Micro-miniature non-driven automatic homeward voyage underwater inspection device

Abstract

The invention discloses a microminiature non-driven automatic homeward voyage underwater inspection device. The microminiature non-driven automatic homeward voyage underwater inspection device comprises a shell, a camera arranged on the shell and a propeller arranged on the shell, the camera is used for shooting surrounding environment information and uploading the information to the remote control unit, the camera is connected with the first power supply module, and the propeller is connected with the second power supply module; the propeller rotates by receiving electric energy transmitted by the second power module so as to provide power for movement of the shell, when the second power module is insufficient in electric quantity and the propeller cannot operate electrically, the device floats to the water surface under the action of buoyancy, and at the moment, seawater enters through an opening of the protective cover and pushes the wing-shaped blades to rotate; water flow energy is converted into mechanical energy through the propellers to continue to provide advancing power. At the moment, the first power supply module still supplies power, so that the steering engine and the electronic equipment keep working, and the device automatically returns along the original set route until returning to the initial position to complete the inspection task.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of underwater inspection, and in particular to a miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of the wind power industry, the capacity of individual wind turbines is also getting larger and larger. Among them, due to the high maintenance cost and construction difficulty of offshore wind turbines, most offshore wind turbines are large-capacity wind turbines of 8MW or more. The size and height of the large-capacity turbines are much larger than those of proportional units. Once an accident occurs, the resulting losses are huge. Therefore, it is of great significance to set up an underwater inspection device for offshore wind turbines to observe the underwater environment on site and ensure the stable operation of the equipment.

[0003] However, existing underwater inspection devices still have a technical problem: if the power is insufficient while working underwater, the device cannot return to port along the original route. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is that the existing underwater inspection device still has the technical problem that if the power is insufficient when working underwater, the device cannot return to the original route.

[0005] The above-mentioned technical problems are solved by the following technical solution: The present invention proposes a miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device, which includes a housing, a camera mounted on the housing, and a thruster mounted on the housing;

[0006] The camera is used to capture information about the surrounding environment and upload the information to the remote control unit. The camera is connected to the first power module, and the thruster is connected to the second power module.

[0007] The thruster rotates by receiving electrical energy from the second power module, thereby providing power for the movement of the shell.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device of the present invention: the thruster includes an outer shell connected to the housing, a fixing block disposed on the inner wall of the outer shell, a thruster motor disposed on the fixing block, a transmission shaft connected to the thruster motor, and a propeller coaxially connected to the transmission shaft;

[0009] The propeller has an open protective cover on its outer wall, and the protective cover is connected to the outer shell.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device of the present invention: the propeller includes a hub connected to the drive shaft and blades annularly distributed on the outer wall of the hub; the blades are airfoil-shaped, and the hub is conical; when the second power module cannot provide power to the propeller, the shell floats to the surface, and seawater can flow into the inner wall of the protective cover through the opening of the protective cover and come into contact with the propeller. The propeller can convert the kinetic energy of the seawater into mechanical kinetic energy to rotate, and the rotation of the propeller provides power for the movement of the shell, so that the shell can return to the initial point along the route set by the remote control unit.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device of the present invention, it further includes coaxial horizontal rudders disposed on both sides of the housing, coaxial vertical rudders disposed at both ends of the housing perpendicular to the coaxial horizontal rudders, and a servo unit for controlling the rotation direction of the horizontal rudders and the vertical rudders.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device of the present invention: the servo unit includes a servo motor, a transmission component connected to the servo motor, and an output shaft connected to the transmission component.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the miniature, driverless, automatic return underwater inspection device of the present invention: an electronic compartment is further provided on the inner wall of the shell, and a control motherboard, a positioning module, a data acquisition module and a communication module are provided in the electronic compartment;

[0014] The positioning module and the data acquisition module are both electrically connected to the camera and are used to locate the position of the housing and collect environmental information around the housing.

[0015] The data acquisition module sends signals and data to the remote control unit through the communication module;

[0016] After processing the signals and data sent by the data acquisition module, the remote control unit sends an execution command to the control motherboard.

