A claw-type electrochemical fuse separation mechanism

Abstract

This invention provides a claw-type electrochemical fusing separation mechanism, belonging to the technical field of fusing separation mechanisms. The claw-type electrochemical fusing separation mechanism includes: a separation load housing, a base, a pressure plate, claws, a reversing rod, a fuse, a fuse mounting post, a spring, and cathode material. This invention utilizes the relative positions of the separation load housing, claws, and reversing rod to achieve locking and separation of the housing. A spring is installed between the pressure plate and the base; the pressure plate compresses the spring, and the fuse load achieves locking of the separation mechanism. The fuse, cathode material, and seawater form an electrochemical reaction circuit. The fuse melts due to seawater corrosion, and the spring, freed from external force constraint, springs open the pressure plate. The movement of the pressure plate is converted into the contraction of the claws via the reversing rod, achieving fusing separation. This invention solves the problems of insufficient locking reliability, low fusing time control accuracy, and weak adaptability to deep-sea environments in existing claw-type electrochemical fusing separation mechanisms.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of fuse separation mechanism, and more specifically, relates to a claw-type electrochemical fuse separation mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] The claw-lock type electrochemical fusing separation mechanism is a passive actuator used for the separation and load release of underwater instrument and equipment sections. It primarily serves the field of marine observation technology, particularly for instruments and equipment requiring reliable separation of the buoyancy chamber and the disposal chamber at specific times, such as in-situ measurement systems for the acoustic properties of discarded seabed sediments. The basic working principle of this type of mechanism is to utilize the electrolytic properties of seawater to melt specific metal components through electrochemical corrosion, thereby triggering a mechanical unlocking mechanism to complete the separation action.

[0003] While existing claw-type electrochemical fusing separation mechanisms have seen some application in engineering practice, their structural designs generally suffer from several shortcomings. Traditional mechanisms often employ single-point or double-point locking layouts, and the engagement method between the claw and the separation load shell is relatively simple, leading to uneven circumferential stress. This can easily cause off-center deformation under high pressure and complex flow environments in the deep sea, affecting locking reliability. The arrangement of the fuse wire lacks precise positioning constraints, often resulting in slippage or torsion, making it difficult to control the actual location of the predetermined break point. This results in significant dispersion in break time, hindering precise control of the separation sequence. Furthermore, the force transmission path design of traditional mechanisms is not optimized. The motion conversion link between the pressure plate and the claw requires high precision, is highly sensitive to assembly errors, and makes it difficult to guarantee consistency in mass production. Regarding the electrochemical circuit design, some existing technologies fail to fully consider the flow characteristics of seawater, resulting in a single inlet channel or insufficient flow cross-section. This leads to slow electrolyte renewal, unstable electrochemical reaction rates, and even localized polarization, affecting the reliability of the fusing. The connection between the reversing rod and the base and pressure plate is mostly rigid or complex hinge, which has a high risk of motion interference and may cause delay or jamming in the unlocking response. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a claw-lock type electrochemical fusing separation mechanism, which solves the problems of insufficient locking reliability, low fusing time control accuracy and weak adaptability to deep-sea environment of existing claw-lock type electrochemical fusing separation mechanisms.

[0005] This invention is implemented as follows:

[0006] This invention provides a claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism, comprising:

[0007] Separate the load housing, base, pressure plate, claw buckle, reversing rod, fuse, fuse mounting post, spring, and cathode material;

[0008] The separation load housing is a cylindrical shell with a square slot on its wall. The square slot is used to insert a claw buckle to achieve locking. The separation load housing is also provided with a water inlet for seawater to flow in to provide the electrolyte required for the electrochemical reaction.

[0009] The base is a disc-shaped structure. The upper end face of the base is provided with a claw-shaped rotating shaft seat and a fuse mounting post mounting hole. The middle part of the base is used to install the spring.

[0010] The pressure plate is located above the base, and the bottom surface of the pressure plate abuts against the top of the spring. The top surface of the pressure plate is provided with a groove for supporting the fuse. The bottom surface of the pressure plate is provided with a connecting structure for connecting to the reversing rod.

[0011] The claw buckle has a bent structure. The claw buckle is installed on the claw buckle rotating shaft seat and can rotate around the claw buckle rotating shaft seat. One end of the claw buckle is embedded in the square slot of the separation load housing, and the other end of the claw buckle is connected to the reversing rod.

[0012] The reversing rod has a rectangular plate-shaped structure. One end of the reversing rod is rotatably connected to the connection structure on the bottom surface of the pressure plate, the other end of the reversing rod is rotatably connected to the claw buckle, and the middle part of the reversing rod is rotatably connected to the base.

[0013] The fuse is made of an active metal material. Both ends of the fuse are fixed to the fuse mounting posts, and the middle part of the fuse is pressed into the groove of the pressure plate. The surface of the fuse is covered with an insulating layer, and the insulating layer has a locally exposed area to form a predetermined breaking point.

