Blind-mate adapter unit

Abstract

A blindmate adapter unit that is adjustably positionable on a server chassis is disclosed. The blindmate adapter unit is rotationally adjustable to align the orientation of one or more fluid connectors on the blindmate adapter unit with one or more corresponding mating fluid connectors on a coolant distribution manifold mounted in a server rack. The blindmate adapter can be divided into two halves that can be positioned to align and blind mate with the coolant distribution manifold. When the server is slid into place in the server rack, the fluid connectors on the blindmate adapter are fluidly coupled with corresponding mating fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold. The blindmate adapter unit serves as an intermediate layer for fluidly mating the server and the rack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to data center cooling and, more particularly, to server racks, including the installation and removal of server equipment connected to liquid cooling modules. Background Art

[0002] Cooling is a crucial factor in the design of computer systems and data centers. The number of high-performance electronic components, such as high-performance processors, housed within servers has steadily increased, increasing the amount of heat generated and dissipated during normal server operation. The reliability of servers used in data centers can decline if the ambient temperature within which they operate is allowed to rise over time. Maintaining an appropriate thermal environment is crucial to the proper operation of these data center servers, as well as their performance and lifespan. This necessitates more effective and efficient cooling solutions, particularly when cooling these high-performance servers.

[0003] Server racks in a data center may contain servers and / or cooling distribution units with liquid coolant connectors of different types, sizes, genders, and locations. Typically, in a server rack, the coolant distribution unit is connected to a coolant distribution manifold at the back of the server rack. Each server that requires liquid cooling will be connected to the coolant distribution manifold. The coolant distribution manifold typically includes various interconnected hoses or pairs of distribution manifolds in the form of sealed square tubes, with fluid connectors placed at fixed intervals along the manifold pipes. There are different types of rack manifold designs based on the size, location, connector type, and gender of the server rack equipment connections. The servers and cooling distribution units in the server rack require regular maintenance, which requires disconnecting the liquid coolant connectors at the back of the server rack in order to remove and repair the servers. These connectors are usually hidden deep in the back of the server rack and are not easily accessible. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A blind-mate adapter unit is configured to connect the fluid of a server in an electronics rack to a coolant distribution manifold by blind mating, the blind-mate adapter unit comprising: an adapter plate having a plurality of fluid connectors on a first side of the adapter plate and a plurality of fluid connection points on a second side of the adapter plate, each fluid connector on the first side corresponding to one of the fluid connection points on the second side; a mounting rod adjustably coupled to the adapter plate, wherein the mounting rod is adjustably coupled to a chassis of the server; wherein the blind-mate adapter unit can be configured to fix the alignment of the plurality of fluid connectors on the first side of the adapter plate with the plurality of mating fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold in the electronics rack, so that when the server is installed in the electronics rack, the blind-mate adapter unit blind-mates with the plurality of mating fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold.

[0005] In some embodiments, the adapter plate is rotatably coupled to the mounting pole, wherein the adapter plate is configured to be rotatable within ±90° or ±180°.

[0006] In some embodiments, the adapter plate is rotatably coupled to the mounting pole, the blind-mate adapter unit is adjustably coupled to a frame, and the frame is adjustably coupled to the server chassis.

[0007] In some embodiments the adapter plate is rotatably coupled to the mounting pole, and the position of the blind-mate adapter unit on the server chassis is adjustable by the frame in lateral and vertical directions relative to a direction from the front or back of the electronics rack toward the electronics rack.

[0008] In some embodiments, the adapter plate is rotatably coupled to the mounting rod, the adapter plate can be divided into a first half and a second half, one or more of the plurality of fluid connectors are mounted to the first half of the adapter plate, the remaining portion of the plurality of fluid connectors are mounted to the second half of the adapter plate, and the first half is slidably coupled to the frame using the mounting rod, and the second half is slidably coupled to the frame using the second mounting rod.

[0009] In some embodiments, the adapter plate is rotatably coupled to the mounting pole, the length of the two horizontal members of the frame are adjustable, the two horizontal members of the frame form a parallelogram that forms a ramp from one side of the server chassis to an opposite side of the server chassis, and the first half and the second half of the blind mate adapter are slidably coupled to the frame.

[0010] In some embodiments, the adapter plate is rotatably coupled to the mounting post, and the fluid connector on the blind-mate adapter unit is a drip-free quick connector.

[0011] In some embodiments, the adapter plate is rotatably coupled to the mounting post, and each of the plurality of fluid connection points on the second side of the adapter plate is configured to receive a manual fluid connection to at least one coolant line of a cooling module within the server.

[0012] In some embodiments, the adapter plate is rotatably coupled to the mounting rod, and each of the plurality of fluid connection points on the second side of the adapter plate is configured to couple to two coolant lines via a two-in-one connection point.

[0013] A server includes: a cooling module including a coolant supply line, a heat transfer unit and a coolant return line; and the blind-mate adapter unit described in the above embodiment, which is adjustably coupled to a chassis of the server.

[0014] An electronic rack includes a plurality of stacked server chassis, each server chassis includes one or more servers, wherein each server is the server described in the above embodiment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like references indicate similar parts.

[0016] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an example of a cooling module configuration according to one embodiment.

