An underwater glider with a deformable deflector cover

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of underwater gliders, and discloses an underwater glider with a deformable shroud, comprising a glider body, wherein the deformable shroud is connected to the bow and / or tail of the glider body; the deformable shroud comprises an elastic shroud and a plurality of water inlets provided on the elastic shroud, the elastic shroud being disposed at the bow or tail of the glider body, the elastic shroud and the glider body forming a storage space within the elastic shroud, and the water inlets communicating with the storage space within the elastic shroud; when the glider body is not in use, the elastic shroud contracts and fits against the bow or tail of the glider body; when the glider body is in use, the elastic shroud rebounds to assume a diversion configuration, and water enters the storage space within the elastic shroud through the water inlets. The present invention can reduce the overall structural length of the underwater glider, making storage and storage more convenient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of underwater gliders, in particular to an underwater glider with a deformable fairing. Background Art

[0002] Currently, autonomous underwater robots and underwater gliders have shroud structures at both ends of their main structures. The shrouds' primary function is to guide airflow and reduce drag, lowering the resistance of the vehicle during underwater motion. Existing shrouds generally use a fixed structure. Some underwater vehicles install equipment such as sensors, charging ports, oil bladders, or air bags within the shrouds. Shrouds are made of metal, carbon fiber, or glass fiber reinforced resin, or are reinforced with additional structural designs to ensure high strength to withstand collisions and impacts during use. However, existing fixed shroud structures increase the length of the underwater vehicle, making it inconvenient to store and fold. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above problems, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an underwater glider with a deformable fairing to solve the problem that the existing fixed fairing structure increases the length of the underwater vehicle, making the entire underwater vehicle inconvenient to receive and store.

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0005] The underwater glider with a deformable fairing according to the present invention comprises:

[0006] a glider body, wherein the bow and / or tail of the glider body are connected to a deformable fairing;

[0007] a deformable fairing, the deformable fairing comprising an elastic fairing and a plurality of water injection ports formed on the elastic fairing, the elastic fairing being disposed over the bow or tail of the glider body, the elastic fairing and the glider body forming a storage space within the elastic fairing, the water injection ports being in communication with the storage space within the elastic fairing;

[0008] When the glider body is in a non-use state, the elastic cover shrinks and fits against the bow or tail of the glider body; when the glider body is in use, the elastic cover rebounds to form a diversion shape, and water enters the internal storage space of the elastic cover through the water inlet.

[0009] Preferably, the elastic cover is made of elastic material.

[0010] Preferably, the elastic cover is made of rubber or plastic.

[0011] Preferably, a superelastic shape memory alloy wire is embedded between the inner wall and the outer wall of the elastic cover, and the superelastic shape memory alloy wire extends from one end of the elastic cover connected to the glider body to the end of the elastic cover away from the glider body.

[0012] Preferably, the wall thickness of the elastic cover gradually decreases from the end of the elastic cover connected to the glider body to the end of the elastic cover away from the glider body.

[0013] Preferably, the elastic cover body includes a first cover body and a second cover body, the first cover body is connected to the glider body, the second cover body is fixed to the first cover body, the axial length of the second cover body is smaller than the axial length of the first cover body, the material of the first cover body is elastic material, and the material of the second cover body is rigid material.

[0014] Preferably, the elastic cover body includes a first cover body and a second cover body, the first cover body is connected to the glider body, the second cover body is fixed to the first cover body, the axial length of the second cover body is smaller than the axial length of the first cover body, and the wall thickness of the second cover body is greater than the wall thickness of the first cover body.

[0015] Preferably, an airbag is provided in the internal storage space of the elastic cover, and the airbag is fixedly connected to the glider body. An inflation and exhaust device is provided in the glider body, and the inflation and exhaust device is connected to the airbag to inflate or deflate the airbag.

[0016] Preferably, a pushing device is provided in the internal storage space of the elastic cover, the pushing device is fixedly connected to the glider body, and a pushing end of the pushing device abuts against an end of the elastic cover away from the glider body.

