A shockproof cable connector suitable for deep sea hydrothermal area and its assembling method

Abstract

The application discloses an anti-impact cable connector suitable for a deep-sea hydrothermal area. The anti-impact cable connector comprises a three-layer structure, namely a replaceable anti-impact and sensing layer, a main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer and a vibration isolation layer; the replaceable anti-impact and sensing layer is connected with the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer through a detachable mechanical interface. The anti-impact cable connector suitable for the deep-sea hydrothermal area and the assembling method thereof decouple and systematically integrate the functions of impact protection, pressure sealing, heat buffering and vibration isolation, so that the connector can resist multiple threats such as high pressure, high temperature, strong impact and vibration in the deep-sea hydrothermal area. The outer layer can be quickly replaced, which significantly reduces the maintenance cost and risk, and the embedded health management unit realizes real-time sensing and predictive maintenance of the key state, thereby significantly improving the long-term reliability, maintainability and overall task success rate of the electrical connection system in the extreme environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of marine cable connectors, and more particularly to an impact-resistant cable connector suitable for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas and its assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are among the most extreme environments on Earth, placing near-stringent comprehensive performance requirements on cable connectors operating within them.

[0003] The connector needs to withstand the extremely high hydrostatic pressure inherent in the deep sea to ensure absolute pressure seal integrity. At the same time, it must cope with the severe thermal shock from hydrothermal vents, where local temperatures can rise rapidly from near-freezing seawater temperatures to hundreds of degrees Celsius in a short period of time. This poses a severe test to the thermal stability of the materials, the performance of the seals, and the internal insulation structure.

[0004] Hydrothermal fluids are typically rich in highly corrosive substances such as hydrogen sulfide and metal ions, exacerbating the risk of material corrosion. Adding to the complexity, the region's rugged terrain presents active geological activity and equipment operation risks, meaning connectors may be subject to sudden mechanical impacts such as falling rocks and equipment collisions, as well as long-term low-frequency vibrations.

[0005] Traditional deep-sea connector designs often focus on addressing the single primary challenge of hydrostatic pressure, resulting in a relatively simplistic protection approach that struggles to balance performance requirements such as high-pressure sealing, corrosion resistance, impact resistance, and thermal insulation. When faced with the complex environment of hydrothermal vents, where multiple extreme factors such as pressure, high temperature, corrosion, and mechanical impact work in tandem, existing technologies generally reveal limitations in their protective capabilities, lack of damage tolerance design, and systemic deficiencies in effectively assessing their own health status after impact or thermal shock. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application aims to at least partially address one of the technical problems in the related art.

[0007] Therefore, one objective of this application is to provide an impact-resistant cable connector and its assembly method suitable for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas. This connector decouples and integrates impact protection, pressure sealing, thermal buffering, and vibration isolation functions, enabling it to collaboratively withstand multiple threats from deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas, including high pressure, high temperature, strong impact, and vibration. The quick-replaceable outer layer significantly reduces maintenance costs and risks, while the embedded health management unit enables real-time sensing and predictive maintenance of critical conditions, thereby significantly improving the long-term reliability, maintainability, and overall mission success rate of the electrical connection system in extreme environments.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the first aspect of this application proposes an impact-resistant cable connector suitable for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas, comprising a three-layer structure: a replaceable impact-resistant and sensing layer, a main pressure-bearing and thermal buffer layer, and a vibration isolation layer; The replaceable shock-absorbing and sensing layer is connected to the main pressure-bearing and heat-absorbing layer via a detachable mechanical interface. The vibration isolation layer is housed within the main pressure-bearing and thermal buffer layer; The vibration isolation layer includes a magnetorheological fluid damper and a health management unit; The replaceable shock-proof and sensing layer includes an impact sensing module; The health management unit is electrically connected to the impact sensing module and the magnetorheological fluid damper, respectively. The health management unit controls the damping force of the magnetorheological fluid damper according to the impact signal collected by the impact sensing module.

[0009] In addition, the shock-resistant cable connector for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas proposed in this application may also have the following additional technical features: In one embodiment of this application, the replaceable impact-resistant and sensing layer includes an outer impact-resistant armor, an energy-absorbing structure filled inside the outer impact-resistant armor, and an impact sensing module integrated inside the replaceable impact-resistant and sensing layer. The impact sensing module includes a micro-sensor node and a piezoelectric energy harvesting unit; The external anti-collision armor is a titanium alloy woven mesh structure, which is connected to the main pressure-bearing and heat-bearing buffer layer through a titanium alloy quick-lock buckle with shear pins. The piezoelectric energy harvesting unit is electrically connected to the micro-sensor node.

