Adaptive tension-adjusted damping type towed array load bearing assembly

Abstract

The application discloses a self-adaptive tension-adjusting damping type towed array force bearing assembly, which is used for independently and self-adaptively controlling the tension of each pull rope in a towed array, wherein one end of a joint body is provided with a front end cover, a plurality of cavities are symmetrically and uniformly formed on the end face of the other end of the joint body, an installation groove is formed on the cavities along the radial direction of the joint body and outward, a first installation hole is formed in the installation groove along the axial direction and inward, a first elastic mechanism, a second elastic mechanism and a ratchet gear mechanism are installed in the cavities from inside to outside, the ratchet gear mechanism is installed on the joint body through the installation groove and the first installation hole, the pull rope passes through the ratchet gear mechanism, the second elastic mechanism and the first elastic mechanism and is connected with the first elastic mechanism, a rear end cover mechanism is installed on the joint body and located at the end part close to the ratchet gear mechanism and limits the ratchet gear mechanism, and the two joint bodies are connected with two sleeves respectively, the two joint bodies and the pull ropes connected with the two ends of the two joint bodies are sleeved to form a cable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of underwater exploration technology, and in particular to an adaptive tension-adjustable damped towed array load-bearing component. Background Technology

[0002] Towed linear arrays, as a type of passive sonar, are widely used in the field of marine exploration technology. By controlling the length of the tow cable, the array's water depth can be adjusted to operate in favorable water layers. They feature advantages such as the array being far from the platform, minimal interference from platform noise, long operating range, easy retrieval, and convenient maintenance, making them an important component of modern marine information sensing systems. When addressing long-distance, large-area marine sensing and communication needs, long-range towed arrays require increased overall tensile strength. One possible design approach is to add multiple independent load-bearing cables (such as Kevlar cables) inside the towed array. However, from an engineering perspective, it is often difficult to ensure that the lengths of these load-bearing cables remain completely consistent, leading to differences in the load-bearing state of each cable during operation. Currently, during towing operations, the tension of the entire towing array can be adjusted using an electric winch with tension regulation function. For example, the patent "Constant Tension Hydraulic Control Circuit for Towing Winch Cable" (application number 201310592223.7) proposes a constant tension hydraulic control circuit for towing winch cables. Its features include a hydraulic motor, a first directional valve, a pilot valve, a second directional valve, a balance valve, a pilot relief valve, and a hydraulic pump station. During operation, the hydraulic motor is always in the cable-retracting state. When the cable load decreases, the towing winch retracts the cable until the load increases to the set value of the pilot relief valve. When the cable load increases, a pressure difference appears at the hydraulic motor's oil port, causing the hydraulic motor to reverse and release the cable until the load decreases to the set value of the pilot relief valve. However, the above method cannot control the tension of the ropes inside the towing array, and the adjustment equipment is complex and expensive. When towed arrays turn or operate in complex sea conditions, the array undergoes significant deformation, which can easily lead to stress on a single load-bearing rope and the risk of breakage. Therefore, multiple times the tension redundancy is often required to ensure operational safety, which inevitably increases the diameter of the load-bearing rope, occupies the limited and valuable space inside the array, and also limits the miniaturization and lightweighting of the array. On the other hand, during towing, the towed array is often in a state of acceleration / deceleration due to changes in the marine environment and adjustments in the speed and course of the towing mother ship. Therefore, how to reduce the acceleration response of the towed array is also a technical challenge for fiber optic towed arrays to achieve stable and high-quality underwater acoustic signal detection. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the purpose of this application is to provide an adaptive tension-adjustable damping tow array load-bearing component. This component can independently and adaptively control the tension of each rope in the tow array, ensuring that the tension of each rope remains within a controllable range. Furthermore, through the elastic mechanism within the tow array damping connector, it provides a certain damping and vibration reduction effect to the array, reducing the array's response to acceleration during towing. This also improves the safety and reliability of the array during towing operations or operations in complex sea conditions, addressing vibration and noise caused by tow cable vibration and changes in towing force.

[0004] This application provides an adaptive tension-adjustable damping-type towing array load-bearing component for independently adaptively controlling the tension of each rope in the towing array. It includes a connector body, a ratchet tooth mechanism, a rear end cover mechanism, a second elastic mechanism, a first elastic mechanism, a front end cover, and a sleeve.