[0017] Preferably, the plurality of water injection ports are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the elastic cover body.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the underwater glider with a deformable fairing according to the embodiment of the present invention has the following advantages:

[0019] In an underwater glider with a deformable fairing according to an embodiment of the present invention, the deformable fairing is connected to the bow and / or tail of the glider body, and a water inlet is provided on the elastic cover body of the deformable fairing. When the glider body is not in use, the elastic cover body shrinks and fits against the bow or tail of the glider body, thereby reducing the overall structural length of the underwater glider and facilitating storage and accommodation. When the glider body is in use, the elastic cover body rebounds into a diversion shape, thereby playing a role in diversion and drag reduction. Water enters the internal storage space of the elastic cover body through the water inlet, and withstands collisions and impacts during use through the elasticity of the elastic cover body and the deformation of the internal water body, thereby achieving an anti-collision effect, without the need for additional reinforcement structure settings for the elastic cover body, thereby reducing the weight of the fairing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a deformable shroud in an underwater glider with a deformable shroud in an expanded state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a deformable shroud in a retracted state in an underwater glider with a deformable shroud according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of embedding a superelastic shape memory alloy wire in an elastic cover according to the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air bag provided in the elastic cover body in the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of a push device provided in an elastic cover body in the present invention;

[0025] In the figure, 1, glider body; 2, elastic cover; 21, first cover body; 22, second cover body; 3, water inlet; 4, superelastic shape memory alloy wire; 5, airbag; 6, thrust device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside" and "outside" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0027] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they may refer to direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediary, or internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] The following embodiments of the present invention are described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate the present invention but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0029] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, an underwater glider with a deformable fairing according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a glider body 1 and a deformable fairing, wherein the deformable fairing is connected to the bow and / or tail of the glider body 1; the deformable fairing comprises an elastic cover body 2 and a plurality of water injection ports 3 provided on the elastic cover body 2, the elastic cover body 2 is provided at the bow or tail of the glider body 1, the elastic cover body 2 and the glider body 1 form a storage space inside the elastic cover body 2, and the water injection ports 3 are communicated with the internal storage space of the elastic cover body 2; when the glider body 1 is not in use (for example, for storage or transportation), the elastic cover body 2 shrinks and fits against the bow or tail of the glider body 1 (for example, for storage or transportation). Figure 2 When the glider body 1 is in use (for example, underwater), the elastic cover 2 rebounds into a diversion form (as shown in Figure 1 ), water enters the internal storage space of the elastic cover 2 through the water inlet 3.

[0030] The present invention fixes a deformable shroud to the glider body 1. The shroud can elastically deform according to the usage state of the glider body 1. When the glider body 1 is not in use, the elastic shroud 2 shrinks and fits against the bow or tail of the glider body 1, reducing the overall length of the underwater glider and facilitating storage and accommodating the glider. When the glider body 1 is in use, the elastic shroud 2 rebounds into a diverting shape, playing a role in diverting and reducing drag. Water enters the internal storage space of the elastic shroud 2 through the water inlet 3. The elasticity of the elastic shroud 2 and the deformation of the internal water withstand collisions and impacts during use, achieving a collision-proof effect. No additional reinforcement structure is required for the elastic shroud 2, thus reducing the weight of the shroud.

[0031] It should be noted that, in the present invention, the deformable shroud can be fixed to both the bow and the tail of the glider body 1, or only to the bow or the tail of the glider body 1. When the deformable shroud is fixed only to the bow of the glider body 1, a fixed shroud structure can be provided at the tail of the glider body 1; similarly, when the deformable shroud is fixed only to the tail of the glider body 1, a fixed shroud structure can be provided at the bow of the glider body 1.

[0032] It should be noted that, in the present invention, when the elastic cover 2 shrinks and fits on the bow or tail of the glider body 1, the shrunken elastic cover 2 and the glider body 1 are fixed by external fixing parts, for example, the underwater glider as a whole is placed in a dedicated storage tube, or the elastic cover 2 and the glider body 1 are fixed by binding with binding straps; when the underwater glider as a whole is taken out of the storage tube or the binding straps are removed, the elastic cover 2 can automatically rebound into a diversion shape under the action of its own elastic force.

[0033] In this embodiment, the glider body 1 and the deformable fairing are detachably connected, for example, by screws, to facilitate disassembly and assembly.

[0034] In this embodiment, the elastic cover 2 is made of an elastic material that can be elastically deformed. Further, the elastic cover 2 is made of rubber or plastic.

