A cleaning device and method for plastic fishing nets

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of cleaning, and specifically discloses a cleaning device and method for plastic fishing nets, which comprises a walking mechanism, a wiping mechanism, a flushing mechanism and a suction mechanism. The wiping mechanism comprises a mounting shell which is a cylindrical cavity with an open side. A transmission rod is rotatably arranged in the mounting shell. An output motor is fixed to one end of the transmission rod. A rotating column is fixed to the transmission rod at equal intervals along the axis of the transmission rod. A plurality of groups of actuating pieces are fixed to the rotating column at equal intervals along the axis of the rotating column. Each actuating piece is in the shape of an arc. A wiping piece is arranged between each two adjacent actuating pieces in each group of actuating pieces. The wiping piece is in the shape of a strip and is fixed to the rotating column. The height of the wiping piece is shorter than that of the actuating piece. The device can adaptively fit the netting, efficiently remove attached organisms and simultaneously suck pollutants, so as to avoid damaging the netting and prevent the cleaning wastewater from polluting the aquaculture water.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of cleaning technology, and specifically discloses a cleaning device and method for plastic fish rafts. Background Technology

[0002] Plastic fish rafts are widely used in modern marine aquaculture, especially in cage culture, due to their advantages such as corrosion resistance, high buoyancy, and flexible layout. However, during long-term use, the netting of these rafts becomes submerged in water rich in microorganisms, algae, and shellfish (such as barnacles and oysters), making them highly susceptible to biofouling. These organisms attach to the netting and grow rapidly, clogging the mesh and severely affecting water exchange inside and outside the cages. This leads to water quality deterioration, decreased dissolved oxygen levels, and ultimately threatens the health and growth of farmed fish, even causing disease outbreaks. Therefore, regular, efficient, and safe cleaning of the fish raft netting is a crucial aspect of aquaculture management.

[0003] Currently, the main shortcomings of existing cleaning methods for fish raft netting are as follows: First, traditional cleaning methods mostly rely on manual labor or simple machinery. Manual cleaning typically uses brushes, scrapers, or high-pressure water guns, which are not only labor-intensive and inefficient, but also difficult to guarantee cleaning results. Especially for firmly attached hard-shelled organisms (such as barnacles), simple rinsing is insufficient to completely remove them, requiring physical scraping. However, manually operating high-pressure water guns or hard scrapers can easily damage the mesh fibers, shortening the mesh's lifespan, and also poses certain safety risks to divers working underwater.

[0004] Secondly, some existing mechanized cleaning equipment has limited functionality. For example, some equipment only has a high-pressure water rinsing function, which can wash away some mud and loose attachments, but its rinsing effect is limited when dealing with biological slime, juvenile shellfish, and other substances tightly adhering to the netting. These residues will serve as a substrate for a new round of biological attachment, causing the netting to be quickly fouled again after cleaning, resulting in a short cleaning cycle.

[0005] Furthermore, existing cleaning processes lack effective management of cleaning wastewater. Whether through manual rinsing or simple mechanical cleaning, the detached biological debris, mucus, and impurities are directly released into the aquaculture water. These organic-rich pollutants not only deteriorate water quality but may also be ingested by farmed fish, causing digestive diseases or stress reactions. Simultaneously, the turbid wastewater stirred up during cleaning reduces water transparency, impacting the fish's living environment. This "cleaning while polluting" problem is prevalent in existing cleaning solutions and remains unresolved.

[0006] Furthermore, existing cleaning devices have poor adaptability. The impact force of water flow on the fishing raft net varies at different water depths, resulting in differences in its tension and deformation. Traditional fixed scraping or brushing mechanisms cannot adjust the angle and pressure of contact with the net in real time, easily leading to incomplete cleaning or excessive wear on the net.

