An underwater connector protection assembly

Abstract

The application provides a protection assembly of an underwater connector, which is used in cooperation with external cables and connectors. The protection assembly comprises a protection box, the inside of which is hollow to form a containing cavity for containing the connector, and the two ends of the protection box are open; two mounting plates are arranged at the two ends of the protection box and can be slidably mounted on the inner walls of the openings, the mounting plates are used for connecting the external cables, and the cables on the two mounting plates are connected through the connector in the containing cavity; a support column is arranged in the protection box, and the two mounting plates are respectively connected to the two ends of the support column and can slide along the axial direction of the support column relative to the support column, and a closed cavity is formed between the inner wall of the protection box and the two mounting plates; the protection box is filled with medium oil, and the mounting plates can slide along the axial direction of the support column under the action of the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the protection box to change the volume of the cavity so that the pressure inside and outside the protection box is balanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of connector technology, and more specifically to an underwater connector protection component. Background Technology

[0002] The description in this section provides only background information related to the disclosure of this invention and does not constitute prior art.

[0003] With the continuous development of electrical connectors, their functions are constantly being improved. The functions of petroleum-related electrical connectors are particularly complex. In the petroleum environment field, the most important performance requirements for underwater electrical connectors are airtightness, watertightness, and resistance to environmental oil pressure / water-oil mixture pressure.

[0004] Underwater connectors are used to connect cables. Existing underwater connectors are installed inside a protective enclosure to isolate the enclosure from oil or water in the external environment. To balance the pressure inside and outside the enclosure, the enclosure is filled with a medium of oil.

[0005] However, when the temperature of the underwater environment changes, the oil pressure inside the protective box changes accordingly, but the pressure outside the protective box remains basically unchanged. This leads to an imbalance in pressure between the inside and outside of the protective box, which can easily cause gaps due to pressure, affecting the sealing effect. Seawater entering the protective box can easily corrode the underwater connector.

[0006] It should be noted that the above description of the technical background is only for the purpose of providing a clear and complete explanation of the technical solutions of the present invention and facilitating understanding by those skilled in the art. It should not be assumed that the above technical solutions are known to those skilled in the art simply because they have been described in the background section of this invention. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an underwater connector protection component to solve the problem of pressure imbalance inside and outside the protective box.

[0008] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a protective assembly for an underwater connector, used in conjunction with external cables and connectors. The protective assembly includes: a protective housing with a hollow interior forming a receiving cavity for accommodating the connector; both ends of the protective housing are open; two mounting plates are disposed at both ends of the protective housing and slidably mounted on the inner walls of the openings; the mounting plates are used to connect external cables, and the cables on the two mounting plates are connected via a connector within the receiving cavity; a support column is disposed within the protective housing, and the two mounting plates are respectively connected to both ends of the support column and can slide relative to the support column along its axial direction; a sealed cavity is formed between the inner wall of the protective housing and the two mounting plates; the protective housing is filled with a medium oil, and the mounting plates, under the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the protective housing, can slide along the support column... The axial sliding of the column changes the volume of the cavity to balance the internal and external pressures of the protective box. The mounting plate has mounting holes for mounting the support column. The support column has necks with reduced diameters at both ends. These necks are inserted into the mounting holes. Under the pressure difference between the internal and external pressures of the protective box, the mounting plate can slide along the necks. A stepped surface is formed at the bottom of the neck, which acts as a barrier against the inner surface of the mounting plate. Screws are threaded to both ends of the support column, with the screw heads located on the outer side of the mounting plate, thus preventing the mounting plate from detaching from the support column. The mounting plate has an oil injection hole and an oil outlet hole, which are sealed with oil plugs. When oil is injected into the protective box, the oil pressure inside the protective box is greater than the pressure of the external environment.

[0009] Preferably, the protective assembly further includes a fixing frame for mounting the protective housing. The fixing frame includes retaining rings respectively fitted on both ends of the protective housing. One end of the retaining ring has a retaining edge extending toward the central axis of the protective housing. The protective housing is fixed between the two retaining edges. The edge of the retaining edge extends beyond the side wall of the protective housing and acts as a block for the mounting plate, limiting the two mounting plates between the two retaining edges.

[0010] Preferably, the inner wall of the protective box is further provided with two protruding rings, which are respectively located at both ends of the protective box and between the two mounting plates. The protruding rings can limit the mounting plates.

[0011] Preferably, the number of support columns is one, the protective box is a cylindrical structure, the mounting plate is a circular structure, the support column is located on the central axis of the protective box, and the mounting plate can rotate around the support column.

[0012] Preferably, the number of support columns is at least two.

[0013] Preferably, the screw has an annular sealing groove circumferentially formed on its sidewall, and a sealing ring is installed in the sealing groove. The screw is sealed to the inner wall of the mounting hole by the sealing ring. The support column has an annular sealing groove circumferentially formed on its neck, and a sealing ring is installed in the sealing groove. The sidewall of the support column is sealed to the inner wall of the mounting hole by the sealing ring. The sealing ring 1 and the sealing ring 2 form a double-layer sealing ring.

