An underwater suction workpiece preparation mold

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of underwater adsorption equipment, and specifically relates to a underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold based on an octopus sucker structure design, which embeds a main body structure made of silicone rubber material into a metal frame structure, only leaks out a sucker structure, forms a bionic sucker with a metal box body wrapping silicone rubber, and enhances the durability of the bionic sucker. Meanwhile, each sucker is provided with a cavity structure and is isolated from each other, which improves the operability and reduces the mutual interference. The sucker cavity structure is sealed by a steel cover plate, the cover plate is provided with an interface connected with each cavity structure, a pipeline is directly connected with the steel interface, and the problem of connection between a hard pipeline and soft silicone rubber is solved. Moreover, the suckers are designed into independent sealed cavities, have great adsorption force, the connecting pipes at the upper part can provide connecting points for intelligent design in the later period, are beneficial to the independent control of the suckers, and enhance the flexibility of adsorption.

Description

Technical fields:

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of underwater adsorption equipment technology, specifically an underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold based on an octopus suction cup structure design. The suction cup is easy to connect to the pipeline and is easy to disassemble and assemble, laying the foundation for the development and application of underwater adsorption equipment. Background technology:

[0002] Octopuses are a common type of marine mollusc, typically with eight arms, each covered with cone-shaped suckers. The suckers consist of two parts: a funnel-shaped part for adhering to objects and an ellipsoidal hollow main sucker located inside the octopus's arm. The main sucker and the funnel-shaped part are connected by a small opening. Octopuses use their unique sucker structure to grab objects underwater or adhere to their surfaces. Therefore, based on the octopus's sucker structure, early designs incorporated octopus-inspired sucker structures. For example, Chinese Patent 202011109499.1 discloses an underwater suction cup structure, including a main body that is divided into two parts: a funnel-shaped part at the bottom that contacts the gripping body, and a main suction cup with a hollow structure at the top. The lower end of the funnel-shaped part is open, and the upper end of the funnel-shaped part is connected to the main suction cup through the suction cup opening, forming an internal cavity. The inner wall of the main suction cup has downward-facing internal protrusions. This structure features high suction strength and good suction stability. Based on 3D printing technology, a split mold was designed. For example, Chinese Patent 202011110514.4 discloses an underwater suction cup mold, which includes a mold body with a forming cavity inside. This forming cavity is a reverse structure corresponding to the structure of the suction cup to be processed. The suction cup includes a suction cup body, which is divided into two parts: a funnel-shaped device at the bottom that contacts the gripping body, and a main suction cup with a hollow structure at the top. The lower end of the funnel-shaped device is open, and the upper end of the funnel-shaped device connects to the main suction cup via... The suction cups are connected and form an internal cavity, with an internal protrusion on the inner wall of the main suction cup facing downwards. The corresponding mold body is divided into two parts: a first molding cavity at the bottom that matches the funnel-shaped device, and a second molding cavity at the top that matches the main suction cup. A third molding cavity matching the internal protrusion is provided on the second molding cavity. The first, second, and third molding cavities are connected to form a molded cavity, with an injection port at the top of the second molding cavity. The biomimetic octopus suction cup is fabricated using silicone rubber. In actual use, to further improve the underwater adsorption strength of the biomimetic suction cup, tubing was added to the suction cup, and an air suction device was introduced to enhance the underwater adsorption strength and stability. However, the connection between the rigid tubing and the soft silicone rubber suction cup became a key issue limiting its application, affecting the suction cup's sealing and durability, leading to reduced adsorption strength and stability, which is detrimental to the practical application of the biomimetic suction cup. Therefore, we developed and designed an underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold with advantages such as simple preparation, strong operability, easy replacement, and integration and splicing, to solve the problem of connecting hard pipelines and soft silicone rubber. Summary of the Invention:

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and to develop and design an adsorption workpiece that is convenient for underwater application, simple to operate, and can be connected to a control system, so as to provide technical support for the further development of underwater equipment.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the main structure of the underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold involved in this invention includes a cavity structure and a sealing structure:

[0005] The cavity structure includes an upper mold, a middle mold, a lower mold, and a suction cup mold. The upper mold consists of a flat upper structure and four independent cavities formed by the four suction cups. The flat upper structure is a 5mm thick platform with a 5mm x 5mm square hole in the center for casting. Within each cavity, a 42.5mm x 42.5mm flat plate corresponds to the position of one of the four suction cups. A 5mm thick, 16mm diameter cylinder is placed at each suction cup position, forming a cavity during casting and, after sealing, creating an independent chamber for each suction cup. The middle mold is the main body, with a 2mm deep groove at its bottom to connect with and embed the suction cup mold. The suction cup mold has a diameter of 44mm and a height of 16mm. The lower mold combines with the suction cup molds to form the suction cups after casting. A 2mm deep groove in the lower mold secures the suction cup molds, and a 2mm diameter, 16mm high connecting post in the center of the suction cup mold connects the front end of the suction cup to the cavity structure.

