Apparatus for liquid cooling of specific computer components

• US 6,333,849 B1
• Filed: 02/17/1998
• Issued: 12/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gill, Michael T., Donahoe, Daniel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): FEILD, LYNN DIANA
• Application Number:
  US09/024,205
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 361/699, 361/687, 361/685, 361/689, 361/698, 361/825, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/80.5, 174/15.1, 454/184
• US Class Current: 361/679.47
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/201 Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for a heat transfer assembly for direct attachment to a high heat generating chip, which assembly includes a pump, air side heat exchanger mounted adjacent to a fan and a heat transfer plate which is attached to the high heat generating component for dissipating heat from such component under operating conditions. In another embodiment, apparatus is provided for dissipating heat from a hard disk drive including a U-shaped heat exchange clip resiliently mounted on opposite surfaces of a hard disk drive. In another embodiment, apparatus for dissipating heat from a hard disk drive includes a generally rectangular plate for mounting on the top or bottom of the hard disk drive. And, in another embodiment, apparatus is provided transferring heat from a vertical array of hard disk drives, which apparatus includes one or more panels interposed between adjacent vertically disposed hard disk drives.

Claims

1. Electronic apparatus, comprising:

a generally rectangular chassis having first and second sets of opposing sides;

a plurality of electronic components mounted on said chassis, including a hard disk drive, said hard disk drive having a generally rectangular box-like container;

a heat exchange system for said hard disk drive, including;

a generally U-shaped heat exchange clip including first and second arms integrally formed with a base;

a coolant loop mounted with said U-shaped heat exchange clip, said coolant loop including a first loop section attached to said first arm of said heat exchange clip and a second loop section attached to said second arm of said heat exchange clip for circulating liquid coolant to absorb heat transferred from said hard disk drive container to said first and second arms of said heat exchange clip;

said arms of said U-shaped clip being resiliently formed with said base for insertion over said hard disk drive container in resilient engagement therewith; and

a closed circulation system for circulating liquid coolant to said cooling loop mounted on said U-shaped clip and reducing the temperature of said coolant circulating from said cooling loop before circulating said coolant to said cooling loop,

each of said first and second arms of said U-shaped clip has an opening therein, said first loop section and said second loop section extending through said openings in said first arm and said second arm for attachment to the outside surface of each arm.

2. Electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the U-shape heat exchange clip comprises beryllium copper, phosphor bronze, or other suitable metal.

3. Electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the openings are positioned in arcuate sections of the clip.

4. Electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coolant loop comprises a tubing inlet and a tubing outlet mounted with a heat exchange clip base and sides.

5. Electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein heat is absorbed through conduction of thermal energy from the hard disk drive container.

6. Electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coolant loop is adapted to cool the clip.

7. Electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coolant loop is provided with inlet tubing divided into first and second inlet line portions.

8. Electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coolant loop is provided with outlet tubing divided into first and second outlet line portions.

9. Electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coolant loop is provided with inlet lines that extend through openings in the heat exchange clip, and extend longitudinally along the length of the arms.

10. Electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coolant loops are provided with tubing portions attached to the arms by braising.

11. Electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coolant loop is provided with a tubing inlet line that comprises a u-turn and joins a return coolant line that extends back to a coolant outlet line.

12. Electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange clip is provided with a coolant inlet line that extends to a pump outlet.

13. Electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange clip is provided with a coolant outlet line that extends to the inlet of an air side exchanger.

14. Electronic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the heat exchanger is in a pump and is part of the overall hard drive system adapted to continuously remove heat from the hard disk drive when operating.

15. Electronic apparatus, comprising:

a generally rectangular chassis having first and second sets of opposing sides;

a plurality of electronic components mounted on said chassis, including a hard disk drive, said hard disk drive having a generally rectangular box-like container;

a heat exchange system for said hard disk drive, including;

a generally U-shaped heat exchange clip including first and second arms integrally formed with a base;

a coolant loop mounted with said U-shaped heat exchange clip, said coolant loop including a first loop section attached to said first arm of said heat exchange clip and a second loop section attached to said second arm of said heat exchange clip for circulating liquid coolant to absorb heat transferred from said hard disk drive container to said first and second arms of said heat exchange clip;

said arms of said U-shaped clip being resiliently formed with said base for insertion over said hard disk drive container in resilient engagement therewith; and

a closed circulation system for circulating liquid coolant to said cooling loop mounted on said U-shaped clip and reducing the temperature of said coolant circulating from said cooling loop before circulating said coolant to said cooling loop,

each of said first and second arms of said U-shaped clip has an opening therein, said first loop section and said second loop section extending across said openings in said first arm and said second arm for attachment to the outside surface of each arm.

16. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the U-shape heat exchange clip comprises beryllium copper, phosphor bronze, or other suitable metal.

17. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the arms of the U-shaped clip are integrally joined to the clip base or back through 2 curved or arcuate intricately formed yieldable sections.

18. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the arms are easily and resiliently expendable apart for insertion over the hard disk drive container.

19. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the arms are held in place due to resilient compressibility of spring action of the clip.

20. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the openings are positioned in arcuate sections of the clip.

21. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the coolant loop comprises a tubing inlet and a tubing outlet mounted with a heat exchange clip base and sides.

22. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein heat is absorbed through conduction of thermal energy from the hard disk drive container.

23. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the coolant loop is adapted to cool the clip.

24. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the coolant loop is provided with inlet tubing divided into first and second inlet line portions.

25. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the coolant loop is provided with outlet tubing divided into first and second outlet line portions.

26. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the coolant loop is provided with inlet lines that extend across the openings in the heat exchange clip, and extend longitudinally along the length of the arms.

27. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the coolant loops are provided with tubing portions attached to the arms by braising.

28. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the coolant loop is provided with the tubing inlet line that comprises a u-turn and joins a return coolant line that extends back to a coolant outlet line.

29. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the heat exchange clip is provided with a coolant inlet line that extends to a pump outlet.

30. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the heat exchange clip is provided with a coolant outlet line that extends to the inlet of an air side exchanger.

31. Electronic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the heat exchange system comprises a pump and is part of the overall hard drive system adapted to continuously remove heat from the hard disk drive when operating.