Connectedly-formed underwater exploration device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10994820-B2
Application number	US-201816652678-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2018
Priority date	Dec 25, 2017
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

Image recording as long as possible during one activity is required in deep sea exploration. Necessity of multi-directional image recording, optical and chemical observations and probing of mineral resources of seabed are also increased. There is no underwater exploration device enable these requirements. It is disclosed that at least one battery-driven underwater exploration body having three pressure-resistant hollow glass spheres for housing an image capturing device, an illumination device, a recording device, an acoustic communication device and a control device controlling thereof and at least one battery body having an approximately the same shape and structure as the underwater exploration body are connected with each other by a connecting tool to provide the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connectedly-formed underwater exploration device, comprising:
at least one battery-driven underwater exploration body formed by three pressure-resistant hollow glass spheres for housing an image capturing device, an illumination device, a recording device, an acoustic communication device and a control device, the control device controlling the image capturing device, the illumination device, the recording device and the acoustic communication device; and
at least one battery body having an approximately same shape and structure as the underwater exploration body, wherein
the underwater exploration body and the battery body are connected with each other by a connecting tool.

2. A connectedly-formed underwater exploration device, comprising:
at least one battery-driven underwater exploration body formed by three pressure-resistant hollow glass spheres for housing an image capturing device, an illumination device, a recording device, an acoustic communication device and a control device, the control device controlling the image capturing device, the illumination device, the recording device and the acoustic communication device, wherein
a battery body having an approximately same shape and structure as the underwater exploration body is connected horizontally to at least one of left and right ends of the underwater exploration body by a connecting tool so that the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device forms an approximately triangular prism shape.

3. The connectedly-formed underwater exploration device according to claim 1 , wherein
in the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device to which the battery body is connected, the underwater exploration body and the battery body are able to be connected and assembled with each other by using a hinge.

4. The connectedly-formed underwater exploration device according to claim 1 , wherein
a fixing tool for fixing the underwater exploration body and the battery body with each other is mounted at least on a top face of the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device,
a suspending metal fitting for hanging the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device is provided on the fixing tool, and
a position of the suspending metal fitting is adjustable on an approximately vertical line passing through a gravity center of the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device.

5. The connectedly-formed underwater exploration device according to claim 1 , wherein
a fixing tool for fixing the underwater exploration body and the battery body with each other is mounted on a bottom face of the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device,
a sinker of the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device can be hanged down from the fixing tool, and
a position of hanging the sinker is adjustable on an approximately vertical line passing through a gravity center of the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device.

6. The connectedly-formed underwater exploration device according to claim 1 , wherein
an underwater cable for connecting the devices housed in the pressure-resistant hollow glass spheres with a sinker separating device for separating the sinker is embedded in a groove formed on a frame body on which the pressure-resistant hollow glass spheres are mounted.

7. The connectedly-formed underwater exploration device according to claim 2 , wherein
in the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device to which the battery body is connected, the underwater exploration body and the battery body are able to be connected and assembled with each other by using a hinge.

8. The connectedly-formed underwater exploration device according to claim 2 , wherein
a fixing tool for fixing the underwater exploration body and the battery body with each other is mounted at least on a top face of the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device,
a suspending metal fitting for hanging the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device is provided on the fixing tool, and
a position of the suspending metal fitting is adjustable on an approximately vertical line passing through a gravity center of the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device.

9. The connectedly-formed underwater exploration device according to claim 2 , wherein
a fixing tool for fixing the underwater exploration body and the battery body with each other is mounted on a bottom face of the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device,
a sinker of the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device can be hanged down from the fixing tool, and
a position of hanging the sinker is adjustable on an approximately vertical line passing through a gravity center of the connectedly-formed underwater exploration device.

10. The connectedly-formed underwater exploration device according to claim 2 , wherein
an underwater cable for connecting the devices housed in the pressure-resistant hollow glass spheres with a sinker separating device for separating the sinker is embedded in a groove formed on a frame body on which the pressure-resistant hollow glass spheres are mounted.

Assignees

• Japan Agency Marine Earth Sci
• Okamoto Glass Co Ltd

Inventors

• Miwa Tetsuya
• LINDSAY Dhugal
• Shimotashiro Masafumi
• Takahashi Hiroshi
• Arai Atsushi

Classifications

• B63C11/48 Primary

  Means for searching for underwater objects (means for indicating the location of sunken objects B63C7/26; locating by use of the reflection or reradiation of radio or other waves G01S {; mountings of acoustic transducers in underwater equipment G10K11/006}) · CPC title

• G03B17/08

  Waterproof bodies or housings · CPC title

• B63G8/38

  Arrangement of visual or electronic watch equipment, e.g. of periscopes, of radar {(periscopes, optical aiming or sighting devices per se G02B23/00)} · CPC title

• B63B2241/14

  spherical · CPC title

• B63G8/001

  Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations (self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42) · CPC title