Cavity exploration apparatus

Abstract

To observe a part which has been a dead angle in a cavity.SOLUTION: The cavity exploration apparatus 10 includes a tension coil spring 12 (flexible member) in which a portion subjected to a bending force is elastically bendable and a portion not subjected to the bending force is in a natural state, and a camera 14 (observation unit) which is provided at a distal end portion of the tension coil spring 12 to be inserted into the ground and whose angle is adjustable with respect to the tension coil spring 12. The device has a pipe 16 (insertion guide) for guiding the insertion of the tension coil spring 12 and the camera 14 into the ground, and a direction designation guide 18 which is provided at the tip part of the pipe 16 to be inserted into the ground, applies bending force to the tension coil spring 12, and adjusts the advancing direction of the camera 14.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cavity exploration device. [Background technology]

[0002] A method for investigating the ground structure of a paved road is disclosed in which an investigation hole is drilled in the paved road and the entire inner wall surface of the investigation hole is photographed (see Patent Document 1). Also disclosed is a system for grasping the internal condition of a cavity that has an investigation rod with a movable rod section attached to the lower end of the investigation rod body so that it can rotate horizontally, and a camera for observing the interior attached to the movable rod section (see Patent Document 2). Furthermore, an endoscope with an imaging unit that can change its orientation is disclosed (see Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-143303 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-35332 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-89955 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Recently, investigation clients have been requesting the identification of the person who caused the cavity to appear (the causer). In previous cavity investigations, when a video of the inside of the cavity was taken using a camera to photograph the inside of the cavity or a cavity shape measurement device, it was sometimes possible to identify the causer by capturing images of broken pipes, etc., but in the majority of cases, the causer could not be identified.

[0005] Meanwhile, cavity shape measurement devices are now capable of acquiring point cloud data on the inside of cavities, and it is expected that the relationship between cavity shape and its cause will gradually become clearer in the future, increasing the possibility of identifying the cause.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need to supplement the point cloud data of the cavity shape measurement device with video data to increase the probability of identifying the cause.

[0007] However, in the conventional examples described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above, it was only possible to capture images within a field of view based on the extension of the drilled hole, and it was not possible to capture images of blind spots outside the field of view.

[0008] The present invention aims to make it possible to observe blind spots within a cavity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The cavity exploration device of the first aspect comprises a flexible member whose portion subjected to a bending force can bend elastically and whose portion not subjected to the bending force remains in its natural state; an observation unit provided at the tip of the flexible member that is inserted into the ground; an insertion guide that is inserted into a hole leading to a cavity in the ground and guides the insertion of the flexible member and the observation unit into the ground; and a direction designation guide that is provided at the tip of the insertion guide that is inserted into the ground and applies a bending force to the flexible member to adjust the direction in which the observation unit moves.

[0010] In this cavity exploration device, an insertion guide is inserted into a drilled hole formed, for example, vertically from the ground toward the underground cavity. The flexible member and observation unit are guided by the insertion guide and inserted into the cavity. A direction designation guide is provided at the tip of the insertion guide, and this direction designation guide applies a bending force to the flexible member. The flexible member bends elastically at the portion that receives the bending force, while the portion that does not receive the bending force remains in its natural state. Therefore, the flexible member bends at the portion of the direction designation guide, but the portion that passes the direction designation guide returns to its natural state. Because the observation unit is provided at the tip of the flexible member, it moves in the direction that the flexible member moves in its natural state. This allows the observation unit to move laterally after being inserted through the drilled hole.

[0011] In a second aspect, in the cavity exploration device according to the first aspect, the flexible member is a tension coil spring.

[0012] The tension coil spring bends elastically where it is subjected to a bending force, and remains straight in its natural state where it is not subjected to a bending force. Therefore, in this cavity exploration device, the direction of travel of the camera can be easily changed by bending the tension coil spring using the direction specification guide.

[0013] In a third aspect, in the cavity exploration device of the first aspect, a gripping portion is provided at the rear end of the flexible member for inserting the flexible member and the camera into the ground, and a camera operating portion is provided on the gripping portion for adjusting the angle of the camera.

[0014] In this cavity exploration device, the angle of the camera serving as the observation unit can be adjusted in addition to bending the flexible member, so the imaging range can be significantly expanded compared to when only the field of view based on the extension of the hole can be imaged. In addition, the camera angle can be adjusted from the ground using the camera operation unit provided on the grip.

[0015] In a fourth aspect, in the cavity exploration device according to the first aspect, the insertion guide is a pipe through which the flexible member is inserted.

[0016] In this cavity exploration device, the pipe as a flexible member can guide the insertion of the flexible member and the camera. The pipe also prevents the camera from coming into contact with the drilled hole.

[0017] In a fifth aspect, in the cavity exploration device according to the first aspect, the insertion guide is provided with a direction operation unit for operating the direction designation guide.

