Flexible joint connecting joint

Abstract

Connecting structures are arranged at the two ends of the flexible joint connecting joints, and the flexible joint connecting joints are connected with the measuring units through the connecting structures and are alternately arranged; the flexible joint connecting joint comprises a flexible main body, a displacement transmission mechanism and a limiting and guiding structure; the flexible main body, the displacement transmission mechanism and the limiting and guiding structure are arranged in a layered mode from outside to inside and are separated through isolation layers. The flexible joint connecting joint provided by the invention can be flexibly adjusted in multiple degrees of freedom to adapt to displacement changes in different directions, meanwhile, the connection stability and the measurement accuracy are ensured, accurate displacement transmission is realized, and the flexible joint connecting joint is simple in structure, low in cost and easy to manufacture and maintain.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of precision measurement and sensing technology, in particular to a flexible joint connection, which aims to achieve flexible connection and precise displacement transmission between units in a displacement meter array while ensuring the stability and durability of the connection. Background Art

[0002] As a high-precision measuring device, array displacement meters are widely used in engineering measurement, structural monitoring and other fields. In complex measurement environments, displacement meter arrays need to adapt to various non-linear and non-planar installation conditions, which requires the joints connecting the displacement meter units to have high flexibility and precision. In traditional array displacement meters, the connection joints may be rigidly connected or simply connected with flexible materials. However, these connection methods often have some problems in complex and changeable engineering environments: 1) Rigid connections may cause greater stress concentration during displacement transmission, affecting the accuracy of measurement and the durability of the equipment; 2) Although simple flexible connections can alleviate stress concentration problems to a certain extent, they may not meet the needs of high-precision measurement due to lack of sufficient stability and accuracy, and there is a problem of insufficient adaptability.

[0003] With the rapid development of sensor technology, microelectronics technology, materials science and other fields, the design of flexible joints has been continuously optimized, enabling it to accurately capture tiny deformations. The design of flexible joints enables displacement meters to adapt to measurement requirements of different shapes and directions. Flexible joints are key components that connect various measurement units. They not only ensure flexible connections between measurement units, but also absorb and alleviate vibrations and shocks during the measurement process to a certain extent, improving the stability and reliability of the measurement.

[0004] Existing flexible joints are susceptible to fatigue damage during long-term use, especially when subjected to repeated bending, stretching and compression. The fatigue life of the material is limited, which may cause cracks, wear and even failure of the joint. In precision applications, it is impossible to achieve the high precision and low error characteristics of traditional rigid joints. New flexible materials (such as polymer materials, composite materials, etc.) can provide excellent performance, but these materials are costly, complex processing, and inconvenient to maintain and replace. Summary of the invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a flexible joint connection section that can be flexibly adjusted in multiple degrees of freedom to adapt to displacement changes in different directions, while ensuring the stability of the connection and the accuracy of the measurement, achieving precise transmission of displacement, and having a simple structure, low cost, and easy manufacturing and maintenance.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: Flexible joint connection section, with connection structures at both ends of the flexible joint connection section, the flexible joint connection section is connected to the measuring unit through the connection structure and is arranged alternately; The flexible joint connection section includes a flexible body, a displacement transmission mechanism, and a limit and guide structure; the flexible body, the displacement transmission mechanism, and the limit and guide structure are arranged in layers from the outside to the inside and are separated by an isolation layer.

[0007] The flexible body is made of a material with high elasticity and low hysteresis.

[0008] The flexible body is made of silicone, polyurethane or polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0009] The flexible body is embedded with a metal skeleton or a fiber-reinforced layer.

[0010] The displacement transmission mechanism is arranged inside the flexible body. The displacement transmission mechanism adopts a flexible material with certain rigidity, high elasticity, wear resistance and corrosion resistance, and limits the rotation or movement range of the joint while transmitting the displacement.

[0011] The flexible material is spring steel, elastic rubber and the like.

[0012] The flexible joint connection section does not exceed twice the diameter of the measuring unit.

[0013] The limiting and guiding structure is embedded in the flexible body and connected with the measuring unit by using anti-torsion material.

[0014] The limiting and guiding structure is a stainless steel bellows.

[0015] The isolation layer is a light rubber or plastic sheet.

[0016] The present invention provides a flexible joint connection section, which has the following technical effects: 1) By adopting a flexible body, displacement transmission mechanism, limit and guide structure, connection structure and adaptive adjustment mechanism, the requirements of high strength, corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the flexible joint can be met, so that it has good elasticity and toughness, anti-torsion ability, and the flexible joint connection has good sealing performance to prevent moisture, dust and other impurities from entering the interior to affect the measurement accuracy and sensor life.

[0017] 2) By setting up a flexible body, the flexible body is made of a material with high elasticity and low hysteresis, and has high elasticity, wear resistance, corrosion resistance and waterproof functions, such as silicone, polyurethane, hydraulic hose, etc., and has good bending deformation ability and recovery. A metal skeleton or fiber reinforcement layer can be embedded inside the flexible body to improve the overall strength and stability.

