Underwater sensor capable of being automatically replaced in situ

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of underwater sensors, and discloses an underwater sensor capable of automatic in-situ replacement, which comprises a sealed cabin, a plurality of sensors, a pushing mechanism and a pushing driving mechanism. A plurality of sensor channels are formed in the circumferential surface of the sealed cabin body, the plurality of sensors are respectively embedded in the plurality of sensor channels, and the sensors in the sensor channels are used for liquid sealing of the sensor channels. The pushing mechanism is arranged in the sealed cabin body and used for applying pushing force parallel to the direction of the sensor channel to the sensors in the sensor channel, and the sensors in the sensor channel are partially pushed out of the sensor channel. And the pushing driving mechanism is arranged in the sealed cabin body and is used for changing the position or direction of the pushing mechanism, so that the thrust direction of the pushing mechanism is parallel to the directions of the plurality of sensor channels one by one. The underwater sensor can prevent the sensor from being subjected to lateral force to cause water seal failure of the sensor channel, and ensures the smoothness of the replacement process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of underwater sensors, in particular to an underwater sensor that can be automatically replaced in situ. Background Art

[0002] Underwater sensors are widely used to measure water quality parameters, temperature, and pressure in oceans, rivers, and lakes. Due to the severity of corrosion and biofouling in aquatic environments, these sensors require regular maintenance and biofouling removal to maintain measurement accuracy. When sensors are installed on a large scale or deployed offshore, maintenance requires significant manpower, material, and financial resources, resulting in high sensor maintenance costs.

[0003] To address the above-mentioned technical problems, a Chinese patent application with application publication number CN114993363A discloses a rotary underwater sensor automatic replacement device, comprising a sealed cabin, a sensor, a rotary brake device, a signal and control mainboard, a rotating connection structure, and a cam. The cam is fixedly mounted on the rotating connection structure, and a raised push portion is provided on the cam. The rotary brake device body is fixed in the sealed cabin, and its output shaft is connected to the rotating connection structure. The rotating connection structure and the cam can rotate relative to the sealed cabin. The sealed cabin wall is provided with a plurality of sensor cavities that are connected inside and outside. The sensor cavities are arranged in a ring-shaped manner at equal intervals, and the sensors are sealed and inserted into the sensor cavities. As the cam rotates, the raised push portion cooperates with the sensor push portion at the bottom of one of the sensors, so that the front detection portion of the sensor is pushed out of the sensor cavity, realizing automatic replacement of the sensor, thereby eliminating the need for regular maintenance of the sensor while ensuring the accuracy of the sensor. However, in this solution, during the rotation of the cam, the force exerted on the sensor by the raised pushing portion not only pushes the sensor outward, but also has a lateral force. This lateral force can easily cause the sensor to get stuck in the sensor cavity during the pushing process. The lateral thrust may also cause a gap to appear between the sensor and the sensor cavity, resulting in failure of the water seal and damage to the electronic control structure inside the device. Utility Model Content

[0004] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of the present utility model is to provide an underwater sensor that can be automatically replaced in situ, which can prevent the sensor from being subjected to lateral thrust during the replacement process, ensure the reliability of the water seal between the sensor and the sensor channel during the sensor replacement process, and ensure the smoothness of the sensor replacement process.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the technical solution adopted by the utility model is as follows: an underwater sensor that can be automatically replaced in situ, comprising: a sealed cabin with multiple sensor channels opened on the circumference; multiple sensors embedded in the sensor channels, and a sealing structure is provided on the sensor channels and / or the sensors, and the sensors in the sensor channels liquid-tighten the sensor channels; a pushing mechanism is provided in the sealed cabin, for applying a thrust parallel to the direction of the sensor channel to the sensors in the sensor channel, pushing the sensor part in the sensor channel out of the sensor channel, so that the pushed-out sensor can detect the water quality of the external liquid; a pushing drive mechanism is provided in the sealed cabin, for changing the position or direction of the pushing mechanism relative to the sealed cabin, so that the pushing mechanism is aligned with the multiple sensor channels one by one, and the thrust direction of the pushing mechanism is parallel to the direction of the multiple sensor channels one by one.

