A mechanically linked, stabilized towed submersible

Abstract

The present application discloses a towed submersible with mechanical linkage and attitude stabilization. The towed submersible includes a cabin, a tail assembly, an inertial assembly, and at least a pair of side wings. The side wings are rotatably mounted on the side wall of the cabin via a second rod. The inertial assembly includes a counterweight, a main shaft, and a gear structure. The counterweight is rotatably mounted on the main shaft, the tail end of the main shaft is connected to the tail assembly, the gear structure is rotatably mounted on the inner side wall of the cabin, and the counterweight is connected to the gear structure. The counterweight deviates from the central axis of the cabin, and the relative rotation between the counterweight and the cabin can drive the paired side wings to rotate in opposite directions through the gear structure. The movement of the counterweight and the main shaft relative to the cabin can drive the tail assembly to open and close. The towed submersible is designed with an inertial assembly. The inertial assembly utilizes the relative movement of the counterweight and the cabin to achieve passive attitude stabilization of the towed submersible, which can be widely used in the field of marine exploration technology.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of ocean exploration technology, and in particular to a mechanically linked and stabilized towed submersible. Background Art

[0002] A towed submersible is a cabled underwater exploration equipment towed by a surface ship. It is connected to the mother ship via a cable and transmits data and power in real time. It can integrate sensors such as navigation and positioning systems, side-scan sonar, shallow submersible profilers, magnetometers, and high-definition cameras, and can conduct multi-dimensional comprehensive surveys of seabed topography, geological structure, magnetic field anomalies and targets.

[0003] Towed submersibles face two core stability issues in complex sea conditions: one is the uncontrolled speed transmitted by the mother ship's movement through the elastic cable, which leads to Doppler frequency shift errors in acoustic sensors, motion blur in optical equipment, and turbulent interference in temperature, salinity, and depth sensors; the other is the periodic torsion caused by ocean current impact and cable torque, which causes side-scan sonar stripe distortion, multi-beam bathymetry heading deviation, and biological sampling positioning drift.

[0004] In the related art, active control of the towed submersible's attitude stability is achieved by means of vector propulsion or electric servos. Although this can partially improve the stability of the towed submersible, it has significant defects such as high energy consumption, complex system, slow response, high maintenance cost, high algorithm development cost and destruction of streamlined design. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve at least one of the above technical problems, the present application provides a mechanically linked and stabilized towed submersible, and the technical solution adopted is as follows.

[0006] The mechanically linked and stabilized towed submersible provided in the present application includes a cabin, a tail assembly located at the tail of the cabin, an inertia assembly located in the cabin, and at least a pair of side wings arranged at intervals along the circumference of the side wall of the cabin, with the length direction parallel to the cabin as a first direction; the side wings are rotatably set on the side wall of the cabin by a second rod perpendicular to the first direction; the inertia assembly includes a counterweight, a main shaft and a gear structure, the main shaft and the gear structure are coaxial and parallel to the first direction, the counterweight is rotatably mounted on the main shaft, the tail end of the main shaft is connected to the tail assembly, the gear structure is rotatably set on the inner side wall of the cabin, and the counterweight is connected to the gear structure; wherein the counterweight deviates from the central axis of the cabin, and the relative rotation between the counterweight and the cabin can drive the paired side wings to rotate in opposite directions through the gear structure, and the movement of the counterweight and the main shaft relative to the cabin along the first direction can drive the tail assembly to open and close.

[0007] In certain embodiments of the present application, the gear structure is configured to be in a circular ring shape, the surface of the gear structure is provided with gear teeth along at least a portion of the circumferential trajectory, the second rod is provided with a driven gear, the gear structure is meshed with the driven gear for transmission, and the central axis of the driven gear is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0008] In certain embodiments of the present application, the counterweight member and the gear structure are connected in a concave-convex manner, and a groove is provided on the surface of one of the counterweight member and the gear structure, and a convex strip adapted to the groove is provided on the surface of the other one, and the length directions of the groove and the convex strip are both parallel to the first direction.

[0009] In certain embodiments of the present application, the towed submersible includes a first limiting structure, which is arranged on the inner wall of the cabin, and the first limiting structure is used to abut the counterweight or the gear structure and limit the angular range of rotation of the counterweight and the gear structure relative to the cabin.

[0010] In certain embodiments of the present application, the towed submersible includes a limiting ring, the limiting ring and the gear structure are spaced apart along a first direction, the limiting ring is arranged on the inner side wall of the cabin, and the limiting ring and the gear structure are arranged on the same central axis.

[0011] In certain embodiments of the present application, a surface of the limiting ring is provided with a limiting groove as the first limiting structure, and the limiting groove is arranged along a portion of the circumferential trajectory of the limiting ring.

[0012] In certain embodiments of the present application, a first limiting protrusion serving as the first limiting structure is provided on the surface of the limiting ring.

[0013] In certain embodiments of the present application, the tail assembly includes a first rod, a first mounting seat, a second mounting seat and at least two guide tails, the first rod is connected to the tail of the cabin, the first rod is arranged along a first direction, the first mounting seat is fixedly set on the first rod, the second mounting seat is movably mounted on the first rod, the tail end of the main shaft is movably mounted on the first rod, the main shaft is connected to the second mounting seat, the guide tail is hinged to the second mounting seat, the guide tail is connected to the first mounting seat through a linkage rod, and the two ends of the linkage rod are respectively hinged to the first mounting seat and the guide tail.