[0014] The fuse mounting post is installed in the fuse mounting post mounting hole of the base, and the fuse mounting post is used to support and fix the two ends of the fuse.

[0015] The spring is installed at the middle position of the base, and the spring is used to provide elastic restoring force to drive the pressure plate to move upward after the fuse breaks;

[0016] The cathode material is mounted on the base and is made of an inert conductive material. The cathode material, the fuse, and the flowing seawater form an electrochemical corrosion circuit.

[0017] The technical advantages of the claw-type electrochemical fusing separation mechanism provided by this invention are as follows: This invention provides a passive separation and release mechanism based on the principle of electrochemical corrosion by systematically integrating the separation load shell, base, pressure plate, claw, reversing rod, fuse wire, fuse wire mounting post, spring, and cathode material. This mechanism utilizes seawater as a natural electrolyte, eliminating the need for additional chemical energy or complex mechanical drive devices, significantly reducing the system's size, weight, and energy consumption. It is particularly suitable for small underwater instruments and equipment in space-constrained environments. The fuse wire is made of active metal with locally exposed areas on its surface. By precisely controlling the cross-sectional area and position of the exposed areas, the fracture time can be controlled, ensuring the reliability of the separation action. The elastic fit structure of the pressure plate and spring, along with the force conversion design of the reversing rod, allows the elastic potential energy to be quickly converted into the contraction motion of the claw after the fuse wire breaks, achieving rapid separation of the separation load shell from the base. The separation response is sensitive, and the structural action is continuous. Furthermore, in the locked state, the mechanism achieves mechanical self-locking through the interlocking of the claw latches with the separated load outer shell, exhibiting strong load-bearing capacity and reliably connecting the buoyancy tank and the waste tank, meeting the structural strength requirements of the high-pressure environment of the deep sea. The entire mechanism is made of corrosion-resistant materials, allowing it to withstand long-term immersion in seawater without failure, demonstrating excellent environmental adaptability and operational stability.

[0018] Based on the above technical solution, the claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism of the present invention can be further improved as follows:

[0019] The separation load housing has four square slots on its wall surface, which are equidistant from each other along the circumference of the housing. There are four corresponding claw buckles, which are embedded in the corresponding square slots to achieve uniform circumferential locking.

[0020] The beneficial effects of the above-mentioned improved scheme are as follows: By employing a circumferentially equidistant arrangement of four square slots and four claws, this mechanism achieves multi-point uniform locking between the separation load shell and the base. This ensures balanced force distribution on the separation load in the circumferential direction, avoiding the off-center loading and stress concentration problems that may occur with single-point or two-point locking, significantly improving the reliability of the connection and the overall rigidity of the structure. This symmetrical layout also effectively suppresses vibrations and swaying that may occur under the influence of complex underwater flow fields, ensuring the attitude stability of the instrument during operation. Simultaneously, the four evenly distributed claws retract synchronously during separation, ensuring the separation load shell remains stable during detachment, avoiding jamming or tilting, and improving the success rate of separation and release.

[0021] Furthermore, the separation load housing has four water inlets on its outer wall, which are equidistantly distributed along the circumference of the separation load housing to ensure that seawater can flow fully into the separation mechanism.

[0022] The beneficial effects of adopting the above-mentioned improved scheme are as follows: The four circumferentially equidistant water inlets effectively ensure sufficient inflow of seawater into the mechanism and uniform distribution of the electrolyte solution. This ensures that the electrochemical corrosion reaction between the fuse and the cathode material can proceed in a stable ion conduction environment, avoiding reaction rate fluctuations or localized electrochemical polarization caused by poor seawater flow. The multiple water inlets also enhance the mechanism's self-cleaning capability, preventing marine organism attachment or sediment blockage from affecting the electrochemical circuit, extending the mechanism's standby life in marine environments, and improving the controllability of the electrochemical reaction and the consistency of fracture time.

[0023] Furthermore, the upper surface of the base is provided with four claw buckle rotating shaft seats, which are equidistantly distributed along the circumference of the base, and each claw buckle is installed on one claw buckle rotating shaft seat.

[0024] The beneficial effects of adopting the above-mentioned improved scheme are as follows: Four circumferentially equidistant claw-locking rotating shaft seats are provided on the upper surface of the base, offering a stable rotational support foundation for the claw locks and ensuring the synchronicity and angular consistency of movement of each claw lock during locking and unlocking. This layout allows each claw lock to have an independent degree of rotational freedom, and the force transmission path is clear, reducing the risk of interference between the kinematic pairs of the mechanism. The symmetrically distributed shaft seat structure also facilitates the processing, manufacturing, assembly, and debugging of the base, improving the manufacturability and assembly accuracy of the mechanism. Simultaneously, it facilitates the placement of other functional components on the base, optimizing the overall space utilization of the structure.

[0025] Furthermore, the connecting structure provided on the bottom surface of the pressure plate is a retaining ring, and there are four retaining rings. The four retaining rings are equidistantly distributed along the circumference of the pressure plate, and each retaining ring is rotatably connected to one of the reversing rods.

