Threaded piezoelectric actuator driven full-ocean-depth release mechanism and method of operation thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a full-sea-depth release mechanism driven by a threaded piezoelectric actuator and a working method thereof. The release mechanism comprises a threaded piezoelectric actuator, a loading shell, a connecting plate, a float, a counterweight and a fixing bolt. The float is fixed on the connecting plate. The upper end of the loading shell is connected with the connecting plate, and the lower end of the loading shell is connected with the threaded piezoelectric actuator. The fixing bolt is threadedly connected with the lower end of the threaded piezoelectric actuator, and the fixing bolt is connected with the counterweight. Under the cooperation of the counterweight and the float, the loading shell can work in deep sea at a preset depth. After the work is completed, the threaded piezoelectric actuator drives the fixing bolt to rotate, so that the fixing bolt is separated from the threaded piezoelectric actuator, and the loading shell is floated to the water surface under the action of the float and waits for recovery. The release function of the mechanism is realized by using the piezoelectric driving principle, the mechanism can adapt to full-sea-depth environment, and has the characteristics of simple structure, light weight, low cost and simple sealing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the fields of piezoelectric actuation and deep-sea acoustic detection equipment, and in particular to a full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by a threaded piezoelectric actuator and its working method. Background Technology

[0002] Various underwater acoustic devices are crucial for explorers in ocean development and for monitoring the marine environment. Early marine exploration and hydrological monitoring equipment mostly relied on elevators or manual diving for recovery after missions, resulting in high costs and complex recovery processes. To address these issues, various release mechanisms have emerged. When marine exploration equipment is deployed in the sea, its release mechanism uses external anchoring counterweights to maintain the detector in a negative buoyancy state, allowing it to sink without power. When recovery is needed after the mission, the release mechanism, upon receiving a signal from the surface deck unit, releases the underwater anchoring counterweights, bringing the entire device into a positive buoyancy state and enabling it to rise without buoyancy. Currently, the main drive sources for deep-sea detector release mechanisms include electromagnetic motors, pneumatic motors, ablation mechanisms, and electromagnetic motors. These mechanisms suffer from drawbacks such as difficulty in rapid re-deployment, complex structures, extremely high underwater sealing requirements, poor reliability, and lack of self-locking mechanisms.

[0003] A piezoelectric actuator is a driver based on the inverse piezoelectric effect. It excites high-frequency, low-amplitude vibrations of the stator through piezoelectric ceramics, thereby driving the rotor. It features a simple structure and self-locking upon power failure, making it suitable for driving release mechanisms. Furthermore, its open structure eliminates the need for high-strength seals, allowing it to operate at various ocean depths.