[0007] Therefore, developing a fish raft net cleaning device and method that can efficiently remove various attached organisms, avoid damage to the netting, simultaneously collect and treat cleaning waste, and adapt to the deformation of the netting surface is of great practical significance for ensuring green, safe, and efficient production in aquaculture. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device and method for plastic fish rafts to solve the problems mentioned above.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a cleaning device for plastic fish rafts, including a walking mechanism, a wiping mechanism, a rinsing mechanism, and a suction mechanism. The wiping mechanism includes a mounting shell, which is a cylindrical cavity with an opening on one side. A transmission rod is rotatably mounted inside the mounting shell. One end of the transmission rod is fixed to an output motor on the mounting shell. Rotating columns are fixed at equal intervals along the axis of the transmission rod. Multiple sets of actuating blades are fixed at equal intervals along the axis of the rotating column. Each actuating blade is an arc-shaped strip. In each set of actuating blades, a wiping blade is distributed between two adjacent actuating blades. The wiping blade is a strip-shaped structure fixed on the rotating column. The height of the wiping blade is shorter than the height of the actuating blade. Both ends of the rotating column are provided with rounded corners, which can guide the water around the rotating column.

[0010] In the above technical solution, both the actuating plate and the wiping plate are elastic, the width of the wiping plate is not less than the width of the actuating plate, the rounded corner is a conical surface opened at the end of the rotating column, and the actuating plate and the wiping plate can be exposed from the opening of the mounting shell.

[0011] In the above technical solution, the walking mechanism further includes a housing component, a propeller is fixed to the middle of the rear side of the housing component, and walking wheels are fixed to both the upper and lower sides of the rear side of the housing component located on the propeller.

[0012] In the above technical solution, the rinsing mechanism further includes a water spray pipe fixed on the upper part of the mounting shell, a water pump fixed inside the shell, and a hose fixed between the discharge end of the water pump and the water spray pipe.

[0013] In the above technical solution, the suction mechanism further includes a suction pipe fixed to the lower part of the mounting shell, the suction pipe being arranged opposite to the water spray pipe, a discharge pipe being fixed to the discharge end of the suction pipe, and a suction structure being connected to the discharge pipe.

[0014] In the above technical solution, two mounting seats are fixed on one end of the housing near the mounting shell. A hydraulic cylinder rotates between the upper part of each mounting seat and the mounting shell, and a rotating arm rotates between the lower part of each mounting seat and the mounting shell.

[0015] In the above technical solution, a camera is further fixed on one end of the housing near the mounting shell, the camera is connected to an external control terminal, and a mounting plate is fixed on the front side of the housing.

[0016] In the above technical solution, an electric lifting arm is further fixed on the mounting plate, the electric lifting arm is perpendicular to the housing component, and a movable slide rail is provided at the upper end of the electric lifting arm.

[0017] In the above technical solution, the movable slide rail is further driven by an electric lifting arm to move the housing component on the mounting plate, thereby causing the housing component to move the walking mechanism, wiping mechanism, rinsing mechanism and suction mechanism, and also facilitating the camera to capture the area to be cleaned.

[0018] A cleaning method for plastic fish rafts includes the following steps: Step 1, Installation: Place the walking mechanism, which drives the rinsing mechanism, wiping mechanism, and suction mechanism into the water. Then install the walking mechanism on the fish raft. The walking mechanism can then drive the rinsing mechanism, wiping mechanism, and suction mechanism to move in the water. Step 2, rinsing: After the walking mechanism is installed on the fish raft, the rinsing mechanism is started. The rinsing mechanism can drive the water to rinse the net on the fish raft, so that the debris and mud on the net can be separated from the net in advance. Step 3, suction: When the rinsing mechanism washes away the debris and mud on the net, the suction mechanism is activated. The suction mechanism can suck up the debris and mud separated from the net, thereby preventing the debris and mud separated from the net from coming into contact with the fish, thus ensuring their safe survival inside the net. Step four, wiping: When the rinsing mechanism washes away the debris and mud on the netting, the organisms or other attachments adhering to the netting will loosen. As the walking mechanism drives the wiping mechanism to move, the wiping mechanism is activated, thus separating the organisms or other attachments adhering to the netting from the netting.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This device uses a flexible agitator and a wiping blade. The agitator first scrapes off hard-shelled organisms (such as barnacles) attached to the mesh, and then the wiping blade immediately wipes away any remaining slime. The combination of these two components thoroughly removes different types of dirt while the flexible material prevents mechanical damage to the mesh fibers.

