A sealing structure for an underwater electrical connector

Abstract

The application discloses a sealing structure of an underwater electric connector, which comprises a shell, a base and a contact piece; the base is encapsulated in the shell and is composed of a left base and a right base; a through hole is formed in the base, and the contact piece is fixedly installed in the through hole; the sealing structure of the underwater electric connector comprises base-shell sealing, contact piece-base sealing, plug-in surface sealing and mounting interface sealing; the multiple sealing structures form a reliable sealing system which is self-sealing and does not need other external facilities; the whole connector is in a sealed state and can be directly immersed in water; the connector can bear 10 atmospheres of pressure and is water-inspected and bubble-free.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of electrical connector technology and relates to a sealing structure for an underwater electrical connector. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, the technical requirements for electronic components have become increasingly stringent, with a growing number of specifications required. Electrical connectors are indispensable electronic components in marine, land, and air applications. Currently, connectors used in seawater have stringent requirements for electrical performance, and due to their long-term underwater operation, they also have very high requirements for watertightness.

[0003] Existing underwater connectors primarily use O-rings for sealing the insulator and housing. However, this sealing area is relatively small and cannot achieve a satisfactory seal. Another method for sealing the insulator and contacts is glass sintering, a relatively mature technique. However, this method has limitations; it is only suitable for sealing certain metals with glass, requiring the selection of appropriate glass powder types or grades to achieve glass sintering with the corresponding metal materials. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem solved by this invention is to provide a sealing structure for an underwater electrical connector, which can meet various performance requirements for underwater operation through multiple sealing measures.

[0005] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0006] A sealing structure for an underwater electrical connector, the underwater electrical connector including a housing, a base and contacts; the base is encapsulated inside the housing and is composed of a left base and a right base; a through hole is provided on the base, and the contacts are fixedly installed in the through hole;

[0007] The sealing structure of this underwater electrical connector includes a base-to-housing seal, a contact-to-base seal, a mating surface seal, and a mounting interface seal.

[0008] Base and housing seal: The housing is provided with a positioning step, which matches the positioning step provided with the left base, for axial positioning of the left end of the base; the housing is provided with an internal thread, and one end face of the pressure ring is provided with a matching external thread, the two matching to lock the pressure ring and the housing; the other end face of the pressure ring matches the positioning step provided with the right base, axially positioning the right end of the base and simultaneously locking the base and housing axially.

[0009] The inner side of the housing is also provided with sealing ring grooves, including a left ring groove, a middle ring groove and a right ring groove. The left ring groove matches and aligns with the sealing ring groove of the left base, the right ring groove matches and aligns with the sealing ring groove of the right base, and the middle ring groove matches and aligns with the gap between the left base and the right base. All sealing ring grooves are filled with sealant and melted to seal.

[0010] Sealing between the contact and the base: The left base has an upper inner step in the through hole, which matches the upper step of the pin; the right base has a lower inner step in the through hole, which matches the lower step of the pin; the two mating designs achieve axial positioning of the contact.

[0011] The left base also has a recessed upper sealing step in the through hole, which matches the embedded sealing head on the upper sealing gasket; the right base also has a recessed upper sealing step in the through hole, which matches the embedded sealing head on the lower sealing gasket; the sealing gasket and the embedded base form an axial seal between the base and the contact element.

[0012] Each sealing head is provided with a sealing gasket hole that is interference-fitted with the contact part, forming a radial seal between the base and the through hole;

[0013] When there is a gap between the contact and the through hole, the sealant in the sealing groove melts and fills the gap, achieving zero gap between the through hole and the contact.

[0014] The mating surface seal is provided with an elastic sealing ring on the mating surface. When the connector is connected and mated, the elastic sealing ring is squeezed by the mating connector, and the elastic sealing ring deforms to form a seal at the mating point.

[0015] Interface sealing: The outer shell is provided with an annular groove, and a sealing ring is installed in the annular groove. When the sealing ring is squeezed, an interface seal is formed.

