PCIE intelligent card compatible with air cooling and liquid cooling

Abstract

The invention discloses a PCIE intelligent card compatible with air cooling and liquid cooling, and relates to the field of servers. The device comprises a lining plate; the PCB is mounted on the lining plate, and an electronic device and a signal connector are arranged on the PCB; the switchable heat dissipation module is detachably installed on the PCB and can be an air cooling heat dissipation module or a liquid cooling heat dissipation module selectively; and the switchable handle strip is detachably mounted at one end of the PCB, corresponds to the switchable heat dissipation module and can be selectively a single-width handle strip or a double-width handle strip, the double-width handle strip is mounted when the air cooling heat dissipation module is mounted, and the single-width handle strip is correspondingly mounted when the liquid cooling heat dissipation module is mounted. According to the PCIE intelligent card, through the modular design of the switchable heat dissipation module and the switchable handle strip, an air cooling mode or a liquid cooling mode can be flexibly selected according to heat dissipation requirements, and the PCIE intelligent card is suitable for different application scenes; through the arrangement of the signal connector, no golden finger design is realized, a lining plate is allowed to be thickened, the reliability is improved, and the chip failure risk is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of server technology, and in particular to a PCIe smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling. Background Technology

[0002] As server computing density increases, the power consumption of integrated computing chips (such as GPUs and FPGAs) on PCIe expansion cards is rising, making heat dissipation a critical challenge. Currently, high-performance PCIe cards typically require tall air-cooled heatsinks, resulting in a "double-width" thickness that limits their installation to 2U and larger server chassis, making them unsuitable for the space-constrained 1U chassis. On the other hand, some PCIe cards use liquid cooling to accommodate 1U chassis. However, this means that one type of PCIe card hardware can only be used for one server model, leading to poor versatility, high R&D costs, and low hardware resource utilization. Furthermore, traditional PCIe cards rely on gold fingers to connect to the slot, which imposes strict limitations on card and substrate thickness (e.g., substrate height limited to 1mm), restricting the structural strength of the substrate. Under strong stress, deformation of a thin substrate can cause BGA chip solder joints to crack, usually requiring additional adhesive reinforcement, a complex process. Moreover, adhesive reinforcement around the chip typically only addresses deformation of around 4000 microstrains, unable to handle higher strain conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve the problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a... This invention provides the following technical solution: This invention provides The present invention has the following technical effects: In order to solve the problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a PCIe smart card that is compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling, which can flexibly adapt to different chassis environments, has strong heat dissipation capabilities, and has a more reliable structure.

[0004] This invention provides the following technical solution: This invention provides a PCIe smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling, comprising: Liner; A PCB board is mounted on the substrate, and the PCB board is provided with electronic components and signal connectors; A switchable heat dissipation module is detachably mounted on the PCB board and can be selected as either an air-cooled heat dissipation module or a liquid-cooled heat dissipation module. A switchable handle strip is detachably installed at one end of the PCB board and is configured to correspond to the switchable heat dissipation module. It can be selected as a single-width handle strip or a double-width handle strip. When the air-cooled heat dissipation module is installed, a double-width handle strip is installed, and when the liquid-cooled heat dissipation module is installed, a single-width handle strip is installed.

[0005] Preferably, multiple signal connectors may be provided.

[0006] Furthermore, the liquid cooling heat dissipation module includes a liquid cooling plate, which is provided with a liquid cooling medium inlet, a liquid cooling medium outlet, and a liquid cooling medium circulation pipeline connecting the two.

[0007] Furthermore, both the liquid cooling medium inlet and the liquid cooling medium outlet are equipped with liquid cooling interfaces, and a leakage detection device is provided below the liquid cooling interfaces.

[0008] Preferably, the liquid cooling interface is a pagoda-shaped connector.

[0009] Preferably, the PCB board is also provided with a power supply socket.

[0010] Furthermore, a leakage guiding structure is provided below the liquid cooling medium interface, and the leakage detection device is disposed within the leakage guiding structure. Liquid cooling leaks typically occur at the liquid cooling medium interface; the leakage guiding structure can collect and concentrate the leaked liquid immediately, allowing the leakage detection device to detect the leak instantly.