[0004] In existing piezoelectric-driven release mechanisms (patent publication number: CN115636053A), two piezoelectric actuators are required to work simultaneously, cooperating to drive the lock body open and release the counterweight. This dual-actuator design not only increases the cost of the release mechanism but also complicates assembly and reduces its reliability. Furthermore, to achieve the lock body's self-locking function, the entire release mechanism requires multiple transmission components, resulting in a complex structure and large size. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to address the deficiencies mentioned in the background art by providing a full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by a threaded piezoelectric actuator and its working method.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by a threaded piezoelectric actuator includes a threaded piezoelectric actuator, a loading housing, a connecting plate, a float, a counterweight, and fixing bolts. The threaded piezoelectric actuator includes a front beam, a piezoelectric assembly, a rear beam, a fixing plate, and preload bolts; The front beam is a regular square prism, with a first threaded blind hole at the center of its upper end face for engaging with the pre-tightening bolt, and a second threaded blind hole at the center of its lower end face for engaging with the fixing bolt. The piezoelectric component comprises 4S piezoelectric ceramic sheet groups and 4S+1 electrode sheets, where S is a natural number greater than or equal to 1. The piezoelectric ceramic sheet has the same shape as the cross-section of the front beam. It is a dual-zone piezoelectric ceramic sheet with a through hole in the center, which is polarized along the thickness direction, and the two zones on both sides of the polarization boundary line have opposite polarization directions. The electrode sheet has the same shape as the cross-section of the front beam and has a through hole in the center; The 4S+1 electrode sheets and 4S piezoelectric ceramic sheets are alternately stacked to form a regular square prism. The polarization boundaries of the 4i+1th piezoelectric ceramic sheet are coplanar and have the same polarization direction; the polarization boundaries of the 4i+2nd piezoelectric ceramic sheet are coplanar and have the same polarization direction; the polarization boundaries of the 4i+3rd piezoelectric ceramic sheet are coplanar and have the same polarization direction; and the polarization boundaries of the 4i+4th piezoelectric ceramic sheet are coplanar and have the same polarization direction, where i is a natural number greater than or equal to 0 and less than S. The polarization boundaries of the 1st and 2nd piezoelectric ceramic sheets are coplanar and have opposite polarization directions; and the polarization boundaries of the 3rd and 4th piezoelectric ceramic sheets are coplanar and have opposite polarization directions. The rear beam is a regular square prism with the same cross-section as the front beam, and it has through holes along its axis; The fixing plate has a countersunk through hole at its center for use with the pre-tightening bolt; The pre-tightening bolt passes through the fixed plate, the rear beam, and the piezoelectric assembly in sequence and is then threaded into the first threaded blind hole of the front beam, clamping the rear beam and the piezoelectric assembly between the fixed plate and the front beam. The loading shell is hollow and sealed, and is used to load marine exploration equipment, communication equipment, power supply and control module; the lower end face of the loading shell is fixedly connected to the fixing plate, and the upper end face is fixedly connected to the lower end face of the connecting plate. The upper surface of the connecting plate is provided with a first hanging ring at the center; The float is provided with a second hanging ring to provide buoyancy; the first hanging ring and the second hanging ring are hinged to each other; The fixing bolt is threadedly connected to the second threaded blind hole of the front beam, and the lower end of the fixing bolt is provided with a third hanging ring; The counterweight is equipped with a fourth hanging ring, which is used to provide load to anchor the water depth; the third and fourth hanging rings are hinged to each other.

[0007] As a further optimization of the threaded piezoelectric actuator driven full-ocean-depth release mechanism of the present invention, the front beam, rear beam, and fixing plate are all made of any one of aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, and stainless steel.

[0008] As a further optimization of the full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by the threaded piezoelectric actuator of the present invention, the piezoelectric ceramic sheet, the electrode sheet and the surface in contact with seawater are all provided with an insulating coating.

[0009] As a further optimization of the threaded piezoelectric actuator-driven full-ocean-depth release mechanism of the present invention, the insulating coating is made of epoxy resin or vulcanized adhesive.

[0010] As a further optimization of the full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by the threaded piezoelectric actuator of the present invention, an anti-loosening washer is provided between the pre-tightening bolt and the fixing plate.

[0011] As a further optimization of the full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by the threaded piezoelectric actuator of the present invention, the centers of the fixed plate and the connecting plate are both located on the axis of the front beam.

