Water block assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11664295-B2
Application number	US-202016878117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2020
Priority date	May 23, 2019
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

A water block assembly includes first and second water block units having respective first and second fluid conduits. The second water block unit is stacked on the first water block unit. The second fluid conduit operates either in parallel with the first fluid conduit or fluidly independent therefrom, such that cooled fluid is fed to the first and second fluid conduits. The first water block unit includes a first base portion and a first cover portion disposed on and affixed to the first base portion. The first cover portion defines a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet of the first fluid conduit. The second water block unit includes a second base portion and a second cover portion disposed on and affixed to the second base portion. The second cover portion defines a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet of the second fluid conduit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water block assembly configured to be installed on a target component, the water block assembly comprising:
a first water block unit having a first fluid conduit, the first water block unit comprising:
a first base portion having an external thermal transfer surface configured to be in contact with the target component, the first base portion partly defining the first fluid conduit; and
a first cover portion disposed on and affixed to the first base portion, the first cover portion defining a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet, the first cover portion partly defining the first fluid conduit;

a second water block unit stacked on the first water block unit such that, in use, the first water block unit is disposed between the second water block unit and the target component, the second water block unit having a second fluid conduit, the second water block unit comprising:
a second base portion in thermal contact with the first cover portion of the first water block unit, the second base portion partly defining the second fluid conduit, the second base portion being dimensioned smaller than the first cover portion such that a section of the first cover portion extends outward from the second base portion, the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet being defined in the section of the first cover portion that extends outward from the second base portion; and
a second cover portion disposed on and affixed to the second base portion, the second cover portion defining a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet, the second cover portion partly defining the second fluid conduit,

and
a lower member, an intermediate member and an upper member affixed to one another to form the first and second water block units, wherein:
the lower member defines the first base portion of the first water block unit, a lower side of the lower member defining the external thermal transfer surface configured to be in contact with the target component;
the intermediate member defines the first cover portion of the first water block unit and the second base portion of the second water block unit such that a heat transfer interface between the first cover portion and the second base portion is constituted by a material of the intermediate member, the intermediate member being formed as a unitary piece; and
the upper member defines the second cover portion of the second water block unit,

wherein the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit operate either: (i) fluidly independent from one another such that the first and second fluid conduits are fed by respective fluid sources; or (ii) in parallel such that the first and second fluid conduits are fed by a common fluid source; and
wherein, within the water block assembly, the upper member is in fluid connection with only the second fluid conduit—[the upper member does not form a part of the first water block unit].

2. The water block assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second base portions defines a recess defining at least in part a path of a corresponding one of the first and second fluid conduits.

3. The water block assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first cover portion comprises a plurality of fins projecting downwardly toward the first base portion, the fins being received in respective locations within the recess of the first base portion.

4. The water block assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first cover portion comprises a recess that is complementary to the recess of the first base portion such that the recess of the first cover portion and the recess of the first base portion collaborate with one another to define the first fluid conduit.

5. The water block assembly of claim 2 , wherein:
the recess of the first base portion is a first recess;
the recess of the second base portion is a second recess;
the first recess of the first base portion extends from a first end to a second end, the first end and the second end of the first recess being aligned with the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet respectively; and
the second recess of the second base portion extends from a first end to a second end, the first end and the second end of the second recess being aligned with the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet respectively.

6. The water block assembly of claim 2 , wherein the recesses of the first and second base portions are milled.

7. The water block assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second base portions defines a pocket for receiving a corresponding one of the first and second cover portions.

8. The water block assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second cover portions defines a generally planar lower surface facing a corresponding one of the first and second base portions and defining in part one of the first and second fluid conduits.

9. The water block assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the first and second cover portions are generally rectangular;
the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet are located proximate diagonally opposite corners of the first cover portion; and
the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet are located proximate diagonally opposite corners of the second cover portion.

10. The water block assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the second cover portion has a first orientation feature for orienting the second cover portion relative to the second base portion; and
the second base portion has a corresponding second orientation feature for orienting the second cover portion relative to the second base portion that matches the first orientation feature.

11. The water block assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the intermediate member has a lower side and an upper side opposite the lower side;
the lower side of the intermediate member defines at least in part the first cover portion of the first water block unit; and
the upper side of the intermediate member defines at least in part the second base portion of the second water block unit.

12. The water block assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit operate fluidly independent from one another, the first and second fluid conduits being respectively fed with a first fluid and a second fluid by the respective fluid sources.

13. The water block assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit operate in parallel on a same fluid circuit, each of the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit being fed a same fluid by the common fluid source.

14. The water block assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
two first tubes connected to the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet; and
two second tubes connected to the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet,
the two first tubes being connected to the first water block unit at the first cover portion,
the two second tubes being connected to the second water block unit at the second cover portion.

15. The water block assembly of claim 1 , wherein the water block assembly includes only three separate plate members including the lower member, the intermediate member and the upper member.

16. The water block assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the first fluid inlet forms a first opening on a top surface of the intermediate member;
the second fluid inlet forms a second opening on a top surface of the upper member;
the first fluid outlet forms a third opening on the top surface of the intermediate member; and
the second fluid outlet forms a fourth opening on the top surface of the upper member.

17. A water block ass

Assignees

• OVH

Inventors

• Chehade Ali
• Bauduin Hadrien

Classifications

• H10W40/22

  characterised by their shape, e.g. having conical or cylindrical projections · CPC title

• H10W40/47 Primary

  by flowing liquids, e.g. forced water cooling · CPC title

• G06F1/20 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title

• F28D1/035

  with U-flow or serpentine-flow inside the conduits (F28D1/0341 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28F3/12

  Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels {(F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence)} · CPC title