A device and method for in-situ capturing and observing of deep-sea micro-objects in high-pressure environment

Abstract

This invention proposes an in-situ capture and observation device and method for deep-sea micro-objects in high-pressure environments, belonging to the field of underwater robotics. It solves the problem that traditional acoustic tweezers technology has limited ability to confine particles in highly disturbed environments and cannot actively capture particles over a large area. The device comprises: a shell with several uniformly arranged ultrasonic transducers at its inlet end, all forming a virtual circle; an offset adjustment component for adjusting the acoustic wave propagation direction of each ultrasonic transducer relative to the center of the virtual circle to form vortices; an angle adjustment component for adjusting the acoustic wave propagation direction of each ultrasonic transducer to concentrate the vortices towards the inlet end of the shell; and an acoustic tweezers capture component, located inside the shell, for forming standing waves to capture particles brought by the vortices at an acoustic trap. It is mainly used for in-situ capture and observation of deep-sea micro-objects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of underwater robots, and in particular relates to a device and method for in-situ capture and observation of small objects in deep-sea environments under high pressure. Background Technology

[0002] In underwater or deep-sea environments, interference from ocean currents and high pressure creates complex conditions, posing challenges to the in-situ capture and observation of minute objects. Rigid grippers suffer from poor adaptability and high risk of damage, while soft grippers have drawbacks such as high degrees of freedom of deformation and limited control precision, making them difficult to capture minute objects. Filters can easily damage target objects and suffer from overlapping and obstruction issues, hindering in-situ observation. Complex and expensive deep-sea enrichment instruments are typically structurally complex and difficult to integrate with robotic arms.

[0003] In recent years, ultrasonic tweezers technology has become a research hotspot in the field of non-contact manipulation due to its non-contact nature, high precision, and compatibility with small targets such as particles. Acoustic tweezers technology generates an acoustic potential trap through a specific phase structure, enabling precise manipulation of particles and is widely used in particle manipulation and other fields. However, existing acoustic tweezers technology is mostly used for confining particles in low-disturbance laboratory environments and cannot meet the needs of large-scale active capture and observation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose an in-situ capture and observation device and method for deep-sea micro-objects in high-pressure environments, so as to solve the problem that traditional acoustic tweezers technology has limited ability to constrain microparticles in highly disturbed environments and cannot actively capture microparticles over a large area.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: According to a first aspect of the present invention, an in-situ capture and observation device for deep-sea micro-objects in a high-pressure environment is provided, comprising: The housing has several ultrasonic transducers evenly arranged in a circle at the inlet end, and all of the ultrasonic transducers form a virtual circle. A bias adjustment component is used to adjust the direction of sound wave propagation of each of the ultrasonic transducers to be biased relative to the center of the virtual circle so that the sound wave forms a vortex. An angle adjustment component is used to adjust the direction of sound wave propagation of each ultrasonic transducer so that the vortex converges towards the inlet end of the housing. The acoustic tweezers trapping assembly, housed within the housing, is used to generate standing waves that trap particles brought in by vortices at the acoustic potential trap.

[0006] Furthermore, a camera is also installed inside the housing for observing and photographing the particle conduction and capture process.

[0007] Furthermore, the housing is cylindrical in shape, and the inner wall is provided with a sound-absorbing part to reduce reflection.

[0008] Furthermore, the ultrasonic transducers are provided in six or eight configurations.

[0009] Furthermore, the angle adjustment component is a first servo motor, and the rotation shaft of each first servo motor is connected to an ultrasonic transducer at a corresponding position.

[0010] Furthermore, the bias adjustment assembly includes a support, a gear ring, a gear, and a second servo motor. The support is connected to the housing. Each first servo motor is rotatably connected to the support and meshes with the gear ring through the gear. The gear ring is rotatably connected inside the support. The gear ring and the second servo motor are connected by a transmission unit.

[0011] Furthermore, the transmission unit includes several gears that have a transmission relationship.

[0012] Furthermore, the acoustic tweezers capturing assembly consists of several second ultrasonic transducers arranged evenly in a circle.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an in-situ capture method using a high-pressure environment deep-sea micro-object in-situ capture and observation device as described above is provided, comprising the following steps: The bias adjustment component causes the ultrasonic transducer to be biased at a certain angle relative to the center of the virtual circle, forming a vortex. The angle adjustment component adjusts the direction of sound wave propagation of each ultrasonic transducer to cause the vortex to converge into the housing. The acoustic tweezers capture component forms a standing wave to capture particles brought in by vortices.

[0014] Furthermore, the method also includes the step of using a camera to record the capture of particles by the acoustic tweezers capturing component.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. This device uses ultrasonic transducers arranged evenly around the circumference and adjusts the direction of the sound waves to be offset from the virtual center to form a vortex, causing a large range of particles to gather at the inlet end of the shell. This results in a large capture range and the ability to capture irregularly moving particles in complex strong flow fields, effectively controlling the particles to gather in the central region and preventing irregular particle movement and escape.