[0010] In one embodiment of this application, the main pressure-bearing and thermal buffer layer includes: Pressure housing; A phase change material thermal buffer unit is disposed on the inner wall of the pressure shell; A fiber optic grating sensing network is attached to the outer wall surface of the pressure housing. A piston-type pressure compensator is integrated into the side wall or end cap of a pressure housing that serves as the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer. The oil chamber of the piston-type pressure compensator is connected to the internal cavity of the pressure housing, and the water chamber of the piston-type pressure compensator is connected to the external environment. A dual composite static sealing structure is provided at the cable penetration interface of the pressure housing and / or at the interface between the pressure housing and the replaceable shock-resistant and sensing layer.

[0011] In one embodiment of this application, the phase change material thermal buffer unit includes an aluminum honeycomb cavity encapsulating a paraffin-based composite phase change material; The fiber Bragg grating sensing network includes multiple fiber Bragg grating sensors distributed along the axial and circumferential directions of the pressure vessel.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, the piston-type pressure compensator includes a nitrile rubber diaphragm and a corrosion-resistant stainless steel spring, and is internally filled with methyl silicone oil; The dual composite static sealing structure includes at least one fluororubber O-ring and at least one metal conical sealing pair.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, the vibration isolation layer includes a magnetorheological fluid damper, an electrical connection ferrule, an inductive coupling module, and a health management unit; The electrical connection ferrule is elastically connected to the pressure shell via the magnetorheological fluid damper. The health management unit is a microcontroller, and the health management unit is located adjacent to the electrical connection socket. The inductive coupling module is disposed adjacent to the electrical connection ferrule; The magnetorheological fluid damper includes three circumferentially distributed shear valve type magnetorheological fluid dampers, wherein each of the magnetorheological fluid dampers includes a sealed cavity, a piston rod and an electromagnetic coil. The sealed cavity is filled with magnetorheological fluid; The electromagnetic coil is wound around the outside of the sealed cavity; The health management unit outputs control current to the electromagnetic coil of the magnetorheological fluid damper based on the signal from the impact sensing module. The electrical contacts of the electrical connection core include copper alloy hard gold plated pins and hyperboloid spring hole sockets. The inductive coupling module includes a primary coil and a secondary coil coupled through a ferrite core; The health management unit includes a fiber optic demodulation module, a digital accelerometer interface, and a multiplexer.

[0014] The first aspect of this application provides an assembly method for an impact-resistant cable connector suitable for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas, comprising the following steps: S1: Modular parallel assembly, with the replaceable shock-proof and sensing layer, the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer and the vibration isolation layer assembled independently respectively; The step of assembling the vibration isolation layer includes: quantitatively filling the cavity of the magnetorheological fluid damper with magnetorheological fluid under a vacuum degree of less than Pa. S2: Layered integration, the assembled vibration isolation layer is placed into the pressure shell of the main pressure-bearing and heat buffer layer, and fixed by positioning pins and bolts; S3: Outer layer installation, the replaceable shockproof and sensing layer is installed to the outside of the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer through the detachable mechanical interface; S4: Interlayer interconnection, connecting the signal lines between the impact sensing module, the fiber optic grating sensing network and the health management unit, and sealing all electrical penetration interfaces; S5: System verification, which involves sequentially performing pressure sealing tests, electrical performance tests, mechanical environment adaptability tests, and linkage tests of intelligent sensing and adjustment functions on the assembly.

[0015] In addition, the assembly method for an impact-resistant cable connector suitable for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas proposed in this application may also have the following additional technical features: In one embodiment of this application, step S1, assembling the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer, further includes the step of preparing a phase change material heat-buffering unit: under conditions of vacuum degree less than 100 Pa and heating to the melting point of the phase change material, molten paraffin-based composite phase change material is injected into an aluminum honeycomb cavity, and after cooling and solidification, it is sealed by electron beam welding.

[0016] In one embodiment of this application, step S1, assembling the replaceable shock-absorbing and sensing layer further includes the step of integrating the shock sensing module: pre-integrating the piezoelectric energy harvesting unit and the micro-sensor node into a flexible circuit module, and then embedding the flexible circuit module into the surface of the energy-absorbing structure in a pre-tensioned state, and bonding it with epoxy structural adhesive.

[0017] In one embodiment of this application, the intelligent sensing and adjustment function linkage test in step S5 includes: applying a half-sine wave impact with a peak acceleration of 50g and a duration of 11ms to the replaceable shockproof and sensing layer to verify whether the signal acquisition of the impact sensing module, the identification and decision-making of the impact event by the health management unit, and the real-time adjustment of the damping force of the magnetorheological fluid damper work together according to the preset logic.