[0012] The present invention also discloses a method for operating a full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by the threaded piezoelectric actuator, comprising the following steps: When conducting underwater exploration, the fixing bolts and front beam threads are engaged and tightened, and the counterweight provides the load to anchor the water depth. That is, the weight of the counterweight and the buoyancy of the float are used to keep it at a preset depth in the sea. When the underwater exploration work is completed and the device needs to be recovered, a first AC signal is applied to the 4i+1 and 4i+2 piezoelectric ceramic plates, and a second AC signal is applied to the 4i+3 and 4i+4 piezoelectric ceramic plates. The first and second AC signals have a 90° time phase difference, which simultaneously excites two spatially orthogonal P-order bending vibration modes of the threaded piezoelectric actuator. This causes the mass points on the thread in the second threaded blind hole of the front beam to drive the fixing bolt to rotate through frictional motion, ultimately causing the fixing bolt to separate from the front beam. P is a natural number greater than or equal to 1. After the fixing bolts and the front beam are separated, the counterweight is released, and the float drives the loading hull to rise to the surface of the water, waiting to be recovered.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the present invention, employing the above technical solution, has the following technical effects: 1. This invention uses a threaded piezoelectric actuator as the driver for the release mechanism. The threaded piezoelectric actuator directly drives the fixing bolt to release the counterweight, eliminating the need for a transmission mechanism. Compared to existing designs (patent publication number: CN115636053A), this invention achieves direct drive of the counterweight during the release process. Furthermore, this invention requires fewer assembly parts; only one piezoelectric actuator is needed to release the fixing bolt, offering advantages such as low cost, small size, simple structure, and high reliability.

[0014] 2. In this invention, the threaded piezoelectric actuator and the fixing bolt are threaded together. This threaded engagement has a self-locking function. Utilizing this characteristic, the release mechanism proposed in this invention can keep the counterweight anchored before release. After the device is retrieved, it can be redeployed simply by screwing the counterweight with the fixing bolt back into the threaded piezoelectric actuator.

[0015] 3. In this invention, it is not necessary to fully seal the entire release mechanism. It is only necessary to ensure that the piezoelectric ceramic plate and electrode plate in the threaded piezoelectric actuator are insulated from seawater. The sealing requirements are extremely low, and it can adapt to the entire ocean depth environment. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the threaded piezoelectric actuator in this invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the piezoelectric component in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the threaded piezoelectric actuator in this invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the workflow of the present invention.

[0017] In the diagram, 1-counterweight, 2-threaded piezoelectric actuator, 3-loading housing, 4-connecting plate, 5-float, 6-fixing bolt, 7-front beam, 8-piezoelectric assembly, 9-rear beam, 10-fixing plate, 11-anti-loosening washer, 12-preload bolt. Implementation

[0018] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings: This invention can be implemented in many different forms and should not be considered limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully express the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, components are enlarged for clarity.

[0019] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the present invention discloses a full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by a threaded piezoelectric actuator, comprising a threaded piezoelectric actuator, a loading housing, a connecting plate, a float, a counterweight, and fixing bolts; like Figure 3 As shown, the threaded piezoelectric actuator includes a front beam, a piezoelectric assembly, a rear beam, a fixing plate, and preload bolts; The front beam is a regular square prism, with a first threaded blind hole at the center of its upper end face for engaging with the pre-tightening bolt, and a second threaded blind hole at the center of its lower end face for engaging with the fixing bolt. The piezoelectric component comprises 4S piezoelectric ceramic sheet groups and 4S+1 electrode sheets, where S is a natural number greater than or equal to 1. The piezoelectric ceramic sheet has the same shape as the cross-section of the front beam. It is a dual-zone piezoelectric ceramic sheet with a through hole in the center, which is polarized along the thickness direction, and the two zones on both sides of the polarization boundary line have opposite polarization directions. The electrode sheet has the same shape as the cross-section of the front beam and has a through hole in the center; The 4S+1 electrode sheets and 4S piezoelectric ceramic sheets are alternately stacked to form a regular square prism. The polarization boundaries of the (4i+1)th piezoelectric ceramic sheet are coplanar and have the same polarization direction; the polarization boundaries of the (4i+2)th piezoelectric ceramic sheet are coplanar and have the same polarization direction; the polarization boundaries of the (4i+3)th piezoelectric ceramic sheet are coplanar and have the same polarization direction; the polarization boundaries of the (4i+4)th piezoelectric ceramic sheet are coplanar and have the same polarization direction; and i is a natural number greater than or equal to 0 and less than S. The polarization boundaries of the 1st and 2nd piezoelectric ceramic sheets are coplanar and have opposite polarization directions; the polarization boundaries of the 3rd and 4th piezoelectric ceramic sheets are coplanar and have opposite polarization directions. Figure 4 As shown; The rear beam is a regular square prism with the same cross-section as the front beam, and it has through holes along its axis; The fixing plate has a countersunk through hole at its center for use with the pre-tightening bolt; The pre-tightening bolt passes through the fixed plate, the rear beam, and the piezoelectric assembly in sequence and is then threaded into the first threaded blind hole of the front beam, clamping the rear beam and the piezoelectric assembly between the fixed plate and the front beam. The loading shell is hollow and sealed, and is used to load marine exploration equipment, communication equipment, power supply and control module; the lower end face of the loading shell is fixedly connected to the fixing plate, and the upper end face is fixedly connected to the lower end face of the connecting plate. The upper surface of the connecting plate is provided with a first hanging ring at the center; like Figure 2 As shown, the float is provided with a second hanging ring to provide buoyancy; the first hanging ring and the second hanging ring are hinged to each other; The fixing bolt is threadedly connected to the second threaded blind hole of the front beam, and the lower end of the fixing bolt is provided with a third hanging ring; like Figure 2 As shown, the counterweight is provided with a fourth hanging ring, which is used to provide load to anchor the water depth; the third hanging ring and the fourth hanging ring are hinged to each other.