[0017] The control motherboard receives execution commands from the remote control unit and controls the rotation direction of the horizontal and vertical rudders through the servo unit.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device of the present invention: an electronic compass compartment is provided on the inner wall of the shell, an electronic compass is provided inside the electronic compass compartment, and the electronic compass is electrically connected to the positioning module;

[0019] The electronic compass works in conjunction with the positioning module to detect the absolute orientation angle of the hull underwater in real time, providing reference data for steering control.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device of the present invention: both the first power module and the second power module are kept in a stable state on the inner wall of the shell by a battery compartment; the battery compartment includes two sets of fixing plates and a connecting rod connecting the two sets of fixing plates, and the fixing plates are provided with through holes.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device of the present invention: the inner wall of the housing has a keel, which is used to provide structural support for the housing; the housing and the outer shell are sealed together.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device of the present invention: a hook is provided at the top of the housing.

[0023] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention can carry out underwater environmental inspection operations, dynamically observe the situation of the entire sea area, check the foundations of each offshore wind turbine, confirm that the equipment is operating stably and reliably, and promptly report any abnormalities found underwater to the remote control unit. This allows staff to take timely emergency measures based on the information received by the remote control unit, ensuring the stable operation of the equipment on site, and specifically overcoming the instability of the underwater environment of offshore wind turbines, achieving constant monitoring and timely early warning.

[0024] When the second power module's power is insufficient, causing the propeller to malfunction electrically, the device floats to the surface under buoyancy. At this point, seawater enters through the protective cover opening and drives the airfoil blades to rotate. The propeller converts the water flow energy into mechanical energy to continue providing forward propulsion. Meanwhile, because the first power module is still supplying power, the servo motors and electronic equipment remain operational, allowing the device to automatically return along the original set route until it reaches its initial position and completes the inspection task.

[0025] The propeller's airfoil blades recover power from the seawater, enabling the device to automatically return to its original course even when the entire device is not driven. This solves the technical problem in existing underwater inspection devices that cannot return to their original route if they run out of power while operating underwater. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Wherein:

[0027] Figure 1 A side view of the overall structure of a miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device is shown.

[0028] Figure 2 The internal structure of the housing of a miniature, driveless, automatic return underwater inspection device is shown. Figure 1 ;

[0029] Figure 3 The internal structure of the housing of a miniature, driveless, automatic return underwater inspection device is shown. Figure 2 ;

[0030] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the electronic compartment of a miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device is shown.

[0031] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the thruster connection of a miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device is shown.

[0032] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the thruster of a miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device is shown.

[0033] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the servo motor unit structure of a miniature, undriven, automatic return-to-base underwater inspection device is shown.

[0034] In the diagram: 1. Shell; 2. Camera; 3. Thruster; 31. Outer shell; 32. Mounting block; 33. Thruster motor; 34. Drive shaft; 35. Propeller; 351. Hub; 352. Blade; 36. Protective cover; 4. First power module; 5. Second power module; 6. Horizontal rudder; 7. Vertical rudder; 8. Servo unit; 81. Servo; 82. Transmission component; 83. Output shaft; 9. Electronics compartment; 10. Electronic compass compartment; 11. Battery compartment; 12. Keel; 13. Hook; 14. Front shell; 15. Middle shell; 16. Tail shell. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0036] The terminology used in this invention is that which is currently widely used in the art in consideration of the function of the invention; however, these terms may vary according to the intent of those skilled in the art, precedent, or new technology in the art. Furthermore, specific terms may be chosen by the applicant, and in such cases, their detailed meanings will be described in the detailed description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in this specification should not be construed as simple names, but rather based on their meanings and the overall description of the invention.

[0037] Reference Figure 1This embodiment provides a miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device, including a housing 1, a camera 2 mounted on the housing 1, and a thruster 3 mounted on the housing 1;

[0038] Among them, reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The inner wall of the shell 1 is provided with a keel 12, which is used to provide structural support for the shell 1. By providing the keel 12 on the inner wall of the shell 1, the supporting force of the shell 1 can be increased, and the pressure resistance of the shell 1 can be increased. The shell 1 is completely sealed, which prevents water from entering the inner wall of the shell 1 during underwater inspection.

[0039] Reference Figure 1 The housing 1 can be divided into a front housing 14, a middle housing 15, and a tail housing 16. A camera 2 is mounted on the front housing 14. The tail housing 16 is connected to the thruster 3, and the tail housing 16 and the outer casing 31 of the thruster 3 are sealed together. It should be noted that, as... Figure 1 As shown, the edges of the front shell 14 and the tail shell 16 are rounded, which can reduce drag when moving underwater.

[0040] Furthermore, refer to Figure 3 Camera 2, electronic compartment 9, and servo motor unit 81 are all connected to the first power module 4. The entire device collects environmental information around the housing 1 through camera 2 located on the front housing 14 and uploads the information to the remote control unit. The remote control unit records, analyzes, and stores the environmental information data and generates action command signals to be transmitted to the electronic compartment 9. The electronic compartment 9 controls the servo motor unit 81 to control the movement direction of the entire device.