[0016] The left and right annular grooves are of equal size and are equidistant from each other on both sides of the middle annular groove. The size of the middle annular groove is smaller than that of the left and right annular grooves.

[0017] The surface of the sealing ring groove is also subjected to sandblasting treatment, requiring the sandblasted surface to be rough, uniform, and without metallic luster.

[0018] The contact includes two sizes of pins, with different sizes of pins meeting corresponding current requirements.

[0019] The sealing of the sealant is achieved through the vulcanization of rubber: the base and the shell are installed in place, rubber is filled into the sealing ring groove, and steam heating is used to melt the rubber and fill the sealing ring groove; this achieves zero clearance between the shell and the base; when there is a gap between the contact part and the through hole, the sealant in the sealing groove will melt and fill the gap.

[0020] The three sealing ring grooves inside the shell, after being sealed by the melted sealant, form a labyrinthine step between them and the base to block the flow of water.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects:

[0022] The underwater electrical connector provided by this invention features a sealing structure that forms a reliable self-sealing system through multiple sealing structures, including base-shell sealing, contact-base sealing, mating surface sealing, and mounting interface sealing, eliminating the need for external facilities. The sealing grooves and the sealing effect after the sealant melts achieve zero clearance between the shell and base. The melt-sealing process reduces the need for traditional shell-base clearance considerations, resulting in higher product stability and reduced manpower. Even if air bubbles or gaps exist at the base-shell junction during the melting sealing process, the steps formed between the three sealing ring grooves on the shell and the base create a labyrinthine structure that increases the water flow path when flowing from left to right or right to left, thereby reducing the flow velocity and achieving a sealing effect. Because both ends of the connector are sealed, the entire connector is sealed and can be directly immersed in water. The connector of this invention can withstand 10 atmospheres of pressure and passes water testing without air bubbles. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the connector sealing structure of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the shell structure of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the left base of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the right base of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the contact structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing system of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing groove of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8 A schematic diagram illustrating how maze-like steps can block water flow.

[0031] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of sealant gap filling;

[0032] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing of the mating interface. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments. These descriptions are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0034] A sealing structure for an underwater electrical connector, the underwater electrical connector including a housing, a base and contacts; the base is encapsulated inside the housing and is composed of a left base and a right base; a through hole is provided on the base, and the contacts are fixedly installed in the through hole;

[0035] The sealing structure of this underwater electrical connector includes a base-to-housing seal, a contact-to-base seal, a mating surface seal, and a mounting interface seal.

[0036] Base and housing seal: The housing is provided with a positioning step, which matches the positioning step provided with the left base, for axial positioning of the left end of the base; the housing is provided with an internal thread, and one end face of the pressure ring is provided with a matching external thread, the two matching to lock the pressure ring and the housing; the other end face of the pressure ring matches the positioning step provided with the right base, axially positioning the right end of the base and simultaneously locking the base and housing axially.

[0037] The inner side of the housing is also provided with sealing ring grooves, including a left ring groove, a middle ring groove and a right ring groove. The left ring groove matches and aligns with the sealing ring groove of the left base, the right ring groove matches and aligns with the sealing ring groove of the right base, and the middle ring groove matches and aligns with the gap between the left base and the right base. All sealing ring grooves are filled with sealant and melted to seal.

[0038] Sealing between the contact and the base: The left base has an upper inner step in the through hole, which matches the upper step of the pin; the right base has a lower inner step in the through hole, which matches the lower step of the pin; the two mating designs achieve axial positioning of the contact.

[0039] The left base also has a recessed upper sealing step in the through hole, which matches the embedded sealing head on the upper sealing gasket; the right base also has a recessed upper sealing step in the through hole, which matches the embedded sealing head on the lower sealing gasket; the sealing gasket and the embedded base form an axial seal between the base and the contact element.

