WO2016084878A1

WO2016084878A1 - Underwater lighting apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2016084878A1
Application number: PCT/JP2015/083174
Authority: WO
Inventors: 宮原　隆和
Original assignee: 株式会社エルム
Priority date: 2014-11-28
Filing date: 2015-11-26
Publication date: 2016-06-02

Abstract

In order to prevent the occurrence of contamination such as algae, moss, and aquatic organisms on light-transmitting windows 112 in underwater lighting units 11 which are installed in large quantities, UV-light-emitting bodies 114 are included, in addition to visible-light-emitting bodies 113, in light sources provided inside the underwater lighting units 11. Emitting ultraviolet light prevents the occurrence of contamination such as algae, moss, and aquatic organisms on the light-transmitting windows 112. Also, coating the surface of the light-transmitting windows 112 with a titanium-oxide-based coating film 112b can further enhance the contamination-prevention effect.

Description

Underwater lighting equipment

The present invention relates to an illuminating device including a large number of underwater units that are laid underwater and have a function of preventing water from entering, and has a function of preventing contamination of light transmission windows of the underwater units.

Various underwater lighting devices that can be installed in the water have been devised in order to project light from the water onto the surface of the water or to illuminate natural and artificial objects in the water. Furthermore, the lighting system is divided into a plurality of lighting units, each lighting unit is arranged in various ways, and lighting devices that can independently adjust the color and brightness for each lighting unit are also manufactured and used. (Non-patent document 1, Non-patent document 2).

If such a lighting device is used in water for a long period of time, algae, moss, aquatic organisms, etc. will adhere to its surface. In particular, if they adhere to the light transmission surface, the amount of emitted light is reduced, so that periodic cleaning is required. This cleaning can be done manually if the number of objects is several to several tens, but the number will be several hundred to several thousand, and it will be necessary to clean once a week or two. If so, the labor cost will be large, so countermeasures are necessary.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an underwater illumination device having a function of preventing dirt composed of algae, moss, aquatic organisms, etc. from adhering to a light transmitting portion of a large number of underwater illumination units. It is.

An underwater lighting device according to the present invention, which has been made to solve the above problems,
a) a light source capable of emitting visible light and ultraviolet light, and an underwater lighting unit having an airtight case having a window that transmits light from the light source;
b) an air supply tube connected to an opening provided in the airtight case;
c) an air supply device for supplying gas to the air supply tube.

In the underwater lighting device according to the present invention, it is further desirable to coat the surface of the window with a photocatalytic substance layer. As a material for the photocatalytic substance layer, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, or a mixture thereof can be used. The coating can be formed by a method such as application or vapor deposition.

In the underwater lighting device according to the present invention, by sending gas into the airtight case of the underwater lighting unit, the pressure in the airtight case may be set higher than the pressure (water pressure) in water where the underwater lighting unit is placed. it can. By doing so, even if an airtight leak occurs in the airtight case, it is possible to prevent water from entering the underwater lighting unit and to prevent damage to the light source, the circuit thereof, and the like. In order to apply pressure from the inside and reduce the pressure difference between the inside and the outside in this way, a simple waterproof case equivalent to IP67 made of metal, plastic, or the like can be used as the airtight case.

In the underwater lighting device according to the present invention, the power of the light source may depend on a battery (primary battery, secondary battery) provided inside the underwater lighting unit, but is separately disposed on land, underwater, etc. It is desirable to be with the air supply device.) It is desirable to supply from a power source. In that case, the electric wire for supplying the electric power may be provided separately from the air supply tube, or may be inserted into the air supply tube. Or conversely, an air supply tube may be built in the electric wire. This makes it possible to use the underwater lighting unit for a long period of time (implementation of underwater lighting).

In this way, when the underwater lighting unit is used for a long period of time, depending on the environment, algae, moss, aquatic organisms, etc. may adhere to the surface of the window, and the light from the light source does not pass through the window sufficiently, resulting in a sufficient lighting effect It becomes impossible. However, in the underwater lighting device according to the present invention, since the light source has a function of emitting ultraviolet rays, this prevents algae, moss, aquatic organisms, etc. from adhering to the surface of the window, and even if used over a long period of time. A decrease in the amount of emitted light can be minimized. The effect is further enhanced by coating the surface of the window with a photocatalytic material layer.

