Waterproof connector

Abstract

The waterproof connector comprises a sleeve, a first connecting piece and a second connecting piece. An electric connection structure between the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece is located in the sleeve. The electric connection structure comprises a waterproof bearing, a rotating part and a contact part. The first connecting piece penetrates through the waterproof bearing and is electrically connected with the rotating part. The second connecting piece is electrically connected with the contact part. When the first connecting piece is twisted, the first connecting piece can be sealed with the sleeve under the action of the waterproof bearing. At this time, the first connecting piece can rotate relative to the sleeve while reducing the entry of water, so that the first connecting piece and the rotating part electrically connected with each other rotate back to normal synchronously, thereby reducing the knotting of the first connecting piece.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the technical field of electrical connection devices, and in particular to a waterproof connector. Background Technology

[0002] When conducting underwater exploration operations, it is necessary to carry exploration equipment underwater. This equipment, such as imaging devices and underwater robots, rotates or moves with changes in the work location. During this process, the transmission cables connected to the equipment are prone to twisting and tangling. Underwater personnel cannot easily reset the transmission cables in a timely manner, which can affect the current or signals transmitted through the cables over time. Currently, while technologies such as the 360° rotating anti-tangling power cord connector disclosed in Chinese patent document CN206490281U reduce tangling by rotating synchronously with the transmission cable, their structural design allows water to easily enter the connector, making them unsuitable for underwater use. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a waterproof connector suitable for underwater use and to reduce the occurrence of wire tangling.

[0004] The purpose of this disclosure is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0005] A waterproof connector includes a sleeve, a first connector, and a second connector; the electrical connection structure between the first connector and the second connector is located within the sleeve.

[0006] The electrical connection structure includes a waterproof bearing, a rotating part, and a contact part; the first connector passes through the waterproof bearing and is electrically connected to the rotating part; the second connector is electrically connected to the contact part, and the rotating part and the contact part are used to maintain an electrical connection state when they rotate relative to each other.

[0007] In some embodiments, the rotating part and the contact part are rotatably connected to each other.

[0008] In some embodiments, the rotating part and the contact part are rotatably disposed within the sleeve.

[0009] In some embodiments, the outer peripheral wall of the contact portion slides against the inner peripheral wall of the sheath; or,

[0010] The outer peripheral wall of the contact portion is rotatably connected to the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve; or

[0011] A movable space is formed between the outer peripheral wall of the contact portion and the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve.

[0012] In some embodiments, the outer peripheral wall of the rotating part slides against the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve; or,

[0013] The outer peripheral wall of the rotating part is rotatably connected to the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve; or

[0014] A movable gap is formed between the outer peripheral wall of the rotating part and the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve.

[0015] In some embodiments, the rotating portion and the contact portion have the same axis of rotation.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first connector passes through the inner ring of the waterproof bearing, and the first connector and the inner ring of the waterproof bearing are in a sealing fit.

[0017] In some embodiments, the inner ring wall of the waterproof bearing is sealed against the outer peripheral wall of the first connector.

[0018] In some embodiments, the outer ring of the waterproof bearing is sealed to the inner wall of the sheath.

[0019] In some embodiments, there is a movable gap between the first connector and the inner wall of the sleeve.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, this disclosure has at least the following advantages:

[0021] In the aforementioned waterproof connector, the electrical connection structure between the first and second connectors is located within the housing. The first connector, through which a waterproof bearing passes, is electrically connected to the rotating part. When the first connector twists, it can achieve a sealed fit with the housing under the action of the waterproof bearing. At this time, the first connector can rotate relative to the housing while reducing water ingress. This allows the electrically connected first connector and the rotating part to rotate synchronously back to their original positions, thereby reducing the likelihood of the first connector tangling. Thus, in this waterproof connector, the contact point between the rotating part and the second connector remains electrically connected during rotation, reducing water ingress and making it better suited for underwater environments. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly described below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this disclosure and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of a waterproof connector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The exploded view of the waterproof connector shown is shown.

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The image shows a physical picture of the waterproof connector.

[0026] Figure label:

[0027] 100. Sheath; 110. First housing; 1101. Cable inlet; 1102. Movable gap; 1110. Flared retaining ring; 120. Second housing;

[0028] 200. First connector; 210. Transmission wire; 220. Waterproof conduit;

[0029] 300. Second connector; 310. Insertion part;

[0030] 400 Electrical connection structure; 410 Waterproof bearing; 420 Rotating part; 4201 Rotating groove; 430 Contact part. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To facilitate understanding of this disclosure, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. However, this disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure.

