Underwater sea urchin collecting device and using method

Abstract

The underwater sea urchin collecting device comprises a machine body which is provided with a crawler belt and a propeller for driving to move, the front end of the machine body is provided with a collecting device and a camera, and the middle rear part of the machine body is provided with first to third cavities, a sea urchin storage cavity and a connecting channel. The collecting device adopts a polyurethane foam plate or a silica gel sponge plate, and the sea urchins are shaken off to a conveying belt through rotation to enter a first cavity; an impeller in the first cavity pushes the sea urchin to the second cavity through a channel I (wherein a rotary drum is arranged in the channel I to break and grind away thorns), a spiral flow deflector separates the sea urchin from the thorns and chippings, and the chippings are discharged through a reducing spray pipe; the sea urchin enters the third cavity through the second channel, is flushed by the flushing device and then enters the storage cavity through the third channel. All cavities and channels are lined with food-grade silica gel, so that the surface shells of the sea urchins are prevented from being damaged, and intelligent collection, thorn removal, cleaning and storage of the sea urchins are realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of sea urchin collection technology, and specifically relates to an underwater sea urchin collection device and its usage method. Background Technology

[0002] Sea urchins are a high-value seafood product, and their harvesting has long relied on manual diving, which presents problems such as high labor intensity, low efficiency, and high safety risks. Existing underwater harvesting equipment mostly uses rigid robotic arms or suction pump structures, which can easily damage the fragile shells of sea urchins, leading to a decrease in their commercial value. At the same time, the dense spines on the surface of sea urchins can easily entangle equipment or injure operators during the collection process, requiring additional de-spine removal, which increases the number of steps and costs involved in the operation.

[0003] Furthermore, traditional collection devices lack effective cleaning capabilities for sea urchins, often leaving them with impurities such as mud and algae attached after harvesting. This necessitates secondary cleaning upon return to port, affecting freshness and quality. Currently, there is no integrated underwater operation system that combines intelligent identification, flexible collection, online de-spining, rinsing, cleaning, and temporary storage, making it difficult to meet the industry's demand for efficient, non-destructive, and integrated sea urchin harvesting. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop an integrated intelligent collection device capable of automatically identifying, flexibly peeling, removing spines, cleaning, and storing sea urchins underwater. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an underwater sea urchin collection device and a method of use. The present invention simultaneously removes spines and cleans the surface during the collection process. Through a combination of rotating brush roller and high-pressure micro-jet mechanism, the surface spines and attached mud, algae and other impurities are efficiently removed without damaging the sea urchin body, eliminating the need for secondary processing after returning to port and improving harvesting efficiency and product freshness.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: An underwater sea urchin collection device includes a main body, on which a track and a propeller are provided for driving the robot to move and walk. The front end of the main body is provided with a collection device, a conveyor belt and a camera. The middle and rear parts of the main body are respectively provided with a first cavity, a second cavity, a third cavity and a sea urchin storage cavity. The first cavity is connected to the second cavity through a channel. The first cavity, the channel, and the second cavity are on the same plane and are inclined relative to the horizontal plane. The height of the second cavity is lower than that of the first cavity. The second cavity and the third cavity are vertically connected through channel two, and the third cavity is connected to the sea urchin storage cavity through channel three. The third cavity, channel three, and the sea urchin storage cavity are on the same plane and are inclined relative to the horizontal plane. The height of the third cavity is higher than that of the sea urchin storage cavity.

[0006] As a preferred embodiment, the collection device is connected to the main body of the machine via a rotatable connecting rod, and the collection device is a polyurethane foam board or a silicone sponge board.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment, the camera is an underwater high-definition search camera, which is installed at the front of the main body and can rotate left and right.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment, the first cavity is designed as a semi-conical shape, and a rotatable impeller is provided inside the cavity. The impeller includes a hub and multiple arc-shaped blades distributed circumferentially along the hub. The end of the cavity has a hole connected to a channel.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment, the channel one is provided with a rotating roller one and a rotating roller two, and the diameter of the rotating roller two is smaller than the diameter of the rotating roller one. The rollers are rotated by a rotating shaft, and rubber protrusions are alternately arranged on the rotating shaft.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment, the second cavity is a bowl-shaped cavity with a hole at the front end that connects to the channel, a spiral guide vane in the middle area of ​​the cavity, knife-shaped holes along the walls on both sides of the cavity, and a circular hole at the end of the cavity that connects to the converging nozzle.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment, the second channel has a hollow streamlined structure and is made of high-strength alloy material.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment, the third cavity has an opening at the top that connects to the second channel, and a flushing device is installed inside the cavity. The flushing device includes a baffle plate and a water gun, with the nozzle of the water gun located inside the baffle plate.

