Fixing device for fixing thermocouple in autoclave and thermocouple assembly

Abstract

The utility model provides a fixing device for fixing a thermocouple in an autoclave and a thermocouple assembly, the fixing device comprises a box body part and a connecting part, the box body part is constructed to be a hollow cylinder; the box body part is provided with an open end and a closed end, the open end can be attached to a molded surface panel of the autoclave, the closed end is opposite to the open end in the axial direction of the box body part, and a through hole is formed in the closed end; the box body part is provided with a through hole, the through hole allows a probe of the thermocouple to extend and pass through so as to enable the probe to be tightly attached to or inserted into a molded surface panel of the autoclave, the through hole is configured to fix the thermocouple therein, and the connecting part is arranged at the open end of the box body part. The connection portion is configured to connect the fixture to a profile panel. According to the scheme, more stable connection between the thermocouple and the autoclave can be realized, and the thermocouple is prevented from falling off in the transportation process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of aerospace manufacturing of composite material parts, and in particular to a fixing device for fixing thermocouples when composite material parts are cured in an autoclave, and a thermocouple assembly including the fixing device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in the field of aerospace manufacturing, carbon fiber resin composite materials (hereinafter referred to as composite materials) are the preferred choice for manufacturing passenger aircraft parts. Most composite material raw materials are in the form of filaments or strips, which are then processed into the required panel parts through manufacturing processes such as filament laying, strip laying, hand laying, and high-temperature curing. When the parts are cured in an autoclave, thermocouples are typically installed at multiple points inside the tooling to measure the temperature. The thermocouple curves reflect the real-time curing temperature of the tooling in that area. Only when the tooling curing curve and the thermocouple monitoring curve are reasonably distributed can the success rate of autoclave curing be improved, ensuring the curing quality of the parts.

[0003] Tooling thermocouples are typically mounted on the back of the tooling panel, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the existing installation method involves drilling a small-diameter blind hole in the tooling panel 2 and inserting the probe of the thermocouple 1 into it to complete the installation. This method of installing thermocouples has several obvious drawbacks. First, due to the impact of jolting during tooling transport, the thermocouple is very easy to fall off and is not easily detected, directly causing thermocouple failure and failure of the autoclave curing of the parts. Second, this installation method limits the function of the thermocouple; when manufacturing certain parts, a lagging thermocouple is required, which cannot be achieved with this installation method. Third, the thermocouple in the tooling requires regular maintenance, and the fixed installation method is inconvenient for later maintenance of the thermocouple.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to provide a fixing device and thermocouple assembly to at least partially solve the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] This utility model provides a fixing device for fixing a thermocouple inside an autoclave, the fixing device comprising:

[0006] The housing portion is constructed as a hollow cylinder and has an open end that can be attached to a profiled panel of the autoclave, and a closed end opposite the open end along the axial direction of the housing portion. The closed end has a through-hole that allows a thermocouple probe to extend through so that the probe is pressed against or inserted into the profiled panel of the autoclave, and the through-hole is configured to secure the thermocouple therein.

[0007] A connecting portion is provided at the open end of the housing portion and is configured to connect the fixing device to the profile panel.

[0008] Preferably, the inner wall of the through hole is formed with internal threads, and the thermocouple is configured to be screwed into the through hole via a threaded connection.

[0009] Preferably, the connecting portion is configured to allow the fixing device to be detachably connected to the profile panel.

[0010] Preferably, the connecting portion includes an ear piece that protrudes outward from the outer edge of the housing portion along the radial direction of the housing portion, and the ear piece is provided with a connecting hole, the connecting hole being configured to allow a fastener to be inserted therein to connect the ear piece to the profile panel.

[0011] Preferably, the connecting portion includes two ear pieces arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the housing portion.

[0012] Preferably, the fixing device further includes a heat insulation part, which is disposed in the housing part around the thermocouple.

[0013] Preferably, the heat insulation part is glass cloth.

[0014] In another aspect, this utility model also provides a thermocouple assembly, the thermocouple assembly comprising:

[0015] A thermocouple, comprising a thermocouple body and probes and connecting wires respectively disposed at both ends of the thermocouple body, wherein the probes are configured to extend through the through-hole and fit against or insert into the profiled panel of an autoclave, and the connecting wires are configured to connect to an autoclave interface; and

[0016] The fastening device described above is configured to connect to the profiled panel.

[0017] The thermocouple body is connected in the through hole of the fixing device.

[0018] Preferably, the inner wall of the through hole is formed with an internal thread, and the outer periphery of the thermocouple body is provided with an external thread that mates with the internal thread, so that the thermocouple body can be screwed into the through hole through a threaded connection.

[0019] Preferably, the connecting portion is configured to allow the fixing device to be detachably connected to the profile panel.