[0005] The front end cap is installed at one end of the connector body, and several cavities are symmetrically and evenly opened on the other end face. The cavity has a mounting groove radially outward along the connector body, and the mounting groove has a first mounting hole axially inward. The first elastic mechanism, the second elastic mechanism, and the ratchet tooth mechanism are installed in the cavity from the inside to the outside. The ratchet tooth mechanism is installed on the connector body through the mounting groove and the first mounting hole. The pull rope passes through the ratchet tooth structure, the second elastic mechanism, and the first elastic mechanism and is connected to the first elastic mechanism. The rear end cap mechanism is installed on the end of the connector body near the ratchet tooth mechanism and limits the ratchet tooth mechanism.

[0006] The sleeve is connected to two connector bodies at both ends, and the two connector bodies and the pull ropes connected to them at both ends are fitted to form a cable.

[0007] Furthermore, one end of the connector body is provided with a connector body connecting thread for connecting the front end cover, and the other end face is also provided with a cable routing hole and a plurality of symmetrically and evenly distributed rear end cover mechanism threaded mounting holes. The cavity includes a second mounting hole, a pull rope through hole, and a third mounting hole from the outside to the inside. The radius of the pull rope through hole is smaller than that of the third mounting hole and the second mounting hole. The first elastic mechanism is installed in the third mounting hole. The ratchet tooth mechanism is installed through the second mounting hole, the mounting groove, and the first mounting hole. The second elastic mechanism is installed in the second mounting hole and is located inside the ratchet tooth mechanism. The cable routing hole is used to install a cable or optical fiber. The rear end cover mechanism threaded mounting hole is used to install the rear end cover mechanism.

[0008] Furthermore, the ratchet tooth-shaping mechanism includes:

[0009] A strip-shaped block, one end of which has a protruding round pin for insertion into the first mounting hole for connection, and the center of the strip-shaped block has a multi-step countersunk hole;

[0010] The sliding sleeve includes a first annular groove and a U-shaped guide key. The first annular groove is clearance-fitted with the countersunk hole on the strip hole to realize up-and-down movement along the axial direction of the countersunk hole. A first elastic element is installed in the first annular groove. A tooth is installed below the U-shaped guide key to prevent the tooth from rotating in the circumferential direction.

[0011] A ratchet, wherein the ratchet has asymmetrical teeth arranged in the outer circumferential direction, and the asymmetrical teeth match the double bevel teeth at the bottom of the insert tooth;

[0012] An adjusting sleeve has an inner cavity and an outer cavity. A pull rope passes through the central part of the inner cavity and is fixedly connected to the inner cavity by glue. The inner cavity is installed in the cavity of the connector body. The ratchet is installed in the outer cavity by a one-way bearing and a pin. The center line of the countersunk hole is orthogonal to the axis of the adjusting sleeve.

[0013] A stop cover has a second annular groove inside that is concentric with the first annular groove. The bottom of the second annular groove is in contact with the end face of the first elastic member to restrict the position of the first elastic member.

[0014] Furthermore, after the strip block is installed onto the connector body, the surface contour of the strip block is not higher than the outer circular contour of the connector body.

[0015] Furthermore, the second elastic mechanism includes a kit with collinear axial centerlines, a thrust head, and a second elastic element. One end of the kit is fixedly connected to the cavity, and the other end is provided with a stepped hole structure. The second elastic element is installed in the kit, and both ends of the thrust head are in contact with the second elastic element and the ratchet tooth mechanism, respectively.

[0016] Furthermore, the first elastic mechanism includes a third elastic element, a load-bearing head, and a plug;

[0017] The plug is fixedly connected to the bottom of the cavity and provides preload for the third elastic element and the load-bearing head;

[0018] The bearing head has a through hole inside, and the pull rope passes through the through hole and is fixedly connected to the bearing head.

[0019] The third elastic element is disposed on the outside of the load-bearing head. When the tension of the rope changes and causes the load-bearing head to displace, it deforms to axially limit the load-bearing head.

[0020] Furthermore, the third elastic element is a multi-segment series combination disc spring consisting of multiple pieces connected in series or multiple pieces connected in parallel.

