Offshore wind power generation submarine cable bending limiter

Abstract

The utility model relates to an offshore wind power generation submarine cable bending limiter which comprises limiter bodies, and a plurality of limiter bodies are sequentially spliced according to the length of a submarine cable to form a protection structure. The limiter body comprises a first bending limiting shell and a second bending limiting shell, a first connecting part is installed on the side edge of the first bending limiting shell, a second connecting part is installed on the side edge of the second bending limiting shell, a plug board is arranged in the first connecting part, and the second connecting part comprises a movable limiting plate and a plug groove formed in the movable limiting plate. When the limiter body is fixed, the inserting plate is accurately butted and clamped in the inserting groove, and the movable limiting plate reinforces the first bending limiting shell and the second bending limiting shell through the limiting rod; when the limiter body is disassembled, the limiting rod of the movable limiting plate is pulled away, the inserting plate is separated from the inserting groove, the first bending limiting shell and the second bending limiting shell can be separated, and disassembly is convenient. According to the utility model, the fixing process is simple and convenient, the connection efficiency is high, the use of professional tools is avoided, and the submarine cable bending limiter is simpler and more convenient to mount and dismount.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a bending limiter for submarine cables used in offshore wind power generation, belonging to the field of submarine cable emergency repair and safety protection technology, and particularly to the technology of using submarine cable limiters. Background Technology

[0002] In modern marine engineering and communications, submarine cables serve as core infrastructure for power transmission and data communication. Their safe operation is crucial for power supply in coastal areas and global information exchange. Submarine cables often employ flexible conduit designs, making them highly susceptible to static loads such as ocean currents and seabed topography during complex marine environments, particularly during installation and long-term use. This can lead to excessive bending or kinking. Excessive bending not only damages the cable's internal insulation and deforms the conductors but can also trigger short-circuit faults, causing power outages or communication failures, resulting in significant economic losses and social impact. Therefore, the application of submarine cable protection devices, especially bend limiters, is particularly critical.

[0003] As a core component ensuring the safe operation of submarine cables, the bend limiter is mainly used for precise laying during the cable construction phase and for real-time protection of the cable under special working conditions. At the lower end of the J-tube, the bend limiter is usually used in conjunction with the J-tube sealing device or the J-tube center clamp to effectively prevent excessive bending of the submarine cable by limiting the bending angle and radius of curvature, thus ensuring its structural integrity and electrical performance stability.

[0004] Currently, most submarine cable bending limiters in practical applications adopt a double-connection structure design. Specifically, two connection structures are installed on the first bending limiting shell and the second bending limiting shell, respectively. The two shells are fastened together by bolts passing through the assembly holes of the connection structures, thus achieving the bending protection function of the bending limiter. Taking the patent application "A Bending Limiting Device for Submarine Cables" with patent publication number "CN117691537A" as an example, this device uses the threaded end of the locking bolt to pass through the limiting frame and screw into the internal threaded assembly tube, thereby achieving the limiting and fixing of the first and second closed shells. However, such traditional protective devices have exposed many drawbacks in actual operation: on the one hand, the installation process must rely on professional tools such as wrenches and screwdrivers, requiring high skills from the operators; on the other hand, the process of repeatedly disassembling and assembling bolts is extremely cumbersome, not only consuming a lot of time and labor costs, but also increasing the safety risks of operators in the marine operating environment, seriously affecting construction efficiency, and greatly limiting the quick and convenient disassembly and maintenance of the protective device by the staff.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to design a new type of submarine cable bending limiter that does not require the use of special tools, making the installation and disassembly of the submarine cable bending limiter simple and convenient. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This utility model provides a bending limiter for submarine cables used in offshore wind power generation, which simplifies the connection and disassembly process and improves the efficiency of connection and disassembly.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is:

[0008] A bending limiter for submarine wind power generation includes a limiter body, and a protective structure is formed by sequentially splicing several limiter bodies according to the length of the submarine cable.

[0009] The limiter body includes a first bending limiting shell and a second bending limiting shell, which are spliced ​​together to form a hollow cylindrical structure. The internal hollow cavity formed by the splicing is used to insert submarine cables.

[0010] The first bending limiting shell has a first connecting part installed on its side, and the second bending limiting shell has a second connecting part installed on its side. Both the first and second connecting parts are arranged along the central axis of the hollow cylindrical structure. A plug-in plate is provided in the first connecting part, and the second connecting part includes a movable limiting plate and a plug-in groove provided inside.

[0011] When the limiter body is fixed, the plug plate is locked in the plug slot, and the movable limit plate reinforces the first bending limit shell and the second bending limit shell through the limit rod.