[0006] The sealing structure employs a double-seal design, specifically as follows: The first part involves forming a sealing ring during the suction cup casting process to seal and protect the cavity. The second part involves using...

[0007] The trenches, 5×5×100mm in shape, are filled to form a cross-shaped structure during pouring.

[0008] The 5×5×100mm cross has two functions: first, it divides the entire suction cup into four independent sealing areas; second, it protects each cavity structure embedded in the upper mold and enhances the airtightness of the cavity structure. The second part is a hollow structure with a width of 2mm, a thickness of 5mm, and a length of 100mm set at the connection between the middle mold and the upper mold. The middle mold and the upper mold are connected by a gasket through a threaded structure, which serves as the outermost layer of sealing protection.

[0009] In addition, the upper mold is provided with a connection port for the pipeline. The connection port communicates with the cavity of each suction cup, and the size of the connection port is selected according to the size of the connecting pipeline.

[0010] Compared with existing technologies, this invention embeds the main structure of silicone rubber into a metal frame structure, exposing only the suction cup structure, forming a biomimetic suction cup with a metal box encasing the silicone rubber, thus enhancing the durability of the biomimetic suction cup. Simultaneously, each suction cup has a cavity structure, isolated from each other, improving operability and reducing mutual interference. A steel cover plate seals the suction cup cavity structure, with an interface connecting each cavity structure. The pipeline connects directly to the steel interface, solving the problem of connecting rigid pipelines to soft silicone rubber. Furthermore, the suction cups are designed as independent sealed cavities, possessing greater suction force. The connecting pipe at the top provides connection points for subsequent intelligent design, facilitating individual control of the suction cups, enhancing suction flexibility, and simultaneously solving the problems of weak bonding between silicone rubber and the metal frame structure, as well as poor sealing between pipelines and silicone rubber suction cups. Its structure is simple, sturdy and durable, easy to operate, and convenient to assemble and maintain. Based on the biomimetic suction cup structure, it is further optimized by casting the biomimetic suction cup into a metal frame to form an integrated underwater adsorption workpiece. It has the advantages of being sturdy and durable, easy to operate, and convenient to assemble and maintain, providing technical support for the design and development of marine equipment. Attached image description:

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the cover plate mold involved in the present invention.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the cover plate mold involved in the present invention.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the upper mold involved in the present invention.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the upper mold involved in the present invention.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the mold involved in this invention.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the mold involved in the present invention.

[0017] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the suction cup mold involved in the present invention.

[0018] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the suction cup mold involved in the present invention.

[0019] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the lower mold involved in the present invention.

[0020] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the lower mold involved in the present invention.

[0021] Figure 11 The image shows a physical view of the underwater adsorption workpiece prepared according to the present invention; wherein, A is an overall view, B is a bottom view, and C is a top view. Specific implementation methods:

[0022] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0023] Example 1:

[0024] The main structure of the underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold involved in this embodiment includes a cover plate mold 1, an upper mold 2, a middle mold 3, a suction cup mold 4, and a lower mold 5. The main structure of the cover plate mold 1 is as follows: Figure 1-2 As shown, the top is provided with a self-contained tube 11 formed by stretching a 6mm outer diameter and a 4mm inner diameter ring by 10mm. Several 3mm diameter cover plate stud holes 12 are evenly spaced along the edges, and a 5mm×5mm×100mm cross-shaped cover plate groove 13 is provided in the middle; the main structure of the upper mold 2 is as follows... Figure 3-4 As shown, the upper mold includes four flat surfaces 21 with sides of 2.5mm forming an upper mold groove 22. An upper mold cylinder 23 with a diameter of 16mm and a height of 10mm is mounted on the platform 21. The main structure of the middle mold 3 is as follows: Figure 5-6 As shown, four central mold grooves 31, each 44mm in diameter and 2mm deep, are provided in the middle, and several central mold stud holes 32, each 3mm in diameter, are provided at equal intervals along the edges; the main structure of the suction cup mold 4 is as follows. Figure 7-8 As shown, a suction cup cylinder 41 with a diameter of 2mm and a height of 10mm is provided in the middle; the main structure of the lower mold 5 is as follows. Figure 9-10 As shown, a groove 51 with a diameter of 44 mm and a depth of 2 mm is provided.