[0017] Figure 2A and 2B are plan views of various embodiments of a blind-mate adapter for a server chassis, according to some embodiments.

[0018] Figure 3 is an end view of a rotatable blind-mate adapter for a server chassis, according to one embodiment.

[0019] Figure 4 is a plan view of a rotatable blind-mate adapter for a server chassis according to one embodiment.

[0020] Figure 5 is an end view of a splitter blind-mate adapter for a server chassis, according to one embodiment.

[0021] Figure 6 is an end view of a splitter blind-mate adapter for a server chassis that has been split and fitted with additional mounting posts, according to one embodiment.

[0022] Figure 7 is an end view of a splitter blind-mate adapter for a server chassis that has been split and fitted with additional mounting posts, according to one embodiment.

[0023] Figure 8 is an end view of two split-panel blind-mate adapters for a server chassis that have been split and fitted with additional mounting posts, according to one embodiment.

[0024] Figure 9 is a plan view of a blind-mate adapter that supports a cooling circuit for multiple cooling modules, according to one embodiment.

[0025] Figure 10 is a side view of a rotatable blind-mate adapter according to one embodiment, the adapter being rotated during operation.

[0026] Figures 11A-11C is a back view of a server rack in several different configurations in which blind-mate adapter units may be used with the servers, according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Various embodiments and aspects of the present invention will be described with reference to the details discussed below, and the accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments. The following description and drawings are illustrative and should not be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments of the present invention. In some cases, well-known or conventional details will not be described to provide a brief discussion of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0028] References in this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0029] In a first aspect, a blind mate adapter unit is configured to couple a server in an electronics rack to a coolant distribution manifold by blind mating. The blind mating is performed by a sliding or snapping action and can be achieved without the need for wrenches or other tools. The blind mating has a self-aligning feature, which allows for small misalignments during mating. The blind mate adapter unit can be mounted to a server chassis and configured to align the server before the server is inserted into the server rack. The fluid connectors on the blind mate adapter unit are initially configured to align with corresponding fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold. The server can be repeatedly removed and reinstalled by blind mating without further adjustment.

[0030] The blind-mate adapter unit may include an adapter plate and a mounting rod. The adapter plate may have a plurality of fluid connectors on a first side and a plurality of fluid connection points on a second side. Each of the plurality of fluid connectors on the first side of the adapter plate is configured to blind-mate with a plurality of mating fluid connectors on one or more coolant distribution manifolds mounted in the server rack. On the second side of the adapter plate, the fluid connection points may be threaded holes in the adapter plate material, the threaded holes being configured to receive threaded adapters configured to fluidically couple one or more coolant lines (such as a coolant supply line or a coolant return line) to the adapter plate. In one embodiment, each of the fluid connection points on the second side of the adapter plate is configured to receive a manual fluid connection to at least one coolant line of a cooling module. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of fluid connection points on the second side of the adapter plate is configured to couple to two coolant lines via a two-in-one connector. Each fluid connector on the first side corresponds to one of the fluid connection points on the second side. In one embodiment, the cooling modules inside the server may be equipped with existing fluid connectors. In such an embodiment, the back of the adapter plate may be free of fluid connection points. Existing fluid connectors equipped with server cooling modules can be fitted to the adapter plate of the adapter unit.

[0031] The mounting rod can be adjustably coupled to the adapter plate. The mounting rod can be adjustably coupled to a frame coupled to the server chassis. The blind-mate adapter can be configured to securely align a plurality of fluid connectors on a first side of the adapter plate with a corresponding plurality of mating fluid connectors on a coolant distribution manifold of the electronics rack. For example, when the server is installed in the electronics rack, the blind-mate adapter unit with the fluid connectors is blind-mated to the fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold, and the plurality of mating fluid connectors of the blind-mate adapter unit on the server are fluidically coupled to the corresponding plurality of mating fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold. The adapter plate can be rotatably coupled to the mounting rod. The adapter plate can rotate within a range of ±90°. In one embodiment, the adapter plate can rotate within a range of ±180°. In one embodiment, the blind-mate adapter can be adjustably coupled to a frame, which is adjustably coupled to the server chassis. In one embodiment, the position of the blind-mate adapter unit on the server chassis is adjustable via the frame in a lateral direction (x-axis) and a vertical direction (y-axis) relative to a direction from the front or back of the electronics rack toward the electronics rack. In one embodiment, the adapter plate is separable into a first half and a second half. One or more of the plurality of fluid connectors on the first side of the adapter plate can be mounted to the first half, and the remainder of the plurality of fluid connectors are mounted to the first side of the second half of the adapter plate. The first half can be slidably coupled to the frame using a mounting rod, and the second half can be slidably coupled to the frame using a second mounting rod. In one embodiment, the length of the two horizontal members of the frame are adjustable, and the two horizontal members of the frame form a parallelogram that forms a ramp from one side of the server chassis to the opposite side of the server chassis, and the first half and the second half of the blind mate adapter are slidably coupled to the frame. The fluid connectors on the blind mate adapter unit can be drip-free quick connectors. The fluid connectors connected to the fluid connection points can be hose barb connectors.

