Underwater mobile inspection apparatus and underwater inspection equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9776695-B2
Application number	US-201615340344-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2016
Priority date	Sep 26, 2011
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

An underwater mobile inspection apparatus capable of inspecting an inspection object on a seafloor while cruising; including a cruising body configured to submerge under-water and cruise along the inspection object so as to not come into contact with the inspection object, a first movable arm provided on the cruising-body, and an inspection tool unit provided on the first movable arm and including at least one of an image-capturing camera for use in visually inspecting the inspection object and a device configured to inspect a wall thickness of the inspection object by using an ultrasonic wave. A controller is configured to, when the cruising-body cruises along the inspection object so as to not come into contact with the inspection object, operate the first movable arm to move the inspection tool unit, such that a positional relationship of the inspection tool unit with the inspection object becomes a predetermined target positional relationship.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An underwater mobile inspection apparatus capable of inspecting an inspection object on a seafloor while cruising,
the underwater mobile inspection apparatus comprising:
a cruising body configured to submerge under water and cruise along the inspection object in such a manner as not to come into contact with the inspection object;
a first movable arm provided on the cruising body;
an inspection tool unit provided on the first movable arm and including at least one of an image-capturing camera for use in visually inspecting the inspection object and a wall thickness inspection device configured to inspect a wall thickness of the inspection object by using an ultrasonic wave;
a controller configured to control the cruising body and the first movable arm; and
an inspection object detector provided on the cruising body and configured to obtain inspection object information containing a positional relationship between the cruising body and the inspection object and a shape of the inspection object, wherein
the controller:
controls the cruising body based on the inspection object information, such that the cruising body autonomously cruises along the inspection object in such a manner as not to come into contact with the inspection object; and
when the cruising body cruises along the inspection object in such a manner as not to come into contact with the inspection object, controls the first movable arm based on the inspection object information to move the inspection tool unit, such that a positional relationship of the inspection tool unit with the inspection object becomes a predetermined target positional relationship.

2. The underwater mobile inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first movable arm is connected to a rear of the cruising body,
the inspection object detector includes at least one of a multi-beam sonar and a laser for use in shape recognition, the multi-beam sonar being provided at a lower front of the cruising body, the laser for use in shape recognition being provided at a bottom surface of the cruising body.

3. The underwater mobile inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the image-capturing camera is a first image-capturing camera configured to capture an image of an upper surface of the inspection object,
the underwater mobile inspection apparatus comprises:
an inspection object detector included in the cruising body and configured to obtain inspection object information containing a positional relationship between the cruising body and the inspection object and a shape of the inspection object;
a second movable arm provided on the inspection tool unit; and
a second image-capturing camera provided on the second movable arm and configured to capture an image of a side surface of the inspection object to visually inspect the inspection object, and
the controller controls the second movable arm based on the inspection object information, such that a positional relationship of the second image-capturing camera with the inspection object becomes a predetermined target positional relationship.

4. The underwater mobile inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first movable arm includes a parallel link mechanism.

5. The underwater mobile inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the inspection tool unit is provided with a running part configured to allow the inspection tool unit to run on the inspection object, and
the controller operates the first movable arm by force feedback control, such that the inspection tool unit is in pressure contact with the inspection object with predetermined target pressing force.

6. The underwater mobile inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the running part is a wheel.

7. Underwater inspection equipment comprising:
the underwater mobile inspection apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
a docking station disposed on a seafloor, wherein
the underwater mobile inspection apparatus is configured to be docked with and undocked from the docking station disposed on the seafloor, and
in a state where the underwater mobile inspection apparatus is docked with the docking station, a first connector provided on the underwater mobile inspection apparatus is connected to a second connector provided in the docking station, and charging of a battery of the underwater mobile inspection apparatus, transmission of inspection data that has been obtained, or reception of an inspection instruction is performed.

8. The underwater inspection equipment according to claim 7 , comprising an underwater mobile inspection apparatus including:
an inspection object detector included in the cruising body and configured to obtain inspection object information containing a positional relationship between the cruising body and the inspection object and a shape of the inspection object,
a second movable arm provided on the inspection tool unit, and
a second image-capturing camera for use in visually inspecting the inspection object, the second image-capturing camera being provided on the second movable arm, wherein
the controller controls the second movable arm based on the inspection object information, such that a positional relationship of the second image-capturing camera with the inspection object becomes a predetermined target positional relationship; wherein
the underwater mobile inspection apparatus is configured to store image data in a recording device included in the underwater mobile inspection apparatus, the image data being obtained by capturing an image of the inspection object with the second image-capturing camera, and
in a state where the underwater mobile inspection apparatus is docked with the docking station, the underwater mobile inspection apparatus transmits the image data.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Kimura Akira
• Okaya Noriyuki
• Sumino Kazuya
• Mukaida Minehiko
• Kagaya Hiroaki
• Hamamatsu Masanori
• Saiki Akiyoshi
• Kubota Tetsuya
• Enomoto Masayuki

Classifications

• B63B59/00

  Hull protection specially adapted for vessels; Cleaning devices specially adapted for vessels {(inhibiting corrosion of metals by anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00)} · CPC title

• B63G2008/008

  Docking stations for unmanned underwater vessels, or the like · CPC title

• B63C11/48

  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

• B63C11/52

  Tools specially adapted for working underwater, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B63G2008/005

  remotely controlled · CPC title