[0020] The front beam, rear beam, and fixing plate are preferably made of any one of aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, or stainless steel.

[0021] The piezoelectric ceramic sheet, electrode sheet, and seawater contact surfaces are all provided with an insulating coating, which preferably uses epoxy resin adhesive or vulcanized adhesive.

[0022] Anti-loosening washers are preferably provided between the pre-tightening bolts and the fixing plate, and the centers of the fixing plate and the connecting plate are preferably located on the axis of the front beam.

[0023] like Figure 6 As shown, the present invention also discloses a method for operating a full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by the threaded piezoelectric actuator, comprising the following steps: When conducting underwater exploration, the fixing bolts and front beam threads are engaged and tightened, and the counterweight provides the load to anchor the water depth. That is, the weight of the counterweight and the buoyancy of the float are used to keep it at a preset depth in the sea. When the underwater exploration is completed and the device needs to be retrieved, a first AC signal is applied to the (4i+1)th and (4i+2)th piezoelectric ceramic plates, and a second AC signal is applied to the (4i+3)th and (4i+4)th piezoelectric ceramic plates. The first and second AC signals have a 90° time phase difference, simultaneously exciting two spatially orthogonal P-order bending vibration modes of the threaded piezoelectric actuator, such as... Figure 5 As shown in the figure, P is 2, so that the mass point on the thread in the second thread blind hole of the front beam drives the fixing bolt to rotate through frictional motion, and finally causes the fixing bolt and the front beam to separate. P is a natural number greater than or equal to 1. After the fixing bolts and the front beam are separated, the counterweight is released, and the float drives the loading hull to rise to the surface of the water, waiting to be recovered.

[0024] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in general dictionaries should be understood to have the same meaning as in the context of the prior art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless defined as herein.

