An observation window device for a manned negative pressure cabin

Abstract

An observation window device for a manned negative pressure chamber includes an observation window body and a light-blocking assembly. The observation window body is a circular structure formed by multiple layers of hollow tempered glass sealed with a sealing ring. The multi-layer hollow tempered glass structure includes an outermost layer of pressure-resistant glass, a second outermost layer of laminated tempered glass, and three inner layers of heat-insulating glass. This device not only uses multi-layer glass for heat insulation to reduce the temperature difference of the single-layer glass, enhancing its low-temperature resistance and resistance to temperature changes, and preventing the sealing ring from directly contacting the low temperature, thus reducing the possibility of damage to the sealing ring and expanding its applicability, but also adopts a circular design to eliminate corner areas, optimize airtightness, and enhance pressure resistance. This invention can adapt to low-temperature negative pressure environments, is highly practical, and has a wider range of applications.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cryogenic and low-pressure cabin door and window equipment technology, and in particular to an observation window device for a manned negative pressure cabin. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, to facilitate direct observation of the interior of a manned negative pressure cabin, observation windows are typically installed on the cabin door as the sole visual channel, making their structural performance crucial. Existing observation windows have limitations under low-temperature conditions and significant temperature differences between the inside and outside. Traditional observation windows have simple structures, and in extreme temperatures, the large temperature difference can easily damage the window structure due to the thermal expansion and contraction of gases. The sealing rings also age faster due to direct contact with low temperatures. Furthermore, traditional observation windows are mostly square in structure, and under negative pressure, their corners easily become weak points in airtightness and stress concentration areas, resulting in poor structural pressure resistance. Therefore, it is necessary to design a pressure- and temperature-resistant observation window device to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the shortcomings of existing systems, this invention proposes an observation window device for a manned negative pressure cabin.

[0004] An observation window device for a manned negative pressure chamber includes an observation window body and a light-shielding assembly. The observation window body is a circular structure formed by multiple layers of hollow tempered glass sealed with sealing rings. The multi-layer hollow tempered glass structure includes an outermost pressure-resistant glass, a second outermost laminated tempered glass, and three inner layers of heat-insulating glass. The pressure-resistant glass and the laminated tempered glass are tightly bonded together to form a pressure-bearing substrate. An air gap cavity is provided between the heat-insulating glass layers, and a vent is provided at the bottom of each heat-insulating glass layer to achieve air pressure balance. The observation window body is detachably pressed between the door flange and the chamber body by bolts and is fixed by bolts evenly distributed around the circumference. A sealed light-shielding box is fixedly installed on the chamber body outside the observation window body. The front of the light-shielding box is provided with a light-shielding plate that can be pushed up and down. The sealing rings include an outer sealing ring fitted on the outside of the observation window body for glass sealing and an inner sealing ring fitted on the inside of the observation window body for chamber sealing.

[0005] The observation window body comprises a multi-layered tempered glass design, wherein the pressure-resistant functional glass is the outermost layer, the laminated tempered glass is the next outermost layer and is tightly bonded to the pressure-resistant functional glass, and the three layers of heat-insulating functional glass are the inner layers. The air gap between the heat-insulating functional glass is 2-5mm thick. The ventilation holes of each layer of heat-insulating functional glass penetrate the glass body to balance the air pressure changes caused by temperature differences in a negative pressure environment. The entire glass body is fixed between the door flange and the cabin body by bolts and bolts to form a stepped temperature gradient for uniform thermal stress distribution.

[0006] The sealing ring is made of rubber. The outer sealing ring is fitted around the outermost layer of pressure-resistant glass of the observation window body to ensure the overall airtight sealing of the glass structure. The inner sealing ring is fitted at the joint between the observation window body and the door flange to achieve the airtightness of the cabin. The contact surfaces of the sealing ring with the glass body and the cabin body form a sealing interface through the compression force of bolts to reduce the risk of sealing ring damage in low-temperature environments.

[0007] The observation window body is mounted on the hatch flange in a door-like opening structure via hinges. The hinges connect the observation window body to the hatch flange and are fixed axially and evenly distributed by bolts. The mechanical limiting design of the hinges prevents the window from tipping over due to gravity, ensuring operational safety and sealing reliability under negative pressure conditions.

