Magnetic fluid connector

• US 10,431,926 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2015
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Franz, John P., Cader, Tahir
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Matey, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US15/561,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20180131128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 29/02 with a cut-off device in one of the two pipe ends, the cut-off device being automatically opened when the coupling is applied
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5219 Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/14 Rails or bus-bars constructed so that the counterparts can be connected thereto at any point along their length supporting elements for lighting devices, displaceable along guiding elements and making electrical contact with conductors running along the guiding elements F21V21/35
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20809 within server blades for removing heat from heat source

Abstract

Example implementations relate to a magnetic fluid connector. For example, a magnetic fluid connector can include a magnet, an internal fluid path defined by a first portion and a second portion when the first portion and the second portion are coupled together, and a movable member that is movable to seal the internal fluid path, where the magnet provides at least a portion of a force sufficient to seal the internal fluid path.

Claims

1. A cooling assembly, comprising:

a cooling bay;

a pair of connectors included at least partially in the cooling bay, where the connectors each include;

a magnet included in a second portion of the connector coupled to a fluid source to generate a magnetic force between a movable member of the second portion of the connector and a housing of a first portion of the connector, wherein the housing of the first portion of the connector is insertable into a housing of the second portion of the connector to move the movable member from a first position to a second position;

a magnetic region included in the first portion of the connector coupled to an electronic device, where the first portion and the second portion together define an internal fluid path when coupled together and when the movable member is moved from the first position to the second position; and

the movable member that is movable to open the internal fluid path between the first portion and the second portion of the connector when the housing of the first portion of the connector moves the movable member from the first position to the second position, where the magnet provides the magnetic force to move the movable member from the second position to the first position to close the internal fluid path between the first portion and the second portion of the connector.

2. The connector of claim 1, where the magnetic region forms at least some of a face of the second portion, and where the magnet forms at least some of a face of the first portion so the magnet is adjacent to the magnetic region when the first portion and the second portion are coupled together.

3. The cooling assembly of claim 1, including a fluid distribution manifold connected to the pair of connectors, where the fluid distribution manifold provides liquid cooling to the electronic device via the internal fluid path.

4. The cooling assembly of claim 1, where the pair of connectors are located at a back of the cooling assembly or a front of the cooling assembly.

5. The cooling assembly of claim 1, where the magnet provides a magnetic force that couples the first portion to the second portion until the movable member opens the internal fluid path.

6. A method, comprising:

providing a magnet included in a movable member included in a second portion of a connector coupled to a cooling fluid source and a magnetic region included in a first portion of the connector coupled to an electronic device to generate a magnetic force between the movable member of the second portion of the connector and a housing of the first portion of the connector, wherein the housing of the first portion of the connector is insertable into a housing of the second portion of the connector to move the movable member from a first position to a second position;

positioning the magnet adjacent to the magnetic region to couple the first portion to the second portion of the connector when the movable member is moved from the first position to the second position to form an internal fluid path; and

decoupling the magnet and the magnetic region, where decoupling includes moving the movable member to close the internal fluid path, and where the magnetic force is to move the movable member from the second position to the first position to close the internal fluid path between the first portion and the second portion of the connector.

7. The method of claim 6, including providing, based upon a reading of an electronic sensor, an indication that the magnet and the magnetic region are coupled together.