[0032] In a second aspect, the server may include a cooling module having a coolant supply line, a heat transfer unit, and a coolant return line. The server may further include a blind mate adapter unit having a plurality of fluid connectors, as described in the first aspect above, which are adjustably configurable to blind mate with a corresponding plurality of mating fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold. The blind mate adapter unit can be mounted on the server chassis and configured to be used for alignment before the server is inserted into the server rack. Once the fluid connectors on the blind mate adapter unit are initially configured to align with the corresponding fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold, the server can be repeatedly removed and reinstalled by blind mating without further adjustment. In one embodiment, the blind mate adapter is adjustably coupled to a frame that is adjustably coupled to the chassis of the server. The position of the blind mate adapter unit on the server chassis is adjustable in the lateral direction (x-axis) and the vertical direction (y-axis) using the frame. In one embodiment, the lengths of the two horizontal members of the frame are adjustable, and the two horizontal members form a parallelogram that forms a slope from one side of the server chassis to the opposite side of the server chassis. The first half and the second half of the adapter plate are slidably coupled to the frame.In one embodiment, the adapter plate of the blind-mate adapter unit is configured to rotate within a range of ±90° or ±180°.

[0033] Figure 1 FIG is a block diagram illustrating a portion of a server cooling module 100 according to one embodiment. The cooling module 100 may include a processor / cooling plate assembly that removes heat from a processor chip 101. Figure 1, the processor 101 is inserted into a processor socket mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) or motherboard 102, which is connected to other electronic components or circuits of the data processing system or server. The processor 101 includes a cooling plate 103 attached thereto, which is connected to a rack manifold, and the manifold is connected to a liquid supply line 132 and / or a liquid return line 131. The connection of the cooling plate 103 to the rack manifold via the coolant lines 131 and 132 can be achieved by a blind mate adapter unit as described herein. A portion of the heat generated by the processor 101 is removed by the cooling liquid lines 131 and 132 via the cooling plate 103. The remaining heat enters the air space below or above, which can be removed by the airflow generated by the cooling fan (not shown). As described herein, the blind mate adapter unit 110 can be connected to the server chassis 105 using a frame (not shown). The cooling liquid lines 131 and 132 of the cold plate can be coupled to a blind-mate adapter unit 110 mounted on the server chassis frame, enabling the server's cooling lines to be blind-mated with one or more coolant distribution manifolds in the server rack housing the server chassis 105. The liquid supply line 131 and the liquid return line 132 can be flexible hoses with blind-mate or hand-mate connectors. The cooling module 100 included in the server chassis 105 can be used with different types of servers and server racks. The blind-mate adapter unit 110 ensures proper pairing and configuration of the fluid system between the server rack and the server cooling module.

[0034] Figure 2A and 2B 2 is a plan view of various embodiments of a blind-mate adapter unit for a server 203 in a server rack 200 having coolant distribution manifolds 201 and 202 (collectively, 201 / 2), according to some embodiments. The blind-mate adapter unit enables information technology (IT) equipment (such as server 203) to be slid into the server rack 200 and blind-mate with a portion of the fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold 201 / 2 via the blind-mate adapter unit. The fluid connectors 210 on the blind-mate adapter unit are initially configured to align with corresponding fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold 201 / 2. The server 203 can be repeatedly removed from the server rack and reinstalled via blind-mate without further adjustment. In one embodiment, the blind-mate adapter unit is mounted into the chassis of the server 203 and is configured for alignment before the server 203 is inserted into the server rack. The blind-mate adapter unit can be blind-mateed to fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifolds of server racks for different cooling modules and different rack designs in the server chassis.

[0035] Now refer to Figure 2A, shows a server 203 having a cooling module (not shown) included in the server 203, as described above with reference to Figure 1 . Reference above Figure 1 The cooling module within the server 203 may include one or more hoses, tubes, or pipes, such as for the coolant supply line 131 and the coolant return line 132 or other coolant lines, one end of which is fluidly coupled to a cooling module (not shown) in the server 203. Figure 3-1 As described above, the other end of each of the coolant supply line 131 and the coolant return line 132 can be manually connected to a blind-mate adapter unit. In one embodiment, if the server liquid cooling module lines 131 and 132 are only equipped with manually mating connectors, a blind-mate adapter unit with a blind-mate fluid connector is required. In this embodiment, the blind-mate fluid connector 210 will be located at one end of the blind-mate adapter plate. The other end of the blind-mate adapter plate will have a manual fluid connection point (not shown) for connecting the coolant lines 131 and 132 to the server's liquid cooling module and the blind-mate adapter plate. Accordingly, the coolant lines 131 and 132 may also include manual fluid connectors at their ends. The blind-mate adapter unit is equipped with connectors that are designed for blind mating on one side and manual mating with the coolant lines 131 and 132 on the other side.

[0036] The blindmate adapter unit can include a plurality of fluid connectors 210 on a first side of an adapter plate 215 of the blindmate adapter unit. A coolant supply line 131 can be manually coupled to a fluid connection point on a second side of the adapter plate 215 of the blindmate adapter unit. A coolant return line 132 can be manually coupled to a fluid connection point on the second side of the adapter plate 215 of the blindmate adapter unit. Each fluid connection point on the second side of the adapter plate 215 corresponds to a fluid connector 210 on the first side of the adapter plate 415. If the ends of the coolant lines 131 and 132 are already equipped with blindmate connectors, these blindmate connectors will be assembled to the blindmate adapter unit, which is used to secure and position the blindmate connectors into the appropriate configuration to match the blindmate configuration of the rack coolant distribution manifold.

