A manta ray-like submersible based on solar energy capture

Abstract

The application discloses a manta ray diving device based on solar energy trapping, and belongs to the field of bionic underwater vehicles. The diving device comprises a fish-shaped main body, bionic pectoral fins arranged on both sides of the fish-shaped main body, a tail fin arranged at the tail of the fish-shaped main body, an autonomous energy trapping module, an energy storage module arranged in the fish-shaped main body, a buoyancy system, a center of mass system and a control system. The bionic pectoral fins are main-passive deformation flapping wings, which comprise an active motion module and a passive deformation module connected with the active motion module, and the overall deformation capacity of the flapping wings is increased through the connection relationship. The tail fin comprises a rotating driving component, the rotating driving component is used for controlling the rotation of the tail fin around the central axis of the fish-shaped main body, and the adjustment of the deflection angle of the tail fin is realized. The normal operation of various power-consuming devices of the diving device is ensured through the autonomous energy trapping and energy storage. The diving device adopts the main-passive deformation flapping wings and the independently driven tail fin, the motion state of the diving device in water can be quickly changed, and the maneuverability of the diving device is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of biomimetic underwater vehicles, specifically relating to a manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting. Background Technology

[0002] Manta rays employ pectoral fin flapping and low-energy gliding motions, exhibiting multiple movement modes including surface floating, bow gliding, flapping wing maneuvers, and benthic dwelling, while also possessing advantages such as stability, payload adaptability, and long range. Furthermore, the complex marine environment can provide abundant potential energy sources for biomimetic submersibles, including solar energy, thermal energy conversion, and ocean current energy.

[0003] Existing underwater biomimetic vehicles employ a multi-finned pectoral fin and a tandem articulated tail fin structure, enabling the vehicle to simultaneously possess high steering maneuverability and high pitch maneuverability. In this technology, the pectoral and tail fins are integrated, significantly reducing the contribution of the tail fin to the vehicle's movement. Furthermore, the biomimetic pectoral fins exhibit only active deformation and lack passive deformation.

[0004] Existing technologies disclose wave-energy-powered autonomous vehicles that connect to a propeller via a gearbox. These vehicles convert and output the elastic potential energy stored in a power spring to drive the propeller, enabling long-distance autonomous underwater navigation. However, this technology is constrained by the marine environment, and the endurance power stored in the form of elastic potential energy cannot be stored for extended periods, thus limiting its range.

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention proposes a submersible that breaks through traditional application methods. Based on the biological structure and behavioral characteristics of manta rays, and integrating autonomous marine energy harvesting technology, this invention has developed a manta ray-inspired submersible with multiple operational modes, including surface-floating energy harvesting relay, bow-gliding wide-area monitoring, flapping motion high-precision detection, and benthic dwelling fixed-point detection. This meets the monitoring application requirements of surface-to-bottom coverage and long-term self-sufficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem to be solved:

[0007] To overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting. Through autonomous energy harvesting and storage, it ensures the normal operation of all power-consuming components. The submersible employs actively and passively deformable flapping pectoral fins and an independently driven tail fin, enabling it to rapidly change its underwater motion and improving its maneuverability. This invention solves the problems of poor maneuverability and limited travel time in existing technologies.

[0008] The technical solution of the present invention is: a manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting, comprising a fish-shaped main body, biomimetic pectoral fins located on both sides of the fish-shaped main body, a tail fin located at the tail of the fish-shaped main body, an autonomous energy harvesting module, and an energy storage module, a buoyancy system, a center of mass system, and a control system located inside the fish-shaped main body;

[0009] The biomimetic pectoral fin is a passive deformable flapping wing, which includes an active motion module and a passive deformation module that is linked to the active motion module. The overall deformation capability of the flapping wing is increased through the linkage relationship.

[0010] The caudal fin includes a rotation drive component, which controls the rotation of the caudal fin around the central axis of the fish-shaped body to adjust the caudal fin deflection angle.

[0011] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the bionic pectoral fin includes a drive module and a pectoral fin main skeleton module for performing actions. The drive module controls the pectoral fin main skeleton module to rotate around a vertical direction perpendicular to the symmetry plane of the fish-shaped main body, thereby achieving overall pitch control; the drive module controls the pectoral fin main skeleton to flap up and down, thereby completing the flapping or gliding posture control of the pectoral fin.

[0012] The main skeleton module of the pectoral fin forms the support of the bionic pectoral fin. Its active motion module is controlled by the drive module to complete the action, and its passive deformation module is linked with the active motion module in a variable form to complete the deformation control of the pectoral fin posture.