[0020] 2. While rinsing and wiping, the device connects to an external suction structure via suction and discharge pipes to create negative pressure in the cleaned area, promptly removing detached biological debris, mucus, and wastewater. This effectively prevents pollutants from spreading inside the netting, ensuring a safe living environment for farmed fish.

[0021] 3. The device can adjust the position of the rotating column in real time through the hydraulic cylinder and rotating arm, so that the agitator and wiping plate always maintain the best contact pressure with the net, adapting to the deformation of the net at different water depths, thereby ensuring that the device can clean the net efficiently. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of the mounting shell and shell components in this invention; Figure 3 for Figure 2 Axial side schematic diagram; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the transmission rod penetrating the mounting shell in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the rotating column and the transmission rod in this invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of the transmission rod and the rotating arm in this invention; Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the connection structure between the actuating plate and the wiping plate and the rotating column in this invention; Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the connection structure of the water spray pipe and the suction pipe in this invention.

[0023] 1. Mounting plate; 11. Electric lifting arm; 12. Moving slide rail; 2. Housing components; 21. Discharge pipe; 22. Camera; 23. Traveling wheels; 24. Mounting base; 25. Water pump; 3. Thruster; 4. Mounting housing; 41. Water spray pipe; 42. Suction pipe; 43. Rotating column; 44. Actuating plate; 45. Wiping plate; 46. Rounded corner; 47. Transmission rod; 48. Hydraulic cylinder; 49. Rotating arm; 5. Output motor. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0025] Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and therefore the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0026] Example 1: Please refer to Figures 1-8 As shown, the present invention provides a technical solution: This invention is a cleaning device for plastic fish rafts, including a walking mechanism, a wiping mechanism, a rinsing mechanism and a suction mechanism. The wiping mechanism includes a mounting shell 4, which is a cylindrical cavity with an opening on one side. A transmission rod 47 rotates inside the mounting shell 4. One end of the transmission rod 47 is fixed to the mounting shell 4 with an output motor 5. Rotating columns 43 are fixed at equal intervals along the axis of the transmission rod 47, and there is a gap between two adjacent rotating columns 43. Multiple sets of actuating plates 44 are fixed at equal intervals along the axis of the rotating column 43. Each actuating plate 44 is an arc-shaped strip. In each set of actuating plates 44, a wiping plate 45 is distributed between two adjacent actuating plates 44. The wiping plate 45 is a strip structure fixed on the rotating column 43. The height of the wiping plate 45 is shorter than the height of the actuating plate 44. Both ends of the rotating column 43 are provided with rounded corners 46. The actuating plate 44 and the wiping plate 45 are both elastic. The width of the wiping plate 45 is not less than the width of the actuating plate 44. The rounded corners 46 are conical surfaces opened at the ends of the rotating column 43. The actuating plate 44 and the wiping plate 45 can be exposed from the opening of the mounting shell 4.

[0027] The walking mechanism includes a housing 2, and a propeller 3 is fixed in the middle of the rear side of the housing 2. The propeller 3 can be a water jet propeller that is available on the market. The rear side of the housing 2 is fixed with walking wheels 23 on both the upper and lower sides of the propeller 3. The walking wheels 23 can be a rotating wheel or other rotating wheel assembly that drives the housing 2 to walk on the fishing raft net.

[0028] The rinsing mechanism includes a water spray pipe 41 fixed on the upper part of the housing 4, a water pump 25 fixed inside the housing 2, a hose fixed between the discharge end of the water pump 25 and the water spray pipe 41, a filter is installed at the suction end of the water pump 25, and a water spray hole is opened on the side of the water spray pipe 41 near the fishing raft net.

