A submarine cable bend limiter repair joint

Abstract

This utility model provides a repair connector for a submarine cable bending limiter, including connector one and connector two. Connector one has a fastening plate one fixedly connected to one side, and connector two has fastening plates two fixedly connected to both sides. A bending limiting sleeve is fixedly connected to one side of connector one and connector two. Fastening plates one and two have multiple staggered mating holes on one side, and fastening plate two has a waist hole on one side. Connector one and connector two internally include a stainless steel shell, a polyurethane coating layer, and an adhesive coupling agent. The polyurethane coating layer is fixedly connected to the inner side of the stainless steel shell. Connector two is inserted into connector one, enabling rapid and accurate underwater positioning and docking. The staggered mating holes on the fastening plates and the waist hole are secured with bolts to ensure a firm installation. During installation, the connectors are first cleaned and positioned using an ROV, temporarily fixed with hydraulic clamps, and then pushed to align the two connectors. This structure effectively resists ocean current impacts, has high installation accuracy, and significantly improves repair efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of submarine cable repair technology, and in particular to a submarine cable bending limiter repair connector. Background Technology

[0002] Submarine cable bend limiters are critical protective components in submarine cable systems, primarily used to control the bending radius of submarine cables at connection and termination points, preventing cable damage due to excessive bending. Currently, most bend limiters used in the industry employ a single-piece design. When abnormal breakage or damage occurs in the seabed environment, traditional repair methods have significant limitations. Existing repair technologies mainly rely on replacing the entire damaged limiter. This method requires the use of large construction vessels and specialized lifting equipment for complex disassembly and installation operations on the seabed. Due to the complexity and unpredictability of the seabed environment, traditional complete replacement repair methods face problems such as long repair cycles, high construction difficulty, and high costs. Especially under harsh sea conditions, the limited window of opportunity for repair operations further increases the risks and uncertainties of the repair work.

[0003] A search revealed a Chinese patent publication number CN220107432U, which discloses a submarine cable repair joint, comprising several sub-pipes consisting of an upper pipe and a lower pipe. The sub-pipes have a channel in the middle for cables to pass through. The joint also includes a prefabricated joint, which is securely installed in the channel of the sub-pipes. The prefabricated joint has a through hole that allows cables to pass through, and a prefabricated joint body is installed inside the prefabricated joint.

[0004] To address the lack of rapid docking and fixing capabilities in the aforementioned technologies, and the inability to resolve the issue of joint swaying when using bolts to reinforce emergency repair joints in complex seabed environments, a submarine cable bending limiter emergency repair joint is proposed. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the present invention aims to provide a repair joint for a submarine cable bending limiter to solve or alleviate the technical problems existing in the prior art, and at least provide a beneficial option.

[0006] The technical solution of this utility model embodiment is implemented as follows: a submarine cable bending limiter repair connector, including connector one and connector two, wherein a fastening plate one is fixedly connected to one side of connector one, fastening plates two are fixedly connected to both sides of connector two, and a bending limiting sleeve is fixedly connected to one side of connector one and connector two.

[0007] In some embodiments, fastening plate one and fastening plate two have multiple staggered mating holes on one side, and fastening plate two has a waist hole on one side.

[0008] In some embodiments, the connector one and connector two include a stainless steel shell, a polyurethane coating layer and an adhesive coupling agent. The polyurethane coating layer is fixedly connected to the inner side of the stainless steel shell, and the adhesive coupling agent is coated on the inner side of the polyurethane coating layer.

[0009] In some embodiments, one end of the fastening plate is fixedly connected to a square tube bracket, and a mating square tube is slidably connected to the inner side of the square tube bracket; one end of the fastening plate is fixedly connected to a mating plate, and a protective cover is fixedly connected to one side of the mating plate.

[0010] In some embodiments, a positioning cone is fixedly connected to one end of the docking square tube, and a limit rod is slidably connected to the inner side of the protective cover.

[0011] In some embodiments, a hook is fixedly connected to one end of the limiting rod, and a spring is fixedly connected to the hook and the inner side of the protective cover.

[0012] In some embodiments, a screw nut is fixedly connected to one end of one of the fastening plates on one side, and a screw is threadedly connected to the inner side of the screw nut. The screw is rotatably connected to the square tube on one side.

[0013] In some embodiments, a sliding rod sleeve is fixedly connected to the lower end of the fastening plate on the other side, and a sliding rod is slidably connected to the inner side of the sliding rod sleeve. The sliding rod is fixedly connected to the square tube on one side.