[0035] In this embodiment, the elastic cover 2 is bowl-shaped. The diameter of the radial cross-section of the elastic cover 2 gradually decreases from the end closest to the glider body 1 to the end further away from the glider body 1. The end of the elastic cover 2 connected to the glider body 1 and the end of the elastic cover 2 further away from the glider body 1 are connected by a smooth curved surface. The smooth curved surface of the elastic cover 2 can enhance the flow diversion and drag reduction effects.

[0036] Alternatively, as Figure 3 As shown, a superelastic shape-memory alloy wire 4 is embedded between the inner and outer walls of the elastic cover 2. The superelastic shape-memory alloy wire 4 extends from the end of the elastic cover 2 connected to the glider body 1 to the end of the elastic cover 2 away from the glider body 1. The superelastic shape-memory alloy wire 4 enhances the resilience of the elastic cover 2, ensuring sufficient rebound. Multiple superelastic shape-memory alloy wires 4 may be provided, spaced apart along the circumference of the elastic cover 2.

[0037] Optionally, the wall thickness of the elastic cover body 2 gradually decreases from the end where the elastic cover body 2 is connected to the glider body 1 to the end of the elastic cover body 2 away from the glider body 1. By changing the wall thickness, the rebound ability of the elastic cover body 2 is increased, so that the elastic cover body 2 rebounds fully.

[0038] It should be noted that, for the same elastic cover 2 , while the superelastic shape memory alloy wire 4 is embedded in the elastic cover 2 , the wall thickness of the elastic cover 2 can be set to be non-uniform.

[0039] Optionally, the elastic cover 2 includes a first cover body 21 and a second cover body 22. The first cover body 21 is connected to the glider body 1, and the second cover body 22 is fixed to the first cover body 21. The axial length of the second cover body 22 is less than the axial length of the first cover body 21. The first cover body 21 and the second cover body 22 can be integrally formed.

[0040] Furthermore, the material of the first cover body 21 is an elastic material, and the material of the second cover body 22 is a rigid material. The elastic cover body 2 can shrink or rebound as a whole through the elastic first cover body 21; by setting the second cover body 22 to a rigid material, the rigidity of the second cover body 22 is increased, so that when the first cover body 21 shrinks, the shape of the second cover body 22 does not change, so that when the first cover body 21 rebounds, the second cover body 22 can rebound quickly, so that the elastic cover body 2 can rebound fully as a whole.

[0041] Optionally, both the first cover body 21 and the second cover body 22 can be made of elastic material, and the wall thickness of the second cover body 22 is greater than the wall thickness of the first cover body 21. By increasing the wall thickness of the second cover body 22, the deformation resistance of the second cover body 22 can be improved, so that the second cover body 22 deforms less when it shrinks, and when the second cover body 22 rebounds, it can quickly return to its original shape, thereby improving the overall rebound ability of the elastic cover 2.

[0042] Alternatively, as Figure 5As shown, an airbag 5 is disposed within the internal storage space of the elastic cover 2 and is fixedly connected to the glider body 1. An inflation and exhaust device is provided within the glider body 1 and is connected to the airbag 5 to inflate and deflate the airbag 5. When the elastic cover 2 contracts, the inflation and exhaust device deflates the airbag 5, allowing it to collapse and fit snugly against the glider body 1, preventing the airbag 5 from interfering with the contraction of the elastic cover 2. If the elastic cover 2 fails to automatically rebound or does not fully rebound, the inflation and exhaust device inflates the airbag 5, causing it to expand and lift the elastic cover 2 until the elastic cover 2 rebounds to its diversion configuration. After the elastic cover 2 rebounds to its diversion configuration, the inflation and exhaust device can deflate the airbag 5 again, facilitating the entry of water from the water inlet 3 into the storage space within the elastic cover 2 and facilitating collision prevention by utilizing water deformation.

[0043] Alternatively, as Figure 5 As shown, a pushing device 6 is provided in the internal storage space of the elastic cover body 2, and the pushing device 6 is fixedly connected to the glider body 1, and the pushing end of the pushing device 6 abuts against the end of the elastic cover body 2 away from the glider body 1. When the elastic cover body 2 contracts, the pushing device 6 does not work and is located at the end of the glider body 1 to prevent the pushing device 6 from interfering with the contraction of the elastic cover body 2. When the elastic cover body 2 fails to rebound automatically or rebounds incompletely, the elastic cover body 2 is lifted up by the pushing device 6 until the elastic cover body 2 rebounds to the diversion shape. After the elastic cover body 2 rebounds to the diversion shape, the pushing device 6 is reset to facilitate the water body to enter the storage space inside the elastic cover body 2 from the water inlet 3, so as to facilitate the use of water body deformation for collision prevention. Among them, the pushing device 6 can be a plunger cylinder.