[0012] When the limiter body is disassembled, the limit rod of the movable limit plate is pulled out, the plug plate is separated from the plug slot, and the first bending limit shell is separated from the second bending limit shell.

[0013] Furthermore, the first connecting portion also includes a first connecting block, which is connected to and fixed to a plug-in plate relative to the side wall of the second bending limiting housing, and the plate surface of the plug-in plate is arranged perpendicular to the first connecting block;

[0014] Movable slots are respectively opened on the plate surface near the two ends of the plug-in plate. The movable slots are parallel to the central axis of the hollow cylindrical structure. The position of the two movable slots near the center of the plug-in plate is defined as one end, and the position of the center of the plug-in plate is defined as the other end. One end of the first spring is fixed in one end of the movable slot, and the other end of the first spring is connected to the limiting block through the movable block. The movable block is embedded in the movable slot. One end of the limiting block is connected to the movable block, and the other end extends out of the plug-in plate.

[0015] Furthermore, the second connecting part also includes a second connecting block, with a plug groove formed on the side wall of the second connecting block relative to the first bending limiting housing, and limiting grooves formed on the same side of the second connecting block near the two ends of the plug groove.

[0016] It also includes a push plate, whose side wall is vertically connected to a push rod, which extends into the limiting groove and abuts against the limiting block;

[0017] A second spring is fitted onto the part of the push rod located outside the limiting groove. One end of the second spring contacts the end of the second connecting block, and the other end of the second spring is fixedly connected to the surface of the push plate.

[0018] Furthermore, the movable limiting plate is located on top of the second connecting block, and the two limiting rods are vertically fixed to the position of the movable limiting plate relative to the limiting groove;

[0019] A first limiting hole is opened at the end of the limiting block that extends out of the plug-in plate, and a second limiting hole is opened at the end of the push rod that extends into the limiting groove. When the movable limiting plate is fastened to the first bending limiting shell and the second bending limiting shell, the limiting rod is matched and inserted into the first limiting hole and the second limiting hole.

[0020] Furthermore, a spring groove is provided in the middle of the side wall of the second connecting block opposite to the movable limiting plate, and a third spring is vertically fixed in the middle of the second connecting block opposite to the movable limiting plate. The third spring is matched and embedded in the spring groove to abut the closed end of the spring groove.

[0021] Furthermore, a connecting ring is formed at one open end of the first bending limiting housing along the outer circumference, and a connecting groove is formed at the other open end along the inner circumference. Similarly, a connecting ring is formed at one open end of the second bending limiting housing along the outer circumference, and a connecting groove is formed at the other open end along the inner circumference. When the first bending limiting housing and the second bending limiting housing are joined together to form the limiting body, the connecting ring and the connecting groove form a closed loop structure.

[0022] Furthermore, when several limiter bodies are spliced ​​together in sequence, between adjacent limiter bodies, the connecting ring of one limiter body is matched and locked in the connecting slot of another limiter body.

[0023] By using the above technical solutions, compared with the prior art, this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0024] The submarine cable bending limiter for offshore wind power generation provided by this utility model uses a limiting block and a limiting groove to limit and fix the first connecting block and the second connecting block, thereby achieving the fastening of a single limiter. At the same time, by utilizing the structural characteristics of the limiter itself, multiple individual connections can be made according to the actual working conditions of the submarine cable, thereby protecting the submarine cable. The fixing process is simple and convenient, with high connection efficiency, avoiding the use of professional tools, making the installation and disassembly of the submarine cable bending limiter relatively simple and convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure formed by splicing two individual limiter bodies according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the preferred embodiment of the present invention regarding the installation of the first connecting portion on the side of the first bending limiting housing;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention regarding the installation of the second connecting portion on the side of the second bending limiting housing;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the plug-in plate portion of a preferred embodiment provided by this utility model;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention regarding the second connecting block and the movable limiting plate.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the combined structure of the push rod, push plate, and second spring provided by this utility model.

[0032] In the figure: 1 is the first bending limiting shell, 2 is the second bending limiting shell, 3 is the connecting ring, 4 is the connecting groove, 5 is the first connecting block, 6 is the second connecting block, 7 is the plug plate, 8 is the plug groove, 9 is the movable groove, 10 is the movable block, 11 is the limiting block, 12 is the limiting groove, 13 is the first spring, 14 is the push rod, 15 is the push plate, 16 is the second spring, 17 is the movable limiting plate, 18 is the limiting rod, 19 is the connecting hole, 20 is the first limiting hole, 21 is the spring groove, 22 is the third spring, and 23 is the second limiting hole. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "left side," "right side," "upper part," "lower part," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. "First," "second," etc., do not indicate the importance of the components, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. The specific dimensions used in this embodiment are only for illustrating the technical solution and do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0034] As described in the background section, current submarine cable bending limiters require specialized tools during installation, making it inconvenient for workers to install and disassemble the protective devices. Therefore, this application provides a submarine cable bending limiter for offshore wind power generation that relies entirely on the structure itself for locking, making the connection and fixing process simple and convenient, and allowing for self-unbinding during disassembly.

