Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

Nippon Marine Enterprises, Ltd.

Kiyoshi Hatakeyama

Yoshitaka Watanabe

Satoshi Shimizu

Takuya Maekawa

An underwater observation apparatus includes an observation apparatus body, a weight structure, a coupling device, and a fusion cutting device. The observation apparatus body is configured to house at least a power source, a communication circuit for a communication device, and a signal processing device. The coupling device couples the observation apparatus body with the weight structure via a remote-controlled release structure capable of releasing the observation apparatus body from the weight structure. The underwater observation apparatus also includes a power feeding coil located inside of a glass sphere to generate magnetic flux, and a power receiving coil located outside of the glass sphere. The power receiving coil generates an induced voltage when interlinked by the magnetic flux generated by the power feeding coil. The power receiving coil is configured to supply drive power to the fusion cutting device.

Underwater observation apparatus

A fusion cutting device includes a fusion cutting device body made from a connecting-member enclosure in the shape of a tube, for slidably passing a connecting member therethrough, an electric heater wound outside the connecting-member enclosure in the form of a coil, and a case configured to contain these connecting-member enclosure and electric heater, a power source for supplying electric current to the electric heater, and a switch circuit configured to flow the electric current from the power source to the electric heater. The first object and the second object are fixed by the connecting member. When the switch circuit turns on, electric current flows from the power source to the electric heater, thereby fusion cutting the connecting-member enclosure and the connecting member that pass through the connecting-member enclosure. The first object and the second object are thereby separated.

Fusion cutting device

A fixation releasing device by which a buoyant body and a weight may be securely fixed and the fixed state between the buoyant body and the weight may be readily released, using a simple structure. The fixation releasing device is made from a buoyant body, a weight, and a connection designed to connect the buoyant body and weight. The connection device has a connection structure made from a closed loop member, rotation arms, and connection members. A connection member is engaged with each rotation arm, and rotation of each rotation arm is restrained by the closed loop member, thereby fixing the buoyant body. To release the buoyant body, a trigger mechanism provided at the closed loop member is operated to fusion cut the closed loop member. Then, each rotation arm is rotated, and then the connection member comes out of each rotation arm, thereby releasing the buoyant body.

Growing community of inventors

Yokosuka, Japan

Kiyoshi Hatakeyama