[0014] Preferably, the side wall of the mounting plate is provided with a sealing groove three along the circumferential direction, and a sealing ring three is installed in the sealing groove three. The mounting plate is sealed to the side wall of the protective box through the sealing ring three.

[0015] By employing the above technical solutions, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The underwater connector protection assembly of this invention allows for axial displacement of the mounting plates at both ends of the protective housing under the influence of internal and external pressure differences. The distance between the mounting plates can vary, thereby altering the volume of the internal cavity of the protective housing. This balances the pressure inside and outside the housing, preventing gaps caused by pressure imbalance and ensuring the sealing effect of the protective assembly. It also prevents seawater from entering the housing and corroding the connector. The support pillar limits the minimum distance between the two mounting plates, preventing excessive compression that could cause wires to become entangled inside the housing. When there is only one support pillar, the mounting plate can rotate relative to it, effectively mitigating cable twisting and protecting external cables from damage. When there are multiple support pillars, the two mounting plates cannot rotate relative to each other, thus protecting the connector wires from twisting. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the underwater connector protection assembly of this application.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of the underwater connector protection assembly of this application.

[0018] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the AA direction.

[0019] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of part B in the middle section.

[0020] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of part C in the middle.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater connector protection assembly according to another embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A magnified view of part D in the middle.

[0023] The components include: 1. Protective housing; 2. Mounting plate; 3. Fixing bracket; 4. Support column; 5. Cable 1; 6. Oil filling hole / oil outlet hole; 7. Connector; 8. Cable 2; 9. Sealing ring 1; 10. Sealing ring 2; 41. Screw; 11. Raised ring; 13. Sealing ring 3; 31. Edge retainer. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only for descriptive purposes and to distinguish similar objects; there is no order between them, nor should they be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Furthermore, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0026] like Figure 1-3 As shown, the underwater connector protection assembly of this application includes: a protective housing 1 for accommodating a connector 7; two mounting plates 2 respectively disposed at both ends of the protective housing 1, the mounting plates 2 being used to install cables, the cables on the two mounting plates 2 being connected through the connector 7 inside the protective housing 1; and a support column disposed inside the protective housing 1, the two mounting plates 2 being respectively connected to both ends of the support column. The interior of the protective housing 1 is a sealed cavity, and the mounting plates 2 can slide along the axial direction of the support column under the action of the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the protective housing 1.

[0027] The protective housing 1 is filled with medium oil. The mounting plate 2 has an oil injection hole 6 and an oil outlet hole 6, which can be sealed with oil plugs. When injecting oil into the protective housing 1, the oil pressure inside the housing 1 is ensured to be greater than the external environmental pressure, exhibiting a certain pressure difference, typically less than 0.5 MPa. When the protective housing 1 is placed in water, the high pressure inside the housing prevents external water from seeping into or entering the housing. In deep water conditions, the external water pressure compresses the sliding block, causing it to move inward. The high internal pressure controls the movement distance of the mounting plate 2.

[0028] The mounting plate 2 has a sealing groove 3 along its circumferential direction on its side wall, and a sealing ring 3 13 is installed in the sealing groove 3. The mounting plate 2 is sealed to the side wall of the protective box 1 by the sealing ring 3 13.

[0029] like Figure 4 As shown in the illustration, in one embodiment of this application, the mounting plate 2 has mounting holes for mounting support columns. The support columns 4 have necks with reduced diameters at both ends. These necks are inserted into the mounting holes. A second annular sealing groove is formed along the circumference of each neck, and a second sealing ring 10 is installed within the second sealing groove. The sidewalls of the support columns are sealed to the inner wall of the mounting holes via the second sealing ring 10. The mounting plate 2 can slide along the neck under the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the protective housing 1.

[0030] The bottom of the neck forms a stepped surface, which can block the inner surface of the mounting plate 2, limit the minimum limit distance between the two mounting plates 2 during the movement of the two mounting plates 2, so that the space between the two mounting plates 2 is not excessively compressed, and prevent the underwater connector 7 lines from getting tangled due to excessive compression.

[0031] The support column has screws 41 at both ends, which are threaded to the ends of the support column 4. A ring-shaped sealing groove is formed circumferentially on the side wall of the screw 41, and a sealing ring 9 is installed within the sealing groove. The screw 41 seals against the inner wall of the mounting hole through the sealing ring 9, forming a double-layer sealing ring with the sealing ring 9. The head of the screw 41 is located outside the mounting plate 2, which acts as a barrier against excessive outward movement of the mounting plate 2, preventing it from detaching from the support column and limiting the maximum distance between the two mounting plates 2.

[0032] Mounting plate 2 is positioned between the head of screw 41 and the stepped surface of support column 4. Under the action of internal and external pressure difference, mounting plates 2 at both ends of the protective box can have a certain axial displacement, and the distance between mounting plates 2 at both ends can change, thereby changing the volume of the internal cavity of the protective box and adjusting the internal and external pressure of the protective box.