[0014] In certain embodiments of the present application, the outer wall of the first rod is provided with at least two second limiting protrusions distributed along the circumference, the second limiting protrusions are extended parallel to the first direction, the second limiting protrusions are connected to the tail of the cabin, and the side wall of the main shaft is provided with a limiting groove adapted to the second limiting protrusion, and the limiting groove extends from the inner surface of the main shaft to the outer surface.

[0015] In certain embodiments of the present application, the towed submersible includes an elastic member, and the elastic member is provided at at least one end of the cabin near the head end and the tail end of the main shaft, and the elastic member is used to apply elastic tension or elastic thrust to the main shaft.

[0016] In certain embodiments of the present application, the towed submersible includes a third mounting seat, which is fixed in the cabin, and the head end of the main shaft is movably provided on the third mounting seat along the first direction. The elastic member is provided near the head end of the main shaft, and the two ends of the elastic member are respectively connected to the third mounting seat and the main shaft.

[0017] In certain embodiments of the present application, the outer wall of the main shaft is provided with a third limiting structure, and the third limiting structure is used to prevent the counterweight from moving back and forth in a first direction relative to the main shaft. The third limiting structure includes at least one protruding structure located on the outer wall of the main shaft and / or the third limiting structure includes at least one annular recessed area located on the outer wall of the main shaft.

[0018] The towed submersible in this application is designed with an inertial assembly that utilizes the relative motion of the counterweight and the cabin to quickly achieve passive attitude stabilization of the towed submersible, and can be widely used in the field of marine exploration technology. The towed submersible has at least the following beneficial effects.

[0019] When the towing speed of the towed submersible increases, the counterweight and main shaft move backward relative to the cabin, and the main shaft drives the tail fin assembly to expand, thereby increasing the water flow resistance of the towed submersible. When the towing speed decreases, the counterweight and main shaft move forward relative to the cabin, and the main shaft drives the tail fin assembly to retract, thereby reducing the water flow resistance of the towed submersible.

[0020] When the towed submersible twists and tilts in the left and right directions, the counterweight and gear structure rotate in the opposite direction relative to the cabin, so that the side wings on the outside of the cabin close to the sinking side rotate downward, and the side wings close to the rising side rotate upward, forming a reverse corrective torque on the towed submersible to help the towed submersible regain stability.

[0021] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become obvious from the description below, or will be learned through practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The present application is further illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that the embodiments shown in the following drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a towed submersible, where the X-axis is the first direction.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the tail assembly, side wings, inertia assembly and limit ring, third mounting seat, and elastic member. The main shaft is shown as a broken schematic diagram.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the counterweight, gear structure and limit ring.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the wing.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the tail wing assembly.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the tail wing assembly.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the first rod, the main shaft, the first mounting seat, and the second mounting seat.

[0030] Figure numerals: 1000, cabin body; 1100, limiting ring; 1101, limiting groove; 1200, third mounting seat; 1300, elastic member; 1400, tail cabin cover; 1401, tail cabin connection structure; 2000, tail wing assembly; 2100, first rod; 2101, second limiting protrusion; 2200, guide tail wing; 2301, first mounting seat; 2302, second mounting seat; 2400, linkage rod; 3100, side wing; 3200, second rod; 3300, driven gear; 4100, counterweight; 4200, main shaft; 4201, limiting groove; 4300, gear structure; 4401, convex strip. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The following combination Figures 1 to 7 The embodiments of the present application are described in detail, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application and are not to be construed as limiting the present application.

[0032] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "middle", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0033] In the description of this application, "several" means more than one, "plurality" means more than two, "greater than," "less than," and "exceed" are understood to exclude the number itself, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the number itself. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is solely for the purpose of distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, implicitly specifying the number of the indicated technical features, or implicitly specifying the order of the indicated technical features.

[0034] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "disposed," "installed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed, detachable, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0035] In the description of this application, if the reference terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "one embodiment", "some examples", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiment", "example", "specific example", "some examples", etc. appear, it means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0036] The present application relates to a mechanically linked, stabilized towed submersible, comprising a hull 1000, a tail assembly 2000, wings 3100, and an inertial assembly. The hull 1000 is hollow, the inertial assembly is located within the hull 1000, the tail assembly 2000 is located at the rear of the hull 1000, and at least one pair of wings 3100 is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the sidewall of the hull 1000. If the towed submersible changes speed or tilts during towing, while the inertial assembly remains stable in the hull 1000 due to inertia, the inertial assembly and the hull 1000 will move or rotate relative to each other, thereby driving the tail assembly 2000 or wings 3100 to move, thereby maintaining the balance of the towed submersible.

[0037] Specifically, driven by the inertial assembly, the tail assembly 2000 at the tail of the towed submersible can open and close, or the wings 3100 can rotate up and down. When the tail assembly 2000 is deployed, the towed submersible's forward resistance increases; when the tail assembly 2000 is retracted, the forward resistance decreases. When the wings 3100 rotate upward, the downward pressure on the wings increases; when the wings 3100 rotate downward, the upward buoyancy of the wings increases.

