Modular Underwater Housing for Hyperspectral Imaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing underwater devices for monitoring marine and freshwater ecosystems are large, complex, and difficult to adapt to different applications, requiring significant time for installation and removal of electrical components, which limits their versatility and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A compact underwater device with a hyperspectral camera and modular design, featuring a releasable watertight housing system that allows easy access and replacement of electrical components, enabling quick adaptation to various applications and preventing water ingress during maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the underwater device uses a conventional integrated design, then it provides stable protection for electrical components, but it becomes large, complex, and time-consuming to adapt to different applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different applicationsVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into a first housing part and a second housing part that can be detachably connected. The cavity containing the hyperspectral camera is separated from the other cavity containing electrical energy storage device and electrical loads by a wall section. This segmentation allows the device to be disassembled for quick adaptation to different applications while maintaining protection during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connection between the first housing part and the second housing part is designed to be releasable and detachable, allowing the device structure to dynamically change from a closed protected state to an open accessible state. This enables quick adaptation to different applications by allowing easy access to and replacement of electrical components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the underwater device uses a sealed integrated housing, then it protects electrical components from water, but it requires significant time to install and remove electrical devices

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of component replacementVSAvoidtime for installation and removal
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented into detachable parts with a releasable connection, allowing the cavity to be accessed by separating the first housing part from the second housing part. This enables quick installation and removal of electrical devices without requiring complex sealing operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The wall section is pre-designed to completely separate the cavity from the other cavity in a watertight manner. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that when the housing parts are detached for component replacement, water cannot accidentally enter the cavity, eliminating the need for time-consuming waterproofing procedures during maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the underwater device uses a compact modular design with detachable housing, then it allows quick adaptation and component access, but it risks water ingress during maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequick adaptation to applicationsVSAvoidprotection from water ingress
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into sealed segments with a wall section that completely separates the cavity from the other cavity. This segmentation maintains watertight protection for the hyperspectral camera in the cavity while allowing access to electrical components in the other cavity through the releasable connection between housing parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The wall section acts as an intermediary barrier between the cavity and the other cavity, completely preventing water from flowing into the cavity when the housing parts are detached. This intermediary structure enables quick adaptation while maintaining reliability by blocking the water ingress path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Measurement precision

If the underwater device surveys large areas with fine spatial resolution, then it captures detailed organism data, but it requires extensive time and resource consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespatial resolution for organism detectionVSAvoidsurvey speed for large areas
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The hyperspectral camera provides high spectral resolution with 30-200 contiguous channels, enabling the device to capture detailed information about diverse organisms. This multi-functional capability allows the same device to survey large areas efficiently while maintaining fine spatial resolution for detailed organism detection, addressing both measurement precision and productivity requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3977204B1Underwater apparatus for image-capturing of the floor of a body of water
Publication Date: 2024.12.11 PLANBLUE GMBH
  • EP3977204B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3977204B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3977204B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an underwater apparatus having a hyperspectral camera for image-capturing of the floor of a body of water, having a first housing part, a second housing part, which is connected to the first housing part in a watertight and releasable manner and, together with the first housing part, encloses a cavity, in which the hyperspectral camera is arranged, and an electrical energy store for supplying the hyperspectral camera with electrical energy, which energy store is arranged in a different cavity, wherein the different cavity (7) is separated from the cavity by a wall segment of the first and/or second housing part.