[0018] This application discloses an impact-resistant cable connector and its assembly method suitable for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas. It decouples and integrates impact protection, pressure sealing, thermal buffering, and vibration isolation functions, enabling the connector to collaboratively withstand multiple threats from deep-sea hydrothermal vents, including high pressure, high temperature, strong impact, and vibration. The quick-replaceable outer layer significantly reduces maintenance costs and risks, while the embedded health management unit enables real-time sensing and predictive maintenance of critical states. This significantly improves the long-term reliability, maintainability, and overall mission success rate of the electrical connection system in extreme environments.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of an impact-resistant cable connector suitable for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas and its assembly method, according to this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical connection core and its connecting components in an impact-resistant cable connector and its assembly method suitable for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas according to this application. Figure 3 This is an assembly flowchart of an impact-resistant cable connector suitable for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas and its assembly method, according to this application.

[0021] As shown in the figure: 100, replaceable shockproof and sensing layer; 110, shock sensing module; 200, main pressure-bearing and thermal buffer layer; 300, vibration isolation layer; 310, magnetorheological fluid damper; 320, electrical connection ferrule; 330, inductive coupling module; 340, health management unit. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Embodiments of this application are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application. Rather, embodiments of this application include all variations, modifications, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

[0023] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1-3 This application describes an impact-resistant cable connector suitable for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas, comprising a three-layer structure: a replaceable impact-resistant and sensing layer 100, a main pressure-bearing and thermal buffer layer 200, and a vibration isolation layer 300. The replaceable shock-absorbing and sensing layer 100 is connected to the main pressure-bearing and heat-absorbing layer 200 via a detachable mechanical interface; The vibration isolation layer 300 is housed inside the main pressure-bearing and heat buffer layer 200; Vibration isolation layer 300 includes magnetorheological fluid damper 310 and health management unit 340; The replaceable shock-proof and sensing layer 100 includes an impact sensing module 110; The health management unit 340 is electrically connected to the impact sensing module 110 and the magnetorheological fluid damper 310 respectively. The health management unit 340 controls the damping force of the magnetorheological fluid damper 310 according to the impact signal collected by the impact sensing module 110.

[0024] Specifically, the replaceable shock-absorbing and sensing layer 100 is the outermost layer. The main body consists of a glass fiber reinforced plastic shell with interlocking reinforcing ribs, filled with closed-cell foam as an energy-absorbing material. A simple piezoelectric vibration sensor is fixed to the inner wall of this layer. This layer is detachably connected to the middle layer via a threaded flange (not shown) at its end.

[0025] Main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer 200: This layer is an intermediate layer. It is a cylindrical pressure shell made of high-strength aluminum alloy through precision machining. The shell has sealing end caps at both ends to provide a dry, sealed environment inside.

[0026] The interior of the pressure housing is filled with silicone grease, which serves to provide thermal buffering and potting and fixing of internal components.

[0027] Vibration isolation layer 300: This is the innermost layer. Its core is a standard multi-pin, such as an 8-pin industrial-grade wet-plug electrical connector ferrule. This ferrule is elastically fixed to a metal mounting bracket by three rubber shock absorbers arranged at 120 degrees around its periphery.

[0028] The insert, together with its shock-absorbing mounting bracket, is installed and fixed as a whole inside the pressure shell of the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer 200.

[0029] During assembly, the replaceable shock-absorbing and sensing layer 100 is screwed onto the corresponding threaded interface on the outside of the pressure shell of the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer 200 via its threaded flange.

[0030] During assembly, the vibration isolation layer 300 module is first placed inside the housing of the main pressure bearing and heat buffer layer 200, and its metal mounting bracket is fixed to the bracket on the inner wall of the housing with screws.

[0031] In actual use, if an external collision occurs, the shock-absorbing and sensing layer 100 can be replaced. First, it absorbs the impact energy through structural deformation, and its built-in sensors record the impact event.

[0032] The pressure shell with main pressure bearing and thermal buffer layer 200 is responsible for isolating high-pressure seawater and protecting internal components.

[0033] External vibrations and residual impacts are attenuated by the rubber dampers of the vibration isolation layer 300 when they are transmitted to it, protecting the physical contact interface of the electrical connection core and ensuring long-term stability of power and signal transmission.

[0034] In one embodiment of this application, the replaceable impact and sensing layer 100 includes an outer impact armor, an energy-absorbing structure filled inside the outer impact armor, and an impact sensing module 110 integrated inside the replaceable impact and sensing layer 100. The impact sensing module 110 includes a miniature sensor node and a piezoelectric energy harvesting unit; The external impact armor is a titanium alloy woven mesh structure, which is connected to the main pressure-bearing and heat-absorbing layer 200 through titanium alloy quick-lock buckles with shear pins. The energy-absorbing structure is a titanium alloy foam or a polyetheretherketone honeycomb structure.

[0035] The outer anti-collision armor absorbs the impact first, and the titanium alloy mesh sleeve undergoes elastic deformation to disperse the impact force.

[0036] When the impact force is transmitted to the energy-absorbing structure, the titanium alloy foam or PEEK honeycomb undergoes plastic crushing or buckling deformation, converting most of the impact kinetic energy into deformation energy and heat energy, which is then absorbed.