[0029] The suction mechanism includes a suction pipe 42 fixed at the lower part of the mounting shell 4. The suction pipe 42 is arranged opposite to the water spray pipe 41. A discharge pipe 21 is fixed at the discharge end of the suction pipe 42. The discharge pipe 21 is connected to a suction structure.

[0030] Two mounting seats 24 are fixed on one end of the housing 2 near the mounting shell 4. A hydraulic cylinder 48 rotates between the upper part of each mounting seat 24 and the mounting shell 4, and a rotating arm 49 rotates between the lower part of each mounting seat 24 and the mounting shell 4.

[0031] A camera 22 is fixed to one end of the housing 2 near the mounting shell 4. The camera 22 is connected to an external control terminal. A mounting plate 1 is fixed to the front side of the housing 2.

[0032] An electric lifting arm 11 is fixed on the mounting plate 1. The electric lifting arm 11 is perpendicular to the housing 2. A movable slide rail 12 is provided at the upper end of the electric lifting arm 11. The upper end of the electric lifting arm 11 is connected to the output end of the movable slide rail 12.

[0033] The movable slide rail 12 drives the housing 2 on the mounting plate 1 to move via the electric lifting arm 11, thereby causing the housing 2 to move the walking mechanism, wiping mechanism, rinsing mechanism and suction mechanism, and also making it easier for the camera 22 to capture the area to be cleaned; In actual use, the staff first put the electric lifting arm 11 and the housing 2 into the water, and then connect the movable slide rail 12 to the support frame of the fish raft. The output end of the movable slide rail 12 can move the housing 2 through the electric lifting arm 11. During use, the electric lifting arm 11 can repeatedly adjust the height of the housing 2, thereby enabling the housing 2 to drive the wiping mechanism and the rinsing mechanism to clean the net on the fish raft. When the housing 2 approaches the net on the fishing raft, the water pump 25 is turned on in advance. The suction end of the water pump 25 is connected to a filter. The filter can be a filter screen that can be purchased on the market. When the water pump 25 is working, the filter screen can filter the water pumped by the water pump 25, thereby preventing debris in the water from clogging the suction end of the water pump 25. When the water pump 25 drives the water into the interior of the spray pipe 41, the water sprayed out by the spray pipe 41 can wash away the debris on the net. At this time, the debris on the net will loosen, and some debris will also separate from the net. When the agitator 44 can abut against the mesh, the operator starts the output motor 5. The output shaft of the output motor 5 can drive the rotating column 43 to rotate through the transmission rod 47. The rotating column 43 can drive the agitator 44 to scrape off the attached organisms on the mesh. After the agitator 44 scrapes off the attached organisms on the mesh, the end of the agitator 44 will deform. Then the wiping plate 45 can wipe the part where the attached organisms are separated, thereby realizing the rapid separation of the mucus attached to the attached organisms from the mesh and completing the cleaning of the mesh. The elastic material of the agitator 44 and the wiping plate 45 can also avoid mechanical damage to the mesh fibers. When the transmission rod 47 drives the rotating column 43 to rotate, since there is a gap between two adjacent rotating columns 43, when the water impacts the object separated from the net, it can also prevent the auxiliary object from contacting the net for a second time, thereby achieving rapid cleaning of the net. After the agitator 44 and wiping pad 45 clean the net, the staff starts the suction structure through external equipment. The suction structure can draw water from the inside of the suction pipe 42 through the discharge pipe 21, thus creating a negative pressure inside the suction pipe 42. The suction pipe 42 has filter holes. When the inside of the suction pipe 42 is under negative pressure, the objects and water separated from the net can pass through the suction pipe 42 and the discharge pipe 21 and enter the inside of the suction structure, thus ensuring that the water in the net cleaning area is clean and preventing the sewage and debris in the net cleaning area from coming into contact with the fish raised inside the net. This ensures that the net is cleaned without affecting the fish inside the net. When the device cleans the mesh, the operator can control the hydraulic cylinder 48 through external equipment. The hydraulic cylinder 48 can work with the rotating arm 49 to adjust the position of the rotating column 43, so that the agitator 44 and the wiping plate 45 can fit into the mesh, thus facilitating the cleaning of the mesh by the agitator 44 and the wiping plate 45. After the housing 2 is placed inside the liquid, the staff controls the pusher 3 through external equipment. The pusher 3 can drive the housing 2 to move inside the liquid, thereby enabling the electric lifting arm 11 to drive the output end of the moving slide rail 12 to move, and enabling the housing 2 to drive the position of the agitator 44 and the wiping plate 45 to move, thereby enabling the agitator 44 and the wiping plate 45 to clean the mesh. When the agitator 44 and the wiping pad 45 clean the mesh, the camera 22 can take pictures of the part of the mesh to be cleaned, and then transmit the captured information to external devices, so that the staff can understand whether the part of the mesh to be cleaned is damaged, and the staff can repair the damaged mesh as soon as possible. In actual use, the height of the wiping blade 45 is shorter than the height of the agitator blade 44, while the width of the wiping blade 45 is not less than the width of the agitator blade 44. Since the agitator blade 44 is longer, it contacts the mesh surface first and uses its arc-shaped strip structure and elasticity to scrape off the firmly attached barnacles. After the agitator blade 44 scrapes off the barnacles, it undergoes a slight deformation. The shorter wiping blade 45 wipes the mesh immediately after the agitator blade 44 scrapes off the barnacles, removing residual mucus, tiny attachments, or debris. This height difference achieves the timing coordination of "scraping first and then wiping," avoiding interference or damage caused by the two structures hitting the mesh simultaneously. After the wiping blade 45 finishes wiping, the agitator blade 44 separates from the mesh. The deformed agitator blade 44 quickly returns to its original position under its own restoring force, and then drives the surrounding water to vibrate, thus separating the mucus and tiny attachments on the agitator blade 44. The width of the wiping blade 45 is not less than the width of the agitator blade 44, and it can cover the entire area scraped by the agitator blade 44, effectively removing any edge residue that the agitator blade 44 may miss, and improving the overall cleaning uniformity.