[0038] It should be noted that the length direction of the cabin 1000 is from the head to the tail, and the length direction parallel to the cabin 1000 is the first direction. In the first direction, the head of the cabin 1000 is the front and the tail is the rear.

[0039] The inertial assembly includes a counterweight 4100 and a main shaft 4200. The main shaft 4200 is arranged parallel to the first direction and is mounted in the cabin 1000. The main shaft 4200 and the cabin 1000 are coaxial, and the tail end of the main shaft 4200 is connected to the tail assembly 2000. The counterweight 4100 is rotatably mounted on the main shaft 4200. The main shaft 4200 serves as the load-bearing support structure for the counterweight 4100 in the cabin 1000. The counterweight 4100 is offset from the central axis of the cabin 1000. It should be noted that the central axis of the main shaft 4200 refers to the central axis of the main shaft 4200 along its length, the central axis of the cabin 1000 refers to the central axis of the cabin 1000 along its length, and the offset of the counterweight 4100 from the central axis of the cabin 1000 refers to the offset of the center of the counterweight 4100 from the central axis of the cabin 1000.

[0040] When the towed submersible accelerates, counterweight 4100 drives main shaft 4200 to move rearward in a first direction relative to hull 1000. When the towed submersible decelerates, counterweight 4100 drives main shaft 4200 to move forward in the first direction relative to hull 1000. When the towed submersible tilts to the right, counterweight 4100 swings leftward relative to hull 1000. When the towed submersible tilts to the left, counterweight 4100 swings rightward relative to hull 1000.

[0041] The main shaft 4200 acts as a transmission mechanism between the inertial assembly and the empennage assembly 2000. The relative movement of the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 in a first direction relative to the cabin 1000 drives the empennage assembly 2000 to open and close. When the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 move rearward relative to the cabin 1000 in the first direction, the main shaft 4200 drives the empennage assembly 2000 to deploy. When the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 move forward relative to the cabin 1000 in the first direction, the main shaft 4200 drives the empennage assembly 2000 to retract.

[0042] Furthermore, the inertia assembly also includes a gear structure 4300, which is rotatably mounted on the inner sidewall of the cabin 1000. The gear structure 4300 and the main shaft 4200 are arranged coaxially. It should be noted that the central axis of the gear structure 4300 refers to the central axis around which the gear structure 4300 rotates. It is understood that the gear structure 4300, the main shaft 4200, and the cabin 1000 are arranged coaxially.

[0043] The counterweight 4100 is connected to the gear structure 4300. The relative rotation between the counterweight 4100 and the cabin 1000 can drive the gear structure 4300 to rotate relative to the cabin 1000. Specifically, the gear structure 4300 serves as a transmission structure between the inertial assembly and the side wings 3100. The relative rotation between the counterweight 4100 and the cabin 1000 can drive the two paired side wings 3100 to rotate in opposite directions through the gear structure 4300, with one side wing 3100 rotating upward and the other side wing 3100 rotating downward.

[0044] Specifically, when the towed submersible tilts and sinks to one of the left or right sides, the gear structure 4300 drives the side wing 3100 close to that side to rotate downward, and the side wing 3100 on the other side to rotate upward, thereby increasing the upward buoyancy of the water on the sinking side of the towed submersible and the downward water pressure on the other side, so as to restore the balance of the left and right sides of the towed submersible.

[0045] The wing 3100 is rotatably mounted on the sidewall of the cabin 1000 via a second rod 3200, which is perpendicular to the first direction. It should be understood that the second rod 3200 is mounted perpendicular to the sidewall of the cabin 1000, with one end of the wing 3100 connected to the second rod 3200. The other end of the second rod 3200 penetrates the sidewall of the cabin 1000 and is in transmission connection with the inertia assembly. Driven by the relative motion between the inertia assembly and the cabin 1000, the wing 3100 can rotate about the second rod 3200.

[0046] In some embodiments, the second rod 3200 is provided with a driven gear 3300 , which is provided on one end of the second rod 3200 extending into the cabin 1000 , and the central axis of the driven gear 3300 is perpendicular to the first direction, and the second rod 3200 serves as the rotating shaft of the driven gear 3300 .

[0047] It is understood that the gear structure 4300 meshes with the driven gear 3300 to transmit power. When the towed submersible tilts left or right, the gear structure 4300 remains stable under the action of the counterweight 4100, and the cabin 1000 rotates relative to the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300. In turn, the driven gear 3300 of the second rod 3200 rolls on the gear structure 4300 through the meshing of the gear teeth, thereby achieving rotation of the wing 3100.

[0048] Furthermore, the gear structure 4300 is set to be annular, the main shaft 4200 passes through the center of the annular shape, and the surface of the gear structure 4300 is provided with gear teeth along at least a portion of the circumferential trajectory, and the gear teeth are provided on the front or rear side of the gear structure 4300.

