Manifold for a liquid cooling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10168110-B2
Application number	US-201514856592-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2015
Priority date	Jun 2, 2015
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

A method including punching a first hole in a parent sheet metal, such that a substantially round section with a first diameter is removed from the hole, forming a second hole by inserting a mandrel into the first hole, causing a portion of the parent sheet metal to deform in a downward direction and increase the diameter of the first hole to a second diameter, the deformed portion of the parent sheet metal is substantially perpendicular to the parent sheet metal, forming a thread into an interior sidewall of the second hole, and forming the parent sheet metal into a water tight manifold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
punching an initial hole in a sheet metal flat pattern using a punch press, the initial hole being circular with a first diameter;
shaving the initial hole to remove a portion of an edge of the initial hole to increase the first diameter to a second diameter;
coining a radius on a bottom edge of the shaved hole to remove any burs and sharp edges;
forming a hole extrusion in the sheet metal flat pattern aligned with the shaved hole in a direction opposite of the punching of the initial hole, the hole extrusion comprises an inside diameter larger than the second diameter;
cutting a thread in an inner sidewall of the hole extrusion;
forming the sheet metal flat pattern into a watertight manifold;
threading a quick connect fitting into the hole extrusion, the quick connect fitting having an o-ring positioned in a groove in an underside of a head of the quick connect fitting; and
tightening the quick connect fitting to compress the o-ring against a surface of the sheet metal immediately surrounding the hole extrusion to form a watertight seal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hole extrusion comprises a portion of the sheet metal extending in a downward direction perpendicular to a top surface of the sheet metal.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
deburring the hole extrusion prior to forming the sheet metal flat pattern into the watertight manifold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the watertight manifold further comprises:
joining edges of the sheet metal flat pattern via welding or brazing.

5. The method of claim 1 , where a height of the hole extrusion is directly proportional to a thickness of the sheet flat pattern metal and the inside diameter of the hole extrusion.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inside diameter of the hole extrusion is twice the diameter of the initial hole.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inside diameter of the hole extrusion is a minimum of four times a height of the hole extrusion.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a height of the hole extrusion is at least three times a pitch of the thread.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a wall thickness of the hole extrusion is at least two times a difference between a major diameter of the thread and a minor diameter of the thread.

10. A method comprising:
punching a first hole in a parent sheet metal, such that a round section with a first diameter is removed from the hole;
coining a radius on a bottom edge of the first hole to compress any burs and sharp edges;
forming a second hole by inserting a mandrel into the first hole in a direction opposite of the punching of the first hole, causing a portion of the parent sheet metal to deform in a downward direction to form a hole extrusion and increase the diameter of the first hole to a second diameter, the deformed portion of the parent sheet metal is perpendicular to the parent sheet metal;
cutting a thread into an interior sidewall of the second hole;
forming the parent sheet metal into a watertight manifold;
threading a quick connect fitting into the hole extrusion, the quick connect fitting having an o-ring positioned in a groove in an underside of a head of the quick connect fitting; and
tightening the quick connect fitting to compress the o-ring against a surface of the sheet metal immediately surrounding the hole extrusion to form a watertight seal.

11. The method of claim 10 , where a height of the deformed portion is directly proportional to a thickness of the sheet metal and the inside diameter of the hole extrusion.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein an inside diameter of the deformed portion is twice the diameter of the hole.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein an inside diameter of the deformed portion is a minimum of four times a height of the deformed portion.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein a height of the deformed portion is at least three times a pitch of the thread.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein a wall thickness of the deformed portion is at least two times a difference between a major diameter of the thread and a minor diameter of the thread.

16. A method comprising:
punching an initial hole in a sheet metal flat pattern using a punch press, the initial hole in a circular pattern with a first diameter;
shaving the initial hole to remove a portion of an edge of the initial hole to increase the first diameter to a second diameter;
coining a radius on a bottom edge of the shaved hole to compress any burs and sharp edges;
forming a hole extrusion in the sheet metal flat pattern in a direction opposite of the punching of the initial hole and aligned with the, the hole extrusion comprises an inside diameter twice that of the second diameter, the hole extrusion comprises a portion of the sheet metal extending in a downward direction perpendicular to a top surface of the sheet metal, a height of the extrusion is directly proportional to a thickness of the sheet metal and the inside diameter of the hole extrusion, and the inside diameter of the hole extrusion is a minimum of four times a height of the hole extrusion;
deburring the hole extrusion;
cutting a thread in an inner sidewall of the hole extrusion forming a threaded hole extrusion, wherein a height of the hole extrusion is at least three times a pitch of the thread, wherein a wall thickness of the hole extrusion is at least two times a difference between a major diameter of the thread and a minor diameter of the thread, wherein the thread is capable of accepting a quick connect fitting at adequate torque to ensure a watertight connection;
forming the sheet metal flat pattern into a watertight manifold, wherein joining edges of the sheet metal flat pattern comprises welding or brazing;
threading the quick connect fitting into the threaded hole extrusion; and
tightening the quick connect fitting to compress an o-ring and form a watertight connection wherein the o-ring is positioned in a groove in an underside of a head of the quick connect fitting.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Krug Jr Francis R
• Zoodsma Randy J

Classifications

• B23P15/26

  heat exchangers {or the like (making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02)} · CPC title

• F28F9/0248

  Arrangements for sealing connectors to header boxes · CPC title

• F28F9/10 Primary

  by screw-type connections, e.g. gland · CPC title

• H05K7/20272

  Accessories for moving fluid, for expanding fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid, for removing gas or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds · CPC title

• B21C37/292

  Forming collars by drawing or pushing a rigid forming tool through an opening in the tube wall · CPC title