[0032] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly attached to the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0034] To better understand the technical solutions and beneficial effects of this disclosure, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments:

[0035] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 One embodiment of the waterproof connector includes a sleeve 100, a first connector 200, and a second connector 300; an electrical connection structure 400 between the first connector 200 and the second connector 300 is located within the sleeve 100; the electrical connection structure 400 includes a waterproof bearing 410, a rotating portion 420, and a contact portion 430; the first connector 200 passes through the waterproof bearing 410 and is electrically connected to the rotating portion 420; the second connector 300 is electrically connected to the contact portion 430, and the rotating portion 420 and the contact portion 430 are used to maintain the electrical connection state when they rotate relative to each other.

[0036] It is understandable that, since the electrical connection structure 400 between the first connector 200 and the second connector 300 is located within the housing 100, and the first connector 200 is electrically connected to the rotating part 420 via the waterproof bearing 410, when the first connector 200 twists, it can seal against the housing 100 under the action of the waterproof bearing 410. At this time, the first connector 200 can rotate relative to the housing 100 while reducing water ingress, thus allowing the electrically connected first connector 200 and the rotating part 420 to rotate synchronously back to their original positions, thereby reducing tangling of the first connector 200. Thus, in the aforementioned waterproof connector, the contact portion 430 electrically connected to the second connector 300 remains electrically connected during rotation of the rotating part 420, reducing water ingress and making it better suited for underwater environments. It should be noted that, since the first connecting member 200 and the rotating part 420 move synchronously, when the first connecting member 200 does not twist, the rotating part 420 will remain relatively stationary with the contact part 430, that is, the rotating part 420 and the contact part 430 do not rotate.

[0037] Please see Figure 1In some embodiments, the rotating part 420 and the contact part 430 are rotatably connected to each other. It is understood that because the rotating part 420 and the contact part 430 are rotatably connected, the contact part 430 electrically connected to the second connector 300 and the rotating part 420 electrically connected to the first connector 200 can maintain relative rotation. When the first connector 200 twists, the rotating part 420 can rotate with the first connector 200 to straighten it, thereby reducing the possibility of the first connector 200 getting tangled. In one embodiment, the rotating part 420 is coaxially rotatably connected to the contact part 430 via a turntable structure. Specifically, the turntable structure includes a base and a face plate rotatably connected via ball bearings. The rotating part 420 is mounted on the base, and the contact part 430 is mounted on the face plate. The base and face plate rotate coaxially relative to each other. The face plate is fixedly connected to the inner ring of the ball bearing, and the base is fixedly connected to the outer ring of the ball bearing. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the contact portion 430 is rotatably connected to the rotating portion 420 via a spherical structure. Specifically, the contact portion 430 is mounted on the spherical structure, the spherical structure is movably accommodated on the concave spherical surface of the rotating portion 420, and the rotating portion 420 is rotatably connected to the rotating portion 420 with the center of the spherical structure as the rotation point, so that the contact portion 430 and the rotating portion 420 can maintain a greater range of rotation.

[0038] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this embodiment, a rotating groove 4201 is formed on the rotating part 420, and the contact part 430 is rotatably disposed within the rotating groove 4201. Specifically, the rotating part 420 is elongated cylindrical, the contact part 430 is disc-shaped, the rotating groove 4201 is formed on the circular end face of the rotating part 420, the contact part 430 is disposed within the rotating groove 4201, and the outer peripheral wall of the contact part 430 slides against the inner groove wall of the rotating groove 4201. It can be understood that the outer peripheral wall of the contact part 430 slides against the inner groove wall of the rotating groove 4201, so that the contact part 430 can maintain a rotatable state on the circular end face of the rotating part 420 under the constraint of the inner groove wall of the rotating groove 4201.

[0039] In some embodiments, the rotating part 420 and the contact part 430 are rotatably disposed within the sleeve 100. It can be understood that by rotatably disposing the rotating part 420 and the contact part 430 within the sleeve 100, both the rotating part 420 and the contact part 430 can rotate independently relative to the sleeve 100. This allows the rotating part 420 to rotate with the first connector 200 relative to the second connector 300, thereby reducing the likelihood of the first connector 200 becoming knotted.

[0040] In order for the contact portion 430 to rotate relative to the rotating portion 420, that is, for the contact portion 430 and the sleeve 100 to remain in a movable state, the arrangement between the contact portion 430 and the sleeve 100 is not limited to the following:

[0041] In one embodiment, the outer peripheral wall of the contact portion 430 slides against the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100. It is understood that by sliding the outer peripheral wall of the contact portion 430 against the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100, the contact portion 430 can maintain a rotatable state with respect to the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100. Simultaneously, because the outer peripheral wall of the contact portion 430 is constrained by the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100, the contact portion 430 can rotate smoothly coaxially relative to the sleeve 100.

