A deep-sea in-situ sampling penetration-bottom sealing linkage execution unit and method

Abstract

The application provides a deep-sea in-situ sampling penetration-sealing bottom linkage execution unit and method, and belongs to the technical field of deep-sea in-situ sampling equipment. In view of the problems that the existing sampling execution mechanism is prone to deflection, jamming, lagging sealing after sampling, sample leakage during retraction, and layered structure damage, a linkage structure composed of an execution unit main body, a penetration driving part, a guiding and supporting part, a sampling cylinder assembly, and a bottom sealing mechanism is provided. Through vertical penetration sampling of the sampling cylinder, stable movement of the guiding and supporting part, and horizontal sealing of the sampling port by the bottom sealing mechanism, rapid sampling, timely sealing, and stable retraction and maintenance of the sample are realized, and the linkage structure is suitable for in-situ collection and maintenance of deep-sea sediment and interface samples.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of deep-sea in-situ sampling equipment technology, and in particular to a deep-sea in-situ sampling penetration-sealing linkage execution unit and method. This execution unit is used to complete axial penetration sampling of target media, sample retention within the sampling tube, and rapid mechanical sealing of the lower end of the sampling tube in a deep-sea environment. It is suitable for in-situ acquisition and retention of deep-sea sediments, sediment-water interface samples, and similar columnar media samples. Background Technology

[0002] Deep-sea sediments and their interface regions are important sites for microbial activity, material migration, and geochemical reactions. When conducting in-situ sampling of such target media, the actuator not only needs sufficient penetration force and stroke control to ensure that the sampling tube can stably enter the target area, but also needs to seal the lower end of the sampling tube as soon as possible after sampling to prevent the sample from falling back, mixing, leaking, or causing structural damage during the retraction process.

[0003] In existing deep-sea sampling devices, common designs often focus on the "insertion sampling" itself, while paying insufficient attention to "how to maintain sample integrity after sampling." Some devices only perform delayed sealing after the sampling tube has been retracted, or rely solely on friction, self-weight, pressure differential, or additional plugging structures during the lifting process to maintain the sample. This approach easily leads to the sample column inside the sampling tube becoming loose, sliding, or experiencing boundary disturbances during retraction, especially in samples with fine-grained sediments, weakly consolidated sediments, or samples with obvious interface structures. Other designs, while incorporating sealing mechanisms, lack a clear linkage between the penetration drive, guide support, sampling tube assembly, and bottom sealing mechanism. This results in a dispersed structure, low space utilization, and an uncoordinated action sequence, making it difficult to meet the requirements of compact installation and high-reliability operation in the deep sea.

[0004] On the other hand, deep-sea sampling actuators typically have a long vertical stroke. If the structure lacks a stable guiding support path, the sampling tube assembly is prone to swaying, rotation, or local jamming during penetration, which affects the penetration depth, sampling position accuracy, and the matching accuracy between the bottom sealing mechanism and the sampling port.

[0005] Especially for actuators that require modular layout, parallel installation of dual channels, or integration as a basic unit of the system, a clear integrated structural chain of "penetration drive - guide support - sampling tube - sealing mechanism" must be formed within the unit in order to balance penetration force transmission, motion stability, and rapid sealing capability after sampling.

[0006] In summary, existing deep-sea sampling devices suffer from difficulties in simultaneously achieving penetration stability, sampling retention capability, and timely bottom sealing. Strengthening the guiding structure can lead to bulky unit sizes, hindering modular arrangement; while simplifying the structure can result in penetration sway and delayed bottom sealing. Therefore, this invention proposes a compact, well-defined, and stable penetration-bottom sealing linkage sampling execution unit that coordinates the bottom sealing and penetration actions to address these issues. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the problems of existing deep-sea sampling mechanisms, such as the dispersed penetration drive, guiding support, sampling retention, and sealing mechanisms leading to insufficient sampling stability, poor sample retention, and untimely sealing after sampling, this invention provides a deep-sea in-situ sampling penetration-sealing linkage execution unit.

[0008] According to one objective of the present invention, the present invention provides a deep-sea in-situ sampling penetration-sealing linkage execution unit, comprising an execution unit body, a penetration driving part, a guide support part, a sampling tube assembly, and a sealing mechanism;

[0009] The penetration drive section is located on the upper part of the execution unit body and is used to output the propulsion displacement in the vertical direction;

[0010] The guide support portion is disposed between the penetration drive portion and the sampling tube assembly and is used to guide and constrain the vertical movement of the sampling tube assembly.