[0013] A further technical solution of the present invention is as follows: the pectoral fin main skeleton module includes a motor mounting frame as a root support, a flexible skeleton shape-conserving plate as an upper and lower surface support, a flapping fin trunk as a spanwise support, and a flexible end fin plate located at the end of the flapping fin trunk extending in the direction of extension; the flapping fin trunk is located between the motor mounting frame and the end fin plate, and multiple flapping fin skeletons are arranged parallel to each other along the spanwise direction on its outer periphery; the roots of the two skeleton shape-conserving plates are symmetrically hinged to the opposite sides of the motor mounting frame, the ends are hinged to the roots of the end fin plates, and the middle parts are respectively hinged to the two sides of each flapping fin skeleton.

[0014] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the drive module includes a pitch drive unit for controlling pitch motion and a roll drive unit for controlling roll motion;

[0015] The pitch drive unit is mounted on the side wall of the fish-shaped body via the pectoral fin molded plate. It includes a pitch motion motor. The output shaft of the pitch motion motor is connected to the motor mounting bracket via a transmission assembly. The motor mounting bracket is used to drive the motor mounting bracket to rotate around the output shaft of the transmission assembly. That is, the entire pectoral fin skeleton module rotates around an axis perpendicular to the pectoral fin molded plate, thereby realizing the control of the overall pitch motion.

[0016] The roll drive unit includes a roll motion motor, which is mounted on a motor mounting bracket. Its output shaft is connected to the root of the flapping fin main body through a motor adapter, and is used to drive the flapping fin main body to swing vertically along the submersible. At the same time, the frame shaping plate, multiple flapping fin frames, and end fin plates are deformed under the drive of the flapping fin main body, thus completing the deformation of the pectoral fin main frame module and realizing the deformation of the pectoral fin.

[0017] A further technical solution of the present invention is: a flexible lithium battery is provided along the inner edge of the pectoral fin, and the flexible lithium battery is a wave-shaped stress-resistant lithium battery.

[0018] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the biomimetic pectoral fin is wrapped with a flexible skin.

[0019] A further technical solution of the present invention is: the caudal fin is connected to the tail of the fish-shaped body through a caudal fin support plate, including a caudal fin plate as support, a caudal fin shaping plate installed around the caudal fin plate, a rotating shaft located on the central axis of the caudal fin, and a driving component for driving the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is connected to the caudal fin plate through a caudal fin adapter plate and is used to transmit the rotational torque of the driving component to the caudal fin plate to realize the change of the caudal fin posture.

[0020] A further technical solution of the present invention is: it also includes a security system, the security system comprising a servo motor, a security crank, a security connecting rod, a security guide rod, a lead block support plate, and a lead block, which are sequentially connected to the output end of the servo motor. The servo motor is mounted on the support plate via a servo motor mounting plate, and the security guide rod is mounted on the support plate via a bearing seat. The servo motor drives the security crank to rotate, and the security crank drives the security guide rod to move axially via the security connecting rod, causing the security guide rod to detach from the lead block support plate, thereby throwing out the lead block to reduce the weight of the submersible and enable it to float.

[0021] A further technical solution of the present invention is as follows: the fish-shaped main body includes a head and a main body trunk. The head is equipped with a forward-looking sonar, a camera, and a light source, and is located at the front of the main body trunk. The main body trunk contains a battery compartment, a center of mass system, and a buoyancy system. The buoyancy system and the center of mass system are installed front and rear on the central axis of the main body trunk. The buoyancy system is used to adjust the submersible's ascent or descent in an adaptive manner. The center of mass system adjusts the attitude and position of the center of mass based on the movement of the buoyancy system, thereby controlling the movement of the submersible. The battery installed in the battery compartment is the main power source for the submersible. At the same time, when the submersible is floating on the water surface, it captures solar energy through an autonomous energy harvesting module and stores it in the lithium battery to meet the overall power supply needs of the submersible.

[0022] A further technical solution of the present invention is as follows: the energy storage module includes a conventional lithium battery in the battery section, a flexible lithium battery in the pectoral fin, and a multi-level distributed energy storage system. The multi-level distributed energy storage system is composed of a power layer, a high-voltage capacity layer, a low-voltage capacity layer, and an emergency layer in parallel. The power layer is used to provide energy for the buoyancy hydraulic system, the high-voltage capacity layer provides energy for 24VDC electrical equipment other than the hydraulic system, the low-voltage capacity layer supplies power to equipment with a working voltage of 12VDC and below, and the emergency layer is a 12VDC power type power supply. This power supply is activated after the main power supply fails and can provide power to the load release module, communication positioning module, and control system for a short period of time through voltage conversion.

[0023] Beneficial effects

[0024] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention combines flexible components with conventional lithium batteries to achieve distributed energy harvesting, meeting the energy gap in battery capacity during self-sustaining time and increasing the submersible's energy storage capacity. Roll and pitch motors drive the bionic pectoral fin module to flap, enabling the submersible to swim. Changing the tail fin's attitude during swimming allows for rapid ascent and descent, giving the submersible excellent maneuverability. A camera and light source are mounted on the head to capture real-time footage of the submersible's operations. The tail fin module has a vertical fin, with an antenna installed inside. This submersible employs a combination of pectoral fin maneuvering and gliding, possessing multiple motion modes such as surface floating, bow gliding, flapping wing maneuvering, and benthic dwelling. Compared to traditional submersibles, it offers advantages such as stability, payload adaptability, and long range.

