An underwater vehicle ballast device

Abstract

The application discloses an underwater vehicle ballast device and belongs to the technical field of underwater vehicles. The device comprises a vehicle frame, a sliding frame, a ballast block, a ballast side plate, a ballast top plate and a hydraulic cylinder. The vehicle frame is processed with a lifting chute, which is used for cooperating with the sliding frame. One end of the sliding frame, which passes through the lifting chute, is welded with the ballast top plate. After the ballast side plate and the ballast top plate are fastened, a plurality of ballast blocks are nested between the ballast side plate and the ballast top plate. The ballast top plate is connected with the push rod of the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder is fixedly connected on the vehicle frame. When the hydraulic cylinder works, the ballast top plate, the ballast side plate, the ballast block and the sliding frame are driven to move together by the push rod. The lifting chute provides guidance for the movement. When the push rod is retracted to the limit position, the ballast top plate is tightly attached to the bottom of the vehicle. The application can solve the problem of reduced stability of the underwater vehicle when working on the water surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of underwater vehicle technology, and more specifically to an underwater vehicle ballast device. Background Technology

[0002] Underwater vehicles are commonly used equipment for water exploration. To ensure stability, the overall weight needs to be balanced during the design phase. High-density ballast, such as lead blocks, is installed at the bottom of the vehicle to maximize its initial metacentricity, meaning the center of gravity is closer to the bottom. Gravity generates a restoring torque to maintain overall stability. When the underwater vehicle surfaces, to reduce wave interference with the load, the load needs to be raised above the water, which reduces the initial metacentricity and decreases stability.

[0003] Existing underwater vehicles are typically long and slender, with the ballast weight having a short lever arm relative to the vehicle's center. To achieve a high initial stability, large-mass ballast is usually required, along with buoyancy blocks to balance the overall buoyancy of the vehicle. This increases the overall size and mass of the vehicle, affecting its maneuverability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a ballast device for underwater vehicles, which can solve the problem of reduced stability of underwater vehicles when operating on the water surface.

[0005] A ballast device for an underwater vehicle includes a vehicle frame, a sliding frame, ballast blocks, ballast side plates, a ballast top plate, and a hydraulic cylinder;

[0006] The vehicle frame is machined with a lifting slide groove, which is used to cooperate with the sliding frame. One end of the sliding frame, after passing through the lifting slide groove, is welded to the ballast top plate. After the ballast side plate and the ballast top plate are fastened, multiple sets of ballast blocks are nested between the ballast side plate and the ballast top plate. The ballast top plate is connected to the push rod of the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder is fixedly connected to the vehicle frame. When the hydraulic cylinder is working, it drives the ballast top plate, ballast side plate, ballast blocks and sliding frame to move together through the push rod. The lifting slide groove provides guidance for the movement. When the push rod is retracted to the limit position, the ballast top plate is tightly attached to the bottom of the vehicle.

[0007] Furthermore, the ballast top plate is connected to the hydraulic cylinder push rod via a ball joint assembly, and the two ends of the ball joint assembly are respectively connected to the ballast top plate and the hydraulic cylinder push rod by screws.

[0008] Furthermore, the top and bottom of the sliding frame are provided with pin holes, which are used to fix the sliding frame to the lifting slide groove by means of pins when the ballast block extends or retracts.

[0009] Furthermore, when the vehicle is underwater, the ballast device is in a retracted state, with the bottom of the device flush with the bottom of the vehicle; when the vehicle is working on the surface, the hydraulic cylinder provides thrust, and the sliding frame extends downward along the lifting chute; when the vehicle needs to dive, the hydraulic cylinder provides pull, and the sliding frame retracts.

[0010] Furthermore, the ballast side plates and ballast top plates are fastened with bolts.

[0011] Beneficial effects:

[0012] 1. In this invention, ballast blocks are installed at the bottom of the vehicle via a sliding frame. The sliding frame cooperates with the lifting slide groove set on the vehicle frame and is driven by a hydraulic cylinder. When the vehicle is working on the water surface, the hydraulic cylinder drives the sliding frame to extend the ballast blocks out of the vehicle. Under the same mass of ballast blocks, a larger torque can be generated, which is more conducive to increasing the initial stability and improving the stability of the vehicle when working on the water surface.

[0013] 2. When the vehicle is operating underwater, the hydraulic cylinder drives the sliding frame to retract the ballast blocks, which are then attached to the bottom of the vehicle, thus reducing the impact on the vehicle's maneuverability.