[0037] The adapter plate 215 can be adjustably mounted to the chassis of the server 203 using mounting rods 220 and a frame (not shown). In one embodiment, the adapter plate 215 can be rotatably coupled to the mounting rods via fasteners 305. The mounting rods 220 are slidably coupled to the frame, which is adjustably coupled to the server chassis, so that the adapter plate 215 and the mounting rods 220 are slidably coupled to the server chassis. In such an embodiment, the server cooling module can only provide hoses for entering and exiting the cooling circuits (e.g., coolant supply line 131 and coolant return line 132) inside the server 203. The provided hoses are intended to be manually connected to the coolant distribution manifolds 201 and 202 (collectively referred to as 201 / 2) by the end user. However, as described herein, these hoses are instead manually coupled to the blind-mate adapter unit described herein. In this embodiment, the blind-mate adapter unit can be slidably mounted to the frame attached to the server chassis using mounting rods 220 and fasteners 305. The server manufacturer's supplied hose 230 is manually coupled to one side of the blind mate adapter unit, which is then secured to the frame, which is then attached to the server chassis. During initial installation, the blind mate adapter unit is slid into alignment with the coolant distribution manifold 201 / 2. The adapter plate 215 can be rotated or otherwise adjusted, such as by using a split-plate adapter plate 215, to align the fluid connectors 210 on the blind mate adapter with corresponding mating fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold 201 / 2. Figure 2B, the split-plate adapter plate 215 is described below. The adapter plate 215 and the mounting rods 220 can be fixed so that the plurality of fluid connectors 210 are aligned with the correspondingly paired plurality of fluid connectors 212 on the coolant distribution manifold 201 / 2. The position of the fluid connectors 210 on the blind-mate adapter unit remains fixed so that the server 203 can be slid into the rack on the server rack 200, thereby blind-mateing the server 203 to the coolant distribution manifold 201 / 2. The server 203 can also be removed from the rack and reinstalled to the rack without readjusting the alignment of the fluid connectors 210 on the blind-mate adapter unit. The fluid connectors 212 are built into the coolant distribution manifold 201 / 2. The server 203 can be installed in different racks and can operate normally in different racks with different blind-mate adapters while keeping the server cooling module unchanged. In one embodiment, as described above, if the server cooling modules are equipped with blind-mate connectors on their coolant supply and return lines, it is necessary to ensure that the rack coolant distribution manifold 201 / 2 has fluid connectors 212 that are compatible with the coolant supply and return lines 131, 132. The blind-mate adapter unit secures the configuration and position of the server cooling module fluid connectors 210 so that they properly mate with the corresponding plurality of fluid connectors on the rack coolant distribution manifold 201 / 2. In another embodiment, if the server cooling modules (not shown) are equipped with manual-mate connectors, the blind-mate adapter unit can be equipped with a first type of blind-mate connector 210 on one end to mate with the corresponding blind-mate connector and manual connection point (not shown) on the rack coolant distribution manifold 201 / 2, thereby connecting the coolant module supply and return lines 131 and 132 to the blind-mate adapter unit. In this embodiment, the blind-mate adapter provides greater interoperability between the server cooling modules and coolant distribution manifolds 201 / 2 of different configurations.

[0038] Now refer to Figure 2B , describes a split-plate embodiment of a blind-mate adapter unit, see Figure 2B and the following Figure 5-7 Such an embodiment can be used to provide a more flexible solution to match the rack coolant distribution manifold with the server cooling module design. In such an embodiment, the adapter plate 215 can be separated into a first half and a second half. Figure 2B2. In one embodiment, the first half of the adapter plate 215 has a first side with a fluid connector 210 that corresponds to a mating connector 212 on the coolant distribution manifold 201. The coolant supply line 131 can be manually coupled to a fluid connection point located on the second side of the first half of the adapter plate 215. The first half of the adapter plate 215 can be adjustably coupled to the chassis of the server 203 using mounting rods 220, a frame (not shown), and fasteners 305. In one embodiment, the first half of the adapter plate 215 and the mounting rods 220 can be slidably coupled to a frame that attaches the adapter plate 215 and the mounting rods 220 to the server chassis. By adjusting the position of the first half of the adapter plate 215 and the mounting rods 220, the fluid connector 210 can be aligned with the corresponding mating fluid connector 212 on the coolant distribution manifold 201.

[0039] Similarly, the second half of the adapter plate 215 can have a fluid connector 210 that corresponds to the mating connector 212 on the coolant distribution manifold 201. The coolant return line 132 can be manually coupled to a fluid connection point (not shown) on the second side of the second half of the adapter plate 215. The second half of the adapter plate 215 can be adjustably coupled to the chassis of the server 203 using mounting rods 220, a frame (not shown), and fasteners 305. In one embodiment, the second half of the adapter plate 215 and the mounting rods 220 can be slidably coupled to the frame, which attaches the second half of the adapter plate 215 and the second mounting rods 220 to the server chassis. By adjusting the position of the second half of the adapter plate 215 and the second mounting rods 220, the fluid connector 210 can be aligned with the corresponding mating fluid connector 212 on the coolant distribution manifold 202.