[0021] Furthermore, the front cover has holes for connecting the optical fibers or cables inside the towed array to the transmission cable.

[0022] Furthermore, the rear end cover mechanism includes a rear end cover and several screws, through which the rear end cover is connected to the connector body.

[0023] Furthermore, the sleeve is clamped by a clamp to achieve the fitting of the connector body.

[0024] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application may include the following beneficial effects:

[0025] 1) This application, through the setting of the connector body, ratchet tooth mechanism, first elastic mechanism, second elastic mechanism, pull rope, front end cover, and rear end cover mechanism, has the function of adaptive tension adjustment and control of each independent load-bearing pull rope in the towing array, thereby realizing the balanced distribution of load-bearing tensile load under extreme working conditions, greatly reducing the risk of array breakage, reducing the redundancy dependence of load-bearing design, and providing technical support for realizing array lightweighting and miniaturization.

[0026] 2) This application reduces the impact of acceleration, deceleration, turning and other working conditions on the fiber optic towed array body through the damping and vibration reduction design of the first elastic mechanism and the second elastic mechanism, reduces the acceleration response of the acoustic sensitive unit in the array, and ensures stable and high-quality underwater acoustic signal detection when the fiber optic towed array is operating in complex sea conditions.

[0027] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0029] Figure 1 This is an example diagram illustrating an adaptive tension-adjustable damping-type towed array load-bearing component applied to a towed array according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structural composition of an adaptive tension-adjustable damping array load-bearing component according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0031] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the joint body of an adaptive tension-adjustable damping array load-bearing component according to an exemplary embodiment, wherein (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a cross-sectional view;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a ratchet toothed mechanism for an adaptive tension-adjustable damping array load-bearing component according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the changes in the tension of the pull rope and the compression deformation of the first elastic mechanism (disc spring assembly) during the towing process of an adaptive tension-adjustable damping array load-bearing component according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0034] Figure label:

[0035] 100. Connector body; 101. Connector body thread; 102. First mounting hole; 103. Mounting groove; 104. Second mounting hole; 105. Threaded mounting hole for rear end cover mechanism; 106. Third mounting hole; 107. Cable routing hole; 108. Pull rope through hole; 200. Ratchet tooth mechanism; 210. Strip block; 220. Stop cover; 230. Sliding sleeve; 240. First elastic element; 250. Tooth; 260. Ratchet; 270, One-way bearing; 280, Adjusting sleeve; 290, Pin; 300, Pull rope; 400, Rear end cover mechanism; 410, Set screw; 420, Rear end cover; 500, Second elastic mechanism; 510, Kit; 520, Thrust head; 530, Second elastic element; 600, First elastic mechanism; 610, Third elastic element; 620, Bearing head; 630, Plug; 700, Front end cover; 800, Sleeve; 900, Clamp. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application.

[0037] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0038] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used in this application to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to determination."

[0039] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, this application provides an adaptive tension-adjustable damping towing array load-bearing component for independently adaptively controlling the tension of each rope 300 in the towing array. The component includes a connector body 100, a ratchet tooth mechanism 200, a rear end cover mechanism 400, a second elastic mechanism 500, a first elastic mechanism 600, a front end cover 700, and a sleeve 800. The front end cover 700 is installed at one end of the connector body 100, and several cavities are symmetrically and evenly formed on the other end face. Each cavity has a mounting groove 103 radially outward from the connector body 100, and a first mounting hole 102 axially inward from the mounting groove 103. The first elastic mechanism 600, the second elastic mechanism 500, and the ratchet tooth mechanism 600... The ratchet tooth mechanism 200 is installed inside the cavity from the inside out. The ratchet tooth mechanism 200 is installed on the connector body 100 through the mounting groove 103 and the first mounting hole 102. The pull rope 300 passes through the ratchet 260 tooth 250 structure, the second elastic mechanism 500 and the first elastic mechanism 600 and is connected to the first elastic mechanism 600. The rear end cover mechanism 400 is installed on the end of the connector body 100 near the ratchet tooth mechanism 200 and limits the ratchet tooth mechanism 200. The sleeve 800 is connected to two connector bodies 100 at both ends, and the two connector bodies 100 and the pull ropes 300 connected to them at both ends are fitted to form a cable.