[0011] Furthermore, the leakage detection device is a leakage detection rope or a leakage sensing probe.

[0012] Furthermore, the thickness of the liner is 2-3 mm. Preferably, the thickness of the liner is 2.5 mm.

[0013] Furthermore, the air-cooled heat dissipation module includes an air-cooled heat sink and an air-cooled top cover. The air-cooled heat sink is detachably mounted on the PCB board, and the air-cooled top cover covers the air-cooled heat sink.

[0014] Furthermore, the electronic device includes DDR memory chips, and the air-cooled heat dissipation module further includes a DDR chip heat sink, which is in thermal contact with the DDR memory chips; the DDR chip heat sink is connected to the air-cooled heat sink.

[0015] Furthermore, it also includes a tail structure fastener, which is detachably installed on the end of the PCB board away from the switchable handle strip, and the tail structure fastener can be selected as a single-width tail fastener or a double-width tail fastener.

[0016] Furthermore, the electronic device includes a BGA-packaged computing chip, and both the air-cooled heat dissipation module and the liquid-cooled heat dissipation module are directly attached to the thermal contact surface of the computing chip.

[0017] The present invention has the following technical effects: This invention enables switching between air cooling and liquid cooling modes by replacing the modular, switchable heat dissipation module, thus ensuring compatibility with server chassis of varying heights. Furthermore, by incorporating signal connectors, a gold-finger-free design is achieved, eliminating the limitations imposed by gold-finger designs on the substrate thickness. This allows for thicker substrates, thereby increasing overall structural strength and fundamentally improving vibration and deformation resistance, reducing the risk of chip failure. Simultaneously, replacing gold fingers with signal connectors also enhances the installation flexibility of PCIe smart cards. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the PCIE smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling in air-cooled mode, as provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a PCIE smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling in liquid cooling mode, as provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0021] Figure Descriptions: 1-Backing plate; 2-PCB board; 3-Air-cooled heat dissipation module; 301-Air-cooled heat sink; 302-Air-cooled top cover; 303-DDR chip heat sink; 4-Liquid-cooled heat dissipation module; 401-Liquid cooling plate; 402-Liquid cooling circulation pipe interface; 403-Liquid cooling interface; 404-Leakage guide structure; 5-Double-width handle strip; 6-Single-width handle strip; 7-Signal connector; 8-Double-width clip tail fastener; 9-Single-width clip tail fastener; 10-BGA packaged computing chip; 11-Inlet pipe; 12-Outlet pipe; 13-Power supply socket. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] It should be understood that, when used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms “comprising” and “including” indicate the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product of this invention is usually placed during use. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0025] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0026] The terms "parallel" and "perpendicular" do not mean that the components must be absolutely parallel or perpendicular, but rather that they can be slightly tilted. For example, "parallel" simply means that its direction is more parallel than "perpendicular," not that the structure must be completely parallel, but that it can be slightly tilted.

[0027] The terms "horizontal," "vertical," and "sag" do not imply that a component must be absolutely horizontal, vertical, or sagging, but rather that it can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical," not that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0028] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances. Example 1 Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The PCIe smart card shown is compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling, and includes a backing plate 1, a PCB board 2, a switchable heat dissipation module, a switchable handle strip, and a tail structure fixing component.

[0029] The liner 1 is used to support the PCB board 2 and provide support and heat dissipation assistance. In this embodiment, the thickness of the liner 1 is 2.5mm.

[0030] PCB board 2 is mounted on substrate 1. PCB board 2 houses electronic components, a power supply socket 13, and two signal connectors. The two signal connectors 7 are located on opposite sides of one end of PCB board 2, and can replace conventional gold fingers for signal connection. The power supply socket 13 is located at the end of PCB board 2 where the signal connectors 7 are located, and is used to provide power. In this embodiment, the electronic components include a BGA-packaged computing chip 10 and DDR memory chips (not shown in the figure) arranged in an array around the BGA-packaged computing chip 10. The BGA-packaged computing chip 10 is located in the central area of ​​PCB board 2.