[0041] Furthermore, refer to Figure 3 The thruster 3 is connected to the second power module 5. The outer shell 31 of the thruster 3 is connected to the tail shell 16, and the outer shell 31 and the housing 1 together form the sealing mechanism of the overall device. A fixing block 32 is provided on the inner wall of the outer shell 31 of the thruster 3. The function of the fixing block 32 is to fix the position of the thruster 3 motor on the inner wall of the outer shell 31, and at the same time increase the pressure resistance of the thruster 3 motor.

[0042] Furthermore, refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The thruster 3 also includes a drive shaft 34 connected to the motor of the thruster 3 and a propeller 35 coaxially connected to the drive shaft 34. An open protective cover 36 is provided on the outer wall of the propeller 35, and the protective cover 36 is connected to the outer shell 31 of the thruster 3.

[0043] The thruster 3 rotates by receiving electrical energy from the second power module 5, thereby providing power for the movement of the housing 1.

[0044] It should be noted that the purpose of connecting camera 2, electronic compartment 9, and servo motor unit 81 to the first power module 4, and connecting thruster 3 to the second power module 5, is as follows:

[0045] When the second power module 5 loses power, the propeller 35 of the thruster 3 stops rotating, and the entire device loses thrust and floats to the sea surface under the upward buoyancy of the water. When the entire device floats to the sea surface, part of the propeller 35 of the thruster 3 will still be underwater. At this time, seawater can flow into the inner wall of the protective cover 36 through the opening and come into contact with the propeller 35. As the seawater flows into the protective cover 36, the propeller 35 can convert the kinetic energy of the water flow into mechanical kinetic energy and rotate. When the propeller 35 rotates, it provides power for the movement of the shell 1 through the thruster 3. Since the first power module 4 still has power at this time, and the servo motor 81, the electronic cabin 9 and the camera 2 are still working normally, the shell 1 can return to the initial point along the route set by the remote control unit after regaining thrust.

[0046] Similarly, connecting camera 2, electronic cabin 9, servo unit 81, and thruster 3 to two separate battery modules reduces the battery load and increases the overall operating time compared to connecting all these devices to a single battery module. Furthermore, connecting these devices separately to the battery modules allows the thruster 3 to be propelled forward by the current of the water when the battery module connected to it runs out of power. This kinetic energy recovery method enables the entire device to automatically return to its starting position using the current of the water even without a driving force.

[0047] In some implementations, refer to Figure 6 The propeller 35 includes a hub 351 connected to a drive shaft 34 and blades 352 annularly distributed on the outer wall of the hub 351. When viewed from the tail shell 16 to the front shell 14, one side of the propeller blades 352 is called the blade surface, and the other side is called the blade back. The connection between the blades 352 and the hub is called the blade root, and the outer end of the blades 352 is called the blade tip.

[0048] Furthermore, refer to Figure 6 The blade 352 is an airfoil, and the hub 351 is a conical body. In order to reduce water resistance, a fairing is added to the rear end of the hub, forming a smooth streamline shape with the hub, which is called the hub cap.

[0049] It should also be noted that the reason for designing the blade 352 as an airfoil is that, according to the principles of dynamics, when flowing water passes over the airfoil blade 352, the airfoil blade 352 can generate kinetic energy recovery. Any ripples generated on the water surface will act on the surface of the airfoil blade 352, thus creating a thrust on the surface of the airfoil blade 352. When the continuous thrust passes over the surface of the airfoil blade 352, it can generate a force that causes the airfoil blade 352 to rotate. When the airfoil blade 352 rotates, it can provide power for the entire device to move along the water surface. At this time, the operator only needs to control the direction of the servo motor 81 unit 8 through the remote control unit.

[0050] In some implementations, refer to Figure 1 - Figure 3 Coaxial horizontal rudders 6 are provided on both sides of the middle shell 15, and coaxial vertical rudders 7 are provided at both ends of the middle shell 15 perpendicular to the coaxial horizontal rudders 6. The rotation direction of the horizontal rudders 6 and the vertical rudders 7 is controlled by the servo motor unit 81.