[0018] In this cavity exploration device, the direction designation guide is operated using a direction operation unit provided on the insertion guide to bend the flexible member, thereby adjusting the traveling direction of the camera. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to observe parts of a cavity that have previously been blind spots. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the cavity exploration device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view showing the extension coil spring, camera, and pipe separated from the cavity exploration device. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the cavity exploration device in use. [Figure 4] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the cavity exploration device in use, particularly showing the state in which the tension coil spring is bent by the direction specifying guide. FIG. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing the cavity exploration device in use, particularly the state in which the camera is inserted further in and the angle of the camera is adjusted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Components indicated by the same reference numerals in each drawing are the same or similar components. Note that duplicated descriptions and reference numerals may be omitted in the embodiments described below. Furthermore, all drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of elements shown in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships and ratios of elements between multiple drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones.

[0022] In Figures 1 and 2, the cavity exploration device 10 of this embodiment has a tension coil spring 12 as an example of a flexible member, a camera 14 as an example of an observation unit, a pipe 16 as an example of an insertion guide, and a direction designation guide 18.

[0023] The tension coil spring 12 is elastically bendable at the portion subjected to a bending force, and is in its natural state at the portion not subjected to the bending force. The natural state of the tension coil spring 12 is, for example, linear. The tension coil spring 12 bends locally at a position where a bending force from the direction specifying guide 18 acts, but returns to its linear state at a position away from the direction specifying guide 18. The length of the tension coil spring 12 is set to be longer than the pipe 16, for example. If the length of the gripping portion 20, which will be described later, is sufficiently secured, the length of the tension coil spring 12 may be shorter than the pipe 16. The outer diameter of the tension coil spring 12 is set to be smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe 16.

[0024] The camera 14 is provided at the tip of the tension coil spring 12 that is inserted into the ground. The angle of the camera 14 may be adjustable relative to the tension coil spring 12. The camera 14 is attached, for example, to the tip of a base 26. The base 26 is a portion that can be bent by operating a camera operating unit 24 (described later), and is attached to the tip of the tension coil spring 12. The camera 14 may have a light 28 that illuminates the underground cavity 22 (FIGS. 3 to 5) for imaging. The camera 14 may also be a 360° camera that can capture images in all directions around it. The observation unit is not limited to the camera 14, and may be a sensor such as LiDAR.

[0025] A grip 20 may be provided at the rear end of the tension coil spring 12 for inserting the tension coil spring 12 and the camera 14 underground. The grip 20 is a rod-shaped member such as a pipe, and is insertable into the pipe 16. If the camera 14 is a model that can capture images in one direction, the orientation of the camera 14 can be adjusted by rotating the grip 20 about its axial direction to rotate the tension coil spring 12 and the camera 14.

[0026] The grip unit 20 may be provided with a camera operation unit 24 that adjusts the angle of the camera 14. The camera operation unit 24 is, for example, a cantilever lever. The camera operation unit 24 and a base 26 of the camera 14 are connected, for example, by a wire (not shown). When the wire is pulled in response to operation of the camera operation unit 24, the base 26 of the camera 14 bends, and the angle of the camera 14 with respect to the tip of the tension coil spring 12 changes.

[0027] The pipe 16 is used by being inserted into a hole connected to the underground cavity 22, for example, a drilled hole 30 (FIGS. 3 to 5) formed in the ground, and guides the insertion of the tension coil spring 12 and the camera 14 into the ground. This pipe 16 is, for example, a round pipe. The gripping portion 20, the tension coil spring 12, and the camera 14 are inserted into the pipe 16. Therefore, the inner diameter of the pipe 16 is set larger than the outer diameter of the gripping portion 20, the outer diameter of the tension coil spring 12, and the outer dimensions of the camera 14. Note that the hole connected to the underground cavity 22 is not limited to an artificially formed hole, but may also be a naturally formed hole or crack.

[0028] The pipe 16 may be provided with a direction operation unit 32 for operating the direction designation guide 18. The direction operation unit 32 is, for example, a lever provided at the rear end of the pipe 16 that is located on the ground side during use. The direction operation unit 32 and the direction designation guide 18 are connected, for example, by a wire (not shown). The direction designation guide 18 operates in response to operation of the direction operation unit 32. The direction operation unit 32 may have a ratchet mechanism so that the tension coil spring 12 can be easily bent and the bent state of the tension coil spring 12 can be easily maintained.