[0042] In another embodiment, the outer peripheral wall of the contact portion 430 is rotatably connected to the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100. It can be understood that the outer peripheral wall of the contact portion 430 is rotatably connected to the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100 via a bearing, and is fixedly connected to both the outer and inner rings of the bearing, allowing the contact portion 430 to rotate coaxially relative to the sleeve 100 under the action of the bearing.

[0043] In other embodiments, a movable space is formed between the outer peripheral wall of the contact portion 430 and the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100. It can be understood that because a movable space is formed between the outer peripheral wall of the contact portion 430 and the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100, the contact portion 430 can remain movable inside the sleeve 100, thereby enabling it to move synchronously with the second connector 300.

[0044] In order for the rotating part 420 to rotate relative to the contact part 430, that is, for the rotating part 420 and the sleeve 100 to remain in a movable state, the arrangement between the rotating part 420 and the sleeve 100 is not limited to the following:

[0045] In one embodiment, the outer peripheral wall of the rotating part 420 slides against the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100. It can be understood that by making the outer peripheral wall of the rotating part 420 slide against the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100, the rotating part 420 can maintain a rotatable state with respect to the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100. Simultaneously, because the outer peripheral wall of the rotating part 420 is constrained by the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100, the rotating part 420 can rotate smoothly coaxially relative to the sleeve 100.

[0046] In another embodiment, the outer peripheral wall of the rotating part 420 rotates relative to the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100. It can be understood that the outer peripheral wall of the rotating part 420 is rotatably connected to the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100 via a bearing, and is fixedly connected to both the outer and inner rings of the bearing, allowing the rotating part 420 to rotate coaxially relative to the sleeve 100 under the action of the bearing.

[0047] In other embodiments, a movable gap is formed between the outer peripheral wall of the rotating part 420 and the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 100. It is understood that because of this movable gap, the rotating part 420 can remain movable inside the sleeve 100, thereby rotating synchronously with the first connecting member 200. When the first connecting member 200 twists, the rotating part 420 can rotate with the first connecting member 200 to return it to its original position, thus reducing the possibility of the first connecting member 200 becoming tangled.

[0048] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the rotating portion 420 and the contact portion 430 have the same axis of rotation. It can be understood that because the rotating portion 420 and the contact portion 430 have the same axis of rotation, they can maintain a coaxial rotational state. Specifically, the first connecting member 200 has the same axis of rotation as the rotating portion 420, allowing the first connecting member 200 to rotate synchronously with the rotating portion 420 relative to the contact portion 430.

[0049] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the first connector 200 passes through the inner ring of the waterproof bearing 410, and a sealing fit exists between the first connector 200 and the inner ring of the waterproof bearing 410. It can be understood that because of the sealing fit between the first connector 200 and the inner ring of the waterproof bearing 410—that is, the inner ring wall of the waterproof bearing 410 is sealed to the outer peripheral wall of the first connector 200—water seepage from the gap between the inner ring wall of the waterproof bearing 410 and the outer peripheral wall of the first connector 200 can be reduced.

[0050] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the inner ring wall of the waterproof bearing 410 is sealed against the outer peripheral wall of the first connector 200. It can be understood that, since the inner ring wall of the waterproof bearing 410 is sealed against the outer peripheral wall of the first connector 200, the inner ring of the waterproof bearing 410 can also be fixedly connected to the outer peripheral wall of the first connector 200 by a sealing structure. The sealing structure can be a sealant, etc.

[0051] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the outer ring of the waterproof bearing 410 is sealed to the inner wall of the sleeve 100. It is understood that because the outer ring of the waterproof bearing 410 is sealed to the inner wall of the sleeve 100, water seepage from the gap between the outer ring of the waterproof bearing 410 and the inner wall of the sleeve 100 can be reduced. Specifically, the outer ring of the waterproof bearing 410 abuts against the inner wall of the sleeve 100; alternatively, the outer ring of the waterproof bearing 410 can be fixedly connected to the inner wall of the sleeve 100 by a sealing structure. The sealing structure can be a sealant, etc.

[0052] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, a movable gap 1102 exists between the first connector 200 and the inner wall of the sleeve 100. It is understood that because of the movable gap 1102 between the first connector 200 and the inner wall of the sleeve 100, the first connector 200 and the sleeve 100 can remain movable, thereby reducing the interference of the sleeve 100 on the rotation of the first connector 200, and thus enabling the first connector 200 to drive the rotating part 420 inside the sleeve 100 to rotate.