[0008] The light-shielding assembly includes a light-shielding box and a light-shielding plate. The light-shielding box is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the cabin and integrated with the cabin by welding or bolting. The light-shielding plate is slidably connected in the front sliding groove of the light-shielding box and realizes the light adjustment function by pushing and pulling up and down. The sliding mechanism of the light-shielding plate includes a guide rail and a limit block to ensure smooth operation in low-temperature environments.

[0009] The light-shielding box is a sealed structure, and its body is made of metal and fixed to the cabin body with bolts. The inner wall of the light-shielding box is aligned with the pressure-resistant glass of the observation window body to form a continuous protective layer. The push-pull mechanism of the light-shielding plate includes a handle and a locking device, which is used to quickly achieve the light-shielding effect in a negative pressure environment.

[0010] This invention provides an observation window device for a manned negative pressure chamber. Existing observation windows are mostly square, and stress concentration easily occurs at the corners (FEA shows stress peak ≥200MPa), leading to sealing failure. This device adopts an overall circular design (no right angles), and disperses pressure through an axisymmetric structure, with stress peak ≤80MPa (ANSYS verified), improving pressure resistance by 40%, while optimizing airtightness (leaking rate reduced by 90%).

[0011] Traditional solutions rely on a single layer of thickened glass, which is prone to cracking due to large temperature differences. This device innovatively combines a five-layer composite structure: a pressure-bearing layer 11, an impact-resistant laminated layer 2, and an air cavity between the insulation layers 3 to block heat conduction. Combined with vents 10, it dynamically balances air pressure, eliminating the "hot spot" effect (temperature gradient ≤ 5℃ / layer), and improving resistance to temperature changes by 70%. This is the first time in the industry that a stepped thermal management system has been achieved.

[0012] Conventional designs use a single sealing ring that directly contacts low temperatures, accelerating aging. This device innovatively employs a dual-sealing system with outer and inner sealing rings (7) for pressure distribution: the outer sealing ring protects the glass layer, while the inner sealing ring focuses on sealing the chamber and isolating it from low-temperature contact (the sealing ring's operating temperature is -60℃, reducing the direct contact area with low temperatures by 80%). This design reduces the sealing ring damage rate by 5 times and expands the applicable temperature range to -60℃.

[0013] Existing light-shielding functions are mostly externally mounted, increasing the risk of leakage. This device directly fixes the light-shielding box 8 to the cabin 5 and integrates it with the window through bolts to form a sealed protective layer. The push-pull mechanism and limit block design of the light-shielding plate 9 ensure smooth operation under negative pressure.

[0014] The above innovations stem from a systematic solution to the problem of "window failure under low-temperature negative pressure environments." By integrating a circular structure, multi-layered insulation, double sealing, and modular design, it achieves simultaneous improvements in temperature difference control, seal life, and pressure resistance in the manned cabin field. The device has been validated in high-altitude scientific expeditions and deep-sea operations, demonstrating strong practicality and industry-wide value. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an observation window device used in a manned negative pressure cabin.

[0016] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the installation structure of the observation window device.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the details of the observation window. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The following is a detailed description of an observation window device for a manned negative pressure cabin provided by the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0019] according to Figure 1-3As shown, an observation window device 1 for a manned negative pressure chamber includes an observation window body and a light-blocking assembly. The observation window body is a circular structure formed by multiple layers of hollow tempered glass sealed by a sealing ring 7. The multiple layers of hollow tempered glass include an outermost pressure-resistant glass 11, a second outermost laminated tempered glass 2, and three inner layers of heat-insulating glass 3. The pressure-resistant glass 11 and the laminated tempered glass 2 are tightly bonded together to form a pressure-bearing matrix. An air gap cavity is provided between the heat-insulating glass 3 layers. The lower part of the glass 3 is provided with a vent hole 10 to achieve air pressure balance; the main body of the observation window is detachably pressed between the door flange 6 and the cabin body 5 by bolts 4, and is fixed by bolts 13 evenly distributed around the circumference; a sealed light-shielding box 8 is fixedly installed on the cabin body 5 on the outside of the main body of the observation window, and a light-shielding plate 9 that can be pushed up and down is provided on the front of the light-shielding box 8, wherein the sealing ring 7 includes an outer sealing ring fitted on the outside of the main body of the observation window for glass sealing, and an inner sealing ring fitted on the inside of the main body of the observation window for sealing the cabin body 5.

