Automatic Push Corer System for Marine Sediment Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current coring systems, such as clamping jaw and gravity corers, lack precise site selection and dense coring capabilities, while push corers require skilled operators and are inefficient in poor sea conditions, and often cannot be used with small and medium-sized ROVs due to the need for high-degree-of-freedom mechanical arms.
Innovation Solution
An automatic push corer system incorporating a base, power group, Geneva transmission group, intermittent transmission group, vertical coring transmission group, clamp group, and coring group, utilizing a single power source and coordinated mechanical components to perform intermittent rotary motions and lifting reciprocations, allowing for automated coring and tube replacement operations without the need for a mechanical arm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a push corer with ROV and mechanical arm is used to achieve accurate site selection and dense coring, then coring precision is improved, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the mechanical arm component from the system. Instead of using a complex mechanical arm to position the coring tube, the invention uses a simpler ROV-mounted coring device that achieves positioning through the ROV's own propulsion and navigation capabilities, eliminating the need for high-degree-of-freedom mechanical arms
Solution Approach 2:
The ROV serves multiple functions: it provides propulsion, navigation, positioning, and supports the coring operation. By making the ROV multi-functional, the system eliminates the need for separate mechanical arm systems, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining coring capabilities
2Adaptability or versatility
If a mechanical arm of high degree of freedom is equipped on small and medium-sized ROV to enable push coring, then coring capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the mechanical arm component entirely from small and medium-sized ROVs. The coring device is mounted directly on the ROV and utilizes the ROV's inherent positioning capabilities rather than adding complex mechanical arm systems with high degrees of freedom
Solution Approach 2:
The ROV uses its own propulsion, navigation, and positioning systems to achieve the positioning required for coring operations. The system serves itself by utilizing existing ROV capabilities rather than requiring additional specialized mechanical components
3Ease of operation
If manual operation of ROV and mechanical arm is used to complete coring action, then operational flexibility is maintained, but productivity and efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The coring device is designed to operate automatically once positioned by the ROV. The coring tube is automatically advanced into the sediment, and the core sample is automatically retrieved, eliminating the need for continuous manual manipulation during the coring action itself
Solution Approach 2:
The ROV performs preliminary positioning and approach to the coring site before the actual coring operation begins. This preliminary positioning action allows the subsequent coring process to proceed with minimal manual intervention, improving overall efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an automatic push corer system including a base, a power group, a Geneva transmission group, an intermittent transmission group, a vertical coring transmission group, a clamp group and a coring group. The power group is used to drive the Geneva transmission group. The Geneva transmission group is configured to perform a first intermittent rotary motion. The intermittent transmission group is configured to perform a second intermittent rotary motion. The vertical coring transmission group is configured to cooperate with the second intermittent rotary motion to perform a third intermittent rotary motion. The clamp group is configured to cooperate with the third intermittent rotary motion to perform a lifting reciprocation. The coring group is configured to cooperate with the first intermittent rotary motion and the lifting reciprocation to respectively complete a coring operation and a tubing replacing operation. Therefore, the automatic push corer system may use a single power source to complete positioning and coring operations on the marine sediment.