Shaftless spherical gimbal seat and high-thrust liquid rocket

Abstract

The invention relates to a shaftless spherical gimbal seat and a high-thrust liquid rocket. The shaftless spherical gimbal seat comprises a ball socket, a ball head, a connecting module and a limiting anti-rotation module, wherein the ball socket is used for being connected with a thrust frame; the ball head is used for being connected with a thrust chamber of an engine. The ball socket is connected with the spherical surface of the ball head in a matched manner to realize thrust transmission and self-weight support of the engine; the connecting module is used for connecting the ball socket and the ball head, so that the ball socket bidirectionally swings around two orthogonal axes relative to the ball head; the limiting anti-rotation module is arranged between the ball socket and the ball head and used for limiting the swing angle of the ball socket and preventing the ball head from rotating. The high-thrust liquid rocket comprises a rocket body, an engine and a shaftless spherical gimbal seat, the rocket body is provided with a thrust frame, and a ball socket is connected to the thrust frame; the ball head is connected to the engine. The shaftless spherical gimbal seat is applied to the high-thrust liquid rocket, and remarkable performance improvement and reliability guarantee are brought to the whole carrying system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of rocket technology, and in particular to shaftless spherical mounts and high-thrust liquid rockets. Background Technology

[0002] The thrust bearing of a liquid rocket engine is a critical load-bearing and moving component connecting the engine to the rocket body. Its core function is to transmit engine thrust and enable precise engine yaw for thrust vector control. As space launch vehicles develop towards ultra-high thrust, reusability, and high reliability, higher requirements are placed on the load-bearing capacity, rigidity, and lifespan of the thrust bearing.

[0003] Current mainstream high-thrust thrust leveling seat technologies, whether cross-shaft type or improved spherical leveling seats with axial bearings, all rely on shaft components as the primary load-bearing or supporting pivots. When subjected to enormous thrust loads, especially non-axial components and the engine's own weight, these shaft structures inevitably experience significant bending moments, leading to bending deformation. This deformation triggers a series of chain reactions, such as accelerated wear of moving parts, increased oscillation resistance and uncertainty, reduced control precision, and severely limiting the service life and reliability of components. Strengthening the shaft diameter to resist deformation further increases the mass and size of the components and the entire mating structure, resulting in an increase in the overall volume and mass of the leveling seat. This also places extremely high demands on machining and fitting precision; even minor deviations can cause thrust transmission anomalies. Furthermore, the complex shaft assembly structure leads to poor maintainability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, a shaftless spherical constant-pressure seat and a high-thrust liquid rocket are provided to solve the problems of limited load-bearing capacity, low reliability and poor maintainability caused by the bending deformation of shaft parts in existing constant-pressure seats.

[0005] An embodiment of the first aspect of this application provides a shaftless spherical constant-level seat, comprising:

[0006] The ball socket is used to connect to the thrust frame;

[0007] The ball joint is used to connect with the thrust chamber of the engine; the ball socket is connected to the spherical surface of the ball joint to realize the thrust transmission and self-weight support of the engine;

[0008] A connecting module is used to connect the ball socket and the ball head, so that the ball socket can swing bidirectionally relative to the ball head about two orthogonal axes.

[0009] A limiting anti-rotation module is disposed between the ball socket and the ball head. The limiting anti-rotation module is used to limit the swing angle of the ball socket and prevent the ball head from rotating.

[0010] In one embodiment, the ball socket has a first spherical surface, and the ball head has a second spherical surface that mates with the first spherical surface;

[0011] The first spherical surface and the second spherical surface are connected to form a first bearing surface for transmitting the thrust of the engine.

[0012] In one embodiment, the connection module includes:

[0013] A ball cap having a third spherical surface that mates with the second spherical surface; the ball cap is detachably connected to the ball socket and constrains the ball head between the first spherical surface and the third spherical surface;

[0014] The second spherical surface and the third spherical surface are connected to form a second load-bearing surface for supporting the weight of the engine.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first spherical surface is provided with a first lubricating layer;

[0016] And / or, the second spherical surface is provided with a wear-resistant layer;

[0017] And / or, the third spherical surface is provided with a second lubricating layer.

