Wedge Lock Assembly for Deep-Water Submersible Pressure Vessels
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Deep-water submersible systems face deformation under water pressures, which disrupts the integrity of thermal cooling paths and applies potentially damaging loading conditions to internal components, impacting the longevity and performance of electronic components.
Innovation Solution
A deep-water submersible system incorporating a wedge lock assembly with a displacement device and a variable gap compensation mechanism, featuring a spring and spring retainer, that maintains a clamping force on the pressure vessel and housing despite deformation, ensuring consistent thermal cooling and load distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the pressure vessel is rigid to maintain structural integrity, then strength is improved, but deformation under water pressure causes disrupting thermal cooling paths and damaging loading conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The wedge lock assembly transforms the rigid static connection into a dynamic adaptive connection. The wedge members can move longitudinally along the pressure vessel, allowing the assembly to adapt to pressure-induced deformations while maintaining clamping force on the housing, thus preserving thermal cooling paths
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of clamping force dynamically. As water pressure causes deformation, the wedge lock assembly adjusts the clamping force applied to the housing to maintain thermal contact, compensating for the deformation-induced gaps
2Strength
If the pressure vessel is rigid to resist external pressure, then strength is improved, but internal components experience potentially damaging loading conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The wedge lock assembly acts as an intermediary between the pressure vessel and the housing. It absorbs and redistributes the mechanical stresses, preventing direct transmission of damaging loading conditions to the internal components while maintaining the structural integrity of the pressure vessel
3Manufacturing precision
If the connection between housing and pressure vessel is fixed, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to deformation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connection is made dynamic through the movable wedge members that can adjust their position along the pressure vessel. This allows the system to maintain precise clamping on the housing while adapting to pressure-induced deformations of the pressure vessel
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system is segmented into multiple movable wedge members rather than a single rigid connection. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of each wedge member to accommodate local deformations while maintaining overall connection precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively accommodates deformation of the pressure vessel, maintaining thermal cooling integrity and preventing damaging loads on internal components, thus enhancing the longevity and performance of electronic components in deep-water environments.
Implementation Method 1
a spring associated with the screw and operable to exert a biasing force on the plurality of wedge members to accommodate the relative transverse movement of the adjacent wedge members and maintain the clamping force on the two components within a predetermined range
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of wedge members arranged adjacent to one another along a longitudinal axis... actuatable in one direction to move the end wedge members toward one another to displace adjacent wedge members relative to one another in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis to engage and apply a clamping force
Implementation Method 3
a displacement device comprising a screw extending along and rotatable about the longitudinal axis and connecting the end wedge members, the displacement device actuatable in one direction to move the end wedge members toward one another
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~8
AI summary
A deep-water submersible system including a pressure vessel and an internal assembly that includes a housing and a wedge lock assembly coupleable to the housing. The wedge lock assembly can include a plurality of wedge members, including end wedge members and one or more intermediate wedge members; and a displacement device connecting the end wedge members. The displacement device can be actuatable to move the end wedge members toward one another to displace adjacent wedge members relative to one another in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis to apply a clamping force to the housing and the pressure vessel. The wedge lock assembly can include a variable gap compensation mechanism that exerts a biasing force on the wedge members to accommodate the relative transverse movement of the wedge members and maintain the clamping force on the housing and the pressure vessel as a distance between them varies.