[0011] The sampling tube assembly is located at the lower part of the execution unit body and has a sampling port at the lower end;

[0012] The bottom sealing mechanism is located in the area corresponding to the sampling port and is used to drive the bottom sealing member to move in a direction intersecting with the axis of the sampling tube assembly to close the sampling port after the sampling tube assembly has completed the penetration sampling.

[0013] The penetration drive section, guide support section, sampling tube assembly, and sealing mechanism are arranged around the same vertical working axis, forming a linkage structure of penetration drive—guide constraint—sampling—lateral sealing.

[0014] Preferably, the penetration drive section is a linear propulsion mechanism. The linear propulsion mechanism includes a drive motor, a transmission component, and an output connector connected to the sampling tube assembly. The drive motor drives the output connector to move vertically via the transmission component, thereby causing the sampling tube assembly to penetrate downwards or retract upwards. This structure allows the driving force to be transmitted along the main axis of the execution unit, reducing additional clearance, off-center load, and energy loss caused by bending in the transmission path.

[0015] Preferably, the guide support portion includes an upper support structure and a lower support structure spaced apart from each other, and multiple vertical guide members connecting the upper support structure and the lower support structure. Under the constraint of the vertical guide members, the sampling tube assembly moves vertically along a predetermined path, thereby maintaining axial stability during penetration and retraction, reducing the risk of swaying, rotation, and local jamming, and improving the fitting accuracy between the subsequent sealing mechanism and the sampling port.

[0016] Preferably, the sealing mechanism includes a sealing drive unit, a force transmission unit connected to the sealing drive unit, and a sealing member connected to the force transmission unit. The sealing member switches between a standby position and a closed position along a lateral guide path; when the sampling cylinder assembly reaches the predetermined penetration position, the sealing drive unit actuates and drives the sealing member into the closed position, thereby blocking the sampling port before the sampling cylinder assembly retracts. This structure ensures that the sealing action occurs before the sample is withdrawn, which helps maintain the integrity of the sample column during the retraction phase.

[0017] Preferably, the sampling cylinder assembly is a vertically extending cylindrical sampling component with a sampling port formed at the lower end of the cylinder. The target sediment or interface sample enters the cylinder through the sampling port under the action of penetration force. The cylinder can be made of metal, transparent polymer, or composite material, and a reinforcing structure can be provided on its outer periphery to balance structural strength and sample observation needs. For conditions with obvious interface structures or easily disturbed samples, the continuity and representativeness of sample retention can be improved by controlling the cylinder length, inner diameter, and penetration stroke.

[0018] Preferably, the main body of the execution unit is a modularly installable structural unit, which can be used independently as a single unit or installed in parallel as a basic unit in a dual-channel sampling module. With this structure, dual-channel or even multi-channel expansion can be achieved in a system-level device through the parallel combination of standardized units, without requiring redesign of the core internal structure of the unit.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0020] The penetration drive, guide support, sampling tube sampling, and bottom sealing are integrated into a single execution unit, with clear structural boundaries, facilitating modular design and engineering integration. This invention does not simply superimpose the sampling tube and bottom sealing components; instead, it forms a continuous structural chain within the execution unit body, comprising the penetration drive section, guide support section, sampling tube assembly, and bottom sealing mechanism, enabling the unit body to possess complete sampling and sealing capabilities.

[0021] By coordinating the penetration drive section and the guide support section, the stability of the sampling tube assembly during long-stroke penetration is significantly improved. During penetration, the actuator provides axial propulsion force through the penetration drive section, while the guide support section ensures the stability of the sampling tube assembly's posture during movement, thereby reducing the risks of swaying, rotation, and jamming, and improving the accuracy of penetration depth control and bottom sealing.

[0022] By using a transverse sealing mechanism to mechanically seal the sampling port before the sampling cylinder assembly retracts, the probability of sample falling back, leaking, and damaging the layered structure during retraction can be effectively reduced. In this invention, the sealing mechanism directly corresponds to the lower end of the sampling cylinder assembly, and the sealing component enters the closed position along the direction intersecting with the axis of the sampling cylinder assembly, making the sealing action and the retraction action closely connected, avoiding the sample distortion problem caused by traditional delayed sealing.