[0025] When the underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold involved in this embodiment is used, the cover plate mold 1 and the 3D printed middle mold 3, as well as the sealing gasket placed between them, are fixed through the stud hole 12 to form a sealed space. The stud hole 32 of the middle mold provides a position for fixing the cover plate mold 1.

[0026] The suction cup mold 4 is embedded in the groove 51, and silicone rubber is poured to form a complete suction cup structure. The upper mold groove 22 divides the suction cup structure into four independent structures. During the pouring process, the cylinder 23 of the upper mold 2 forms a cavity structure, which is tightly combined with the cover plate mold 1 to enhance the adsorption strength of the suction cup structure. The cover plate groove 13 and the middle mold 3 form an embedded structure to protect the airtightness of the cavity structure.

[0027] During this process, the self-contained tube 11 provides a support point for the docking connection tube, the groove 31 of the middle mold provides a fixed position for the construction of the suction cup structure, and the suction cup cylinder 41 connects the adsorption front end to the cavity structure, providing feasibility assistance for the self-contained tube 11.

Claims

1. A mold for preparing workpieces by underwater adsorption, the main structure comprising a cavity structure and a sealing structure, characterized in that, The cavity structure includes an upper mold, a middle mold, a lower mold, and a suction cup mold. The upper mold consists of an upper flat plate structure and four independent cavities formed by the four suction cups in the lower part. The lower part of the middle mold uses a grooved joint to embed the suction cup mold. The lower mold and the suction cup mold are combined and cast together to form the suction cup. The lower mold has a groove, and the suction cup mold has a connecting post in the center. The sealing structure adopts a double sealing design: the first part is that a sealing ring is formed during the suction cup casting process to seal and protect the cavity. On the upper mold, a cross-shaped groove is used for filling. The second part is that a hollow structure is set at the connection between the middle mold and the upper mold. A gasket is used to connect the middle mold and the upper mold through a threaded structure. The main structure includes a cover plate mold. The top of the cover plate mold is set with a self-contained tube formed by stretching a 6mm outer diameter and 4mm inner diameter ring by 10mm. Several cover plate stud holes with a diameter of 3mm are set at equal intervals along the edge. A 5mm×5mm×100mm cross-shaped cover plate groove is set in the middle.

2. The underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flat plate structure is a 5mm thick platform with a 5mm×5mm square hole in the middle. The 42.5×42.5×5mm flat plate in the cavity corresponds to the position of four suction cups. A cylinder with a thickness of 5mm and a diameter of 16mm is set at the position of each of the four suction cups. The cylinder forms a cavity during the casting process. After sealing, it forms an independent chamber for the suction cup.

3. The underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The suction cup mold has a diameter of 44mm and a height of 16mm.

4. The underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross has two functions: first, it divides the entire suction cup into four independent sealing areas; second, it protects each cavity structure embedded in the upper mold.

5. A mold for preparing underwater adsorption workpieces according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The upper mold is equipped with a connection port for the pipeline, which is connected to the cavity of each suction cup.

6. The underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold according to claim 5, characterized in that, The main structure of the upper mold consists of four platforms with a side length of 2.5mm forming an upper mold groove, and an upper mold cylinder with a diameter of 16mm and a height of 10mm is set on the platform.

7. The underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold according to claim 5, characterized in that, The middle mold has four grooves with a diameter of 44mm and a depth of 2mm, and several stud holes with a diameter of 3mm are evenly spaced along the edge.

8. The underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold according to claim 5, characterized in that, The suction cup mold has a suction cup cylinder with a diameter of 2mm and a height of 10mm in the middle.

9. The underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold according to claim 5, characterized in that, The lower mold has a groove with a diameter of 44mm and a depth of 2mm.

10. The underwater adsorption workpiece preparation mold according to claim 5, characterized in that, In use, the cover plate mold is fixed to the 3D printed middle mold and the sealing gasket placed between them through the stud holes to form a sealed space; The suction cup mold is embedded in the groove, and silicone rubber is poured to form a complete suction cup structure. The grooves of the upper mold divide the suction cup structure into four independent structures. During the pouring process, the cylinder forms a cavity structure, and the grooves of the cover plate and the middle mold form an embedded structure.

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