[0049] In some examples, the front or rear side of the gear structure 4300 is provided with a circle of gear teeth along a circumferential trajectory, with the gear teeth spaced apart along the circumference. In other alternative examples, the front or rear side of the gear structure 4300 is provided with less than a circle of gear teeth along a circumferential trajectory, with the gear teeth spaced apart along the circumference.

[0050] In some embodiments, the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300 are connected in a concave-convex interlocking manner, so that the gear structure 4300 and the counterweight 4100 rotate synchronously relative to the cabin 1000 .

[0051] Specifically, a groove is provided on the surface of one of the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300, and a ridge adapted to the groove is provided on the surface of the other one, and the length directions of the groove and the ridge are both parallel to the first direction.

[0052] In some examples, the counterweight 4100 is provided with a raised strip 4401, and the gear structure 4300 is provided with a groove. The raised strip 4401 is provided on a side surface of the counterweight 4100 extending in the first direction, and the groove is provided on the inner side surface of the annular gear structure 4300, with both ends of the groove extending to the front and rear sides of the gear structure 4300, respectively, to form a notch. Furthermore, the raised strip 4401 is located on the lower side of the counterweight 4100, and the groove is located on the inner side surface of the gear structure 4300, near the bottom of the cabin 1000.

[0053] In some other alternative examples, a groove is provided on the side surface of the counterweight 4100 extending along the first direction, and a convex strip is provided on the side surface of the inner ring of the gear structure 4300.

[0054] In some embodiments, the towed submersible includes a first limiting structure, which is disposed on the inner wall of the cabin 1000. The first limiting structure is fixed on the inner wall of the cabin 1000, and the first limiting structure is used to limit the angular range of rotation of the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300 relative to the cabin 1000.

[0055] When the towed submersible tilts to the right, the first limiting structure can limit the maximum angle of rotation of the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300 to the left in the cabin 1000; when the towed submersible tilts to the left, the first limiting structure can limit the maximum angle of rotation of the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300 to the right in the cabin 1000.

[0056] In some examples, the first limiting structure is used to abut the counterweight 4100 to limit the angular range of rotation of the counterweight 4100 relative to the cabin 1000 , thereby limiting the angular range of rotation of the gear structure 4300 relative to the cabin 1000 .

[0057] Specifically, the towed submersible includes a retaining ring 1100. The retaining ring 1100 and the gear structure 4300 are spaced apart along a first direction. The retaining ring 1100 is disposed on the inner sidewall of the cabin 1000. The retaining ring 1100 and the gear structure 4300 are arranged coaxially. The retaining ring 1100 is fixed to the inner sidewall of the cabin 1000, and the retaining ring 1100, the gear structure 4300, and the cabin 1000 are arranged coaxially.

[0058] Furthermore, the surface of the limiting ring 1100 is provided with a limiting groove 1101 as a first limiting structure, which is arranged along a portion of the circumferential trajectory of the limiting ring 1100. The limiting groove 1101 is arranged on the inner ring surface of the circular ring of the limiting ring 1100. The two ends of the limiting groove 1101 form stepped surfaces on the inner ring surface for abutting the counterweight 4100. The angle corresponding to the length of the circular arc of the limiting groove 1101 is the angular range of rotation of the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300 relative to the cabin 1000.

[0059] It should be noted that in the example where the counterweight 4100 is provided with raised strips 4401 on its surface, the raised strips 4401 of the counterweight 4100 are used to abut against the stepped surfaces at both ends of the limiting groove 1101, thereby enabling the limiting ring 1100 to limit the angular range of rotation of the counterweight 4100 relative to the cabin 1000. Of course, it is understood that, as an equivalent alternative, the counterweight 4100 may also be provided with another structure for abutting against the stepped surfaces.

[0060] Regarding the first limiting structure, there are at least the following alternative embodiments.

[0061] In some alternative embodiments, the surface of the limiting ring 1100 is provided with a first limiting protrusion serving as a first limiting structure. The first limiting protrusion is provided on the inner ring surface of the limiting ring 1100. Two first limiting protrusions are provided at intervals along the circumference. The angle corresponding to the arc between the two first limiting protrusions is the angle range of rotation of the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300 relative to the cabin 1000.

[0062] In other alternative embodiments, the limiting ring 1100 is configured to be in an incomplete circular ring shape, and the limiting ring 1100 is broken to form a gap, and the two end faces of the gap are used to abut the counterweight 4100. The angle corresponding to the arc length of the gap is the angle range of rotation of the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300 relative to the cabin 1000.

[0063] In some alternative embodiments, the first limiting structure is set as a raised structure on the inner wall of the cabin 1000. In this case, the inner wall of the cabin 1000 does not have a limiting ring 1100, but two spaced raised structures are set along the circumference of the inner wall of the cabin 1000 as the first limiting structure, and the angle corresponding to the arc between the two raised structures is the angle range of rotation of the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300 relative to the cabin 1000.

[0064] Regarding the first limiting structure abutting against the counterweight 4100 , there are at least the following alternative embodiments.

[0065] In some alternative embodiments, the first limiting structure is used to abut the gear structure 4300. Since the gear structure 4300 and the counterweight 4100 maintain a synchronously rotating connection relative to the cabin 1000, the first limiting structure abutting the gear structure 4300 can also achieve the effect of abutting the counterweight 4100.