[0040] Each sealing head is provided with a sealing gasket hole that is interference-fitted with the contact part, forming a radial seal between the base and the through hole;

[0041] When there is a gap between the contact and the through hole, the sealant in the sealing groove melts and fills the gap, achieving zero gap between the through hole and the contact.

[0042] The mating surface seal is provided with an elastic sealing ring on the mating surface. When the connector is connected and mated, the elastic sealing ring is squeezed by the mating connector, and the elastic sealing ring deforms to form a seal at the mating point.

[0043] Interface sealing: The outer shell is provided with an annular groove, and a sealing ring is installed in the annular groove. When the sealing ring is squeezed, an interface seal is formed.

[0044] Specific implementation examples are given below.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the connector includes a housing 1, a left base 2, a right base 3, and contacts (the first contact 10 and the second contact 11 are contacts of different specifications); the sealing structure constituting the underwater electrical connector includes a pressure ring 4, a lower sealing gasket 5, a first sealing ring 6, a second sealing ring 7, a third sealing ring 8, an upper sealing gasket 9, and sealant 12. The sealing structure is mainly divided into four types of seals: mating face seal, base and housing seal, pin and base seal, and mounting interface seal.

[0046] The following is a detailed description of each component and the sealing structure involved.

[0047] See Figure 1 , Figure 2 The housing contains a base and has three annular grooves for sealing, a step for positioning the base, and a threaded structure for locking with the external thread of the pressure ring to achieve axial fixation of the base.

[0048] The base is provided with through holes of different specifications for fixing contact parts of various specifications; the base is provided with an annular groove for sealing between the housing and the shell.

[0049] The contact includes two sizes of pins, which differ in size and can accommodate different currents. The pins have the same structure and are positioned between the step and the base.

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, the housing is provided with a positioning step 1-1, which matches the left base step 2-1, for axial positioning of the left end of the base;

[0051] The housing has internal threads 1-4 that mate with the external threads of the pressure ring. The two match to lock the pressure ring to the housing. The end face of the pressure ring matches the step 3-1 of the right base, axially positioning the right end of the base and achieving axial locking of the base.

[0052] like Figure 2 As shown, the inner cavity of the shell is also provided with sealing ring grooves. The left ring groove 1-7 and the right ring groove 1-5 are of equal size and are evenly distributed on both sides of the middle ring groove 1-6. The size of the middle ring groove 1-6 is smaller than that of the left ring groove 1-7 and the right ring groove 1-5.

[0053] Specifically, the housing is machined in one step using a machining center and programmed on a machine tool. To ensure the accuracy of the annular groove dimensions and the consistency of the overall part dimensions, a forming tool with the same width as the annular groove should be used for machining. To increase the adhesion between the subsequent sealant and the annular groove, the surface of the annular groove needs to be sandblasted, and the sandblasted surface should be rough, uniform, and without metallic luster. During the sandblasting process, surfaces that do not require sandblasting are protected with a special fixture (the annular groove design here is primarily for sealing).

[0054] See Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The base is provided with through holes that match the contact parts, and two positioning steps are provided in the through holes:

[0055] The left base has an upper inner step 2-3 in the through hole, which matches the upper step 5-2 of the pin; the right base has a lower inner step 3-3 in the through hole, which matches the lower step 5-3 of the pin; the design of the two bases and the contact is to axially position the contact.

[0056] The left base has a recessed upper sealing step 2-2 in the through hole, which matches the sealing head on the upper sealing gasket 9; the right base has a recessed upper sealing step 3-2 in the through hole, which matches the sealing head on the lower sealing gasket 5; the cooperation between these two sealing gaskets and the base fixes and seals the contact parts.

[0057] 1. Sealing the insertion surface: such as Figure 7 As shown, a sealing ring is installed at the mating interface for sealing the mating surfaces; specifically, an O-ring is installed at the mating interface. When this connector is mated with its mating connector, as... Figure 10 As shown, when the O-ring is squeezed by the connector housing at the other end, a seal is naturally formed.