[0026] The beneficial effects of the above-mentioned improved scheme are as follows: Four circumferentially equidistant retaining rings are set on the bottom surface of the pressure plate as a connecting structure, realizing a reliable rotational connection between the pressure plate and the four reversing rods. This ensures that the pressure plate can synchronously drive each reversing rod during lifting and lowering movements, thereby guaranteeing the coordinated action of the four claws. This connection method has a simple structure and direct force transmission, effectively reducing the number of kinematic pairs and the clearance between them, and improving transmission efficiency and action response speed. The rotational engagement between the retaining rings and the reversing rods also allows for a certain degree of adaptive angle adjustment, compensating for manufacturing and assembly errors, and reducing the precision sensitivity and assembly difficulty of the mechanism.

[0027] Furthermore, there are two fuse mounting posts, which are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the base. Each fuse mounting post has an external thread at its bottom, and the mounting hole of the fuse mounting post is a matching threaded hole. The fuse mounting post is fixed to the base by a threaded connection.

[0028] The beneficial effects of the above-mentioned improved scheme are as follows: Using two symmetrically distributed fuse mounting posts connected to the base via threads provides stable end support for the fuse, ensuring that the fuse remains tensioned and accurately pressurized within the pressure plate groove in the locked state. The threaded connection facilitates adjustment of the fuse's installation tension and height, adapting to the replacement needs of fuses of different specifications, thus improving the maintainability and versatility of the mechanism. The symmetrically arranged mounting posts ensure a uniform distribution of the constraint force exerted by the fuse on the pressure plate, preventing the pressure plate from tilting in the locked state, and guaranteeing the concentricity of spring compression and the smoothness of the pressure plate's movement.

[0029] Furthermore, the claw buckle has a Z-shaped bending structure, and the claw buckle includes a front end, a middle part, and a rear end. The middle part of the claw buckle is connected to the claw buckle rotating shaft seat through a rotating shaft. The front end of the claw buckle is embedded in the square slot of the separation load housing, and the rear end of the claw buckle is connected to the reversing rod through a rotating shaft.

[0030] The beneficial effects of adopting the above-mentioned improved scheme are as follows: By designing the claw buckle as a Z-shaped bending structure, and dividing it into functional sections at the front, middle, and rear ends, an integrated design of locking insertion, rotational support, and drive connection is achieved. This structural form can achieve a large radial extension and retraction displacement within a limited spatial stroke; that is, a small swing at the rear end of the claw buckle can be converted into a large radial displacement at the front end, improving the motion amplification factor and unlocking sensitivity of the mechanism. The "Z"-shaped structure also gives the claw buckle good self-locking characteristics in the locked state, high load-bearing capacity, and resistance to self-loosening, while the action is rapid and complete during unlocking, effectively preventing the risk of secondary locking after separation.

[0031] Furthermore, the reversing rod is provided with three through-hole mounting interfaces, namely a front through-hole, a middle through-hole, and a rear through-hole. The front through-hole is connected to the bottom surface of the pressure plate through a rotating shaft. The middle through-hole is connected to the inner side of the claw buckle rotating shaft seat on the base through a rotating shaft. The rear through-hole is connected to the claw buckle through a rotating shaft.

[0032] The beneficial effects of adopting the above-mentioned improved scheme are as follows: The reversing rod adopts a three-hole mounting interface design, connecting to the pressure plate through the front through hole, the base through the middle through hole, and the claw buckle through the rear through hole. This constructs a lever transmission mechanism with the middle through hole as the fulcrum, realizing the conversion of motion direction and force transmission between the vertical movement of the pressure plate and the radial swing of the claw buckle. This structure has a compact layout and high force transmission efficiency, effectively transmitting and amplifying the elastic restoring force of the spring to the claw buckle, ensuring sufficient unlocking power. The linear arrangement of the three through holes makes the stress state of the reversing rod clear, avoiding the generation of additional bending moment, improving the reliability and service life of the transmission components, while simplifying the assembly relationship and facilitating mass production and quality control.

[0033] Furthermore, the groove provided on the top surface of the pressure plate is an oriented groove, the extension direction of the oriented groove is consistent with the extension direction of the fuse wire, and the depth of the oriented groove is adapted to the diameter of the fuse wire to ensure that the fuse wire can be stably pressed on the pressure plate.

[0034] The beneficial effects of the above-mentioned improvement scheme are as follows: The top surface of the pressure plate is provided with an directional groove aligned with the extension direction of the fuse wire, providing precise positioning and load-bearing space for the fuse wire. This effectively prevents lateral slippage or torsion of the fuse wire in the locked state, ensuring stable contact between the fuse wire and the pressure plate and reliable transmission of constraint force. The matching design of the groove depth and the fuse wire diameter allows part of the fuse wire to sink into the groove, ensuring effective pressure on the fuse wire from the pressure plate while avoiding excessive bending stress caused by an excessively deep groove or instability caused by an excessively shallow groove. This optimizes the stress state of the fuse wire and facilitates accurate fracture at the predetermined fracture point.

