Imaging sonar and matching layer potting method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an imaging sonar and a matching layer potting method. The imaging sonar comprises: an intermediate body, an integrated circuit module, a panel assembly, a backplane assembly and a sealing assembly. The panel assembly comprises a panel covering the front opening of the intermediate body and a plurality of transducers integrated in the panel. The transducer comprises a matching layer, a transducer positioning member and a transducer body. The transducer positioning member is fixed to the transducer mounting hole, and the transducer body is fixed to the transducer positioning member. The matching layer is bonded to the front side of the panel and wraps the transducer positioning member and the transducer body therein. The rear side of the matching layer has a heat dissipation port to expose the rear side of the transducer body. By reserving a heat dissipation port on the rear side of the matching layer, the rear side of the transducer body is connected to the mounting cavity of the intermediate body through the heat dissipation port, so that the transducer can dissipate heat in the form of heat convection such as air or liquid, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the integrated circuit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of sonar equipment, and in particular to an imaging sonar and a matching layer potting method. Background Art

[0002] The distribution information of deep-sea topography, mineral deposits and organisms contains huge economic and environmental protection benefits. The detection signals used to detect the above important distribution information have the characteristics of fast attenuation, multi-path and large data volume, which has great limitations on the measurement distance, accuracy and bandwidth indicators of deep-sea detection equipment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a deep-sea imaging sonar that can be used in deep water and high hydrostatic pressure to achieve insight into deep-sea topography, organisms and structures.

[0003] Since the pressure resistance and sealing performance of the conventional rectangular pressure-resistant shells are not high and cannot meet the requirements of use in deep-sea environments, it is necessary to fill the interior of the pressure-resistant shell with insulating oil or use other devices to achieve internal and external pressure balance to improve the pressure resistance and watertightness. This puts forward pressure resistance level requirements for the components on the integrated circuit board, limiting the application of existing mature basic circuit products in the field of deep-sea exploration.

[0004] In addition, as a deep-sea imaging sonar, it is necessary to add an acoustic detection component on the basis of the pressure-resistant shell. In order to ensure the propagation efficiency of sound waves in seawater and improve the sensitivity of the sonar, the acoustic detection component needs to be potted with a potting material such as polyurethane or epoxy resin to form a matching layer to directly contact the seawater. That is, on the basis of the traditional pressure-resistant shell, it is necessary to integrate the transducer component formed by the potting material. The matching layer package structure formed by the potting material should have the same pressure resistance as the pressure-resistant shell, and ensure the watertightness of itself and between it and the pressure-resistant shell. According to the normal operating frequency of the deep-sea imaging sonar, the thickness of the matching layer is very thin, and it is easy to lack glue or have cavity bubbles, which affects the imaging performance and watertightness of the imaging sonar, and puts forward higher requirements for the potting process of the matching layer.

[0005] At present, most of the existing transducers are molded by potting with potting glue. The shell of the transducer is made of potting glue material, and the potting glue fills the cavity between each component. Although the potted transducer can meet the use of deep-sea environment, when the transducer is working, it can only dissipate heat by heat conduction, that is, the heat of the electronic components is transferred to the potting glue, and then transferred to the seawater through the potting glue. The heat dissipation efficiency is low, which makes it difficult for this type of potting structure to be used in real-time imaging sonar with high heat generation power. Summary of the invention

[0006] Based on this, it is necessary to provide an imaging sonar and matching layer potting method to address the problem that the pressure resistance and watertightness of the existing imaging sonar are difficult to ensure and the full potting method of the matching layer of the transducer has a low heat dissipation efficiency.

[0007] An imaging sonar, comprising:

[0008] An intermediate body, wherein the intermediate body has a mounting cavity extending through in a front-to-back direction;

[0009] an integrated circuit module, the integrated circuit module being installed in the installation cavity;

[0010] A panel assembly, the panel assembly comprising a panel covering the front opening of the intermediate body and a plurality of transducers integrated in the panel, the transducers being electrically connected to the integrated circuit module and used for emitting sound waves or receiving reflected sound waves; the panel is provided with a plurality of transducer mounting holes, the transducer comprising a matching layer, a transducer positioning member and a transducer body, the transducer positioning member being fixedly arranged in the transducer mounting holes, and the transducer body being fixedly arranged in the transducer positioning member; the matching layer being bonded to the front side of the panel and wrapping the transducer positioning member and the transducer body therein, the rear side of the matching layer being provided with a heat dissipation port to expose the rear side of the transducer body;

[0011] a backplane assembly, the backplane assembly comprising a backplane covering the rear opening of the intermediate body and a connector integrated with the backplane, the connector being electrically connected to the integrated circuit module; and

[0012] A sealing component is disposed between the panel component and the intermediate body and between the back panel component and the intermediate body to seal the gap between the panel component and the back panel component and the intermediate body.