[0018] In one embodiment, the limiting anti-rotation module includes:

[0019] A limiting element is provided on the ball head;

[0020] A limiting fitting component, whose position is fixed between the ball socket and the limiting fitting component on the connecting module;

[0021] When the ball head swings to its limit angle, the limiting member engages with the limiting mating member to restrict further swing of the ball head.

[0022] The side of the limiting member remains in contact with the limiting mating member throughout the entire swing range of the ball head to prevent the ball head from rotating.

[0023] In one embodiment, the limiting member includes a limiting block, which is mounted on the circumferential side of the ball head and configured to swing synchronously with the ball head.

[0024] The ball socket is provided with a first spherical groove, and the ball cover is provided with a second spherical groove corresponding to the position of the first spherical groove. The first spherical groove and the second spherical groove together form a positioning groove.

[0025] The limiting fitting component includes a limiting ball, the radius of curvature of the positioning groove is adapted to the outer surface of the limiting ball, and the limiting ball is rotatably connected within the positioning groove.

[0026] In one embodiment, the limiting block is configured as a limiting shaft, and the limiting shaft has a limiting groove for accommodating the limiting ball;

[0027] The groove wall of the limiting groove includes two limiting surfaces, the normal directions of which intersect the axis of the ball head; when the ball head swings to the limit angle, the limiting surface engages with the limiting ball to limit the movement.

[0028] The groove wall of the limiting groove also includes two anti-rotation surfaces, the extension direction of which is parallel to the axis of the ball head; during the swinging of the ball head, the anti-rotation surfaces remain in contact with the limiting ball to constrain the ball head from rotating around its own axis.

[0029] In one embodiment, a tapered hole is provided on the side of the ball head, and the limiting shaft is installed in the tapered hole by clearance fit. The clearance is configured to ensure that the limiting shaft can swing synchronously with the ball head while allowing the limiting shaft to adjust its angle around its own axis.

[0030] In one embodiment, the ball socket is provided with a first connecting flange, the first connecting flange is provided with a first through hole, the first through hole being used to connect the thrust frame of the engine;

[0031] The ball head is provided with a second connecting flange, and the second connecting flange is provided with a second through hole, which is used to connect to the thrust chamber of the engine.

[0032] An embodiment of the second aspect of this application provides a high-thrust liquid rocket, comprising:

[0033] The rocket body and engine, wherein the rocket body is equipped with a thrust rack;

[0034] As described in any of the above embodiments, the shaftless spherical constant-level seat has the ball socket connected to the thrust frame; the ball head is connected to the engine.

[0035] According to the shaftless spherical constant-pressure seat and high-thrust liquid rocket of this application embodiment, the spherical socket and the spherical head are connected to form the thrust bearing surface of the engine, realizing the transmission of engine thrust; the connection module and the spherical head are connected to form the weight bearing surface of the engine, realizing the connection and support of the engine; under the joint constraint of the spherical socket and the connection module, the spherical head can swing bidirectionally around two orthogonal axes, realizing the thrust vector control of the engine; the limit and anti-rotation module simultaneously realizes the functions of swing angle limit and anti-rotation of the spherical head around the axis. The shaftless spherical constant-pressure seat of this application embodiment adopts a shaftless design, which completely solves the problem of bending deformation caused by the shaft parts in traditional constant-pressure seats bearing engine thrust or self-weight, and has the advantages of large load-bearing capacity, large structural rigidity, high functional integration, low frictional resistance, high reliability and long service life. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an axisless spherical constant level seat according to an embodiment of this application.

[0037] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Sectional view at point AA.

[0038] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the ball seat in a shaftless spherical constant level seat according to an embodiment of this application.

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ball head in a shaftless spherical constant level seat according to an embodiment of this application.

[0040] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Sectional view at point BB.

[0041] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the spherical cover in a shaftless spherical constant level seat according to an embodiment of this application.

[0042] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the limiting block in a shaftless spherical constant level seat according to an embodiment of this application.

[0043] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the limiting block in the shaftless spherical constant level seat at point CC.

[0044] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a shaftless spherical constant level seat according to an embodiment of this application during operation.

[0045] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the shaftless spherical constant level seat of this application.