[0066] In some embodiments, the side wings 3100 are provided as a pair. The two side wings 3100 are respectively located on the left and right sides of the outer wall of the cabin 1000, and the two side wings 3100 are spaced 180 degrees apart along the circumference.

[0067] In some alternative embodiments, the side wings 3100 are provided in at least two pairs. The side wings 3100 are spaced apart along the circumference of the outer wall of the cabin 1000, and the two side wings 3100 in a pair are spaced apart by 180 degrees along the circumference of the outer wall of the cabin 1000.

[0068] In some alternative embodiments, the side wings 3100 are provided in at least two pairs. The two pairs of side wings 3100 are located on the left and right sides of the outer wall of the cabin 1000, respectively, with the two side wings 3100 spaced 180 degrees apart along the circumference. Multiple pairs of side wings 3100 are spaced along the first direction on the outer wall of the cabin 1000. In this case, the gear structures 4300 in the inertial assembly are spaced at least two apart along the first direction.

[0069] In some embodiments, a third limiting structure is provided on the outer wall of the main shaft 4200, which is used to prevent the counterweight 4100 from moving back and forth in the first direction relative to the main shaft 4200, so as to limit the connection state between the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 to a relative rotation state.

[0070] It should be noted that the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 can be limited in the first direction by the third limiting structure, and the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 can also achieve synchronous movement along the first direction relative to the cabin 1000.

[0071] Specifically, the third limiting structure includes at least one annular recessed area located on the outer sidewall of the main shaft 4200. It is understood that the two ends of the recessed area in the first direction form stepped surfaces on the main shaft 4200 for abutting against the counterweight 4100, thereby preventing the counterweight 4100 from moving relative to the main shaft 4200 in the first direction.

[0072] In some examples, the third limiting structure includes an annular recessed area, the length of the recessed area along the first direction is adapted to the length of the counterweight 4100 along the first direction, the counterweight 4100 is sleeved in the recessed area, and the step surfaces at both ends of the recessed area abut against the end faces of the counterweight 4100, thereby achieving the limitation of the counterweight 4100 in the first direction.

[0073] In other alternative examples, the third limiting structure includes at least two annular recessed areas spaced apart along the first direction. The counterweight 4100 is provided with at least two collars for the spindle 4200 to pass through, with each collar corresponding to a respective recessed area. Alternatively, the counterweight 4100 is provided with a through hole for the spindle 4200 to pass through, with at least two protrusions on the inner sidewall of the through hole adapted to fit within each recessed area.

[0074] Regarding the third limiting structure, there are at least the following alternative embodiments.

[0075] In some alternative embodiments, the third limiting structure includes at least one protruding structure located on the outer side wall of the main shaft 4200 , and the main shaft 4200 abuts against the counterweight 4100 in the first direction through the protruding structure of the third limiting structure.

[0076] Furthermore, the counterweight 4100 is provided with at least two collars for the spindle 4200 to pass through, with the collars and the raised structures spaced apart. Of course, as an equivalent alternative, at least two raised structures can be provided, and at least one collar can be provided, with the collars and the raised structures spaced apart. Alternatively, at least one collar of the counterweight 4100 can be provided as a through hole for the spindle 4200 to pass through, with the inner sidewall of the through hole being provided with a recessed annular groove adapted to fit the raised structure.

[0077] In some alternative embodiments, to enhance the limiting effect of the third limiting structure on the main shaft 4200 and the counterweight 4100, the third limiting structure includes at least one protruding structure located on the outer wall of the main shaft 4200 and at least one annular recessed area located on the outer wall of the main shaft 4200. In this case, the counterweight 4100 is provided with a through hole or a collar for the main shaft 4200 to pass through, and the inner wall of the through hole or collar is provided with a protruding structure adapted to fit the recessed area.

[0078] In some embodiments, the tail assembly 2000 includes a first rod 2100 and at least two guide fins 2200. The first rod 2100 is connected to the rear portion of the cabin 1000 and is fixed to the rear portion of the cabin 1000. The first rod 2100 is arranged along a first direction, the first rod 2100 and the main shaft 4200 are arranged coaxially, the tail end of the main shaft 4200 is movably mounted on the first rod 2100, and the guide fins 2200 are disposed on the first rod 2100. Furthermore, the guide fins 2200 are spaced apart along the circumference of the first rod 2100.

[0079] It is understandable that during the opening and closing process of the tail wing assembly 2000 , the inclination angle of each guide tail wing 2200 relative to the central axis of the first rod 2100 can increase or decrease, so as to achieve an umbrella-shaped opening and closing configuration of the tail wing assembly 2000 .

[0080] In some examples, the tail assembly 2000 includes a first mounting seat 2301 and a second mounting seat 2302. The first mounting seat 2301 is fixedly mounted on the first rod 2100, and the second mounting seat 2302 is movably mounted on the first rod 2100. On the first rod 2100, the first mounting seat 2301 and the second mounting seat 2302 are spaced apart, and the second mounting seat 2302 is located between the first mounting seat 2301 and the cabin 1000.

