Flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling module and use method of flexible clamping device
By combining a flexible clamping device and a multi-degree-of-freedom audio acquisition component, the technical challenges of multi-model adaptation and vibration isolation for server liquid cooling modules have been solved, enabling efficient and accurate AI acoustic quality inspection and meeting the needs of online testing of server liquid cooling modules.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202610001514.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-03
AI Technical Summary
Existing testing or positioning fixtures cannot meet the requirements of online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules in terms of flexible clamping, anti-rotation stability, rapid adaptability, and acoustic testing compatibility. In particular, they are insufficient in adaptability to multiple models of liquid cooling modules and vibration isolation, which affects the accuracy and efficiency of AI acoustic analysis.
It adopts detachable and quick-change flexible tooling and multi-degree-of-freedom audio acquisition components, combined with low-noise drive modules and non-rigid rubber strap clamps. It can be quickly replaced through contoured grooves and quick-change nuts. Combined with robot joint motion mechanism and magnetic base for multi-angle positioning, it ensures the purity and stability of acoustic acquisition.
It enables rapid adaptation and non-destructive clamping of multiple models of liquid-cooled modules, reduces mechanical noise interference, improves the authenticity of acoustic signals and the data quality of AI analysis, and enhances detection efficiency and accuracy.
Smart Images

Figure CN121595020A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of acoustic testing technology, and in particular to a flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid-cooled modules and its usage method. Background Technology
[0002] With the ever-increasing demand for high-performance, high-density server deployments in data centers, liquid cooling technology is widely used in cooling systems for high-performance chips such as GPUs and CPUs due to its efficient heat dissipation capabilities. During long-term operation, server liquid cooling modules (typically cold plate assemblies integrated above the chips) may generate abnormal acoustic signals due to issues such as air bubbles, blockages, micro-leakage, or structural loosening in their internal flow channels. These acoustic characteristics contain rich information about the equipment's health status; therefore, AI-based online acoustic quality inspection technology has become an important means to achieve predictive maintenance, ensure system reliability, and improve energy efficiency. However, existing testing fixtures still have significant shortcomings in adapting to multiple models of liquid cooling modules, suppressing vibration interference during the testing process, and achieving rapid flexible clamping. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a flexible clamping device suitable for multiple models, with low noise interference, and capable of rapid model changeover.
[0003] Existing technology, patent CN118913557B, discloses a tooling for testing automotive parts, published on February 14, 2025. This patent provides a multi-point clamping and centering testing tooling for automotive mufflers, improving the stability of airtightness testing through a three-section fixing structure of the tailpipe, main muffler, and exhaust pipe. However, this solution is specifically designed for rigid, large, and fixed-shape automotive exhaust components. Its clamping mechanism lacks flexible buffering capabilities and cannot adapt to small, precise, surface-sensitive, and diverse electronic cooling components such as server liquid cooling modules. More importantly, this tooling does not consider the vibration isolation requirements of acoustic testing, which may introduce additional mechanical noise or cause micro-rotation of the tested part during clamping, thereby interfering with the accuracy of acoustic signature acquisition.
[0004] Additionally, a hydraulic piston machining positioning fixture, with publication number CN117884925B and publication date July 9, 2024, is disclosed. This patent achieves automatic positioning and rapid switching of the piston rod through a multi-level limiting and lifting adjustment structure, suitable for batch processing scenarios. Although it possesses certain positional adaptability and modular design concepts, its core objective is mechanical machining positioning, not interference-free clamping in an acoustic inspection environment. This fixture uses rigid supports and limiting components to fix the workpiece with three or more points of hard contact. When the liquid-cooled module is in operation, it is prone to resonance or local stress concentration due to fluid pulsation, causing the module to rotate or shift slightly, thus affecting the signal-to-noise ratio and repeatability of AI acoustic analysis. Furthermore, this structure does not integrate a quick disassembly and assembly mechanism, making it difficult to meet the high-frequency switching inspection requirements of different models of liquid-cooled modules on the production line, resulting in high fixture cost and poor versatility.