[0040] This application, through the ratchet tooth mechanism 200, the first elastic mechanism 600, and the second elastic mechanism 500, enables independent adaptive control of the tension of each pull rope 300 in the towed array, ensuring that the tension of each pull rope 300 is within a controllable range. The first elastic mechanism 600 and the second elastic mechanism 500 mitigate the impact acceleration response of the fiber optic towed array body during acceleration, deceleration, and turning, reducing the acceleration response of the array's acoustic sensing units and ensuring stable and high-quality underwater acoustic signal detection during complex sea conditions.

[0041] In specific implementation, the number of ratchet tooth mechanism 200, first elastic mechanism 600, second elastic mechanism 500 and pull rope 300 arranged in the circumferential direction of the joint body 100 can be selected according to the load-bearing requirements and application requirements of the towing array. The outer diameter of the joint body 100 and the length of the pull rope 300 are set according to the size requirements of the towing array. The stiffness value of the elastic element contained in the first elastic mechanism 600 and the second elastic mechanism 500 is set according to the load-bearing range of the towing array.

[0042] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, one end of the connector body 100 is provided with a connector body connecting thread 101 for connecting the front end cover 700, and the other end face is also provided with a cable routing hole 107 and a plurality of symmetrically and evenly distributed rear end cover mechanism threaded mounting holes 105. The cavity includes a second mounting hole 104, a pull rope through hole 108, and a third mounting hole 106 from the outside to the inside. The radius of the pull rope through hole 108 is smaller than that of the third mounting hole 106 and the second mounting hole 104. The first elastic mechanism 600 is installed in the third mounting hole 106. The ratchet tooth mechanism 200 is installed through the second mounting hole 104, the mounting groove 103 and the first mounting hole 102. The second elastic mechanism 500 is installed in the second mounting hole 104 and is located inside the ratchet tooth mechanism 200. The cable routing hole 107 is used to install a cable or optical fiber. The rear end cover mechanism threaded mounting hole 105 is used to install the rear end cover mechanism 400. The connector body connecting thread 101 is located at one end of the connector body 100 and is used to connect the front end cover 700 or other parts that need to be connected to the connector body 100; the first mounting hole 102, mounting groove 103, second mounting hole 104, and third mounting hole 106 are all symmetrically distributed in the circumferential direction of the axis of the connector body 100.

[0043] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 (a) and Figure 3 As shown in (b), four sets of first mounting holes 102, mounting grooves 103, second mounting holes 104, and third mounting holes 106 are arranged along the circumference of the connector body 100. The second mounting holes 104, third mounting holes 106, and pull rope through holes 108 on the same axis of the pull rope 300 are coaxial. The second mounting holes 104 and pull rope through holes 108 through which the same pull rope 300 passes, and the square mounting grooves 103 that contact the second mounting holes 104, have a common axis of symmetry. In this embodiment, the four ratchet tooth mechanisms 200 are arranged circumferentially within the cavities of the mounting grooves 103 and the second mounting holes 104 of the connector body 100.

[0044] Specifically, such as Figure 4As shown, the ratchet tooth-shaping mechanism 200 includes: a strip block 210, one end of which has a protruding round pin for embedding into the first mounting hole 102 for connection; a multi-step countersunk hole is formed in the center of the strip block 210, the center line of which is orthogonal to the axis of the adjusting sleeve 280; after the strip block 210 is installed on the connector body 100, the surface contour of the strip block 210 is not higher than the outer circle contour of the connector body 100; and a sliding sleeve 230, which includes a first annular groove and a U-shaped guide key. The first annular groove is clearance-fitted with the countersunk hole on the strip hole to achieve up-and-down movement along the axial direction of the countersunk hole. A first elastic element 240 is installed in the first annular groove, and a tooth 250 is installed below the U-shaped guide key to prevent the tooth from being inserted into the countersunk hole. The insert tooth 250 rotates in the circumferential direction; the ratchet 260 has asymmetrical teeth arranged in the outer circumferential direction, which match the double bevel teeth at the bottom of the insert tooth 250; the adjusting sleeve 280 has an inner cavity and an outer cavity, the pull rope 300 passes through the axial part of the inner cavity and is fixedly connected to the inner cavity by glue, the inner cavity is installed in the cavity of the connector body 100, and the ratchet 260 is installed in the outer cavity through a one-way bearing 270 (overrunning clutch) and a pin 290; the stop cover 220 has a second annular groove concentric with the first annular groove inside, the bottom of the second annular groove is in contact with the end face of the first elastic member 240 to limit the position of the first elastic member 240.