[0020] The fixing device and thermocouple assembly according to the above scheme have the following advantages:

[0021] First, by connecting the fixing device to the thermocouple via threads, the thermocouple connection can be ensured to be secure, preventing the thermocouple from falling off during tooling transfer.

[0022] Secondly, in specific locations of the tooling, a hysteresis thermocouple is usually required, and the housing of the fixing device has enough space to fill with insulating material, which expands the application range of the thermocouple.

[0023] Third, thermocouples need to be inspected after a certain number of uses and a certain period of time. By detachably connecting the fixing device to the profile panel of the autoclave, the fixing device and thermocouple can be quickly disassembled and installed, thereby improving the installation and use efficiency of thermocouples and reducing thermocouple failure rate. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To better understand the above and other objects, features, advantages, and functions of this utility model, reference can be made to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. The same or similar reference numerals in the drawings refer to the same or similar parts. Those skilled in the art should understand that the drawings are intended to schematically illustrate the preferred embodiments of this utility model and do not limit the scope of this utility model in any way; the parts in the drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0025] Figure 1 and Figure 2 This illustrates an existing method of fixing thermocouples to the profile panel of an autoclave;

[0026] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a thermocouple being mounted to the profile panel of an autoclave via a fixing device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a thermocouple assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a fixing device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The retaining mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is understood that the following description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can conceive of other ways to implement the present invention based on the preferred embodiments; such other ways also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0030] First, it should be noted that the directional and positional terms used in this utility model should be understood as relative directions and positions, rather than absolute directions and positions.

[0031] The following will refer to Figures 3-5 The fixing device 100 and thermocouple assembly 400 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. The fixing device 100 is mainly used to install the thermocouple 200 on the profiled panel 300 inside the autoclave for measuring the real-time temperature inside the autoclave. The profiled panel 300 is generally made of ordinary steel or Invar steel and conforms to the shape of the wall panel parts. The thermocouple 200 includes a thermocouple body 230 and cylindrical probes 210 and connecting wires 220 respectively disposed at both ends of the thermocouple body 230. The probes 210 can be tightly attached to or inserted into the profiled panel 300, and the connecting wires 220 are used for connection to the interface of the autoclave.

[0032] like Figures 3-5 As shown, the fixing device 100 includes a housing portion 110, which is generally constructed as a hollow cylinder. The housing portion 110 has an open end 113 and a closed end 111 arranged opposite to the open end 113 along the axial direction of the housing portion 110. The open end 113 can be attached to the profiled panel 300 of the autoclave. The closed end 111 is provided with a through hole 112, which communicates with the hollow space inside the housing portion 110. Thermocouple 200 can extend through the through hole 112, especially during installation when the probe 210 of thermocouple 200 needs to be extended through the through hole 112 before being inserted into the profiled panel 300. In addition, thermocouple body 230 can also be connected in the through hole 112, which will be described later.

[0033] Continue to refer to Figures 3-5 The fixing device 100 also includes a connecting part 120, which is provided at the open end 113 of the box body part 110. The connecting part 120 is mainly used to detachably connect the fixing device 100 to the profile panel 300 of the autoclave.

[0034] Preferably, the connecting portion 120 includes an ear piece 121 protruding outward from the outer edge of the housing portion 110 along the radial direction of the housing portion 110. The ear piece 121 is provided with a connecting hole 122, which allows a fastener 123 to be inserted to connect the ear piece 121 to the profile panel 300. Exemplarily, in the illustrated embodiment, the fastener 123 is a hexagonal fastening screw. During installation, the fastener 123 can be extended through the connecting hole 122 on the ear piece 121 and then fastened to the profile panel 300, thereby fastening the fixing device 100 to the profile panel 300.

[0035] More preferably, the connecting portion 120 includes two lugs 121 symmetrically arranged with respect to the central axis of the housing portion 110, thereby improving the connection stability of the fixing device 100.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment, the inner wall of the through hole 112 is formed with an internal thread, and correspondingly, the outer periphery of the thermocouple body 230 is provided with an external thread that mates with the internal thread of the through hole 112, so that the thermocouple body 230 can be screwed into the through hole 112 through a threaded connection. This solution can ensure a more secure connection of the thermocouple 200 and prevent the thermocouple 200 from falling off during tooling transfer.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, the fixing device 100 further includes a heat insulation portion 130, which is disposed around the thermocouple 200 in the hollow space of the housing portion 110. Preferably, the heat insulation portion 130 may be made of glass cloth.

[0038] This utility model also discloses a thermocouple assembly 400, which includes the thermocouple 200 and the fixing device 100 as described above. The main structures of the thermocouple 200 and the fixing device 100 have been described in detail above, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0039] The following is a brief description of the installation process of mounting the thermocouple 200 to the profile panel 300 of the autoclave using the fixing device 100.