[0031] The switchable heat dissipation module can be detachably installed on the PCB board 2 using screw fasteners. Depending on the heat dissipation requirements, either the air-cooled heat dissipation module 3 or the liquid-cooled heat dissipation module 4 can be selectively installed.

[0032] The air-cooled heat dissipation module 3 includes a DDR chip heatsink 304, an air-cooled heatsink 302, and an air-cooled top cover 303. The DDR chip heatsink 303 is located below the air-cooled heatsink 301 and is connected to the bottom side of the air-cooled heatsink 301. The air-cooled top cover 302 covers the air-cooled heatsink 301, forming an airflow channel to guide airflow. The DDR chip heatsink 303, the air-cooled heatsink 301, and the air-cooled top cover 302 are connected as a single unit by a screw connection structure.

[0033] When the air-cooling mode is selected, the air-cooling heat dissipation module 3 is installed. The bottom surface of the air-cooling heatsink 301 is directly attached to the BGA chip 10 and fixed to the PCB board 2 by a screw connection structure to ensure efficient heat conduction. The air-cooling top cover 302 covers the air-cooling heatsink 301, forming an airflow channel to guide airflow. Specifically, in this embodiment, the DDR chip heatsink 303 has an opening in the middle, through which the BGA chip 10 passes to achieve contact with the bottom surface of the air-cooling heatsink 301. At the same time, the DDR chip heatsink 303 is fixed to the PCB board 2 by a screw connection structure and makes thermal contact with the DDR memory chips arranged in an array around the BGA packaged computing chip 10. Through connection with the air-cooling heatsink 301, unified and efficient heat dissipation of the core computing unit and memory is achieved.

[0034] The liquid-cooled heat dissipation module 4 includes a liquid-cooling plate 401 and a leakage guide structure 404 disposed on the side of the liquid-cooling plate 401. The liquid-cooling plate 401 has a liquid-cooling medium inlet, a liquid-cooling medium outlet, and a liquid-cooling medium circulation pipe 402 connecting the two. The liquid-cooling plate 401 removes heat through circulating liquid-cooling medium (such as water or coolant). Both the liquid-cooling medium inlet and outlet are equipped with liquid-cooling interfaces 403 for connecting to an external liquid-cooling system. To prevent leakage risk, the leakage guide structure 404 is located below the liquid-cooling interface 325, and a leakage detection device (not shown in the figure) is installed within the leakage guide structure 404. Once a leakage is detected, an alarm or shutdown will be triggered.

[0035] In this embodiment, the liquid cooling interface 403 is a pagoda-shaped connector.

[0036] Specifically, in this embodiment, the leakage detection device is a leakage detection rope, the leakage guiding structure 404 is a leakage guiding groove, and the two ends of the leakage guiding groove are provided with hooks for installing the leakage detection rope. In some specific embodiments, the leakage detection device can also be a leakage sensing probe.

[0037] When liquid cooling mode is selected, the liquid cooling heat dissipation module 4 is installed. The liquid cooling plate 401 is fixed to the PCB board 2 with screws and positioned directly above the BGA-packaged computing chip 10, so that its bottom surface is in thermal contact with the BGA-packaged computing chip 10 and the DDR memory chip. The liquid cooling circulation pipe 402 is connected to the inlet pipe 11 and the outlet pipe 12 through the liquid cooling interface 403. The heat generated by the BGA-packaged computing chip 10 and the DDR memory chip during operation is directly conducted to the liquid cooling plate 401 and then carried away by the cooling medium (liquid) circulating inside the liquid cooling circulation pipe 402, achieving efficient and directional heat dissipation for the main heat source.

[0038] The switchable handle strip is detachably mounted on the end of the PCB board 2 away from the signal connector 7 via a screw connection structure, and is configured to correspond to the switchable heat dissipation module. When installing the air-cooled heat dissipation module 3, a double-width handle strip 5 is selected; when installing the liquid-cooled heat dissipation module 4, a single-width handle strip 6 is selected.

