An underwater sealed connector

Abstract

The utility model discloses an underwater sealed connector, including male end connector and female end connector, male end connector includes first casing, a plurality of contact pins, support framework, sealing element and elastic part, a plurality of contact pins are fixed on the base in first casing, and the outside of contact pin is wrapped with insulating part, and the insulating part is provided with opening to expose the contact of contact pin The part, a plurality of through -holes corresponding to a plurality of contact pins are set up on the support framework, and one end of elastic part is in abutment with the base, and the other end is in abutment with the support framework, and sealing element is in abutment with insulating part to seal the contact part, female end connector includes second casing and a plurality of located in the plug -in end of second casing's insertion slot, and a plurality of insertion slots are set up with contact pin one -one correspondence. The utility model solves the problem that the needle type plug of underwater sealed connector lacks protection when the underwater equipment is maintained currently.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of connector technology, and in particular to an underwater sealed connector. Background Technology

[0002] In marine industry and marine military construction, underwater sealed connectors are an indispensable part, used for connecting cables or optical fibers underwater. Specifically, underwater sealed connectors consist of two parts: a pin plug and a socket. These two parts can be easily plugged together by divers, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), or underwater robots (AUVs), achieving rapid, efficient, and reliable construction, and greatly improving the reliability and maintainability of the entire underwater system.

[0003] Currently, when repairing underwater equipment, it is necessary to separate the pin plug and socket of the underwater sealed connector. Typically, the pin plug is fixed to the pile foundation where the underwater equipment is located, and the underwater equipment with the socket is hoisted off the seabed. However, because the pin plug lacks protection underwater, the pins are not only susceptible to corrosion by seawater but also easily damaged by external forces. Furthermore, the gaps between the pins can easily harbor marine organisms, which can affect the reconnection of the pin plug and socket. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this utility model provides an underwater sealing connector that solves the problem of the lack of protection for the pin plugs of underwater sealing connectors when repairing underwater equipment.

[0005] This utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0006] An underwater sealing connector, characterized in that it comprises:

[0007] Male connector and female connector, which are plugged into each other;

[0008] The male connector includes a first housing, a plurality of pins, a support frame, a seal, and an elastic element. The plurality of pins are fixed on a base inside the first housing. An insulating element is wrapped around the outside of each pin, and the insulating element has an opening near the end of the pin to expose the contact portion of the pin. The support frame has a plurality of through holes corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of pins. The seal is at least partially formed in the through holes. One end of the elastic element abuts against the base, and the other end abuts against the support frame. Before the male connector and the female connector are inserted, the contact portion of the pin is located in the through hole, and the seal abuts against the insulating element to seal the contact portion.

[0009] The female connector includes a second housing and a plurality of slots located at the insertion end of the second housing, and the plurality of slots are configured to correspond one-to-one with the pins.

[0010] Furthermore, the sealing element includes a sealing portion formed within the perforation, the sealing portion being a hollow cylindrical shape and abutting against the insulating element, and the contact portion being located within the sealing portion when the male connector and the female connector are in a separated state.

[0011] Furthermore, a plurality of protrusions are formed on the inner peripheral wall of the sealing portion, and the protrusions abut against the outer periphery of the insulating member.

[0012] Furthermore, the sealing element also includes a first filling portion and a second filling portion respectively connected to both ends of the sealing portion, wherein the first filling portion and the second filling portion are respectively formed on opposite sides of the support frame.

[0013] Furthermore, the pin includes a pin body and a contact portion formed by the pin body protruding outward in the circumferential direction. The contact portion is annular and at least partially located within the opening, and the outer diameter of the contact portion is not greater than the outer diameter of the insulating member corresponding to the opening.

[0014] Furthermore, the opening is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the insulator and is directly opposite the radial outer side of the pin.

[0015] Furthermore, a limiting block is protruding on the inner peripheral wall of the first housing, and a protrusion is protruding on the outer peripheral surface of the support frame; when the male connector and the female connector are separated, the limiting block abuts against the protrusion to prevent the support frame from detaching from the first housing.

[0016] Furthermore, the sealing element is integrally formed on the support frame.

[0017] Furthermore, a keyway is recessed on the inner peripheral wall of the first housing, and a guide key that engages with the keyway is protruded on the outer peripheral surface of the second housing.

[0018] Furthermore, it also includes a locking sleeve with internal threads, the locking sleeve being sleeved around the periphery of the second housing, and the outer periphery of the first housing being provided with external threads that mate with the internal threads;

[0019] The locking sleeve protrudes inward in the radial direction to form an abutment block, and a limiting protrusion is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the second housing, and the outer diameter d1 of the limiting protrusion is greater than the inner diameter d2 of the abutment block.

[0020] When the internal thread mates with the external thread, the abutment block, the limiting protrusion, and the internal thread are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the female end connector, and the abutment block is used to press the limiting protrusion onto the first housing.