[0035] Furthermore, in the locked state, the fuse is tensioned and pressed into the groove of the pressure plate, applying a downward constraint force to the pressure plate to compress the spring; when the fuse breaks at a predetermined fracture point under electrochemical corrosion, the pressure plate loses the constraint of the fuse, the spring elastically recovers and drives the pressure plate to move upward, the movement of the pressure plate is transmitted through the reversing rod and converted into the contraction movement of the claw, causing the claw to disengage from the square slot of the separation load housing, thereby realizing the separation and release of the separation load housing from the base.

[0036] The beneficial effects of the above-mentioned improved scheme are as follows: The working process of this invention utilizes the principle of electrochemical corrosion to achieve passive and controllable separation. In use, the mechanism is first installed on the measuring instrument in a locked state, connecting the buoyancy chamber to the outer shell of the separation load and the drop-off chamber to the base. Then, the entire instrument is submerged in seawater. When separation is required, the control circuit within the drop-off chamber energizes the electrochemical circuit composed of a fuse, cathode material, and seawater. The electrolytic properties of seawater induce selective corrosion in the exposed area of ​​the fuse until it breaks. This process requires no mechanical triggering device or energy source such as gunpowder, ensuring high safety and gentle action, without generating impact vibration or pollution emissions. After the fuse breaks, the spring immediately drives the pressure plate to rise, and the reversing rod drives the claw latch to retract synchronously, achieving rapid and reliable separation of the buoyancy chamber and the drop-off chamber. The entire separation process is responsive and continuous, suitable for marine observation tasks requiring precise timing control, such as in-situ measurement of the acoustic characteristics of seabed sediments. It can also be extended to scenarios such as compartment separation and load release for other small underwater instruments, possessing broad engineering applicability.

[0037] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism provided by the present invention are:

[0038] The claw-type electrochemical fuse separation mechanism provided by this invention achieves significant technological advancements in underwater separation and release technology through systematic structural optimization. This mechanism employs a modular integrated design of the separation load housing, base, pressure plate, claw, reversing rod, fuse wire, fuse wire mounting post, spring, and cathode material, constructing a fully passive, low-energy-consumption, and highly reliable underwater separation execution system. It is particularly suitable for small underwater instruments and equipment with limited space and energy supply. Its core advantage lies in fully utilizing seawater as a natural electrolyte, eliminating the need for additional chemical energy sources or complex active drive devices. This fundamentally simplifies the system composition, reduces overall size, weight, and long-term standby power consumption, and significantly improves the endurance and payload efficiency of underwater instruments.

[0039] Regarding the locking mechanism, this invention achieves a high-rigidity, self-locking connection for separating loads by using multi-point circumferentially evenly distributed claw buckles embedded in square slots. This effectively avoids issues of off-center loading and stress concentration, maintaining stable mechanical load-bearing performance even under high-pressure deep-sea environments. The fuse employs a locally exposed active metal structure design. By precisely controlling the geometry and electrochemical parameters of the exposed area, high controllability of the fracture time is achieved, meeting the application requirements of precision timing control. The lever-type transmission design between the pressure plate and the reversing rod, and between the reversing rod and the claw buckles, optimizes the force transmission path and motion conversion efficiency. This allows the elastic recovery energy after fuse triggering to be rapidly and synchronously converted into radial contraction action of each claw buckle, resulting in sensitive unlocking response and consistent, reliable action, effectively avoiding jamming or asynchrony during the separation process.

[0040] The water inlet layout design of this invention ensures sufficient seawater circulation and stable electrolyte environment renewal, guaranteeing the continuous and uniform electrochemical corrosion reaction, suppressing the adverse effects of local polarization and bioattachment, and extending the long-term working life of the mechanism in the marine environment. The overall structure is made of corrosion-resistant materials, exhibiting excellent adaptability to deep-sea environments. It can be widely applied in various scenarios such as drop-off marine observation instruments, underwater robot compartment separation, and load release of marine mooring systems, providing important technical support for the miniaturization, intelligentization, and reliability improvement of marine scientific research equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism;

[0042] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the claw-type electrochemical fuse separation mechanism in the locked state;

[0043] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the release and separation state of the claw-type electrochemical fusing separation mechanism;

[0044] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the release and separation state of the claw-type electrochemical fuse separation mechanism.

[0045] The attached diagram lists the components represented by each number as follows:

[0046] 1. Separate load housing; 2. Base; 3. Pressure plate; 4. Claw latch; 5. Reversing rod; 6. Fuse; 7. Fuse mounting post; 8. Spring; 9. Cathode material. Detailed Implementation

[0047] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] like Figures 1-4 The diagram shown is an example of a claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism provided by the present invention, comprising:

[0049] Separate load housing 1, base 2, pressure plate 3, claw buckle 4, reversing rod 5, fuse 6, fuse mounting post 7, spring 8, and cathode material 9;

[0050] Among them, the separation load shell 1 is a cylindrical shell with a square slot on its wall. The square slot is used to embed the claw buckle 4 to achieve locking. The separation load shell 1 is also provided with a water inlet, which is used to allow seawater to flow in to provide the electrolyte required for the electrochemical reaction.