[0013] As a preferred option, all cavities and channels are lined with food-grade silicone.

[0014] A method for using an underwater sea urchin collection device includes the following steps: The robot moves underwater using tracks and propellers, and uses cameras to identify and locate sea urchins. The control collection device is brought close to the sea urchin, and its flexible material is used to peel the sea urchin off the attachment. Start the conveyor belt to shake off the detached sea urchins and transport them to the first chamber; The impeller in the first chamber rotates, pushing the sea urchin to channel one; the rotating roller in channel one performs initial separation and guidance of the sea urchin, allowing it to enter the second chamber. The spiral guide vanes in the second chamber guide the sea urchin's movement, and the high-speed water flow generated by the converging nozzle cleans and accelerates the sea urchin, allowing it to enter channel two. Sea urchins enter the third chamber through the second channel and are rinsed a second time by a water gun to remove residual impurities. After rinsing, the sea urchins slide through channel three into the sea urchin storage cavity for temporary storage.

[0015] The present invention can achieve the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention employs a flexible clamping mechanism and adaptive pressure feedback control to avoid the squeezing damage to the sea urchin shell caused by traditional rigid gripping; combined with an underwater visual recognition system, it accurately locates the sea urchin's position and posture, ensuring gentle and accurate collection actions, effectively maintaining the integrity of the sea urchin and its commercial value.

[0016] 2. This invention simultaneously removes spines and cleans the surface during the harvesting process. Through a combination of a rotating brush roller and a high-pressure micro-jet mechanism, it efficiently removes surface spines and attached mud, algae and other impurities without damaging the sea urchin itself, eliminating the need for secondary processing after returning to port and improving harvesting efficiency and product freshness.

[0017] 3. This invention integrates functional modules such as identification, collection, desting, rinsing, and temporary storage into a single underwater device, supporting continuous operation and reducing manual intervention; the whole machine has a compact structure and safe operation, significantly reducing the intensity and risk of diving operations, and is suitable for large-scale sea urchin harvesting in complex seabed terrain. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments: Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the device; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the front structure of the underwater sea urchin collection device of this apparatus; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the first cavity and channel of this device; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the second and third cavities of this device; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the third chamber flushing device and the storage chamber of this device.

[0019] In the image: fuselage 1; Collection device 2; First cavity 5; Channel 1, 6: Rotating roller 1 601, Rotating roller 2 602, Rubber protrusions 603, Rotating shaft 604; Second cavity 7: Spiral guide vane 701; Channel 2, 8; Third cavity 9: isolation plate 901, water gun 902, channel three 903; Sea urchin storage cavity 4; Track 10; Propeller 11; Converging nozzle 12; Conveyor belt 13; Camera 14. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Preferred solutions include Figures 1 to 5 As shown, an underwater sea urchin collection device includes a main body 1, on which a track 10 and a propeller 11 are provided for driving the robot to move and walk. A collection device 2 and a camera 13 are provided at the front end of the main body 1. A first cavity 5, a second cavity 7, a third cavity 9 and a sea urchin storage cavity 4 are respectively provided in the middle and rear parts of the main body 1.

[0021] The first cavity 5 is connected to the second cavity 7 through channel 6. The first cavity 5, channel 6 and the second cavity 7 are on the same plane and are inclined relative to the horizontal plane. The height of the second cavity 7 is lower than that of the first cavity 5.

[0022] The second cavity 7 and the third cavity 9 are vertically connected through channel 2 8. The third cavity 9 is connected to the sea urchin storage cavity 4 through channel 3 903. The third cavity 9, channel 3 903 and the sea urchin storage cavity 4 are on the same plane and are inclined relative to the horizontal plane. The height of the third cavity 9 is higher than that of the sea urchin storage cavity 4.

[0023] Furthermore, the collection device 2 is connected to the main body 1 via a rotatable connecting rod, and the collection device 2 is a polyurethane foam board or a silicone sponge board. The spines of the sea urchin can penetrate and hook into the porous structure of the foam, and the natural unevenness of the foam surface also provides attachment points for the tube feet.

[0024] The sea urchins attached to the collection device 2 are shaken vertically as they rotate to the top of the conveyor belt through the two collection devices 2, and fall onto the conveyor belt 13, and enter the first cavity with the conveyor belt.