[0006] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effect of the present invention is that: a pushing mechanism that can apply a thrust parallel to the direction of the sensor channel to the sensor is used to push the sensor out of the sensor channel, contact the external liquid, and measure the external liquid parameters. The position or direction of the pushing mechanism is changed by the pushing drive mechanism, thereby changing the position or direction of the thrust of the pushing mechanism, so that the thrust direction of the pushing mechanism is aligned and parallel to the sensor channels at different positions or directions, thereby ejecting the sensors in multiple sensor channels one by one, and completing the automatic in-situ replacement of the sensor. Since the thrust received by the sensor during the replacement process is always parallel to the direction of the sensor channel, that is, parallel to the direction of movement of the sensor, the sensor can be prevented from being subjected to lateral thrust, resulting in an unsmooth automatic replacement process of the sensor, and the water seal between the sensor channel and the sensor can be prevented from failing under the action of lateral force during the sensor replacement process, resulting in liquid entering the interior of the device and soaking and damaging the motor and other electronic control structures inside the device.

[0007] The above-mentioned underwater sensor, the sealing structure includes a front sealing ring and a rear sealing ring respectively arranged on the outer and inner sides of the circumference of the sensor, and the front sealing ring and the rear sealing ring can be abutted against the side wall of the sensor channel to liquid-tighten the sensor channel.

[0008] The above-mentioned underwater sensor includes a sensing sensitive unit, and the sensing sensitive unit is arranged between the front sealing ring and the rear sealing ring.

[0009] In the above-mentioned underwater sensor, the sensing sensitive unit is arranged on the peripheral surface of the sensor.

[0010] In the above-mentioned underwater sensor, the pushing mechanism is an electric push rod.

[0011] In the above-mentioned underwater sensor, the sealed cabin is cylindrical, the multiple sensor channels have the same height, and the central axes of the multiple sensor channels intersect at a point on the central axis of the sealed cabin.

[0012] The underwater sensor mentioned above has a plurality of sensor channels arranged at equal angles on the peripheral surface of the sealed cabin.

[0013] The above-mentioned underwater sensor, the pushing drive mechanism includes a rotating motor and a rotating bracket, the rotating motor is arranged on the central axis of the sealed cabin, the pushing mechanism is arranged on the rotating bracket, and the rotating bracket is drivingly connected to the output shaft of the rotating motor.

[0014] The above-mentioned underwater sensor is provided with a watertight joint on the sealed cabin, and the watertight joint is used for electrically connecting the sensor with the outside.

[0015] The above-mentioned underwater sensor, the sealed cabin body is composed of a sealed cabin lower cover, a sealed cabin upper cover and a cylindrical sealed cabin shell, the sealed cabin shell upper cover and the sealed cabin shell lower cover are respectively arranged at the two ends of the sealed cabin shell, the pushing drive mechanism is arranged at the center position of the sealed cabin lower cover, and the sensor channel is arranged on the circumferential surface of the sealed cabin shell.

[0016] The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 A side view of an underwater sensor that can be automatically replaced in situ according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the underwater sensor according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0019] Figure 3 A side view of the push drive mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a side view of a sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0022] 100 sealed cabin body, 110 sealed cabin upper cover, 120 sealed cabin shell, 121 sensor channel, 130 sealed cabin lower cover, 200 sensor, 210 front sealing ring, 220 rear sealing ring, 230 sensor sensitive unit, 300 pushing mechanism, 400 pushing drive mechanism, 410 rotating motor, 420 motor fixing bracket, 430 rotating bracket, 500 watertight joint. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Figures 1 to 3 An embodiment of the present invention provides an underwater sensor that can be automatically replaced in situ, comprising a sealed cabin 100, a plurality of sensors 200, a pushing mechanism 300, and a pushing drive mechanism 400. A plurality of sensor channels 121 are provided on the circumference of the sealed cabin 100, and the plurality of sensors 200 are respectively embedded in the plurality of sensor channels 121. A sealing structure is provided on the sensor channels 121 and / or on the sensor channels 121, and the sensors 200 in the sensor channels 121 seal the sensor channels 121 liquid-tight. The pushing mechanism 300 is provided in the sealed cabin 100 and is used to apply a thrust parallel to the direction of the sensor channels 121 to the sensors 200 in the sensor channels 121, thereby partially pushing the sensors 200 in the sensor channels 121 out of the sensor channels 121, so that the pushed-out sensors 200 can detect the water quality of the external liquid. The pushing drive mechanism 400 is used to drive the pushing mechanism 300 to move relative to the sealed cabin body 100, change the position or direction of the pushing mechanism 300 relative to the sealed cabin body 100, so that the pushing mechanism 300 is aligned with multiple sensor channels 121 one by one, and the thrust direction of the pushing mechanism 300 is parallel to the direction of multiple sensor channels 121 one by one.

