Composite Feedthrough Structure for Deep-Water Pressure Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Deep-water exploration is hindered by the challenge of protecting electronic components from extreme high pressures, as conventional metal enclosures are heavy, expensive, and difficult to design and manufacture, and existing solutions compromise structural stability and leak-proofing when coupling components internally and externally.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight, non-metal enclosure structure with a feedthrough mechanism using a housing made of fiberglass composite materials, featuring a bore with a non-tapered and tapered portion, and a potting material to secure and seal feedthrough pins, ensuring structural stability and preventing leakage at high pressures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional metal enclosures are used to protect electronic components from high pressure, then the structural stability and protection capability are improved, but the weight increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs fiberglass composite materials for the enclosure structure, combining glass fibers with resin matrices to achieve high strength-to-weight ratio. This composite approach provides adequate structural stability and pressure resistance while significantly reducing the weight compared to conventional metal enclosures, directly resolving the contradiction between protection capability and weight.
2Reliability
If conventional metal enclosures are used to protect electronic components from high pressure, then the structural stability is improved, but the manufacturing difficulty and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fiberglass composite enclosure can be manufactured using conventional molding techniques such as injection molding or compression molding, which are well-established in the plastics industry. This approach achieves the required structural stability for deep-sea applications while significantly simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs compared to precision metal fabrication and assembly.
3Adaptability or versatility
If feedthrough pins are used to couple internal and external components, then the electrical connection capability is improved, but the risk of structural instability and leakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes a flexible sealing membrane or elastomeric diaphragm that integrates the feedthrough function. This flexible barrier maintains pressure integrity while allowing electrical connections to pass through, eliminating the rigid feedthrough pins that would compromise structural stability. The flexible material conforms to pressure differentials and seals around the electrical conductors, preventing leakage while maintaining structural integrity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If feedthrough pins are used to couple internal and external components, then the electrical connection capability is improved, but the risk of leakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible sealing membrane creates a continuous barrier that seals around the electrical feedthrough conductors. This elastomeric material maintains its sealing capability under high pressure by conforming to the conductor surfaces and maintaining contact pressure, thereby preventing water ingress while allowing electrical connections to pass through the pressure boundary.
Data Source
AI summary
An enclosure structure suitable for high-pressure environments includes a feedthrough for coupling components housed within the enclosure structure to components external to the enclosure structure. The enclosure structure includes a housing comprising one or more cavities for receiving one or more electronic components within an interior of the housing and a bore through the housing. The one or more electronic components comprises a connector element and the bore comprises a non-tapered portion and a tapered portion. The non-tapered portion is proximate to the interior of the housing and the tapered portion is proximate to the exterior of the housing. The bore is configured to receive a feedthrough pin for coupling the connector element to an external component external to the enclosure structure. The enclosure structure also includes a feedthrough pin extending through the bore and a potting material disposed within the tapered portion surrounding the feedthrough pin.