[0051] The base 2 has a disc-shaped structure. The upper end face of the base 2 is provided with a claw buckle 4 rotating shaft seat and a fuse mounting post 7 mounting hole. The middle part of the base 2 is used to install a spring.

[0052] The pressure plate 3 is located above the base 2, and the bottom surface of the pressure plate 3 abuts against the top of the spring 8. The top surface of the pressure plate 3 is provided with a groove for carrying the fuse 6. The bottom surface of the pressure plate 3 is provided with a connecting structure for connecting with the reversing rod 5.

[0053] The claw buckle 4 has a bent structure. The claw buckle 4 is installed on the claw buckle 4 rotating shaft seat, and the claw buckle 4 can rotate with the claw buckle 4 rotating shaft seat as the fulcrum. One end of the claw buckle is embedded in the square slot of the separation load housing 1, and the other end of the claw buckle 4 is connected to the reversing rod 5.

[0054] The reversing rod 5 has a rectangular plate-shaped structure. One end of the reversing rod 5 is rotatably connected to the connection structure on the bottom surface of the pressure plate 3, the other end of the reversing rod 5 is rotatably connected to the claw buckle 4, and the middle part of the reversing rod 5 is rotatably connected to the base 2.

[0055] The fuse 6 is made of active metal material. Both ends of the fuse 6 are fixed to the fuse mounting post 7, and the middle part of the fuse 6 is pressed into the groove of the pressure plate 3. The surface of the fuse 6 is covered with an insulating layer, and the insulating layer has a local exposed area to form a predetermined breaking point.

[0056] The fuse mounting post 7 is installed in the fuse mounting post 7 mounting hole of the base 2. The fuse mounting post 7 is used to support and fix the two ends of the fuse 6.

[0057] Spring 8 is installed in the middle of base 2. Spring 8 is used to provide elastic restoring force to drive pressure plate 3 to move upward after fuse 6 breaks.

[0058] The cathode material 9 is installed on the base 2. The cathode material 9 is made of inert conductive material. The cathode material 9, together with the fuse 6 and the flowing seawater, constitute an electrochemical corrosion circuit.

[0059] In the above technical solution, the number of square slots provided on the wall of the separation load housing 1 is four. The four square slots are equidistantly distributed along the circumference of the separation load housing 1, and the number of matching claw buckles 4 is four. The four claw buckles 4 are respectively embedded in the corresponding square slots to achieve uniform circumferential locking.

[0060] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the number of water inlets provided on the wall of the separation load housing 1 is four, and the four water inlets are equidistantly distributed along the circumference of the separation load housing 1 to ensure that seawater can fully flow into the separation mechanism.

[0061] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the number of claw buckle 4 rotating shaft seats provided on the upper end face of the base 2 is four. The four claw buckle 4 rotating shaft seats are distributed at equal intervals along the circumference of the base 2, and each claw buckle 4 rotating shaft seat is equipped with a claw buckle 4.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the connection structure provided on the bottom surface of the pressure plate 3 is a retaining ring, and there are four retaining rings. The four retaining rings are equidistantly distributed along the circumference of the pressure plate 3, and each retaining ring is rotatably connected to a reversing rod 5.

[0063] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, there are two fuse mounting posts 7, which are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the base 2. Each fuse mounting post 7 has an external thread at its bottom, and the mounting hole of the fuse mounting post 7 is a matching threaded hole. The fuse mounting post and the base are fixed by threaded connection.

[0064] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the claw buckle 4 has a Z-shaped bending structure. The claw buckle 4 includes a front end, a middle part, and a rear end. The middle part of the claw buckle 4 is connected to the claw buckle rotating shaft seat through a rotating shaft. The front end of the claw buckle 4 is embedded in the square slot of the separation load housing 1. The rear end of the claw buckle 4 is connected to the reversing rod 5 through a rotating shaft.

[0065] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the reversing rod 5 is provided with three through-hole mounting interfaces, namely a front through-hole, a middle through-hole and a rear through-hole. The front through-hole is connected to the bottom surface of the pressure plate 3 through a rotating shaft connection structure. The middle through-hole is connected to the inner side of the rotating shaft seat of the claw buckle 4 on the base 2 through a rotating shaft. The rear through-hole is connected to the claw buckle 4 through a rotating shaft.

[0066] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the groove provided on the top surface of the pressure plate 3 is an oriented groove. The extension direction of the oriented groove is consistent with the extension direction of the fuse wire, and the depth of the oriented groove is adapted to the diameter of the fuse wire to ensure that the fuse wire can be stably pressed on the pressure plate 3.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, in the locked state, the fuse is tensioned and pressed into the groove of the pressure plate 3, applying a downward constraint force to the pressure plate 3 to compress the spring; when the fuse breaks at the predetermined fracture point under the action of electrochemical corrosion, the pressure plate 3 loses the constraint of the fuse, the spring elastically recovers and drives the pressure plate to move upward, the movement of the pressure plate 3 is transmitted through the reversing rod and converted into the contraction movement of the claw, so that the claw disengages from the square slot of the separation load housing, thereby realizing the separation and release of the separation load housing from the base.