[0023] The sealing mechanism is directly spatially aligned with the lower end of the sampling cylinder, with a clear action path, facilitating a compact, rapid, and repeatable mechanical closing process. Compared to solutions that add sealing components along the sampling axis, the transverse sealing method of this invention is more conducive to a compact arrangement within the unit and reduces the occupation and interference of the sealing action on the main sampling channel.

[0024] This execution unit can be installed in parallel within a dual-channel module as an independent sampling base unit, exhibiting excellent modular expansion capabilities and system integration adaptability. After completing its main sampling and bottom sealing functions, the execution unit can be easily expanded in parallel to form a dual-channel or multi-channel sampling module, making it suitable for repeated configuration as a standard unit in deep-sea platform equipment.

[0025] In summary, the penetration-sealing linkage sampling execution unit can simultaneously achieve the following functions within a single execution unit: (1) the sampling tube assembly is stably driven into the target medium through vertical penetration; (2) the posture is kept stable during long-stroke movement through the guide support structure; (3) after sampling is completed, the lower end of the sampling tube is quickly mechanically sealed through the transverse sealing mechanism; (4) the execution unit can be installed in parallel in the dual-channel sampling module as a modular basic unit.

[0026] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of the penetration-bottom sealing linkage sampling execution unit of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the penetration-bottom sealing linkage sampling execution unit of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the lower end of the sampling cylinder and the sealing mechanism of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional structural diagram of the penetration-bottom sealing linkage sampling execution unit of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the sampling execution unit of the present invention in a dual-channel module.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the lower region of the sampling cylinder when the bottom sealing mechanism of the present invention is in the standby position.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the lower region of the sampling cylinder when the sealing mechanism of the present invention is in the closed position.

[0034] In the figure: 1. Main body of the execution unit; 2. Penetration drive part; 3. Guide support part; 4. Sampling tube assembly; 5. Bottom sealing mechanism; 51. Bottom sealing component; 52. Bottom sealing drive part; 53. Force transmission part; 54. Lateral guide seat; 55. Sealing support seat; 56. Protective cover. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The following description is intended to provide a detailed account of the invention so that those skilled in the art can implement it. The preferred embodiments described below are merely examples, and other obvious variations will occur to those skilled in the art. The basic principles of the invention defined in the following description can be applied to other embodiments, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and other technical solutions that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0036] 1. Overall Structure of the Execution Unit

[0037] Please see Figure 1-5 The penetration-sealing linkage sampling execution unit provided by the present invention is a structural unit arranged vertically. The execution unit generally includes an upper penetration driving part 2, a middle guide support part 3, a lower sampling tube assembly 4, and a sealing mechanism 5 set in the corresponding area at the lower end of the sampling tube assembly 4. All parts are installed on the execution unit body 1, thereby forming a force transmission and motion execution structure arranged continuously from top to bottom.

[0038] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the external structure of the actuator is provided. As can be seen from the external structure, the actuator is arranged in a long-stroke vertical mechanism, with the upper part being the power output and mounting area, the middle part being the support and guiding area, and the lower part being the sampling area that directly interacts with the target medium. This structural arrangement makes the transmission path of the penetration force more direct, which helps to reduce the bending and displacement of the actuator under load.

[0039] Figure 4 A three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the execution unit is provided. The three-dimensional cross-section further reveals that the penetration drive part 2, the guide support part 3, the sampling tube assembly 4, and the sealing mechanism 5 are not isolated from each other, but are arranged in space around the same vertical working axis. The sealing mechanism 5 is located at the corresponding position at the lower end of the sampling tube assembly 4, thus forming a linkage structure of "vertical penetration and horizontal sealing".

[0040] 2. Penetration Drive Section

[0041] like Figure 2 As shown, the penetration drive section 2 is located at the upper end of the execution unit body 1. Its function is to output a downward penetration force during the sampling process and an upward retraction force after the sampling is completed. The penetration drive section 2 preferably adopts a linear propulsion mechanism, which can be of different types. In one specific embodiment, a combination of a drive motor and a transmission component can be used to convert rotational motion into vertical linear displacement. Optionally, the transmission component can be a lead screw drive pair, a ball screw drive pair, a helical drive pair, or other transmission mechanisms that convert rotational motion into linear displacement. In another embodiment, other propulsion structures that can provide stable axial thrust and controllable stroke can also be used.