[0013] In one embodiment, the front opening and the rear opening of the installation cavity are both rectangular, and the front side and the rear side of the intermediate body are both provided with a planar sealing groove arranged around the installation cavity, and the shape of the planar sealing groove is rectangular. The sealing assembly includes a plurality of planar seals, and the shape of the planar seals is rectangular. The planar seals are arranged in the planar sealing grooves to seal the gap between the panel and the front side of the intermediate body and the gap between the back panel and the rear side of the intermediate body.

[0014] In one of the embodiments, the panel assembly further includes a panel protrusion protruding from the rear side surface of the panel, and the panel protrusion is inserted into the installation cavity through the front opening of the installation cavity; the back panel assembly includes a back panel protrusion protruding from the front side surface of the back panel, and the back panel protrusion is inserted into the installation cavity through the rear opening of the installation cavity, and radial sealing grooves are provided on the side surfaces of the panel protrusion and the back panel protrusion; the sealing assembly further includes a radial seal, and the radial seal is arranged in the radial sealing groove to seal the gap between the panel protrusion, the back panel protrusion and the intermediate body.

[0015] In one embodiment, the cross-section of the planar sealing groove is rectangular, the cross-section of the planar sealing member is circular, the material hardness of the planar sealing member is 90A, and the initial compression rate of the planar sealing member is 18%.

[0016] In one embodiment, the cross-section of the radial sealing groove is rectangular, the cross-section of the radial sealing member is circular, the material hardness of the radial sealing member is 90A, and the initial compression rate of the radial sealing member is 18%.

[0017] In one embodiment, the bonding surface between the panel and the matching layer has a surface treatment layer, and the surface treatment layer is used to increase the surface roughness of the panel.

[0018] In one embodiment, the transducer body includes a transducer layer, a backing layer and a wire, wherein the transducer layer and the backing layer are enclosed within the matching layer, and the transducer layer is located between the backing layers, the wire is electrically connected to the transducer layer, and the wire passes through the backing layer from the transducer layer and is electrically connected to the integrated circuit module.

[0019] In one embodiment, the transducer includes a transmitting transducer and a receiving transducer, wherein the matching layer of the transmitting transducer protrudes forward to form a convex structure, and the matching layer of the receiving transducer is a planar structure.

[0020] In one embodiment, the matching layer of the transmitting transducer is made of an epoxy resin material with an acoustic impedance of 4 MRayl, and the matching layer of the receiving transducer is made of an epoxy resin material with an acoustic impedance of 2.5 MRayl.

[0021] In one of the embodiments, the back plate is provided with an oil filling port, and the back plate assembly further includes a sealing plug, and the sealing plug is sealingly installed in the oil filling port.

[0022] A matching layer potting method for preparing a matching layer of a transducer of an imaging sonar as described above, comprising the steps of:

[0023] The transducer body is fixedly mounted on the panel through the transducer mounting hole of the panel of the imaging sonar and the transducer positioning member of the imaging sonar;

[0024] The forming mold is fixedly installed on the front side of the panel so that the space enclosed by the forming mold, the transducer positioning member, the panel and the transducer body forms a matching layer filling area;

[0025] Filling the potting glue into the matching layer filling area through the gap between the transducer positioning member and the panel to obtain an intermediate process structure;

[0026] Through the vacuum degassing box, under the condition of set vacuum degree, the intermediate process structure is vacuum treated dynamically;

[0027] Performing a curing treatment on the intermediate process structure after the vacuum degassing treatment, curing the potting glue in the matching layer filling area to form the matching layer; and

[0028] The forming die is removed to complete the matching layer potting of the panel assembly.

[0029] In one of the embodiments, in the step of performing vacuum degassing treatment on the intermediate process structure through a vacuum degassing box under a set vacuum degree, when the viscosity of the potting glue material is less than 1500mPa·s, the vibration frequency range of the vacuum degassing treatment is 150Hz to 200Hz, when the viscosity of the potting glue material is in the range of 1500mPa·s to 5000mPa·s, the vibration frequency range of the vacuum degassing treatment is 100Hz to 150Hz, and when the viscosity of the potting glue material is greater than 5000mPa·s, the vibration frequency range of the vacuum degassing treatment is 50Hz to 100Hz.

[0030] The above-mentioned imaging sonar integrates the transducer into the panel assembly to form an integrated receiving and transmitting sonar structure. Through modular design, the panel assembly can be replaced according to actual working conditions such as detection target, detection distance, detection accuracy, etc., to achieve component reuse and reduce the cost of use. At the same time, it is convenient to repair and replace the imaging sonar when a failure occurs, thereby improving the maintainability of the product.