[0025] Specifically, the present invention designs such as Figure 4 The diagram illustrates an active and passive deformable flapping wing based on the fin-shooting effect. Its pitch motor drives the flapping wing in pitch motion, and its roll motor drives it in roll motion; these two motions constitute active deformation. As the flapping wing backbone rotates upward or downward driven by the motor adapter, the distance between the upper and lower flexible frame conformal plates decreases, causing the multi-stage flapping wing frame to tilt, thereby increasing the deformation of the flexible frame conformal plates. When the flapping wing reaches its highest or lowest point, the end fins undergo passive deformation under the influence of inertia and hydrodynamic forces, thus increasing the degree of deformation at the flapping wing tip; this is the manifestation of passive flapping wing deformation.

[0026] This invention designs such as Figure 5 The tail fin module shown has a servo motor that drives a rotary shaft. The tail fin adapter plate is connected to the rotary shaft, and the tail fin fin plate and tail fin conformal plate are connected to the tail fin adapter plate. Therefore, the rotation of the rotary shaft drives the rotation of the other components, thereby realizing the movement of the tail fin section. Changes in the tail fin's attitude allow the vehicle to quickly ascend and descend, greatly improving its maneuverability.

[0027] To address the long-term energy supply challenge, this invention designs multiple lithium battery pack charging modes, combining flexible and conventional lithium batteries to achieve distributed energy harvesting and storage. First, the energy storage system's batteries convert chemical energy into electrical energy. Power-consuming components such as the main controller, solenoid valves, and sensors consume electrical energy to maintain the normal operation of the entire system. The heat generated by these components converts electrical energy into heat energy, which is dissipated during the heat exchange between the submersible and the surrounding seawater. The submersible's energy harvesting system utilizes photovoltaics to reverse-harvest energy and convert it into chemical energy for the energy storage system. For example... Figure 7 It demonstrates the energy flow during the operation of the submersible. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is an overall external view of the submersible;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a diagram of the internal structure of the submersible's main body;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a diagram of the submersible's head structure;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of a biomimetic pectoral fin module;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the tail fin module;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a diagram of the security system structure;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the energy flow of a submersible;

[0035] Figure 8 It involves simulation calculations of bending stress in flexible batteries under different structures and actual battery bending tests.

[0036] Figure 9 This is a simplified schematic diagram of an active and passive deformable flapping wing based on the fin-shooting effect.

[0037] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1-End cap; 2-Straight cylinder; 3-Buoyancy system; 4-Center of gravity system; 5-Clamp; 6-Safety system; 7-Servo; 8-Tail fin adapter plate; 9-Rotation shaft; 10-Tail fin support plate; 11-Side profile; 12-Buoyancy block; 13-Servo mounting plate; 14-Safety crank; 15-Safety bearing housing; 16-Safety guide rod; 17-Support plate; 18-Lead block support plate; 19-Lead block; 20-Safety connecting rod; 21-Tail fin plate; 22-Frame profile plate; 23-Flapping wing frame; 24-Pectoral fin profile plate; 25-Roll motion motor ; 26-Pitch motor; 27-Motor adapter; 28-Forward-looking sonar; 29-Camera and light source; 30-Caudal fin plate; 31-Caudal fin conformal plate; 32-Sonar array; 33-Antenna; 34-Temperature, salinity and depth gauge; 35-Upper plate of main body; 36-Head; 37-Bionic pectoral fin; 38-Upright fin; 39-Lower plate of main body; 40-Flapping wing main body; 41-Connecting rod; 42-First roller bearing; 43-Second roller bearing; 44-Active bevel gear; 45-Passive bevel gear; 46-Motor mounting bracket; 47-Flexible lithium battery; 48-Control system. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the invention, and should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0039] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0040] Addressing the issues of poor maneuverability and insufficient endurance in existing underwater vehicles due to the inability of the tail fin to independently change attitude, this invention provides a manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting. The submersible comprises a fish-shaped main body, biomimetic pectoral fins on either side of the main body, a tail fin at the tail end, an autonomous energy harvesting module, and an energy storage module, buoyancy system, center of mass system, and control system located within the main body. The biomimetic pectoral fins are actively and passively deformable flapping wings, including an active motion module and a passive deformation module linked to the active motion module, increasing the overall deformability of the flapping wings through this linkage. The tail fin includes a rotation drive component, which controls the tail fin to rotate around the central axis of the main body, adjusting the tail fin's deflection angle. The energy storage module's battery converts chemical energy into electrical energy, and the main control system, sensors, motors, and other power-consuming components consume electrical energy to maintain the normal operation of the entire system. In addition to the batteries, the upper plate of the main body can absorb solar energy. When the submersible floats on the water, it can capture and store solar energy. High-performance, flexible, shaped lithium batteries are distributed on the flapping wing main body. This submersible adopts a movement mode that combines pectoral fin maneuvering and gliding, and has multiple movement modes such as floating on the water surface, bow gliding, flapping wing maneuvering, and bottom dwelling. Compared with traditional submersibles, it has advantages such as stability, payload adaptability, and long range.