[0051] Reference Figure 7 The horizontal rudder 6 and vertical rudder 7 are both connected by a transmission component 82 and connected to the motor through the transmission component 82, thus enabling the movement of the underwater inspection device for the offshore wind turbine to be achieved in the form of bow turning, horizontal rolling, and vertical rolling. The four rudder blades are arranged in a cross shape, and an angle sensor can be arranged at the end of the output shaft 83 to directly detect the torsional angle of the rudder blades. The four rudder blades are arranged in a cross shape, and an angle sensor can be arranged at the end of the output shaft 83 to directly detect the torsional angle of the rudder blades. The rudder blades and rudder surface structure are installed on the inner wall of the stern housing 16. Due to the streamlined shape of the stern housing 16, it is difficult to seal the rudder surface structure. Therefore, the motor and reduction mechanism are first sealed in a box, and then the output shaft head 83 passes through the stern housing 16, with its two ends connected to the rudder stock at the output shaft 83, thereby achieving a better seal of the rudder surface mechanism within the box and meeting the sealing requirements.

[0052] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the servo motor unit 81 consists of a motor, a transmission component 82, a feedback signal device (angle sensor), and an output shaft 83. When configuring the servo motor unit 81, the motor is first selected, and then the transmission component 82 is configured based on the motor's performance parameters (torque and power) and the rudder's output torque. Due to the limited internal space of the underwater inspection device for offshore wind turbines, this device selects a motor with a small size while meeting the drive requirements, and fixes the motor in the housing using a motor support frame. Bearings and bearing support seats are installed at both ends of the transmission component 82, which serve to support and fix the transmission component 82.

[0053] Furthermore, refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4An electronic compartment 9 is also provided on the inner wall of the middle shell 15. The electronic compartment 9 is equipped with a control motherboard, a positioning module, a data acquisition module and a communication module.

[0054] The positioning module and the data acquisition module are both electrically connected to the camera 2, and are used to locate the position of the housing 1 and collect environmental information around the housing 1.

[0055] The data acquisition module sends signals and data to the remote control unit via the communication module;

[0056] After processing the signals and data sent by the data acquisition module, the remote control unit sends an execution command to the control motherboard.

[0057] The control motherboard receives execution commands from the remote control unit and controls the rotation direction of the horizontal rudder 6 and the vertical rudder 7 through the servo motor 81 unit 8.

[0058] Furthermore, refer to Figure 3 An electronic compass compartment 10 is provided on the inner wall of the housing 1, and an electronic compass is provided inside the electronic compass compartment 10. The electronic compass is electrically connected to the positioning module.

[0059] The electronic compass works in conjunction with the positioning module to detect the absolute orientation angle of the hull 1 underwater in real time, providing reference data for steering control.

[0060] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 3 The first power module 4 and the second power module 5 are both kept in a stable state on the inner wall of the housing 1 by the battery compartment 11. In addition to fixing the position of the first / second power module 5 on the inner wall of the middle shell 15, the battery compartment 11 can also increase the pressure resistance of the first / second power module 5.

[0061] The battery compartment 11 includes two sets of fixing plates and a connecting rod connecting the two sets of fixing plates. The fixing plates have through holes for easy wiring. The two sets of fixing plates and the connecting rod together form a space to accommodate the power module.

[0062] Furthermore, the battery compartment 11 and the power module are combined into a single structure. When installing or removing the battery, the battery compartment 11 and the power module can be taken out of the compartment as a whole, which facilitates the removal and installation of the battery.

[0063] Operation process: When conducting underwater inspections, the operator first sets the inspection route and task parameters via a remote control unit. Then, the device is hoisted to the waters near the offshore wind turbine using the hook 13 at the top of the casing 1 and placed into the water.

[0064] The hull 1 maintains a set underwater depth under the influence of buoyancy and gravity. The thruster 3, driven by the second power module 5, rotates to generate thrust, propelling the device along a preset route. Simultaneously, the camera 2 on the front hull 14, powered by the first power module 4, captures real-time images of the surrounding environment and transmits the images and location information to the remote control unit via a data acquisition module and a communication module. The control motherboard inside the electronics compartment 9, based on remote commands or preset programs, adjusts the angles of the horizontal rudder 6 and vertical rudder 7 via the servo motor unit 81 to achieve attitude control such as steering and pitch. The positioning module, in conjunction with the electronic compass, determines the device's position and orientation in real time, ensuring navigation accuracy.

[0065] During the inspection, the data acquisition module continuously collects information from camera 2, depth gauge and altimeter data, and transmits them back to the remote control unit for analysis. If any abnormalities in the underwater infrastructure or environmental changes are detected, an early warning signal can be transmitted immediately.