[0020] The main body of the observation window includes a multi-layer tempered glass design, wherein the pressure-resistant functional glass 11 is the outermost layer, the laminated tempered glass 2 is the next outermost layer and is tightly bonded to the pressure-resistant functional glass 11, and the three layers of heat-insulating functional glass 3 are the inner layers. The air gap between the heat-insulating functional glass 3 is 2-5mm thick. The vent 10 of each layer of heat-insulating functional glass 3 penetrates the glass body to balance the air pressure change caused by temperature difference in a negative pressure environment. The entire glass body is fixed between the door flange 6 and the cabin body 5 by bolts 4 and bolts 13 to form a stepped temperature gradient to uniformly distribute thermal stress.

[0021] The sealing ring 7 is made of rubber. The outer sealing ring is fitted around the outermost pressure-resistant glass 11 of the observation window body to ensure the overall airtight sealing of the glass structure. The inner sealing ring is fitted at the joint between the observation window body and the door flange 6 to achieve the airtightness of the cabin 5. The contact surfaces of the sealing ring 7 with the glass body and the cabin 5 are sealed by the compression force of the bolts 4 to reduce the risk of sealing ring damage in low-temperature environments.

[0022] The main body of the observation window is installed on the door flange 6 via a door-like opening structure using hinges 12. The hinges 12 connect the main body of the observation window to the door flange 6 and are fixed axially and evenly distributed by bolts 13. The mechanical limiting design of the hinges 12 prevents the window from tipping over due to gravity, ensuring operational safety and sealing reliability under negative pressure conditions.

[0023] The light-shielding assembly includes a light-shielding box 8 and a light-shielding plate 9. The light-shielding box 8 is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the cabin 5 and integrated with the cabin 5 by welding or bolting. The light-shielding plate 9 is slidably connected in the front sliding groove of the light-shielding box 8 and realizes the light adjustment function by pushing and pulling up and down. The sliding mechanism of the light-shielding plate 9 includes a guide rail and a limit block to ensure smooth operation in low-temperature environments.

[0024] The light-shielding box 8 is a sealed structure, and its body is made of metal material and fixed to the cabin 5 by bolts. The inner side wall of the light-shielding box 8 is aligned with the pressure-resistant glass 11 of the observation window body to form a continuous protective layer. The push-pull mechanism of the light-shielding plate 9 includes a handle and a locking device, which is used to quickly achieve the light-shielding effect in a negative pressure environment.

[0025] In its implementation, the assembly process of this observation window device consists of four core steps. The operation must be carried out in an environment with a temperature of 15-25℃ and humidity ≤60% to avoid the effects of thermal expansion and contraction of the materials. The specific steps are as follows:

[0026] 1. Multilayer glass lamination and pretreatment

[0027] The five layers of tempered glass are stacked in the following order: the outermost layer is pressure-resistant glass 11 (8mm thick, made of borosilicate glass, with a compressive strength ≥150MPa), the next outermost layer is laminated tempered glass 2, and the remaining three layers are heat-insulating glass 3.

[0028] A 2.5mm air gap cavity is reserved between the insulation layers (the cavity width is controlled by the silicone gasket at the edge of the glass). A 2mm diameter vent hole 10 is drilled at the bottom of each layer of insulation glass 3. The holes are aligned longitudinally and spaced 50mm apart to form a continuous air pressure balance channel.

[0029] Before lamination, clean the glass surface with anhydrous ethanol and apply UV-curable adhesive between the interlayer 2 and the anti-compression layer 11. Press the layers together for 30 minutes using a press (pressure 0.5MPa) to ensure a tight fit without air bubbles.

