JPH0425612Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention relates to an underwater ultrasonic thickness meter that measures the thickness of an underwater structure, for example, underwater.

[Prior Art] Fig. 6 is an outline drawing showing, for example, a conventional underwater ultrasonic thickness gauge. 15 is a waterproof underwater probe equipped with an electro-acoustic conversion function for emitting or receiving ultrasonic waves; 16 is an ultrasonic thickness meter body 5;
A cable 19 connects the underwater probe 15 and the underwater probe 15, and a test piece 19 is used to calibrate the thickness measurement circuit.

Conventional underwater ultrasonic thickness gauges are configured as described above.For example, underwater structures at piers where ships dock, Dolphin steel pipe piles where ships are moored, and offshore structures are used as structures for long-term use. It must maintain sufficient strength and ensure safety. If safety cannot be ensured sufficiently, there is a risk of damage to the vessel, injury to passengers, and damage to cargo.

In particular, many underwater structures use metal materials, so long-term use can lead to corrosion such as adhesion of marine organisms, electrochemical effects in the conductive liquid caused by seawater, and erosion due to waves and sand debris caused by waves. As the thickness of metal structures changes, their substantial strength deteriorates, and therefore thickness measurements are taken periodically for maintenance of these underwater structures.

Usually, an ultrasonic thickness gauge main body 5 is installed on land or on a ship, and an underwater probe 15 with a long cable 16 attached.
A diver dives into the water and uses a grinder to remove marine organisms and corroded parts that have adhered to the metal surface at the location where the thickness of the underwater structure is to be measured, and then removes the underwater probe 15.
The measurement is performed by bringing the ultrasonic thickness gauge into contact with the measurement position and observing the display 6 of the ultrasonic thickness gauge main body 5 provided on land or on a ship. A force plant is not used when the underwater probe 15 is used underwater.

Since the length of the cable 16 mentioned above is about 25 m, the measurement range is limited by the length of the cable 16.

When taking measurements, the diver and the person in charge of measurements on land work together using underwater communication devices.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional underwater ultrasonic thickness gauge as described above, the ultrasonic thickness gauge main body 5 is installed on land or on a ship, and the length of the cable 16 connected to the underwater probe 15 is fixed. This limits the underwater range of movement and narrows the effective measurement range. Therefore, measurements cannot be taken at all locations, such as the steel pipe piles of long piers, the supports of large structures in deep water, and the bottoms of huge ships. Furthermore, since a long cable 16 is attached to the measurement, handling of the cable 16 becomes complicated when measuring a structure with intricate steel pipe piles, resulting in poor work efficiency. Another problem was that in order to make more accurate measurements, the diver and the person in charge of measurements on land had to communicate closely.

This invention was made to solve this problem, and the measurement range is not limited to the length of the cable 16, and it can also measure structures with intricate steel pipe piles. The purpose of the present invention is to obtain an underwater ultrasonic thickness gage that does not require communication with the seawater and can measure even in extremely polluted seawater.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A box made of a metal material that houses the ultrasonic thickness gauge body and has a waterproof receptacle on the side and a collar in which an elastic gasket is inserted into a groove around the opening; An underwater probe connected to a cable with a waterproof plug at one end, an elastic O-ring inserted into a recess around a shaft protruding from the center of one side of a circular flat plate, and a threaded portion at the end of the circular plate. A knob with a flat magnet fixed to a part of the flat plate, a groove on the inner surface that houses the switch and electric wire connected to the display illumination lamp of the ultrasonic thickness gauge body, and a magnet on the outer surface that is rotated by the knob. The lid is made of transparent plastic material with a guide groove, the shaft of the knob is tightened in a position where the switch is sensitive to the proximity of the magnet, and a hole is drilled through which the O-ring rotates and slides, and the lid is fastened to the box body. This is what I was wearing.