[0046] Figure label:

[0047] 100, ball socket; 110, first spherical surface; 120, first spherical groove; 130, first connecting flange; 131, first through hole; 140, internal threaded hole;

[0048] 200, Ball head; 210, Second spherical surface; 220, Tapered hole; 230, Second connecting flange; 231, Second through hole;

[0049] 300, Spherical cap; 310, Third spherical surface; 320, Second spherical groove; 330, Third through hole; 331, Connecting bolt;

[0050] 400. Limit switch anti-rotation module;

[0051] 410. Limiting component; 411. Limiting block; 4111. Limiting groove; 4111a. Limiting surface; 4111b. Anti-rotation surface;

[0052] 420. Limiting component; 421. Limiting ball. Detailed Implementation

[0053] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0054] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0055] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0056] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0057] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0058] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0059] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 At least one embodiment of this application proposes a shaftless spherical constant-pressure mount for a high-thrust liquid rocket, comprising a spherical socket 100, a spherical head 200, a connecting module, and a limiting anti-rotation module 400. The spherical socket 100 is used to connect with the thrust frame; the spherical head 200 is used to connect with the thrust chamber of the engine; the spherical socket 100 and the spherical head 200 are spherically fitted together to realize the thrust transmission and self-weight support of the engine; the connecting module is used to connect the spherical socket 100 and the spherical head 200, so that the spherical socket 100 swings bidirectionally relative to the spherical head 200 around two orthogonal axes; the limiting anti-rotation module 400 is disposed between the spherical socket 100 and the spherical head 200, and the limiting anti-rotation module 400 is used to limit the swing angle of the spherical socket 100 and prevent the spherical head 200 from rotating.

[0060] According to the shaftless spherical constant-level seat of this application embodiment, the spherical socket 100 and the spherical head 200 are connected to form the bearing surface of engine thrust, realizing the transmission of engine thrust; the connection module and the ball head 200 are connected to form the bearing surface of engine self-weight, realizing the connection and support of engine; under the joint constraint of the spherical socket 100 and the connection module, the ball head 200 can swing bidirectionally around two orthogonal axes, realizing the thrust vector control of engine; the limit anti-rotation module 400 simultaneously realizes the functions of swing angle limit and anti-rotation of ball head 200 around axis.

[0061] The shaftless spherical constant-pressure seat of this application adopts a shaftless design, which completely solves the problem of bending deformation caused by the shaft-type parts in the traditional constant-pressure seat bearing the thrust of the engine or its own weight. It has the advantages of large load-bearing capacity, large structural rigidity, high functional integration, low frictional resistance, high reliability and long service life. It is particularly suitable for thrust transmission and thrust vector control of large-thrust liquid rocket engines of 200 tons or more.

[0062] See Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the ball socket 100 has a first spherical surface 110, and the ball head 200 has a second spherical surface 210 that mates with the first spherical surface 110; the first spherical surface 110 and the second spherical surface 210 are connected to form a first bearing surface for transmitting the thrust of the engine.

[0063] Through the above configuration, the enormous thrust generated by the engine during operation is directly and completely transmitted to the first spherical surface 110 of the ball joint 200 via the second spherical surface 210 of the ball joint 200. The contact and force transmission method between the spherical surfaces ensures that the force is always transmitted along the normal direction of the contact surface; that is, the thrust is transmitted between them in the form of pure pressure. This force flow path completely avoids the lateral bending moment that shaft parts inevitably bear in traditional solutions, eliminating the possibility of deformation of load-bearing parts due to bending moment at the source. The spherical contact is geometrically symmetrical and adaptive, achieving excellent self-alignment during force transmission. Even with minor assembly deviations or slight deformation under load, the mating spherical surfaces maintain a uniform and stable contact state, ensuring the continuity and reliability of the thrust transmission path. This reduces the stringent requirements for the absolute machining accuracy of the parts and improves the robustness of the overall structure in real-world working environments. The contact area provided by the spherical fit is significantly larger than that of conventional shaft fits. Under the same material and size constraints, a larger contact area results in lower surface compressive stress, enabling the structure to withstand higher total loads.