[0030] 2. Sealing ring installation and window sealing

[0031] A butyl rubber outer sealing ring 7 is embedded in the outer peripheral groove of the pressed glass body to ensure airtightness between glass layers; a fluororubber inner sealing ring 7 is installed on the mating surface between the observation window body and the hatch flange 6 to ensure the airtightness of the cabin 5. After the sealing rings are installed, they are pre-compressed by 20% to compensate for low-temperature shrinkage.

[0032] The encapsulation body is placed in a circular mold, silicone sealant (Dow Corning 732) is injected, and cured for 24 hours to form the main body of the circular observation window.

[0033] 3. Integration of window fixing and light-blocking components:

[0034] Align the main body of the observation window with the door flange 6 (flange material: 304 stainless steel, thickness: 10mm), and pre-tighten it evenly around the circumference using 12 sets of M8 stainless steel bolts 13, tightening it in three stages, and press it between the cabin body 5 (cabin wall thickness: 15mm) and the flange. Add disc spring washers to the heads of bolts 13 to compensate for negative pressure deformation.

[0035] A sealed light-shielding box 8 is welded to the outer wall of the cabin 5, and a helium leak test is performed after welding. The front of the light-shielding box (8) is slotted and fitted with a push-pull light-shielding plate 9. The bottom of the light-shielding plate 9 is equipped with a silicone limit block and the top is fitted with a stainless steel handle. The light-shielding can be adjusted by pushing and pulling up and down for a stroke of 150mm.

[0036] 4. Hinge installation and functional verification:

[0037] The observation window body is installed on the hatch flange 6 in a door-like structure using hinge 12 (made of 316L stainless steel, with a load capacity of 200kg). Low-temperature grease is applied to the hinge 12 pin to ensure that the opening force is ≤30N at -50℃. After installation, a negative pressure test is performed, and the pressure is maintained for 30 minutes to check for leaks in the sealing ring 7.

[0038] Example 1: Application of High-Altitude Negative Pressure Environment Simulation Chamber

[0039] This embodiment is applied to a plateau research station at an altitude of 5,000 meters, with an outside temperature of -40°C, a constant inside temperature of 25°C, and a negative pressure difference of 10 kPa.

[0040] Implementation process: After the main body of the observation window is installed, the ventilation hole 10 automatically balances the changes in air pressure inside and outside the cabin. The air gap between the three heat-insulating glass panes forms a gradient temperature zone. The measured surface temperature of the innermost glass is 18.5℃, with a temperature difference of ≤6.5℃ with the cabin, which is much lower than that of traditional single-layer windows (temperature difference ≥30℃).

[0041] The light-shielding panel 9 can be pushed and pulled 200 times under strong ultraviolet conditions without any jamming of the sliding rail, achieving a 100% light-shielding rate.

[0042] Performance verification: The permanent deformation rate of the sealing ring (7) under compression at -40℃ is <5% (national standard requires ≤15%); the overall air tightness test of the window shows a leakage rate of ≤0.05% vol / h (GB / T 12130 standard).

[0043] Example 2: Observation window of the manned cabin of a polar submersible

[0044] This embodiment is designed for deep-sea operations in polar regions, with an outside water temperature of -2°C, an inside water temperature of 25°C, a negative pressure difference of 15 kPa, and the window subjected to a hydrostatic pressure of 0.8 MPa.

[0045] Implementation process: The pressure-resistant glass 11 and the laminated layer 2 work together to bear the pressure, and the deformation at the center of the window is ≤0.1mm (ANSYS simulation value); In low temperature environment, the vent holes (10) of the triple heat insulation glass 3 discharge condensate water to avoid freezing and a decrease in light transmittance;

[0046] Extreme tests: Temperature change test (-60℃→25℃ cycle 50 times), no cracks in the window, no hardening of sealing ring 7; negative pressure limit test (vacuuming the chamber to -95kPa), no leakage at bolt 13 connection, and the opening force of hinge 12 is still ≤20N.

[0047] Two examples demonstrate that: the multi-layer heat-insulating glass 3 and vent 10 reduce the single-layer temperature difference by >70%, avoiding low-temperature brittleness; the double-sealing ring 7 pressure-dividing design increases the lifespan by 3 times under a temperature difference of 80℃; and the load-bearing capacity is increased by 40% compared to a square window (FEA analysis results), making it suitable for harsh scenarios such as deep sea and high plateau.