[0068] Specific Implementation Example 1: Separation and Release Mechanism of In-situ Measurement Instrument for Acoustic Characteristics of Dropped Seabed Sediments: This embodiment provides a claw-lock type electrochemical fuse separation mechanism for an in-situ measurement instrument for acoustic characteristics of dropped seabed sediments. This mechanism is installed between the buoyancy chamber and the drop chamber of the measurement instrument to achieve reliable separation of the two sections after the detection mission is completed, so that the buoyancy chamber carrying the acoustic data recording device returns to the sea surface.

[0069] The separation mechanism includes a separation load housing, a base, a pressure plate, four claw latches, four reversing rods, fuses, two fuse mounting posts, springs, and cathode material. The separation load housing is a cylindrical shell made of high-strength titanium alloy, with four circumferentially equidistant square slots machined on its wall surface. The depth of the slots matches the thickness of the claw latch front ends for embedded locking. The upper part of the separation load housing is bolted to the upper buoyancy tank of the measuring instrument via a flange. Four rectangular water inlets are also provided on the wall surface; the inlet area has been optimized through fluid dynamics calculations to ensure sufficient seawater flow into the mechanism. The base is a disc structure made of the same material as the separation load housing. Its lower end is bolted to the top of the disposal tank, and its upper end has four circumferentially equidistant claw latch rotating shaft seats. Wear-resistant copper sleeves are embedded in the shaft seats to improve the lifespan of the rotating parts. A circular recessed area in the center of the base is provided for installing compression springs. The springs are made of stainless steel with a passivated surface and have their ends ground flat to ensure uniform force distribution.

[0070] The pressure plate is a disc-shaped structure located above the spring. Its top surface has two parallel directional grooves with semi-circular cross-sections to accommodate the fuse wire. Four retaining rings are evenly distributed around the bottom surface of the pressure plate, connected to the front end of the reversing rod via a rotating shaft. The reversing rod is made of rectangular stainless steel plate with three circular through holes. The front through hole mates with the pressure plate retaining rings, the middle through hole is mounted on a lug inside the claw buckle rotating shaft seat via a rotating shaft, and the rear through hole connects to the rear end of the claw buckle. The claw buckle is forged from high-strength structural steel with a Z-shaped bend. Its middle part is mounted on the claw buckle rotating shaft seat via a rotating shaft. The front end is a wedge-shaped locking head, and the rear end is a connecting lug. In the locked state, the front end is embedded in the square slot of the load-separating housing.

[0071] The fuse wire is made of magnesium alloy wire, coated with an insulating varnish layer, with the varnish layer peeled off in the middle to expose the predetermined fracture point. Both ends of the fuse wire are fixed to the top of two fuse wire mounting posts. The bottom of the mounting posts has external threads that connect to the threaded holes in the base, and the top has a forked structure to clamp the fuse wire ends. The cathode material is a platinum-titanium composite electrode, bolted to the edge of the base, forming an electrochemical corrosion circuit with the fuse wire and seawater.

[0072] This embodiment is applicable to a drop-type in-situ measurement system for the acoustic properties of seabed sediments. During operation, the measuring instrument is deployed from a research vessel to the target sea area. During descent, the acoustic transducer inside the drop-off compartment emits sound waves to the seabed and receives reflected signals, recording the acoustic properties of the sediments. After detection, the control system initiates a separation procedure, applying direct current to the circuit consisting of the fusible link and cathode material. The seawater electrolyte undergoes electrolysis under the influence of the current, and oxidation and corrosion occur in the anode area of ​​the fusible link. After approximately tens of seconds to several minutes, the fusible link breaks at a predetermined fracture point. The pressure plate, freed from constraint, is lifted by a spring, and the four claws retract synchronously via a reversing rod, separating the buoyancy chamber from the drop-off compartment. The buoyancy chamber, carrying the data equipment, returns to the surface, while the drop-off compartment and its connected gravity anchor remain on the seabed. This mechanism achieves automatic retrieval of the measuring instrument and data acquisition, avoiding overall instrument loss and significantly reducing the cost of deep-sea exploration.

[0073] Specific Implementation Example 2: Emergency Separation Mechanism for Modular Sections of Underwater Gliders: This embodiment provides a claw-lock type electrochemical fuse separation mechanism for underwater gliders, used to achieve emergency separation of the mission compartment and the power compartment when the glider malfunctions or the mission changes, ensuring the safe recovery of core equipment.

