Submersible sensor unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11964740-B2
Application number	US-201916961649-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2019
Priority date	Jan 12, 2018
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

As a conventional antifouling measure to prevent adherence of aquatic organisms to a submersible sensor unit, a grease containing a stimulant, such as mustard, capable of repelling aquatic organisms is applied onto a sensing part thereof, thereby preventing adherence of the aquatic organisms. However, the irritant-containing grease applied onto the sensing part will come off within one to two months, resulting in disappearance of its effect. Thus, it is necessary to perform work of pulling up the submersible sensor unit and re-applying the grease, in each case. The present invention provides a water flow resistant submersible sensor unit which comprises an aquatic organism adherence preventive film capable of preventing adherence of aquatic organisms even when used in the submersible sensor unit for about half a year, almost without involving any underwater movement, and capable of, after use, being easily peeled off from the submersible sensor unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A submersible sensor unit comprising:
a housing having at least one sensing opening;
a sensor disposed inside the housing such that a sensing face thereof faces the sensing opening of the housing; and
an aquatic organism adherence preventive film attached to the housing or the sensing face such that it closes up the sensing opening of the housing, wherein the aquatic organism adherence preventive film has transmissibility with respect to at least one of light and a sonic wave,
wherein the aquatic organism adherence preventive film is a laminate comprising: a substrate layer; a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer bonded to one surface of the substrate layer; and an antifouling layer bonded to the substrate layer on a side opposite to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer,
wherein the antifouling layer has a water contact angle of 80 degrees or less, as measured after 5 minutes have elapsed since operation of causing the antifouling layer to be in contact with methanol for 20 minutes, and then dropping water on the antifouling layer,
wherein the antifouling layer contains silicone resin and silicone oil, and
wherein the silicone oil contains hydrophobic silicone oil and hydrophilic silicone oil.

2. The submersible sensor unit as recited in claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a tensile breaking strength (N/20 mm) as measured after immersion in pure water at 60° C. for 4 days to an adhesive force (N/20 mm) with respect to the submersible sensor unit, as measured after immersion in pure water at 60° C. for 4 days, is 1.5 or more.

3. The submersible sensor unit as recited in claim 1 , wherein a 1-mm square cross-cut stretching-caused peeling degree of the antifouling layer with respect to the substrate layer is 0.30 or less.

4. The submersible sensor unit as recited in claim 1 , wherein an amount of attenuation of a 1 MHz ultrasonic wave due to the aquatic organism adherence preventive film is 5.0 db or less.

5. The submersible sensor unit as recited in claim 1 , wherein the aquatic organism adherence preventive film has a transmittance in a wavelength range of 400 to 800 nm of 80% or more.

6. The submersible sensor unit as recited in claim 1 , wherein the antifouling layer has a thickness of 10 μm to 1000 μm.

7. The submersible sensor unit as recited in claim 1 , wherein the substrate layer comprises a polyethylene-based ionomer substrate.

8. The submersible sensor unit as recited in claim 1 , wherein the substrate layer has a thickness of 10 μm to 1000 μm.

9. The submersible sensor unit as recited in claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer has a thickness of 1 μm to 1000 μm.

Assignees

• Nitto Denko Corp

Inventors

• Kurata Naoki
• Naito Tomonari
• Suzuki Satoru

Classifications

• B63B59/045 Primary

  by wrapping the submerged hull or part of the hull with an impermeable sheet (stopping temporarily leaks in hulls with impermeable sheets B63B43/16) · CPC title

• G01N21/15 Primary

  Preventing contamination of the components of the optical system or obstruction of the light path · CPC title

• G01D11/245

  Housings for sensors · CPC title

• G02B27/0006

  with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation (G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B) · CPC title

• G01N2201/0218

  Submersible, submarine · CPC title