A full-sea-depth high-definition underwater camera device

Abstract

The application relates to a full-sea-depth high-definition underwater camera device. The device comprises a cylinder, an end cover, a spherical transparent window, a support frame module, a circuit module and a high-definition camera. End cover mounting holes and spherical transparent window mounting holes are formed in the two ends of the cylinder, and the cylinder is combined with the end cover and the spherical transparent window to form a closed space. The support frame module is arranged in the closed space and is used for mounting the high-definition camera and the circuit module. A plurality of connecting threaded holes are arranged on the surface of the end cover, and a bolt can be combined with one end of the cylinder through the threaded holes. Two threaded holes are formed in the surface of the end cover and are used for mounting a water-tight joint and a plug. The spherical transparent window is arranged on the other end of the cylinder and is opposite to the end cover. The device can overcome the influence factors of deep water high pressure, water tightness, field of view angle and transparent window deformation, and can realize full-sea-depth underwater work of the camera which can be independent of a deep-sea submersible and can observe a large range at a water depth of 10,000 meters.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of underwater observation and detection camera equipment, and in particular to a full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device. Background Technology

[0002] Ordinary underwater high-definition cameras are mainly used to capture images of objects in underwater environments, operating at depths ranging from a few meters to hundreds of meters. Typically, the camera module is sealed within a confined space using a watertight casing and a flat window. Their applications are primarily in pools, power plants, lakes, and shallow seas. However, with the increasing exploration of the deep sea, reaching depths of thousands to tens of thousands of meters, ordinary underwater high-definition cameras on the market struggle to operate under the high pressures of such depths. To prevent damage to the camera lens, the flat window of ordinary underwater high-definition cameras is positioned at a certain distance from the lens, which can reduce the field of view and limit the field of view to the window diameter. A larger diameter flat window is needed to achieve a wider field of view. Furthermore, underwater high-definition cameras currently used on deep-sea submersibles cannot withstand the high pressures of underwater conditions and must be installed inside the submersible hull, preventing them from being used independently outside the hull and further limiting their application. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device that overcomes the influencing factors such as high pressure, watertightness, field of view, and window distortion in deep water, enabling the camera to operate independently of the deep-sea submersible at depths of tens of thousands of meters, providing high-definition underwater observation over a wide area. Specifically, the objective of this invention is achieved as follows:

[0004] A full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device includes: a cylindrical body, an end cap, a spherical window, a support frame module, a circuit module, and a high-definition camera;

[0005] The cylindrical body has end cap mounting holes and spherical window mounting holes at both ends. The two ends of the cylindrical body are combined with the end caps and spherical windows to form a sealed space. A support frame module is installed inside the cylindrical body. The support frame module is used to install a high-definition camera and circuit module.

[0006] The end cap has several threaded holes on its surface, through which bolts can be fitted onto one end of the cylinder. The end cap also has two threaded through holes for installing watertight joints and plugs.

[0007] A spherical window is provided, and an opposite end cap is installed at the other end of the cylinder.

[0008] Furthermore, the spherical window includes a spherical portion and a cylindrical portion. The spherical portion is uniformly smooth and transparent in all directions, and the cylindrical portion is installed in the mounting hole of the spherical window.

[0009] Furthermore, it also includes a protective cover; the protective cover includes a fixed end and an open end, the protective cover is fixedly connected to one end of the cylindrical body connected to the spherical window through the fixed end, the open end opens from the inside to the outside to protect the spherical part; the fixed end is the inner surface of the sphere, and after fixed installation, it is tightly attached to the outer surface of the spherical part.

[0010] Furthermore, several grooves are evenly provided on the end face of the fixed end, which can guide the water pressure to the cylindrical surface and prevent the spherical part from bearing too much pressure, which would cause the cylindrical surface to deform significantly.

[0011] Furthermore, a sealing groove is provided on the contact surface between the spherical window mounting hole and the outer surface of the cylindrical portion, and a sealing groove is provided on the contact surface between the end cap and the cylinder. The cylinder and the end cap, and the cylinder and the spherical window are respectively watertight through the sealing rings installed in the sealing grooves.