[0058] 2. Sealing between base and shell:

[0059] The seal between the housing and the base is mainly ensured by the annular groove structure between the housing and the base, as well as the sealing with sealant (such as rubber vulcanization molding), as follows:

[0060] (1) The "labyrinthine" structure between the shell and the base, such as Figure 2 As shown, the left annular groove 1-7 inside the shell matches the left base sealing annular groove 2-4, which is used for sealing between the shell and the left base;

[0061] The right-side annular groove 1-5 inside the shell matches the right base sealing annular groove 3-4, which is used for sealing between the shell and the right base.

[0062] The inner ring grooves 1-6 inside the shell match the gaps between the left and right bases. This design is mainly for sealing between the left and right bases.

[0063] (2) Sealing with sealant (rubber vulcanization molding), such as Figure 7 As shown, the base and the shell are installed in place, and rubber material is filled into the sealing ring groove. Steam heating is used to melt the rubber material and allow it to flow into the shell, the base and the ring groove between them, achieving a "zero gap" fit between the shell and the base. Rubber vulcanization molding reduces the consideration of the gap between the shell and the base in traditional methods, resulting in higher product stability and reducing manpower.

[0064] Even if air bubbles or gaps appear at the junction of the base and shell during vulcanization, the steps formed between the three annular grooves on the shell and the base allow water to flow from left to right or from right to left through this "maze-like" structure, increasing the path (e.g.) Figure 8 (as shown); thereby reducing its own flow rate to achieve a sealing effect.

[0065] The "maze-like" sealing mechanism formed by three annular grooves utilizes a simple structure to create a complex sealing system. The structure is simple and easy to operate, but the sealing effect is relatively reliable. This "maze-like" structure complements the vulcanization molding technology to form a reliable sealing system.

[0066] 3. Sealing between the contact element and the base:

[0067] (1) Axial sealing between the base and the contact (pin): It is achieved by the matching between the upper sealing step and the upper sealing gasket, and the lower sealing step and the lower sealing gasket; each hole of the sealing gasket is provided with a boss. When the sealing gasket is installed into the base, the groove matches the boss, which is an embedded fit. This embedded fit forms an axial seal between the base and the pin.

[0068] (2) Radial sealing of the pin: When the pin passes through the sealing gasket hole provided on the sealing gasket, it is an interference fit. This interference fit forms a radial seal between the base and the insertion hole.

[0069] The embedded structure between the base and the sealing ring, combined with the interference fit between the pin and the sealing ring, provides a good sealing effect when subjected to compressive force.

[0070] (3) The melting of the sealant in the sealing groove not only achieves a seal between the housing and the base, but also provides a certain guarantee for the seal between the pin and the base, such as... Figure 9 As shown, when there is a gap between the pin and the base hole, the melted adhesive will fill the gap, achieving zero gap between the base hole and the pin.

[0071] 4. Interface sealing: The outer shell is provided with 1-2 annular grooves, and O-rings 7 are installed in the annular grooves. When the O-rings are squeezed, an interface seal is formed.

[0072] The connectors described above have been tested and verified in experiments to achieve the following performance:

[0073] (1) Environmental performance

[0074] Operating temperature: -55℃ to +125℃;

[0075] Water tightness: No air bubbles were detected in a water test at 10 atmospheres;

[0076] Salt spray: 960h;

[0077] Alternating hot and humid conditions: 96 hours;

[0078] Sinusoidal vibration: 10-2000Hz, acceleration: 98m / s2;

[0079] (2) Electrical performance

[0080] The characteristics of the contact components are shown in the table below:

[0081] Operating current (A) 7 10 20 50 Contact resistance (mΩ) ≤5 ≤3 ≤2 ≤1

[0082] Insulation resistance (MΩ): ≥1000;

[0083] Withstand voltage: AC 1000Vrms (standard atmospheric pressure);

[0084] Mechanical life: 100 cycles.