[0048] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to describe the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit the technical methods. The present invention can be extended to other modifications, variations, applications and embodiments, and therefore all such modifications, variations, applications and embodiments are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An observation window device for a manned negative pressure chamber, characterized in that, The system includes an observation window body and a light-blocking assembly. The observation window body is a circular structure formed by sealing multiple layers of hollow tempered glass with a sealing ring (7). The multiple layers of hollow tempered glass include an outermost pressure-resistant glass (11), a second outermost laminated tempered glass (2), and three inner layers of heat-insulating glass (3). The pressure-resistant glass (11) and the laminated tempered glass (2) are tightly bonded together to form a pressure-bearing substrate. An air gap cavity is provided between the heat-insulating glass (3), and a vent hole (1) is provided at the bottom of each layer of heat-insulating glass (3). 0) to achieve air pressure balance; the main body of the observation window is pressed between the door flange (6) and the cabin body (5) in a detachable manner by bolts (4), and is fixed by bolts (13) evenly distributed around the periphery; on the outside of the main body of the observation window, a sealed light-shielding box (8) is fixedly installed on the cabin body (5), and the front of the light-shielding box (8) is provided with a light-shielding plate (9) that can be pushed up and down, wherein the sealing ring (7) includes an outer sealing ring fitted on the outside of the main body of the observation window for glass sealing, and an inner sealing ring fitted on the inside of the main body of the observation window for cabin body (5) sealing.

2. The observation window device for a manned negative pressure cabin according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body of the observation window includes a multi-layer tempered glass design, wherein the pressure-resistant functional glass (11) is the outermost layer, the laminated tempered glass (2) is the second outermost layer and is tightly bonded to the pressure-resistant functional glass (11), and the three layers of heat-insulating functional glass (3) are the inner layers. The thickness of the air gap between the heat-insulating functional glass (3) is 2-5mm. The ventilation holes (10) of each layer of heat-insulating functional glass (3) penetrate the glass body to balance the air pressure change caused by the temperature difference in the negative pressure environment. The entire glass body is fixed between the door flange (6) and the cabin body (5) by bolts (4) and bolts (13) to form a stepped temperature gradient to uniformly distribute thermal stress.

3. An observation window device for a manned negative pressure chamber according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The sealing ring (7) is made of rubber material. The outer sealing ring is fitted around the outermost pressure-resistant glass (11) of the observation window body to ensure the overall airtight sealing of the glass structure. The inner sealing ring is fitted at the joint between the observation window body and the door flange (6) to achieve the sealing of the cabin (5). The contact surface between the sealing ring (7) and the glass body and the cabin (5) forms a sealing interface through the compression force of the bolts (4) to reduce the risk of sealing ring damage in low temperature environment.

4. An observation window device for a manned negative pressure cabin according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The main body of the observation window is installed on the door flange (6) in a door-like opening structure via a hinge (12). The hinge (12) connects the main body of the observation window to the door flange (6) and is fixed axially evenly by bolts (13). The mechanical limiting design of the hinge (12) prevents the window from overturning under heavy force, ensuring operational safety and sealing reliability under negative pressure conditions.

5. The observation window device for a manned negative pressure cabin according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light-shielding assembly includes a light-shielding box (8) and a light-shielding plate (9). The light-shielding box (8) is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the cabin (5) and integrated with the cabin (5) by welding or bolting. The light-shielding plate (9) is slidably connected in the front sliding groove of the light-shielding box (8) and realizes the light adjustment function by pushing and pulling up and down. The sliding mechanism of the light-shielding plate (9) includes a guide rail and a limit block to ensure smooth operation in a low-temperature environment.

6. The observation window device for a manned negative pressure cabin according to claim 5, characterized in that, The light-shielding box (8) is a sealed structure. Its box body is made of metal material and is fixed to the cabin body (5) by bolts. The inner side wall of the light-shielding box (8) is aligned with the pressure-resistant glass (11) of the observation window body to form a continuous protective layer. The push-pull mechanism of the light-shielding plate (9) includes a handle and a locking device, which are used to quickly achieve the light-shielding effect in a negative pressure environment.

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