[0012] Furthermore, the outer surface of the cylindrical surface of the spherical window is provided with a 30° chamfer; the inner surface of the end where the cylinder connects to the end cap is provided with a 30° chamfer; this can effectively prevent damage to the sealing ring during device installation.

[0013] Furthermore, the cylindrical body has an annular groove with a diameter larger than that of the spherical window mounting hole; a reinforcing boss is also provided inside the spherical window mounting hole; the annular groove and the reinforcing boss can reduce and bear the expansion and compression of the bottom of the spherical window under high pressure deformation.

[0014] Furthermore, the support frame module includes two support plates, several columns, a heat sink, a heat dissipation plate, and a bracket; the circuit module includes two circuit boards; the high-definition camera is mounted on the support plate near one end of the spherical window, the support plate and the circuit board are fixedly connected to the bracket at intervals, the support plate and the circuit board are fixedly connected by columns, and the circuit board near the end cover is directly fixedly connected to the end cover by columns; the bracket is connected to the end cover, the heat sink is connected and mounted on the heat dissipation plate, and the heat dissipation plate is fixedly connected to the support plate located in the middle of the support frame module.

[0015] Furthermore, after the high-definition camera is installed, the high-definition camera lens enters the concave space of the spherical window, and the installation height of the lens is higher than the plane where the spherical window mounting hole is located, ensuring that the field of view of the high-definition camera is not less than 120°.

[0016] Furthermore, the wall thickness of the cylinder is all above 18mm, and the cylinder is made of titanium alloy; the thickness of the spherical window is greater than 12.5mm.

[0017] The working principle of this invention is as follows:

[0018] A full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device includes a cylindrical body 2 with an end cap mounting hole 203 on one side for sealing and fitting with an end cap 1. The end cap 1 has a threaded hole 101 on its end face, corresponding to the end cap mounting hole 203. The end cap 1 and the cylindrical body 2 are connected by bolts for a secure fastening. The other side of the cylindrical body 2 has a spherical window mounting hole 204 for sealing and fitting with a spherical window 4. A sealing ring 5 mounting groove is designed inside the spherical window mounting hole 204. After the sealing ring 5 is installed in the sealing groove 103, the spherical window 4 is assembled into the spherical window mounting hole 204. The cylindrical portion 402 of the spherical window 4 and the spherical window mounting hole 204 of the cylindrical body 2 form a watertight seal through the sealing ring 5. The spherical window mounting hole 204 of the cylindrical body 2 has an annular groove 202 with a diameter slightly larger than the spherical window mounting hole 204, providing space under high-pressure deformation of the spherical window 4 and reducing the expansion and compression at the bottom of the spherical window 4. The cylindrical body 2 is equipped with a reinforcing boss 201 inside, which supports the spherical window 4 while reducing extrusion deformation and increasing the working water depth of the full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera. The wall thickness of the cylindrical body 2 is all above 18mm, and it is made of titanium alloy. The thickness of the spherical window 4 is greater than 12.5mm, which enables it to withstand an external pressure of 120MPa underwater, and this has been verified by an autoclave.

[0019] The end cap 1 has a threaded through hole 102 on its end face for mounting a watertight plug 14 or a plug 13. A sealing ring 5 is fitted inside the sealing groove 103 of the end cap 1. After the watertight plug 14 on the end cap 1 is connected to the circuit board 9 and the high-definition camera 6 inside the cylinder 2, the end cap 1 is inserted into the end cap mounting hole 203 of the cylinder 2. A watertight seal is formed between the outer cylindrical surface of the end cap 1 and the end cap mounting hole 203 of the cylinder 2 through the sealing ring 5. The end cap 1 and the cylinder 2 are fixedly connected by a threaded connection. The high-definition camera 6 is mounted on the end cap 1 via a support plate 7 and a column 8, etc. In the assembled state, the high-definition camera lens 15 enters the concave space of the spherical window 4, with the lens height higher than the end face of the reinforcing boss 201 of the cylinder 2, ensuring that the field of view of the high-definition camera 6 is not less than 120°.