[0025] The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of the present invention. It should be understood that the above description is only a specific embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by a threaded piezoelectric actuator, characterized in that, It includes a threaded piezoelectric actuator, a loading housing, a connecting plate, a float, a counterweight, and fixing bolts; The threaded piezoelectric actuator includes a front beam, a piezoelectric assembly, a rear beam, a fixing plate, and preload bolts; The front beam is a regular square prism, with a first threaded blind hole at the center of its upper end face for engaging with the pre-tightening bolt, and a second threaded blind hole at the center of its lower end face for engaging with the fixing bolt. The piezoelectric component comprises 4S piezoelectric ceramic sheet groups and 4S+1 electrode sheets, where S is a natural number greater than or equal to 1. The piezoelectric ceramic sheet has the same shape as the cross-section of the front beam. It is a dual-zone piezoelectric ceramic sheet with a through hole in the center, which is polarized along the thickness direction, and the two zones on both sides of the polarization boundary line have opposite polarization directions. The electrode sheet has the same shape as the cross-section of the front beam and has a through hole in the center; The 4S+1 electrode sheets and 4S piezoelectric ceramic sheets are arranged alternately to form a regular square prism. The polarization boundary lines of the 4i+1th piezoelectric ceramic sheet are coplanar and have the same polarization direction, the polarization boundary lines of the 4i+2nd piezoelectric ceramic sheet are coplanar and have the same polarization direction, the polarization boundary lines of the 4i+3rd piezoelectric ceramic sheet are coplanar and have the same polarization direction, and the polarization boundary lines of the 4i+4th piezoelectric ceramic sheet are coplanar and have the same polarization direction, where i is a natural number greater than or equal to 0 and less than S. The polarization boundary lines of the 1st and 2nd piezoelectric ceramic sheets are coplanar and have opposite polarization directions, and the polarization boundary lines of the 3rd and 4th piezoelectric ceramic sheets are coplanar and have opposite polarization directions. The rear beam is a regular square prism with the same cross-section as the front beam, and it has through holes along its axis; The fixing plate has a countersunk through hole at its center for use with the pre-tightening bolt; The pre-tightening bolt passes through the fixed plate, the rear beam, and the piezoelectric assembly in sequence and is then threaded into the first threaded blind hole of the front beam, clamping the rear beam and the piezoelectric assembly between the fixed plate and the front beam. The loading shell is hollow and sealed, and is used to load marine exploration equipment, communication equipment, power supply and control module; the lower end face of the loading shell is fixedly connected to the fixing plate, and the upper end face is fixedly connected to the lower end face of the connecting plate. The upper surface of the connecting plate is provided with a first hanging ring at the center; The float is provided with a second hanging ring to provide buoyancy; the first hanging ring and the second hanging ring are hinged to each other; The fixing bolt is threadedly connected to the second threaded blind hole of the front beam, and the lower end of the fixing bolt is provided with a third hanging ring; The counterweight is equipped with a fourth hanging ring, which is used to provide load to anchor the water depth; the third and fourth hanging rings are hinged to each other.

2. The full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by the threaded piezoelectric actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front beam, rear beam, and fixing plate are all made of any one of aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, or stainless steel.

3. The full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by the threaded piezoelectric actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The piezoelectric ceramic sheet, electrode sheet, and the surface in contact with seawater are all provided with an insulating coating.

4. The full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by the threaded piezoelectric actuator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The insulating coating is made of epoxy resin or vulcanized adhesive.

5. The full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by the threaded piezoelectric actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, Anti-loosening washers are provided between the pre-tightening bolts and the fixing plate.

6. The full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by the threaded piezoelectric actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The centers of the fixing plate and the connecting plate are both located on the axis of the front beam.

7. The working method of the full-ocean-depth release mechanism driven by the threaded piezoelectric actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: When conducting underwater exploration, the fixing bolts and front beam threads are engaged and tightened, and the counterweight provides the load to anchor the water depth. That is, the weight of the counterweight and the buoyancy of the float are used to keep it at a preset depth in the sea. When the underwater exploration work is completed and the device needs to be recovered, a first AC signal is applied to the 4i+1 and 4i+2 piezoelectric ceramic plates, and a second AC signal is applied to the 4i+3 and 4i+4 piezoelectric ceramic plates. The first and second AC signals have a 90° time phase difference, which simultaneously excites two spatially orthogonal P-order bending vibration modes of the threaded piezoelectric actuator. This causes the mass points on the thread in the second threaded blind hole of the front beam to drive the fixing bolt to rotate through frictional motion, ultimately causing the fixing bolt to separate from the front beam. P is a natural number greater than or equal to 1. After the fixing bolts and the front beam are separated, the counterweight is released, and the float drives the loading hull to rise to the surface of the water, waiting to be recovered.

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