[0037] If the impact force is abnormally large and exceeds the design threshold, the shear pin in the quick-lock buckle will be sheared off, causing the entire replaceable shockproof and sensing layer 100 to detach from the main body, thereby preventing catastrophic damage from being transmitted to the internal core.

[0038] In one embodiment of this application, the micro sensor node is a triaxial MEMS accelerometer with a range of ±50g and a built-in 512-sample FIFO buffer. The piezoelectric energy harvesting unit is a flexible multilayer structure composed of alternating polyvinylidene fluoride piezoelectric films and surface-microstructured polydimethylsiloxane triboelectric layers. The piezoelectric energy harvesting unit is electrically connected to the micro-sensor node.

[0039] Specifically, in normal operating mode, the micro-sensor node continuously writes triaxial acceleration data to this buffer at a sampling rate of 1kHz. Once the detected acceleration value of any axis exceeds a preset trigger threshold, such as 15g, the chip automatically locks the complete waveform data of 512 samples before and after the trigger point in the buffer for the main controller to read, thereby completely recording the dynamic process of a single impact event.

[0040] The piezoelectric energy harvesting unit uses a polyvinylidene fluoride piezoelectric film as the main power generation layer. To improve output and durability, it is alternately stacked with a polydimethylsiloxane layer whose surface is formed into a micro pyramid / micro pillar array by laser etching or template method.

[0041] When the flexible unit deforms due to external impact or vibration: 1) The PVDF layer generates charge due to the piezoelectric effect; 2) When the microstructured PDMS layer comes into contact with and separates from the adjacent layer, it generates additional charge due to triboelectric effect.

[0042] The two electrodes of the piezoelectric energy harvesting unit are connected to a power management interface on the micro sensor node circuit board via flexible conductive tape or micro wires. This interface typically includes a rectifier bridge and a micro energy storage capacitor, such as 100µF.

[0043] In one embodiment of this application, the main pressure-bearing and thermal buffer layer 200 includes: Pressure housing; A phase change material thermal buffer unit is installed on the inner wall of the pressure shell. Fiber Bragg grating sensor network, the fiber Bragg grating sensor network is attached to the outer wall surface of the pressure vessel; Piston-type pressure compensator, the piston-type pressure compensator is integrated on the side wall or end cover of the pressure shell of the main pressure bearing and heat buffer layer 200. The oil chamber of the piston-type pressure compensator is connected to the internal cavity of the pressure shell, and the water chamber of the piston-type pressure compensator is connected to the external environment. A dual composite static sealing structure is provided at the cable penetration interface of the pressure housing and / or at the interface between the pressure housing and the replaceable shockproof and sensing layer 100. The pressure shell is a forged Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy cylindrical structure with a working pressure of 30MPa.

[0044] In deep-sea hydrothermal vent conditions, the forged Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy pressure shell, which serves as the main pressure-bearing and thermal buffer layer 200, continuously withstands an external hydrostatic pressure of 30 MPa. When encountering transient hydrothermal impacts, the phase change material thermal buffer unit attached to the inner wall of the shell absorbs and buffers heat through a phase change process, delaying the internal temperature rise. At the same time, the fiber optic grating sensor network attached to the outer wall of the shell senses and transmits the shell strain distribution caused by pressure and temperature in real time. The piston-type pressure compensator integrated on the shell senses the environmental pressure through its water cavity and dynamically adjusts the internal oil cavity volume to keep the internal cavity pressure of the shell in balance with the external deep-sea pressure.

[0045] In one embodiment of this application, the phase change material heat buffer unit includes an aluminum honeycomb cavity encapsulating a paraffin-based composite phase change material, wherein the phase change temperature of the paraffin-based composite phase change material is between 58℃±2℃ and the latent heat is ≥180J / g. The fiber Bragg grating sensing network includes multiple fiber Bragg grating sensors distributed along the axial and circumferential directions of the pressure vessel, with the center wavelength of the fiber Bragg grating sensors being 1550nm±0.1nm.

[0046] Specifically, when paraffin-based composite phase change materials encounter high-temperature hydrothermal flow, they can effectively absorb and temporarily store a large amount of heat through the material's own solid-to-liquid phase change process. Meanwhile, the fiber optic grating sensor network attached to the outer wall of the shell captures the changes in thermal coupling. By demodulating these wavelength shifts in real time, the system calculates the location of the impact, the gradient of the local temperature rise of the shell, and the strain distribution caused by non-uniform thermal stress, thereby assessing the severity of the thermal shock and the safety status of the shell structure in real time.