[0081] Furthermore, the main shaft 4200 is connected to the second mounting seat 2302, the guide fin 2200 is hinged to the second mounting seat 2302, and the guide fin 2200 is connected to the first mounting seat 2301 via a linkage rod 2400. The ends of the linkage rod 2400 are respectively hinged to the first mounting seat 2301 and the guide fin 2200. In this case, the second mounting seat 2302, the first mounting seat 2301, the first rod 2100, the linkage rod 2400, and the guide fin 2200 form a crank slider connecting rod mechanism.

[0082] It is understood that when the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 move in the first direction relative to the cabin 1000, the main shaft 4200 drives the second mounting seat 2302 to move in the first direction relative to the first rod 2100. Driven by the second mounting seat 2302, restrained by the first mounting seat 2301, and driven by the linkage rod 2400, the inclination angle of the guide fin 2200 relative to the central axis of the first rod 2100 increases or decreases.

[0083] In some examples, the outer wall of the first rod 2100 is provided with at least two second limiting protrusions 2101. The second limiting protrusions 2101 are spaced apart along the circumference of the outer wall of the first rod 2100 and extend parallel to the first direction. The second limiting protrusions 2101 are used to limit the relative motion between the main shaft 4200 and the first rod 2100 to relative movement along the first direction and prevent the main shaft 4200 from rotating relative to the first rod 2100.

[0084] Furthermore, the sidewall of the main shaft 4200 is provided with retaining grooves 4201 adapted to fit within the second retaining protrusions 2101. The number of retaining grooves 4201 matches the number of second retaining protrusions 2101, and the retaining grooves 4201 extend parallel to the first direction. It will be appreciated that the retaining and guiding structure formed by the retaining grooves 4201 and the second retaining protrusions 2101 enables relative movement but not rotation between the main shaft 4200 and the first rod 2100.

[0085] It should be noted that the retaining groove 4201 extends from the inner surface to the outer surface of the main shaft 4200, so that the second retaining protrusion 2101 is exposed on the outer surface of the main shaft 4200, thereby connecting the second retaining protrusion 2101 to the rear end of the cabin 1000. It can be understood that the first rod 2100 is fixedly connected to the rear end of the cabin 1000 via the second retaining protrusion 2101.

[0086] In some examples, a tail hatch cover 1400 is provided at the tail of the cabin 1000, and the tail hatch cover 1400 is provided with a through hole for the first rod 2100 and the main shaft 4200 to pass through, and the first rod 2100 is fixedly connected to the tail hatch cover 1400 to achieve a fixed connection between the first rod 2100 and the cabin 1000.

[0087] Specifically, a tail compartment connecting structure 1401 is provided on the inner side surface of the tail compartment cover 1400 , and the second limiting protrusion 2101 of the first rod 2100 is exposed in the limiting groove 4201 and fixedly connected to the tail compartment connecting structure 1401 .

[0088] Furthermore, at least two tail compartment connection structures 1401 are arranged at intervals along the circumference, and the tail compartment connection structures 1401 are respectively welded and fixed to the inner side surface of the tail compartment cover 1400 and the second limiting protrusion 2101.

[0089] In some embodiments, the towed submersible includes a third mounting seat 1200, which is fixed to the cabin 1000, and the head end of the main shaft 4200 is disposed on the third mounting seat 1200. It is understood that the two ends of the main shaft 4200 are respectively disposed on the third mounting seat 1200 and the first rod 2100 to achieve mounting in the cabin 1000.

[0090] Furthermore, the head end of the main shaft 4200 is movably arranged on the third mounting seat 1200 along the first direction, and the tail end of the main shaft 4200 is movably mounted on the first rod 2100, so that the main shaft 4200 can move back and forth relative to the cabin 1000 along the first direction in the cabin 1000.

[0091] In some embodiments, the towed submersible includes an elastic member 1300 , and the elastic member 1300 is provided at at least one of the head end and the tail end of the cabin 1000 close to the main shaft 4200 .

[0092] The elastic member 1300 is used to apply elastic tension or thrust to the main shaft 4200, thereby returning the main shaft 4200 and the counterweight 4100 to their initial positions relative to the cabin 1000 in the first direction, thereby achieving self-reset of the main shaft 4200 and the counterweight 4100. The initial position is the installation position of the main shaft 4200 and the counterweight 4100 in the first direction within the cabin 1000. Furthermore, the elastic member 1300 is configured as a coil spring or a pneumatic spring.

[0093] In some examples, an elastic member 1300 is disposed within the cabin 1000 near the head end of the main shaft 4200, and the ends of the elastic member 1300 are respectively connected to the third mounting seat 1200 and the main shaft 4200. When the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 move forward from their initial positions relative to the cabin 1000, the main shaft 4200 compresses the elastic member 1300, generating compression potential energy. This in turn generates an elastic thrust from the elastic member 1300 on the main shaft 4200, causing the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 to move backward relative to the cabin 1000 and return to their initial positions. When the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 move backward from their initial positions relative to the cabin 1000, the main shaft 4200 stretches the elastic member 1300, and the elastic member 1300 generates tensile potential energy, and then the elastic member 1300 generates elastic tension on the main shaft 4200, so that the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 move forward relative to the cabin 1000 and return to their initial positions.

[0094] Regarding the arrangement of the elastic member 1300 , there are at least the following alternative embodiments.

