-13 2007-03-13 Dispositif d'inspection sous-marine

Country Status (2)

Country Link
CL (1) CL2008000729A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2008110636A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2948523A1 (fr) * 2009-07-23 2011-01-28 Ifremer Dispositif sous-marin autonome d'enregistrement d'images

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2181040A (en) * 1985-10-02 1987-04-15 John Cameron Robertson Remotely-operated vehicle for cleaning offshore structures
EP0337849A1 (fr) * 1988-04-12 1989-10-18 Thomson-Csf Bouée sous-marine munie de moyens de stabilisation hydrodynamique, et destinée à être suspendue, notamment à un hélicoptère
US6304289B1 (en) * 1996-10-28 2001-10-16 Director General Of The 1St District Port Construction Bureau, Ministry Of Transport Submerged laser television and submerged laser visual recognizer
US20010038491A1 (en) * 2000-02-02 2001-11-08 Fergason John D. Modular 3-D shutter glasses and method
US6509926B1 (en) * 2000-02-17 2003-01-21 Sensormatic Electronics Corporation Surveillance apparatus for camera surveillance system
US6633328B1 (en) * 1999-01-05 2003-10-14 Steris Corporation Surgical lighting system with integrated digital video camera
EP1394822A2 (fr) * 2000-02-10 2004-03-03 H2EYE (International) Limited Méthode de transmission de puissance et/ou de trains de données à un véhicule sous-marin

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2181040A (en) * 1985-10-02 1987-04-15 John Cameron Robertson Remotely-operated vehicle for cleaning offshore structures
EP0337849A1 (fr) * 1988-04-12 1989-10-18 Thomson-Csf Bouée sous-marine munie de moyens de stabilisation hydrodynamique, et destinée à être suspendue, notamment à un hélicoptère
US6304289B1 (en) * 1996-10-28 2001-10-16 Director General Of The 1St District Port Construction Bureau, Ministry Of Transport Submerged laser television and submerged laser visual recognizer
US6633328B1 (en) * 1999-01-05 2003-10-14 Steris Corporation Surgical lighting system with integrated digital video camera
US20010038491A1 (en) * 2000-02-02 2001-11-08 Fergason John D. Modular 3-D shutter glasses and method
EP1394822A2 (fr) * 2000-02-10 2004-03-03 H2EYE (International) Limited Méthode de transmission de puissance et/ou de trains de données à un véhicule sous-marin
US6509926B1 (en) * 2000-02-17 2003-01-21 Sensormatic Electronics Corporation Surveillance apparatus for camera surveillance system

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2948523A1 (fr) * 2009-07-23 2011-01-28 Ifremer Dispositif sous-marin autonome d'enregistrement d'images

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Publication number Publication date
CL2008000729A1 (es) 2008-07-04

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