[0074] The overall structure of this separation mechanism is similar to that of Embodiment 1, but it has been optimized and adjusted in terms of specific dimensions, material selection, and circuit control to suit the application characteristics of gliders. The outer shell of the separation load is made of lightweight aluminum alloy, and its outer diameter is determined according to the diameter of the glider cabin section. The four square slots on the wall are shallow to accommodate smaller separation loads, and the water inlet has been changed to six small holes distributed circumferentially to balance the inflow of seawater and structural strength. The base is made of carbon fiber composite material to reduce the overall weight, and the claw-shaped rotating shaft seat on the upper end is integrally formed with the base, with an internally embedded metal bushing. The pressure plate adopts a composite structure of engineering plastic and metal inserts, which ensures strength while reducing weight. The directional groove on the top surface has been changed to a single wide groove to accommodate the arrangement of a single thick-diameter fuse wire.

[0075] In this embodiment, the number of claws remains four, but their size is scaled down proportionally, and the material is changed to high-strength engineering plastic to reduce the weight of moving parts and improve response speed. The reversing rod is correspondingly shortened and thinned, and the diameter of the three through holes matches the small rotating shaft. The fuse uses aluminum alloy wire, the diameter of which is determined based on the separation load calculation, and the surface insulation layer is a polyimide coating. The predetermined break point is formed by laser stripping. The fuse mounting post is changed to a single integral structure, with two fixing points at the top to tension the single fuse, and the bottom is connected to the base bolted via a flange. The spring adopts a small-diameter, high-stiffness design with a short stroke but sufficient elasticity to meet the compact installation space of the glider. The cathode material uses a platinum-plated titanium mesh electrode to increase the contact area with seawater and improve the efficiency of the electrochemical reaction.

[0076] This embodiment is applicable to the modular design of long-range underwater gliders. An underwater glider is an unmanned underwater vehicle that achieves zigzag profile motion through buoyancy drive and attitude control. It typically consists of multiple functional modules connected in series, including a mission module, a buoyancy adjustment module, a battery module, and a control system module. During long-range ocean operations, if sensors in the mission module malfunction or encounter unexpected situations such as entanglement in fishing nets, the faulty module needs to be jettisoned promptly to ensure the safety of the remaining modules and core control equipment. In this embodiment, the separation mechanism is installed between the mission module and subsequent modules. During normal navigation, it provides a reliable mechanical connection. In emergencies, the ground control center sends a command via satellite communication, and the glider control system energizes the fuse to trigger separation. After the mission module is jettisoned, the remaining modules adjust their buoyancy to return to safe waters or continue performing simplified tasks. This mechanism has a fast response time, low energy consumption, and does not require pyrotechnics, meeting the stringent requirements of underwater gliders for safety, endurance, and lightweight design. It can also be widely applied to the modular design of small unmanned submersibles such as autonomous underwater vehicles and ocean profiling buoys.

[0077] Specifically, the principle of this invention is: the claw-type electrochemical fusing separation mechanism of this invention achieves controllable separation function based on the synergistic effect of electrochemical corrosion principle and mechanical lever transmission. Its technical principle covers two core levels: electrochemical reaction mechanism and mechanical motion conversion mechanism.

[0078] At the electrochemical reaction level, this invention utilizes the electrolyte ions abundant in seawater to construct a galvanic cell corrosion circuit. When the mechanism is submerged in water along with the instrument, the inlet on the outer wall of the separation load casing allows seawater to flow fully into the mechanism, immersing the fusible wire made of active metal and the inert cathode material simultaneously in the electrolyte solution. The control circuit within the disposal chamber connects the fusible wire and the cathode material to a power source via wires. At this point, the fusible wire acts as the anode, undergoing an oxidation-dissolution reaction, while the cathode material surface undergoes a reduction reaction, forming a complete electrochemical corrosion circuit. Because the fusible wire surface is covered with an insulating layer and only a localized exposed area is retained, the electrochemical corrosion is highly concentrated in this exposed area. By controlling the current density and the geometry of the exposed area, the corrosion rate and fracture time can be precisely controlled, achieving designability of the fusing sequence. When corrosion reaches a predetermined level, the fusible wire fractures in the exposed area, terminating its function as a mechanical restraint component and triggering subsequent mechanical unlocking actions.

[0079] At the mechanical motion conversion level, this invention employs a chain transmission structure of spring-pressure plate-reversing rod-claw lock to achieve force storage, release, and direction conversion. In the locked state, the fuse is tensioned and pressed into the directional groove on the top surface of the pressure plate, applying a downward constraint force to the pressure plate, causing the spring located between the pressure plate and the base to be in a compressed, energy-storing state. When the fuse breaks, the pressure plate loses its downward constraint, the compressed spring releases its elastic potential energy, and drives the pressure plate to move upward. The retaining ring on the bottom surface of the pressure plate is rotatably connected to the front end of the reversing rod. The middle of the reversing rod forms a lever structure with the claw lock rotating shaft on the base as the fulcrum. When the pressure plate rises, the front end of the reversing rod rises accordingly. According to the lever principle, the rear end of the reversing rod generates a downward displacement and pulls the rear end of the claw lock. The claw buckle is hinged to the claw buckle rotating shaft seat in the middle, forming another stage of lever. The downward pull of its rear end is converted into the radial inward contraction of the front end, which causes the front end of the claw buckle, which was originally embedded in the square slot of the separation load shell, to disengage, thereby releasing the mechanical constraint on the separation load shell and realizing the reliable separation of the floating tank and the abandoned tank.