[0031] The imaging sonar reserves heat dissipation holes on the rear side of the matching layer, and the rear side of the transducer body is connected to the installation cavity of the intermediate body through the heat dissipation holes, so that the transducer can dissipate heat through heat convection such as air or liquid, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the integrated circuit.

[0032] The pressure resistance of the above-mentioned imaging sonar is ensured by the packaging shell formed by the assembly of the panel, the intermediate body, and the back panel, and the matching layer of the transducer. The watertightness is ensured by the sealing structure between the panel, the back panel and the intermediate body, and the reliable bonding between the matching layer and the matching layer and the panel. There is no need to improve the pressure resistance and sealing performance through internal and external pressure balancing methods such as oil filling, so that integrated circuits that do not have pressure resistance can be used in deep sea fields.

[0033] The overall appearance of the imaging sonar is a rectangular structure, the planar seal is also a rectangular structure, and the installation cavity inside the sonar is also a rectangular structure, which can improve the space utilization rate of the installation cavity inside the intermediate body and help achieve miniaturization and lightweight.

[0034] The matching layer potting method can improve the potting qualification rate of the matching layer of the transducer, avoid the problem of glue shortage or bubbles in the matching layer, achieve reliable bonding between the matching layer and the panel, and ensure the imaging performance and watertightness of the imaging sonar. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the front structure of an imaging sonar provided by one embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 2 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the back structure of the imaging sonar according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0037] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an exploded structure of an imaging sonar according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0038] Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of the structure of the imaging sonar according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0039] Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of a panel assembly of an imaging sonar according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0040] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of a transducer of an imaging sonar according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0041] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the intermediate process structure of potting a matching layer in a matching layer potting method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 8 A schematic structural diagram of a back plate assembly of an imaging sonar according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0043] Fig. 9 A schematic structural diagram of a back plate of an imaging sonar according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0044] Fig.10 A schematic front view of a planar seal of an imaging sonar according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0045] Fig.11 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a planar seal of an imaging sonar according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0046] Fig.12 A sealing performance simulation analysis diagram of a planar seal of an imaging sonar according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0047] Fig.13 A sealing performance simulation analysis diagram of a radial seal of an imaging sonar according to the above embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0048] Fig.14 A schematic diagram of the steps of a matching layer encapsulation method provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0049] Figure numerals: 10, panel assembly; 11, panel; 111, transducer mounting hole; 112, radial sealing groove; 12, transducer; 121, matching layer; 1211, heat dissipation port; 122, transducer positioning member; 123, transducer body; 1231, transducer layer; 1232, backing layer; 1233, wire; 124, transmitting transducer; 125, receiving transducer; 13, panel protrusion; 20, intermediate body; 200, mounting cavity; 21, planar sealing groove; 30, back plate assembly; 31, back plate; 311, connector mounting hole; 312, oil filling port; 32, connector; 33, back plate protrusion; 34, sealing plug; 40, integrated circuit module; 51, planar seal; 511, straight line segment; 512, arc segment; 52, radial seal; 60, molding mold. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the present invention, so the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0051] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0052] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0053] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0054] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0055] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be the only implementation method.

[0056] For details, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The present application provides an imaging sonar, which may include a panel assembly 10, a back plate assembly 30, an intermediate body 20, a sealing assembly, and an integrated circuit module 40. The intermediate body 20 has an installation cavity 200 that runs through in the front-to-back direction, and the integrated circuit module 40 is installed in the installation cavity 200. The panel assembly 10 includes a panel 11 and a plurality of transducers 12. The panel 11 is covered on the front opening of the intermediate body 20 to close the front opening of the intermediate body 20. The transducer 12 is electrically connected to the integrated circuit module 40 to emit sound waves or receive reflected sound waves. By integrating the transducer 12 into the panel assembly 10, a sonar structure integrating reception and transmission is formed. Through modular design, the panel assembly 10 can be replaced according to actual working conditions such as detection targets, detection distances, and detection accuracy, so as to achieve component reuse and reduce the use cost. At the same time, when the imaging sonar fails, it is convenient to repair and replace it, thereby improving the maintainability of the product. The back plate assembly 30 includes a back plate 31 and a connector 32 . The back plate 31 is disposed on the rear opening of the intermediate body 20 to close the rear opening of the intermediate body 20 .

[0057] The integrated circuit module 40 may be composed of a variety of electronic components, and is electrically connected to the transducer 12 and the connector 32, including circuit power supply, signal acquisition, calculation processing, signal amplification, data transmission and other functions, and has high insulation performance requirements. The connector 32 is integrated with the backplane 31 and electrically connected to the integrated circuit module 40, and is used to transmit the data in the integrated circuit module 40 of the imaging sonar to the outside of the sonar. The connector 32 can be used to connect a watertight cable and transmit the data out of the water through the watertight cable.