[0040] Figure 3 1 is an end view of a rotatable blind mate adapter unit 300 for a server according to one embodiment. The view is from the rear of a server rack in which the server chassis 105 is mounted. The server is mounted from the front of the server rack and slid into place within the server rack. As the server is slid into the server rack, the fluid connectors 320 on the blind mate adapter unit 300 connect with corresponding mating fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold 201 / 202 (not shown) at the rear of the server rack. The fluid connectors 320 on the blind mate adapter unit are initially configured to align with corresponding fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold (not shown). The server can be removed and reinstalled by blind mate without further adjustment. In one embodiment, the blind mate adapter unit is mounted to the server chassis and is configured for alignment before the server is inserted into the server rack.

[0041] Dashed line 105 represents the server chassis. Blind-mate adapter unit 300 may include a mounting post 310, an adapter plate 315, a fluid connector 320, and a fastener 305. Adapter plate 315 may be rotatably coupled to mounting post 310 using fastener 305. Fastener 305 may be any type of threaded fastener or other mechanical fastener. Fastener 305 may be loosened to allow adapter plate 315 to rotate relative to mounting post 310.

[0042] The adapter unit 315 can be a cast or forged metal with sufficient strength and thickness to allow drilling and tapping on the front and back of the adapter plate 315. For example, in the above Figure 2A In the example, the adaptation unit 315 ( Figure 2A The side of the adapter plate 215 facing the coolant distribution manifold 201 / 2 is shown as having a quick connect fitting connected to the adapter plate 215 / 315. This quick connect fitting can be inserted into the first side ( Figure 3 ) in the front side, which faces the coolant distribution manifold, such as 201 / 2. The server includes a cooling module or other fluid system, which, in one embodiment, is manually coupled to a fluid connection point on the second side (here, the rear side, not shown) of the adapter plate 215 / 315. For example, the server cooling module may already be equipped with one or more hoses, tubes, or pipes that are intended to be manually coupled to the coolant distribution manifold (not shown). Instead, as described herein, the provided hoses, tubes, or pipes are manually coupled to the fluid connection points on the second side (rear side) of the adapter plate 215 / 315. Each fluid connection point on the second side (rear side) of the adapter plate 215 / 315 corresponds to one of the fluid connectors 320 provided on the first side (front side) of the adapter plate 215 / 315. The fluid connection point on the rear side of the adapter plate can be a barb hose connection that connects the coolant line hose (not shown) to the server cooling module (not shown) in the server. In this embodiment, the cooling module is designed with a manually mated connector, such as a barb hose connection, at the ends of the coolant supply and return hoses.

[0043] Adapter plate 315 can be rotatably coupled to mounting rod 310 using fastener 305. Mounting rod 310 can have an approximately C-shaped cross-section, with the "C" facing upward toward the adapter unit, as shown by the dashed lines representing a clear area of ​​the C-shaped cross-section of the mounting rod near the center of adapter plate 315. The clear area of ​​mounting rod 310 allows for hose connectors, fittings, hoses, and tools to access the hoses, connectors, and fittings. A threaded tap or other mechanical connection point in the center of the C-shaped cross-section of the mounting rod receives a threaded fastener 505 or other type of mechanical connection to couple adapter plate 315 to mounting rod 310. When fastener 305 is loosened, adapter plate 315 can freely rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, as shown by rotation 308. In one embodiment, fastener 305 can be removed, and when pulled from the mounting rod, adapter plate 315 can freely rotate ±180° or more.

[0044] The blind-mate adapter unit 300 can further include a frame that couples to the server chassis to allow adjustment of the position of the blind-mate adapter unit 300 using the frame. One or more frame members 302 can be mounted on each of two opposing sides of the server chassis 105, for example, on the left and right sides relative to the front of the server rack (not shown). Vertical members 302 allow adjustment of horizontal members 304 along the vertical direction (i.e., the y-axis). Horizontal members 304 can provide slidable adjustment of the blind-mate adapter 300 along the x-axis (i.e., from the left to the right relative to the front of the server rack). Members 302 and 304 can be made of slidable tubing, such as square tubing, angle brackets, or other shapes with sufficient strength to support the span across the width of the server rack and the forces exerted on the server chassis 105 when the fluid connector 320 is in place, thereby establishing a connection between the fluid connector on the coolant distribution manifold (not shown) and the blind-mate adapter unit 300. In one embodiment, the frame members are made of 304 or 316 stainless steel, aluminum, anodized material, painted, or other corrosion resistant material.

[0045] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a plan view of a rotatable blind-mate adapter unit for use on a server chassis 105 according to one embodiment. Frame members 302 and 304 are used to attach the blind-mate adapter unit to the server chassis 105. Frame members 302 and 304 and mounting bar 310 have been previously described with reference to FIG. Figure 3 It has been described and will not be repeated here.

