A bellows-based flexible mechanism and uses thereof

Abstract

The application relates to a sealed box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism and use, comprising: a container-shaped body for accommodating a measuring instrument and providing a sealed space; a sealing cover buckled at an opening of the container-shaped body for enabling the container-shaped body to form the sealed space; and a corrugated flexible assembly located at the bottom of the container-shaped body for being connected with the surface of a measured object and being capable of being elastically deformed under external force. The application realizes the organic combination of sealing protection and mechanical decoupling by introducing the elastically deformable corrugated flexible assembly between the container-shaped body and the measured object, forms effective mechanical isolation between the measured object and the rigid box body by using the elastic deformation characteristics of the corrugated flexible ring, avoids the interference of additional stiffness on structural deformation, ensures the authenticity and accuracy of the measurement result, and simultaneously, the sealed box adopts an arc buckling structure, an elastic sealing ring and a multi-point bolt uniform pressing mode, and has stable and reliable waterproof, dustproof and biological intrusion prevention capability in an outdoor environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of installation and protection technology for engineering monitoring equipment, and in particular to a sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism and its application. Background Technology

[0002] In fields such as engineering surveying, structural health monitoring, and long-term field observation, precision measuring equipment such as displacement sensors and strain gauges typically need to be stably installed on the surface of the structure being measured (e.g., steel structural members, key parts of bridges, and concrete specimens) and continuously acquire high-precision data under complex environmental conditions. Because these devices are exposed to the outdoor environment for extended periods, they are highly susceptible to various adverse factors such as rainfall, temperature and humidity changes, dust pollution, and biological intrusion. Therefore, effective protection and sealing are crucial technical aspects for ensuring the reliability of measurement data and extending the lifespan of the equipment.

[0003] Existing technologies typically use tape, waterproof sealant, or simple metal boxes to cover measuring instruments and seal the edges with adhesive to achieve basic waterproof and dustproof effects. However, in practical engineering applications, these methods still have significant shortcomings: First, adhesive sealing materials are prone to aging, hardening, and even cracking under long-term exposure to sunlight, rain, and temperature cycles, leading to seal failure and allowing external moisture or microorganisms to enter, thus interfering with the normal operation of the instrument or even causing damage. Second, traditional sealing boxes often use rigid structures and are fixed to the surface of the object being measured by bonding or welding. When the structure undergoes deformation under stress, this rigid additional structure will constrain the local deformation or share some of the stress, thereby changing the original stress state and causing deviations in the measurement results, making it difficult to accurately reflect the actual displacement or strain of the measured object. In addition, existing sealing methods are mostly one-time structures, and the original sealing conditions are difficult to restore after opening, resulting in poor reusability, which not only increases maintenance costs but also reduces the convenience of field application.

[0004] In summary, how to ensure good sealing and protection performance while avoiding interference with the mechanical response of the tested structure and achieving reusability of the device has become a pressing technical problem to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism and its application, so as to solve the technical problems of insufficient sealing reliability, box stiffness interference with measurement accuracy and inability to be reused in the long-term outdoor use of the existing sealing box.

[0006] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution: A sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism, comprising: A container-shaped body is used to house measuring instruments and provide a sealed space; A sealing cap is fastened to the opening of the container-shaped body to create a sealed space within the container-shaped body. The corrugated flexible component, located at the bottom of the container-shaped body, is used to connect with the surface of the object being tested and can produce elastic deformation under external force.

[0007] According to the above technical solution, preferably, the corrugated flexible component includes a thin-walled corrugated tube and a sheet-like mounting foot. The thin-walled corrugated tube has an annular thin-walled structure, with one end fixedly connected to the container-shaped main body and the other end fixedly connected to the sheet-like mounting foot. The sheet-like mounting foot is used to connect with the surface of the object being tested.

[0008] According to the above technical solution, preferably, the corrugated flexible component further includes a fixing column, one end of which is fixedly connected to the sheet-like mounting foot, and the other end extends into the container-like body for fixing the measuring instrument.

[0009] According to the above technical solution, preferably, a sealing structure is provided between the container-shaped body and the sealing cap.