[0025] Furthermore, the camera 13 is an underwater high-definition search camera, which is set at the front of the main body 1 and can rotate about 180 degrees.

[0026] Furthermore, the first cavity 5 is designed as a semi-conical shape, and a rotatable impeller is provided inside the cavity. The impeller includes a hub and multiple arc-shaped blades distributed circumferentially along the hub. A row of circular holes is opened at the end of the cavity. There are two types of holes: first holes and second holes. The holes closer to the left and right walls are first holes, and the diameter of the second holes is smaller than the diameter of the first holes. The holes are connected to the channel 6.

[0027] When the impeller rotates, the blades drive the fluid in the cavity to propel the sea urchin from the central region toward the end of the cavity and into channel 6.

[0028] Furthermore, the channel 6 is provided with two types of rotating rollers, namely a first rotating roller 601 and a second rotating roller 602, and the diameter of the second rotating roller 602 is smaller than that of the first rotating roller. The rollers are rotated by a rotating shaft, on which rubber protrusions 603 are alternately arranged.

[0029] As the roller shaft 604 rotates slowly, the sea urchin collides and rubs against the roller wall and the rubber protrusions 603 on the roller wall, thereby breaking or grinding off the sea urchin's spines without damaging its shell.

[0030] Furthermore, the second cavity 7 is a bowl-shaped cavity with a hole at the front end that connects to the channel 6. A spiral guide vane 701 is provided in the middle area of ​​the cavity. Knife-shaped holes are provided along the walls on both sides of the cavity, and a circular hole is provided at the end of the cavity, which is connected to the converging nozzle 12.

[0031] The sea urchin, along with the spines and debris formed in channel one, enters the second cavity 7. When the spiral guide vane rotates, the sea urchin is dispersed to both sides by the water flow and enters the third cavity along the interior of channel two 8. The spines and debris flow out of the cavity through the converging nozzle 12 with the water flow.

[0032] Furthermore, the second channel 8 has a hollow streamlined structure and is made of high-strength alloy material.

[0033] Furthermore, the third cavity 9 has an opening at the top, connecting the second channel 8 and the third cavity 9. A rinsing device is installed inside the cavity. The rinsing device includes a partition plate 901 and a water gun 902. The water gun nozzle is located inside the partition plate and sprays water in a directional manner to rinse the gaps on the surface of the sea urchin.

[0034] Furthermore, all the cavities and channels are lined with food-grade silicone to prevent damage and breakage of the sea urchin shell.

[0035] Furthermore, the core innovation of this invention lies in the high integration of four major functions—flexible sea urchin collection, online de-sting, multi-stage cleaning, and intelligent temporary storage—on a single underwater mobile platform, forming a closed-loop operation process. The collection device 2 utilizes polyurethane foam or silicone sponge boards. Its flexible, porous structure not only effectively hooks onto the sea urchin's spines, preventing shell breakage due to rigid collisions, but also enables damage-free transfer through rotation and shaking, solving the problems of easy damage during traditional robotic arm grasping and low efficiency of suction pump-based collection.

[0036] The double-roller structure within channel 6, namely rotating roller 601 and rotating roller 602, along with rubber protrusions 603, utilizes the diameter difference to create a progressive compression and friction space. Under the impeller's pushing force, the sea urchin's spines are repeatedly bent and worn down during the rolling process, rather than being violently sheared, thus efficiently removing spines while maximizing the preservation of the sea urchin's integrity. The bowl-shaped structure of the second chamber 7, in conjunction with the spiral guide vane 701 and the high-speed jet generated by the converging nozzle 12, forms a centrifugal-water flow composite separation mechanism: heavier sea urchins are guided to channel 8, while lighter spine fragments and silt are discharged with the water flow from the knife-shaped holes on the side wall and the end nozzle, achieving efficient solid-solid separation.

[0037] The rinsing device in the third chamber 9 uses a combination of a partition plate 901 and a water gun 902 to perform targeted high-pressure rinsing on the surface gaps of the sea urchin, thoroughly removing residual impurities such as attached algae and biofilm, ensuring harvest quality. Crucially, all chambers and channels are lined with food-grade silicone, which not only provides cushioning protection to prevent damage to the sea urchins during transport but also meets food safety and hygiene requirements, allowing harvested sea urchins to directly enter the cold chain or initial processing stage without needing to return to port for secondary processing.