[0045] The first elastic element 240 can be a cylindrical spring, which is installed inside the annular groove of the sliding sleeve 230 and is under pressure, so that the helical teeth at the bottom of the insert 250 are in close contact with the outer edge teeth of the ratchet 260, and provides a certain damping when the pin moves upward under force, and provides a restoring force for the pin.

[0046] Specifically, the adjusting sleeve 280 has an inner cavity and an outer cavity. The pull rope 300 passes through the central part of the inner cavity. After the inner cavity is filled with glue, the adjusting sleeve 280 is tightly connected to the pull rope 300. The outer contour of the adjusting sleeve 280 is cylindrical, and it can slide left and right in the cavity of the second mounting hole 104 of the connector body 100 with clearance fit. The upper part of the adjusting sleeve 280 is a square outer cavity structure, and the wall of the square outer cavity has a hole for installing the pin 290. One end of the adjusting sleeve 280 is a concave spherical structure.

[0047] Specifically, the ratchet 260 has asymmetrical teeth arranged in the outer circumferential direction. The asymmetrical teeth are designed to abut against the tooth surface of the insert 250 when the rope 300 is pulled to the right. The rotation angle of the ratchet 260 can be adjusted in stages by the size and distribution of the teeth. The one-way bearing 270 installed at the shaft center can rotate in one direction. The outer wall of the one-way bearing 270 is interference-fitted with the inner hole of the ratchet 260. The one-way bearing 270 can rotate in the clockwise direction but cannot rotate in the counterclockwise direction. The pin 290 is interference-fitted with the one-way bearing 270 to fix the ratchet 260 in the outer cavity of the adjusting sleeve 280.

[0048] Specifically, the insert tooth 250 is integrated with the sliding sleeve 230. The bottom of the insert tooth 250 is a double-bevel tooth that matches the outer edge tooth of the ratchet 260. The angle of the bevel tooth is consistent with the inclination angle of the tooth surface on the outer edge tooth of the ratchet 260. The bevel tooth is subjected to the thrust when the outer edge tooth of the ratchet 260 is engaged. When the component of the thrust acting on the bevel tooth in the vertical direction is large enough, it can overcome the resistance of the first elastic element 240 and the frictional resistance and move upward, thereby causing the pull rope 300 to drive the adjusting sleeve 280, ratchet 260 and other components to produce a certain amount of displacement, thereby relieving the tension of the pull rope 300.

[0049] In practical implementation, by specially designing the contact tooth angle between the ratchet 260 and the tooth 250, the magnitude of the ultimate tension force borne by the pull rope 300 during adaptive tension adjustment can be controlled. Specifically, after the two tooth surfaces come into contact, the horizontal force of the pull rope 300 generates a vertically upward component force on the contact tooth surface. The magnitude of the vertically upward component force is related to the tooth profile. The smaller the vertical component force, the smaller the pressure compressing the first spring. At this time, the tension of the pull rope 300 should be greater to compress the first spring, that is, the greater the ultimate tension force borne by the pull rope 300, and vice versa.

[0050] Specifically, the upper end of the stop cover 220 is screwed into the strip block 210 by threads. The stop cover 220 has an annular groove concentric with the sliding sleeve 230. The bottom of the annular groove of the sliding sleeve 230 is in contact with the end face of the first elastic member 240, thus restricting the position of the first elastic member 240.