[0042] The output end of the penetration drive section 2 is connected to the sampling tube assembly 4 via an output connector. When the drive mechanism is working, the output connector drives the sampling tube assembly 4 vertically downward, allowing the sampling tube assembly 4 to enter the target medium; after sampling, the drive mechanism reverses its direction, driving the sampling tube assembly 4 upward and retracting. Since the bottom sealing action of this invention occurs before the sampling tube assembly 4 retracts, the penetration drive section 2 not only undertakes the penetration function during the sampling stage but also the overall lifting function after the bottom sealing is completed.

[0043] From a structural perspective, the penetration drive part 2 is preferably arranged on the upper part of the execution unit body 1, which has two advantages: first, it is conducive to setting the power source in a relatively regular and easy-to-install position, which is convenient for connecting with the upper installation structure; second, it is conducive to transmitting the penetration force downward along the main axis of the execution unit, reducing the energy loss and assembly complexity caused by the intermediate steering structure.

[0044] 3. Guiding support section

[0045] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the guide support part 3 is located between the penetration drive part 2 and the sampling tube assembly 4. Its main function is to provide stable vertical motion guidance for the sampling tube assembly 4 and maintain stable posture during the penetration and retraction of the execution unit.

[0046] In this embodiment, the guide support portion 3 preferably consists of a support structure spaced vertically and a plurality of vertical guide members connected therebetween. The upper and lower support structures together form a guide reference, and the plurality of vertical guide members form a guide path extending vertically. The sampling tube assembly 4 or a moving component connected thereto moves vertically within this guide path, thereby enabling the sampling tube assembly 4 to maintain a relatively stable posture during long-stroke movement. In other embodiments, the number and cross-sectional shape of the guide members in the guide support portion 3 can be adjusted according to stroke and load requirements;

[0047] The guide support section 3 plays a crucial role in this invention. Since the sampling tube assembly 4 typically requires a long penetration distance, without stable guidance and constraint, problems such as swaying, rotation, localized jamming, or even misalignment between the lower sampling port and the sealing mechanism 5 can easily occur when there is uneven penetration resistance, uneven medium distribution, or vibration disturbances in the deep-sea environment. Setting a clear guide support structure significantly improves penetration accuracy and sealing fit accuracy, and lays the foundation for subsequent modular parallel arrangement.

[0048] 4. Sampling cylinder assembly

[0049] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the sampling cylinder assembly 4 is located at the lower part of the execution unit body 1 and is a key component in the execution unit that directly contacts the target medium and contains the sample. The sampling cylinder assembly 4 is preferably a cylindrical structure arranged vertically, with a sampling port at its lower end. When the execution unit is in standby mode, the sampling cylinder assembly 4 is in the raised position; during sampling, under the action of the penetration drive part 2, the sampling cylinder assembly 4 is pushed downward into the target sediment or interface medium, allowing the sample to enter the cylinder through the sampling port.

[0050] The body of the sampling tube assembly 4 can be made of different materials depending on the application scenario. When it is necessary to enhance the structural strength, metal or composite materials can be used; when it is necessary to observe the sample position, interface state, or subsequent processing effect, transparent polymer materials can be used, and a reinforcing structure can be set on the outer periphery to balance observation and mechanical performance, thereby improving the structural strength of the sampling tube assembly 4 under deep-sea conditions.

[0051] The length, inner diameter, and wall thickness of the sampling tube assembly 4 can be designed according to the target sample type and expected sampling volume. For weakly consolidated sediments, the sample can maintain good columnar continuity after entering the tube by reasonably setting the tube stiffness and sampling port size; for interface samples, the sampling tube assembly 4 can cover the target layer area by controlling the penetration stroke.

[0052] 5. Bottom sealing mechanism

[0053] like Figure 2 , Figure 3and Figure 4 As shown, the bottom sealing mechanism 5 is located in the corresponding area at the lower end of the sampling tube assembly 4, and is the key structure for achieving "penetration-bottom sealing linkage" in this invention. The bottom sealing mechanism 5 includes a bottom sealing drive part, a force transmission part, and a bottom sealing component 51. The bottom sealing component 51 is preferably a plate-shaped, block-shaped, sheet-shaped, or mechanically sealed component with a sealing edge. It is located on one side of the lower end of the sampling tube assembly 4 and can switch between a standby position and a closed position along a direction intersecting the axis of the sampling tube assembly 4.