[0016] 2. After capturing particles, this device forms a directional vortex, which directly sends the captured particles into the shell. The internal acoustic tweezers capture component forms a standing wave to prevent particles from escaping and suppress irregular motion. Compared with complex and expensive deep-sea enrichment instruments and equipment, this device has a simple and compact structure, low cost, and is easy to integrate with underwater robots to achieve in-situ capture and real-time observation of tiny objects.

[0017] 3. The acoustic vortex conduction structure provided by this device constructs an acoustic vortex flow field to conduct and transport particles, enriching the particles at the central position and controlling the axial velocity of the fluid by changing the transducer tilt angle; the conduction structure effectively controls the accumulation of particles in the central region, effectively preventing irregular movement of particles and significantly improving the capture efficiency of the acoustic tweezers capture component. 4. Compared with complex and expensive deep-sea enrichment instruments and equipment, this device has a simple and compact structure, low cost, and is easy to integrate with underwater robots to achieve in-situ capture and real-time observation of tiny objects. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a device for in-situ capture and observation of deep-sea micro-objects in a high-pressure environment, as described in this invention. Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a high-pressure environment deep-sea micro-object in-situ capture and observation device according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a high-pressure environment deep-sea micro-object in-situ capture and observation device according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the distribution and arrangement of the gear ring and gears described in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the ultrasonic transducer and the angle adjustment component described in this invention; Figure 6 This is a control logic diagram of a high-pressure environment deep-sea micro-object in-situ capture and observation device according to the present invention; Figure 7 This is a photograph of the top ultrasonic transducer of the present invention when it is not turned on. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the particle state when the top ultrasonic transducer of the present invention is not turned on; Figure 9 This is a photograph of the top ultrasonic transducer of the present invention when it is turned on. Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the particle state when the top ultrasonic transducer of the present invention is turned on. Figure 11 The standing wave acoustic field formed by the acoustic tweezers capturing component of this invention; Figure 12 The vortex acoustic field formed by the top ultrasonic transducer of this invention; Figure 13 This refers to the vortex flow field formed by the top ultrasonic transducer of this invention. Figure 14This is a flowchart illustrating the method of using the in-situ capture and observation device for deep-sea micro-objects in a high-pressure environment, as described in this invention.

[0019] 1. Ultrasonic transducer; 2. Angle adjustment assembly; 3. Support unit; 4. Gear ring; 5. Second servo motor; 6. Housing; 7. Acoustic tweezers capture assembly; 8. Camera; 9. Offset adjustment assembly; 10. Transmission unit; 11. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, and the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments.

[0021] It should be noted that the descriptions of "left," "right," "left side," "right side," "upper part," "lower part," "top," and "bottom" in this invention are defined based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are merely for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the described structure must be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0022] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0023] Referring to the accompanying drawings, this embodiment provides an in-situ capture and observation device for deep-sea micro-objects in a high-pressure environment, comprising: The housing 7 has several ultrasonic transducers 1 evenly arranged on a virtual circle at its inlet end. The sound wave propagation direction of each ultrasonic transducer 1 is oriented towards the inside of the virtual circle. Specifically, the housing 7 is a hollow cylinder with openings on both sides. One side serves as the inlet end for capturing particles, while the other side has a connection structure for connecting the camera 9, which has a base connected to the housing 7 via means such as threads or snap-fits. The inner wall of the housing 7 has a sound-absorbing section to reduce reflections. This section is made of sound-absorbing material, which reduces sound wave reflections, thus making the acoustic tweezers capturing assembly 8 more stable when capturing particles. The housing 7 needs to meet the requirements of the deep-sea environment, including structural strength, rust prevention, and long-term stability. For the ultrasonic transducer 1, the offset motion of the vibrating surface of the ultrasonic transducer 1, which is uniformly arranged in a circle, relative to the center of the virtual circle, allows the sound waves to form vortices. The formation of these vortices enables the large-scale locking of external particles, allowing disordered particles to be successfully captured and gathered in the vortex region. In this application, six ultrasonic transducers 1 are arranged at the six corner points of a regular hexagon. This arrangement satisfies both structural stability and facilitates the formation of the aforementioned vortices to capture particles. In this configuration, initially all ultrasonic transducers 1 face the center of the virtual circle. Then, each ultrasonic transducer 1 rotates a certain angle to the edge of the virtual hexagon, thus forming a stable vortex to capture surrounding particles. Of course, the number of ultrasonic transducers 1 is not limited to the aforementioned description. Depending on the actual situation, other layout forms can be selected, and any structure capable of forming vortices can be used in this application.