[0047] In one embodiment of this application, the piston pressure compensator includes a nitrile rubber diaphragm and a corrosion-resistant stainless steel spring, and is internally filled with methyl silicone oil with a viscosity of 50 cSt@25°C. The dual composite static sealing structure includes at least one fluororubber O-ring and at least one metal conical sealing pair. The pre-compression rate of the fluororubber O-ring is 15-20%, and the contact width of the metal conical sealing pair is greater than 0.8 mm.

[0048] Specifically, during deep-sea operations, as the diving depth increases and the external hydrostatic pressure rises, the seawater pressure acts on the nitrile rubber diaphragm of the piston-type pressure compensator, pushing the diaphragm inward to compress the corrosion-resistant stainless steel spring inside, causing the methyl silicone oil pressure to rise accordingly. The oil chamber is connected to the inside of the main pressure shell, and the silicone oil pressure is transmitted to the entire inner cavity, achieving a dynamic balance between the oil pressure inside the shell and the external water pressure.

[0049] During assembly, the fluororubber O-ring is installed into the sealing groove and pre-compressed by 15-20%. When the connector is subjected to extremely high operating pressure, the seawater pressure further compresses the O-ring, enhancing its sealing force.

[0050] Under the action of bolt tightening force and external high pressure, the metal conical sealing pair undergoes plastic deformation to form a metallic sealing line.

[0051] In one embodiment of this application, the vibration isolation layer 300 includes a magnetorheological fluid damper 310, an electrical connection ferrule 320, an inductive coupling module 330, and a health management unit 340. The electrical connection ferrule 320 is elastically connected to the pressure shell via a magnetorheological fluid damper 310; The health management unit 340 is a low-power microcontroller, and the health management unit 340 is located adjacent to the electrical connection ferrule 320; The inductive coupling module 330 is positioned adjacent to the electrical connection ferrule 320; The low-power microcontroller integrates a multi-channel ADC and DAC, and the health management unit 340 is connected to the impact sensing module 110, the fiber optic grating sensor network, the magnetorheological fluid damper 310, the electrical connection ferrule 320, the inductive coupling module 330, and the external monitoring system.

[0052] When the connector is subjected to continuous low-frequency vibrations caused by ocean currents, equipment operation, or residual impacts, the health management unit 340 continuously collects vibration data from various sensors.

[0053] The microcontroller outputs a pre-set or adaptively calculated small control current to the electromagnetic coil of the magnetorheological fluid damper via its DAC channel. This current generates a magnetic field, causing a controllable change in the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid filling the damper cavity, thereby providing flexible damping support for the electrical connection ferrule 320.

[0054] This allows the ferrule and its internal precision electrical and signal contacts to generate a slight elastic relative movement with respect to the externally vibrating pressure housing, converting harmful mechanical vibration energy into heat energy for dissipation and ensuring that the electrical contact interface is protected from fretting wear.

[0055] In one embodiment of this application, the magnetorheological fluid damper 310 is at least three circumferentially distributed shear valve type magnetorheological fluid dampers with a working gap of 1 mm, filled with MRF-132DG magnetorheological fluid, and wound with polyimide enameled copper wire electromagnetic coils with a DC resistance of 5Ω. The health management unit 340 is configured to output a control current to the electromagnetic coil of the magnetorheological fluid damper 310 based on the signal from the impact sensing module 110. The control current is 2.0A in rigid mode and 0.2-0.5A in flexible mode.

[0056] When the impact sensing module 110, deployed on the outermost layer of the connector, detects a severe external impact, such as a collision with a rock, and sends a signal, the health management unit 340 responds. It outputs control current to the electromagnetic coils of all magnetorheological fluid dampers, switching and stabilizing it at 2.0A. The current instantaneously establishes a strong magnetic field within the damper's working gap, causing the apparent viscosity of the MRF-132DG magnetorheological fluid to increase dramatically, almost instantaneously solidifying. This transforms the three dampers from a flexible support state to a near-rigid connection, locking the position of the electrical connection ferrule 320 relative to the pressure housing.

[0057] In one embodiment of this application, the power contacts of the electrical connection ferrule 320 include a copper alloy hard gold plated pin and a hyperboloid spring hole socket, wherein the gold plating thickness of the copper alloy hard gold plated pin is ≥2.5μm; The inductive coupling module 330 includes a primary coil and a secondary coil coupled through a ferrite core, with a coupling coefficient greater than 0.75 and a transmission power ≥30W.

[0058] Specifically, the electrical contacts of the electrical connector 320 continuously undertake the task of power transmission. When it is inserted into the hyperboloid spring socket, multiple independent elastic spring wires form a uniform, multi-point envelope contact around the pin. This structure can maintain a stable and consistent contact pressure even under long-term micro-vibration through the independent micro-slippage of the spring wires.

[0059] The inductive coupling module 330 utilizes a high-frequency magnetic field to achieve contactless transmission of electrical energy.

