Installation tool for flexible elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10674636-B2
Application number	US-201715586107-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2017
Priority date	May 3, 2017
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A method and apparatuses are provided for removing a cold plate assembly from an electronics enclosure. The apparatus includes a chassis configured to be placed on the electronics housing in an aligned manner. The chassis includes a plurality of brackets disposed on the chassis. The respective ones of the plurality of brackets are configured to be attached to respective electrical components in the electronics housing. The respective ones of the plurality of brackets are also configured to be disposed on the chassis at locations corresponding to the locations of the respective electrical components within the electronics housing when the chassis is aligned with the electronics housing. The respective ones of the plurality of brackets are also configured to selectively movable between a first orientation and a second orientation. The respective brackets are closer to the respective electrical components in the first orientation than in the second orientation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for transferring an electrical apparatus from an electronics housing, wherein the electrical apparatus includes a plurality of electrical components that are rigidly connected to electronics in the electronics housing and connected to each other via flexible members, the method comprising:
arranging a chassis on the electronics housing by aligning and engaging tabs on the chassis with slots in the electronics housing;
disconnecting the electrical components from the respective electronics in the electronics housing;
positioning respective brackets relative to the disconnected electrical components, the respective brackets disposed on the chassis at locations corresponding to the locations of the electrical components within the electronics housing when the chassis is aligned with the electronics housing;
attaching the disconnected electrical components to the respective brackets, the attaching including:
moving each respective bracket between a second orientation and a first orientation, each respective bracket closer to the respective electrical components in the first orientation than in the second orientation,
engaging and inserting a T-post of a respective electrical component into a first slot of a respective bracket, the first slot orientated along a first direction, and
engaging and inserting a second T-post of the respective electrical component into a second slot of the respective electrical component, the second slot orientated along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the disconnected electrical components are spaced apart from remaining respective electrical components when attached to the respective brackets; and

removing the chassis, electrical components, and flexible members from the electronics housing.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the brackets are coupled to the chassis in a rotatable manner.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the brackets are detachable from the chassis, and wherein positioning the brackets relative to the disconnected electrical components comprises attaching the respective brackets to the chassis.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising securing at least one flexible member relative to the chassis.

5. An apparatus for installing components in an electronics housing, comprising:
a chassis comprising a plurality of tabs, each of the tabs configured to engage respective ones of a plurality of slots in the electronics housing, wherein the chassis is aligned with the electronics housing when the tabs are engaged in the respective slots; and
a plurality of brackets disposed on the chassis, wherein the respective ones of the plurality of brackets are:
configured to be attached to respective electrical components in the electronics housing;
disposed on the chassis at locations corresponding to locations of the respective electrical components within the electronics housing when the chassis is aligned with the electronics housing; and
selectively movable between a first orientation and a second orientation, and wherein the respective brackets are closer to the respective electrical components in the first orientation than in the second orientation; and

wherein the plurality of brackets each include:
a first slot oriented along a first direction configured to engage a first T-top post of an electrical component: and
a second slot oriented along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the second slot is oriented to engage a second T-top post of the electrical component, and wherein the electrical component is installed on the bracket by inserting the first T-top post into the first slot and then sliding the second T-top post into the second slot.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first orientation is an unrotated position and the second orientation is a rotated position, wherein the brackets are positioned over the electrical components installed in the electronics housing in the unrotated positions, and wherein the brackets are positioned away from the electrical components in the rotated positions.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first orientation is an attached state and the second orientation is a detached state, wherein the brackets are connected to the chassis in the attached state, and wherein the brackets are disconnected from the chassis in the detached state.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the brackets are attachable to different locations of the chassis to accommodate different electrical component locations.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second slot includes a detent, wherein the bracket deforms to enable the second T-top post to pass the detent, and wherein the detent retains the second T-top post in the second slot.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the brackets comprise plastic.

11. An apparatus for installing components in an electronics housing, comprising:
a chassis comprising a plurality of tabs, each of the tabs configured to engage respective ones of a plurality of slots in the electronics housing, wherein the chassis is aligned with the electronics housing when the tabs are engaged in the respective slots; and
a plurality of brackets disposed on the chassis, wherein the respective ones of the plurality of brackets are:
configured to be attached to respective electrical components in the electronics housing;
disposed on the chassis at locations corresponding to the locations of the respective electrical components within the electronics housing when the chassis is aligned with the electronics housing; and

selectively movable between a first orientation and a second orientation, and wherein the respective brackets are closer to the respective electrical components in the first orientation than in the second orientation; and
wherein the plurality of brackets comprise at least one of: a plastic and a glass-filled polycarbonate.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the chassis comprises one of steel or aluminum.

13. A cold plate apparatus, comprising:
a cold plate assembly, comprising:
a plurality of cold plates, wherein respective ones of the plurality of cold plates are connected to at least one other of the respective ones of the plurality of cold plates via flexible hoses;

a cold plate transport tool configured to transport the cold plate assembly to and from an electronics housing, the cold plate transport tool comprising:
a chassis comprising a plurality of tabs, each of the tabs configured to engage respective ones of a plurality of slots in the electronics housing, wherein the chassis is aligned with the electronics housing when the tabs are engaged in the respective slots; and
a plurality of brackets disposed on the chassis, wherein the respective ones of the plurality of brackets are:
configured to be attached to respective ones of the plurality of cold plates;
disposed on the chassis at locations corresponding to the locations of the respective electrical components within the housing when the chassis is aligned with the electronics housing; and
selectively movable between a first orientation and a second orientation, and wherein the respective brackets are closer to the respective cold plates in the first orientation than in the second orientation.

14. The cold plate apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first orientation is an unrotated position and the second orientation is a rotated position, wherein the brackets are positioned over the cold plates installed in the electronics housing in the unrotated positions, and wherein the brackets are positioned away from the cold plates in the rotate

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Marroquin Christopher M
• Shurson Scott A

Classifications

• H05K7/20772 Primary

  within server blades for removing heat from heat source · CPC title

• H05K7/20254

  Cold plates transferring heat from heat source to coolant · CPC title