[0005] Existing testing or positioning fixtures fail to meet the practical requirements of online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid-cooled modules in terms of flexible clamping, anti-rotation stability, rapid adaptability, and acoustic testing compatibility. Therefore, this invention provides an online AI acoustic quality inspection and flexible clamping device for server liquid-cooled modules, along with its usage method, to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention
[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules, so as to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of the existing technology.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules includes a drive module placed inside an acoustic inspection device, a detachable quick-change flexible tooling whose angle is adjusted by the drive module, and a sound collector assembly whose position can be adjusted. The detachable quick-change flexible tooling is connected to the drive module via a connecting block; The detachable quick-change flexible tooling includes a support base plate, a limiting area on one side of the support base plate for placing the cold plate body, and a contour groove on the other side of the support base plate; the contour groove is fitted with a tooling module that matches the outline of the liquid cooling module to be tested. The tooling module is an independent and replaceable structure. Its bottom is provided with a through hole corresponding to the pre-embedded stud in the contour groove. An internal threaded bushing is embedded in the through hole. The limiting area is provided with a transverse rubber strap. The two ends of the transverse rubber strap pass through the U-shaped mounting bases fixed on both sides of the limiting area and are pulled back and tightened by the buckle structure so that the transverse rubber strap is pressed onto the upper surface of the cold plate body. A row of upper locking seats is provided on the edge of the bearing base plate above the contour groove, and a row of lower locking seats is provided at the corresponding position on the bottom of the bearing base plate; a longitudinal rubber strap is connected between each set of upper and lower locking seats by a hook; the longitudinal rubber strap is wrapped around the cooling fan or fluid pipeline of the liquid cooling module to be tested, and presses the test part tightly by its own elasticity.
[0008] Preferably, the drive module includes symmetrically arranged mounting bases, shaft seats respectively fixed at both ends of the mounting bases, rolling bearings embedded in the shaft seats, a rotating shaft passing through the inner hole of the rolling bearings, and a robot joint motion mechanism that is drively connected to one end of the rotating shaft; the robot joint motion mechanism is composed of a low-noise servo motor and a harmonic reducer, and its output shaft is coaxially connected to the rotating shaft; the detachable quick-change flexible tooling is fixedly connected to both ends of the rotating shaft through connecting blocks.
[0009] Preferably, the limiting area is further provided with a plug-in socket, which is embedded in the surface of the supporting base plate and has multiple elastic electrode contacts inside; the electrode lead passes through the rear end of the plug-in socket into the preset cable channel inside the supporting base plate, and is led out from the cable outlet at the bottom of the supporting base plate to connect to the external power supply unit.
[0010] Preferably, the sound collector assemblies are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the supporting base plate. Each sound collector assembly includes a magnetic base, a shaft rod magnetically connected to the magnetic base, a bushing sleeved on the shaft rod, a shaft rod fixed to the outer wall of the bushing, a sound collection mounting block slidably installed on the shaft rod, and a sound collector fixed to the front end of the sound collection mounting block.
[0011] Preferably, the bottom of the bearing rod is provided with an annular magnet, which forms a magnetic connection with the soft magnetic material in the magnetic base; the top of the bearing rod is provided with an angle adjustment dial, and the rotation angle is locked by a fixing bolt passing through its side wall against the side of the bearing base plate; the side wall of the bushing is provided with a first locking screw, which, when tightened, clamps the bearing rod; the sound-collecting mounting block is provided with a second locking screw, which, when tightened, clamps the shaft rod.
[0012] A method for using a flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules includes the following steps: S1. Selection: Select the corresponding tooling module according to the model of the liquid cooling module to be tested; S2. Install the tooling module: Slide the tooling module into the bottom limiting surface along the stud in the contour groove, and screw in the quick-change nut until it is fully engaged with the stud and the tooling module is pressed. S3. Place the test piece: Place the cold plate body of the liquid cooling module in the limiting area, and embed the cooling fan or fluid pipeline part into the positioning groove of the tooling module. S4. Flexible clamping: Pull the horizontal rubber strap over the upper surface of the cold plate body and snap it into the U-shaped mounting seat to make it spring back and tighten; connect the vertical rubber strap through the hook between the upper and lower locking seats, wrap around the cooling fan or pipeline and tighten it. S5. Power supply connection: Align the power supply interface of the liquid cooling module with the connector and press down to make the electrode contacts make contact with the power supply terminal of the module to conduct electricity. S6. Sound collector positioning: Loosen the first and second locking screws, adjust the height of the bushing, the horizontal position of the sound collector mounting block and the angle of the shaft seat rod so that the sound collector is facing the key sound-emitting area of the liquid cooling module, and then tighten each locking screw; S7. Acoustic Acquisition: Activate the robot joint motion mechanism to drive the flexible tooling to rotate around the axis to a preset angle, and at the same time activate the sound collector to collect multi-angle acoustic data. S8. Change model: After data collection, loosen all rubber straps, remove the liquid cooling module, unscrew the quick-change nut, pull out the tooling module, replace it with the tooling module corresponding to the next model, and repeat steps S3 to S7.