[0014] The present invention has the following advantages due to the adoption of the above technical solution: 1. A repair connector for a submarine cable bending limiter, wherein connector two is inserted into connector one to achieve rapid and accurate underwater positioning and docking. The staggered docking holes and waist holes on the fastening plate are used to fix the bolts to ensure a firm installation. During installation, the connector is first cleaned and positioned with an ROV, and then temporarily fixed with a hydraulic clamp before pushing the two connectors to align. This structure can effectively resist the impact of ocean currents, has high installation accuracy, and significantly improves repair efficiency.

[0015] 2. A repair connector for a submarine cable bending limiter, wherein an ROV robot rotates a screw, which, in conjunction with a docking square tube fixed to one side of the docking plate, drives connector one to move toward connector two, allowing connector two to insert into connector one. This prevents installation difficulties caused by ocean currents when installing bolts onto fastening plates one and two.

[0016] The above overview is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is the main view of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a diagram of the internal structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a top view of the structure of this utility model; Figure 4 This is a bottom view of the structure of this utility model; Figure 5 This is a side view of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a diagram of the screw mounting structure of this utility model; Figure 7 This is an exploded structural diagram of the protective cover of this utility model.

[0019] Figure label: 1. Connector 1; 2. Connector 2; 3. Bending limiting sleeve; 4. Fastening plate 1; 5. Fastening plate 2; 6. Butt hole; 7. Waist hole; 8. Stainless steel shell; 9. Polyurethane coating layer; 10. Adhesive coupling agent; 11. Screw; 12. Square tube bracket; 13. Butt square tube; 14. Butt plate; 15. Protective cover; 16. Slide rod sleeve; 17. Slide rod; 18. Hook; 19. Limiting rod; 20. Spring; 21. Positioning cone; 22. Screw nut. Detailed Implementation

[0020] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0021] The embodiments of this utility model will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] Example 1: like Figure 1-7 As shown, a submarine cable bending limiter repair connector includes connector 1 and connector 2. A fastening plate 4 is fixedly connected to one side of connector 1, and fastening plates 5 are fixedly connected to both sides of connector 2. A bending limiting sleeve 3 is fixedly connected to one side of connector 1 and connector 2. The fastening plate 4 and the fastening plate 5 have multiple staggered mating holes 6 on one side, and the fastening plate 5 has a waist hole 7 on one side. The interior of connector 1 and connector 2 includes a stainless steel shell 8, a polyurethane coating layer 9, and an adhesive coupling agent 10. The stainless steel shell 8 is preferably forged from 316L stainless steel with a wall thickness of 25mm. The internal reinforcing rib design ensures a compressive strength ≥15MPa. The surface is electrolytically polished with a roughness Ra≤0.8μm, which significantly improves corrosion resistance. The polyurethane coating layer 9 is fixedly connected to the inside of the stainless steel shell 8. The adhesive coupling agent 10 is coated on the inside of the polyurethane coating layer 9. The polyurethane coating layer 9 is preferably made of marine-grade polyurethane material with a hardness of 85 Shore A and a tensile strength ≥45MPa. It has a corrugated coating structure with a peak-to-trough difference of 15mm, providing optimal flexibility, cushioning performance, and insulation effect. When using the device, first use a multi-functional ROV equipped with a laser scanning system to accurately measure the damaged area, with a dimensional error of ≤2mm. Then, use a high-pressure seawater jet cleaner to clean all mating surfaces to achieve a cleanliness standard of Sa2.5. Apply an adhesive coupling agent 10 to the inside of the polyurethane coating layer 9. Use ROV-specific tools to position connector 1 to the damaged area with a positioning accuracy of ±5mm. Then, use hydraulic clamps to temporarily fix it from both sides. Next, install connector 2. After clamping, push connector 1 and connector 2 towards the center to align them. The length of connector 2 inserted into connector 1 can be adjusted according to the length of the submarine cable to be maintained, so that the mating holes 6 at one end of fastening plate 1 4 and fastening plate 2 5 are aligned. Then, use bolts to tighten the mating holes 6 and waist holes 7 to achieve the installation and fixation of the device.