[0066] When the second power module 5 runs out of power, causing the propeller 3 to fail to operate electrically, the device floats to the surface under buoyancy. At this time, seawater enters through the opening in the protective cover 36 and drives the airfoil blades 352 to rotate. The propeller 35 converts the water flow energy into mechanical energy to continue providing forward propulsion. Meanwhile, since the first power module 4 is still supplying power, the servo motor 81 and electronic equipment remain operational, allowing the device to automatically return along the original set route until it returns to the initial position to complete the inspection task.

[0067] Finally, it should be noted that the methods and devices described in detail above are merely embodiments, and those skilled in the art can modify these embodiments in different ways as long as they do not depart from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device, characterized in that: include, A housing (1), a camera (2) disposed on the housing (1), and a thruster (3) disposed on the housing (1); The camera (2) is used to capture information about the surrounding environment and upload the information to the remote control unit. The camera (2) is connected to the first power module (4), and the thruster (3) is connected to the second power module (5). The propeller (3) is connected to a propeller (35) at its end, and a protective cover (36) is provided on the outer wall of the propeller (35); The thruster (3) rotates by receiving electrical energy transmitted from the second power module (5), thereby providing power for the movement of the housing (1); When the second power module (5) cannot provide power to the thruster (3), the housing (1) floats to the surface of the water, and seawater can flow into the inner wall of the protective cover (36) through the opening of the protective cover (36) and come into contact with the propeller (35). The propeller (35) can convert the kinetic energy of the water flow into mechanical kinetic energy to rotate. When the propeller (35) rotates, it provides power for the movement of the housing (1), so that the housing (1) can return to the initial point along the route set by the remote control unit.

2. The miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thruster (3) includes an outer shell (31) connected to the housing (1), a fixing block (32) disposed on the inner wall of the outer shell (31), a thruster (3) motor disposed on the fixing block (32), a transmission shaft (34) connected to the thruster (3) motor, and a propeller (35) coaxially connected to the transmission shaft (34); The protective cover (36) is connected to the outer shell (31).

3. The miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The propeller (35) includes a hub (351) connected to the drive shaft (34) and blades (352) distributed annularly on the outer wall of the hub (351); The blade (352) is airfoil-shaped, and the hub (351) is conical.

4. A miniature, driveless, automatic return underwater inspection device according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes coaxial horizontal rudders (6) disposed on both sides of the housing (1), coaxial vertical rudders (7) disposed at both ends of the housing (1) perpendicular to the coaxial horizontal rudders (6), and a servo motor (81) unit (8) for controlling the rotation direction of the horizontal rudders (6) and the vertical rudders (7).

5. A miniature, driveless, automatic return underwater inspection device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The servo unit (8) includes a servo (81), a transmission component (82) connected to the servo (81), and an output shaft (83) connected to the transmission component (82).

6. A miniature, undriven, automatic return underwater inspection device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The inner wall of the shell (1) is also provided with an electronic compartment (9), which is equipped with a control motherboard, a positioning module, a data acquisition module and a communication module. The positioning module and the data acquisition module are electrically connected to the camera (2) to locate the position of the housing (1) and acquire environmental information around the housing (1); The data acquisition module sends signals and data to the remote control unit through the communication module; After processing the signals and data sent by the data acquisition module, the remote control unit sends an execution command to the control motherboard. The control motherboard receives the execution command issued by the remote control unit and controls the rotation direction of the horizontal rudder (6) and the vertical rudder (7) through the servo motor (81) unit (8).

7. A miniature, driveless, automatic return underwater inspection device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The inner wall of the housing (1) is provided with an electronic compass compartment (10), and an electronic compass is provided inside the electronic compass compartment (10). The electronic compass is electrically connected to the positioning module. The electronic compass works in conjunction with the positioning module to detect the absolute orientation angle of the hull (1) underwater in real time, providing reference data for steering control.

8. A miniature, driveless, automatic return underwater inspection device according to claim 7, characterized in that: Both the first power module (4) and the second power module (5) are kept in a stable state on the inner wall of the housing (1) by the battery compartment (11); The battery compartment (11) includes two sets of fixing plates and a connecting rod connecting the two sets of fixing plates. The fixing plates are provided with through holes.

9. A miniature, driveless, automatic return underwater inspection device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The inner wall of the housing (1) has a keel (12), which is used to provide structural support for the housing (1); the housing (1) and the outer shell (31) are sealed together.

10. A miniature, driveless, automatic return underwater inspection device according to claim 9, characterized in that: A hook (13) is provided at the top of the housing (1).

Images