[0014] 3. During the lifting and lowering process, the present invention uses a sliding frame and a lifting slide to limit the movement, and installs a ball joint assembly at the head of the hydraulic cylinder push rod. When the movement of the two sliding frames is not completely synchronized, the hydraulic cylinder push rod is not subjected to bending moment, which improves the reliability and life of the ballast device. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the ballast device for the underwater vehicle of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the retracted ballast device of an underwater vehicle;

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the extended ballast device of an underwater vehicle.

[0018] Among them, 1-vehicle frame, 2-sliding frame, 3-ballast block, 4-lifting chute, 5-ballast side plate, 6-ballast top plate, 7-hydraulic cylinder, 8-ball joint assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0020] As attached Figure 1 As shown, the present invention provides an underwater vehicle ballast device, including a vehicle frame 1, a sliding frame 2, a ballast block 3, a ballast side plate 5, a ballast top plate 6, a hydraulic cylinder 7, and a ball joint assembly 8.

[0021] The aircraft frame 1 is machined with a lifting slide 4. The hydraulic cylinder 7 is fastened to the aircraft frame 1 by screws. The ballast side plate 5 and the ballast top plate 6 are fastened by bolts. Multiple sets of ballast blocks 3 are nested between the ballast side plate 5 and the ballast top plate 6 to ensure that the ballast blocks 3 are firmly and reliably inside the aircraft. The ballast top plate 6 is welded to the sliding frame 2. The sliding frame 2 passes through the lifting slide 4 and can slide up and down in the lifting slide 4. The ballast top plate 6 is connected to the hydraulic cylinder 7 push rod through the ball joint assembly 8.

[0022] The installation process is as follows: First, the hydraulic cylinder 7 is fixed to the aircraft frame 1 with bolts. Then, the ballast side plate 5, ballast block 3, ballast top plate 6, and sliding frame 2 are assembled as a whole. The sliding frame 2 is inserted into the lifting slide groove 4 on the aircraft frame 1. The top and bottom of the sliding frame 2 have pin holes. When the ballast extends or retracts, the sliding frame 2 is fixed to the lifting slide groove 4 by the pins. The two ends of the ball joint assembly 8 are connected to the ballast top plate 6 and the hydraulic cylinder push rod by screws. The connection method of the ball joint assembly 8 can ensure that the hydraulic cylinder push rod is only subjected to tension and not bending moment.

[0023] Operating Process: When the vehicle is underwater, the ballast device of this invention is in a retracted state, with its bottom flush with the bottom of the vehicle, which helps reduce the drag on the vehicle. When the vehicle is operating on the surface, the hydraulic cylinder 7 provides thrust, and the sliding frame 2 extends downward along the lifting groove 4. Due to the increased lever arm of the ballast block 3, the initial stability of the vehicle is effectively increased. When the vehicle needs to dive, the hydraulic cylinder 7 provides pulling force, and the ballast block 3 returns to its original position after the sliding frame retracts.

[0024] In summary, the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A ballast device for an underwater vehicle, characterized in that, This includes the aircraft frame, sliding frame, ballast blocks, ballast side plates, ballast top plate, and hydraulic cylinders; The vehicle frame is machined with a lifting slide groove, which is used to cooperate with the sliding frame. One end of the sliding frame, after passing through the lifting slide groove, is welded to the ballast top plate. After the ballast side plate and the ballast top plate are fastened, multiple sets of ballast blocks are nested between the ballast side plate and the ballast top plate. The ballast top plate is connected to the push rod of the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder is fixedly connected to the vehicle frame. When the hydraulic cylinder is working, it drives the ballast top plate, ballast side plate, ballast blocks and sliding frame to move together through the push rod. The lifting slide groove provides guidance for the movement. When the push rod is retracted to the limit position, the ballast top plate is tightly attached to the bottom of the vehicle. The ballast top plate is connected to the hydraulic cylinder push rod via a ball joint assembly, and the two ends of the ball joint assembly are respectively connected to the ballast top plate and the hydraulic cylinder push rod by screws. The top and bottom of the sliding frame have pin holes, and the sliding frame is fixed to the lifting slide groove by the pins when the ballast block extends or retracts.

2. The ballast device for an underwater vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the vehicle is underwater, the ballast device is in the retracted state, with the bottom of the device flush with the bottom of the vehicle; when the vehicle is working on the surface, the hydraulic cylinder provides thrust, and the sliding frame extends downward along the lifting chute; when the vehicle needs to dive, the hydraulic cylinder provides pull, and the sliding frame retracts.

3. The ballast device for an underwater vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ballast side plates and ballast top plates are fastened with bolts.

Images