[0064] See Figure 4 and Figure 1In some embodiments, the connecting module includes a ball cover 300, which has a third spherical surface 310 that mates with the second spherical surface 210; the ball cover 300 is detachably connected to the ball socket 100 and constrains the ball head 200 between the first spherical surface 110 and the third spherical surface 310; the second spherical surface 210 and the third spherical surface 310 mate to form a second bearing surface for supporting the weight of the engine.

[0065] The above configuration achieves a separation of engine thrust transmission and self-weight support in terms of structural function. The mating spherical surface of the ball joint 200 and the ball socket 100 is used to transmit the enormous working thrust, while the mating spherical surface of the ball joint 200 and the ball cover 300 independently bears the engine's static self-weight. Through the separation of force flow paths, the stress on each part of the structure is clearly defined, avoiding the mutual interference caused by a single component bearing complex loads simultaneously in traditional designs.

[0066] In some embodiments, the ball cover 300 is provided with a third through hole 330, and the ball socket 100 is provided with a corresponding internal threaded hole 140. A connecting bolt 331 is detachably connected to the third through hole 330 and the internal threaded hole 140 to achieve a detachable connection between the ball cover 300 and the ball socket 100. This detachable connection between the ball cover 300 and the ball socket 100 facilitates the assembly, debugging, and subsequent maintenance of the entire spherical bearing. During assembly, the ball head 200 can be placed into the ball socket 100 first, then the ball cover 300 can be installed and the bolts tightened; the process is direct and easy to operate. When internal components need to be inspected or replaced, the structure can be opened simply by removing the connecting bolt 331, without damaging or cutting the main load-bearing components, significantly improving the maintainability and service life of the product. The bolted connection allows for the application of a controllable preload force to the ball cover 300. By adjusting the tightening torque of the bolts, the degree of pressure of the ball cover 300 on the ball head 200 can be precisely controlled, thereby optimizing the working clearance of the spherical mating pair. This ensures that the engine has stable self-weight support when stationary, and also ensures flexible and precise guidance when oscillating, achieving the best balance between support stiffness and movement flexibility.

[0067] In some embodiments, a first spherical surface 110 is provided with a first lubricating layer; and / or, a second spherical surface 210 is provided with a wear-resistant layer; and / or, a third spherical surface 310 is provided with a second lubricating layer. The first and second lubricating layers are formed by spraying the same or different solid lubricating media; the wear-resistant layer is formed by a spraying process.

[0068] The first and second lubrication layers, located on the first spherical surface 110 of the ball socket 100 and the third spherical surface 310 of the ball cap 300, significantly reduce the frictional resistance during the oscillation of the ball head 200. This makes the adjustment of the engine thrust vector smoother and more precise, reduces lag, and improves the responsiveness of attitude control. The first and second lubrication layers provide a stable and predictable coefficient of friction, avoiding frictional fluctuations caused by changes in the surface condition of the large-sized metal sphere. This keeps the oscillation resistance within a low and stable range, ensuring the accuracy of control force prediction and the operational stability of the system.

[0069] Furthermore, the wear-resistant layer coated on the second spherical surface 210 of the ball joint 200 directly strengthens the critical contact surface that bears the enormous thrust and oscillating friction of the engine. This coating effectively resists wear, scratches, and fatigue spalling under high stress, thereby greatly extending the service life of the ball joint 200, which is a core moving component, and ensuring the reliability of the constant level seat under repetitive use tasks or long service life requirements.

[0070] With the above settings, the wear-resistant treatment on the thrust path and the friction-reducing treatment on the self-weight path each have their own focus, achieving optimal protection of the contact interface under different load conditions and motion states.

[0071] See Figure 2 In some embodiments, the limiting anti-rotation module 400 includes a limiting member 410 and a limiting mating member 420. The limiting member 410 is disposed on the ball head 200. The limiting mating member 420 is fixed in position between the ball socket 100 and the limiting mating member 420 on the connecting module. When the ball head 200 swings to its limit angle, the limiting member 410 and the limiting mating member 420 engage to limit further swing of the ball head 200. The side of the limiting member 410 and the limiting mating member 420 remain in contact throughout the entire swing range of the ball head 200 to prevent the ball head 200 from rotating.