[0020] The spherical window 4 is divided into a spherical portion 401 and a cylindrical portion 402. The spherical portion 401 is uniformly smooth and transparent in all directions, avoiding any impact on the shooting quality, and it has minimal deformation under high pressure. The high-definition camera lens 15 is placed inside the spherical window 4, which has a large internal space, so deformation of the spherical window 4 will not press on the high-definition camera lens 15. The spherical window 4 is installed into the spherical window mounting hole 204 of the cylindrical body 2, and a watertight seal is formed between the cylindrical portion 402 of the spherical window 4 and the spherical window mounting hole 204 of the cylindrical body 2 through a sealing ring 5.

[0021] The protective cover 3 has an outward-opening design, which not only ensures that the high-definition camera 6 has a sufficient field of view, but also protects the spherical part 401 of the spherical window 4. It also reduces the impact of ambient lighting equipment during underwater operation, improving shooting quality. One end of the protective cover 3 has a spherical inner surface 302 that fits snugly against the spherical window 4, preventing it from loosening. Grooves 301 are evenly distributed on the end face of the protective cover 3, artificially creating a gap between the protective cover 3 and the end face of the cylinder 2. This allows water pressure to be directed to the cylindrical surface of the spherical window 4, improving the stress on the spherical window 4 and preventing significant deformation of the cylindrical part 402 under the pressure of the spherical part 401. A heat sink 10 is located under the circuit board 9, supported by a heat sink 11, effectively transferring heat from the circuit board 9.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0023] This invention provides a full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device capable of observing a wide range of water depths up to 10,000 meters. The spherical portion of the spherical window increases the field of view of the high-definition camera, while the cylindrical portion of the spherical window overcomes the high pressure in deep water. Furthermore, the groove design on the protective cover and the annular groove design in the mounting hole of the cylinder further reduce the impact of high pressure on the spherical window, enabling the camera to operate independently of the deep-sea submersible at depths of over 10,000 meters. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a front cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a front sectional view of the cylinder described in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the end cap structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a front view of the end cap according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a side cross-sectional view of the end cap according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the spherical window structure described in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 8 This is a front sectional view of the spherical window described in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of the protective cover structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 10 This is a front view of the protective cover described in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 11 This is a side cross-sectional view of the protective cover described in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] In the picture:

[0036] 1—End cap, 2—Cylinder body, 3—Protective cover, 4—Spherical window, 5—Sealing ring, 6—High-definition camera

[0037] Camera, 7—Support plate, 8—Column, 9—Circuit board, 10—Heat sink, 11—Heat sink plate

[0038] 12—Bracket, 13—Plug, 14—Watertight plug, 15—High-definition camera lens; 101—Threaded hole, 102—Threaded through hole, 103—Sealing groove;

[0039] 201—Reinforcing boss; 202—Annular groove; 203—End cap mounting hole; 204—Spherical window mounting hole.

[0040] Mounting holes;

[0041] 301—groove, 302—spherical inner surface;

[0042] 401—Spherical part, 402—Cylindrical part. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To make the technical means, inventive features, and objectives of this invention easier to understand, the technical solution of this invention will be further described below with reference to one embodiment and specific implementation of a full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device.

[0044] like Figure 1-11 As shown, specific embodiments of the present invention are as follows:

[0045] A full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device includes an end cap 1, a cylindrical body 2, a spherical window 4, a protective cover 3, a high-definition camera 6, a watertight plug 14, and a plug 13. One side of the cylindrical body 2 has a mounting hole 203 for installing the end cap 1. The outer side of the end cap mounting hole 203 has a 30° chamfer to effectively prevent damage to the sealing ring 5 during end cap 1 installation. Watertightness is achieved by the compression of the sealing ring 5 between the cylindrical body 2 and the end cap 1. The other side of the cylindrical body 2 has a spherical window mounting hole 204 for installing the spherical window 4. The spherical window mounting hole 204 contains a sealing groove 103 with a sealing ring 5 inside. Watertightness is achieved by the mutual compression of the sealing ring 5 between the cylindrical body 2 and the spherical window 4. The interior of the cylindrical body 2 has a reinforcing boss 201, which supports the spherical window 4 while reducing localized deformation of the cylindrical body 2 under pressure. The cylindrical body 2 has an annular groove 202 inside the spherical window mounting hole 204 with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the spherical window mounting hole 204. This groove provides a certain space under high pressure deformation of the spherical window 4, reducing the expansion and compression at the bottom of the spherical window 4.

[0046] The end cap 1 has a threaded through hole 102 on its end face for mounting a watertight plug 14 or a plug 13. A sealing ring 5 is fitted inside the sealing groove 103 of the end cap 1. After the watertight plug 14 on the end cap 1 is connected to the circuit board 9 and the high-definition camera 6 inside the cylinder 2, the end cap 1 is inserted into the end cap mounting hole 203 of the cylinder 2. A watertight seal is formed between the end cap 1 and the end cap mounting hole 203 of the cylinder 2 through the sealing ring 5. The end cap 1 and the cylinder 2 are fixedly connected by a threaded connection.

[0047] The high-definition camera 6 is fixed to the support plate 7 with screws and connected to the support plate 7 via columns 8. A support circuit board 9 is fixed between the columns 8. A heat sink 10 is located at the lower end of the circuit board 9 for heat dissipation and heat conduction of the heat-generating components on the circuit board 9. The heat sink 10 is connected to a heat sink 11 with screws. The heat sink 11 and the support plate 7 are then connected to a bracket 12 with screws. The bracket 12 is fixed to the end cover 1 with screws. All brackets 12, support plates 7, and heat sinks 11 are made of thin aluminum alloy plates, enabling rapid heat transfer and dissipation. This connection method effectively dissipates and transfers heat to the end cover 1. Utilizing the external water environment of the end cover 1 for heat dissipation improves the working time of the high-definition camera 6.

[0048] The spherical window 4 is divided into a spherical part 401 and a cylindrical part 402. The spherical part 401 is uniformly smooth and transparent in all directions, which avoids affecting the shooting quality and has little deformation under high pressure, so it will not press on the lens 15 of the high-definition camera; the cylindrical part 402 is used for sealing.

[0049] The protective cover 3 is fixedly connected to the cylinder 2 with screws through four evenly distributed through holes. One end of the protective cover 3 has a spherical inner surface 302, which can fit tightly against the spherical window 4 after assembly to prevent the spherical window 4 from loosening. Eight grooves 301 are evenly opened on the end face of the protective cover 3, which artificially increases the gap between the end face of the protective cover 3 and the cylinder 2. This is used to guide the water pressure to the cylindrical surface of the spherical window 4, improve the stress on the spherical window 4, and prevent the cylindrical surface 402 of the spherical window 4 from deforming under the pressure of the spherical part 401. The protective cover 3 opens from the inside out to form a large opening, which not only ensures that the high-definition camera 6 has a field of view of not less than 120°, but also protects the spherical part 401 of the spherical window 4. At the same time, it can also reduce the light influence of surrounding lighting equipment when working underwater and improve the shooting quality. The wall thickness of cylinder 2 is 18mm, made of titanium alloy. The thickness of spherical window 4 is 12.5mm, the inner diameter of the hemisphere is 40mm, and the outer diameter is 52.5mm.

[0050] After the components of the full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera are installed, they are placed in a pressure vessel before use and pressurized step by step to 120MPa. The pressure is maintained for a certain period of time. After testing, it is verified that there is no water leakage inside the cylinder 2, all components are undamaged and undeformed, and all components can be easily disassembled. According to the water pressure and water depth conversion, the full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device can operate at a depth of over 10,000m.