[Function] This invention has a waterproof structure in which the box housing the ultrasonic thickness meter body has a waterproof receptacle and an O-ring on the flange, and a knob is attached to the lid in a watertight manner.
The cable attached to the underwater probe is short, making it easy to handle, and within a specified depth range, the diver can simply touch the underwater probe to the measurement location on the metal structure and read the illuminated display. Even when the seawater is polluted, accurate measurements can be taken by a single diver.

[Example] Fig. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of this invention, and Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.
Reference numeral 19 is the same as the conventional device described above, and 1 is a box made of a metal material that houses the ultrasonic thickness gauge main body 5, 2 is a groove provided in the flange around the opening of the box 1, and 3 is a A gasket made of an elastic material is inserted into the groove 2, a lid 4 is made of a transparent plastic material and is fastened to the box body 1, a groove 7 is provided on the inner surface of the lid 4 for storing electric wires of a lighting circuit, and 8 is a lighting 11 is a magnet fixed to the knob 9; 12 is a guide groove for the magnet 11 which rotates when the knob 9 is operated; 13 is a magnet 11;
14 is a lamp for illuminating the display 6, 17 is a waterproof plug attached to the cable 16, and 18 is a waterproof receptacle to which the waterproof plug 17 is connected. It shows.

In the underwater ultrasonic thickness gauge configured as described above, for example, the underwater probe 15 has a frequency of 5MHz,
The transducer material is lead zirconate titanate, and the ultrasonic thickness gauge body 5 is: Measuring method: Pulse reflection method Measuring range: 1.5 to 200 mm Resolution: 0.1 mm Display method: Liquid crystal digital, 4 digits Operating temperature range: - 10~+50℃ Power supply: Alkaline battery, with a performance of 300 hours of continuous use, the ultrasonic thickness gauge measures thickness based on the propagation time of ultrasonic waves within the material based on the inherent speed of sound that depends on the material being measured. During measurement, the underwater probe 15 is brought into contact with the test piece 19 for calibration.

Even if the ultrasonic thickness gauge main body 5 is housed in the box 1 and the lid 4 is fastened through the gasket 3 to have a waterproof structure, the ultrasonic thickness gauge main body 5 can fully exhibit its performance.

As shown in the above performance, the power consumption of the ultrasonic thickness gauge main body 5 is very small, so the battery can be used continuously for a long time, and the amount of heat generated by the device is also small. In addition, the illumination lamps 14 of the display 6 are very small, consume less than 0.1 W each, and generate little heat, so even if they are stored inside a sealed container and operated for a long time, the temperature inside the container will not rise significantly. Since it is small and phenomena such as dew condensation hardly occur, it has no practical effect.

Furthermore, the low temperature limit of the device's operating temperature range is -10°C, so it can withstand use even underwater.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the lid 4, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B. Since the measurement value on the display 6 can be read without using illumination in shallow water areas, it is possible to read the measured values on the display 6 without using lighting, but in deep water areas or when the seawater is polluted due to red tide, the surroundings of the measurement position Since it is dark, the lamp 14 is turned on and the display 6 is read.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, lamps 14 are provided at both ends of the indicator 6 from the battery 8 on the inner surface of the lid 4.
The wires are wired through a reed switch as the switch 13, and these are inserted into the groove 7 and fixed by filling with, for example, a resin material. Knob 9 has a shaft and magnet 1 on the back.
1 is fixed, and by operating the knob 9, the magnet 11 rotates within the guide groove 12 provided in the lid 4, and the magnet 11 rotates within the guide groove 12 provided in the lid 4,
The switch 13 provided inside is sensitive to the switch 13
When the contact is closed, the lamp 14 is turned on and the blinking of the illumination is controlled. The gap between the back of the knob 9 and the lid 4 is filled with grease, and the shaft is attached to the lid 4 with a screw.The recessed O-ring provided around the shaft is structured so that it rotates and slides through the mounting hole. The waterproof properties of 9 and the lid 4 can be maintained.

The waterproof structure consisting of the box body 1 and lid 4 shown above is
Since it can withstand water pressure of 3.0Kg/cm ² , you can obtain an underwater ultrasonic thickness gauge that can be used at depths of up to 30m.