[0072] See Figure 10 In some embodiments, the limiting anti-rotation module 400 includes four sets of corresponding limiting members 410 and limiting mating members 420, which are evenly spaced along the circumference of the ball head 200. This creates a completely symmetrical constraint system for the swing of the ball head 200. This symmetrical layout ensures a uniform distribution of constraint force during the swing, avoiding excessive force at a single point, thus guaranteeing smooth and precise movement. Simultaneously, it ensures that the ball head 200 has completely consistent kinematic properties around two orthogonal axes, structurally guaranteeing the symmetry and predictability of thrust vector control.

[0073] Combination Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9In some embodiments, the limiting member 410 includes a limiting block 411, which is installed on the circumferential side of the ball head 200 and configured to swing synchronously with the ball head 200; the ball socket 100 is provided with a first spherical groove 120, and the ball cover 300 is provided with a second spherical groove 320 corresponding to the position of the first spherical groove 120, the first spherical groove 120 and the second spherical groove 320 together form a positioning groove; the limiting fitting member 420 includes a limiting ball 421, the radius of curvature of the positioning groove is adapted to the outer surface of the limiting ball 421, and the limiting ball 421 is rotatably connected in the positioning groove.

[0074] With the above configuration, the limiting block 411 swings with the ball head 200, while the limiting ball 421 is fixed between the ball socket 100 and the ball cover 300, clearly defining the division of labor between the moving and stationary components. The limiting ball 421, rotatably connected in the positioning groove, uses its extremely low rolling friction as a fixed reference point; the moving limiting block 411 cooperates with the limiting ball 421, transforming the complex spatial swing constraint into a relatively simple geometric interference problem between the contour of the limiting block 411 and the fixed ball, thus improving the reliability of the function and the operability of the design.

[0075] Combination Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 In some embodiments, the limiting block 411 is configured as a limiting shaft, and the limiting shaft has a limiting groove 4111 for accommodating the limiting ball 421. The groove wall of the limiting groove 4111 includes two limiting surfaces 4111a, the normal directions of which intersect the axis of the ball head 200. When the ball head 200 swings to its limit angle, the limiting surfaces 4111a engage with the limiting ball 421 to limit the movement. The groove wall of the limiting groove 4111 also includes two anti-rotation surfaces 4111b, the extension direction of which is parallel to the axis of the ball head 200. During the swinging process of the ball head 200, the anti-rotation surfaces 4111b remain in contact with the limiting ball 421 to constrain the ball head 200 from rotating around its own axis.

[0076] Through the above configuration, the limiting block 411 is concretized as a limiting shaft with a limiting groove 4111 having a special inner wall. In the limiting groove 4111, two limiting surfaces 4111a, whose normal direction intersects the axis of the ball head 200, are used to interfere with the limiting ball 421 at the end of the swing, achieving rigid mechanical limiting. Meanwhile, two anti-rotation surfaces 4111b, whose extension direction is parallel to the axis of the ball head 200, remain in contact with the limiting ball 421 throughout the entire stroke, forming a continuous sliding guide surface that effectively suppresses the tendency to rotate around the axis. Integrating the originally independent functions of swing angle limiting and anti-rotation into the limiting block 411 not only significantly simplifies the structure and reduces the number of parts, but more importantly, it ensures that the two functions are geometrically and kinematically synchronized and without conflict. All functions are achieved through pure mechanical contact, without the need for sensors, controllers, or complex mechanisms, thus possessing extremely high inherent reliability in the harsh working environment of rocket engines.

[0077] Combination Figure 4 In some embodiments, a tapered hole 220 is provided on the side of the ball head 200. The limiting shaft is installed in the tapered hole 220 with a clearance fit. The clearance is configured to ensure that the limiting shaft can swing synchronously with the ball head 200 while allowing the limiting shaft to adjust its angle around its own axis. Specifically, the limiting shaft and the tapered hole 220 are in a small clearance fit, which ensures that the limiting shaft can rotate at a small angle around its own axis under the constraint of the tapered hole 220, and ensures that the limiting shaft can swing synchronously with the ball head 200.

[0078] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 The ball socket 100 is provided with a first connecting flange 130, and the first connecting flange 130 is provided with a first through hole 131, which is used to connect the thrust frame of the engine; see reference. Figure 5 The ball head 200 is provided with a second connecting flange 230, and the second connecting flange 230 is provided with a second through hole 231, which is used to connect the thrust chamber of the engine.