[0034] Example 2: Please refer to Figures 1-8 As shown, a cleaning method for plastic fish rafts includes the following steps: Step 1, installation: Place the walking mechanism, which drives the rinsing mechanism, wiping mechanism, and suction mechanism into the water. Then install the walking mechanism on the fish raft. The walking mechanism can then drive the rinsing mechanism, wiping mechanism, and suction mechanism to move in the water. Step 2, rinsing: After the walking mechanism is installed on the fish raft, start the rinsing mechanism. The rinsing mechanism can drive the water to rinse the net on the fish raft, so that the debris and mud on the net can be separated from the net in advance. Step 3, suction: When the rinsing mechanism washes away the debris and mud on the net, the suction mechanism is activated. The suction mechanism can suck up the debris and mud separated from the net, thereby preventing the debris and mud separated from the net from coming into contact with the fish, thus ensuring their safe survival inside the net. Step 4, wiping: When the rinsing mechanism washes away the debris and mud on the netting, the organisms or other attachments adhering to the netting will loosen. As the walking mechanism moves the wiping mechanism, the wiping mechanism is activated, which can separate the organisms or other attachments adhering to the netting from the netting. The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed invention.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for plastic fish rafts, comprising a walking mechanism, a wiping mechanism, a rinsing mechanism, and a suction mechanism, characterized in that, The wiping mechanism includes a mounting shell (4), which is a cylindrical cavity with an opening on one side. A transmission rod (47) rotates inside the mounting shell (4). One end of the transmission rod (47) is fixed to an output motor (5) on the mounting shell (4). Rotating columns (43) are fixed at equal intervals along the axis of the transmission rod (47). Multiple sets of actuating plates (44) are fixed at equal intervals along the axis of the rotating column (43). Each actuating plate (44) is an arc-shaped strip. In each set of actuating plates (44), a wiping plate (45) is distributed between two adjacent actuating plates (44). The wiping plate (45) is a strip structure fixed on the rotating column (43). The height of the wiping plate (45) is shorter than the height of the actuating plate (44).