[0024] In the underwater sensor of the embodiment of the present utility model, when the detection accuracy of the sensor 200 in a sensor channel 121 is reduced due to underwater corrosion or the attachment of aquatic organisms, the pushing drive mechanism 400 drives the pushing mechanism 300 to translate or turn, so that the pushing mechanism 300 is aligned with the next sensor channel 121, and the thrust direction of the pushing mechanism 300 remains parallel to the direction of the sensor channel 121, so that a thrust along the direction of the sensor channel 121 can be applied to the sensor 200 in the next sensor channel 121, and the new sensor 200 in the sensor channel 121 is pushed out of the sensor channel 121, thereby completing the in-situ automatic replacement of the sensor 200. During sensor 200 replacement, the thrust applied to sensor 200 is always parallel to the direction of sensor channel 121. This prevents lateral force from being applied to sensor 200 during replacement, preventing the sensor 200 from becoming stuck due to lateral force during extension, and preventing the seal between sensor 200 and sensor channel 121 from developing gaps and failing due to lateral force, which could cause liquid to enter the sealed chamber 100 and damage the motor and other electronic control structures. This underwater sensor ensures smooth automatic sensor 200 replacement and a reliable liquid seal between sensor 200 and sensor channel 121.

[0025] It is understood that the sealing structure generally adopts a sealing ring, which can be set on the inner wall of the sensor channel 121 or the peripheral surface of the sensor 200, or can be set on both the sensor 200 and the sensor channel 121. Figure 4 In this embodiment, the sealing structure includes a front sealing ring 210 and a rear sealing ring 220, respectively disposed on the outer and inner sides of the sensor 200. The front sealing ring 210 and the rear sealing ring 220 can form a liquid-tight seal against the inner wall of the sensor channel 121. The head of the sensor 200 can be composed entirely of sensitive elements or only partially of these elements. In this embodiment, the sensing unit 230, comprised of a sensitive element, is disposed between the front sealing ring 210 and the rear sealing ring 220. Initially, when the sensor 200 is retracted within the sensor channel 121, the front sealing ring 210 abuts against the sensor channel 121 to seal the sensor channel 121 with liquid, and the sensing unit 230 is completely located within the sensor channel 121. After the sensor 200 is propelled out of the sensor channel 121 by the pushing mechanism 300, the sensing unit 230 and the front sealing ring 210 both protrude outside the sensor channel 121, where the sensing unit 230 contacts the external liquid and collects water quality parameters. It is understood that the rear sealing ring 220 must abut against the inner wall of the sensor channel 121 before the front sealing ring 210 extends from the sensor channel 121, or must remain in contact with the inner wall of the sensor channel 121 at all times, to ensure that the sensor channel 121 remains liquid-tight during replacement.

[0026] It is understandable that the multiple sensor channels 121 can be arranged in parallel on the sealed cabin body 100, or can be arranged radially on the sealed cabin body 100, and the heights of the multiple sensor channels 121 should be the same. When the sensor channels 121 are arranged parallel and straight on the sealed cabin body 100, the push drive mechanism 400 is a linear drive mechanism, driving the push mechanism 300 to move parallel to the arrangement direction of the sensor channels 121; when the sensor channels 121 are arranged radially on the sealed cabin body 100, the push drive mechanism 400 is a rotary drive mechanism, driving the push mechanism 300 to change its direction so that its thrust direction is parallel to the direction of the multiple sensor channels 121 one by one. Figures 1 to 3In this embodiment, the sealed chamber 100 is cylindrical, and multiple sensor channels 121 are radially arranged at equal angles around the circumference of the cylindrical sealed chamber 100. The axes of the multiple sensor channels 121 intersect at a point on the central axis of the sealed chamber 100. The push drive mechanism 400 is disposed on the central axis of the sealed chamber 100 and includes a rotary motor 410 and a rotary bracket 430. The rotary motor 410 is mounted at the bottom of the sealed chamber 100 via a motor mounting bracket 420. The rotary bracket 430 is drivingly connected to the output shaft of the rotary motor 410, driving the rotary bracket 430 to rotate about the central axis of the sealed chamber 100. The push mechanism 300 is disposed on the rotary bracket 430. It is understood that the push mechanism 300 may be an electric push rod or a combination of another linear drive mechanism and a push rod. The central axis of the push rod of the push mechanism 300, or an extension of the central axis, intersects the central axis of the sealed chamber 100.