[0041] This invention breaks through the conventional design concepts and application methods of deep-sea equipment. Using the manta ray as a biomimetic model, it develops a new concept of biomimetic submersible by referencing its biological tissue structure and behavioral characteristics. Its functionality is also very close to that of a real manta ray. Through autonomous energy harvesting and flexible energy storage, the submersible's long-term self-sufficiency is enhanced. (Refer to...) Figure 1 As shown, this invention proposes a manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting, mainly comprising four modules: head, main body, bionic pectoral fins, and tail fins. The submersible has a symmetrical layout, with the head located at the front of the main body and connected to it via set screws. The bionic pectoral fins on both sides are symmetrically distributed about the body and connected to the main body via pectoral fin conformal plates, serving as the main propulsion source for the submersible. The tail fin is located at the tail of the main body and connected to it via a tail fin support plate, providing additional propulsion while also changing the submersible's attitude for surfacing or diving.

[0042] Reference Figure 2As shown, the main body includes an upper plate 35 and a lower plate 39. Inside the main body are an end cap 1, a straight cylinder 2, a buoyancy system 3, a center of mass system 4, a clamp 5, a security system 6, a servo motor 7, a tail fin adapter plate 8, a tail fin support plate 10, a side shaping plate 11, a buoyancy block 12, and a control system 48. The buoyancy system 3 and the center of mass system 4 are installed on the central axis of the main body and fixed to the main body by the clamp 5. The control system 48 is located at the end of the buoyancy system 3 and the center of mass system 4. The buoyancy system 3 is used to adaptively adjust the submersible's ascent or descent. The center of mass system 4 adjusts the attitude and position of the center of mass based on the buoyancy system's movements, thereby controlling the submersible's actions. The straight cylinder 2 and the end cap 1 at its open end constitute the battery compartment, located on both sides of the buoyancy system 3 and the center of mass system 4. The batteries installed inside are the main power source for the submersible. Simultaneously, when the submersible is floating on the water surface, it captures solar energy through an autonomous energy harvesting module and stores it in the lithium battery to meet the overall power supply needs of the submersible. The security system 6 is located behind the center of mass system 4. The buoyancy block 12 is located at the outer edge of the main body and provides support for the sides of the main body through the side conformal 11. The tail fin adapter plate 8 is connected to the tail fin through a rotating shaft 9.

[0043] Reference Figure 3 As shown, the head of the fish-shaped main body is equipped with a forward-looking sonar 28, a camera and a light source 29, located at the front of the main body and connected to the main body by a locking screw.

[0044] The biomimetic pectoral fin is a flapping fin with both active and passive properties, possessing a fin-ray effect. It includes a drive module and a pectoral fin main skeleton module that performs the actions. The drive module controls the pectoral fin main skeleton module to rotate vertically around a plane of symmetry perpendicular to the fish-shaped main body, thereby controlling the overall pitch motion. The drive module also controls the up-and-down flapping of the pectoral fin main skeleton to complete the flapping or gliding posture control of the pectoral fin. The pectoral fin main skeleton module forms the support of the biomimetic pectoral fin. Its active motion module is controlled by the drive module to complete the actions, and its passive deformation module is linked with the variable form of the active motion module to complete the deformation control of the pectoral fin's posture.

[0045] The pectoral fin main skeleton module includes a motor mounting frame 46 as a root support, flexible skeleton shape-conserving plates 22 as upper and lower surface supports, a flapping wing trunk 40 as a spanwise support, and a flexible end fin plate 21 located at the end of the flapping wing trunk. The flapping wing trunk 40 is located between the motor mounting frame 46 and the end fin plate 21, and multiple flapping wing skeletons 23 are arranged parallel to each other along its spanwise periphery. The roots of the two skeleton shape-conserving plates 22 are symmetrically hinged to the opposite sides of the motor mounting frame 46, and the ends are hinged to the roots of the end fin plates 21. The middle parts are respectively hinged to the two sides of each flapping wing skeleton 23.