[0058] More specifically, if Figure 4 and Figure 6As shown, in some embodiments, the panel 11 is provided with a plurality of transducer mounting holes 111, and the transducer 12 may include a matching layer 121, a transducer positioning member 122, and a transducer body 123. The transducer positioning member 122 is fixedly arranged in the transducer mounting hole 111, and the transducer body 123 is fixedly arranged in the transducer positioning member 122. The matching layer 121 is bonded to the front side of the panel 11, and wraps the transducer positioning member 122 and the transducer body 123. The rear side of the matching layer 121 has a heat dissipation port 1211 to expose the rear side of the transducer body 123. The matching layer 121 is arranged in front of the transducer 12 and directly contacts with seawater, which can improve the propagation efficiency of sound waves in seawater, improve the sensitivity and accuracy of imaging sonar, and also play a watertight role to prevent seawater from entering the interior of the sonar from the matching layer 121 itself and between the matching layer 121 and the panel 11. The compressive resistance of the matching layer 121 material should be greater than the hydrostatic pressure it is subjected to at the working water depth, and the matching layer 121 will not be crushed when subjected to the corresponding hydrostatic pressure under the corresponding working water depth conditions. The rear side of the transducer body 123 is connected to the installation cavity 200 of the intermediate body 20 through the heat dissipation port 1211, so that the transducer 12 can dissipate heat in the form of heat convection such as air or liquid, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the integrated circuit.

[0059] It can be understood that the pressure resistance of the imaging sonar of the present application is ensured by the packaging shell formed by assembling the panel 11, the intermediate body 20, and the back plate 31, and the matching layer 121 of the transducer 12, and the watertightness is ensured by the sealing structure between the panel 11, the back plate 31 and the intermediate body 20, and the reliable bonding between the matching layer 121 and the panel 11. There is no need to improve the pressure resistance and sealing performance through internal and external pressure balancing methods such as oil filling, so that integrated circuits that do not have pressure resistance can be used in deep sea fields.

[0060] In order to overcome the high hydrostatic pressure in the deep sea, deep-sea imaging sonar needs to design a deep-sea pressure-resistant structure. The existing deep-sea pressure-resistant structures often adopt spherical, cylindrical, ellipsoidal, conical, inverted wedge and their combination forms, etc., such as the design regulations of my country's national standard GB150 series for pressure vessels, the "Diving System and Submersible Classification Code" of the China Classification Society, and the US deep-sea submersible specification ASME PVHO-1-2019 and other relevant technical documents, all have provisions for deep-sea pressure-resistant structures. However, since the shape of the integrated circuit board is often a rectangular structure, if the pressure-resistant shell of the above-mentioned rotating body type structure is used, it will cause a large waste of installation space in the pressure-resistant shell, resulting in a large structure of the deep-sea pressure-resistant shell, which cannot be miniaturized and lightweight.

[0061] There are some rectangular pressure-resistant shells in the existing technology, but most of these rectangular pressure-resistant shells use circular openings. Therefore, although the inner cavity space of this type of rectangular pressure-resistant shell is large, the opening area is small, and it is still impossible to put in an integrated circuit board with a large area, and it is impossible to maximize the utilization of the internal space. In addition, conventional pressure-resistant structural seals generally use O-rings, which are rubber rings with circular shapes and cross-sections. The structure of the O-ring can be designed according to my country's GB / T 3452 series standards, but if the rectangular pressure-resistant shell still uses O-rings for sealing, the opening must use a circular opening, so a new sealing ring structure needs to be designed to adapt to the rectangular pressure-resistant shell.

[0062] Therefore, if Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Fig.10 As shown, in some embodiments, the front opening and the rear opening of the installation cavity 200 are both rectangular, and the front side and the rear side of the intermediate body 20 are both provided with a planar sealing groove 21 arranged around the installation cavity 200, and the shape of the planar sealing groove 21 is rectangular. The sealing assembly includes a plurality of planar seals 51, and the shape of the planar seals 51 is rectangular. The planar seals 51 are arranged in the planar sealing grooves 21 to seal the gap between the panel 11 and the front side of the intermediate body 20 and the gap between the back plate 31 and the rear side of the intermediate body 20. When the panel 11 and the back plate 31 are assembled with the intermediate body 20, the planar seals 51 are squeezed, so that the planar sealing grooves 21 and the planar seals 51 form a planar sealing structure, and contact stress is formed between the planar seals 51 and each contact surface, so as to ensure the watertight performance of the imaging sonar. In addition, the overall shape of the imaging sonar is a rectangular structure, the planar seal 51 is also a rectangular structure, and the installation cavity 200 inside the sonar is also a rectangular structure, which can improve the space utilization rate of the installation cavity 200 inside the intermediate body 20 and help achieve miniaturization and lightweight.