Furthermore, the length of the cable 16 connecting the ultrasonic thickness gauge main body 5 and the underwater probe 15 can be made less than 1 m, and the total weight of the underwater ultrasonic thickness gauge in water is less than 1 kg, making it easier to handle and operate the equipment. becomes very easy.

As mentioned above, the underwater ultrasonic thickness gauge has a waterproof structure, is small, lightweight, and has a short cable 16 and is equipped with a light, so unlike the structure where the ultrasonic thickness gauge body 4 is installed on land, it can be submerged at a predetermined depth. To enable engineers to easily measure the thickness of places that are difficult to use with conventional equipment, such as steel pipe piles on long piers, dolphins with intricate steel pipes, and the bottoms of huge ships, without making the cable 16 complicated when handling equipment. In addition, there is no need for communication between the diver and land, and when taking measurements in deep seawater or in seawater polluted by red tide, the display 6 can be read using illumination, ensuring accurate measurements. can. By using the device of the present invention, the thickness of metal in underwater structures can be measured very efficiently and accurately under various seawater conditions, thereby further improving the safety of underwater structures.

Further, the ultrasonic thickness gauge main body 4 can be installed on land or on a ship by attaching a long cable 16 to the underwater probe 15.
It goes without saying that only 5 can be operated underwater to measure the thickness of underwater structures. The same effect can be obtained by using a synthetic resin material instead of a metal material for the box body 1.

[Effects of the invention] As explained above, this invention houses the main body of the ultrasonic thickness gauge in a waterproof box with a light that consumes little power and a control switch for it installed in a transparent plastic lid. The simple construction of connecting to a short-cable underwater probe with a plug at one end makes the compact, lightweight, short-cable underwater ultrasonic thickness gage extremely easy to handle, making it ideal for use on long piers. In addition, it is possible to measure the thickness of metal in all kinds of places, such as steel pipe piles, dolphins with intricate steel pipes, underwater structures of offshore structures, and the bottoms of huge ships, all by a diver without communicating with land. Accurate measurements can be made because the display can be read using illumination even at deep locations or in seawater polluted by red tide. It can save labor, increase work efficiency and work safety, and enable accurate measurements over various conditions of seawater and over a wide range of seawater, which has the effect of further improving the safety of underwater structures and ensuring security. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of this invention, Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an example of a front view of a lighting control switch, and Fig. 4 is an A-- A sectional view, FIG. 5 is a BB sectional view of FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 is an external view of a conventional underwater ultrasonic thickness gauge. In the figure, 1 is a box, 3 is a gasket, 4 is a lid, 5 is an ultrasonic thickness gauge body, 6 is a display, 7 is a groove, 9 is a knob, 10 is an O-ring, 11 is a magnet,
12 is a guide groove, 13 is a switch, 14 is a lamp,
15 is an underwater probe, 17 is a waterproof plug, and 18 is a waterproof receptacle. Note that the same reference numerals in each figure indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A box made of metal that houses the ultrasonic thickness gauge body and has a waterproof receptacle on the side and a collar with an elastic gasket inserted into a groove around the opening, and a cable with a waterproof plug on one end. An elastic O-ring is inserted into the recess surrounding the shaft protruding from the center of one side of a circular flat plate with a connected underwater probe, a threaded portion is provided at the shaft end, and a flat magnet is attached to a part of the circular flat plate. A fixed knob, a groove on the inner surface in which a switch and electric wire connected to the display illumination lamp of the ultrasonic thickness gauge body are housed, and a guide groove on the outer surface for the magnet to be rotated by the knob, and the magnet The shaft of the knob is tightened at a position where the switch is sensitive to the proximity of the lid, and the lid is made of a transparent plastic material and has a hole for rotating and sliding with the O-ring, and the lid is fastened to the box body. An underwater ultrasonic thickness gauge comprising the waterproof plug connected to the waterproof receptacle.