[0010] According to the above technical solution, preferably, the sealing structure includes an arc-shaped fastening structure located at the opening of the container-shaped body and an elastic sealing ring located inside the sealing cover. The arc-shaped fastening structure is adapted to the shape of the elastic sealing ring and forms an elastic compression seal when the sealing cover is fastened to the container-shaped body.

[0011] According to the above technical solution, preferably, the sealing structure further includes a constriction portion located at the opening of the container-shaped body, which is recessed inward relative to the container-shaped body.

[0012] According to the above technical solution, preferably, the container-shaped body and the sealing cap are detachably connected in the circumferential direction by a uniformly arranged bolt fixing structure. By tightening the bolts, a uniform clamping force is applied, causing the elastic sealing ring to be uniformly compressed, forming an elastic compression seal between it and the arc-shaped fastening structure.

[0013] This application also discloses the use of a sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism. Based on the above-mentioned sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism, the container-shaped body is used to accommodate measuring instruments and provide a sealed space. It is mounted on the surface of the object being measured through the sheet-shaped mounting feet. When the object being measured deforms, the thin-walled corrugated tube generates elastic deformation, so that the deformation of the object being measured is accurately transmitted to the measuring instrument through the sheet-shaped mounting feet and the fixing column.

[0014] According to the above technical solution, preferably, the corrugated flexible component is provided in two sets, and the inner distance between the two sheet-like mounting feet and the inner distance between the two fixed columns are both equal to the gauge length range of the measuring instrument.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are: The sealing box structure provided by this invention ensures a stable sealed space inside the container while utilizing the compliant deformation capability of the thin-walled corrugated pipe under external force. This prevents the sealing box from imposing significant stiffness constraints on the measured object when it deforms, effectively avoiding the interference of traditional rigid sealing structures on local stress distribution and deformation behavior, and significantly improving the authenticity and accuracy of the data acquired by the measuring instrument. Furthermore, by setting plate-shaped mounting feet and fixing posts, the deformation of the measured object can be stably transmitted to the measuring instrument along a predetermined path, ensuring both the sensitivity of the measurement response and improving the reliability of the mounting structure.

[0016] Meanwhile, the container-shaped main body and the sealing cap employ an arc-shaped interlocking structure with an elastic sealing ring, combined with circumferentially distributed bolts for tightening. This ensures uniform stress on the sealing interface, maintaining excellent waterproof, dustproof, and biological intrusion-proof performance over a long period, overcoming the problem of easy aging and failure of adhesive seals. The overall structure uses a detachable connection method, facilitating repeated opening and resetting while maintaining high-reliability sealing, significantly improving the reusability of the device and the convenience of on-site maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the container-shaped main body in this invention. Figure 1 .

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the container-shaped main body in this invention. Figure 2 .

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the container-shaped main body in this invention. Figure 3 .

[0021] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the sealing cap portion in this invention.

[0022] In the diagram: 1. Sealing cap; 2. Container-shaped body; 3. Threaded hole; 4. Closure section; 5. Arc-shaped interlocking structure; 6. Thin-walled corrugated pipe; 7. Sheet-shaped mounting foot; 8. Fixing post; 9. Mounting hole; 10. Elastic sealing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0024] In the description of the invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the invention 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention.

[0025] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "setting," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0026] Example 1: As shown in the figure, the present invention provides a sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism, comprising: The container-shaped main body 2, preferably in the shape of a cuboid container with an open top in this example, is used to accommodate measuring instruments and provide a sealed space; The sealing cap 1 is fastened to the opening of the container-shaped body 2 to form a sealed space in the container-shaped body 2; The corrugated flexible component is located at the bottom of the container-shaped body 2, and is used to connect with the surface of the object being tested, and can produce elastic deformation under the action of external force.