[0046] Back to Figure 2A and 2B, the server chassis 105 does not have its own fluid connector installed on the rear of the chassis of the server 203. Therefore, a frame is attached to the server chassis 105 and a blind adapter unit is connected to the frame. In this embodiment, the fluid circuit 450 refers to the fluid supply line (e.g., 131) that flows into the cooling module inside the server chassis 105 and the fluid return line (e.g., 132) that flows out of the cooling module. The fluid circuit 450 is manually connected to the fluid connection point on the rear side of the adapter plate 315 of the blind adapter unit (one side of the fluid circuit 450). In one embodiment, the fluid circuit 450 is connected to the adapter plate 315 of the blind adapter unit using connector 410. The fluid connector 320 faces the coolant distribution manifold (not shown). The connector 320 is selected to mate with the fluid connector (not shown) attached to the coolant distribution manifold (not shown). The fluid connection point on the rear side of the adapter plate can be a barbed hose connection that connects the coolant line hose to the server cooling module in the server. In one embodiment, the fluid circuit 450 can be equipped with a fluid connector that can be coupled to the adapter plate 315 as a fluid connector 520. For example, the connectors 410 and 320 can be a single component with two ends (410 and 320). If the connector 410 is a barbed hose connection, then the fluid connector 320 can be pre-assembled with the server cooling module. If the connector 410 is a manual connector, then the connector 410 can be understood as a manual connection that connects one end of each coolant line to the back side of the adapter plate of the blind mate adapter. The other end of each coolant line is connected (e.g., pre-assembled) to the cooling module of the server chassis 105.

[0047] Figures 5 to 7 1 is an end view of a split-panel blind mate adapter unit 500 for a server chassis 105 according to one embodiment. The view is from the rear of the server rack in which the server chassis 105 is mounted. The server chassis is mounted from the front of the server rack and slid into place within the server rack. As the server chassis 105 is slid into the server rack, the fluid connectors 320 on the blind mate adapter unit 300 are fluidly coupled with corresponding mating fluid connectors on a coolant distribution manifold (not shown) at the rear of the server rack. The fluid connectors 320 on the blind mate adapter unit are initially configured to align with corresponding fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold (not shown). The server chassis 105 can be removed and reinstalled by blind mating without further adjustment. In one embodiment, the blind mate adapter unit is mounted to the server chassis using a frame and is configured to align with corresponding mating fluid connectors (not shown) on the coolant distribution manifold (not shown) before the server chassis 105 is inserted into the server rack.

[0048] The dashed line 105 represents the server chassis. Frame members 302 and 304 are coupled to the server chassis 105. Frame members 302 and 304, fasteners 305, and fluid connectors 320 have been referenced above. Figure 3 The above description is omitted here. Figure 2B A plan view of one example of a split-board blind-mate adapter unit 500 is depicted. Blind-mate adapter unit 500 is used to configure a server-side connector to blind-mate with a rack coolant distribution manifold (not shown).

[0049] Still reference Figure 5 In this embodiment, the blind mate adapter unit 500 includes an adapter plate 515 and a mounting rod 510. The adapter plate 515 can be separated into two parts 515A and 515B. Before separating the adapter plate 515, both parts 515A and 515B can be fastened to the mounting rod 510. The mounting rod 510 differs from the mounting rod 310 in at least one aspect: the mounting rod 510 is provided with two threaded taps or other mechanical connections to receive the two fasteners 305. When the adapter plate 515 is separated into two parts, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 As shown, each of 515A and 515B receives a respective mounting rod 510 .

[0050] Now refer to Figure 6 , Figure 5 A blind-mate adapter unit 500 is shown with an adapter plate 515 that is split into two portions 515A and 515B (a "split-plate blind-mate adapter unit"). The split-plate embodiment can vary the horizontal distance between the two connectors 320 on the adapter plate 515. The split-plate embodiment can be used to blind-mate with different rack coolant distribution manifolds (not shown) where the supply and return lines for the server cooling modules are separated by a distance that is different than the rack manifold spacing. For example, the rack manifolds 201 and 202 (not shown) may not be completely located on either side of the server rack, and the distance between the rack manifolds may be different even if both rack manifolds are located on one side at the rear of the server rack.

[0051] Each of the adapter plate portions 515A and 515B can be slidably adjusted into alignment with a fluid connector (not shown) on a coolant distribution manifold (not shown). Figure 2BAdapter plate portion 215 / 515A can have fluid connectors 210 / 320 that mate with corresponding connectors 212 on coolant distribution manifolds 201 / 2. The fluid connectors 210 / 320 on adapter plate portion 515A / 215A align with the mating fluid connectors 212 on coolant distribution manifold 201. The other side (rear side) of adapter plate portion 515A can be manually coupled to, for example, coolant supply line 131 using fluid connection points that correspond to the fluid connectors 210 / 320 on the front side of adapter plate 515A. Similarly, the fluid connectors 320 of adapter plate portion 515B can be adjustably coupled to second mounting bar 510 and aligned with the mating fluid connectors 212 of coolant distribution manifold 202. The other side (rear side) of adapter plate 515B can be manually coupled to, for example, the coolant return line 132 of a cooling module inside server chassis 105. The coolant return line 132 can be coupled to, for example, the rear of the adapter plate 515B unit using a fluid connection point on the rear side of the adapter plate 515B. This fluid connection point corresponds to the fluid connector 320 on the front of the adapter plate 515B.