[0046] The drive module includes a pitch drive unit for controlling pitch motion and a roll drive unit for controlling roll motion. The pitch drive unit is mounted on the side wall of the fish-shaped main body via the pectoral fin conformal plate 24 and includes a pitch motor 26. The output shaft of the pitch motor 26 is connected to the motor mounting bracket 46 via a transmission assembly, which drives the motor mounting bracket 46 to rotate around the output shaft of the transmission assembly. That is, the entire pectoral fin main skeleton module rotates around an axis perpendicular to the pectoral fin conformal plate, thus achieving overall pitch motion control. The roll drive unit includes a roll motor 25, which is mounted on the motor mounting bracket 46. Its output shaft is connected to the root of the flapping fin main body 40 via a motor adapter 27, which drives the flapping fin main body 40 to swing vertically along the submersible. At the same time, the conformal plate 22, multiple flapping fin frames 23, and end fin plates 21 deform under the drive of the flapping fin main body, completing the deformation of the pectoral fin main skeleton module and thus realizing the deformation of the pectoral fin.

[0047] Specifically, refer to Figure 4As shown, the bionic pectoral fin module includes a pectoral fin conformal plate 24, a first to fourth stage flapping wing skeleton 23, a flexible skeleton conformal plate 22, an end fin plate 21, a roll motion motor 25, a pitch motion motor 26, a motor adapter 27, a flapping wing main body 40, a connecting rod 41, a first roller bearing 42, a second roller bearing 43, an active bevel gear 44, a passive bevel gear 45, and a motor mounting bracket 46. The pitch motor 24 is fixed to the pectoral fin conformal plate 24 via a mounting bracket. The driving bevel gear 44 is fixed to the output end of the pitch motor 26 and meshes with the driven bevel gear 45, the axis of which is perpendicular to the surface of the pectoral fin conformal plate 24. One end of the connecting rod 41 is rotatably connected to the pectoral fin conformal plate 24 via a first roller bearing 42, and the other end is coaxially mounted in the center hole of the driven bevel gear 45. The driven bevel gear 45 is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket for mounting the pitch motor 26 via a second roller bearing 43. The end of the connecting rod 41 passes through the center hole of the driven bevel gear 45 and is fixed in the limiting hole of the motor mounting bracket 46. The pitch motor 26 drives the driving bevel gear 44 to rotate, which in turn drives the driven bevel gear 45 and the connecting rod 41 to rotate, and simultaneously drives the motor mounting bracket 46 to rotate, thus completing the rotation control of the pectoral fin main frame module and achieving overall pitch motion control. The output end of the roll motion motor 25 is a motor adapter 27, which is fixed to the flapping wing main body 40. The end of the flapping wing main body 40 is a flexible end fin 21. One to four levels of flapping wing frames 23 are installed at equal intervals along the flapping wing main body 40. Simultaneously, there is a flexible frame shaping plate 22 above and below the flapping wing main body 40 to maintain the frame shape. The flexible frame shaping plate 22 is rotatably connected to the flapping wing frame 40. The roll motion motor 25 drives the motor adapter 27, which in turn drives the flapping wing main body 40 and the one to four levels of flapping wing frames 23 to rotate. During rotation, the flapping wing frame 23 tilts, and its center of rotation is the connection point between the flapping wing frame 23 and the flexible frame shaping plate 22. The tilting of the flapping wing frame 23 increases the deformation of the flexible frame shaping plate 22, thereby increasing the deformation of the flexible flapping wing skin under pure motor drive conditions. When the flapping fin reaches its highest or lowest point, because the flexible end fin 21 and the main flapping fin 40 are two separate components, the flexible end fin 21 will further bend under the influence of inertia and fluid, presenting an arc-shaped posture. According to existing research, real manta rays adopt this "arc-shaped gliding" posture to increase their swimming efficiency.

[0048] Reference Figure 9As shown, this embodiment employs a flexible flapping wing with both active and passive deformation to replicate the movement of a real manta ray as closely as possible, thereby improving the submersible's swimming efficiency. The active drive consists of a roll motor 25 driving the flapping wing backbone 40 to flap, and a pitch motor 26 achieving pitch motion. The passive deformation occurs when the flapping wing backbone 40 tilts during flapping, causing the flexible frame conformal plate 22 to deform, and the end fin 21 to passively deform under fluid forces, thus increasing the overall deformation of the flapping wing.

[0049] The caudal fin is connected to the tail of the fish-shaped body via a caudal fin support plate 10. It includes a caudal fin plate 30 for support, a caudal fin shaping plate 31 installed around the caudal fin plate, a rotary shaft 9 located on the central axis of the caudal fin, and a servo motor 7 that drives the rotary shaft 9. The rotary shaft 9 is connected to the caudal fin plate 30 via a caudal fin adapter plate 8 and is used to transmit the rotational torque of the servo motor 7 to the caudal fin plate 30 to realize the change of the caudal fin attitude.