[0054] When the execution unit performs sampling, the bottom sealing member 51 is in a standby position, which does not affect the downward penetration of the sampling tube assembly 4 and the entry of the sample. After the sampling tube assembly 4 reaches the predetermined penetration condition (the predetermined penetration condition can be reaching the target penetration depth or the sampling volume, which can be specifically detected by setting a sensor in the sampling tube to detect the sample sampling volume signal), the bottom sealing mechanism 5 is activated, and the bottom sealing member 51 enters the closed position along the lateral guide path, thereby mechanically blocking the sampling port before the sampling tube assembly 4 retracts. After the bottom sealing is completed, the penetration drive part 2 drives the sampling tube assembly 4 to move upward and retract. At this time, the sample is in a closed and held state, which can significantly reduce the risk of sample falling back, leakage, or damage to the layered structure during the retraction process.

[0055] Compared to solutions that only seal the sample after it has been withdrawn, the most significant feature of the sealing mechanism 5 in this invention is that the sealing action occurs before withdrawal, and the sealing path intersects the axis of the sampling tube assembly 4. This structure ensures that the sealing mechanism 5 does not occupy the main channel space inside the sampling tube, and also avoids potential spatial conflicts and operational interference caused by adding sealing components along the sampling axis. Especially when multiple execution units need to be installed side-by-side, the transverse sealing method is more conducive to compact layout and repetitive structural design. The sealing paths of each of the penetration-sealing linkage sampling execution units are arranged in a mutually avoidant manner. Preferably, the sealing paths of each execution unit are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the parallel direction.

[0056] Figure 3 A partial magnification of the lower end of the sampling cylinder assembly 4 and the bottom sealing mechanism 5 is provided. This partial view clearly illustrates the corresponding positional relationship between the bottom sealing member 51 and the sampling port, and also reflects the movement characteristics of the bottom sealing member 51 entering the closed position from the side. This magnified view is one of the key structural features that distinguishes this invention from ordinary penetration sampling actuators.

[0057] In a further specific embodiment, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, the bottom sealing mechanism 5 includes a bottom sealing drive unit 52, a force transmission unit 53, a transverse guide seat 54, a sealing support seat 55 that cooperates with the sampling port at the lower end of the sampling tube assembly 4, a protective cover 56, and a bottom sealing member 51. The transverse guide seat 54 is fixed to one side of the lower end of the sampling tube assembly 4, or fixed to a lower end mounting seat that moves synchronously with the sampling tube assembly 4; a transverse guide groove is formed in the transverse guide seat 54 that intersects with and is preferably perpendicular to the axis of the sampling tube assembly 4, and the bottom sealing member 51 is slidably disposed in the transverse guide groove.

[0058] The bottom sealing drive unit 52 can be an electric actuator, linear motor, hydraulic actuator, screw-slider linear actuator, or other drive components capable of outputting lateral linear displacement. The output end of the bottom sealing drive unit 52 is connected to one end of the force transmission unit 53 via a threaded joint, pin, or ball joint hinge; the other end of the force transmission unit 53 is connected to the connecting lug or connecting hole at the tail of the bottom sealing member 51 via a pin, screw, or threaded component. Through these connections, the linear displacement output by the bottom sealing drive unit 52 is transmitted to the bottom sealing member 51 via the force transmission unit 53. The bottom sealing member 51 slides along a predetermined lateral path under the constraint of the lateral guide seat 54, thereby preventing the bottom sealing member 51 from skewing or jamming under deep-sea penetration loads, assembly deviations, or local sediment resistance.

[0059] like Figure 6 As shown, during the downward penetration of the sampling tube assembly 4 and the process of the sample entering the sampling tube assembly 4, the bottom sealing member 51 is in a standby position. At this time, the bottom sealing member 51 is housed in the transverse guide seat 54, and its front end does not enter below the sampling port of the sampling tube assembly 4. The sampling port remains open, and the target sediment or sediment-water interface sample can enter the sampling tube assembly 4 through the sampling port.

[0060] like Figure 7 As shown, when the sampling tube assembly 4 reaches the predetermined penetration depth, the predetermined sampling volume, or the control system issues a sealing signal, the penetration drive part 2 remains locked, and the sealing drive part 52 actuates and pushes the sealing member 51 laterally through the force transmission part 53. The front end of the sealing member 51 enters the sealing support 55 or the support groove on the opposite side of the sampling port, and the upper surface of the sealing member 51 abuts or fits against the sampling port mating surface at the lower end of the sampling tube assembly 4, thereby forming a mechanical blockage at the lower end of the sampling tube assembly 4. After the sealing member 51 is fully in the closed position, the sealing drive part 52 remains self-locking or is kept closed by the limiting structure, and then the penetration drive part 2 drives the sampling tube assembly 4 to move upward and retract.