[0052] Now refer to Figure 7 , an embodiment of a split-plate blind-mate adapter unit 500 is described wherein one mating fluid connector on a coolant distribution manifold can be higher or lower than another fluid connector on the coolant distribution manifold. Similarly, in one embodiment, a server cooling module may require the coolant supply port to be lower than the coolant return port. Here, a horizontal frame member 704 may be used in place of the horizontal frame member 304. The horizontal frame member 704 may be extended so that one side of the horizontal member 704 is higher than the other side, thereby aligning the fluid connectors on the adapter plates 515A and 515B with the mating fluid connectors (not shown) on the coolant distribution manifold. In this embodiment, a bendable angle bracket or angle bracket (not shown) may be used to couple the horizontal member 704 to the vertical member 302. The purpose of this embodiment is to allow the server chassis fluid connectors to be blind-mated with the fluid connectors of the rack coolant distribution manifold when the rack coolant distribution manifold fluid connectors are arranged in a staggered manner. In one embodiment, an existing rack manifold may have only two available connectors (eg, supply and return lines), and the two available fluid connectors on the rack manifold are not horizontally parallel.

[0053] Figure 81 is an end view of two split-panel blind-mate adapter units, such as for blind-mate coolant supply and return lines for two separate cooling modules within a single server. This view is from the rear of a server rack with a server chassis 105 mounted. The server chassis 105 is mounted from the front of the server rack and slid into place within the server rack (not shown). As the server chassis 105 is slid into the server rack, the fluid connectors 320 on the blind-mate adapter units fluidly couple with corresponding mating fluid connectors on a coolant distribution manifold (not shown) at the rear of the server rack. The dashed line 105 represents the server chassis. Figure 8 Plan view of the embodiment Figure 2A Basically the same, except that it uses Figure 5 Two split-plate blind-mate adapters instead of Figure 3 A blind mate adapter 300.

[0054] Figure 9 is a plan view of a blind-mate adapter unit 900 that supports multiple cooling circuits, according to one embodiment. This design is to add additional functionality, namely that the blind-mate adapter unit can be used to adapt the fluid connector 320 for use with two cooling circuits within the same server. Multiple coolant circuits can be manually connected to the blind-mate adapter unit using the distribution component 950 and connector 940. Figure 9 In the embodiment of the present invention, the frame elements 302 and 304, the mounting rod 310 and the adapter plate 315 are the same as those described above with reference to Figure 3 The description is the same and will not be repeated here. Dashed line 105 represents the outline of the server chassis. The fluid connectors used on the blind mate adapter unit can be customized for function. For example, one side of the adapter plate of the blind mate adapter unit can have a fluid connector 320 to blind mate with a corresponding mating fluid connector on a rack manifold (not shown), and the coolant circuit within the server chassis 105 can be manually connected to the other side of the adapter plate. In another example, one side of the adapter plate can have a fluid connector 320 that blind mates with a corresponding mating fluid connector on a rack manifold, and the coolant line within the server chassis can be connected to the adapter plate using a distribution component 950 and a connector 940, as shown. Figure 9 shown.

[0055] On the back side of the adapter plate 315 (the side with the coolant supply lines 910 and 920), the blind-mate adapter unit 900 can receive two pairs of coolant circuit lines: two coolant supply lines 910 and two coolant return lines 920. The coolant supply lines 910 can be manually coupled to the two-in-one distribution component 950 using connectors 940. Similarly, the coolant return lines 920 can be coupled to the two-in-one distribution component 950 using connectors 940. In one embodiment, the adapter plate 315 can be specially drilled for smooth fluid flow between the two-in-one fluid transitions of the blind-mate adapter 900.

[0056] Such an embodiment is useful when the server has two independent cooling circuits, such as for redundancy, or for different types of processors and different areas within a server. The left fluid connector 320 can receive coolant to be distributed to the two coolant supply lines 910. The right fluid connector 320 can receive two coolant return lines 920 and discharge them to the coolant distribution manifold (not shown) through the connector 320. In this embodiment, the blind mate adapter unit 900 is mounted on the rear of the server chassis 105. The fluid connector 320 can be aligned with the corresponding mating fluid connector of the coolant distribution manifold (not shown).

[0057] Figure 10 is a side view of a rotatable blind mate adapter after being rotated during operation according to one embodiment. The server chassis 105, vertical member 302, fluid connector 320, mounting rod 310, adapter plate 315 have been referenced above. Figure 2A 、 Figure 2B 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 It has been described and will not be repeated here.

[0058] In this embodiment, the mounting rod 310 and adapter plate 315 can be pulled out so that the adapter plate 315 can be rotated ±180° or more to reverse the direction of the coolant supply and coolant return lines. When rotated ±180°, the position of the coolant supply and return lines will be reversed. In one embodiment, the adapter plate 315 can be continuously rotated to any angle within ±180°. In another embodiment, the adapter plate can be rotated in fixed increments, which are determined by the design of the mounting rod and adapter plate 315. The adapter unit 315 and mounting rod 310 can be pushed back into place and secured in place with fasteners (as described above, not shown here). In one embodiment, the adapter plate 315 can be rotated ±90° to accommodate a horizontally mounted server rack coolant distribution manifold (not shown).