[0038] The entire machine is driven by a combination of tracks 10 and propellers 11, which combines seabed crawling stability with underwater maneuverability. With the help of a 180° rotating camera 14, it achieves precise visual navigation and target recognition, and truly realizes the fully automated underwater operation from "discovery - collection - processing - storage". It significantly improves harvesting efficiency, ensures product quality, and reduces diving operation risks, and has outstanding industrial application value.

[0039] The above embodiments are merely preferred technical solutions of the present invention and should not be considered as limitations on the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention should be limited to the technical solutions described in the claims, including equivalent substitutions of the technical features described in the claims. That is, equivalent substitutions and improvements within this scope are also within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An underwater sea urchin collection device, characterized in that, The robot includes a main body (1), which is equipped with a track (10) and a propeller (11) for driving the robot to move and walk. The front end of the main body (1) is equipped with a collection device (2), a conveyor belt (13) and a camera (14). The middle and rear parts of the main body (1) are respectively equipped with a first cavity (5), a second cavity (7), a third cavity (9) and a sea urchin storage cavity (4). The first cavity (5) is connected to the second cavity (7) through the first channel (6). The first cavity (5), the first channel (6) and the second cavity (7) are on the same plane and are inclined relative to the horizontal plane. The height of the second cavity (7) is lower than that of the first cavity (5). The second cavity (7) and the third cavity (9) are vertically connected through the second channel (8). The third cavity (9) and the sea urchin storage cavity (4) are connected through the third channel (903). The third cavity (9), the third channel (903) and the sea urchin storage cavity (4) are on the same plane and are inclined relative to the horizontal plane. The height of the third cavity (9) is higher than that of the sea urchin storage cavity (4).

2. The underwater sea urchin collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The collection device (2) is connected to the main body (1) via a rotatable connecting rod, and the collection device (2) is a polyurethane foam board or a silicone sponge board.

3. The underwater sea urchin collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The camera (14) is an underwater high-definition search camera, which is set at the front of the main body (1) and can rotate about 180 degrees.

4. The underwater sea urchin collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first cavity (5) is designed as a semi-conical shape, and a rotatable impeller is provided inside the cavity. The impeller includes a hub and multiple arc-shaped blades distributed along the circumference of the hub. The end of the cavity has a hole connected to the channel (6).

5. The underwater sea urchin collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The channel 1 (6) is provided with a rotating roller 1 (601) and a rotating roller 2 (602), and the diameter of the rotating roller 2 (602) is smaller than the diameter of the rotating roller 1 (601). The rollers are rotated by a rotating shaft (604), and rubber protrusions (603) are alternately arranged on the rotating shaft (604).

6. The underwater sea urchin collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second cavity (7) is a bowl-shaped cavity. The front end of the cavity has a hole connected to the channel (6). The middle area of ​​the cavity is provided with a spiral guide plate (701). The two sides of the cavity have knife-shaped holes along the wall. The end of the cavity has a circular hole connected to the converging nozzle (12).

7. The underwater sea urchin collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second channel (8) has a hollow streamlined structure and is made of high-strength alloy material.

8. The underwater sea urchin collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The third cavity (9) has a hole above it that connects to the second channel (8). A flushing device is installed inside the cavity. The flushing device includes a partition plate (901) and a water gun (902). The nozzle of the water gun (902) is located inside the partition plate (901).

9. The underwater sea urchin collection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, All cavities and channels are lined with food-grade silicone.

10. A method of using an underwater sea urchin collection device according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The robot is driven underwater by tracks (10) and propellers (11), and uses cameras (14) to identify and locate sea urchins; The control collection device (2) is brought close to the sea urchin and its flexible material is used to peel the sea urchin off the attachment. Start the conveyor belt (13) to shake off the detached sea urchins and transport them to the first cavity (5). The impeller in the first cavity (5) rotates and pushes the sea urchin to the first channel (6); the rotating roller in the first channel (6) performs preliminary separation and guidance of the sea urchin, so that it enters the second cavity (7). The spiral guide vane (701) in the second cavity (7) guides the sea urchin's movement and cleans and accelerates the sea urchin through the high-speed water flow generated by the converging nozzle (12), so that it enters the second channel (8). Sea urchins enter the third chamber (9) through channel two (8) and are rinsed a second time by a water gun (902) to remove residual impurities; After rinsing, the sea urchins slide through channel three (903) into the sea urchin storage cavity (4) for temporary storage.

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