[0018] 3) By setting a displacement transmission mechanism, the displacement transmission mechanism is set inside or on the surface of the flexible body to achieve accurate transmission of displacement. The mechanism adopts the form of precision balls, sliding guides or flexible hinges to ensure that the displacement can be accurately and losslessly transmitted to the adjacent measuring unit during the deformation of the flexible body. At the same time, the overall length of the flexible joint connection section needs to be reasonably controlled, generally not exceeding 2 times the measuring diameter. Generally, flexible materials with high elasticity, wear resistance and corrosion resistance (such as spring steel, elastic rubber, etc.) are used, and a guide mechanism (such as guide grooves, guide shafts, etc.) is set inside the built-in flexible joint to limit the rotation or movement range of the joint.

[0019] 4) By setting the limit and guide structure, the limit and guide structure is set at the key position of the flexible body to limit the excessive deformation of the joint and ensure the directionality of displacement transmission, while also having the function of anti-torsion. The limit and guide structure can be in the form of bosses, grooves, guide rods, etc., and cooperate with the corresponding structure on the adjacent measuring unit to achieve precise positioning and stable connection, or use the most common stainless steel bellows products.

[0020] 5) By setting a connection structure, the connection structure is set at both ends of the flexible joint connection section, which is used to fix the connection with the measuring unit or other connecting parts. The connection structure can be in the form of threaded connection, snap connection, etc. to ensure the firmness and reliability of the connection. In addition, the working conditions of the measuring unit are harsh, and generally there is a need for waterproofing. Under the above connection method, it can be used with waterproof glue to achieve a waterproof effect and a more secure installation.

[0021] 6) By setting an adaptive adjustment mechanism, an adaptive adjustment mechanism such as a spring, an elastic gasket, etc. can be set in the flexible joint connection section according to actual needs to cope with small deformations and gaps under different installation conditions, thereby further improving the stability and accuracy of the connection.

[0022] 7) The flexible body, displacement transmission mechanism and limit and guide structure are separated by lightweight rubber or plastic sheets to prevent mutual influence. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments: Figure 1 It is the installation schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 It is a schematic longitudinal section diagram of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the limiting and guiding structure in the present invention.

[0027] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the adaptive adjustment mechanism in the present invention.

[0028] In the figure: a single-section measuring unit 1, a flexible joint connecting section 2, a flexible body 3, a displacement transmission mechanism 4, a limiting and guiding structure 5, a connecting structure 6, and an adaptive adjustment mechanism 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] like Figure 2-3 As shown, a flexible joint connection section includes a flexible body 3, a displacement transmission mechanism 4 and a limit and guide structure 5. The flexible body 3, the displacement transmission mechanism 4, and the limit and guide structure 5 are separated by a light rubber or plastic sheet, and separated from the limit and guide structure 7 by a metal gasket. The limit and guide structure 7 is located in a limit ring set inside the end of the flexible joint connection section 2.

[0030] Among them, the limiting and guiding structure 5 is arranged at the innermost layer of the flexible joint connection section 2, which is used to limit the excessive deformation of the flexible joint connection section 2 and ensure the directionality of displacement transmission, and at the same time has an anti-torsion effect.

[0031] In the embodiment of the present invention, a stainless steel bellows is used, such as Figure 4 As shown. Stainless steel bellows have excellent corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance, waterproofness and anti-electromagnetic interference performance; stainless steel bellows can easily obtain the required length, freely bend into various curvature radii and angles, have the same softness and durability in all directions, and have good tensile properties. The specific value depends on the selected stainless steel material, manufacturing process and design structure of the hose. The design of the corrugated shape makes it have both vertical flexibility and tensile resistance when subjected to external forces, and axial torsion resistance.

[0032] The displacement transmission mechanism 4 is arranged in the middle layer of the flexible joint connection section 2, that is, arranged on the inner wall of the flexible body 3, for realizing accurate displacement transmission. In the embodiment of the present invention, it is ensured that during the deformation of the flexible body, the displacement can be accurately and losslessly transmitted to the adjacent measuring unit.

[0033] The embodiment of the present invention uses spring sheets to realize the function. Eight spring sheets are evenly embedded in a light rubber hose with a suitable radius in a circular shape, and are placed between the flexible body 3 and the limit and guide structure 5, and separated from each other by plastic sheets. The flexible joint uses elastic deformation to transmit displacement, avoiding the friction and clearance problems in traditional mechanical joints, and can deform when subjected to external force, and return to its original state after the external force is removed.

[0034] The outermost layer of the flexible joint connection section 2 is the flexible body 3, which is made of a material with high elasticity and low hysteresis, and has high elasticity, wear resistance, corrosion resistance and waterproof functions, and has good bending deformation ability and recovery. Since the flexible body 3 in the embodiment of the present invention is in the outermost layer, it also has a waterproof function. The embodiment of the present invention uses polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to achieve this function, and a fiber reinforcement layer is embedded inside it to improve the overall strength and stability.