[0059] Figures 11A to 11C is a back view of a server rack 200 having a number of different configurations in which blind-mate adapter units may be used, according to some embodiments. Figures 11A to 11C The shaded coolant distribution manifolds 201 and 202 are highlighted. The server chassis 105 is shown in dashed lines. When the server chassis 105 is slid from the front of the server rack into place in the server rack 200, the fluid connectors 320 on the blind-mate adapter unit mate with corresponding mating fluid connectors (not shown) on the coolant distribution manifolds 201 / 2.

[0060] refer to Figure 11A, which shows two blind mate adapter units coupled to a horizontal member 304 using mounting rods 320. The blind mate adapter units are adjustably coupled to a frame that is attached to the server chassis 105 and slides into position relative to the coolant distribution manifolds 201 and 202. The adapter plate 315 is rotated as needed to align the fluid connectors 320 on the adapter plate 315 with corresponding mating fluid connectors (not shown) on the coolant distribution manifolds 201 and 202 (collectively referred to as 201 / 2). Once the fluid connectors 320 of the adapter plate 315 have been aligned with the multiple mating fluid connectors (not shown) on the coolant distribution manifolds 201 / 2, the server can be installed, removed, and reinstalled into the server rack by blind mate without further adjustment. For clarity, Figure 11A The coolant distribution manifolds 201 and 202 of the right-hand blind-mate adapter unit are not shown.

[0061] exist Figure 11B , two server chassis 105 are shown positioned side by side in a server rack 200 in a vertical design. Figure 11A Similarly, coolant distribution manifolds 201 and 202 are Figure 11B The highlighted parts are shown with shadows, and for the sake of clarity, Figure 11B The coolant distribution manifolds 201 and 202 are omitted from the server chassis 105 on the right side.

[0062] exist Figure 11C , two server chassis 105 are shown positioned side by side in a vertical manner in a server rack 200. Figure 11A Similarly, coolant distribution manifolds 201 and 202 are Figure 11C Shown shaded in highlighted locations, the lower two blind-mate adapters omit coolant distribution manifolds 201 and 202 for clarity.

[0063] In the foregoing description, embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments. Based on the present disclosure, those skilled in the art may make different choices regarding connector types, hoses, tubes, pipes, and structural frame members, as well as assembly orientations. The present disclosure may enable different server rack orientations, such as vertical and upward / downward. It will be apparent that various modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims. Therefore, the present specification and drawings should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. A blind-mate adapter unit configured to fluidly couple a server in an electronics rack to a coolant distribution manifold by blind-mate, the blind-mate adapter unit comprising: an adapter plate having a plurality of fluid connectors on a first side of the adapter plate and a plurality of fluid connection points on a second side of the adapter plate, each fluid connector on the first side corresponding to one of the fluid connection points on the second side; a mounting rod adjustably coupled to the adapter plate, wherein the mounting rod is adjustably coupled to a chassis of the server; wherein the blind-mate adapter unit is configured to secure an alignment of the plurality of fluid connectors on the first side of the adapter plate with a plurality of mating fluid connectors on a coolant distribution manifold in the electronics rack such that when the server is installed in the electronics rack, the blind-mate adapter unit blind-mates with the plurality of mating fluid connectors on the coolant distribution manifold; wherein the blind-mate adapter unit is adjustably coupled to a frame, and the frame is adjustably coupled to a server chassis; The position of the blind-mate adapter unit on the server chassis is adjustable by the frame in a lateral direction and a vertical direction relative to a direction from the front or the back of the electronics rack toward the electronics rack.

2. The blind-mate adapter unit of claim 1 , wherein the adapter plate is rotatably coupled to the mounting rod, wherein the adapter plate is configured to 90° or Rotatable within 180°.

3. The blind-mate adapter unit of claim 1 , wherein: The adapter plate is divided into the first half and the second half. One or more of the plurality of fluid connectors are mounted to the first half of the adapter plate, the remainder of the plurality of fluid connectors are mounted to the second half of the adapter plate, and The first half is slidably coupled to the frame using a mounting rod, and the second half is slidably coupled to the frame using a second mounting rod.

4. The blind-mate adapter unit according to claim 3, wherein: The lengths of the two horizontal members of the frame are adjustable, the two horizontal members of the frame form a parallelogram that forms a ramp from one side of the server chassis to an opposite side of the server chassis, and the first and second halves of the blind mate adapter are slidably coupled to the frame.

5. The blind-mate adapter unit of claim 1 , wherein: The fluid connectors on the blind-mate adapter unit are drip-free quick connectors.

6. The blind-mate adapter unit of claim 1 , wherein: Each of the plurality of fluid connection points on the second side of the adapter plate is configured to receive a manual fluid connection to at least one coolant line of a cooling module within the server.

7. The blind-mate adapter unit of claim 1 , wherein: Each of the plurality of fluid connection points on the second side of the adapter plate is configured to be coupled to two coolant lines via a two-in-one connection point.

8. A server comprising: a cooling module comprising a coolant supply line, a heat transfer unit, and a coolant return line; as well as The blind-mate adapter unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, adjustably coupled to a chassis of a server.

9. An electronic rack comprising: A plurality of stacked server chassis, each server chassis comprising one or more servers, wherein each server is a server according to claim 8.

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