[0033] The protective assembly also includes a fixing frame 3, on which the protective housing 1 is mounted. The fixing frame 3 is fixed to other equipment by fastening screws 41. The fixing frame 3 includes retaining rings respectively fitted at both ends of the protective housing 1. One end of each retaining ring has a retaining edge 31 extending towards the central axis of the protective housing 1. The protective housing 1 is fixed between the two retaining edges 31. The edges of the retaining edges 31 extend beyond the side wall of the protective housing 1, blocking the mounting plates 2 and limiting the two mounting plates 2 between the two retaining edges 31, preventing the mounting plates 2 from detaching from the protective housing 1.

[0034] like Figure 6 and 7As shown, the inner wall of the protective box 1 is also provided with two protruding rings 11. The two protruding rings 11 are respectively located at both ends of the protective box 1, and the two mounting plates 2 are respectively located on the outside of the two protruding rings 11. When the mounting plates 2 move inside the protective box under the action of internal and external pressure, the protruding rings 11 can block the mounting plates 2 and limit the mounting plates 2 to prevent the mounting plates 2 from falling off the protective box 1.

[0035] In one embodiment, there is one support column. The protective box 1 is a cylindrical structure, and the mounting plate 2 is a circular structure. The support column is located on the central axis of the protective box 1. The mounting plate 2 can rotate around the support column, and the mounting plates 2 at both ends can rotate relative to each other. When the cable is twisted, the cable will drive the mounting plate 2 to rotate around the support column. This rotational movement can effectively alleviate the twisting phenomenon of the cable, thereby protecting the external cable from damage.

[0036] In another embodiment, there are at least two support columns. The mounting plate 2 can only move axially relative to the support columns, and the two mounting plates 2 cannot rotate relative to each other. This protects the wires of the internal connector 7 from twisting. In practical applications, the number of support columns can be selected as needed.

[0037] The above-described embodiments are merely preferred embodiments provided to fully illustrate the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the present invention are all within the scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A protective assembly for an underwater connector, used in conjunction with an external cable and connector, characterized in that, The protective components include: The protective housing has a hollow interior forming a cavity for accommodating the connector, and both ends of the protective housing are open. Two mounting plates are located at both ends of the protective enclosure and are slidably mounted on the inner wall of the opening. The mounting plates are used to connect external cables, and the cables on the two mounting plates are connected through connectors inside the receiving cavity. A support column is housed within the protective enclosure. Two mounting plates are respectively connected to both ends of the support column and can slide relative to the support column along its axial direction. The inner wall of the protective enclosure and the two mounting plates form a sealed cavity; The protective housing is filled with medium oil. Under the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the protective housing, the mounting plate can slide along the axial direction of the support column to change the volume of the cavity so that the internal and external pressures of the protective housing can be balanced. The mounting plate is provided with mounting holes for mounting support columns. The support column has necks at both ends with reduced diameters. These necks are inserted into the mounting holes. Under the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the protective housing, the mounting plate can slide along the necks. The bottom of the necks forms a stepped surface, which acts as a barrier against the inner surface of the mounting plate. The support column has screws threaded to both ends, with the screw heads located on the outer side of the mounting plate. These screws act as a barrier against the outer surface of the mounting plate, preventing the mounting plate from detaching from the support column. The mounting plate is provided with an oil filling hole and an oil outlet hole, which are sealed with oil plugs. When oil is injected into the protective housing, the oil pressure inside the protective housing is greater than the pressure of the external environment. The protective assembly also includes a mounting bracket for installing the protective housing, and the inner wall of the protective housing is provided with two protruding rings.

2. The protective component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixing frame includes retaining rings respectively fitted on both ends of the protective box. One end of the retaining ring has a retaining edge extending towards the central axis of the protective box. The protective box is fixed between the two retaining edges. The edge of the retaining edge extends beyond the side wall of the protective box and acts as a block for the mounting plate, limiting the two mounting plates between the two retaining edges.

3. The protective component according to claim 1, characterized in that, Two protruding rings are respectively located at both ends of the protective box and between the two mounting plates. The protruding rings can limit the mounting plates.

4. The protective component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of support columns is one, the protective box is a cylindrical structure, the mounting plate is a circular structure, the support column is located on the central axis of the protective box, and the mounting plate can rotate around the support column.

5. The protective component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of support columns is at least two.

6. The protective component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The screw has an annular sealing groove circumferentially formed on its sidewall, and a sealing ring is installed in the sealing groove. The screw is sealed to the inner wall of the mounting hole through the sealing ring. The support column has an annular sealing groove circumferentially formed on its neck, and a sealing ring is installed in the sealing groove. The sidewall of the support column is sealed to the inner wall of the mounting hole through the sealing ring. The sealing ring 1 and the sealing ring 2 form a double sealing ring.

7. The protective component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting plate has a sealing groove three along its circumferential direction on its side wall, and a sealing ring three is installed in the sealing groove three. The mounting plate is sealed to the side wall of the protective box through the sealing ring three.

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