[0063] Exemplarily, the back plate 31 of the present application is provided with a connector mounting hole 311, and the connector 32 is installed in the connector 32 mounting hole. The connector 32 can adopt a watertight connector 32, which can be sealed with the back plate 31 by an O-ring seal. This is a common technology in the industry and will not be repeated here.

[0064] Preferably, if Figure 4 and Fig. 9As shown, in some embodiments, the panel assembly 10 may include a panel protrusion 13 protruding from the rear side of the panel 11, and the panel protrusion 13 is inserted into the installation cavity 200 through the front opening of the installation cavity 200; the back panel assembly 30 includes a back panel protrusion 33 protruding from the front side of the back panel 31, and the back panel protrusion 33 is inserted into the installation cavity 200 through the rear opening of the installation cavity 200, and the side surfaces of the panel protrusion 13 and the back panel protrusion 33 are both provided with radial sealing grooves 112; the sealing assembly further includes a radial seal 52, and the radial seal 52 is arranged in the radial sealing groove 112 to seal the gap between the panel protrusion 13 and the back panel protrusion 33 and the intermediate body 20. In this way, through the cooperation of the radial seal 52 and the radial sealing groove 112, a radial sealing structure is formed, which can be used as a redundant component of reliability design to further improve the watertight performance of the imaging sonar. When the planar seal 51 fails, the radial seal 52 can play a watertight role.

[0065] Optionally, in some embodiments, the panel 11 and the back panel 31 are both provided with fastener through holes, and the front side and the rear side of the intermediate body 20 are both provided with fastener mounting holes for assembling fasteners. Through the fasteners, the panel 11 and the back panel 31 can be fixedly installed on the intermediate body 20.

[0066] Alternatively, if Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the four corners of the panel 11, the panel protrusion 13, the intermediate body 20, the back plate 31 and the back plate protrusion 33 have arc transition structures, so that the appearance structure of the imaging sonar is more beautiful.

[0067] Preferably, if Fig.10 As shown, in some embodiments, the planar seal 51 includes a straight line segment 511 and an arc segment 512, the straight line segment 511 is distributed at the four sides of the rectangular planar seal 51, the arc segment 512 is distributed at the four corners of the rectangular planar seal, and the planar seal groove 21 includes a straight line groove and an arc groove that cooperate with the planar seal 51. In this way, the arc segment 512 is used to transition the connection position of the straight line segment 511 to improve the sealing performance of the four corners of the planar seal 51. Similarly, the radial seal 52 and the radial seal groove 112 also have a similar structure to the planar seal 51 and the planar seal groove 21.

[0068] Since conventional seals are all O-ring structures, that is, the shape and cross-section are both circular structures, each country has a series of standards to guide the design of O-ring seal structures under different use pressures, such as my country's GB / T 3452 series of standards. Relevant scholars have also conducted simulation research on the deep sea water pressure that O-rings with different cross-sectional compression rates and different hardness can withstand, but there are currently no relevant deep-sea application cases and research on seals with rectangular shapes and circular cross-sections. In general, the force on each cross-section of the O-ring is uniform, while the plane seal 51 and the radial seal 52 of the present application are subjected to different forces in the straight section 511 and the arc section 512, that is, not all cross-sectional conditions are subjected to the same force, so it is impossible to refer to the existing O-ring seal structure for design.

[0069] Therefore, if Figure 4 and Fig.11 As shown, in some embodiments, the cross-section of the planar sealing groove 21 is rectangular, and the planar seal 51 is a rounded rectangular structure, that is, the four sides of the planar seal 51 are straight segments 511, the four corners are arc segments 512, and the cross-section of the planar seal 51 is circular. The material hardness of the planar seal 51 is 90A, and after the sealing structure is assembled in place, the initial compression rate of the planar seal 51 is 18%. Similarly, the cross-section of the radial sealing groove 112 is rectangular, and the radial seal 52 is a rounded rectangular structure. The cross-section of the radial seal 52 is circular, and the material hardness of the radial seal 52 is 90A. After the sealing structure is assembled in place, the initial compression rate of the radial seal 52 is 18%. The planar seal 51 and the radial seal 52 can meet the sealing requirement of 55MPa, that is, they can meet the watertight performance requirements for working at a water depth of 5500 meters. As shown in FIG. Fig.12 and Fig.13 The figure shows the sealing performance simulation analysis diagram of the planar seal 51 and the radial seal 52 of the present application. Taking the planar seal 51 and the radial seal 52 with symmetrical structures along the X-axis and the Y-axis as an example, a 1 / 4 model is used for simulation analysis. Fig.12 and Fig.13 It can be seen that by performing a static structural analysis (Satic Structural) on the planar seal 51 and the radial seal 52, the pressure (Pressure) of each position of the planar seal 51 and the radial seal 52 can be obtained, wherein the maximum pressure that the planar seal 51 can withstand is 57.9MPa, and the maximum pressure that the radial seal 52 can withstand is 58.47MPa. In addition, according to the actual use depth requirements of the imaging sonar, the material hardness and initial compression rate of the sealing ring can be adjusted to adapt to the sealing under different hydrostatic pressures. If the seawater depth used is shallow, the material hardness of the sealing ring can be appropriately reduced and the initial compression rate can be reduced.