The underwater lighting device according to the present invention is further connected with a signal wire for transmitting a signal for independently controlling light emission of the light source (flashing, light emission intensity, emission color including visible light and ultraviolet light, etc.). Is desirable. In this case, if the power supply wire is provided, it is desirable to be connected with it, and if the power supply wire is inserted into the air supply tube as described above, it is desirable to insert it together with it. .

When inserting a signal wire and a power wire into the air supply tube, communication may be performed by superimposing a signal on the power wire, instead of inserting them separately. Of course, the light emission control signal may be superimposed on the electric power line when the electric power line is drawn separately from the air supply tube.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the air supply device is provided with a pressure sensor, a control unit, and a pump, and the control unit controls the start and stop of the pump based on the detection result of the pressure sensor.

The underwater lighting device according to the present invention further includes, when using a plurality of the underwater lighting units, connecting them in a loop shape or a matrix shape with the air supply tube, and providing a gas distributor in the air supply device, It is desirable to feed gas in parallel from the gas distributor to the plurality of underwater lighting units. By adopting such a loop / matrix connection, it is possible to increase the resistance to damage accidents such as an air supply tube.

In the underwater lighting device according to the present invention, since ultraviolet rays are emitted from the light source in the underwater lighting unit, biological stains made of algae, moss, aquatic organisms, and the like are unlikely to adhere to the window. By coating the surface of the window with a photocatalytic material layer, the adhesion of dirt is further prevented, and the underwater lighting unit can be used in water for a longer period of time.
In order to prevent such adhesion of dirt, it is not necessary to always emit ultraviolet light, and control is performed so that light is emitted at regular intervals or at some timing independently of visible light emission. That's enough.

The top view of the pond which laid the underwater lighting unit for demonstrating one Example of this invention. It is a side view which shows the example of installation of an underwater lighting unit, (a) is the example of installation by a pile, (b) is the example of installation by a mount. It is sectional drawing which shows the example of composition of the connecting line which connects underwater lighting units, (a) is an example which inserted a signal wire and a power line in an air supply tube, (b) is in a multi-core cabtyre cable. An example of inserting an air supply tube. The top view (a) and side view (b) which show the typical structural example of the moving mechanism of a robot cleaning ship. The top view (a) which shows the other structural example of the moving mechanism of a robot cleaning ship, and the detailed drawings (b) and (c) of two examples of the drive source. The top view (a) which shows the further another structural example of the moving mechanism of a robot cleaning ship, the side view (b), and the top view (c) of the centrifugal pump which is a drive source. The side view (a) and bottom view (b) which show the structural example of the cleaning mechanism of a robot cleaning ship, the enlarged side view (c), and the enlarged plan view (d) of the elevator mechanism part. The block diagram which shows the structure of the controller of a robot cleaning ship. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of the form of a DMX signal. The top view (a) of an example of an underwater lighting unit, XX 'longitudinal cross-sectional view (b), and sectional drawing (c) of a light transmissive window.

FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of an underwater illumination system 10 including an apparatus according to the present invention, and shows a state in which several tens to thousands of underwater lighting units 11 are laid in a pond, a canal, an irrigation canal, and a harbor. Yes. When the bottom of the pool is flat, the underwater lighting unit 11 may be placed directly on the bottom of the water, but when laying on the bottom of the sea or pond, as shown in Fig. 2 (a), a pile driven into the bottom of the water It fixes on 17 or puts the mount 18 on the bottom of the water and fixes it on it as shown in FIG. 2 (b).

An example of the structure of the underwater lighting unit 11 is shown in FIGS. 10 (a) and 10 (b). A light transmitting window 112 made of glass is provided on one surface of a disk-shaped airtight case 111, and a plurality of visible light emitters 113 are arranged inside. Each visible light emitter 113 is composed of LEDs of R (red), G (green), and B (blue), and can emit light of any color by adjusting their emission intensity.