[0051] Specifically, such as Figure 2As shown, the first elastic mechanism 600 includes a third elastic element 610, a load-bearing head 620, and a plug 630; the plug 630 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the cavity and provides pre-tightening force for the third elastic element 610 and the load-bearing head 620; the load-bearing head 620 has a through hole inside, and the pull rope 300 passes through the through hole and is fixedly connected to the load-bearing head 620; the third elastic element 610 is disposed on the outside of the load-bearing head 620, and deforms when the tension on the pull rope 300 changes, causing the load-bearing head 620 to displace, so as to axially limit the load-bearing head 620. The third elastic element 610 adopts a multi-layer disc spring combination or stacked combination according to the estimated tensile force range, which can achieve a high load-bearing capacity in the case of limited space. Moreover, when subjected to large tensile force, the large contact area between the springs provides wear damping during vibration. One end of the load-bearing head 620 is a V-shaped opening, and the other end is a ball head structure with a through hole inside. The pull rope 300 passes through the through hole and is fixed with glue at the V-shaped opening, thus ensuring that the load-bearing head 620 and the pull rope 300 are fixed as one unit. The plug 630 has threads on its outer circumference. It is screwed into the third mounting hole 106 of the connector body 100 and abuts against the flat end of the load-bearing head 620, giving the load-bearing head 620 and the third elastic element 610 a certain preload force and limiting the position of the load-bearing head 620 and the third elastic element 610.

[0052] In one embodiment, the third elastic element 610 is an eight-piece series installation. The third elastic element 610 can be replaced by a multi-segment series installation after multiple pieces are connected in parallel (e.g., three pieces are connected in parallel and then three segments are connected in series). It can also be a combination of different thicknesses and different numbers of pieces, or other forms of elastic elements with high rigidity and strong buffering and vibration absorption capabilities, capable of withstanding large loads with small deformations, and meeting the requirements of small axial installation space.

[0053] Specifically, the second elastic mechanism 500 includes a kit 510 with collinear axial centerlines, a thrust head 520, and a second elastic element 530. One end of the kit 510 is fixedly connected to the cavity, and the other end is provided with a stepped hole structure. The second elastic element 530 is installed in the kit 510, and both ends of the thrust head 520 are in contact with the second elastic element 530 and the ratchet tooth mechanism 200, respectively. Figure 2As shown, in one embodiment, one end of the kit 510 is threaded and screwed into the threaded hole at the bottom of the second mounting hole 104 of the connector body 100, and is fixed and cannot move. The other end has a stepped hole structure, which serves as the mounting base for the thrust head 520 and the second elastic element 530. One end of the thrust head 520 is a flat surface, which contacts the second elastic element 530 and is subjected to thrust. The other end is a spherical surface, which contacts the concave spherical surface of the adjusting sleeve 280, ensuring that the thrust head 520 and the adjusting sleeve 280 will not deform significantly under frequent tensile forces, thus avoiding jamming. The second elastic element 530 is installed inside the kit 510 and is under pressure, providing a certain pre-pressure to the thrust head 520, ensuring that the thrust head 520 and the adjusting sleeve 280 are always in contact, and ensuring the reliability of the ratchet gear mechanism 200 under vibration, bumps and other working conditions.

[0054] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the second elastic element 530 is a cylindrical spring, which is installed in the inner cavity of the kit 510. The left end of the spring is limited by the bottom of the second mounting hole 104 of the connector body 100, and the other end abuts against the end of the thrust head 520, transmitting preload to the thrust head 520. The axial center lines of the thrust head 520, the second elastic element 530 and the kit 510 are collinear.

[0055] Specifically, the rear end cover mechanism 400 is installed on the end of the connector body 100 near the ratchet tooth mechanism 200. The rear end cover mechanism 400 has several through holes along the circumferential direction. The rear end cover 420 is fixed to the end face of the connector body 100 by set screws 410, and the adjusting sleeve 280 is axially limited.

[0056] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the inner concave wall of the front cover 700 has threads that are threaded to the connector body connecting threads 101. The left end of the front cover 700 has a hole for the optical fiber or cable inside the towing array to be connected to the transmission cable through the inner hole.

[0057] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5As shown, under normal uniform towing conditions (at time T), the tension and force are basically uniform and in dynamic equilibrium (set as initial tension F). When the towing array faces turning or other operations, the array body will deform, causing the tension member to become unbalanced. For example, the tension on the pull rope 300 gradually increases. In particular, when the tension has not yet reached the point where the ratchet tooth mechanism 200 moves (at time T), the first elastic mechanism 600 to which the pull rope 300 belongs only undergoes slight mechanical deformation, with a compression amount of C. Since the vertical component of the tension F of the pull rope 300 is not enough to drive the first elastic member 240 in the ratchet tooth mechanism 200 to compress, the ratchet tooth mechanism 200 does not skip teeth. The tension (F) on the other ropes 300 is less than F and will continue to decrease, breaking and worsening the equilibrium of the tension. When the tension of the rope 300 continues to increase and reaches the set value Fm at time T, the vertical pressure generated by the rope 300 is large enough to compress the first elastic element 240 of its ratchet tooth mechanism 200, causing deformation. At this time, the tension of the rope 300 reaches the limit value Fmax, and the tension of the other ropes decreases to the minimum value Fmin. The tooth 250 compresses the first elastic element 240 upward and moves forward (tooth skipping). The third elastic element 610 in the first elastic mechanism 600 is compressed and deformed, and the compression amount becomes C. The tension of the rope 300 is gradually released, and finally the tension of the rope 300 and the other ropes 300 tend to be consistent, reaching equilibrium again.

