Mounting interface for liquid manifold and electronics rack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12520447-B2
Application number	US-202118042969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2021
Priority date	Aug 31, 2020
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A server rack assembly is provided for an electronics tray and a manifold for delivery of cooling flow to the electronics tray. Mounting and alignment features on the server rack assembly, such as alignment holes and planar support surfaces, can help to provide predictable alignment between fluid ports on the manifold and fluid ports on the electronics tray. The server rack assembly can include a mounting and alignment interface coupled to the manifold and a rack support that can be coupled to the mounting and alignment interface. An equipment stop can be coupled to the rack support and can extend perpendicular to a side portion of the rack support. The equipment stop can be configured to prevent the electronics tray from being installed beyond a predetermined distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A server rack assembly for supporting an electronics tray and aligning the electronics tray with a manifold for delivery of cooling flow to the electronics tray, the manifold including at least one fluid port, the server rack assembly comprising:
a mounting and alignment interface having a first planar portion secured to and arranged parallel to the manifold with an alignment hole of the first planar portion arranged around a port hole of the manifold, the alignment hole configured to receive the at least one fluid port therethrough; a rack support coupled to the mounting and alignment interface, the rack support having a support shelf configured to receive the electronics tray thereon and a side portion extending perpendicularly from and along the support shelf; and an equipment stop formed from the side portion of the rack support and extending perpendicular to the side portion of the rack support, the equipment stop configured to prevent the electronics tray from being installed beyond a predetermined distance.

2 . The server rack assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting and alignment interface is directly coupled to the manifold.

3 . The server rack assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting and alignment interface and the rack support are formed from a unitary metal body.

4 . The server rack assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting and alignment interface has a second planar portion extending alongside the manifold in a direction opposite the rack support.

5 . The server rack assembly of claim 4 , wherein the second planar portion includes a placement feature configured to receive a protrusion extending outwardly from the manifold perpendicular to the fluid port.

6 . The server rack assembly of claim 5 , wherein the protrusion is threaded and the second planar portion is configured to be urged against the manifold by a nut threadably engaged with the protrusion.

7 . The server rack assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting and alignment interface is mounted and retained on the fluid port.

8 . A server rack assembly for supporting an electronics tray and aligning the electronics tray with a manifold for delivery of cooling flow to the electronics tray, the server rack assembly comprising:
a mounting and alignment interface secured to the manifold with a first planar portion arranged parallel to the manifold with an alignment hole of the first planar portion aligned with a port hole of the manifold to permit a fluid port to extend from the port hole of the manifold away from the mounting and alignment interface in a first direction and through the alignment hole; a rack support coupled to the mounting and alignment interface and extending away from the mounting and alignment interface in the first direction, the rack support having a support shelf configured to receive the electronics tray; the mounting and alignment interface and the rack support being configured to align and secure the electronics tray with a known spacing, relative to the fluid port to ensure appropriate connection of a fluid port on the electronics tray to the fluid port on the manifold.

9 . The server rack assembly of claim 8 , wherein the mounting and alignment interface and the rack support are made from a unitary piece of material.

10 . The server rack assembly of claim 9 , wherein the mounting and alignment interface has a second planar portion configured to extend alongside the manifold in a direction opposite the rack support.

11 . The server rack assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second planar portion of the mounting and alignment interface has an aperture configured to receive a protrusion extending outwardly from the manifold.

12 . The server rack assembly of claim 11 , wherein the protrusion is threaded and the second planar portion is configured to be urged against the manifold and secured there against a nut threadably engaged with the protrusion.

13 . The server rack assembly of claim 8 , wherein the rack support has a side portion extending perpendicularly from and along the support shelf and an equipment stop coupled to and extending perpendicularly from the side portion, the equipment stop configured to prevent the electronics tray from being installed beyond a predetermined distance.

14 . The server rack assembly of claim 13 , wherein the rack support is configured to be coupled to the mounting and alignment interface with a set of fasteners received within respective sets of placement apertures in the rack support and the mounting and alignment interface.

15 . The server rack assembly of claim 14 , wherein the sets of placement apertures of the rack support and the mounting and alignment interface are spaced apart in a staggered pattern.

16 . The server rack assembly of claim 13 , wherein the rack support has a window in the side portion, and with the server rack coupled to the manifold, the window is located adjacent the fluid port to provide visual access to the fluid port before, during, and after installation of the electronics tray.

17 . A server rack assembly for supporting an electronics tray, the server rack assembly comprising:
a manifold defining a port hole with a fluid port extending outward therefrom in a first direction and configured to be compatible with a fluid port on the electronics tray; a mounting and alignment interface arranged parallel to the manifold, the mounting and alignment interface having an alignment hole concentric with the port hole of the manifold and configured to receive the fluid port of the manifold therethrough; a rack support coupled to the mounting and alignment interface and extending outward therefrom in the first direction, the rack support having a support shelf configured to receive the electronics tray thereon; the mounting and alignment interface and the rack support being configured to align the fluid port of the manifold with the fluid port of the electronics tray during installation of the electronics tray on the rack support.

18 . The server rack assembly of claim 17 , wherein the rack support has a side portion extending perpendicularly from and along the support shelf and an equipment stop coupled to and extending perpendicularly from the side portion, the equipment stop configured to prevent the electronics tray from being installed on the rack support beyond a predetermined distance.

19 . The server rack assembly of claim 18 , wherein the mounting and alignment interface is mounted and retained on the fluid port of the manifold.

20 . The server rack assembly of claim 18 , wherein the manifold has a protrusion that is configured to be received within an aperture of the mounting and alignment interface to place the rack support at a predetermined location relative to the fluid port of the manifold to ensure alignment with the fluid port of the electronics tray.

Assignees

• Hoffman Enclosures Inc

Inventors

• Demars Allen
• Stammer Scott

Classifications

• H05K7/20763

  Liquid cooling without phase change · 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

• H05K7/1489 Primary

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

• H05K7/20781 Primary

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title