As shown in FIG. 1, these underwater lighting units 11 laid underwater include a power supply, a control device including a light emission control device 151, a base station 15 provided with an air supply device, a power line, and a signal line. In addition, the underwater illumination units 11 are connected to each other via the connecting line 12. A configuration example of the connecting line 12 is shown in FIG. FIG. 3A shows the power line 12b and the signal line 12c (and the ground line 12d) inserted through the air supply tube 12a. FIG. 3B shows the power line 12b, the signal line 12c and the ground line 12d bundled together. The air supply tube 12f is inserted into the cabtire cable 12e.

In FIG. 1, all the underwater lighting units 11 are connected in series, but this may be a loop or a matrix. Further, the base station 15 may be provided in water.

In the underwater illumination system 10, since the light emitted by these underwater lighting units 11 needs to reach the eyes of humans to see on land, the underwater lighting unit 11 is generally installed at a depth of 50 to 2 m. For this reason, the sunlight also reaches the underwater lighting unit 11 sufficiently, and algae, moss, underwater organisms, etc. grow on the surface over a long period of time, and regular cleaning is required.

この This cleaning needs to be carried out about once every two weeks, depending on the water quality, depth, water temperature, sunlight exposure, etc. Since it takes a long time to clean a large amount of the underwater lighting unit 11 by human power, if cleaning is performed at such a frequency, the maintenance cost becomes high. In addition, when the laying water depth exceeds 1 m, the cleaning work requires diving, so the maintenance cost is even higher, and the mid-winter underwater work is very difficult.

In order to automate this work, the present inventor devised a robot cleaning device (cleaning ship) 20. And in order to be able to work efficiently, this robot cleaning ship 20 does not change direction while moving like a general ship, but can move freely in either direction 360 degrees from the current position. I was able to. A typical example of such a moving mechanism of the cleaning boat 20 is shown in FIGS. In this example, four outer rings 22a to 22d and four motors 23a to 23d for rotating the outer rings 22a to 22d in the forward and reverse directions are provided around the main body 21 of the cleaning ship. By adjusting the speed and direction of rotation, the main body 21 can be moved freely in any direction of 360 degrees.

Many other types of moving mechanisms are available. For example, FIG. 5A is a plan view of an example in which four propeller-type drive sources 32a to 32d are provided around the main body 21, and FIGS. 5B and 5C are diagrams of the propeller-type drive source. An example of a specific structure is shown. The drive source in FIG. 5B employs a method of changing the rotation direction of the motor 33 that drives the propeller 35 by the bevel gear 34 etc. by 90 degrees (bending the rotation shaft by 90 degrees), and FIG. Is an example of a duct-type drive source that employs a method in which a vertical water flow generated by the propeller 35 is converted into a horizontal direction by a duct 36 without bending the rotating shaft of the motor 33. In any case, the cleaning ship body 21 can be moved in any direction by forward / reverse control and rotational speed control of the motors 33 of the four drive sources 32a to 32d.

All of the above are examples having a drive source fixed in four directions around the main body, but a mechanism may be provided in which two drive sources are provided and a mechanism for changing those directions is provided. An example of such a mechanism is shown in FIG. This example employs a centrifugal pump system that sucks water from below as a moving mechanism and discharges it from the side using a turbine. By rotating the case 42 of the centrifugal pump 41, the direction can be freely adjusted. The main body is moved by discharging water. Therefore, each of the two moving

mechanisms

41 a and 41 b is provided with a motor 45 that rotates the case 42 (discharge port) in addition to the motor 44 that rotates the turbine 43.

In addition, as a drive source, you may use the propeller system shown in FIG.5 (b) instead of this centrifugal pump 41, or the duct system shown in FIG.5 (c).

Although not shown, only one drive source may be used and the direction thereof may be changed by 360 degrees.

Next, an example of the cleaning device 50 mounted on the cleaning ship 20 is shown in FIG. This cleaning device 50 includes an elevator mechanism 51 that can move the cleaning mechanism up and down according to the depth of the underwater illumination unit 11 that is an object underwater, and a rotating cleaning brush 54 that is at the lower end of the cleaning mechanism. The cleaning unit 53 has a driving unit (motor) 55 that rotates the brush 54, and a sensor that detects the underwater illumination unit 11 to be cleaned.