[0013] The beneficial effects of this invention are: This technical solution solves the technical problems of multi-model adaptation, vibration isolation and pure acoustic acquisition by using a low-noise drive structure, non-rigid rubber strap clamping, quick-change tooling module and multi-degree-of-freedom sound collector positioning. It uses a combination of horizontal and vertical rubber straps for clamping, with a silicone buffer layer on the contact surface. There is no metal collision sound during clamping, and the pressure is evenly distributed, which avoids micro-deformation of the cold plate shell due to local stress and ensures the authenticity of the voiceprint signal. The tooling module enables embedded quick replacement via studs and quick-change nuts, allowing tooling switching between different models of liquid cooling modules without tools, thus improving the production line inspection cycle. The robot's joint motion mechanism is integrated inside the acoustic testing equipment. Its low-noise design and sound-absorbing covering structure prevent the driving action from interfering with acoustic acquisition, while driving the tested object to rotate to achieve multi-angle sound source localization. The sound pickup unit uses a magnetic base with a multi-segment adjustable structure, which can accurately locate the pickup point in three-dimensional space, adapt to the acoustic feature area of liquid-cooled modules of different sizes, and improve the quality of input data for AI analysis models. Attached Figure Description
[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a second-view structural schematic diagram of a flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of a server liquid cooling module according to the present invention. Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the installation product structure of a flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of different tooling module structures of a flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of a server liquid cooling module according to the present invention. In the diagram: 1. Drive module; 2. Detachable quick-change flexible tooling; 3. Sound collector assembly; 4. Rotary shaft; 5. Robot joint motion mechanism; 6. Support base plate; 7. Tooling module; 8. Lateral rubber strap; 9. Longitudinal rubber strap; 10. Contouring groove; 11. Limiting area; 12. U-shaped mounting base; 13. Upper locking seat; 14. Lower locking seat; 15. Plug-in socket; 18. Quick-change nut; 20. Magnetic base; 21. Shaft seat rod; 22. Shaft sleeve; 23. Shaft rod; 24. Sound collector mounting block; 25. Sound collector; 28. Liquid cooling module; 29. Cold plate body. Detailed Implementation
[0015] Reference Figures 1 to 4 A flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules includes a drive module 1 placed inside an acoustic inspection device, a detachable quick-change flexible tooling 2 whose angle is adjusted by the drive module 1, and a sound collector assembly 3 whose position can be adjusted. The drive module 1 includes symmetrically arranged mounting bases, shaft seats fixed at both ends of the mounting bases, rolling bearings embedded in the shaft seats, a rotating shaft 4 passing through the inner hole of the rolling bearings, and a robot joint motion mechanism 5 that is drivenly connected to one end of the rotating shaft 4; the robot joint motion mechanism 5 is composed of a low-noise servo motor and a harmonic reducer, and its output shaft is coaxially connected to the rotating shaft 4. The detachable quick-change flexible tooling 2 is fixedly connected to both ends of the rotating shaft 4 via a connecting block. One end of the connecting block is provided with a through hole that matches the outer diameter of the rotating shaft 4 and is locked by a set screw. The other end is provided with a positioning pin hole and a threaded hole that correspond to the bottom of the detachable quick-change flexible tooling 2. The detachable quick-change flexible tooling 2 includes a support base plate 6, a limiting area 11 set on one side of the support base plate 6 for placing the cold plate body, and a contour groove 10 opened on the other side of the support base plate 6; the contour groove 10 is fitted with a tooling module 7 that matches the outline of the liquid cooling module to be tested. The tooling module 7 is an independent and replaceable structure. Its bottom is provided with a through hole corresponding to the pre-embedded stud in the contour groove 10. An internal threaded bushing is embedded in the through hole. During assembly, the tooling module is slid into the limit position along the stud and then screwed in the quick-change nut 18 with external thread so that the quick-change nut 18 engages with the stud thread to complete the fixing of the tooling module. The limiting area 11 is provided with a transverse rubber strap 8 arranged laterally. The two ends of the transverse rubber strap 8 pass through the U-shaped mounting bases 12 fixed on both sides of the limiting area 11, and are pulled back and tightened by the buckle structure so that the transverse rubber strap 8 is pressed onto the upper surface of the cold plate body. The limiting area 11 is also provided with a plug-in socket 15, which is embedded in the surface of the supporting base plate 6 and has multiple elastic electrode contacts inside. The electrode lead passes through the cable channel inside the supporting base plate 6 from the rear end of the plug-in socket 15 and is led out from the cable outlet at the bottom of the supporting base plate 6 to connect to the external power supply unit. A row of upper locking seats 13 is provided on the edge of the bearing base plate 6 above the contour groove 10, and a row of lower locking seats 14 is provided at the corresponding position at the bottom of the bearing base plate 6; a longitudinal rubber strap 9 is connected between each set of upper and lower locking seats by a pull hook; the longitudinal rubber strap 9 is wrapped around the cooling fan or fluid pipeline of the liquid cooling module to be tested, and presses the tested part with its own elasticity. The sound collector assemblies 3 are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the supporting base plate 6. Each set of sound collector assemblies 3 includes a magnetic base 20, a bearing rod 21 magnetically connected to the magnetic base 20, a bushing 22 sleeved on the bearing rod 21, a shaft 23 fixed to the outer wall of the bushing 22, a sound collection mounting block 24 slidably installed on the shaft 23, and a sound collector 25 fixed to the front end of the sound collection mounting block 24. The bottom of the bearing rod 21 is provided with an annular magnet, which forms a magnetic connection with the soft magnetic material in the magnetic base 20; the top of the bearing rod 21 is provided with an angle adjustment dial, and the rotation angle is locked by a fixing bolt that passes through its side wall against the side of the bearing base plate 6. The bushing 22 has a first locking screw on its side wall. When tightened, the bushing clamps the shaft seat rod. The sound acquisition mounting block has a second locking screw. When tightened, the sound acquisition mounting block clamps the shaft rod. After loosening the first and second locking screws, the spatial position of the sound acquisition device can be adjusted in the vertical and horizontal directions, respectively.