[0035] The offshore wind power submarine cable bending limiter provided in this application includes a limiter body, which is a single-unit structure. Several limiter bodies can be sequentially spliced ​​together to form a protective structure according to the length of the submarine cable or the length of the section requiring protection. This design allows for flexible combination based on the actual length of the submarine cable, adapting to different laying environments and cable length requirements, thus improving the versatility and adaptability of the device.

[0036] Figure 1 The example given is a structure formed by splicing two limiter bodies together according to their own structure. A single limiter body consists of two parts, namely a first bending limiting shell 1 and a second bending limiting shell 2, which are spliced ​​together to form a hollow cylindrical structure. The cylindrical structure can evenly distribute external pressure, effectively protect the cable from external compression and damage, and at the same time facilitate the installation and positioning of the cable. Figure 2 As shown, a first connecting portion is mounted on the side of the first bending limiting housing. Figure 3As shown, a second connecting part is installed on the side of the second bending limiting shell. Both the first and second connecting parts are arranged along the central axis of the hollow cylindrical structure. A plug-in plate 7 is provided in the first connecting part, and the second connecting part includes a movable limiting plate 17 and an internal plug-in groove 8. The plug-in plate, the movable limiting plate, and the plug-in groove have a mutual linkage relationship in the fastened and disassembled states. Specifically, when the limiter body is fixed, the plug-in plate is accurately engaged and locked in the plug-in groove, providing a stable mechanical connection. The movable limiting plate reinforces the first bending limiting shell and the second bending limiting shell through the limiting rod 18, further enhancing the stability and reliability of the splice and preventing the two shells from accidentally separating during use. When the limiter body is disassembled, the limiting rod of the movable limiting plate is pulled out, the plug-in plate separates from the plug-in groove, and the first bending limiting shell and the second bending limiting shell can be separated, making disassembly convenient.

[0037] The following is a detailed description of each component, starting with the first connecting part of the first bending limiting housing. Figure 4 As shown, the first connecting part also includes a first connecting block 5. The first connecting block is connected to and fixed to a plug-in plate relative to the side wall of the second bending limiting shell. The plate surface of the plug-in plate is set perpendicular to the first connecting block. Movable grooves 9 are respectively opened on the plate surface near the two ends of the plug-in plate. The movable grooves are parallel to the central axis of the hollow cylindrical structure. The position of the two movable grooves near the center of the plug-in plate is defined as one end, and the position of the center of the plug-in plate is defined as the other end. One end of the first spring 13 is fixed in one end of the movable groove. The other end of the first spring is connected to the limiting block 11 through the movable block 10. The movable block is embedded in the movable groove. One end of the limiting block is connected to the movable block, and the other end extends out of the plug-in plate.

[0038] from Figure 4 From a certain perspective, the two first springs located on the left and right sides of the plug-in plate can move along their respective movable slots, causing the limiting blocks to extend and retract in their respective outward directions. When the plug-in plate is inserted into the plug-in slot, the limiting blocks can automatically pop out and cooperate with the relevant structure of the second connection part, playing a better positioning and fastening role, and improving the convenience and stability of the connection.

[0039] Next is the second connecting part installed on the side of the second bending limiting housing. The second connecting part also includes a second connecting block 6. The insertion groove is opened on the side wall of the second connecting block relative to the first bending limiting housing. Limiting grooves 12 are respectively opened at the two ends of the insertion groove on the same side of the second connecting block. Figure 6 As shown, it also includes a push plate 15, whose side wall is vertically connected to a push rod 14. The push rod extends into the limiting groove and abuts against the limiting block. A second spring 16 is sleeved on the part of the push rod located outside the limiting groove. One end of the second spring contacts the end of the second connecting block, and the other end of the second spring is fixedly connected to the surface of the push plate. When a pushing force is applied to the push plate, compression occurs between the second spring and the second connecting block.

[0040] The push plate, push rod, and second spring in the second connecting part serve two purposes. First, during installation, the push rod can push the limiting block to facilitate the insertion and positioning of the plug-in plate. Second, during disassembly, the push plate can be operated to move the push rod, releasing the restriction on the limiting block and facilitating the separation of the plug-in plate from the plug-in slot, making the disassembly process smoother.