Although various mechanisms can be used for the elevator mechanism 51, in the example of FIG. 7, the support 62 is supported by the four rollers 61 so as to be movable up and down, and the support 62 is provided with a length corresponding to the required vertical motion distance. The rack gear 63 is attached, and the rack gear 63 is driven by a pinion gear 65 attached to the shaft of a motor 64 with a speed reducer. The speed reducer of the motor 64 is preferably a worm gear system in order to give a holding force even when the power is cut off.

In the example of FIG. 7, the rotational drive unit 55 of the cleaning brush 54 is attached to the upper end of the support 62 and the rotational force transmission shaft 66 is inserted into the support 62. By using the underwater motor, the drive source can be arranged at the lower end of the support 62 and the distance from the cleaning brush 54 can be reduced.

At the lower end of the cleaning mechanism 50, a plurality of plates are used to accurately position the cleaning unit 53 on the underwater lighting unit 11 and to prevent the cleaning ship body 21 from rotating due to the reaction force of the rotation of the brush 54. A fixing mechanism is provided by the structure 56.

Next, a method for guiding the robot cleaning ship 20 to the target underwater lighting unit 11 will be described. The method described below is based on the four optical sensors PDU1 to PDU4 provided at the four corners of the robot cleaning ship body 21 and the same four optical sensors PDL1 to PDL4 provided on the base of the cleaning unit 53. Can also function in three of each.

The optical sensors PDU1 to PDU4 and PDL1 to PDL4 are made so as to selectively capture a light signal blinking at a predetermined high frequency generated by the target underwater lighting unit 11, and can be used for sunlight or nighttime. Since it is not affected by light that does not blink like illumination light, the robot cleaning ship 20 can be guided even on a bright day.

FIG. 8 shows an example of the configuration of the controller 70 of the robot cleaning ship 20. Only the AC signal components having specific frequencies obtained from the plurality of optical sensors PDU1 to PDU4 and PDL1 to PDL4 are amplified and transmitted to the control unit (CPU) 71. A signal conditioner 72 having an amplifier with a band limiting filter and a rectifier circuit, and a plurality of motor controls for controlling the rotation direction and speed of various motors M1 to M6 such as the motor for the moving mechanism, the motor for the elevator mechanism, and the motor for the cleaning mechanism A circuit 73, a GPS receiver 75 that can know the approximate position of the robot cleaning ship 20, an orientation sensor 76 that can detect the direction, movement direction, and movement speed of the robot cleaning ship 20, an acceleration sensor, and a gyro sensor 77, a battery for supplying electric power used by the robot cleaning ship 20, a charging circuit thereof, and a power supply circuit thereof A power supply unit 78, and a communication device 74 for communicating with the base station 15. FIG. 8 shows an example in which a rectifier circuit is provided as the signal conditioner 72. However, by using a high-speed AD converter or a CPU with a high processing speed, the AC signals obtained from the optical sensors PDU1 to PDU4 and PDL1 to PDL4 are used. Band-limited amplification and AD conversion can be performed as is.

The robot cleaning ship 20 sent from the cleaning ship base 14 described later to the target water surface by an arm, a crane or the like first moves to the rough position instructed by communication from the base station 15 by GPS. Then, the optical sensors PDU1 to PDU4 of the robot cleaning ship body 21 receive the high-frequency lighting emitted from the underwater lighting unit 11 to be cleaned. The signals obtained from these four sensors PDU1 to PDU4 are compared, and the operation of moving the cleaning vessel 20 to the side receiving the strongest light is repeated. Finally, when the signals from the four sensors PDU1 to PDU4 become equal, It is possible to reach directly above the target underwater lighting unit 11.

Next, the cleaning unit 53 is lowered. At this time, in order to maintain the position and direction of the robot cleaning ship 20 using the acceleration sensor / gyro sensor 77 and the direction sensor 76, and to perform accurate positioning. Using the three or more optical sensors PDL1 to PDL4 attached to the base of the cleaning unit 53, the robot cleaning vessel 20 is configured so that the light receiving intensities of all the optical sensors PDL1 to PDL4 are equal to each other in the same manner as the ship position control described above. The cleaning unit 53 is lowered while performing fine positioning.