[0035] The two ends of the flexible joint connection section 2 are provided with a connection structure 6, which is used to be fixedly connected to the measuring unit or other connecting parts. The connection structure 6 can be in the form of threaded connection, snap connection, etc. to ensure the firmness and reliability of the connection. The embodiment of the present invention adopts threaded connection. The threads are set at both ends of the flexible body 3, and are meshed with the external threads at both ends of the measuring unit 1 with waterproof glue, and a metal tie is used to reinforce the outside of the connection.

[0036] Adaptive adjustment mechanism 7 of flexible joint connection section 2 (optional): According to actual needs, an adaptive adjustment mechanism 7, such as a spring, an elastic gasket, etc., can be set in the flexible joint connection section 2 to cope with small deformations and gaps under different installation conditions, and further improve the stability and accuracy of the connection. The embodiment of the present invention uses a wave spring, which can well realize the function, such as Figure 5 A limiting ring is arranged inside the end of the flexible joint connection section 2, the self-adaptive adjustment mechanism 7 is placed inside the limiting ring, and the self-adaptive adjustment mechanism 7 and the displacement transmission mechanism 4, the limiting and guiding structure 5 are separated by metal gaskets.

[0037] The flexible body 3, the displacement transmission mechanism 4 and the limit and guide structure 5 are separated from each other by lightweight rubber or plastic sheets to avoid mutual influence. The embodiment of the present invention adopts high-density polyethylene (HDPE) material, which has good plasticity, rigidity and corrosion resistance.

[0038] Inspection work: 1) Evaluate whether its structural strength is sufficient to withstand various mechanical loads that may be encountered during use. 2) Test the displacement transmission effect of the flexible joint connection to ensure that it can accurately and without delay transmit the displacement changes to the measurement system. 3) Verify whether the flexible joint connection can bend freely in multiple directions to adapt to different installation environments and monitoring needs. Test the stability of the connection under different working conditions, including the impact of environmental factors such as temperature changes, humidity changes, and vibration on its performance. 4) Evaluate the durability of the flexible joint connection through long-term operation tests or accelerated life tests to ensure that it can maintain stable performance during long-term use. 5) Use a standard displacement source or an object with a known displacement to calibrate the array displacement meter to check the impact of the flexible joint connection on the measurement accuracy. Ensure that within the maximum displacement range, the measurement error meets the design requirements or industry standards.

[0039] Working principle and process: Connect the flexible joint connection section 2 with the measuring unit 1 to check whether they can fit tightly and do not affect the normal operation of the measuring unit 1. At the same time, confirm whether the overall structure after connection is stable and reliable. Conduct a watertightness test to check whether the connection is airtight and waterproof, evaluate the effect of the connection structure 6, and conduct bending and torsion tests with multiple degrees of freedom to test the effects of the displacement transmission mechanism 4 and the limit and guide structure 5, and then conduct a strength test on the outermost flexible body 3.

[0040] The above functional layers are interlocked and layered, and these materials have excellent flexibility, elasticity and fatigue resistance. They are designed to be able to bend and twist freely in multiple directions to adapt to the displacement changes in different monitoring scenarios and achieve the performance requirements of flexible joint connections.

Claims

1. Flexible joint connection section, characterized by: Connection structures (6) are provided at both ends of the flexible joint connection section (2), and the flexible joint connection section (2) is connected to the measuring unit (1) via the connection structure (6) and is arranged alternately; The flexible joint connection section (2) comprises a flexible main body (3), a displacement transmission mechanism (4), and a limit and guide structure (5); the flexible main body (3), the displacement transmission mechanism (4), and the limit and guide structure (5) are arranged in layers in order from the outside to the inside and are separated by an isolation layer.

2. The flexible joint connection section according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible body (3) is made of a material with high elasticity and low hysteresis.

3. The flexible joint according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flexible body (3) is made of silicone, polyurethane or polytetrafluoroethylene.

4. The flexible joint connection section according to claim 3, characterized in that: The flexible body (3) is embedded with a metal skeleton or a fiber-reinforced layer.

5. The flexible joint connection section according to claim 1, characterized in that: The displacement transmission mechanism (4) is arranged inside the flexible body. The displacement transmission mechanism (4) is made of a flexible material having certain rigidity, high elasticity, wear resistance and corrosion resistance, and limits the rotation or movement range of the joint while transmitting the displacement.

6. The flexible joint connection section according to claim 5, characterized in that: The flexible material is spring steel, elastic rubber and the like.

7. The flexible joint according to claim 6, characterized in that: The flexible joint connection section (2) is no larger than twice the diameter of the measuring unit (1).

8. The flexible joint connection section according to claim 1, characterized in that: The limiting and guiding structure (5) is made of anti-torsion material and embedded in the flexible body and connected to the measuring unit.

9. The flexible joint according to claim 8, characterized in that: The limiting and guiding structure (5) is a stainless steel bellows.

10. The flexible joint according to claim 1, characterized in that: The isolation layer is a light rubber or plastic sheet.

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