Rack adapted for receiving a component and system including the rack and the component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11064628-B2
Application number	US-201916690344-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2019
Priority date	Nov 30, 2018
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A rack adapted for receiving one or more components is disclosed. The rack includes a backplane, a pair of side panels extending from the backplane and internal support members on each side to receive and mechanically guide an initial alignment of components upon their initial insertion in the rack. A pair of male connectors mounted to the backplane is configured to mate with a corresponding pair of female connectors of each component to mechanically guide a final alignment of each component when the component is further inserted in the rack. Mechanical guidance may also be provided by, or supplemented with, a connection capable of providing liquid cooling to the rack. A system including the rack and the component inserted in the rack is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a component;
a rack adapted for receiving the component, the rack comprising:
a backplane;
a pair of side panels extending from the backplane;
a support member mounted on each side panel, each support member being internal to the rack and adapted to mate with a corresponding side edge of the component to mechanically guide an initial alignment of the component upon initial insertion of the component in the rack; and
two male connectors mounted to the backplane, the two male connectors being sized and configured to mate with two female connectors of the component to mechanically guide a final alignment of the component when the component is further inserted in the rack;
an inlet port mounted on the backplane,
an outlet port mounted on the backplane,
a slot formed on the backplane, the slot being proximally located to the inlet port and to the outlet port; and

the system further comprising a liquid adaptor mounted on a rear edge of the component, the liquid adaptor comprising:
a feed port adapted for mating with the inlet port when the component is inserted in the rack,
a return port adapted for mating with the outlet port when the component is inserted in the rack, and
an elongate rod having lateral extensions on an end section protruding beyond the rear edge of the component, the feed port and the return port, the elongate rod being rotatable for aligning the lateral extensions with the slot prior to full insertion of the component in the rack and for placing the lateral extensions out of alignment with the slot after full insertion of the component in the rack to cause the lateral extensions to abut on a face of the backplane opposite from the component to maintain the component inserted in the rack.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the two male connectors are defined in a plane perpendicular to the side panels.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the side panels and the backplane extend vertically; and
the support members are positioned on the side panels so that the component can be received in a horizontal position.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rack defines a plurality of parallel stages, each respective stage being adapted for receiving a respective component, each respective stage comprising:
a respective support member mounted on each of the side panels, each respective support member being internal to the rack and adapted to mate with a corresponding side edge of the respective component to mechanically guide an initial alignment of the respective component upon initial insertion of the respective component in the respective stage; and
a respective set of two male connectors mounted in the backplane and configured to mate with two female connectors of the respective component to mechanically guide a final alignment of the respective component when the respective component is further inserted in the rack.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein a spacing between each of the plurality of parallel stages corresponds to a standard-size rack unit.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the two male connectors respectively comprise the inlet port and the outlet port; and
the two female connectors respectively comprise the feed port and the return port.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
one of the male connectors comprises the inlet port and the outlet port; and
one of the female connectors comprises the feed port and the return port.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the slot is formed between the inlet port and the outlet port.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein a center of the inlet port, a center of the outlet port and a center of the slot form a triangle.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an inlet tube connected to the inlet port; and
an outlet tube connected to the outlet port;
wherein the inlet tube and the outlet tube are mounted behind the backplane for distributing liquid cooling within the rack.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a feed tube mounted to the feed port; and
a return tube mounted to the return port;
wherein the feed tube and the return tube extend toward a front of the component for providing liquid cooling to the rack.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the elongate rod extends to a front edge of the component.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rack defines a plurality of parallel stages, the inlet port, the outlet port, the slot, the component and the liquid adaptor being part of a given one of the parallel stages, an additional component being insertable in each other stage of the rack.

14. A system, comprising:
a rack comprising:
a backplane,
an inlet port and an outlet port mounted on the backplane, and
a slot formed on the backplane, the slot being proximally located to the inlet port and to the outlet port;

a component insertable in the rack; and
a liquid adaptor mounted on a rear edge of the component, the liquid adaptor comprising:
a feed port adapted for mating with the inlet port when the component is inserted in the rack,
a return port adapted for mating with the outlet port when the component is inserted in the rack, and
an elongate rod having lateral extensions on an end section protruding beyond the rear edge of the component, the feed port and the return port, the elongate rod being rotatable for aligning the lateral extensions with the slot prior to full insertion of the component in the rack and for placing the lateral extensions out of alignment with the slot after full insertion of the component in the rack to cause the lateral extensions to abut on a face of the backplane opposite from the component to maintain the component inserted in the rack.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the rack defines a plurality of parallel stages, the inlet port, the outlet port, the slot, the component and the liquid adaptor being part of a given one of the parallel stages, an additional component being insertable in each other stage of the rack.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein:
the rack further comprises a pair of side panels extending from the backplane; and
the rack defines a plurality of parallel stages, each respective stage being adapted for receiving a respective component, each respective stage comprising:
a respective support member mounted on each of the side panels, each respective support member being internal to the rack and adapted to mate with a corresponding side edge of the respective component to mechanically guide an initial alignment of the respective component upon initial insertion of the respective component in the respective stage; and
a respective set of two male connectors mounted in the backplane and configured to mate with two female connectors of the respective component to mechanically guide a final alignment of the respective component when the respective component is further inserted in the rack.

17. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:
an inlet tube connected to the inlet port; and
an outlet tube connected to the outlet port;
wherein the inlet tube and the outlet tube are mounted behind the backplane for distributing liquid cooling within the rack.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the elongate rod extends to a front edge of the component.

Assignees

• OVH

Inventors

• Thibaut Christophe Maurice
• Zahm Etienne
• Klaba Henryk
• Bonenfant Jules Hermann

Classifications

• H05K7/20781

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title

• H05K7/1489 Primary

  characterized by the mounting of blades therein, e.g. brackets, rails, trays (H05K7/1491 takes precedence) · 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

• H05K7/20818

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title

• H05K7/1452

  Mounting of connectors; Switching; Reinforcing of back panels · CPC title