[0021] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this utility model are:

[0022] When the male and female connectors are not plugged in, the contact portion of the pin is located inside the through hole, and the seal and the insulator abut against each other to seal the contact portion. This effectively isolates the pin from the damage caused by silt, marine organisms, and corrosive substances in the marine environment, ensuring that the pin is always in good performance condition when not in use. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater sealing connector in its unconnected state.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater sealing connector during the mating process.

[0025] Figure 3 A partial structural cross-sectional view of the underwater sealing connector;

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the supporting framework;

[0027] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the supporting frame and seals;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the pin and insulation.

[0029] 100. Male connector; 110. First housing; 111. Limiting block; 112. External thread; 120. Pin; 121. Contact part; 130. Support frame; 131. Through hole; 132. Protrusion; 140. Seal; 141. Sealing part; 1410. Protrusion; 142. First filling part; 143. Second filling part; 150. Elastic element; 160. Base; 170. Insulating element; 171. Opening; 200. Female connector; 210. Second housing; 211. Limiting protrusion; 300. Locking sleeve; 310. Internal thread. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The following detailed, non-limiting description of the utility model's technical solution, in conjunction with preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings, is provided. In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0031] like Figures 1-3As shown, an underwater sealing connector according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a male connector 100 and a female connector 200, which are plugged into each other. The male connector 100 includes a first housing 110, a plurality of pins 120, a support frame 130, a seal 140, and an elastic element 150. The plurality of pins 120 are fixed to a base 160 within the first housing 110. An insulating element 170 is wrapped around the outside of each pin 120, and the insulating element 170 has an opening 171 at the end of the pin 120 to expose the contact portion 121 of the pin 120. The support frame 130 has a plurality of through holes 131 corresponding to each pin 120. The seal 140 is at least partially formed within the through holes 131. One end of the elastic element 150 abuts against the base 160, and the other end abuts against the support frame 130. Before the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 are inserted, the contact portion 120 of the pins 120... The male connector 100 is located within the through hole 131, and the sealing element 140 abuts against the insulating element 170 to seal the contact portion 121. The female connector 200 includes a second housing 210 and a plurality of slots located at the insertion end of the second housing 210, with each slot corresponding to a pin 120. When the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 are inserted, the support frame 130 moves relative to the pin 120 against the elastic force of the elastic element 150, and the contact portion 121 of the pin 120 disengages from the through hole 131 and enters the corresponding slot. When the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 are separated, the support frame 130 moves relative to the pin 120 under the elastic force of the elastic element 150, and the contact portion 121 of the pin 120 disengages from the slot and enters the corresponding through hole 131. During the mating process of this watertight connector, no additional operation is required to achieve electrical contact between the pin 120 and the slot. Specifically, under the action of an external force, the support frame 130 in the male connector 100 moves relative to the pin 120, causing the contact portion 121 of the pin 120 to disengage from the through hole 131 on the support frame 130 and accurately enter the corresponding slot in the female connector 200. This quickly achieves a stable electrical connection, avoiding the cumbersome steps of removing the protective cover before insertion, greatly improving connection efficiency and reducing the risk of errors caused by manual operation. When the watertight connector is in a disengaged state, no additional operation is required to effectively protect the pin 120. During the disengagement process, the support frame 130 moves in the opposite direction relative to the pin 120 under the action of the elastic element 150, causing the contact portion 121 of the pin 120 to disengage from the slot and re-enter the through hole 131 in the support frame 130. At this time, the sealing element 140 and the insulating element 170 are tightly abutted, forming a reliable sealing structure that completely protects the contact portion 121 of the pin 120.This automatic protection mechanism effectively isolates the pin 120 from silt, marine organisms, and corrosive substances in the marine environment, ensuring that the pin 120 remains in good performance condition when not in use. Furthermore, the entire separation and protection process can be achieved simply by normal insertion and removal operations, making it simple and convenient. This greatly enhances the convenience and reliability of watertight connectors in practical use and significantly improves underwater operation efficiency. For example, in deep-sea environments, divers or underwater robots can quickly insert and remove the connector, reducing underwater time and lowering operational risks.

[0032] A limiting block 111 protrudes from the inner peripheral wall of the first housing 110, and a protrusion 132 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the support frame 130. When the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 are separated, the limiting block 111 abuts against the protrusion 132 to prevent the support frame 130 from detaching from the first housing 110. Specifically, before the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 are inserted, under the elastic force of the elastic member 150, the side of the protrusion 132 on the support frame 130 away from the elastic member 150 abuts against the limiting block 111. At this time, the contact portion 121 of the pin 120 is located in the through hole 131, and the sealing member 140 abuts against the insulating member 170 to seal the contact portion 121. By setting elastic members 150 and limiting blocks 111 on opposite sides of the support frame 130, the support frame 130 is prevented from moving axially on its own, ensuring the structural stability of the support frame 130. This further ensures that the contact part 121 of the pin 120 is stably located in the through hole 131, and is isolated from the outside seawater by relying on the sealing member 140 and the insulating member 170 to abut against each other.