When the cleaning unit 53 comes into contact with the target underwater lighting unit 11, the draft of the robot cleaning ship 20 is lowered, the load of the motor 64 that raises or lowers the column 62 is changed, or the pressure sensor provided on the column 62 or its instruction unit. If it is confirmed that the cleaning unit 53 and the underwater lighting unit 11 are in contact with each other with an appropriate contact pressure, the descent of the cleaning unit 53 is stopped and the cleaning motor 55 is rotated.

Continue cleaning for a specified time, or receive a movement command from the base station 15 to the next underwater lighting unit 11 via communication, or detect that the next underwater lighting unit 11 is lit in the invitation mode Then, the current work is stopped, the cleaning unit 53 is raised to a specified height, and then moved to the next destination, and the same work is repeated.

When the charge capacity of the battery built in the power supply unit 78 falls below the specified value or when all the underwater lighting units 11 have been cleaned, return to the vicinity of the home position 13 (FIG. 1) using GPS, and return to the vicinity of the home position 13. When it reaches, the home position position indicator lamp mounted at a depth substantially equal to that of the underwater lighting unit 11 is turned on by alternating current, and the robot cleaning ship 20 stops immediately above the home position position indicator lamp.

When the robot cleaning ship 20 is positioned immediately above the home position position indicator light, it is transferred to the storage / charging unit provided on the water or on the ground by a crane or an arm, and stored and charged until the next cleaning operation.

Thus, in order for the robot cleaning ship 20 to accurately detect the position of the underwater lighting unit 11 and automatically clean it, it is very beneficial that the underwater lighting unit 11 has a self-position notification function as described above. is there. Next, the realization method is demonstrated.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the contents of a communication protocol called DMX, which is frequently used for control of a luminaire that can be remotely controlled. After a communication start signal consisting of 88 μsec Break and 8 μsec MAB (Mark After Break), Following the Start-Code that indicates the meaning of the signal, 8-bit data from Ch1 to Ch512 is sent out. The lamp in each underwater lighting unit 11 receives all the signals, takes out only the data at its own address set by DipSW or the like, and operates according to the data.

The communication start signal is zero when the subsequent data is for controlling the brightness of the lamp, etc. However, when the underwater lighting unit 11 according to this embodiment receives a predetermined communication start signal (start code), the subsequent data is It is understood that this is a cleaning instruction, and the lamp at the address position where the data is a preset numerical value is in an AC lighting mode for requesting the robot cleaning ship 20 to perform cleaning.

Using this function, when the robot cleaning boat 20 is thrown into the installation water surface from the base 14 shown in FIG. 1 with a crane, an arm, or the like, the underwater lighting unit 11a closest to the loading position (home position 13) is turned on. . When the robot cleaning ship 20 detects the same signal, the robot cleaning ship 20 moves immediately above the underwater illumination unit 11a and cleans the underwater illumination unit 11a for a specified time.

When the specified time has elapsed, the underwater illumination unit 11a is turned off, and the next underwater illumination unit 11b is turned on. The robot cleaning ship 20 can move toward the next underwater lighting unit 11b by communication, but the cleaning operation of the underwater lighting unit 11a is completed by detecting the AC lighting signal of the underwater lighting unit 11b, and the next underwater lighting unit 11b is detected. It can also move to cleaning of the illumination unit 11b. In this way, the cleaning of the adjacent underwater lighting units 11 is continued and the cleaning of the last underwater lighting unit 11x is finished, or when the power of the built-in secondary battery falls below a specified value, for charging and storage. Return to base 14.

When returning to the base 14, use the GPS to move to the vicinity of the home position 13 according to a preset route. The underwater lighting unit that indicates the position of the home position 13 (home position display only or combined with the underwater lighting unit 11) Starts AC lighting. The robot cleaning boat 20 senses AC lighting of the underwater lighting unit indicating the position of the home position 13 with a sensor, and stands still on the underwater lighting unit and stands by. When the standby state is transmitted to the land base station 15 by the communication function, it is collected in the base 14 by a mechanism such as an arm or a crane, and is standby / charged.