[0050] Specifically, refer to Figure 5 As shown, the tail fin module of the aircraft includes a servo motor 7, a tail fin adapter plate 8, a swivel shaft 9, a tail fin support plate 10, a tail fin fin plate 30, a tail fin conformal plate 31, a sonar array 32, an antenna 33, and a temperature, salinity, and depth gauge 34. The tail fin module is connected to the tail of the main body via the tail fin support plate 10. The servo motor 7 is mounted on the tail fin support plate 10, and its output shaft is connected to the swivel shaft 9. The tail fin fin plate 30 and the tail fin conformal plate 31 are tightly fitted together and fixed to the swivel shaft 9 via the tail fin adapter plate 8. The rotation of the swivel shaft 9 drives the rotation of the remaining parts, thereby realizing the change of tail fin attitude. The antenna 33 is located inside the upright fin 38 and is used to receive signals. The temperature, salinity, and depth gauge (34) is used to measure seawater temperature, salinity, and depth. The swivel shaft 9 drives the tail fin fin plate 30 and the tail fin adapter plate 8 to swing, thereby realizing tail fin movement. The antenna 33 receives signals, and the temperature, salinity, and depth gauge 34 and the sonar array 32 can collect information. This vehicle is equipped with multi-source payloads such as CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth), sound velocity profiler, active and passive sonar, and optical camera, enabling it to perform multi-source information fusion and analysis, including temperature, salinity, sound, light, and magnetism.

[0051] The submersible's safety system 6 includes a servo motor 7, a safety crank 14, a safety connecting rod 20, a safety guide rod 16, a lead block support plate 18, and a lead block 19, all connected in sequence to the output end of the servo motor 7. The servo motor 7 is mounted on the support plate 17 via a servo motor mounting plate 13, and the safety guide rod 16 is mounted on the support plate 17 via a bearing seat 15. The servo motor 7 drives the safety crank 14 to rotate, and the safety crank 14 drives the safety guide rod 16 to move axially along its axis via the safety connecting rod 20, causing the safety guide rod 16 to disengage from the lead block support plate 18, thereby throwing out the lead block 19 to reduce the weight of the submersible and enable it to float.

[0052] Specifically, refer to Figure 6 As shown, the security system 6 consists of a servo mounting plate 13, a servo motor 7, a security crank 14, a security connecting rod 20, a security guide rod 16, a security bearing housing 15, a support plate 17, a lead block support plate 18, and a lead block 19. The servo motor 7 is mounted on the servo mounting plate 13, and the security crank 14 is interference-fitted with the servo motor output shaft. One end of the security connecting rod 20 is connected to the security crank 14, and the other end is connected to the security guide rod 16. The security guide rod 16 is connected to the lead block support plate 18 via the security bearing housing 15, and a lead block 19 is attached to the lower end of the lead block support plate. The support plate 17 is bolted to the servo mounting plate 13 and the security bearing housing 15, providing support and a mounting platform for the above structure. The lead block support plate 18 passes through the support plate 17 and connects to the lead block 19. The security font 6 will be automatically triggered when the submersible is in an ultra-deep or lost-contact state. Driven by the servo motor, it will eventually throw out the load lead weight, thereby allowing the submersible to rise to the surface for safe recovery.

[0053] Reference Figure 7 As described above, this embodiment designs multiple lithium battery pack charging modes, combining flexible and conventional lithium batteries to achieve distributed storage of harvested energy. First, the energy storage system's batteries convert chemical energy into electrical energy. Power-consuming components such as the main controller, solenoid valves, and sensors consume electrical energy to maintain the normal operation of the entire system. The heat generated by these components converts electrical energy into heat energy, which is dissipated during the heat exchange between the submersible and the surrounding seawater. The submersible's energy harvesting system utilizes photovoltaics to reverse-harvest energy and convert it into chemical energy for the energy storage system. For example... Figure 7 It demonstrates the energy flow during the operation of the submersible.

[0054] A flexible lithium battery is longitudinally disposed along the inner edge of the pectoral fin. This flexible lithium battery is a wave-shaped stress-resistant lithium battery. Addressing the current issues of low specific energy and capacity retention degradation caused by bending in flexible batteries, this embodiment employs a high-specific-energy-capable electrode material to improve the overall energy density of the battery. The bendable flexible lithium battery is based on a "polymer-like" concept, designing and constructing a novel conductive framework polymer-like organic cathode. Utilizing a functional group enrichment approach, organic functional groups such as nitrile and oxygen radicals are grown in situ on the conductive framework through chemical bonding. This improves overall conductivity while increasing the content of nitrile and oxygen radical monomers, thereby enhancing the material's discharge specific capacity. Based on the characteristics of pouch batteries, a wave-shaped stress-resistant lithium battery structure is adopted. Modeling and simulation are used to simulate the internal stress of the wave-shaped bending structure, determining the optimal radius of curvature. The bending performance of the flexible lithium battery at different angles is verified and analyzed under actual working conditions, continuously iterating and optimizing the overall battery performance. Figure 8 This study simulates and calculates the bending stress of flexible batteries under different structural conditions, and conducts actual battery bending tests. The submersible primarily captures solar energy at sea level and stores it in lithium batteries to meet the requirements for long-duration operation.

[0055] The lithium battery of this invention uses flexible, highly conductive materials and pressure-adaptive electrode materials to achieve efficient use of the internal space of the submersible and increase the total energy storage of the prototype.