[0033] In this embodiment, reference Figure 5 The sealing element 140 is integrally formed on the support frame 130. Specifically, the sealing element 140 is integrally formed on the support frame 130 through a vulcanization process. The vulcanization process makes the interface bonding strength between the sealing element 140 and the support frame 130 high. This bonding method can effectively resist swelling and peeling caused by seawater penetration.

[0034] like Figure 5As shown, the seal 140 includes a sealing portion 141 formed within the perforation 131 and a first filling portion 142 and a second filling portion 143 connected to both ends of the sealing portion 141. The sealing portion 141 is a hollow cylindrical shape and abuts against the insulating member 170 to seal the contact portion 121. When the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 are in a separated state, the contact portion 121 is located within the sealing portion 141. The first filling portion 142 and the second filling portion 143 are respectively formed on opposite sides of the support frame 130. The first filling portion 142 and the second filling portion 143 being formed on opposite sides of the support frame 130 can further prevent misalignment between the seal 140 and the support frame 130 in the axial direction, thereby improving the bonding strength between the seal 140 and the support frame 130.

[0035] like Figure 5 As shown, multiple protrusions 1410 are formed on the inner peripheral wall of the sealing part 141, and the protrusions 1410 abut against the outer periphery of the insulating member 170. The design of the protrusions 1410 further increases the bonding strength between the sealing part 141 and the insulating member 170, preventing the support frame 130 from moving axially and causing the contact part 121 of the pin 120 to be exposed in seawater. It is understood that the elastic force of the elastic member 150 in this utility model is greater than the sum of the frictional forces between all the outer insulating members 170 of the pins and the corresponding sealing parts 141, so that when the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 need to be separated, after the external force is released, the elastic member 150 can recover its deformation by virtue of its stored elastic potential energy, pushing the support frame 130 to move in the opposite direction relative to the pin 120. This allows the contact part 121 of the pin 120 to exit from the slot and re-enter the through hole 131.

[0036] refer to Figure 6 The pin 120 includes a pin body 122 and a contact portion 121 formed by the pin body 122 protruding outward in the circumferential direction, further referencing Figure 3 The contact portion 121 is annular and at least partially located within the opening 171, and the outer diameter of the contact portion 121 is not greater than the outer diameter of the insulating member 170 corresponding to the opening 171. Preferably, the outer diameter of the contact portion 121 is equal to the outer diameter of the insulating member 170 corresponding to the opening 171 to facilitate electrical contact with the slot. When the pin 120 is inserted into the through hole 131, the contact portion 121 of the pin 120 and / or the insulating member 170 on the outside of the pin 120 compress the sealing portion 141 of the sealing member 140. Since the sealing member 140 has a certain compression margin, after the pin 120 is inserted, the sealing portion 141 is compressed and fits tightly against the contact portion 121 and / or the outer wall of the insulating member 170.

[0037] In addition, the opening 171 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the insulator 170 and is directly opposite the radial outer side of the pin 120, and the end of the pin 120 is covered by the insulator 170 to block it from the outside seawater and prevent it from being corroded by seawater.

[0038] The inner peripheral wall of the first housing 110 is recessed to form a keyway, and the outer peripheral surface of the second housing 210 is provided with a guide key that mates with the keyway to prevent misalignment between the male connector 100 and the female connector 200.

[0039] The underwater sealing connector also includes a locking sleeve 300 with an internal thread 310, which is sleeved around the second housing 210. The outer periphery of the first housing 110 is provided with an external thread 112 that is threadedly engaged with the internal thread 310.

[0040] In addition, refer to Figure 2 The locking sleeve 300 protrudes inward in the radial direction to form an abutment block 320. The outer peripheral wall of the second housing 210 is provided with a limiting protrusion 211, and the outer diameter d1 of the limiting protrusion 211 is greater than the inner diameter d2 of the abutment block 320. When the internal thread 310 is engaged with the external thread 112, the abutment block 320, the limiting protrusion 211 and the internal thread 310 are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the female end connector 200, and the abutment block 320 is used to press the limiting protrusion 211 onto the first housing 110.

[0041] The working principle of this utility model is as follows:

[0042] When the male connector 100 and female connector 200 are ready to be inserted, the operator aligns them. The precise fit between the guide key on the outer circumference of the second housing 210 and the keyway on the inner circumference of the first housing 110 ensures accurate insertion direction, preventing damage caused by misalignment of the pin 120 and the slot. During insertion, the male connector 100 is pushed closer to the female connector, and the female connector 200 pushes the support frame 130 to overcome the elastic force of the elastic element 150, causing the support frame 130 to move relative to the pin 120 towards the base 160. As the support frame 130 moves, the contact portion 121 of the pin 120 gradually disengages from the through hole 131 and finally precisely enters the corresponding slot in the second housing 210, completing the electrical connection.