[0029] The direction designation guide 18 is provided at the tip of the pipe 16 that is inserted into the ground, and is a device that applies a bending force to the tension coil spring 12 to adjust the direction in which the camera 14 moves. The direction designation guide 18 has, for example, a fixed portion 18A, a movable portion 18B, and a spring retainer 18C. The fixed portion 18A is, for example, a plate-shaped portion that is fixed to the tip of the pipe 16 and extends downward. The movable portion 18B is, for example, a plate-shaped portion that is pin-connected to the tip of the fixed portion 18A and is rotatable relative to the fixed portion 18A. The movable portion 18B and the direction operation unit 32 are connected by a wire (not shown). The spring retainer 18C is, for example, a portion of the inner surface of the tip of the pipe 16 that is located radially opposite the side where the fixed portion 18A and the movable portion 18B are located. This spring retainer 18C is a part that prevents the tension coil spring 12 from escaping in the direction of force when a force is applied to the tension coil spring 12 due to the rotation of the movable part 18B. A bending force is applied to the tension coil spring 12 by the force from the movable part 18B and the reaction force from the spring retainer 18C. Note that the spring retainer 18C may be provided separately from the pipe 16.

[0030] (action) This embodiment is configured as described above, and its operation will be described below. Referring to Figures 3 to 5, in the cavity exploration device 10 according to this embodiment, a pipe 16 is inserted into a drilled hole 30 formed, for example, vertically from the ground toward an underground cavity 22. The tension coil spring 12 and camera 14 are guided by the pipe 16 and inserted into the cavity 22. The pipe prevents contact between the drilled hole 30 and the camera 14. A direction designation guide 18 is provided at the tip of the pipe 16, and the direction designation guide 18 is operated by a direction operation unit 32. A bending force is then applied to the tension coil spring 12 by the direction designation guide 18.

[0031] The tension coil spring 12 bends elastically at the portion subjected to a bending force, but remains straight in its natural state at the portion not subjected to the bending force. Therefore, the tension coil spring 12 bends at the direction specifying guide 18, but returns to its natural state once it passes the direction specifying guide 18. Because the camera 14 is attached to the tip of the tension coil spring 12, when the grip 20 is held and the camera 14 is pushed further into the pipe 16, the camera 14 moves in the direction of the tension coil spring 12, which has returned to its natural state. This allows the camera 14 to be advanced in a direction different from the insertion direction, for example, horizontally, after being inserted through the drilled hole 30.

[0032] In addition to bending the tension coil spring 12, the angle of the camera 14 can be adjusted from the ground using the camera operating unit 24, so the shooting range can be greatly expanded compared to when only the field of view based on the extension of the drilled hole 30 can be photographed.

[0033] As a result, even if the object that caused the cavity 22, such as a pipe 34, is located in a blind spot within the cavity 22, it is now possible to capture an image of the pipe 34. In other words, compared to the past, the camera 14 can be moved closer to the causative object and photograph it. This means that it is now possible to observe areas within the cavity 22 that were previously blind spots.

[0034] [Other embodiments] The above describes one example of an embodiment of the present invention, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0035] Although the tension coil spring 12 is given as an example of the flexible member, the flexible member may also be a leaf spring. The material of the flexible member is not limited to metals such as spring steel and shape memory alloy, but may also be resin.

[0036] Although the pipe 16 (round pipe) has been given as an example of the insertion guide, the insertion guide may be, for example, a steel material with a C-shaped cross section or a pipe with a square cross section.

[0037] Although the grip portion 20 is provided at the rear end of the tension coil spring 12, the tension coil spring 12 may extend to the ground without the grip portion 20. In this case, the tension coil spring 12 can be inserted into or pulled out of the pipe 16 by directly operating it. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 10 Cavity exploration device 12 Tension coil spring (flexible member) 14 Camera (Observation section) 16 Pipe (insertion guide) 18 Directional Guide 20 Gripping part 22 Cavity 24 Camera control section 30 Drilling holes 32 direction control unit

Claims

1. a flexible member in which a portion subjected to a bending force can be elastically bent and a portion not subjected to the bending force remains in a natural state; an observation unit provided at a tip of the flexible member that is inserted into the ground; an insertion guide that is inserted into a hole that connects to a cavity in the ground and that guides the insertion of the flexible member and the observation unit into the ground; a direction designation guide provided at a tip of the insertion guide that is inserted into the ground, and that applies a bending force to the flexible member to adjust the direction in which the observation unit moves; A cavity exploration device having:

2. 2. The cavity exploration device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible member is a tension coil spring.

3. the observation unit is a camera whose angle is adjustable relative to the flexible member, a grip portion provided at a rear end of the flexible member for inserting the flexible member and the camera into the ground; 2. The cavity exploration device according to claim 1, wherein the gripping portion is provided with a camera operating portion for adjusting the angle of the camera.

4. The cavity exploration device according to claim 1 , wherein the insertion guide is a pipe through which the flexible member is inserted.

5. 2. The cavity exploration device according to claim 1, wherein the insertion guide is provided with a direction operation unit for operating the direction designation guide.

Images