[0023] Example 2: A repair connector for a submarine cable bend limiter, this embodiment is based on embodiment 1 with the following improvements, such as... Figure 1-7 As shown, one end of the fastening plate 4 is fixedly connected to a square tube bracket 12, and a mating square tube 13 is slidably connected to the inner side of the square tube bracket 12. One end of the fastening plate 5 is fixedly connected to a mating plate 14, and a protective cover 15 is fixedly connected to one side of the mating plate 14. One end of the mating square tube 13 is fixedly connected to a positioning cone 21, and a limit rod 19 is slidably connected to the inner side of the protective cover 15. One end of the limiting rod 19 is fixedly connected to a hook 18, and a spring 20 is fixedly connected to the hook 18 and the inner side of the protective cover 15. During installation, connector 1 and connector 2 can be fastened together from both sides. Then, as connector 2 is inserted into connector 1, the positioning cone 21 can be inserted into the protective cover 15 and the mating plate 14. At this time, the inclined surface at the front end of the positioning cone 21 will press the hooks 18 to both sides. After the positioning cone 21 is fully inserted into the protective cover 15, the hooks 18 can fix the rear side of the positioning cone 21 to prevent it from retracting, thus achieving the initial fixation of connector 1 and connector 2. At the same time, the square cross section of the mating square tube 13 can prevent it from rotating.

[0024] In this embodiment, a screw nut 22 is fixedly connected to one end of the fastening plate 4 on one side, and a screw 11 is threadedly connected to the inner side of the screw nut 22. The screw 11 is rotatably connected to the square tube 13 on one side. On the other side, the lower end of the fastening plate 4 is fixedly connected to a sliding rod sleeve 16, and a sliding rod 17 is slidably connected to the inner side of the sliding rod sleeve 16. The sliding rod 17 is fixedly connected to the square tube 13 on one side. After the positioning cone 21 is fully inserted into the protective cover 15, the screw 11 can be rotated by the ROV robot. This will drive the connector 1 to move towards the connector 2 through the screw nut 22, allowing the connector 2 to be inserted into the connector 1. This also prevents the installation of bolts onto the fastening plate 4 and fastening plate 2 from shaking due to ocean currents, which would otherwise cause installation difficulties. The lower slide bar 17 can slide through the slide bar sleeve 16, making the movement of connector 1 to connector 2 more stable and preventing deflection and jamming.

[0025] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model, and these should all be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A submarine cable bend limiter repair joint comprising a joint one (1) and a joint two (2), characterised in that: One side of the first connector (1) is fixedly connected to a fastening plate (4), and the two sides of the second connector (2) are fixedly connected to fastening plates (5). One side of the first connector (1) and the second connector (2) are fixedly connected to bending limiting sleeves (3).

2. A bend limiter repair joint for a submarine cable according to claim 1, characterised in that: The fastening plate 1 (4) and fastening plate 2 (5) have multiple staggered mating holes (6) on one side, and the fastening plate 2 (5) has a waist hole (7) on one side.

3. A bend limiter repair joint for a submarine cable according to claim 2, characterised in that: The connector one (1) and connector two (2) include a stainless steel shell (8), a polyurethane coating layer (9) and an adhesive coupling agent (10). The polyurethane coating layer (9) is fixedly connected to the inside of the stainless steel shell (8), and the adhesive coupling agent (10) is coated on the inside of the polyurethane coating layer (9).

4. A bend limiter repair joint for a submarine cable according to claim 1, characterised in that: One end of the fastening plate (4) is fixedly connected to a square tube bracket (12), and a mating square tube (13) is slidably connected to the inside of the square tube bracket (12). One end of the fastening plate (5) is fixedly connected to a mating plate (14), and a protective cover (15) is fixedly connected to one side of the mating plate (14).

5. A bend limiter repair joint for a submarine cable according to claim 4, characterised in that: One end of the docking square tube (13) is fixedly connected to a positioning cone (21), and a limit rod (19) is slidably connected to the inner side of the protective cover (15).

6. A bend limiter repair joint for a submarine cable according to claim 5, characterised in that: One end of the limiting rod (19) is fixedly connected to a hook (18), and a spring (20) is fixedly connected to the inside of the hook (18) and the protective cover (15).

7. A bend limiter repair joint for a submarine cable according to claim 4, characterised in that: One end of the fastening plate (4) on one side is fixedly connected to a screw nut (22), and a screw (11) is threadedly connected to the inside of the screw nut (22). The screw (11) is rotatably connected to the square tube (13) on one side.

8. A bend limiter repair joint for a submarine cable according to claim 7, characterised in that: On the other side, the lower end of the fastening plate (4) is fixedly connected to a sliding rod sleeve (16), and a sliding rod (17) is slidably connected to the inner side of the sliding rod sleeve (16). The sliding rod (17) is fixedly connected to the square tube (13) on one side.

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