[0040] First, prepare the autoclave, thermocouple 200, and fixing device 100 that need to be cured.

[0041] Next, install the mounting device 100. The connecting portion 120 of the mounting device 100 can be fastened to the back of the profiled panel 300 using hexagonal screws. If it is desired to delay the thermocouple 200, glass cloth or other insulating material should be filled into the housing portion 110 of the mounting device 100 before installing the mounting device 100. Sufficient space must be left for the installation of the thermocouple 200 when installing the insulating material.

[0042] Then, the thermocouple 200 is passed through the through hole 112 of the closed end 111 of the fixing device 100, the thermocouple 200 is tightened and fixed in the through hole 112, and the probe 210 of the thermocouple 200 is pressed against or inserted into the face panel 300.

[0043] Finally, connect the other end of the thermocouple 200, the connecting wire 220, to the interface inside the autoclave, thereby completing the installation of the thermocouple 200.

[0044] The fixing device 100 and thermocouple assembly 400 according to the above scheme have the following advantages:

[0045] First, by threading the fixing device 100 to the thermocouple 200, the thermocouple 200 can be securely connected, preventing the thermocouple 200 from falling off during tooling transfer.

[0046] Second, at specific locations of the tooling, it is usually necessary to lag the thermocouple 200, and the housing 110 of the fixing device 100 has enough space to fill with insulating material, thus expanding the application range of the thermocouple 200.

[0047] Third, thermocouple 200 needs to be inspected after a certain number of uses and a certain period of time. By detachably connecting the fixing device 100 to the profile panel 300 of the autoclave, the fixing device 100 and thermocouple 200 can be quickly disassembled and installed, thereby improving the installation and use efficiency of thermocouple 200 and reducing the failure rate of thermocouple 200.

[0048] The above description of various embodiments of this utility model is provided for descriptive purposes to a person skilled in the art. It is not intended to exclude or limit the utility model to a single disclosed embodiment. As taught above, those skilled in the art will understand that various alternatives and variations of this utility model are possible. Therefore, although some alternative embodiments have been specifically described, those skilled in the art will understand or relatively easily develop other embodiments. This utility model is intended to include all alternatives, modifications, and variations of the utility model described herein, as well as other embodiments falling within the spirit and scope of the utility model described above.

Claims

1. A fixing device (100) for fixing a thermocouple inside an autoclave, characterized in that, The fixing device (100) includes: The box body (110) is constructed as a hollow cylinder and has an open end (113) that can be attached to the profiled panel (300) of the autoclave and a closed end (111) opposite to the open end in the axial direction of the box body (110). The closed end (111) is provided with a through hole (112) that allows the probe of the thermocouple (200) to extend through so that the probe is in contact with or inserted into the profiled panel (300) of the autoclave, and the through hole (112) is configured to fix the thermocouple (200) therein; and A connecting part (120) is provided at the open end (113) of the housing part (110) and is configured to connect the fixing device (100) to the profile panel (300).

2. The fixing device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the through hole (112) is formed with internal threads, and the thermocouple (200) is configured to be screwed into the through hole (112) by means of a threaded connection.

3. The fixing device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting part (120) is configured to detachably connect the fixing device (100) to the profile panel (300).

4. The fixing device (100) according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The connecting portion (120) includes an ear piece (121) that protrudes outward from the outer edge of the housing portion (110) in the radial direction of the housing portion (110). The ear piece (121) is provided with a connecting hole (122), which is configured to allow a fastener (123) to be inserted therein to connect the ear piece (121) to the profile panel (300).

5. The fixing device (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The connecting part (120) includes two ear pieces (121) arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the housing part (110).

6. The fixing device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixing device (100) also includes a heat insulation part (130) disposed in the housing part (110) surrounding the thermocouple (200).

7. The fixing device (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The heat insulation part (130) is glass cloth.

8. A thermocouple assembly (400), characterized in that, The thermocouple assembly (400) includes: A thermocouple (200) comprising a thermocouple body (230) and probes (210) and connecting wires (220) respectively disposed at both ends of the thermocouple body, the probes (210) being configured to extend through the through-hole (112) and be in contact with or inserted into the profiled panel (300) of the autoclave, the connecting wires (220) being configured to connect to the autoclave interface; and The fixing device (100) as described in any one of claims 1-7 is configured to be connected to the profile panel (300). The thermocouple body (230) is connected in the through hole (112) of the fixing device (100).

9. The thermocouple assembly (400) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The inner wall of the through hole (112) is formed with an internal thread, and the outer periphery of the thermocouple body (230) is provided with an external thread that mates with the internal thread, so that the thermocouple body (230) can be screwed into the through hole (112) through a threaded connection.

10. The thermocouple assembly (400) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The connecting part (120) is configured to detachably connect the fixing device (100) to the profile panel (300).

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