[0061] To prevent the sealing mechanism 5 from adversely colliding with the seabed or causing jamming of moving parts during penetration, a protective cover 56 is installed outside the sealing drive part 52, the force transmission part 53, and the transverse guide seat 54. The lower end of the protective cover 56 forms a slope, rounded corner, or flow guide surface. In the standby position, the moving ends of the sealing member 51 and the force transmission part 53 are located within the outer envelope defined by the transverse guide seat 54 and the protective cover 56. The outer envelope refers to the maximum movement boundary of the moving parts of the sealing mechanism defined by the transverse guide seat 54 and the protective cover 56. The lowest point of the protective cover 56, along the axial direction (vertical direction) of the sampling tube assembly 4, is Δh lower than the lowest end face of the cutting edge or sampling port of the lower end of the sampling tube assembly 4 (i.e., axial clearance), ensuring that the cutting edge of the sampling tube assembly 4 contacts the seabed first and bears the main penetration load during penetration, and the sealing member 51 does not directly participate in penetration. Even if the outer contour of the protective cover 56 comes into contact with loose sediment in the later stage of penetration, the contact part is a fixed protective part rather than a moving part such as the bottom sealing member 51 or the force transmission part 53. The sediment can be guided around the flow by the inclined surface or rounded corner surface, thereby ensuring that the bottom sealing member 51 can still reliably slide into the closed position laterally after the sampling is completed.

[0062] 6. Modular parallel layout

[0063] The execution unit body 1 is a modularly installable structural unit that can be used independently as a single unit or installed in parallel as a basic unit in a multi-channel sampling module.

[0064] Figure 5 The arrangement of the execution units of this invention in a dual-channel module is shown. Figure 5 It is understood that the execution unit of the present invention can be installed as an independent basic unit in the same module frame in a left-right parallel manner to form a left-right parallel dual-channel structure. Each execution unit retains an independent penetration path, sampling path, and sealing path, thus enabling both synchronous operation and separate operation in a predetermined order. This structural feature indicates that the present invention is suitable not only for use as a single execution unit but also as a standardized basic module for dual-channel or multi-channel sampling systems. Since each execution unit integrates the penetration drive part 2, the guide support part 3, the sampling cylinder assembly 4, and the sealing mechanism 5, in the design of the system-level device, multiple execution units can be combined in parallel to achieve multi-channel expansion, exhibiting good engineering adaptability. The installation interface of the execution unit body 1 can be adapted to different module frame forms.

[0065] 7. Penetration-Sealing Integrated Working Process

[0066] The typical working process of the execution unit of this invention is as follows:

[0067] S1. The execution unit is in standby mode in the installation position, the sampling tube assembly 4 is in the lifted position, and the bottom sealing component 51 is in standby mode, without interfering with the sampling port.

[0068] S2. The penetration drive section 2 is started, and the sampling tube assembly 4 is driven to move vertically downward through the output connector. Under the constraint of the guide support section 3, the sampling tube assembly 4 maintains axial stability, and the target sediment or interface medium enters the inside of the tube through the sampling port.

[0069] S3. When the sampling tube assembly 4 reaches the predetermined penetration depth or the predetermined sampling conditions, the bottom sealing mechanism 5 is activated, and the bottom sealing member 51 moves to the closed position in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the sampling tube assembly 4, mechanically sealing the sampling port at the lower end of the sampling tube assembly 4. After the bottom sealing mechanism 5 is activated, the penetration drive part 2 remains locked until the bottom sealing member 51 is fully in the closed position, at which point a retraction action is performed to prevent relative displacement between the bottom sealing member 51 and the sampling port during the retraction process.

[0070] S4. After the bottom sealing is completed, the drive section 2 reverses its movement, causing the sampling tube assembly 4 to move upwards and retract as a whole. Since the sampling port is already closed, the sample inside the tube can maintain good integrity during the retraction process.

[0071] S5. After the retraction is completed, the execution unit can enter the stage of sample preservation, transfer, further processing, or working in conjunction with other systems.

[0072] As can be seen from the above working process, the present invention does not simply set up the sampling tube and the sealing mechanism 5 side by side, but rather makes the penetration action and the sealing action closely linked through a clear sequence of actions and spatial correspondence, thereby improving the sample retention capability and the overall reliability of the execution unit.

