System for mounting and cooling a computer component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9668383-B2
Application number	US-201615042277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 22, 2013
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

A system includes a support rack and a component housing. The support rack includes a pair of vertically-extending panels, and each panel of the pair of vertically-extending panels has one or more first mating members of a water coupler pair extending outwardly from the support rack. The component housing is slidably disposed between the pair of vertically-extending panels and has a front panel, a pair of sidewalls extending rearwardly from the front panel, a component water line, and two second mating members of the water coupler pair connected to each other by the component water line.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer component mounting system comprising:
a support rack including a pair of vertically-extending panels, and each panel of the pair of vertically-extending panels including one or more first mating members of a water coupler pair extending outwardly from the support rack;
a component housing slidably disposed between the pair of vertically-extending panels and having a front panel, a pair of sidewalls extending rearwardly from the front panel, a component water line, and two second mating members of the water coupler pair connected to each other by the component water line, the front panel having a front surface including a first side portion and a second side portion extending beyond each sidewall of the pair of sidewalls, a first of the two second mating members of the water coupler pair disposed behind the first side portion and coupled to the first end section of the component water line, and a second of the two second mating members of the water coupler pair disposed behind the second side portion and coupled to the second end section, wherein the first and the second of the two second mating members are configured to engage with corresponding first mating members of the water coupler pair disposed on the vertically-extending panels of the support rack; wherein each of the second mating members of the water coupler pair includes a spring-loaded collar and a channel, the channel of the second mating member configured to engage with a corresponding portion of the first mating member of the water coupler pair when the spring-loaded collar is in a first position and to disengage from the corresponding portion when the spring-loaded collar is in a second position; and
a latch coupled to one of the second mating members of the water coupler pair, the latch including a trigger configured to move the spring-loaded collar from the first position to the second position when force is applied to the trigger; wherein the latch further includes a connection mechanism in contact with the spring-loaded collar, and the connection mechanism is coupled to the trigger.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the connection mechanism is coupled to the spring-loaded collar.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the trigger is C-shaped and includes an actuation plate plate configured to receive the force.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second side portions of the front panel includes a cutout providing access to the water coupler pair.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second side portions each include a curved corner, and the first and second end sections of the component water line are disposed behind the first and second side portions, respectively.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second side portions of the front panel includes a cutout providing access to the water coupler pair, and each cutout is formed at a location on the corner that substantially obscures viewing of the component water line and the water coupler pair.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the component housing includes an interior defined in part by the pair of side walls and the front panel,
a plurality of electronic components is disposed in the interior of the component housing, and
the component water line extends through the interior of the component housing to provide cooling to the plurality of electronic components.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the support rack further comprises a pair of vertical supports spaced apart from the pair of vertically-extending panels, and one or more horizontally-extending rails extending between one support of the pair of vertically-extending panels and one panel of the pair of vertical supports.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the support rack further comprises vertical ear rails each disposed inside and alongside the pair of vertically-extending panels, each of the vertical ear rails include a plurality of fastener openings for mounting computer components thereto.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first and second side portions of the front panel extends over corresponding vertical ear rails of the support rack.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein each panel of the pair of vertically-extending panels is recessed relative to a corresponding adjacent vertical ear rail.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein each panel of the pair of vertically-extending panels includes a plurality of first mating members of the water coupler pairs spaced along a length of the panel.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an outer frame within which the support rack is disposed.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the outer frame includes vertical posts extending outside of the support rack.

15. A support rack for mounting a computer component comprising:
a pair of vertically-extending panels, each panel of the pair of vertically-extending panels including one or more first mating members of a water coupler pair extending outwardly from the support rack configured to sealingly engage with corresponding second mating members of the water coupler pair coupled to the computer component; wherein each of the second mating members of the water coupler pair includes a spring-loaded collar and a channel, the channel of the second mating member configured to engage with a corresponding portion of the first mating member of the water coupler pair when the spring-loaded collar is in a first position and to disengage from the corresponding portion when the spring-loaded collar is in a second position; and
a latch coupled to one of the second mating members of the water coupler pair, the latch including a trigger configured to move the spring-loaded collar from the first position to the second position when force is applied to the trigger; wherein the latch further includes a connection mechanism in contact with the spring-loaded collar, and the connection mechanism is coupled to the trigger.

16. A computer component for mounting to a support rack comprising:
a front panel including a first side portion and a second side portion;
a pair of sidewalls extending rearwardly from the front panel defining an interior with the front panel;
a component water line disposed, in part, in the interior and includes a first end and a second end section extending outside of the interior;
two first mating members of a water coupler pair connected to each other by the component water line, respectively,
wherein:
a first of the two first mating members of the water coupler pair is disposed behind the first side portion and coupled to the first end section of the component water line,
a second of the two second mating members of the water coupler pair is disposed behind the second side portion and coupled to the second end section, and the first and the second of the two second mating members are configured to engage with corresponding second mating members of the water coupler pair disposed on the support rack; wherein each of the second mating members of the water coupler pair includes a spring-loaded collar and a channel, the channel of the second mating member configured to engage with a corresponding portion of the first mating member of the water coupler pair when the spring-loaded collar is in a first position and to disengage from the corresponding portion when the spring-loaded collar is in a second position; and

a latch coupled to one of the second mating members of the water coupler pair, the latch including a trigger configured to move the spring-loaded collar from the first position to the second position when force is applied

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Cox Aaron R
• Grady Iv William J
• Miller Michael S
• Minyard Jason E

Classifications

• G06F2200/201

  Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid · CPC title

• G06F1/182

  with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI] · CPC title

• G06F1/20

  Cooling means · CPC title

• H05K7/1489

  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