[0027] The corrugated flexible assembly includes a thin-walled corrugated tube 6 and sheet-like mounting feet 7. The thin-walled corrugated tube 6 has an annular thin-walled structure, with one end fixedly connected to the container-shaped main body 2 and the other end fixedly connected to the sheet-like mounting feet 7. The sheet-like mounting feet 7 are used to connect to the surface of the object being measured by welding or bonding. In this example, each thin-walled corrugated tube 6 has an annular thin-walled structure with a height of 10mm and is made of the same stainless steel material as the container-shaped main body 2. The thin-walled corrugated tube 6 achieves elastic deformation capability by converting axial displacement into bending strain of the corrugated wall, relying on its own annular geometry (rather than material differences). When the object being measured deforms, the flexible ring can produce controllable elastic deformation, thereby isolating the influence of the stiffness of the upper container-shaped main body 2 on the measurement accuracy. In addition, the corrugated flexible assembly also includes a fixing post 8, one end of which is fixedly connected to the sheet-like mounting feet 7, and the other end extends into the interior of the container-shaped main body 2 for fixing the measuring instrument. Specifically, in this example, two sets of corrugated flexible components are provided. The inner edge distance between the two sheet-like mounting feet 7 and the inner edge distance between the two fixed columns 8 are both equal to the gauge length range of the measuring instrument. By setting multiple sets of corrugated flexible components and matching their spacing with the gauge length of the measuring instrument, accurate corresponding measurement of structural deformation can be achieved, enhancing the adaptability and engineering application value of the device.

[0028] Meanwhile, a sealing structure is provided between the container-shaped body 2 and the sealing cap 1. The sealing structure includes an arc-shaped fastening structure 5 located at the opening of the container-shaped body 2 and an elastic sealing ring 10 located inside the sealing cap 1. The arc-shaped fastening structure 5 and the elastic sealing ring 10 are adapted to each other in shape, and form an elastic compression seal when the sealing cap 1 is fastened to the container-shaped body 2. In addition, the sealing structure also includes a tapered portion 4 located at the opening of the container-shaped body 2, which is recessed inward relative to the container-shaped body 2. In this example, it is preferable that each side is recessed by 18mm. Specifically, the arc-shaped fastening structure 5 is located above the constriction portion 4. It is an inwardly convex arc-shaped structure that extends continuously along the circumference of the constriction portion 4 and is used to fasten with the sealing cover 1. The sealing cover 1 has an elastic sealing ring 10 (such as a silicone or nitrile rubber sealing ring) on ​​its lower side. The sealing cover 1 is fastened to the box body. The sealing ring and the upper surface of the arc-shaped fastening structure 5 form an elastic compression seal, thereby effectively blocking rainwater, dust and insects from entering and significantly improving the environmental adaptability of the internal measuring instruments.

[0029] Furthermore, the container-shaped main body 2 and the sealing cap 1 are detachably connected along the circumference by a uniformly arranged bolt fixing structure. By tightening the bolts, a uniform clamping force is applied, causing the elastic sealing ring 10 to compress uniformly, forming an elastic compression seal between it and the arc-shaped fastening structure 5. In actual use, screws are passed through the corresponding mounting holes 9 and threaded into the threaded holes 3 on the box body, thereby pressing and fixing the sealing cap 1 onto the container-shaped main body 2. By tightening the screws, a uniform clamping force is applied, causing the sealing ring to compress uniformly, achieving a reliable seal. In this example, it is preferable to have a total of 6 screw holes around the sealing cap 1, specifically one at each of the four corners and one in the middle of each of the two long sides. By tightening the screws into the screw holes corresponding to the closing part 4, the sealing ring undergoes elastic deformation, forming an airtight / waterproof seal, which can maintain good waterproof, dustproof, and biological intrusion prevention performance for a long time.

[0030] Example 2: This application also discloses the use of a sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism. Based on the above-mentioned sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism, the container-shaped body 2 is used to accommodate measuring instruments and provide a sealed space. It is installed on the surface of the object being measured through the sheet-shaped mounting feet 7. When the object being measured deforms, the thin-walled corrugated tube 6 generates elastic deformation, so that the deformation of the object being measured is accurately transmitted to the measuring instrument through the sheet-shaped mounting feet 7 and the fixing column 8.