[0056] The power-consuming components of each functional unit of the submersible consume electrical energy according to a preset plan to achieve preset functional tasks, thus jointly ensuring the normal operation of the system; at the same time, the energy captured by the system profile can meet the energy gap of the battery during the self-sustaining time.

[0057] To better evaluate the energy replenishment capability of marine energy harvesting systems, an energy replenishment rate k is defined to measure the energy supply utility of marine energy harvesting systems:

[0058] W power (v Y0 h, P l P2L) = E battery (v Y0 ,θ,n E ,η1,η2L)+E absorb

[0059]

[0060] This submersible employs a multi-level distributed energy storage system, consisting of a power layer, a high-voltage capacity layer, a low-voltage capacity layer, and an emergency layer operating in parallel. The 24VDC lithium battery pack serves as the power layer, specifically designed to drive high-power components such as the buoyancy hydraulic system. The high-voltage capacity layer provides energy to 24VDC-powered equipment other than the hydraulic system. The low-voltage capacity layer supplies power to equipment operating at 12VDC and below. The emergency layer is a 12VDC power supply that activates after the main power supply fails, providing short-term operation for the jettison module, communication and positioning module, and control system through voltage conversion.

[0061] In a multi-level distributed energy storage system, the power sources at each level operate independently under normal conditions. However, in the event of level anomalies or uneven energy distribution, the high-voltage power source can provide energy to power sources at the same and lower levels. The design of the multi-level distributed energy storage system avoids disturbances to other equipment caused by power fluctuations, reduces battery output current, improves battery discharge efficiency, and the parallel structure significantly reduces the probability of submersible risks.

[0062] The biomimetic flapping wing, through the motion coupling in two directions—roll motor 25 and pitch motor 26—can generate motion characteristics similar to a gyratory mechanism, thereby improving propulsion and flapping efficiency.

[0063] When fabricating the flexible lithium battery, based on the concept of "polymer-like", a novel conductive framework polymer-like organic cathode is designed and constructed. Using the concept of functional group enrichment, organic functional groups such as nitrogen and oxygen free radicals are grown in situ on the conductive framework through chemical bonding.

[0064] In the fabrication of the flexible lithium battery, chemical methods such as hydrothermal method are used to carboxylate the surface of graphene, thereby removing functional groups such as hydroxyl and epoxy groups that are intercalated on the graphene surface, and the number of carboxyl groups grown can be controlled according to the reaction conditions.

[0065] To avoid the deactivation of nitroxide free radicals during in-situ growth, the carboxyl groups on the surface of carbon materials such as graphene are first acylated, and then condensed with nitroxide free radical compounds carrying hydroxyl groups (such as 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-hydroxypiperidine-1-oxy free radical, HTEMPO) to grow nitroxide free radicals in situ on the surface of carbon materials such as graphene.

[0066] Following the above steps, a solvent containing "O=CN" (such as N-methylpyrrolidone, NMP) is used to pyrolyze NMP under high temperature conditions via spray drying. The resulting nitrogen-oxygen free radicals are then grown on the surface of three-dimensional carbon materials with carbon structures, such as graphene, through chemical bonding.

[0067] During the assembly of electrode materials, two electrode systems were prepared: one containing conductive carbon black and the other without. The coating thickness of the positive electrode varied from 20 μm to 200 μm, and their electrochemical performance was compared. To verify whether the prepared material would dissolve in the electrolyte during charge and discharge, an electrolyte of 1.0 mol / L LiPF6 / EC+DEC+DMC (volume ratio 1:1:1) was used.

[0068] The outer skin of the biomimetic pectoral fin is manufactured using a groundbreaking heterogeneous material additive manufacturing technology. Materials with different properties, such as resin and TPU, are selected as the molding components of the biomimetic tissue. Based on the distribution of skeletal muscle tissue in the real manta ray pectoral fin, it combines non-uniform, large-scale, parameterized, and adaptive cubic lattice generation technology, and the cross-section is NACA airfoil.