[0079] Through the above configuration, the first connecting flange 130 and the second connecting flange 230 provide a reliable, efficient, and easy-to-maintain mechanical interface between the thrust bearing and the engine. This ensures an efficient transmission path for engine thrust. The enormous thrust generated by the thrust chamber is directly transmitted to the ball joint 200 through the second connecting flange 230 and its second through hole 231. Similarly, after passing through the ball socket 100, the thrust is directly output to the engine thrust frame via the first connecting flange 130 and its first through hole 131. The flange connection provides a wide bearing surface, allowing the load to be evenly distributed, avoiding stress concentration, and ensuring the integrity and reliability of the connection interface under extreme loads. This greatly simplifies the assembly and disassembly process of the thrust bearing and the engine. The use of through holes for bolted connections allows the thrust bearing to be installed, calibrated, and disassembled as an independent module, significantly improving assembly efficiency and facilitating subsequent inspection, maintenance, or replacement. The structure of the connecting flanges facilitates necessary minor adjustments and alignment during assembly. By employing appropriate installation techniques, the relative positions between the constant level seat, the thrust chamber, and the thrust frame can be optimized, ensuring that the geometric axis of the thrust transmission path better coincides with the theoretically designed axis, thereby improving the alignment accuracy and operational stability of the entire transmission system.

[0080] With the above configuration, the second spherical surface 210 is installed inside the first spherical surface 110, forming the first bearing surface for engine thrust and realizing the transmission of engine thrust; the ball cap 300 is installed on the ball socket 100 by connecting bolts 331, and the third spherical surface 310 and the second spherical surface 210 form the second bearing surface for the engine's own weight, realizing the connection and support of the engine; under the joint constraint of the ball socket 100 and the ball cap 300, the ball head 200 can swing bidirectionally around two orthogonal axes, realizing the control of the engine thrust vector; the limiting ball 421 is installed in the first spherical groove 120 and the second spherical groove 320, and in the first spherical groove Under the combined constraint of the second spherical groove 320 and the second spherical groove 320, the spatial position of the limiting ball 421 will not change, and it can only rotate around its own center. The limiting shaft is installed in the tapered hole 220 and can swing with the ball head 200. When the swing angle of the ball head 200 reaches the limit angle, the end of the limiting groove 4111 just engages with the limiting ball 421, limiting the swing angle of the ball head 200 within the design range, and realizing the swing angle limiting function of the constant level seat. The side of the limiting groove 4111 is always engaged with the limiting ball 421, so that the ball head 200 cannot rotate along its own axis, realizing the function of preventing the ball head 200 from rotating around its own axis.

[0081] At least one embodiment of this application proposes a high-thrust liquid rocket, which includes a rocket body, an engine, and a shaftless spherical mount as described in any of the above embodiments. The rocket body is provided with a thrust frame, a ball socket 100 is connected to the thrust frame, and a ball head 200 is connected to the engine.

[0082] By applying the above configuration to a shaftless spherical constant-pressure mount for high-thrust liquid rockets, significant performance improvements and reliability assurances have been brought to the entire launch system.

[0083] The working and operating principles of the shaftless spherical constant-pressure seat and high-thrust liquid rocket provided in this application are as follows:

[0084] When the engine is operating, the thrust generated by the engine is transmitted sequentially through the second connecting flange 230, the second spherical surface 210, and the first spherical surface 110, and finally output to the engine thrust frame via the first connecting flange 130. In this force transmission path, the thrust is entirely borne by the mating spherical surfaces of the ball head 200 and the ball socket 100, and other structures do not participate in the main thrust transmission, thus completely avoiding bending deformation of parts caused by thrust.

[0085] When the engine needs to perform thrust vector control, the ball head 200 can swing around two sets of orthogonal axes under the drive of an external actuator. This swinging motion is guided by the spherical constraint pairs formed by the first spherical surface 110 and the second spherical surface 210, and the second spherical surface 210 and the third spherical surface 310. The swing axis is actually determined by the cross-shaped virtual axis formed by the line connecting the centers of the two sets of opposing limiting balls 421, thereby realizing the engine's independent or combined swinging in two orthogonal directions.