[0027] Reference Figure 1 In this embodiment, for ease of installation, the sealed cabin body 100 is composed of a sealed cabin upper cover 110, a sealed cabin lower cover 130, and a cylindrical sealed cabin shell 120. The sealed cabin upper cover 110 and the sealed cabin lower cover 130 are respectively located at the upper and lower ends of the sealed cabin shell 120, forming a cylindrical, sealed cabin body 100 together with the sealed cabin shell 120. Ten sensor channels 121 are arranged at equal angles on the circumference of the sealed cabin shell 120. The rotary motor 410 is mounted on the sealed cabin lower cover 130 via a motor mounting bracket 420. The sealed cabin shell 120 is also provided with a watertight joint 500 for electrical connection between the device and the outside world. The thrust mechanism 300, sensor 200, and rotary motor 410 are all electrically connected directly or indirectly to the watertight joint 500. A control mainboard may also be installed in the sealed cabin 100 to control the pushing mechanism 300 and the pushing drive mechanism 400 to achieve automatic pushing of the sensor 200 and, at the same time, receive and process the measurement signals collected by the sensor.

[0028] It should be noted that in the description of the present invention, if there are any descriptions of directions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., the directions or positional relationships indicated are all based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed or operated in a specific direction, and cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0029] In the description of this utility model, "several" means one or more, "more" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceed" are understood to exclude the number itself, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the number itself. If there are descriptions of "first," "second," and so on, these are used solely to distinguish technical features and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly specifying the number of the indicated technical features, or implicitly specifying the order of the indicated technical features.

[0030] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, and connecting should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0031] The above-mentioned embodiments are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and cannot be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any non-substantial changes and replacements made by technicians in this field on the basis of the present invention fall within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

Claims

1. An underwater sensor that can be automatically replaced in situ, characterized in that: include: A sealed cabin (100) is provided with a plurality of sensor channels (121) on its circumferential surface; A plurality of sensors (200) are embedded in the sensor channel (121); a sealing structure is provided on the sensor channel (121) and / or the sensor (200); the sensors (200) in the sensor channel (121) liquid-seal the sensor channel (121); A pushing mechanism (300) is provided in the sealed cabin (100) and is used to apply a thrust parallel to the direction of the sensor channel (121) to the sensor (200) in the sensor channel (121), thereby partially pushing the sensor (200) in the sensor channel (121) out of the sensor channel (121), so that the pushed-out sensor (200) can detect the water quality of the external liquid; A push drive mechanism (400) is provided in the sealed cabin (100) and is used to change the position or direction of the push mechanism (300) relative to the sealed cabin (100), so that the push mechanism (300) is aligned with the plurality of sensor channels (121) one by one, and the thrust direction of the push mechanism (300) is parallel to the directions of the plurality of sensor channels (121) one by one.

2. The underwater sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that The sealing structure comprises a front sealing ring (210) and a rear sealing ring (220) respectively arranged on the outer and inner sides of the circumference of the sensor (200); the front sealing ring (210) and the rear sealing ring (220) can abut against the side wall of the sensor channel (121) to liquid-tighten the sensor channel (121).

3. The underwater sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sensor (200) comprises a sensing sensitive unit (230), and the sensing sensitive unit (230) is arranged between the front sealing ring (210) and the rear sealing ring (220).

4. The underwater sensor according to claim 3, characterized in that The sensing unit (230) is arranged on the peripheral surface of the sensor (200).

5. The underwater sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pushing mechanism (300) is an electric push rod.

6. The underwater sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that The sealed cabin (100) is cylindrical, the multiple sensor channels (121) have the same height, and the central axes of the multiple sensor channels (121) intersect at a point on the central axis of the sealed cabin (100).

7. The underwater sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that: The plurality of sensor channels (121) are arranged at equal angle intervals on the peripheral surface of the sealed cabin (100).

8. The underwater sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that: The pushing drive mechanism (400) comprises a rotating motor (410) and a rotating bracket (430); the rotating motor (410) is arranged on the central axis of the sealed cabin (100); the pushing mechanism (300) is arranged on the rotating bracket (430); and the rotating bracket (430) is in driving connection with the output shaft of the rotating motor (410).

9. The underwater sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that The sealed cabin (100) is provided with a watertight joint (500), and the watertight joint (500) is used for electrically connecting the sensor (200) with the outside.

10. The underwater sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that The sealed cabin body (100) is composed of a sealed cabin lower cover (130), a sealed cabin upper cover (110) and a cylindrical sealed cabin shell (120), wherein the sealed cabin shell (120) upper cover and the sealed cabin shell (120) lower cover are respectively arranged at two ends of the sealed cabin shell (120), the thrust driving mechanism (400) is arranged at the center of the sealed cabin lower cover (130), and the sensor channel (121) is arranged on the circumferential surface of the sealed cabin shell (120).

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