[0069] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting, characterized in that: It includes a fish-shaped main body, bionic pectoral fins on both sides of the fish-shaped main body, a tail fin at the tail of the fish-shaped main body, an autonomous energy harvesting module, and an energy storage module, buoyancy system, center of mass system, and control system located inside the fish-shaped main body; The bionic pectoral fin is a dynamic and passively deformable flapping fin, comprising an active motion module and a passive deformation module linked to the active motion module. This linkage increases the overall deformability of the flapping fin. The bionic pectoral fin includes a drive module and a pectoral fin main skeleton module that performs the actions. The drive module controls the pectoral fin main skeleton module to rotate vertically around a plane of symmetry perpendicular to the fish-shaped body, achieving overall pitch control. The drive module also controls the pectoral fin main skeleton module to flap up and down, completing the flapping or gliding posture control of the pectoral fin. The pectoral fin main skeleton module forms the support for the bionic pectoral fin. Its active motion module is controlled by the drive module to complete the actions, and its passive deformation module is linked with the active motion module through a variable connection, completing the deformation control of the pectoral fin's posture. The pectoral fin main skeleton module includes a motor mounting frame as a root support, flexible skeleton shape-conserving plates as upper and lower surface supports, a flapping fin trunk as a spanwise support, and a flexible end fin plate located at the end of the flapping fin trunk. The flapping fin trunk is located between the motor mounting frame and the end fin plate, and multiple flapping fin skeletons are arranged parallel to each other along its spanwise periphery. The roots of two skeleton shape-conserving plates are symmetrically hinged to opposite sides of the motor mounting frame, and the ends are hinged to the roots of the end fin plates. The middle parts are respectively hinged to the two sides of each flapping fin skeleton. The caudal fin includes a rotation drive component, which controls the rotation of the caudal fin around the central axis of the fish-shaped body to adjust the caudal fin deflection angle.

2. The manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive module includes a pitch drive unit for controlling pitch motion and a roll drive unit for controlling roll motion. The pitch drive unit is mounted on the side wall of the fish-shaped body via the pectoral fin molded plate. It includes a pitch motion motor. The output shaft of the pitch motion motor is connected to the motor mounting bracket via a transmission assembly. The motor mounting bracket is used to drive the motor mounting bracket to rotate around the output shaft of the transmission assembly. That is, the entire pectoral fin skeleton module rotates around an axis perpendicular to the pectoral fin molded plate, thereby realizing the control of the overall pitch motion. The roll drive unit includes a roll motion motor, which is mounted on a motor mounting bracket. Its output shaft is connected to the root of the flapping fin main body through a motor adapter, and is used to drive the flapping fin main body to swing vertically along the submersible. At the same time, the frame shaping plate, multiple flapping fin frames, and end fin plates are deformed under the drive of the flapping fin main body, thus completing the deformation of the pectoral fin main frame module and realizing the deformation of the pectoral fin.

3. The manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting according to claim 1, characterized in that: A flexible lithium battery is provided along the inner edge of the pectoral fin, and the flexible lithium battery is a wave-shaped stress-resistant lithium battery.

4. The manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting according to claim 1, characterized in that: The biomimetic pectoral fin is wrapped with a flexible skin.

5. The manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting according to claim 1, characterized in that: The caudal fin is connected to the tail of the fish-shaped body via a caudal fin support plate. It includes a caudal fin plate as support, a caudal fin shaping plate installed around the caudal fin plate, a rotating shaft located on the central axis of the caudal fin, and a driving component for driving the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is connected to the caudal fin plate via a caudal fin adapter plate and is used to transmit the rotational torque of the driving component to the caudal fin plate to realize the change of the caudal fin posture.

6. A manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: It also includes a security system, which comprises a servo motor, a security crank, a security connecting rod, a security guide rod, a lead block support plate, and a lead block, all connected in sequence to the servo motor's output end. The servo motor is mounted on the support plate via a servo motor mounting plate, and the security guide rod is mounted on the support plate via a bearing seat. The servo motor drives the security crank to rotate, and the security crank, through the security connecting rod, drives the security guide rod to move axially, causing the security guide rod to detach from the lead block support plate, thereby throwing out the lead block to reduce the weight of the submersible and enable it to float.

7. The manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fish-shaped main body includes a head and a main body. The head, equipped with a forward-looking sonar, camera, and light source, is located at the front of the main body. The main body houses a battery compartment, a center of mass system, and a buoyancy system. The buoyancy system and the center of mass system are mounted on the central axis of the main body. The buoyancy system is used to adaptively adjust the submersible's ascent or descent, while the center of mass system adjusts the attitude and position of the center of mass based on the movement of the buoyancy system, thereby controlling the submersible's movements. The batteries installed in the battery compartment are the main power source for the submersible. Simultaneously, while the submersible is floating on the surface, it captures solar energy through an autonomous energy harvesting module and stores it in lithium batteries to meet the overall power supply needs of the submersible.

8. The manta ray-inspired submersible based on solar energy harvesting according to claim 1, characterized in that: The energy storage module includes conventional lithium batteries in the battery section, flexible lithium batteries in the pectoral fin, and a multi-level distributed energy storage system. The multi-level distributed energy storage system consists of a power layer, a high-voltage capacity layer, a low-voltage capacity layer, and an emergency layer in parallel. The power layer provides energy to the buoyancy hydraulic system, the high-voltage capacity layer provides energy to 24VDC electrical equipment other than the hydraulic system, the low-voltage capacity layer supplies power to equipment with an operating voltage of 12VDC and below, and the emergency layer is a 12VDC power supply that is activated after the main power supply fails. Through voltage conversion, it can supply power to the load release module, communication positioning module, and control system for a short period of time.

Images