[0086] During the swinging process, if the swing angle reaches the design limit value, the end surface of the limiting groove 4111 on the limiting shaft will contact the corresponding limiting ball 421 and form motion interference, preventing the ball head 200 from continuing to swing, thereby achieving reliable mechanical swing angle limiting. In addition, during engine operation, factors such as vibration may induce the engine to rotate around its own axis. At this time, the side of the limiting groove 4111 always maintains contact with the limiting ball 421, forming a continuous circumferential constraint, effectively preventing the ball head 200 and the engine from rotating around the axis.

[0087] Whether transmitting force at rest or during oscillation, the engine thrust is always fully borne by the ball head 200 and the ball socket 100, and the other components are not affected by the bending moment caused by the thrust, further ensuring that the structure is free from bending deformation.

[0088] When the engine is off or not in operation, the engine's own weight is entirely borne by the supporting spherical pair formed by the second spherical surface 210 and the third spherical surface 310. This path is independent of the thrust transmission path, thus avoiding structural bending deformation caused by its own weight.

[0089] In summary, this constant-level seat achieves high rigidity, high reliability, and long service life under high thrust conditions through the separate design of thrust and self-weight transmission paths, the shaftless spherical constraint swing mechanism, and the integrated limit anti-rotation structure.

[0090] The shaftless spherical constant-pressure seat provided in this application and its application in high-thrust liquid rockets achieve multiple technical effects from the component to the system level, comprehensively improving the overall performance of rocket engine connection, force transmission and vector control systems.

[0091] In terms of load-bearing and force transmission, this scheme clearly separates the transmission paths of engine thrust and self-weight through a completely shaftless design. Thrust is entirely borne by the mating spherical surfaces of the ball head 200 and the ball socket 100, while self-weight is independently supported by the mating spherical surfaces of the ball cap 300 and the ball head 200. This force-flow separation architecture fundamentally eliminates the bending deformation and wear / jamming risks caused by bending moments in traditional shaft-type parts, significantly improving the inherent reliability of the constant-level seat as a key load-bearing component. The global surface contact load-bearing form not only provides superior structural stiffness and load-bearing capacity compared to traditional schemes, enabling it to meet the stringent requirements of high-thrust engines of over 200 tons, but also achieves efficient thrust transmission to the rocket body along the optimal path, reducing unnecessary energy loss.

[0092] In terms of functional integration and motion control, this design highly integrates multiple functions such as thrust transmission, thrust vector control, self-weight support, swing angle limiting, and anti-rotation into a compact unit. The ball head 200, under double spherical constraints, can achieve precise real-time oscillation around two axes, providing a stable and reliable mechanical execution foundation for rocket attitude control. The integrated mechanical limiting and anti-rotation mechanism ensures the determinism of the motion range and direction without the need for external sensors or complex controls, enhancing the robustness of the entire control system in complex environments. This integrated design also simplifies component assembly, testing, and maintenance processes.

[0093] In terms of durability and maintainability, the solid lubricating layer and wear-resistant layer sprayed on the spherical surface of the main moving parts effectively reduce oscillating friction and improve wear resistance, thereby ensuring the performance stability of the launcher in long-term use and repetitive missions and extending its service life. Meanwhile, the modular flange connection design and the detachable spherical cap 300 structure make the launcher easy to integrate with the engine and rocket body, facilitating ground assembly, testing, and post-launch maintenance, providing favorable conditions for the rocket's reusability and economical operation.

[0094] In summary, the technical solution of this application not only solves the fundamental problems such as shaft bending deformation that have long limited the performance of high-thrust engines, but also provides a key and superior component solution for the development of next-generation high-thrust, high-reliability, reusable liquid launch vehicles through comprehensive optimization in terms of load-bearing capacity, function, durability and maintenance.

[0095] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above 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.

[0096] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A shaftless spherical constant-level seat, characterized in that, include: A ball socket (100) is used for connection with the thrust frame; The ball head (200) is used to connect with the thrust chamber of the engine; the ball socket (100) is connected to the ball head (200) through a spherical fit to realize the thrust transmission and self-weight support of the engine; A connecting module is used to connect the ball socket (100) and the ball head (200), so that the ball socket (100) swings bidirectionally relative to the ball head (200) about two orthogonal axes; A limiting anti-rotation module (400) is disposed between the ball socket (100) and the ball head (200). The limiting anti-rotation module (400) is used to limit the swing angle of the ball socket (100) and prevent the ball head (200) from rotating.