[0041] The structure here that limits and releases the restriction on the limiting block is the movable limiting plate located at the top of the second connecting block. Figure 5 As shown, two limiting rods are vertically fixed to the position of the movable limiting plate relative to the limiting groove; a first limiting hole 20 is opened at the end of the limiting block extending out of the insertion plate, and a second limiting hole 23 is opened at the end of the pushing rod extending into the limiting groove. When the movable limiting plate is fastened to the first bending limiting shell and the second bending limiting shell, the limiting rods are matched and inserted into the first limiting hole and the second limiting hole. Simultaneously, from... Figure 5 As can be seen, when the two limiting rods 18 are inserted into the first limiting hole 20 and the second limiting hole 23, they need to pass through the second connecting block 6. Therefore, a through connecting hole 19 is also opened at the position where the limiting rods are inserted on the connecting block.

[0042] A spring groove 21 is formed in the middle of the side wall of the second connecting block opposite to the movable limiting plate. A third spring 22 is vertically fixed in the middle of the second connecting block opposite to the movable limiting plate. The third spring is fitted into the spring groove and abuts against the closed end of the spring groove. When the movable limiting plate is fastened to the first and second bending limiting shells, the third spring provides a certain elastic force, which helps to maintain the insertion state of the limiting rod, and at the same time buffers external impact force to a certain extent, improving the stability and reliability of the connection.

[0043] Another innovation of the offshore wind power submarine cable bending limiter provided in this application is that, in addition to the individual structure achieving splicing, fastening, and disassembly through its own construction, multiple individual units can also be spliced ​​together under different operating conditions, achieving a tight connection through their own structure. Preferably, a connecting ring 3 is formed along the outer circumference of one open end of the first bending limiting shell, and a connecting groove 4 is formed along the inner circumference of the other open end. Similarly, a connecting ring is formed along the outer circumference of one open end of the second bending limiting shell, and a connecting groove is formed along the inner circumference of the other open end. When the first and second bending limiting shells are spliced ​​together to form the limiter body, the connecting ring and connecting groove form a closed-loop structure. When several limiter bodies are spliced ​​sequentially, the connecting ring of one limiter body matches and engages within the connecting groove of another limiter body. This structure not only achieves a tight connection between the limiter bodies but also effectively prevents seawater and other external substances from entering the splice and causing corrosion or other damage to the cable, providing excellent sealing and protection.

[0044] Finally, this application provides a specific method for splicing and disassembling the cable. The first bending limiting housing 1 and the second bending limiting housing 2 are secured to the outside of the submarine cable. The first connecting block 5 on the first bending limiting housing 1 and the second connecting block 6 on the second bending limiting housing 2 will fit together. At this time, the plug-in plate 7 on the first connecting block 5 will be inserted into the plug-in slot 8 on the second connecting block 6, and the first bending limiting housing 1 and the second bending limiting housing are in a spliced ​​state. During the process of the plug-in plate 7 being inserted into the plug-in slot 8, the movable limiting plate 17 is first moved outwards (here, outwards refers to...). Figure 3 (From an upward perspective) Pulling the movable limiting plate 17 causes the limiting rod 18 to leave the limiting groove 12. The arc surfaces of the two limiting blocks 11 will be squeezed into the movable groove 9 by the arc edge of the side wall of the insertion groove 8. The limiting block 11 causes the movable block 10 to compress the first spring 13. When the limiting block 11 moves to the end of the limiting groove 12 (from the upward perspective) Figure 5 From the perspective of the left limiting groove (the end refers to the leftmost part, i.e., the initial position of the push rod), when the movable block 10 is in the first spring 13, the limiting block 11 rebounds into the limiting groove 12 and the movable limiting plate 17 is released. The movable limiting plate 17 will drive the two limiting rods 18 to be inserted into the first limiting hole 20 and the second limiting hole 23 respectively under the contraction force of the third spring 22. At this time, the limiting block 11 and the limiting groove 12 will connect and fix the first connecting block 5 and the second connecting block 6 together, so that the first bending limiting shell 1 and the second bending limiting shell 2 can be connected and fixed together. The two limiting rods 18 simultaneously play a reinforcing and limiting role on the limiting block 11 and the push rod 14.

[0045] If the bending limiter needs to be disassembled, first pull the movable limiting plate 17 outward. The movable limiting plate 17 drives the limiting rod 18 to be pulled away from the first limiting hole 20 and the third limiting hole 23. Then push the push plate 15 and the push rod 14 into the limiting groove 12. The end of the second spring that contacts the second connecting block will make contact. The push plate 15 compresses the other end of the second spring 16. The push rod 14 pushes the limiting block 11 into the movable groove 9. At this time, the plug plate 7 is pulled out from the plug groove 8, and then the first bending limiting housing 1 and the second bending limiting housing 2 are disassembled and separated.