[0060] In one embodiment of this application, the health management unit 340 includes a fiber Bragg grating demodulation module, a digital accelerometer interface, a multiplexer, and runs an extended Kalman filter algorithm, and is configured to: By performing a double integral on the acceleration signal, the energy absorbed by the buffer layer is estimated. By combining pressure sensor and temperature data, the position of the compensator piston and the trend of seal leakage can be estimated. Monitor the contact resistance and temperature rise of each contact point, and establish a time series model to predict the failure time.

[0061] In actual deep-sea operation, the Health Management Unit 340 continuously collects and fuses multi-source sensor data through its fiber optic demodulation module, digital accelerometer interface, and multiplexer, and runs algorithms such as extended Kalman filtering to achieve intelligent diagnosis and prediction of the overall condition of the connector: it performs double integration on the impact acceleration signal to quantitatively assess the energy absorption and loss of the external shock-resistant layer; it fuses pressure and temperature data to estimate the piston position of the pressure compensator and identify early sealing leakage trends; at the same time, it monitors the contact resistance and temperature rise of each electrical contact and predicts its remaining service life through time series models, thereby upgrading the system's health management from passive monitoring to proactive prediction and planned maintenance.

[0062] This application discloses an assembly method for an impact-resistant cable connector, comprising the following steps: S1: Modular parallel assembly, with each of the replaceable shock-proof and sensing layer 100, main pressure-bearing and heat buffer layer 200 and vibration isolation layer 300 assembled independently. The step of assembling the vibration isolation layer 300 includes: under a vacuum degree of less than 100 Pa, quantitatively filling 15 ml ± 0.2 ml of magnetorheological fluid into the cavity of the magnetorheological fluid damper 310; S2: Layered integration, the assembled vibration isolation layer 300 is placed into the pressure shell of the main pressure bearing and heat buffer layer 200 and fixed by positioning pins and bolts; S3: Outer layer installation, the replaceable shock-absorbing and sensing layer 100 is installed to the outside of the main pressure-bearing and heat-absorbing layer 200 through a detachable mechanical interface; S4: Interlayer interconnection, connecting the signal lines between the impact sensing module 110, the fiber optic grating sensor network and the health management unit 340, and sealing all electrical penetration interfaces; S5: System verification, which involves sequentially performing pressure sealing tests, electrical performance tests, mechanical environment adaptability tests, and linkage tests of intelligent sensing and adjustment functions on the assembly.

[0063] Furthermore, in step S1, the assembly of the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer 200 also includes the step of preparing a phase change material heat-buffering unit: under the condition of vacuum degree less than 100 Pa and heating to the melting point of the phase change material, molten paraffin-based composite phase change material is poured into an aluminum honeycomb cavity, and after cooling and solidification, it is sealed by electron beam welding.

[0064] Furthermore, in step S1, the assembly of the replaceable shock-absorbing and sensing layer 100 also includes the step of integrating the shock sensing module 110: the piezoelectric energy harvesting unit and the micro sensor node are pre-integrated into a flexible circuit module, and then the flexible circuit module is embedded into the surface of the energy-absorbing structure in a pre-tensioned state, bonded with epoxy structural adhesive, with a curing pressure of 0.1-0.2 MPa, and maintained for 4 hours.

[0065] Furthermore, the intelligent sensing and adjustment function linkage test in step S5 includes: applying a half-sine wave impact with a peak acceleration of 50g and a duration of 11ms to the replaceable shockproof and sensing layer 100 to verify whether the signal acquisition of the impact sensing module 110, the identification and decision-making of the impact event by the health management unit 340, and the real-time adjustment of the damping force of the magnetorheological fluid damper 310 work together according to the preset logic.

[0066] Specifically, in the actual implementation process...

[0067] Phase 1: Material preparation and component manufacturing.

[0068] Manufacturing replaceable layer components: Processing titanium alloy woven mesh as external impact armor and manufacturing quick-locking buckles equipped with breakable shear pins.

[0069] Open-cell titanium alloy foams can be prepared by powder metallurgy or precision casting, or PEEK honeycomb structures can be injection molded as energy-absorbing structures.

[0070] Simultaneously, the impact sensing module 110 is assembled, integrating a triaxial MEMS accelerometer with a range of ±50g and FIFO buffer with a flexible piezoelectric-triboelectric composite energy harvesting unit onto a flexible circuit.

[0071] Manufacturing the core components of the main pressure-bearing layer: Cylindrical pressure shells are manufactured using forged Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy blanks through precision machining.

[0072] A phase change material thermal buffer unit was fabricated by encapsulating a paraffin-based composite material with a phase change temperature of 58℃±2℃ into an aluminum honeycomb cavity using vacuum infusion and electron beam welding processes.