[0043] When the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 need to be separated, after the external force is released, the elastic element 150 recovers its deformation by utilizing its stored elastic potential energy, pushing the support frame 130 to move in the opposite direction relative to the pin 120. At this time, the contact portion 121 of the pin 120 exits from the slot and re-enters the through hole 131. The sealing portion 141 of the sealing element 140 quickly and tightly abuts against the insulating element 170, completely sealing the contact portion 121, effectively preventing water from entering the connector and ensuring the connector's waterproof performance in the separated state.

[0044] Furthermore, after the male connector 100 and the female connector 200 are inserted into place, the locking sleeve 300 is rotated so that its internal thread 310 engages with the external thread 112 of the first housing 110. At the same time, the limiting protrusion 211 abuts against the locking sleeve 300 and the first housing 110 to form a mechanical locking structure, which prevents the connector from being accidentally separated due to water flow impact, vibration and other factors in the complex underwater environment, and ensures the stability of the connection.

[0045] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this 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 utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An underwater sealing connector, characterized in that, include: A male connector (100) and a female connector (200) are plugged into each other. The male connector (100) includes a first housing (110), a plurality of pins (120), a support frame (130), a seal (140), and an elastic element (150). The plurality of pins (120) are fixed on a base (160) inside the first housing (110). An insulating element (170) is wrapped around the outside of each pin (120), and the insulating element (170) has an opening (171) near the end of the pin (120) to expose the contact portion (121) of the pin (120). The support frame (130) has an opening... The device has a plurality of through holes (131) corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of pins (120). The sealing element (140) is at least partially formed in the through holes (131). One end of the elastic element (150) abuts against the base (160) and the other end abuts against the support frame (130). Before the male connector (100) and the female connector (200) are inserted, the contact portion (121) of the pin (120) is located in the through hole (131), and the sealing element (140) abuts against the insulating element (170) to seal the contact portion (121). The female connector (200) includes a second housing (210) and a plurality of slots located at the plug end of the second housing (210), and the plurality of slots are configured to correspond one-to-one with the pins (120).

2. The underwater sealing connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing element (140) includes a sealing portion (141) formed in the perforation (131), the sealing portion (141) being a hollow cylindrical shape and abutting against the insulating element (170), and the contact portion (121) being located in the sealing portion (141) when the male connector (100) and the female connector (200) are in a separated state.

3. The underwater sealing connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, A plurality of protrusions (1410) are formed on the inner peripheral wall of the sealing part (141), and the protrusions (1410) abut against the outer periphery of the insulating member (170).

4. The underwater sealing connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sealing element (140) further includes a first filling part (142) and a second filling part (143) respectively connected to both ends of the sealing part (141), the first filling part (142) and the second filling part (143) being formed on opposite sides of the support frame (130).

5. The underwater sealing connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pin (120) includes a pin body (122) and a contact portion (121) formed by the pin body (122) protruding outward in the circumferential direction. The contact portion (121) is annular and is at least partially located within the opening (171). The outer diameter of the contact portion (121) is not greater than the outer diameter of the insulating member (170) at the opening (171).

6. The underwater sealing connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The opening (171) is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the insulator (170) and is directly opposite the radial outer side of the pin (120).

7. The underwater sealing connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, A limiting block (111) is provided on the inner peripheral wall of the first housing (110), and a protrusion (132) is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the support frame (130); when the male connector (100) and the female connector (200) are separated, the limiting block (111) abuts against the protrusion (132) to prevent the support frame (130) from detaching from the first housing (110).

8. The underwater sealing connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The seal (140) is integrally formed on the support frame (130).

9. The underwater sealing connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner peripheral wall of the first housing (110) is also recessed to form a keyway, and the outer peripheral surface of the second housing (210) is provided with a guide key that mates with the keyway.

10. The underwater sealing connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a locking sleeve (300) with an internal thread (310), the locking sleeve (300) being sleeved on the periphery of the second housing (210), and the outer periphery of the first housing (110) being provided with an external thread (112) that is threadedly engaged with the internal thread (310); The locking sleeve (300) protrudes inward in the radial direction to form an abutment block (320), and a limiting protrusion (211) is protruding on the outer peripheral wall of the second housing (210), and the outer diameter d1 of the limiting protrusion (211) is greater than the inner diameter d2 of the abutment block (320). When the internal thread (310) mates with the external thread (112), the abutment block (320), the limiting protrusion (211) and the internal thread (310) are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the female end connector (200), and the abutment block (320) is used to press the limiting protrusion (211) onto the first housing (110).

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