[0046] Those skilled in the art will understand that, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in general dictionaries should be understood to have the same meaning as in the context of the prior art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless defined as herein.

[0047] The meaning of "and / or" as used in this application includes situations where each exists alone or both exist simultaneously.

[0048] The term "connection" as used in this application can mean a direct connection between components or an indirect connection between components through other components.

[0049] Based on the above-described preferred embodiments of this utility model, and through the foregoing description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the technical concept of this utility model. The technical scope of this utility model is not limited to the contents of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A bending limiter for submarine cables used in offshore wind power generation, characterized in that: The structure includes a limiter body, which is formed by sequentially splicing several limiter bodies according to the length of the submarine cable; The limiter body includes a first bending limiting shell and a second bending limiting shell, which are spliced ​​together to form a hollow cylindrical structure. The internal hollow cavity formed by the splicing is used to insert submarine cables. The first bending limiting shell has a first connecting part installed on its side, and the second bending limiting shell has a second connecting part installed on its side. Both the first and second connecting parts are arranged along the central axis of the hollow cylindrical structure. A plug-in plate is provided in the first connecting part, and the second connecting part includes a movable limiting plate and a plug-in groove provided inside. When the limiter body is fixed, the plug plate is locked in the plug slot, and the movable limit plate reinforces the first bending limit shell and the second bending limit shell through the limit rod. When the limiter body is disassembled, the limit rod of the movable limit plate is pulled out, the plug plate is separated from the plug slot, and the first bending limit shell is separated from the second bending limit shell.

2. The bending limiter for offshore wind power submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first connecting portion further includes a first connecting block, which is connected to and fixed to a plug-in plate relative to the side wall of the second bending limiting housing. The plate surface of the plug-in plate is perpendicular to the first connecting block. Movable slots are respectively opened on the plate surface near the two ends of the plug-in plate. The movable slots are parallel to the central axis of the hollow cylindrical structure. The position of the two movable slots near the center of the plug-in plate is defined as one end, and the position of the center of the plug-in plate is defined as the other end. One end of the first spring is fixed in one end of the movable slot, and the other end of the first spring is connected to the limiting block through the movable block. The movable block is embedded in the movable slot. One end of the limiting block is connected to the movable block, and the other end extends out of the plug-in plate.

3. The bending limiter for submarine wind power cables according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second connecting part also includes a second connecting block, with a plug groove formed on the side wall of the second connecting block relative to the first bending limiting housing, and limiting grooves formed on the same side of the second connecting block near the two ends of the plug groove; It also includes a push plate, whose side wall is vertically connected to a push rod, which extends into the limiting groove and abuts against the limiting block; A second spring is fitted onto the part of the push rod located outside the limiting groove. One end of the second spring contacts the end of the second connecting block, and the other end of the second spring is fixedly connected to the surface of the push plate.

4. The bending limiter for submarine wind power cables according to claim 3, characterized in that: The movable limiting plate is located at the top of the second connecting block, and the position of the movable limiting plate relative to the limiting groove is vertically fixed to two limiting rods; A first limiting hole is opened at the end of the limiting block that extends out of the plug-in plate, and a second limiting hole is opened at the end of the push rod that extends into the limiting groove. When the movable limiting plate is fastened to the first bending limiting shell and the second bending limiting shell, the limiting rod is matched and inserted into the first limiting hole and the second limiting hole.

5. The bending limiter for offshore wind power submarine cables according to claim 4, characterized in that: A spring groove is provided in the middle of the side wall of the second connecting block opposite to the movable limiting plate. A third spring is vertically fixed in the middle of the second connecting block opposite to the movable limiting plate. The third spring is matched and embedded in the spring groove and abuts against the closed end of the spring groove.

6. The bending limiter for offshore wind power submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: A connecting ring is formed at one open end of the first bending limiting housing along the outer circumference, and a connecting groove is formed at the other open end along the inner circumference. Similarly, a connecting ring is formed at one open end of the second bending limiting housing along the outer circumference, and a connecting groove is formed at the other open end along the inner circumference. When the first bending limiting housing and the second bending limiting housing are joined together to form the limiting body, the connecting ring and the connecting groove form a closed loop structure.

7. The bending limiter for offshore wind power submarine cables according to claim 6, characterized in that: When several limiter bodies are spliced ​​together in sequence, between adjacent limiter bodies, the connecting ring of one limiter body is matched and locked in the connecting slot of another limiter body.

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