High serviceability liquid cooling loop using tubing hinge

• US 6,989,990 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2004
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Simon, Glenn C., Malone, Christopher G., Barsun, Stephan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chérvinsky, Boris
• Application Number:
  US10/835,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20050243517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 361/698, 361/699, 361/700, 361/711, 257/714, 257/715, 174/15.1, 174/15.2, 165/80.4, 285/98, 285/315
• US Class Current: 361/699
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/201 Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid

Abstract

A cylindrical tubing hinge extends around and couples two segments of rigid or semi-rigid tubing and enables rotational motion of one segment relative to the other.

Claims

1. A liquid loop cooling apparatus comprising:

a liquid cooling loop tubing enclosing an interior lumen within which a cooling fluid can circulate;

a cold plate rigidly coupled to the liquid cooling loop tubing; and

a tubing hinge coupled into the liquid cooling loop tubing and attaching the liquid cooling loop tubing to the cold plate, enabling rotational motion of the cold plate relative to the liquid cooling loop tubing.

2. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a heat-dissipating component coupled to the cold plate, the cold plate being rotationally moveable to enable addition, replacement, or removal of the heat-dissipating component.

3. The cooling apparatus according to claim 2 wherein:

the cold plate configured for rotation up and away from the heat-dissipating component to enable access to the heat-dissipating component.

4. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the tubing hinge further comprises:

first and second tubing segments adapted to couple into the liquid cooling loop tubing and arranged to share a common longitudinal axis, the first and second tubing segments terminating in respective first and second tube ends;

a raised lip on the first tube end extending radially outward relative to the longitudinal axis; and

a raised groove on the second tube end extending radially outward and returning radially inward relative to the longitudinal axis in a longitudinal second tubing segment section.

5. The cooling apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising:

a ring encircling a longitudinal segment of the first tubing segment adjacent and restrained by the raised lip and contained within the raised groove of the second tube end, the first tube end and the ring being inserted into the second tube end so that the first tube end raised lip and the ring are confined within the second tube end raised groove.

6. The cooling apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a male end connector coupled to a first tubing segment; and

a female end connector coupled to a second tubing segment, the male end connector being capable of insertion into the second tubing segment female end connector, the female end connector arresting linear motion of the male end connector from the female end connector while enabling rotational motion of the first and second tubing segments about a rotational axis.

7. An electronic system comprising:

a chassis;

a plurality of components mounted within the chassis including at least one heat-generating component;

a rigid or semi-rigid liquid cooling loop tubing enclosing an interior lumen within which a cooling fluid circulates;

a cold plate rigidly coupled to the liquid cooling loop tubing and cooled by the cooling liquid in the liquid cooling loop tubing; and

a tubing hinge coupled into the liquid cooling loop tubing and coupled to the cold plate to enable rotational motion of cold plate relative to the liquid cooling loop tubing.

8. The electronic system according to claim 7 further comprising:

a heat-dissipating component coupled to the cold plate, the cold plate being rotationally moveable to enable addition, replacement, or removal of the heat-dissipating component.

9. The electronic system according to claim 7 wherein:

the cold plate is configured for rotation up and away from the heat-dissipating component to enable access to the heat-dissipating component.

10. The electronic system according to claim 7 wherein the tubing hinge further comprises:

first and second tubing segments adapted to couple the tubing hinge into the liquid cooling loop tubing and arranged to share a common longitudinal axis, the first and second tubing segments terminating in respective first and second tube ends;

a raised lip on the first tube end extending radially outward relative to the longitudinal axis; and

a raised groove on the second tube end extending radially outward and returning radially inward relative to the longitudinal axis in a longitudinal second tubing segment section.

11. The electronic system according to claim 10 further comprising:

a ring encircling a longitudinal segment of the first tube adjacent and restrained by the raised lip and contained within the raised groove of the second tube end, the first tube end and the ring being inserted into the second tube end so that the first tube end raised lip and the ring are confined within the second tube end raised groove.

12. The electronic system according to claim 7 further comprising:

a male end connector coupled to a first tubing segment; and

a female end connector coupled to a second tubing segment, the male end connector being capable of insertion into the second tubing segment female end connector, the female end connector arresting linear motion of the male end connector from the female end connector while enabling rotational motion of the first and second tubing segments about a rotational axis.

13. A method of constructing a tubing hinge comprising:

forming on an end of a first tubing segment a raised lip extending radially outward relative to a longitudinal axis of the first tubing segment;

forming on an end of a second tubing segment a raised groove extending radially outward and returning radially inward relative to a longitudinal axis in a in a longitudinal second tubing segment section;

coupling the first tubing segment and the second tubing segment into a liquid cooling loop tubing at a cold plate; and

inserting the first tubing segment end into the second tubing segment end whereby the first tubing segment end raised lip is confined within the second tubing segment end raised groove, the first tubing segment and the second tubing segment forming the tubing hinge that enables the cold plate to rotate relative to the liquid cooling loop tubing.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising:

encircling a longitudinal portion of the first tubing segment with a ring so that the ring is adjacent to and restrained by the raised lip and contained within the raised groove of the second tubing segment.

15. A liquid loop cooling apparatus comprising:

a cold plate component further comprising;

a heat-dissipating component; and

a cover plate convertibly enclosing the heat-dissipating component;

rigid or semi-rigid liquid cooling loop tubing coupled to the cold plate component and enclosing an interior lumen within which a cooling fluid can circulate; and

a tubing hinge coupled into the liquid cooling loop tubing and enabling rotational motion of the cover plate relative to the liquid cooling loop tubing.

16. The cooling apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the tubing hinge further comprises:

first and second tubing segments adapted to couple the tubing hinge into the liquid cooling loop tubing and arranged to share a common longitudinal axis, the first and second tubing segments terminating in respective first and second tube ends;

a raised lip on the first tube end extending radially outward relative to the longitudinal axis; and

a raised groove on the second tube end extending radially outward and returning radially inward relative to the longitudinal axis in a longitudinal second tubing segment section.