[0058] Specifically, the towing array has two sets of connector bodies 100 at both ends, and a corresponding number of ratchet tooth mechanisms 200, first elastic mechanisms 600, second elastic mechanisms 500, front end caps 700, and rear end cap mechanisms 400 installed in the inner cavity or end face of the connector bodies 100. A sleeve 800 is provided between the two sets of connector bodies 100. The sleeve 800 is fixedly connected to the connector body 100 by a clamp 900. In specific implementation, the sleeve 800 can be made of materials such as PU, TPU, TPV, and TPEE, which have a certain tensile elasticity.

[0059] The working principle of a damped tow array load-bearing component with adaptive tension adjustment provided in this application embodiment is as follows:

[0060] A towing array is constructed using two sets of connector bodies 100 and a corresponding number of ratchet tooth mechanisms 200, first elastic mechanisms 600, second elastic mechanisms 500, front end caps 700, rear end cap mechanisms 400, sleeves 800, pull ropes 300, and clamps 900 installed in the inner cavity or end face of the connector bodies 100. A sleeve 800 is installed between the two sets of connector bodies 100, and the sleeve 800 is fixedly connected to the connector body 100 by clamps 900. The ratchet tooth mechanism 200 is arranged circumferentially along the connector body 100, and includes a strip block 210, a stop cover 220, and a sliding sleeve 23. 0. The first elastic element 240, the toothed pin 250, the ratchet 260, the one-way bearing 270 (overrunning clutch), the adjusting sleeve 280, and the pin 290; the ratchet 260 and the one-way bearing 270 are fixed in the cavity of the adjusting sleeve 280 by the pin 290. Under the action of tension, the adjusting sleeve 280 drives the ratchet 260 to abut against the toothed pin 250. The tooth surfaces of the ratchet 260 and the toothed pin 250 mesh. The one-way bearing 270 cannot rotate in the direction of the force on the pull rope 300, but can rotate in the opposite direction of the force on the pull rope 300. The first elastic mechanism 600 and the one-way rotating ratchet toothed pin mechanism 200 jointly bear the tension of the pull rope 300 in their respective parts. When the tension difference between different pull ropes 300 in the circumferential direction reaches a certain value, the second elastic mechanism 500 of the pull rope 300 with the greatest force is compressed and generates displacement. The ratchet 260, which is in a stop-rotation state, abuts against the tooth 250, causing the tooth 250 to be compressed upward by the first elastic element 240, and part of the tension of the pull rope 300 at that point is released. When the tension decreases to a certain value, the first elastic mechanism 600 rebounds and drives the ratchet 260 to rotate, so that the pull rope 300 returns to its initial state, thereby realizing adaptive adjustment and control of the tension of the pull rope 300 in different parts. The second elastic mechanism 500 includes a sleeve 800, a thrust head 520, and a second elastic element 530. The second elastic element 530 is installed inside the sleeve 800 and is in a compressed state, providing a certain pre-pressure to the thrust head 520, ensuring that the thrust head 520 and the adjusting sleeve 280 are always in contact, and ensuring the reliability of the ratchet tooth mechanism 200 under vibration, bumps and other working conditions.

[0061] Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein.

[0062] It should be understood that this application is not limited to the precise structure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope.