[0070] Preferably, the bonding strength between the bonding surfaces of the matching layer material and the panel material should be able to withstand the hydrostatic pressure to which the matching layer is subjected. Therefore, in some embodiments, the bonding surface of the panel 11 and the matching layer 121 of the present application has a surface treatment layer, and the surface treatment layer is used to increase the surface roughness of the panel 11. The surface treatment layer can be formed by roughening treatment such as sandblasting and grinding wheel grinding, or by mechanically processing grooves, threads and other concave and convex structural surfaces, so as to increase the bonding area between the panel 11 and the potting glue, thereby further improving the bonding strength between the bonding surface of the matching layer 121 and the panel 11. The bonding surface can be cleaned before the potting operation to ensure that the bonding surface is clean and free of oil stains.

[0071] Furthermore, if Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the transducer body 123 includes a transducer layer 1231, a backing layer 1232, and a wire 1233. The transducer layer 1231 and the backing layer 1232 are enclosed in the matching layer 121, and the transducer layer 1231 is located between the backing layer 1232. The wire 1233 is electrically connected to the transducer layer 1231, and the wire 1233 passes through the backing layer 1232 from the transducer layer 1231 and is electrically connected to the integrated circuit module 40. The transducer layer 1231 is used to transmit or receive sound waves, and the backing layer 1232 is used to absorb the sound energy radiated backward by the transducer layer 1231 to prevent interference.

[0072] Alternatively, if Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the transducer body 123 includes two wires 1233, one of the wires 1233 is connected to the front side of the transducer layer 1231, and can be used as one of the positive wire or the negative wire of the transducer layer 1231, and the other wire 1233 is connected to the back side of the transducer layer 1231, and can be used as the other of the positive wire or the negative wire of the transducer layer 1231.

[0073] For example, in one embodiment, the material of the backing layer 1232 is a mixture of polyurethane and metal tungsten powder in a mass ratio of 1:1. In order to make the material of the backing layer 1232 mixed evenly, the mixture can be placed on a 40KHz ultrasonic vibration table for sufficient oscillation mixing.

[0074] Alternatively, if Figure 5As shown, the outer structure of the transducer 12 can be a planar structure, a concave structure, or a convex structure. In some embodiments, the transducer 12 of the present application includes a transmitting transducer 124 and a receiving transducer 125, wherein the matching layer 121 of the transmitting transducer 124 protrudes forward to form a convex structure to increase the transmitting angle and transmitting range of the transmitting transducer 124, and the matching layer 121 of the receiving transducer 125 is a planar structure to increase the receiving range of the receiving transducer 12.

[0075] Optionally, the matching layer 121 is generally made of materials such as polyurethane or epoxy resin, and its acoustic impedance matches the acoustic impedance of the transducer 12, which can enhance the penetration depth and resolution of sound waves. In some embodiments, the matching layer 121 of the transmitting transducer 124 of the present application is made of an epoxy resin material with an acoustic impedance of 4 MRayl, and the matching layer 121 of the receiving transducer 125 is made of an epoxy resin material with an acoustic impedance of 2.5 MRayl.

[0076] Preferably, if Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the transducer 12 of the present application includes two transmitting transducers 124 and one receiving transducer 125, wherein the two transmitting transducers 124 are respectively a low-frequency transducer 12 and a high-frequency transducer 12, which are respectively responsible for transmitting sound sources of different frequencies, taking into account the high resolution of high-frequency sound waves and the low attenuation of low-frequency sound waves. The receiving transducer 125 is used to receive the sound wave signal reflected from the target.