[0095] In some alternative embodiments, an elastic member is provided inside the cabin 1000 near the tail end of the main shaft 4200 , and both ends of the elastic member are respectively connected to the cabin 1000 and the main shaft 4200 .

[0096] In some other alternative embodiments, elastic members are provided inside the cabin 1000 at both the head end and the tail end close to the main shaft 4200 .

[0097] The working mode of the towed submersible in this application is described in detail below in conjunction with specific usage scenarios. It should be noted that the following description is only an illustrative explanation and not a specific limitation to this application.

[0098] The towed submersible is in a uniform towing state: the tail fin assembly 2000 remains in a semi-open state, the guide tail fin 2200 is tilted at an angle of 20° to 40° relative to the central axis of the first rod 2100, the side wing 3100 remains horizontal, and the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 are located in the first position in the cabin 1000. It should be noted that the first position is the initial position of the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200.

[0099] The towed submersible is in an accelerated towing state: the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 move backward relative to the cabin 1000, the tail assembly 2000 is unfolded, and the inclination angle of the guide tail 2200 increases. The inclination angle of the guide tail 2200 is at least 60°, thereby increasing the resistance of the water flow to the towed submersible and suppressing the acceleration of the towed submersible.

[0100] The towed submersible is in a decelerated towing state: the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 move forward relative to the cabin 1000, the tail assembly 2000 is retracted, and the inclination angle of the guide tail 2200 is reduced. The inclination angle of the guide tail 2200 does not exceed 10°, thereby reducing the resistance of the water flow to the towed submersible and avoiding the lag of the towed submersible.

[0101] It should be noted that when the sudden speed change disturbance factor affecting the towed submersible is eliminated, the elastic member 1300 drives the counterweight 4100 and the main shaft 4200 to return to their initial positions, and the tail wing assembly 2000 returns to a semi-open state.

[0102] The towed submersible twists clockwise: the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300 rotate counterclockwise relative to the cabin 1000, and the side wings 3100 on the sinking side of the left and right sides of the cabin 1000 rotate downward, while the side wings 3100 on the rising side rotate upward.

[0103] The towed submersible twists counterclockwise: the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300 rotate clockwise relative to the cabin 1000, and the side wings 3100 on the sinking side of the left and right sides of the cabin 1000 rotate downward, while the side wings 3100 on the rising side rotate upward.

[0104] It should be noted that, when the torsional disturbance factors affecting the towed submersible are eliminated, the rotation angles of the counterweight 4100 and the gear structure 4300 relative to the cabin 1000 return to zero, and the wing 3100 returns to a horizontal state.

[0105] The towed submersible in this application utilizes the inertia of the counterweight and the mechanical linkage structure to achieve a physical coupling design, replacing the electronic control system to ensure the stability of the towed submersible when diving in the deep sea, and realizing multi-dimensional coordinated stable adjustment.

[0106] The counterweight utilizes inertia to automatically open and close the tail fin assembly as the submersible dives, thereby automatically adjusting the water resistance experienced by the towed submersible and adaptively compensating for sudden changes in forward speed. Furthermore, the elastic element stores energy, enabling the counterweight to self-reset, ensuring the towed submersible's stable dive.

[0107] When the towed submersible tilts or twists, the counterweight uses inertia to deflect the wing upwards and downwards, generating a corrective torque in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the inertial assembly uses gear transmission to amplify the small-angle rotation of the counterweight relative to the hull, ensuring that the upward and downward deflection of the wing generates sufficient corrective torque in the opposite direction, significantly improving the accuracy and stability of the towed submersible's attitude correction.

[0108] The towed submersible uses inertial components to implement two passive attitude stabilization methods, namely adaptive compensation for speed mutations and torsional attitude correction. These two methods operate independently of each other, do not interfere with each other, and respond quickly, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the passive stabilization of the towed submersible.

[0109] As can be understood, this application achieves autonomous attitude stabilization of the towed submersible through a mechanical linkage structure, significantly reducing maintenance frequency and operation costs. Through mechanical structural innovation, the towed submersible achieves a dual breakthrough in stability and reliability, providing a stable attitude solution for deep-sea exploration equipment that is both environmentally adaptable and economical.

[0110] Towed submersibles do not need to rely on electronic control units or external energy supplies. Through the coupling of inertial counterweights and fluid dynamics, they can still operate reliably in deep-sea high-pressure, high-salt corrosion environments, completely avoiding the stability risks caused by electronic component failure in traditional active control systems.

[0111] The synergistic effect of the up and down deflection of the side wings and the opening and closing of the tail wing assembly can simultaneously suppress the longitudinal vibration caused by the sudden change of towing speed and the lateral torsion caused by the impact of ocean currents, solving the problems of single function and low compensation efficiency of traditional mechanical stabilizers, and significantly improving the data acquisition accuracy of towed submersibles.

[0112] The design of storing energy in elastic parts and then realizing self-resetting of counterweight parts can convert external disturbance kinetic energy into internal potential energy, which not only reduces navigation resistance loss, but also ensures that the towed submersible can quickly return to its initial state under complex sea conditions, avoiding residual oscillations caused by energy dissipation in traditional passive systems, thereby maintaining the stability of the towed submersible for long-term continuous operation.