[0080] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism, characterized in that, include: Separate the load housing, base, pressure plate, claw buckle, reversing rod, fuse, fuse mounting post, spring, and cathode material; The separation load housing is a cylindrical shell with a square slot on its wall. The square slot is used to insert a claw buckle to achieve locking. The separation load housing is also provided with a water inlet for seawater to flow in to provide the electrolyte required for the electrochemical reaction. The base is a disc-shaped structure. The upper end face of the base is provided with a claw-shaped rotating shaft seat and a fuse mounting post mounting hole. The middle part of the base is used to install the spring. The pressure plate is located above the base, and the bottom surface of the pressure plate abuts against the top of the spring. The top surface of the pressure plate is provided with a groove for supporting the fuse. The bottom surface of the pressure plate is provided with a connecting structure for connecting to the reversing rod. The claw buckle has a bent structure. The claw buckle is installed on the claw buckle rotating shaft seat and can rotate around the claw buckle rotating shaft seat. One end of the claw buckle is embedded in the square slot of the separation load housing, and the other end of the claw buckle is connected to the reversing rod. The reversing rod has a rectangular plate-shaped structure. One end of the reversing rod is rotatably connected to the connection structure on the bottom surface of the pressure plate, the other end of the reversing rod is rotatably connected to the claw buckle, and the middle part of the reversing rod is rotatably connected to the base. The fuse is made of an active metal material. Both ends of the fuse are fixed to the fuse mounting posts, and the middle part of the fuse is pressed into the groove of the pressure plate. The surface of the fuse is covered with an insulating layer, and the insulating layer has a locally exposed area to form a predetermined breaking point. The fuse mounting post is installed in the fuse mounting post mounting hole of the base, and the fuse mounting post is used to support and fix the two ends of the fuse. The spring is installed at the middle position of the base, and the spring is used to provide elastic restoring force to drive the pressure plate to move upward after the fuse breaks; The cathode material is mounted on the base and is made of an inert conductive material. The cathode material, the fuse, and the flowing seawater form an electrochemical corrosion circuit.

2. The claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The separation load housing has four square slots on its wall surface, which are equidistant from each other along the circumference of the housing. There are four corresponding claw buckles that are embedded in the square slots to achieve uniform circumferential locking.

3. The claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The separation load housing has four water inlets, which are equidistantly distributed along the circumference of the housing to ensure that seawater can flow fully into the separation mechanism.

4. The claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The base has four claw buckle rotating shaft seats on its upper surface. The four claw buckle rotating shaft seats are equidistantly distributed along the circumference of the base, and each claw buckle is installed on one of the claw buckle rotating shaft seats.

5. The claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The connection structure provided on the bottom surface of the pressure plate is a retaining ring. There are four retaining rings, which are equidistantly distributed along the circumference of the pressure plate. Each retaining ring is rotatably connected to one of the reversing rods.

6. The claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The number of fuse mounting posts is two, and the two fuse mounting posts are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the base. Each fuse mounting post has an external thread at its bottom, and the mounting hole of the fuse mounting post is a matching threaded hole. The fuse mounting post is fixed to the base by a threaded connection.

7. The claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The claw buckle has a Z-shaped bending structure. The claw buckle includes a front end, a middle part, and a rear end. The middle part is connected to the claw buckle rotating shaft seat through a rotating shaft. The front end of the claw buckle is embedded in the square slot of the separation load housing. The rear end of the claw buckle is connected to the reversing rod through a rotating shaft.

8. The claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, The reversing rod is provided with three through-hole mounting interfaces, namely a front through-hole, a middle through-hole, and a rear through-hole. The front through-hole is connected to the bottom surface of the pressure plate through a rotating shaft. The middle through-hole is connected to the inner side of the claw buckle rotating shaft seat on the base through a rotating shaft. The rear through-hole is connected to the claw buckle through a rotating shaft.

9. A claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that, The groove on the top surface of the pressure plate is an directional groove. The extension direction of the directional groove is consistent with the extension direction of the fuse wire. The depth of the directional groove is adapted to the diameter of the fuse wire to ensure that the fuse wire can be stably pressed onto the pressure plate.

10. A claw-type electrochemical fusing and separating mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that, In the locked state, the fuse is tensioned and pressed into the groove of the pressure plate, applying a downward constraint force to the pressure plate to compress the spring. When the fuse breaks at a predetermined fracture point under electrochemical corrosion, the pressure plate loses the constraint of the fuse, the spring elastically recovers and drives the pressure plate to move upward. The movement of the pressure plate is transmitted through the reversing rod and converted into the contraction movement of the claw, causing the claw to disengage from the square slot of the separation load housing, thereby realizing the separation and release of the separation load housing from the base.

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