Liquid cooling interconnect module of a computing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11452237-B2
Application number	US-202017073090-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2020
Priority date	Oct 16, 2020
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

Example implementations relate to a liquid cooling interconnect module of a computing system, and a tool-less method of assembling the liquid cooling interconnect module having a housing, a biasing member, and an interconnect block. The housing has an interlocking member, a support assembly, and a bore extending between a first end and a second end of the housing. The biasing member is disposed within the bore such that it contacts the support assembly. The interconnect block having a pair of through openings, is configured to be slidably inserted within the bore such that it contacts the biasing member. Further, the interconnect block is configured to compress the biasing member against the support assembly to a compressed position when the interconnect block is inserted into the bore, and the interlocking member is configured to retain the interconnect block within the housing when the biasing member is in the compressed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid cooling interconnect module for a liquid cooling assembly of a computing system, comprising:
a housing having a bore extending between a first end and a second end of the housing, wherein the housing comprises an interlocking member and a support assembly;
a biasing member disposed within the housing contacting the support assembly;
an interconnect block having a pair of through openings and configured to be slidably inserted within the bore of the housing contacting the biasing member, wherein the interconnect block is configured to compress the biasing member against the support assembly to a compressed position when inserted into the bore of the housing, and wherein the interlocking member is configured to retain the interconnect block within the housing when the biasing member is in the compressed position; and
a pair of first connectors coupled to a first end of the pair of through openings, and a fluid flow channel of the liquid cooling assembly, wherein a first connector of the pair of first connectors is coupled to a first end of the fluid flow channel and a second connector of the pair of first connectors is coupled to a second end of the fluid flow channel, and wherein the fluid flow channel extends via a plurality of cold plates of the liquid cooling assembly.

2. The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 1 , wherein the support assembly comprises a post disposed in the bore at an offset distance from the first end of the housing, and a guide pin extending from the post, and wherein the biasing member is disposed along the guide pin contacting the post and the interconnect block.

3. The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 2 , wherein the interlocking member comprises a pair of detents formed on a first wall and a second wall of the housing, wherein the interconnect block has a pair of depressions formed on a first wall and a second wall of the interconnect block, and wherein the first and second walls of each of the housing and the interconnect block are mutually opposite walls.

4. The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 3 , wherein each detent of the pair of detents is configured to move inwards relative to the housing for engaging a protrusion of each detent with a lobe of a corresponding depression of the pair of depressions to directly retain the interconnect block within the housing, and wherein each detent of the pair of detents is configured to move outwards relative to the housing for disengaging each protrusion from the lobe of the corresponding depression to directly release the interconnect block from the housing.

5. The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 2 , wherein the interlocking member comprises a flat spring finger disposed on and coupled to a wall of the housing, wherein the flat spring finger protrudes outside the second end of the housing, and wherein the interconnect block has a depression formed on a wall of the interconnect block.

6. The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 5 , wherein the flat spring finger is configured to move inwards relative to the housing for engaging a protrusion of the flat spring finger with a lobe of the depression to directly retain the interconnect block in the housing, and wherein the flat spring finger is configured to move outwards relative to the housing for disengaging the protrusion from the lobe to directly release the interconnect block from the housing.

7. The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 1 , wherein the support assembly and the interlocking member are integrated to one another to form an interlocking support assembly, wherein the interlocking support assembly comprises a shoulder stud, and an attachment block comprising a body having a through-hole, and a pair of shoulders having a pair of protrusions, coupled to the body, wherein the interconnect block has a hole, wherein the biasing member is disposed contacting the attachment block and the interconnect block, wherein the shoulder stud extends along the through-hole and the biasing member, and coupled to the hole, and wherein a pair of peripheral walls of the housing comprises a pair of notches.

8. The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 7 , wherein each shoulder of the pair of shoulders is configured to move outwards relative to the housing for engaging each protrusion with a corresponding notch to indirectly retain the interconnect block within the housing via the attachment block, and wherein each shoulder of the pair of shoulders is configured to move inwards relative to the housing for disengaging each protrusion from the corresponding notch to indirectly release the interconnect block from the housing via the attachment block.

9. The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of second connectors coupled to a second end of the pair of through openings, and wherein a first connector of the pair of second connectors is coupled to a supply line manifold of a coolant distribution unit, and a second connector of the pair of second connectors is coupled to a return line manifold of the coolant distribution unit.

10. A liquid cooling assembly of a computing system, comprising:
a plurality of cold plates;
a fluid flow channel extending via the plurality of cold plates;
a liquid cooling interconnect module comprising:
a housing having a bore extending between a first end and a second end of the housing, wherein the housing comprises an interlocking member and a support assembly;
a biasing member disposed within the housing contacting the support assembly;
an interconnect block having a pair of through openings and configured to be slidably inserted within the bore of the housing contacting the biasing member, wherein the interconnect block is configured to compress the biasing member against the support assembly to compress the biasing member to a compressed position when inserted into the bore of the housing, and wherein the interlocking member is configured to retain the interconnect block within the housing when the biasing member is in the compressed position; and
a pair of first connectors coupled to a first end of the pair of through openings, and the fluid flow channel,
wherein a first connector of the pair of first connectors is coupled to a first end of the fluid flow channel, and a second connector of the pair of first connectors is coupled to a second end of the fluid flow channel; and

a mezzanine frame coupled to the housing.

11. The liquid cooling assembly of claim 10 , wherein the support assembly comprises a post disposed in the bore at an offset distance from the first end of the housing, and a guide pin extending from the post, and wherein the biasing member is disposed along the guide pin contacting the post and the interconnect block.

12. The liquid cooling assembly of claim 11 , wherein the interlocking member comprises a pair of detents formed on a first wall and a second wall of the housing, wherein the interconnect block has a pair of depressions formed on a first wall and a second wall of the interconnect block, and wherein the first and second walls of each of the housing and the interconnect block are mutually opposite walls.

13. The liquid cooling assembly of claim 12 , wherein each detent of the pair of detents is configured to move inwards relative to the housing for engaging a protrusion of each detent with a lobe of a corresponding depression of the pair of depressions to directly retain the interconnect block within the housing, and wherein each detent of the pair of detents is configured to move outwards relative to the housing for disengaging each protrusion from the lobe of the corres

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Entpr Dev Lp

Inventors

• Tan Chong S
• Allen Joseph
• Zhang Kai

Classifications

• H05K7/20781

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title

• F16L37/26

  in which the connection is made by transversely moving the parts together, with or without their subsequent rotation · CPC title

• H05K7/20272 Primary

  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

• F16L37/30

  with fluid cut-off means in each of two pipe-end fittings · CPC title

• H05K7/20772

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