Claims

1. A damped towing matrix load-bearing component with adaptive tension adjustment, characterized in that, It is used for independent adaptive control of the tension of each rope in the towing array, including the connector body, ratchet tooth mechanism, rear end cover mechanism, second elastic mechanism, first elastic mechanism, front end cover, and sleeve; The front end cap is installed at one end of the connector body, and several cavities are symmetrically and evenly opened on the other end face. The cavity has a mounting groove radially outward along the connector body, and the mounting groove has a first mounting hole axially inward. The first elastic mechanism, the second elastic mechanism, and the ratchet tooth mechanism are installed in the cavity from the inside to the outside. The ratchet tooth mechanism is installed on the connector body through the mounting groove and the first mounting hole. The pull rope passes through the ratchet tooth structure, the second elastic mechanism, and the first elastic mechanism and is connected to the first elastic mechanism. The rear end cap mechanism is installed on the end of the connector body near the ratchet tooth mechanism and limits the ratchet tooth mechanism. The sleeve is connected to two connector bodies at both ends, and the two connector bodies and the pull ropes connected to them at both ends are fitted to form a cable. The ratchet tooth-shaping mechanism includes: A strip-shaped block, one end of which has a protruding round pin for insertion into the first mounting hole for connection, and the center of the strip-shaped block has a multi-step countersunk hole; The sliding sleeve includes a first annular groove and a U-shaped guide key. The first annular groove is clearance-fitted with the countersunk hole on the strip block to realize up-and-down movement along the axial direction of the countersunk hole. A first elastic element is installed in the first annular groove. A tooth is installed below the U-shaped guide key to prevent the tooth from rotating in the circumferential direction. A ratchet, wherein the ratchet has asymmetrical teeth arranged in the outer circumferential direction, and the asymmetrical teeth match the double bevel teeth at the bottom of the insert teeth; An adjusting sleeve has an inner cavity and an outer cavity. A pull rope passes through the central part of the inner cavity and is fixedly connected to the inner cavity by glue. The inner cavity is installed in the cavity of the connector body. The ratchet is installed in the outer cavity by a one-way bearing and a pin. The center line of the countersunk hole is orthogonal to the axis of the adjusting sleeve. A stop cover has a second annular groove inside that is concentric with the first annular groove. The bottom of the second annular groove fits against the end face of the first elastic member to restrict the position of the first elastic member.

2. The component according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the connector body is provided with a connector body connecting thread for connecting the front end cover, and the other end face is also provided with a cable routing hole and a plurality of symmetrically and evenly distributed rear end cover mechanism threaded mounting holes. The cavity includes a second mounting hole, a pull rope through hole, and a third mounting hole from the outside to the inside. The radius of the pull rope through hole is smaller than that of the third mounting hole and the second mounting hole. The first elastic mechanism is installed in the third mounting hole. The ratchet tooth mechanism is installed through the second mounting hole, the mounting groove, and the first mounting hole. The second elastic mechanism is installed in the second mounting hole and is located inside the ratchet tooth mechanism. The cable routing hole is used to install a cable or optical fiber. The rear end cover mechanism threaded mounting hole is used to install the rear end cover mechanism.

3. The component according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the strip block is installed on the connector body, the surface contour of the strip block is not higher than the outer circle contour of the connector body.

4. The component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second elastic mechanism includes a kit with collinear axial centerlines, a thrust head, and a second elastic element. One end of the kit is fixedly connected to the cavity, and the other end is provided with a stepped hole structure. The second elastic element is installed in the kit, and both ends of the thrust head are in contact with the second elastic element and the ratchet tooth mechanism, respectively.

5. The component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first elastic mechanism includes a third elastic element, a load-bearing head, and a plug; The plug is fixedly connected to the bottom of the cavity and provides preload for the third elastic element and the load-bearing head; The bearing head has a through hole inside, and the pull rope passes through the through hole and is fixedly connected to the bearing head. The third elastic element is disposed on the outside of the load-bearing head. When the tension of the rope changes and causes the load-bearing head to shift, it deforms to axially limit the load-bearing head.

6. The component according to claim 5, characterized in that, The third elastic element is a multi-segment series combination disc spring consisting of multiple plates connected in series or multiple plates connected in parallel.

7. The component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front cover has holes for connecting the optical fibers or cables inside the towed array to the transmission cable.

8. The component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rear cover mechanism includes a rear cover and several screws, which are used to connect the rear cover to the connector body.

9. The component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sleeve is clamped by a clamp to achieve the fitting of the connector body.

Images