[0051] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative or explanatory of the principles of the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention should be included within the protection scope of the invention. Furthermore, the appended claims are intended to cover all variations and modifications falling within the scope and boundaries of the appended claims, or equivalent forms of such scope and boundaries.

Claims

1. A full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device, characterized in that, include: Cylinder (2), end cap (1), spherical window (4), support frame module, circuit module, high-definition camera (6); The cylindrical body (2) has end cap mounting holes (203) and spherical window mounting holes (204) at both ends. The two ends of the cylindrical body (2) are combined with the end cap (1) and the spherical window (4) to form a sealed space. A support frame module is installed inside. The support frame module is used to install a high-definition camera (6) and a circuit module. The end cap (1) has several threaded holes (101) on its surface, through which bolts can be fitted onto the cylinder (2). At one end, the end cap (1) also has two threaded through holes (102) for installing a watertight connector and a plug (13). A spherical window (4) is provided and installed at the other end of the cylindrical body (2) with an opposite end cap (1); The spherical window (4) includes a spherical part (401) and a cylindrical part (402). The spherical part (401) is uniformly smooth and transparent in all directions, and the cylindrical part (402) is installed in the mounting hole (204) of the spherical window. It also includes a protective cover (3); the protective cover (3) includes a fixed end and an open end. The protective cover (3) is fixedly connected to one end of the spherical window (4) on the cylinder (2) through the fixed end. The open end opens from the inside to the outside to protect the spherical part (401). The fixed end is the inner surface (302) of the sphere. After being fixedly installed, it is tightly attached to the outer surface of the spherical part (401). The fixed end has a number of grooves (301) evenly distributed on its end face, which can guide water pressure to the cylindrical surface and prevent the spherical part (401) from bearing too much pressure, which would cause the cylindrical surface to deform greatly. The cylindrical body (2) has an annular groove (202) with a diameter larger than that of the spherical window mounting hole (204) inside the spherical window mounting hole (204); a reinforcing boss (201) is also provided inside the spherical window mounting hole (204); the annular groove (202) and the reinforcing boss (201) The spherical window (4) can reduce and bear the expansion and compression at the bottom of the spherical window (4) under high pressure deformation.

2. The full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: A sealing groove (103) is provided on the contact surface between the spherical window mounting hole (204) and the outer surface of the cylindrical part (402). A sealing groove (103) is provided on the contact surface between the end cap (1) and the cylinder (2). The cylinder (2) and the end cap (1), and the cylinder (2) and the spherical window (4) are respectively watertight through the sealing rings (5) installed in the sealing grooves (103).

3. The full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The spherical window (4) has a 30° chamfer on the outer surface of its cylindrical surface; the inner surface of the end of the cylinder (2) connected to the end cap (1) has a 30° chamfer; this effectively prevents damage to the sealing ring (5) during device installation.

4. The full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The support frame module includes two support plates. (7) Several columns (8), heat sink (10), heat sink plate (11), bracket (12); The circuit module includes two circuit boards (9); The high-definition camera (6) is mounted on a support plate (7) near one end of the spherical window (4). The support plate (7) and the circuit board (9) are fixedly connected to the bracket (12) at intervals. The support plate (7) and the circuit board (9) are fixedly connected through the columns (8). The circuit board (9) near the end cover (1) is directly fixedly connected to the end cover (1) through the columns (8). The bracket (12) is connected to the end cover (1). The heat sink (10) is connected and mounted on the heat sink plate (11). The heat sink plate (11) is fixedly connected to the support plate (7) located in the middle of the support frame module.

5. The full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device as described in claim 4, characterized in that: After the high-definition camera (6) is installed, the high-definition camera lens (15) enters the concave space of the spherical window (4). The installation height of the lens (15) is higher than the plane where the spherical window mounting hole (204) is located, ensuring that the field of view of the high-definition camera (6) is not less than 120°.

6. A full-ocean-depth high-definition underwater camera device as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: The wall thickness of the cylinder (2) is all above 18mm, and the cylinder (2) is made of titanium alloy; the thickness of the spherical window (4) is greater than 12.5mm.

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