[0024] The bias adjustment assembly 10 is used to adjust the direction of sound wave propagation of each ultrasonic transducer 1 to be biased away from the center of the virtual circle to form a vortex. Specifically, the bias adjustment assembly 10 includes a support part 3, a gear ring 4, a gear 5, and a second servo motor 6. The support part 3 is connected to the housing 7. Each first servo motor is rotatably connected to the support part 3 and meshes with the gear ring 4 through the gear 5. The gear ring 4 is rotatably connected inside the support part 3. The gear ring 4 and the second servo motor 6 are connected by a transmission part 11. The support part 3 is generally annular and is connected to the inlet end of the housing 7. The two can be connected by threads or high-strength bolts. The bias adjustment assembly 10 is integrated through the support part 3, which facilitates assembly during processing, disassembly during maintenance, and adjustment of other components inside the housing 7. The second servo motor 6 is located on the side of the housing 7 and is driven by a drive circuit.

[0025] The annular support 3 is hollow inside and has a necessary support structure in the middle to provide rotational support for the gear ring 4. The angle adjustment component 2 is used to adjust the direction of sound wave propagation of each ultrasonic transducer 1 so that the vortex is concentrated in the housing 7. The angle adjustment component 2 is specifically a first servo motor, which is installed on the tooling. The lower end of the tooling is integrated with a shaft, which forms a rotational connection with the support 3. The shaft is set perpendicular to the end face of the support 3. One end is connected to the tooling, and the other end is set inside the support 3 and connected to the gear 5. The gear 5 meshes with the gear ring 4, so that when the gear ring 4 rotates, it can drive the tooling to rotate through the transmission of the gear 5 and the shaft. The tooling drives the angle adjustment component 2 to rotate, thereby driving the corresponding ultrasonic transducer 1 to rotate. This causes the originally circumferentially evenly distributed ultrasonic transducers 1 to rotate synchronously in one direction, causing the sound wave direction to be misaligned and offset from the center of the virtual circle, forming a vortex as a whole, expanding the particle capture range and forming a large-area capture mode. Then, in conjunction with the angle adjustment component 2, the ultrasonic transducer 1 is rotated at the inlet end of the housing 7, so that the generated vortex can move smoothly and enter the interior of the housing 7 from the inlet end. The first servo is a Feite bus servo, model ST-3215-C018 (1 / 345 gear ratio, 12V).

[0026] For the transmission unit 11, it can be configured with multiple gears meshing sequentially, for example, a first bevel gear can be installed on the shaft of the second servo 6, then the first bevel gear meshes with the second bevel gear, the second bevel gear meshes with a spur gear through a transmission shaft, and the spur gear meshes with the gear ring 4, thereby establishing the transmission relationship. The relative positions of the second servo 6 and the gear ring 4, the transmission ratio, and the method and position of the rotational connection can be reasonably set, and will not be elaborated further.

[0027] An acoustic tweezers trapping assembly 8, disposed within the housing 7, is used to generate a standing wave to confine particles brought in by the vortex to the acoustic potential trap. The acoustic tweezers trapping assembly 8 consists of several circumferentially evenly arranged second ultrasonic transducers. The second ultrasonic transducers generate a stable standing wave in the central region, reliably trapping particles brought in by the vortex.

[0028] Regarding ultrasonic transducers 1 and 2, they are composed of PZT-5A and epoxy resin, and the manufacturing process is as follows: 1. Make a cylindrical mold according to the required size of PZT-5A; 2. Place PZT-5A into the mold, and pour the epoxy resin and aluminum oxide mixture in a certain proportion onto it to form a matching layer. This surface is the vibration surface of the ultrasonic transducer. 3. Place the PZT-5A with the matching layer into the tooling and assemble it to form an ultrasonic transducer.

[0029] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an in-situ capture method using a high-pressure environment deep-sea micro-object in-situ capture and observation device as described above is provided, comprising the following steps: The bias adjustment component 10 drives the ultrasonic transducer 1 to be biased at a certain angle relative to the center of the virtual circle to form a vortex; The angle adjustment component 2 adjusts the sound wave propagation direction of each ultrasonic transducer 1. At this time, a large electrical excitation is applied to the ultrasonic transducer 1, the signal generator generates a voltage of 1V, and the power amplifier amplifies by 50dB, causing the vortex to converge into the housing 7. A small electrical excitation is applied to the second ultrasonic transducer of the acoustic tweezers capturing assembly 8, the signal generator produces a voltage of 1V, the power amplifier amplifies the voltage by 40dB, forming a standing wave to capture particles brought by the vortex.

[0030] In this embodiment, the capture method further includes the step of using a camera 9 to record the particles being captured by the acoustic tweezers capture component 8.