[0073] A fiber optic grating sensor network with a center wavelength of 1550 nm is deployed and attached to the surface of the housing. A piston-type pressure compensator is assembled, filled with methyl silicone oil of a specific viscosity, and fitted with a nitrile rubber diaphragm and a stainless steel spring. A precision sealing interface is machined for mounting fluororubber O-rings and a metal conical sealing pair.

[0074] Manufacturing core functional layer modules: Producing thick gold-plated copper alloy pins and hyperboloid spring-loaded sockets to form electrical connection core 320.

[0075] Three uniformly distributed shear valve type magnetorheological fluid dampers 310 were fabricated, their 1 mm working gap was determined, and electromagnetic coils were wound around them. An inductive coupling module 330 consisting of a ferrite core and a Litz wire coil was prepared.

[0076] Develop and burn the hardware and built-in diagnostic algorithm software of the health management unit 340.

[0077] Phase Two: Modular Parallel Pre-assembly and System Assembly.

[0078] Module pre-assembly: The three-layer structure is assembled independently on its respective production line.

[0079] Key processes include: quantitatively filling the magnetorheological fluid damper 310 with magnetorheological fluid under ultra-high vacuum environment; embedding the impact sensing module 110 into the energy-absorbing structure in a pre-tensioned state and curing it with epoxy adhesive; and bonding the phase change material unit to the inner wall of the pressure shell.

[0080] Layered system integration: The complete vibration isolation layer 300, including the insert, damper, sensing module and health management unit, is installed and fixed as a whole inside the pressure shell of the main pressure-bearing and thermal buffer layer 200.

[0081] Install the assembled replaceable shock-absorbing and sensing layer 100 onto the outside of the main pressure-bearing layer.

[0082] Electrical and signal interconnection: Connecting all electrical and signal lines across layers, including connecting the signal lines of the impact sensing module 110 and the fiber optic grating sensor network to the health management unit 340, and performing final sealing treatment on all electrical interfaces that penetrate the housing.

[0083] Phase 3: Full system verification and functional testing.

[0084] Basic environmental adaptability testing: Pressure cycling test (0-30 MPa), temperature shock test, and standard mechanical vibration and shock test are conducted in a simulated chamber to verify its basic pressure retention, sealing performance, and structural strength.

[0085] Core electrical performance testing: Testing the contact resistance, insulation resistance, and withstand voltage of all power and signal contacts to ensure the reliability of electrical connections.

[0086] Intelligent sensing and adaptive adjustment linkage test: This is a key step in verifying the system's intelligence. A half-sine wave impact simulating an actual collision, such as 50g, 11ms, is applied to the connector using an impact table.

[0087] Comprehensive verification: whether the impact sensing module 110 can accurately capture and record the complete waveform; whether the health management unit 340 can calculate the impact energy and make decisions in real time; and whether the magnetorheological fluid damper 310 can switch its working mode in milliseconds according to instructions, such as switching from 0.3A flexible damping to 2.0A rigid locking.

[0088] In summary, the shock-resistant cable connector and its assembly method suitable for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas, as described in this application, decouple and integrate shock protection, pressure sealing, thermal buffering, and vibration isolation functions, enabling the connector to collaboratively withstand multiple threats from deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas, including high pressure, high temperature, strong impact, and vibration. The quick-replaceable outer layer significantly reduces maintenance costs and risks, while the embedded health management unit enables real-time sensing and predictive maintenance of critical states, thereby significantly improving the long-term reliability, maintainability, and overall mission success rate of the electrical connection system in extreme environments.

[0089] In the description of this specification, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0090] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0091] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. An impact-resistant cable connector suitable for deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas, characterized in that, It includes a three-layer structure: a replaceable shock-absorbing and sensing layer (100), a main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer (200), and a vibration isolation layer (300). The replaceable shock-absorbing and sensing layer (100) is connected to the main pressure-bearing and heat-absorbing layer (200) via a detachable mechanical interface; The vibration isolation layer (300) is housed inside the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer (200); The vibration isolation layer (300) includes a magnetorheological fluid damper (310) and a health management unit (340). The replaceable shock-proof and sensing layer (100) includes an impact sensing module (110). The health management unit (340) is electrically connected to the impact sensing module (110) and the magnetorheological fluid damper (310) respectively. The health management unit (340) controls the damping force of the magnetorheological fluid damper (310) according to the impact signal collected by the impact sensing module (110).

2. The shock-resistant cable connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The replaceable shock-proof and sensing layer (100) includes an outer anti-collision armor, an energy-absorbing structure filled inside the outer anti-collision armor, and an impact sensing module (110) integrated inside the replaceable shock-proof and sensing layer (100). The impact sensing module (110) includes a micro-sensor node and a piezoelectric energy harvesting unit; The external anti-collision armor is a titanium alloy woven mesh structure, which is connected to the main pressure-bearing and heat-absorbing layer (200) by a titanium alloy quick-lock buckle with a shear pin. The piezoelectric energy harvesting unit is electrically connected to the micro-sensor node.