[0077] Alternatively, if Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, in some embodiments, the back plate 31 is provided with an oil filling port 312, which can be used to fill the insulating oil dislocation heat dissipation material into the installation cavity 200 of the intermediate body 20 to improve the heat dissipation performance of the integrated circuit module 40. The back plate assembly 30 further includes a sealing plug 34, which is sealed and installed in the oil filling port 312. After the oil filling process is completed, the oil filling port 312 can be sealed by the sealing plug 34 to prevent seawater from entering the sonar. The sealing plug 34 can be a sealing plug, an O-ring seal, or a combination of a sealing plug + an O-ring seal.

[0078] Furthermore, since the thickness of the matching layer is related to the operating frequency of the transducer and the material of the matching layer, according to the conventional operating frequency of the deep-sea imaging sonar, the thickness of the matching layer is generally less than 0.5 mm, or even only about 0.1 mm. Therefore, the fluidity of the matching layer material is required to be good enough, that is, the viscosity cannot be too high, and higher requirements are placed on the potting process of the matching layer. If the potting process is unqualified, the matching layer will lack glue or have cavity bubbles, which will directly affect the imaging performance and watertight performance of the imaging sonar.

[0079] like Fig.14 As shown, in order to achieve qualified and reliable transducer packaging, the present application provides a matching layer encapsulation method for preparing the matching layer 121 of the transducer 12 of the imaging sonar of the present application, and the matching layer encapsulation method comprises the steps of:

[0080] S100, fixing the transducer body on the panel through the transducer mounting hole of the panel of the imaging sonar and the transducer positioning member of the imaging sonar;

[0081] S200, fixing and installing a forming mold on the front side of the panel, so that the space enclosed by the forming mold, the transducer positioning member, the panel and the transducer body forms a matching layer filling area;

[0082] S300, pouring a potting glue into the matching layer filling area through the gap between the transducer positioning member and the panel to obtain an intermediate process structure;

[0083] S400, performing vacuum dynamic treatment on the intermediate process structure through a vacuum bubble removal box under a set vacuum degree condition;

[0084] S500, curing the intermediate process structure after the vacuum degassing treatment, curing the potting glue in the matching layer filling area to form the matching layer; and

[0085] S600, dismantling the molding die to complete the matching layer prepared by the matching layer potting method of the panel assembly.

[0086] It is understandable that if Figure 7 As shown, according to the above method, first, the transducer positioning member 122 is installed in the transducer mounting hole 111 of the panel 11, and the transducer body 123 is fixedly installed by the transducer positioning member 122; then, the molding mold 60 is fixed to the front side of the panel 11, and the space enclosed by the molding mold 60 and the panel 11, between the transducer body 123 and the molding mold 60, and between the transducer positioning member 122 and the panel 11 is used to form a matching layer 121 filling area; then, using the gap between the transducer positioning member 122 and the panel 11, potting glue is poured into the matching layer 121 filling area to obtain an intermediate process structure; the bubbles in the potting glue of the intermediate process structure are discharged by vacuum degassing treatment; finally, the matching layer 121 is obtained after curing treatment and removal of the molding mold 60.

[0087] In this way, the matching layer 121 potting method of the present application can improve the potting qualification rate of the matching layer 121 of the transducer 12, avoid the problem of lack of glue or bubbles in the matching layer 121, achieve reliable bonding between the matching layer 121 and the panel 11, and ensure the imaging performance and watertightness of the imaging sonar.

[0088] In the above step S400, the vacuum degree may be set to -0.1 MPa.

[0089] The frequency of vibration varies depending on the viscosity of the potting material. In the above step S400, when the viscosity of the potting material is less than 1500mPa·s, the vibration frequency range of the vacuum bubble removal treatment is 150Hz to 200Hz; when the viscosity of the potting material is 1500mPa·s to 5000mPa·s, the vibration frequency range of the vacuum bubble removal treatment is 100Hz to 150Hz; when the viscosity of the potting material is greater than 5000mPa·s, the vibration frequency range of the vacuum bubble removal treatment is 50Hz to 100Hz.