2. The cleaning device for plastic fish rafts according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both ends of the rotating column (43) are provided with rounded corners (46), the actuating plate (44) and the wiping plate (45) are both elastic, the width of the wiping plate (45) is not less than the width of the actuating plate (44), the rounded corners (46) are conical surfaces opened at the ends of the rotating column (43), and the actuating plate (44) and the wiping plate (45) can be exposed from the opening of the mounting shell (4).

3. A cleaning device for plastic fish rafts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The walking mechanism includes a housing (2), a pusher (3) is fixed in the middle of the rear side of the housing (2), and walking wheels (23) are fixed on both the upper and lower sides of the rear side of the housing (2) and the pusher (3).

4. A cleaning device for plastic fish rafts according to claim 3, characterized in that, The flushing mechanism includes a water spray pipe (41) fixed on the upper part of the mounting shell (4), a water pump (25) fixed inside the shell (2), and a hose fixed between the discharge end of the water pump (25) and the water spray pipe (41).

5. A cleaning device for plastic fish rafts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The suction mechanism includes a suction pipe (42) fixed at the lower part of the mounting shell (4), the suction pipe (42) is arranged opposite to the water spray pipe (41), the discharge end of the suction pipe (42) is fixed with a discharge pipe (21), and the discharge pipe (21) is connected to a suction structure.

6. A cleaning device for plastic fish rafts according to claim 3, characterized in that, Two mounting seats (24) are fixed on one end of the housing (2) near the mounting shell (4). A hydraulic cylinder (48) rotates between the upper part of each mounting seat (24) and the mounting shell (4), and a rotating arm (49) rotates between the lower part of each mounting seat (24) and the mounting shell (4).

7. A cleaning device for plastic fish rafts according to claim 3, characterized in that, A camera (22) is fixed on one end of the housing (2) near the mounting shell (4). The camera (22) is connected to an external control terminal. A mounting plate (1) is fixed on the front side of the housing (2).

8. A cleaning device for plastic fish rafts according to claim 7, characterized in that, An electric lifting arm (11) is fixed on the mounting plate (1). The electric lifting arm (11) is perpendicular to the housing (2). A movable slide rail (12) is provided at the upper end of the electric lifting arm (11).

9. A cleaning device for plastic fish rafts according to claim 8, characterized in that, The movable slide rail (12) drives the housing part (2) on the mounting plate (1) to move via the electric lifting arm (11), thereby causing the housing part (2) to drive the walking mechanism, wiping mechanism, rinsing mechanism and suction mechanism to move, and also making it easier for the camera (22) to capture the location to be cleaned.

10. A cleaning method for plastic fish rafts, applicable to the cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1, Installation: Place the walking mechanism, which drives the rinsing mechanism, wiping mechanism, and suction mechanism into the water. Then install the walking mechanism on the fish raft. The walking mechanism can then drive the rinsing mechanism, wiping mechanism, and suction mechanism to move in the water. Step 2, rinsing: After the walking mechanism is installed on the fish raft, the rinsing mechanism is started. The rinsing mechanism can drive the water to rinse the net on the fish raft, so that the debris and mud on the net can be separated from the net in advance. Step 3, suction: When the rinsing mechanism washes away the debris and mud on the net, the suction mechanism is activated. The suction mechanism can suck up the debris and mud separated from the net, thereby preventing the debris and mud separated from the net from coming into contact with the fish, thus ensuring their safe survival inside the net. Step four, wiping: When the rinsing mechanism washes away the debris and mud on the netting, the organisms or other attachments adhering to the netting will loosen. As the walking mechanism drives the wiping mechanism to move, the wiping mechanism is activated, thus separating the organisms or other attachments adhering to the netting from the netting.

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