2. The shaftless spherical constant-level seat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ball socket (100) has a first spherical surface (110), and the ball head (200) has a second spherical surface (210) that mates with the first spherical surface (110); The first spherical surface (110) and the second spherical surface (210) are connected to form a first bearing surface for transmitting the thrust of the engine.

3. The shaftless spherical constant-level seat according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connection module includes: A ball cover (300) having a third ball surface (310) that mates with the second ball surface (210); the ball cover (300) is detachably connected to the ball socket (100) and constrains the ball head (200) between the first ball surface (110) and the third ball surface (310); The second spherical surface (210) and the third spherical surface (310) are connected to form a second bearing surface for supporting the weight of the engine.

4. The shaftless spherical constant-level seat according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first spherical surface (110) is provided with a first lubricating layer; And / or, the second spherical surface (210) is provided with a wear-resistant layer; And / or, the third spherical surface (310) is provided with a second lubricating layer.

5. The shaftless spherical constant-level seat according to claim 3, characterized in that, The limiting anti-rotation module (400) includes: A limiting member (410) is provided on the ball head (200); A limiting fitting (420) is fixed in position between the ball socket (100) and the limiting fitting (420) on the connecting module; When the ball head (200) swings to its limit angle, the limiting member (410) engages with the limiting mating member (420) to limit the further swing of the ball head (200); The side of the limiting member (410) and the limiting mating member (420) remain in contact throughout the swing range of the ball head (200) to prevent the ball head (200) from rotating.

6. The shaftless spherical constant-level seat according to claim 5, characterized in that, The limiting member (410) includes a limiting block (411), which is installed on the circumferential side of the ball head (200) and configured to swing synchronously with the ball head (200). The ball socket (100) is provided with a first spherical groove (120), and the ball cover (300) is provided with a second spherical groove (320) corresponding to the position of the first spherical groove (120). The first spherical groove (120) and the second spherical groove (320) together form a positioning groove. The limiting fitting component (420) includes a limiting ball (421), the radius of curvature of the positioning groove is adapted to the outer surface of the limiting ball (421), and the limiting ball (421) is rotatably connected to the positioning groove.

7. The shaftless spherical constant-level seat according to claim 6, characterized in that, The limiting block (411) is configured as a limiting shaft, and the limiting shaft has a limiting groove (4111) for accommodating the limiting ball (421); The groove wall of the limiting groove (4111) includes two limiting surfaces (4111a), the normal directions of which intersect the axis of the ball head (200); when the ball head (200) swings to the limit angle, the limiting surface (4111a) engages with the limiting ball (421) to limit the movement. The groove wall of the limiting groove (4111) also includes two anti-rotation surfaces (4111b), the extension direction of which is parallel to the axis of the ball head (200); during the swinging process of the ball head (200), the anti-rotation surface (4111b) remains in contact with the limiting ball (421) to constrain the ball head (200) from rotating around its own axis.

8. The shaftless spherical constant-level seat according to claim 7, characterized in that, The ball head (200) has a tapered hole (220) on its side. The limiting shaft is installed in the tapered hole (220) with a clearance fit. The clearance is configured to allow the limiting shaft to be adjusted around its own axis while ensuring that the limiting shaft can swing synchronously with the ball head (200).

9. The shaftless spherical constant-level seat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ball socket (100) is provided with a first connecting flange (130), the first connecting flange (130) is provided with a first through hole (131), and the first through hole (131) is used to connect the thrust frame of the engine; The ball head (200) is provided with a second connecting flange (230), the second connecting flange (230) is provided with a second through hole (231), the second through hole (231) is used to connect the thrust chamber of the engine.

10. A high-thrust liquid rocket, characterized in that, include: The rocket body and engine, wherein the rocket body is equipped with a thrust rack; The shaftless spherical constant level seat as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the ball socket (100) is connected to the thrust frame; and the ball head (200) is connected to the engine.

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