3. The shock-resistant cable connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main pressure-bearing and thermal buffer layer (200) includes: Pressure housing; A phase change material thermal buffer unit is disposed on the inner wall of the pressure shell; A fiber optic grating sensing network is attached to the outer wall surface of the pressure housing. A piston-type pressure compensator is integrated on the side wall of the pressure housing of the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer (200). The oil chamber of the piston-type pressure compensator is connected to the internal cavity of the pressure housing, and the water chamber of the piston-type pressure compensator is connected to the external environment. A dual composite static sealing structure is provided at the cable penetration interface of the pressure housing and / or at the interface between the pressure housing and the replaceable shockproof and sensing layer (100).

4. The shock-resistant cable connector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The phase change material thermal buffer unit includes an aluminum honeycomb cavity encapsulated with a paraffin-based composite phase change material; The fiber Bragg grating sensing network includes multiple fiber Bragg grating sensors distributed along the axial and circumferential directions of the pressure vessel.

5. The shock-resistant cable connector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The piston-type pressure compensator includes a nitrile rubber diaphragm and a corrosion-resistant stainless steel spring, and is filled with methyl silicone oil. The dual composite static sealing structure includes at least one fluororubber O-ring and at least one metal conical sealing pair.

6. The shock-resistant cable connector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The vibration isolation layer (300) also includes an electrical connection ferrule (320) and an inductive coupling module (330); The electrical connection ferrule (320) is elastically connected to the pressure shell via the magnetorheological fluid damper (310); The health management unit (340) is a microcontroller, and the health management unit (340) is disposed adjacent to the electrical connection plug (320); The inductive coupling module (330) is disposed adjacent to the electrical connection ferrule (320); The magnetorheological fluid damper (310) includes three circumferentially distributed shear valve type magnetorheological fluid dampers, wherein each of the magnetorheological fluid dampers includes a sealed cavity, a piston rod and an electromagnetic coil. The sealed cavity is filled with magnetorheological fluid; The electromagnetic coil is wound around the outside of the sealed cavity; The health management unit (340) outputs control current to the electromagnetic coil of the magnetorheological fluid damper (310) based on the signal from the impact sensing module (110). The electrical contacts of the electrical connection core (320) include copper alloy hard gold plated pins and hyperboloid spring hole sockets. The inductive coupling module (330) includes a primary coil and a secondary coil coupled through a ferrite core; The health management unit (340) includes a fiber optic demodulation module, a digital accelerometer interface, and a multiplexer.

7. An assembly method for an impact-resistant cable connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Modular parallel assembly, with the replaceable shockproof and sensing layer (100), the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer (200) and the vibration isolation layer (300) assembled independently respectively. The step of assembling the vibration isolation layer (300) includes: quantitatively filling the cavity of the magnetorheological fluid damper (310) with magnetorheological fluid under a vacuum degree of less than 100 Pa. S2: Layered integration, the assembled vibration isolation layer (300) is placed into the pressure shell of the main pressure bearing and heat buffer layer (200) and fixed by positioning pins and bolts; S3: Outer layer installation, the replaceable shockproof and sensing layer (100) is installed to the outside of the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer (200) through the detachable mechanical interface; S4: Interlayer interconnection, connecting the signal lines between the impact sensing module (110), the fiber optic grating sensing network and the health management unit (340), and sealing all electrical penetration interfaces; S5: System verification, which involves sequentially performing pressure sealing tests, electrical performance tests, mechanical environment adaptability tests, and linkage tests of intelligent sensing and adjustment functions on the assembly.

8. The assembly method according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step S1, assembling the main pressure-bearing and heat-buffering layer (200) also includes the step of preparing a phase change material heat-buffering unit: under the condition of vacuum degree less than 100 Pa and heating to the melting point of the phase change material, molten paraffin-based composite phase change material is injected into the aluminum honeycomb cavity, and after cooling and solidification, it is sealed by electron beam welding.

9. The assembly method according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step S1, assembling the replaceable shock-absorbing and sensing layer (100) also includes the step of integrating the shock sensing module (110): pre-integrating the piezoelectric energy harvesting unit and the micro sensor node into a flexible circuit module, and then embedding the flexible circuit module into the surface of the energy-absorbing structure in a pre-tensioned state and bonding it with epoxy structural adhesive.

10. The assembly method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The intelligent sensing and adjustment function linkage test in step S5 includes: applying a half-sine wave impact with a peak acceleration of 50g and a duration of 11ms to the replaceable shockproof and sensing layer (100) to verify whether the signal acquisition of the impact sensing module (110), the identification and decision-making of the impact event by the health management unit (340), and the real-time adjustment of the damping force of the magnetorheological fluid damper (310) work together according to the preset logic.

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