[0085] Test results show that the underwater sealing ring of this invention can meet all performance requirements for underwater operation. This invention forms a reliable self-sealing system, requiring no external facilities; because both ends of the connector have sealing features, the entire connector is sealed and can be directly immersed in water.

[0086] The embodiments given above are preferred examples for implementing the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Any non-essential additions or substitutions made by those skilled in the art based on the technical features of the present invention are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sealing structure for an underwater electrical connector, characterized in that, The underwater electrical connector includes a housing, a base, and contacts; the base is encapsulated within the housing and consists of a left base and a right base; a through hole is provided on the base, and the contacts are fixedly installed in the through hole; The sealing structure of this underwater electrical connector includes a base-to-housing seal, a contact-to-base seal, a mating surface seal, and a mounting interface seal. Base and housing seal: The housing is provided with a positioning step, which matches the positioning step provided with the left base, for axial positioning of the left end of the base; the housing is provided with an internal thread, and one end face of the pressure ring is provided with a matching external thread, the two matching to lock the pressure ring and the housing; the other end face of the pressure ring matches the positioning step provided with the right base, axially positioning the right end of the base and simultaneously locking the base and housing axially. The inner side of the housing is also provided with sealing ring grooves, including a left ring groove, a middle ring groove and a right ring groove. The left ring groove matches and aligns with the sealing ring groove of the left base, the right ring groove matches and aligns with the sealing ring groove of the right base, and the middle ring groove matches and aligns with the gap between the left base and the right base. All sealing ring grooves are filled with sealant and melted to seal. The three sealing ring grooves inside the shell, after being sealed by the melted sealant, form a labyrinthine step between themselves and the base to obstruct water flow; the labyrinthine step reduces the water flow velocity when the water flows from left to right or from right to left. Sealing between the contact and the base: The left base has an upper inner step in the through hole, which matches the upper step of the pin; the right base has a lower inner step in the through hole, which matches the lower step of the pin; the two mating designs achieve axial positioning of the contact. The left base also has a recessed upper sealing step in the through hole, which matches the embedded sealing head on the upper sealing gasket; the right base also has a recessed upper sealing step in the through hole, which matches the embedded sealing head on the lower sealing gasket; the sealing gasket and the embedded base form an axial seal between the base and the contact element. Each sealing head is provided with a sealing gasket hole that is interference-fitted with the contact part, forming a radial seal between the base and the through hole; When there is a gap between the contact and the through hole, the sealant in the sealing groove melts and fills the gap, achieving zero gap between the through hole and the contact. The mating surface seal is provided with an elastic sealing ring on the mating surface. When the connector is connected and mated, the elastic sealing ring is squeezed by the mating connector, and the elastic sealing ring deforms to form a seal at the mating point. Interface sealing: The outer shell is provided with an annular groove, and a sealing ring is installed in the annular groove. When the sealing ring is squeezed, an interface seal is formed.

2. The sealing structure of the underwater electrical connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The left and right annular grooves are of equal size and are equidistant from each other on both sides of the middle annular groove. The size of the middle annular groove is smaller than that of the left and right annular grooves.

3. The sealing structure of the underwater electrical connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the sealing ring groove is also subjected to sandblasting treatment, requiring the sandblasted surface to be rough, uniform, and without metallic luster.

4. The sealing structure of the underwater electrical connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The contact includes two sizes of pins, with different sizes of pins meeting corresponding current requirements.

5. The sealing structure of the underwater electrical connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing of the sealant is achieved through the vulcanization of rubber: the base and the shell are installed in place, rubber is filled into the sealing ring groove, and steam heating is used to melt the rubber and fill the sealing ring groove; this achieves zero clearance between the shell and the base; when there is a gap between the contact part and the through hole, the sealant in the sealing groove will melt and fill the gap.

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