[0090] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0091] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present invention, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this field, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present invention shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. An imaging sonar, characterized in that: include: An intermediate body, wherein the intermediate body has a mounting cavity extending through in a front-to-back direction; an integrated circuit module, the integrated circuit module being installed in the installation cavity; A panel assembly, the panel assembly comprising a panel covering the front opening of the intermediate body and a plurality of transducers integrated in the panel, the transducers being electrically connected to the integrated circuit module and used for emitting sound waves or receiving reflected sound waves; the panel is provided with a plurality of transducer mounting holes, the transducer comprising a matching layer, a transducer positioning member and a transducer body, the transducer positioning member being fixedly arranged in the transducer mounting holes, and the transducer body being fixedly arranged in the transducer positioning member; the matching layer being bonded to the front side of the panel and wrapping the transducer positioning member and the transducer body therein, the rear side of the matching layer being provided with a heat dissipation port to expose the rear side of the transducer body; A backplane assembly, the backplane assembly comprising a backplane covering the rear opening of the intermediate body and a connector integrated with the backplane, the connector being electrically connected to the integrated circuit module; as well as A sealing assembly, the sealing assembly being disposed between the panel assembly and the intermediate body and between the back panel assembly and the intermediate body to seal the gap between the panel assembly and the back panel assembly and the intermediate body; The front opening and the rear opening of the installation cavity are both rectangular, and the front side and the rear side of the intermediate body are both provided with a planar sealing groove arranged around the installation cavity, and the shape of the planar sealing groove is rectangular. The sealing assembly includes a plurality of planar seals, and the shape of the planar seals is rectangular. The planar seals are arranged in the planar sealing grooves to seal the gap between the panel and the front side of the intermediate body and the gap between the back panel and the rear side of the intermediate body.

2. The imaging sonar according to claim 1, characterized in that: The panel assembly further includes a panel protrusion protruding from the rear side surface of the panel, and the panel protrusion is inserted into the installation cavity through the front opening of the installation cavity; the back panel assembly includes a back panel protrusion protruding from the front side surface of the back panel, and the back panel protrusion is inserted into the installation cavity through the rear opening of the installation cavity, and radial sealing grooves are provided on the side surfaces of the panel protrusion and the side surfaces of the back panel protrusion; the sealing assembly further includes a radial seal, and the radial seal is arranged in the radial sealing groove to seal the gap between the panel protrusion, the back panel protrusion and the intermediate body.

3. The imaging sonar according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cross section of the planar sealing groove is rectangular, the cross section of the planar sealing member is circular, the material hardness of the planar sealing member is 90A, and the initial compression rate of the planar sealing member is 18%.

4. The imaging sonar according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cross section of the radial sealing groove is rectangular, the cross section of the radial sealing member is circular, the material hardness of the radial sealing member is 90A, and the initial compression rate of the radial sealing member is 18%.

5. The imaging sonar according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The bonding surface between the panel and the matching layer has a surface treatment layer, and the surface treatment layer is used to increase the surface roughness of the panel.

6. The imaging sonar according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The transducer body includes a transducer layer, a backing layer and a wire, wherein the transducer layer and the backing layer are enclosed within the matching layer, and the transducer layer is located between the backing layers, the wire is electrically connected to the transducer layer, and the wire passes through the backing layer from the transducer layer and is electrically connected to the integrated circuit module.

7. The imaging sonar according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The transducer comprises a transmitting transducer and a receiving transducer, wherein the matching layer of the transmitting transducer protrudes forward to form a convex structure, and the matching layer of the receiving transducer is a planar structure.

8. The imaging sonar according to claim 7, characterized in that: The matching layer of the transmitting transducer is made of an epoxy resin material with an acoustic impedance of 4 MRayl, and the matching layer of the receiving transducer is made of an epoxy resin material with an acoustic impedance of 2.5 MRayl.

9. The imaging sonar according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The back plate is provided with an oil filling port, and the back plate assembly further comprises a sealing plugging member, and the sealing plugging member is sealingly installed at the oil filling port.

10. A matching layer potting method for preparing a matching layer of an imaging sonar transducer according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: Includes steps: The transducer body is fixedly mounted on the panel through the transducer mounting hole of the panel of the imaging sonar and the transducer positioning member of the imaging sonar; The forming mold is fixedly installed on the front side of the panel so that the space enclosed by the forming mold, the transducer positioning member, the panel and the transducer body forms a matching layer filling area; Filling the potting glue into the matching layer filling area through the gap between the transducer positioning member and the panel to obtain an intermediate process structure; Through the vacuum degassing box, under the condition of set vacuum degree, the intermediate process structure is vacuum treated dynamically; Performing a curing treatment on the intermediate process structure after the vacuum degassing treatment, curing the potting glue in the matching layer filling area to form the matching layer; as well as The forming die is removed to complete the matching layer potting of the panel assembly.

11. The matching layer potting method according to claim 10, characterized in that: In the step of performing vacuum degassing treatment on the intermediate process structure through a vacuum degassing box under a set vacuum degree, when the viscosity of the potting glue material is less than 1500mPa·s, the vibration frequency range of the vacuum degassing treatment is 150Hz to 200Hz, when the viscosity of the potting glue material is in the range of 1500mPa·s to 5000mPa·s, the vibration frequency range of the vacuum degassing treatment is 100Hz to 150Hz, and when the viscosity of the potting glue material is greater than 5000mPa·s, the vibration frequency range of the vacuum degassing treatment is 50Hz to 100Hz.

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