[0031] When the object under test deforms under stress, the plate-shaped mounting feet 7 move synchronously with the object. The lower end of the fixed column 8 is integrally formed with the plate-shaped mounting feet 7, and the upper end is fixedly connected to the measuring instrument. Therefore, the deformation of the object under test is directly and accurately transmitted to the measuring instrument through the plate-shaped mounting feet 7 and the fixed column 8, enabling the measuring instrument to sense and output the relevant values ​​of the object under test. Simultaneously, since the sealing box is not directly rigidly connected to the mounting feet and fixed column 8, but flexibly connected through a thin-walled corrugated ring, when the sealing box is subjected to changes in external environmental factors or deformation of the object under test, the deformation first acts on the thin-walled corrugated ring. Because the thin-walled corrugated ring has low axial stiffness and bending stiffness, the deformation energy of the box can be absorbed and dissipated by the elastic deformation of the corrugated ring, and almost none is transmitted to the mounting feet and fixed column 8. This ensures the accuracy and stability of the measurement while achieving a sealing effect, avoiding measurement errors caused by the rigidity of the protective shell.

[0032] In summary, this application achieves an organic combination of sealing protection and mechanical decoupling by introducing an elastically deformable corrugated flexible component between the container-shaped body and the object being measured. By constructing a hierarchical force transmission structure of "mounting feet—flexible ring—fixed column," the elastic deformation characteristics of the corrugated flexible ring effectively isolate the object being measured from the rigid housing, avoiding interference from additional stiffness on structural deformation and ensuring the authenticity and accuracy of the measurement results. Simultaneously, the stainless steel integrated housing combined with an arc-shaped interlocking structure, elastic sealing ring, and multi-point bolt evenly distributed clamping method, along with a constriction design, ensures uniform and precise stress distribution at the sealing interface. This provides stable and reliable waterproof, dustproof, and biological intrusion-proof capabilities in outdoor environments, along with good reusability and ease of maintenance.

[0033] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism, characterized in that, include: A container-shaped body (2) is used to house measuring instruments and provide a sealed space; A sealing cap (1) is fastened to the opening of the container-shaped body (2) to form a sealed space in the container-shaped body (2); The corrugated flexible component is located at the bottom of the container-shaped body (2) and is used to connect with the surface of the object being tested, and can generate elastic deformation under the action of external force.

2. The sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The corrugated flexible assembly includes a thin-walled corrugated tube (6) and sheet-like mounting feet (7). The thin-walled corrugated pipe (6) has an annular thin-walled structure. One end is fixedly connected to the container-shaped body (2), and the other end is fixedly connected to the sheet-shaped mounting foot (7). The sheet-shaped mounting foot (7) is used to connect to the surface of the object being tested.

3. A sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The corrugated flexible component also includes a fixing post (8), one end of which is fixedly connected to the sheet-like mounting foot (7), and the other end extends into the container-like body (2) for fixing measuring instruments.

4. A sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, A sealing structure is provided between the container-shaped main body (2) and the sealing cap (1).

5. A sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The sealing structure includes an arc-shaped fastening structure (5) located at the opening of the container-shaped body (2) and an elastic sealing ring (10) located inside the sealing cover (1). The arc-shaped fastening structure (5) is adapted to the shape of the elastic sealing ring (10) and forms an elastic compression seal when the sealing cover (1) is fastened to the container-shaped body (2).

6. A sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The sealing structure also includes a closing portion (4), located at the opening of the container-shaped body (2), which is recessed inward relative to the container-shaped body (2).

7. A sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The container-shaped main body (2) and the sealing cap (1) are detachably connected along the circumference by a uniformly arranged bolt fixing structure. By tightening the bolts, a uniform pressure is applied, causing the elastic sealing ring (10) to be uniformly compressed, forming an elastic compression seal between it and the arc-shaped fastening structure (5).

8. An application of a sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism, wherein the sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism as described in claim 5 is characterized in that, The container-shaped body (2) is used to accommodate measuring instruments and provide a sealed space. It is installed on the surface of the object to be measured through the sheet-shaped mounting feet (7). When the object to be measured deforms, the thin-walled corrugated pipe (6) generates elastic deformation, so that the deformation of the object to be measured is accurately transmitted to the measuring instrument through the sheet-shaped mounting feet (7) and the fixing column (8).

9. The application of the sealing box based on a corrugated flexible mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that, The corrugated flexible component is provided in two sets, and the inner edge distance between the two sheet-like mounting feet (7) and the inner edge distance between the two fixed columns (8) are both equal to the gauge length range of the measuring instrument.

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