[0031] The transducer's signal generation structure consists of a signal generator, a power amplifier, and an impedance matching circuit. The signal generator produces a sinusoidal signal with a certain voltage corresponding to the resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer. The power amplifier amplifies the signal, and finally, the ultrasonic transducer is excited by the impedance matching circuit. The impedance matching circuit is used to reduce the reactive power of the transducer and maximize its active power.

[0032] The detailed process is as follows: An electrical signal is applied to all ultrasonic transducers 1, causing them to vibrate and generate sound waves. These waves are then driven to rotate via the bias adjustment component 10, which in turn drives the gear ring 4 through the gear 5 to rotate the tooling. The tooling then causes the ultrasonic transducers 1 to rotate and become biased. The sound waves cause the fluid to become vortex-like, and the acoustic flow effect creates a vortex field, further enabling particle aggregation and capture, achieving large-scale particle aggregation. At this point, the first servo motor adjusts the ultrasonic transducers 1 downwards (towards the housing 7) by a certain angle. The acoustic vortex beam then converges downwards into the housing 7, causing the particles to generate rotational and axial velocities, thus achieving enrichment and axial velocity manipulation of the object. When the particles move with the vortex to the acoustic tweezers capture component 8, the component forms a standing wave, confining the transported particles to the acoustic potential trap. An industrial camera at the bottom observes and captures the particle capture process.

[0033] By forming standing waves and coordinating with vortices, particles can be captured over a wide area. At the same time, by changing the angle of the vortex flow direction, particles are drawn into the shell 7. Finally, the standing waves of the acoustic tweezers capture component 8 complete the capture, solving the problems of small capture range, instability, and unsuitability for complex flow fields in traditional capture structures. This provides a new solution for underwater robot detection.

[0034] The embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are merely illustrative of the invention. These embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementations described. Many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments to better explain the principles and practical applications of the invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the invention.

Claims

1. A device for in-situ capture and observation of micro-objects in deep-sea environments under high pressure, characterized in that, include: The shell (7) has several ultrasonic transducers (1) arranged evenly around the circumference at the inlet end, and all the ultrasonic transducers (1) form a virtual circle. A bias adjustment component (10) is used to adjust the acoustic wave propagation direction of each of the ultrasonic transducers (1) to be biased relative to the center of the virtual circle so that the acoustic wave forms a vortex. An angle adjustment component (2) is used to adjust the direction of sound wave propagation of each of the ultrasonic transducers (1) so that the vortex converges into the inlet end of the housing (7); Acoustic tweezers capture assembly (8), disposed within housing (7), is used to form standing waves to capture particles brought by vortices at the acoustic trap.

2. The in-situ capture and observation device for deep-sea micro-objects in a high-pressure environment according to claim 1, characterized in that: A camera (9) is also provided inside the housing (7) for observing and photographing the particle conduction and capture process.

3. The in-situ capture and observation device for deep-sea micro-objects in a high-pressure environment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shell (7) is cylindrical in shape, and the inner wall is provided with a sound-absorbing part to reduce reflection.

4. The in-situ capture and observation device for deep-sea micro-objects in a high-pressure environment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ultrasonic transducer (1) is provided in six or eight configurations.

5. A device for in-situ capture and observation of deep-sea micro-objects in a high-pressure environment according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: The angle adjustment component (2) is a first servo motor, and the shaft of each first servo motor is connected to the ultrasonic transducer (1) at the corresponding position.

6. The in-situ capture and observation device for deep-sea micro-objects in a high-pressure environment according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bias adjustment assembly (10) includes a support (3), a gear ring (4), a gear (5), and a second servo (6). The support (3) is connected to the housing (7). Each first servo is rotatably connected to the support (3) and meshes with the gear ring (4) through the gear (5). The gear ring (4) is rotatably connected inside the support (3). The gear ring (4) and the second servo (6) are connected by transmission through the transmission part (11).

7. The in-situ capture and observation device for deep-sea micro-objects in a high-pressure environment according to claim 6, characterized in that: The transmission unit (11) includes several gears that have a transmission relationship.

8. A device for in-situ capture and observation of deep-sea micro-objects in a high-pressure environment, as described in claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 7, characterized in that: The acoustic tweezers capture assembly (8) consists of several second ultrasonic transducers arranged evenly around the circumference.

9. An in-situ capture method using the in-situ capture and observation device for deep-sea micro-objects in a high-pressure environment as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The bias adjustment component (10) drives the ultrasonic transducer (1) to be biased at a certain angle relative to the center of the virtual circle to form a vortex; Angle adjustment component (2) adjusts the direction of sound wave propagation of each of the ultrasonic transducers (1) so that the vortex converges into the housing (7); The acoustic tweezers capture component (8) forms a standing wave to capture particles brought in by the vortex.

10. The in-situ capture method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The method also includes the step of using a camera (9) to record the capture of particles by the acoustic tweezers capture assembly (8).

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