[0044] It should be noted that only one of the airbag 5 and the pushing device 6 is required to be provided, and the elastic cover body 2 can be fully rebounded by assisting the rebound of the elastic cover body 2 with the help of the pushing force of the airbag 5 or the pushing device 6 .

[0045] In this embodiment, each of the water injection ports 3 is rectangular, and the water injection ports 3 extend in a direction away from the glider body 1 and close to the central axis of the elastic cover 2 .

[0046] In this embodiment, multiple water inlets 3 are evenly arranged along the circumference of the elastic cover 2 to uniformly inject water into the elastic cover 2, so that the water provides a balanced force on the elastic cover 2. The extension lines of the multiple water inlets 3 on the elastic cover 2 can converge at the end of the elastic cover 2 away from the glider body 1.

[0047] The working process of the present invention is:

[0048] When storing or transporting the underwater glider, the elastic cover 2 is compressed until it fits the glider body 1, and the elastic cover 2 and the glider body 1 are fastened and fixed with straps to reduce the overall structural length of the underwater glider.

[0049] When the underwater glider is in use, the straps are removed, and the elastic cover 2, under its own elastic action, rebounds into its diversion configuration. If the elastic cover 2 does not fully rebound during this process, the thrust of the airbag 5 or the thrusting device 6 assists in its rebound, ensuring that the elastic cover 2 fully rebounds. After the underwater glider is launched underwater, water enters the internal storage space of the elastic cover 2 through the water inlet 3. The elastic action of the elastic cover 2 and the deformation of the water inside the elastic cover 2 improve the underwater glider's collision avoidance performance.

[0050] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and substitutions can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention. These improvements and substitutions should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An underwater glider with a deformable fairing, characterized in that: include: a glider body, wherein the bow and / or tail of the glider body are connected to a deformable fairing; a deformable fairing, the deformable fairing comprising an elastic fairing and a plurality of water injection ports formed on the elastic fairing, the elastic fairing being disposed over the bow or tail of the glider body, the elastic fairing and the glider body forming a storage space within the elastic fairing, the water injection ports being in communication with the storage space within the elastic fairing; When the glider body is in a non-use state, the elastic cover shrinks and fits the bow or tail of the glider body; when the glider body is in use, the elastic cover rebounds to form a diversion shape, and water enters the internal storage space of the elastic cover through the water inlet; The elastic cover is made of elastic material; A superelastic shape memory alloy wire is embedded between the inner wall and the outer wall of the elastic cover, and the superelastic shape memory alloy wire extends from an end of the elastic cover connected to the glider body to an end of the elastic cover away from the glider body; The wall thickness of the elastic cover gradually decreases from one end of the elastic cover connected to the glider body to one end of the elastic cover away from the glider body.

2. The underwater glider with a deformable fairing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic cover is made of rubber or plastic.

3. The underwater glider with a deformable fairing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic cover body includes a first cover body and a second cover body, the first cover body is connected to the glider body, the second cover body is fixed to the first cover body, the axial length of the second cover body is smaller than the axial length of the first cover body, the material of the first cover body is elastic material, and the material of the second cover body is rigid material.

4. The underwater glider with a deformable fairing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic cover body includes a first cover body and a second cover body, the first cover body is connected to the glider body, the second cover body is fixed to the first cover body, the axial length of the second cover body is smaller than the axial length of the first cover body, and the wall thickness of the second cover body is greater than the wall thickness of the first cover body.

5. The underwater glider with a deformable fairing according to claim 1, characterized in that: An airbag is provided in the internal storage space of the elastic cover, and the airbag is fixedly connected to the glider body. An inflation and exhaust device is provided in the glider body, and the inflation and exhaust device is connected to the airbag to inflate or exhaust the airbag.

6. The underwater glider with a deformable fairing according to claim 1, characterized in that: A pushing device is provided in the internal storage space of the elastic cover body. The pushing device is fixedly connected to the glider body. A pushing end of the pushing device abuts against an end of the elastic cover body away from the glider body.

7. The underwater glider with a deformable fairing according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of water injection ports are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the elastic cover body.

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