As described above, the underwater lighting unit 11 used for a long time underwater has algae, moss, aquatic organisms, and the like attached to the surface, particularly the surface of the light transmission window, and therefore is regularly used by the robot cleaning ship 20 as described above. Although it is necessary to perform cleaning, cleaning of the large number of underwater lighting units 11 takes a long time even when cleaning is performed by the robot cleaning ship 20, and the illumination system 10 cannot be operated during that time.

Therefore, in order to make such a cleaning interval as long as possible, it is conceivable that algae, moss, aquatic organisms and the like are not attached to the surface of the light transmission window 112 of the underwater lighting unit 11 in the first place. As one of such methods, the surface of the glass plate 112a of the light transmission window 112 is coated with a titanium oxide film 112b by applying a titanium oxide paint or coating agent (FIG. 10 (c)). There is a method in which a light emitter 114 (FIGS. 10A and 10B) that generates ultraviolet rays including a wavelength that activates the titanium oxide coating 112b is provided inside the underwater illumination unit 11. Then, the ultraviolet light emitter 114 is turned on at an appropriate timing, and organic matter such as algae and microorganisms adhering to the outside of the light transmission window 112 is decomposed to prevent the window from being stained.

The material of the coating 112b (the material of the photocatalytic substance layer) may be zinc oxide or a mixture thereof instead of titanium oxide. As a coating method, vapor deposition is possible in addition to painting and application. In any case, since the underwater lighting unit 11 is intended for illumination in water or from water to water, it is necessary to ensure transparency to a degree that allows considerable transmission of light emitted by the visible light emitter 113. desirable.

As the ultraviolet light emitter 114, an ultraviolet LED can be used. The light emission of the ultraviolet light emitter 114 is controlled by the light emission control device 151 of the base station 15 together with the visible light emitter 113. The ultraviolet light emitter 114 may emit light at the same time as any one of the visible light emitters 113 of the underwater illumination unit 11 emits light. Regardless of this, the underwater illumination unit 11 is not used. Control may be performed so that light is emitted at regular intervals during the interval (while the visible light emitter 113 does not emit light). In consideration of the lifetime of the ultraviolet light emitter itself and the adverse effects on the components that are exposed to ultraviolet light inside the apparatus, it is better that the lighting time of the ultraviolet light emitter 114 is short. Therefore, the optimal value varies depending on the water quality (fresh water, seawater, brackish water), water temperature, water pollution, or the type of contaminating organisms that grow on the installation site, but germ cells such as spores, eggs, and sperm attached to the glass surface. It is possible to repeat a cycle in which lights are turned on for a period of time that kills or damages seeds, seeds, and larvae generated from the seeds, and the lights are turned off until they are attached again and grow into a living organism having a strong shell. Specifically, it may be turned on once a day for 5 minutes to 1 hour, or once per hour for about 1 minute.

The titanium oxide-based film 112b on the surface of the glass plate 112a is not essential, and adhesion of algae, microorganisms, and the like can be prevented only by irradiation with ultraviolet rays from the inside of the underwater illumination unit 11. However, when the titanium oxide-based film 112b is not coated, it is necessary to increase the time of ultraviolet irradiation as compared with the case of coating in the same environment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Underwater illumination system 11 ... Underwater illumination unit 112 ... Light transmission window 112a ... Glass plate 112b ... Titanium oxide film 113 ... Visible light emitter 114 ... Ultraviolet light emitter 12 ... Connection line 13 ... Home position 14 ... Cleaning ship base 15 ... Base station 151 ... Light emission control device 20 ... Robot cleaning ship 21 ... Robot cleaning ship body

Claims

a) a light source capable of emitting visible light and ultraviolet light, and an underwater lighting unit having an airtight case having a window that transmits light from the light source;
b) an air supply tube connected to an opening provided in the airtight case;
c) An underwater illumination device comprising: an air supply device that supplies gas to the air supply tube.
The underwater lighting device according to claim 1, wherein a photocatalytic material layer is coated on a surface of the window.
The underwater lighting device according to claim 2, wherein the photocatalytic substance layer is made of titanium oxide.
A plurality of the underwater lighting units are connected in a loop shape or a matrix shape by the air supply tube, and the air supply device includes a gas distributor, and is parallel to the plurality of underwater lighting units from the gas distributor. The underwater illumination device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a gas is fed into the water.