[0053] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this embodiment, the first connector 200 includes a transmission wire 210 and a waterproof conduit 220 that are sealed and mated together. A waterproof bearing 410 is sleeved on the outside of the waterproof conduit 220, and the wire harness of the transmission wire 210 is electrically connected to the rotating part 420 through the waterproof conduit 220. Specifically, the end of the transmission wire 210 is embedded in the waterproof conduit 220, and the inner wall of the waterproof conduit 220 is sealed and abutted or glued to the outer wall of the transmission wire 210. Further, the number of waterproof bearings 410 is at least two, and the at least two waterproof bearings 410 are coaxially arranged along the length direction of the waterproof conduit 220.

[0054] Please see Figure 1 Furthermore, the outer surface of the sheath 100 is provided with an inlet 1101, which is connected to the interior of the sheath 100. A flared retaining ring 1110 is installed inside the inlet 1101, and the end of the transmission wire 210 is embedded in the waterproof conduit 220 through the flared retaining ring 1110. A movable gap 1102 is formed between a portion of the outer peripheral wall of the transmission wire 210 and the inner ring wall of the flared retaining ring 1110, which further reduces the interference of the sheath 100 on the rotation of the first connector 200.

[0055] Please see Figures 1 to 3 In this embodiment, the sheath 100 includes a detachably sealed first housing 110 and a second housing 120; a closed cavity is formed between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120, and an electrical connection structure 400 is located within the closed cavity. The outer ring of the waterproof bearing 410 is sealed to the inner wall of the first housing 110. The portion of the second connector 300 located within the second housing 120 forms a plug-in portion 310, which is plugged into and pulled into a contact portion 430, so that the second connector 300 is electrically connected to the contact portion 430. Specifically, the second connector 300 is a wire structure, and the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are threaded together and bonded with waterproof adhesive.

[0056] Compared with the prior art, this disclosure has at least the following advantages:

[0057] In the aforementioned waterproof connector, the electrical connection structure 400 between the first connector 200 and the second connector 300 is located within the housing 100. The first connector 200 passes through a waterproof bearing 410 and is electrically connected to the rotating part 420. When the first connector 200 twists, it can seal against the housing 100 under the action of the waterproof bearing 410. At this time, the first connector 200 can rotate relative to the housing 100, reducing water ingress. This allows the electrically connected first connector 200 and the rotating part 420 to rotate synchronously back to their original positions, thereby reducing tangling of the first connector 200. Thus, in this waterproof connector, the contact portion 430, electrically connected to the second connector 300, remains electrically connected during rotation, reducing water ingress and making it better suited for underwater environments.

[0058] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this disclosure, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this disclosure, and these all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A waterproof connector, comprising a sheath, a first connector, and a second connector; wherein an electrical connection structure between the first connector and the second connector is located within the sheath; Its features are, The electrical connection structure includes a waterproof bearing, a rotating part, and a contact part; the first connector passes through the waterproof bearing and is electrically connected to the rotating part; the second connector is electrically connected to the contact part, and the rotating part and the contact part are used to maintain an electrical connection state when they rotate relative to each other.

2. The waterproof connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating part and the contact part are rotatably connected to each other.

3. The waterproof connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating part and the contact part are respectively rotatably disposed within the sleeve.

4. The waterproof connector according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The outer peripheral wall of the contact portion slides against the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve; or, The outer peripheral wall of the contact portion is rotatably connected to the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve; or A movable space is formed between the outer peripheral wall of the contact portion and the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve.

5. The waterproof connector according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The outer peripheral wall of the rotating part slides against the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve; or, The outer peripheral wall of the rotating part is rotatably connected to the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve; or A movable gap is formed between the outer peripheral wall of the rotating part and the inner peripheral wall of the sleeve.

6. The waterproof connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating part and the contact part have the same axis of rotation.

7. The waterproof connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first connector passes through the inner ring of the waterproof bearing, and there is a sealing fit between the first connector and the inner ring of the waterproof bearing.

8. The waterproof connector according to claim 7, characterized in that, The inner ring wall of the waterproof bearing is sealed against the outer peripheral wall of the first connector.

9. The waterproof connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer ring of the waterproof bearing is sealed to fit the inner wall of the casing.

10. The waterproof connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, There is a movable gap between the first connector and the inner wall of the sleeve.

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