[0073] The embodiments described above are only used to illustrate the technical ideas and features of the present invention. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. The scope of patent application of the present invention should not be limited by these embodiments alone. Any structural scheme that adopts the same or equivalent technical ideas as the present invention and integrates the drive part 2, the guide support part 3, the sampling tube assembly 4 and the retraction front transverse sealing mechanism 5 into a single sampling execution unit should be considered to fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A deep-sea in-situ sampling and penetration-sealing linkage execution unit, characterized in that, It includes the main body of the execution unit (1), the penetration drive part (2), the guide support part (3), the sampling tube assembly (4), and the bottom sealing mechanism (5); The penetration drive part (2) is disposed on the upper part of the execution unit body (1) and is used to output the propulsion displacement along the vertical direction; The guide support part (3) is disposed between the penetration drive part (2) and the sampling tube assembly (4) and is used to guide and constrain the vertical movement of the sampling tube assembly (4); The sampling tube assembly (4) is located at the lower part of the execution unit body (1) and has a sampling port at the lower end; The bottom sealing mechanism (5) is located in the area corresponding to the sampling port and is used to drive the bottom sealing member (51) to move along the direction intersecting with the axis of the sampling tube assembly (4) to close the sampling port after the sampling tube assembly (4) has completed the penetration sampling. The penetration drive part (2), the guide support part (3), the sampling tube assembly (4) and the sealing mechanism (5) are arranged around the same vertical working axis to form a linkage structure of penetration drive - guide constraint - sampling - lateral sealing.

2. The penetration-bottom sealing linkage sampling execution unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The penetration drive part (2) is a linear propulsion mechanism. The linear propulsion mechanism includes a drive motor, a transmission component, and an output connector connected to the sampling tube assembly (4). The drive motor drives the output connector to move vertically through the transmission component, thereby driving the sampling tube assembly (4) to penetrate downwards or retract upwards.

3. The penetration-bottom sealing linkage sampling execution unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide support part (3) includes an upper support structure and a lower support structure that are spaced apart from each other, and multiple vertical guide members connected between the upper support structure and the lower support structure. The sampling tube assembly (4) moves vertically along a predetermined path under the constraint of the vertical guide members.

4. The penetration-bottom sealing linkage sampling execution unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sampling tube assembly (4) is a cylindrical sampling component extending vertically. The sampling tube assembly (4) includes a cylinder and a sampling port located at the lower end of the cylinder. The target sediment or interface medium enters the cylinder through the sampling port during the penetration of the sampling tube assembly (4).

5. The penetration-bottom sealing linkage sampling execution unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom sealing mechanism (5) includes a bottom sealing drive unit, a force transmission unit connected to the bottom sealing drive unit, and a bottom sealing component (51) connected to the force transmission unit. The bottom sealing component (51) switches between a standby position and a closed position along a lateral guide path.

6. The penetration-bottom sealing linkage sampling execution unit according to claim 5, characterized in that, The movement direction of the bottom sealing member (51) is perpendicular to the axis of the sampling tube assembly (4), and it enters the closed position from the lower end of the sampling tube assembly (4).

7. The penetration-bottom sealing linkage sampling execution unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body (1) of the execution unit is a modular structure, which can be used independently as a single unit or installed in parallel in the sampling module frame as a basic unit.

8. A method for deep-sea in-situ sampling using any one of 1 to 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Position the sampling tube assembly (4) in the up-and-standby position and position the bottom sealing component (51) in the standby position; Start the penetration drive section (2) to drive the sampling tube assembly (4) to penetrate the target medium vertically, so that the sample enters the sampling tube assembly (4) through the sampling port until the predetermined penetration conditions are met. Start the bottom sealing mechanism (5) to move the bottom sealing component (51) to the closed position along the direction intersecting with the axis of the sampling tube assembly (4) to close the sampling port; After the sampling port is closed, the sampling tube assembly (4) is moved vertically back to achieve sample penetration, lower end closure and retraction.

9. The deep-sea in-situ sampling method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The sampling tube assembly (4) moves vertically along a predetermined path under the constraint of the guide support part (3) during both the insertion and retraction processes.

10. The method for deep-sea in-situ sampling according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method is applied to a multi-channel sampling module, which includes multiple penetration-sealing linkage sampling execution units arranged in parallel. Each execution unit performs penetration, sealing, and retraction actions synchronously or in a predetermined order.

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