[0113] Based on the above description of the structure for achieving passive stability of the towed submersible, the following is an exemplary supplementary introduction to other structures of the towed submersible.

[0114] In some examples, the head of the cabin is provided with a connecting structure for connecting a cable. Further, the connecting structure is provided as a universal joint.

[0115] In some examples, a variety of sensors are provided inside the cabin near the head to enable the towed submersible to have various detection functions.

[0116] In some examples, the cabin is made of corrosion-resistant materials and is configured as a sealed structure to maintain the long-term stable operation of the towed submersible in a deep-sea environment.

[0117] The embodiments of the present application have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present application is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications can be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by ordinary technicians in the technical field without departing from the purpose of the present application. In addition, the embodiments of the present application and the features of the embodiments can be combined with each other unless there is a conflict.

Claims

1. A mechanically linked, stabilized towed submersible, characterized by: include The cabin body has a first direction parallel to a length direction of the cabin body; a tail assembly located at the rear of the cabin; at least one pair of side wings spaced apart along the circumference of the side wall of the cabin, wherein the side wings are rotatably mounted on the side wall of the cabin via a second rod perpendicular to the first direction; an inertia assembly located in the cabin, the inertia assembly comprising a counterweight, a main shaft, and a gear structure, the main shaft and the gear structure being coaxial and parallel to the first direction, the counterweight being rotatably sleeved on the main shaft, the tail end of the main shaft being connected to the tail assembly, the gear structure being rotatably disposed on the inner side wall of the cabin, and the counterweight being connected to the gear structure; The counterweight is offset from the central axis of the cabin, and the relative rotation between the counterweight and the cabin can drive the paired side wings to rotate in opposite directions through the gear structure, and the movement of the counterweight and the main shaft relative to the cabin in the first direction can drive the tail wing assembly to open and close; The gear structure is arranged in a circular ring shape, and gear teeth are arranged on the surface of the gear structure along at least a portion of the circumferential trajectory. The second rod is provided with a driven gear, and the gear structure is meshed with the driven gear for transmission, and the central axis of the driven gear is perpendicular to the first direction; The counterweight and the gear structure are connected in a concave-convex manner, one of the counterweight and the gear structure is provided with a groove on its surface, and the other is provided with a ridge adapted to fit the groove on its surface, and the length directions of the groove and the ridge are both parallel to the first direction; The tail assembly includes a first rod, a first mounting seat, a second mounting seat and at least two guide tails, the first rod being connected to the tail portion of the cabin body, the first rod being arranged along a first direction, the first mounting seat being fixedly provided on the first rod, the second mounting seat being movably sleeved on the first rod, the tail end of the main shaft being movably sleeved on the first rod, the main shaft being connected to the second mounting seat, the guide tail being hinged to the second mounting seat, the guide tail being connected to the first mounting seat via a linkage rod, and the two ends of the linkage rod being hinged to the first mounting seat and the guide tail respectively; The outer side wall of the first rod is provided with at least two second limiting protrusions distributed along the circumference, and the second limiting protrusions are extended parallel to the first direction. The second limiting protrusions are connected to the tail of the cabin, and the side wall of the main shaft is provided with a limiting groove adapted to the second limiting protrusion, and the limiting groove extends from the inner surface of the main shaft to the outer surface.

2. The mechanically linked, stabilized towed submersible according to claim 1, characterized in that: The towed submersible includes a first limiting structure, which is arranged on the inner side wall of the cabin. The first limiting structure is used to abut the counterweight or the gear structure and limit the angular range of rotation of the counterweight and the gear structure relative to the cabin.

3. The mechanically linked, stabilized towed submersible according to claim 2, characterized in that: The towed submersible includes a limiting ring, the limiting ring and the gear structure are spaced apart along a first direction, the limiting ring is provided on the inner side wall of the cabin, and the limiting ring and the gear structure are arranged coaxially; The surface of the limiting ring is provided with a limiting groove as the first limiting structure, and the limiting groove is arranged along a part of the circumferential trajectory of the limiting ring; or the surface of the limiting ring is provided with a first limiting protrusion as the first limiting structure.

4. The mechanically linked, stabilized towed submersible according to claim 1, characterized in that: The towed submersible includes an elastic member, which is provided at at least one of the head end and the tail end of the cabin close to the main shaft. The elastic member is used to apply elastic tension or elastic thrust to the main shaft.

5. The mechanically linked, stabilized towed submersible according to claim 4, characterized in that: The towed submersible includes a third mounting seat, which is fixed in the cabin. The head end of the main shaft is movably arranged on the third mounting seat along the first direction. The elastic member is arranged near the head end of the main shaft, and the two ends of the elastic member are respectively connected to the third mounting seat and the main shaft.

6. The mechanically linked, stabilized towed submersible according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer wall of the main shaft is provided with a third limiting structure, and the third limiting structure is used to prevent the counterweight from moving back and forth in a first direction relative to the main shaft. The third limiting structure includes at least one protruding structure located on the outer wall of the main shaft and / or the third limiting structure includes at least one annular recessed area located on the outer wall of the main shaft.

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