[0039] The tail structure fixing component is detachably mounted on one end of the PCB board 2 where the signal connector 7 is located via a screw connection structure. The tail structure fixing component can be selected as a single-width locking tail fixing component 9 or a double-width locking tail fixing component 8. When installing the air-cooled heat dissipation module 3, the double-width locking tail fixing component 8 is selected; when installing the liquid-cooled heat dissipation module 4, the single-width locking tail fixing component 9 is selected.

[0040] When switching from air cooling to liquid cooling, use a screwdriver to remove all screws securing the air cooling module 3 to the PCB board 2 and remove the air cooling module 3. Align the liquid cooling plate 401 with the mounting holes on the PCB board 2, ensuring it is perfectly aligned with the BGA chip 10. Tighten all screws to ensure even pressure between the liquid cooling plate 401 and the BGA chip 10, creating good thermal contact. Switch between the switchable handle and the locking mechanism by removing and installing the screws. Remove the original double-width handle 5 and double-width locking mechanism 8. Install the single-width handle 6 onto the corresponding end of the PCB board 2. Install the single-width locking mechanism 9 onto the other end of the PCB board 2. Connect the inlet pipe 11 and outlet pipe 12 of the external cooling system to the liquid cooling circulation pipe interface 402 on the liquid cooling plate. This completes the switch from air cooling to liquid cooling. Similarly, when switching from liquid cooling mode to air cooling mode, only the disassembly and assembly of the screw connection structure is required.

[0041] This embodiment of the PCIe smart card achieves flexible adaptation to both air cooling and liquid cooling through a modular heat dissipation design and switchable structure. The innovative dual-sided signal connector design replaces the traditional gold fingers, providing more reliable connections and higher power supply capabilities. This design fully meets the heat dissipation and electrical requirements of high-performance computing chips, combining high compatibility, high reliability, and high flexibility.

[0042] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A PCIe smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling, characterized in that, include: Liner; A PCB board is mounted on the substrate, and the PCB board is provided with electronic components and signal connectors; A switchable heat dissipation module is detachably mounted on the PCB board and can be selected as either an air-cooled heat dissipation module or a liquid-cooled heat dissipation module. A switchable handle strip is detachably installed at one end of the PCB board and is configured to correspond to the switchable heat dissipation module. It can be selected as a single-width handle strip or a double-width handle strip. When the air-cooled heat dissipation module is installed, a double-width handle strip is installed, and when the liquid-cooled heat dissipation module is installed, a single-width handle strip is installed.

2. The PCIe smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid cooling heat dissipation module includes a liquid cooling plate, which is provided with a liquid cooling medium inlet, a liquid cooling medium outlet, and a liquid cooling medium circulation pipeline connecting the two.

3. The PCIe smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Both the liquid cooling medium inlet and the liquid cooling medium outlet are equipped with liquid cooling interfaces, and a leakage detection device is provided below the liquid cooling interfaces.

4. The PCIe smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling as described in claim 3, characterized in that, A leakage guiding structure is also provided below the liquid cooling medium interface, and the leakage detection device is installed inside the leakage guiding structure.

5. The PCIe smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The leakage detection device is a leakage detection rope or a leakage sensing probe.

6. The PCIe smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the liner is 2-3 mm.

7. The PCIe smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The air-cooled heat dissipation module includes an air-cooled heat sink and an air-cooled top cover. The air-cooled heat sink is detachably mounted on the PCB board, and the air-cooled top cover covers the air-cooled heat sink.

8. The PCIe smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The electronic device includes DDR memory chips, and the air-cooled heat dissipation module further includes a DDR chip heat sink, which is in thermal contact with the DDR memory chips; the DDR chip heat sink is connected to the air-cooled heat sink.

9. The PCIe smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a tail structure fastener, which is detachably installed on the end of the PCB board away from the switchable handle strip, and the tail structure fastener can be selected as a single-width tail fastener or a double-width tail fastener.

10. The PCIe smart card compatible with both air cooling and liquid cooling as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The electronic device includes a BGA-packaged computing chip, and both the air-cooled heat dissipation module and the liquid-cooled heat dissipation module are directly attached to the thermal contact surface of the computing chip.

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