[0016] The supporting base plate 6 is made of aluminum alloy and undergoes surface anodizing treatment. A weight-reduction cavity is provided at its bottom to reduce the overall weight, and a cable channel is pre-set within the weight-reduction cavity for laying electrode leads. A limiting area 11 is located on one side of the supporting base plate 6 and is used to place the cold plate body of the liquid cooling module; a contoured groove 10 is opened on the other side of the supporting base plate 6 for installing tooling modules.
[0017] The tooling module 7 is an independent and replaceable structure with a through hole at its bottom, into which an internally threaded bushing is embedded. Several studs are pre-embedded at the bottom of the contour groove 10, and the external threads of the studs match those of the quick-change nut 18. During assembly, the tooling module 7 is slid into the contour groove 10 along the studs until its bottom abuts against the limiting surface. Then, the quick-change nut 18 is screwed into the studs, pressing the bottom surface of the tooling module 7 to complete the fixation. The quick-change nut 18 has knurled anti-slip texture on its outer circumference and a countersunk hole at its head, facilitating manual tightening by inserting a lever. Disassembly and assembly can be completed without additional tools.
[0018] U-shaped mounting seats 12 are fixed on both sides of the limiting area 11. The two ends of the transverse rubber strap 8 pass through the U-shaped mounting seats 12 and are pulled back and tightened by the buckle structure, so that it covers the upper surface of the cold plate body 29. The contact surface of the transverse rubber strap 8 is covered with a silicone buffer layer with a thickness of 1.5mm to 2.5mm to avoid direct contact with the metal shell and the generation of noise. In addition, a row of upper locking seats 13 is provided on the edge of the support base plate 6 above the contour groove 10, and a row of lower locking seats 14 is provided at the corresponding position on the bottom of the support base plate 6. A longitudinal rubber strap 9 is connected between each set of upper and lower locking seats by a hook. The longitudinal rubber strap 9 wraps around the cooling fan 30 or the fluid pipeline and applies a clamping force by its own elasticity. The longitudinal rubber strap 9 is also covered with a silicone buffer layer on its contact surface to ensure that no additional vibration or friction noise is introduced during clamping.
[0019] The connector 15 is embedded in the surface of the support base plate 6, near the limiting area 11, and has multiple elastic electrode contacts inside. The electrode leads pass through the cable channel inside the support base plate 6 from the rear end of the connector 15, and exit from the cable outlet at the bottom of the support base plate 6 to connect to the external power supply unit. The electrode contacts of the connector 15 are made of phosphor bronze and gold-plated, and the compression stroke is controlled within the range of 0.8mm to 1.2mm to ensure good electrical contact with the power supply terminals of the liquid cooling module 28.
[0020] The audio acquisition component 3 includes a magnetic base 20, a shaft rod 21, a bushing 22, a shaft 23, an audio acquisition mounting block 24, an audio acquisition device 25, a first locking screw, and a second locking screw. The magnetic base 20 is fixed to the side of the supporting base plate 6 by countersunk screws. It contains embedded soft magnetic material, forming a magnetic connection with the annular magnet at the bottom of the shaft rod 21. The magnetic force is set to 3N-5N, ensuring stability under slight vibration and facilitating manual disassembly and adjustment. The shaft rod 21 is a hollow stainless steel tube with an outer diameter of 12mm and an internal wiring channel for leading out the signal line of the audio acquisition device 25. The top of the shaft rod 21 has an angle adjustment dial, which is secured to the side of the supporting base plate 6 by a fixing bolt penetrating its side wall to lock the rotation angle. The bushing 22 is fitted onto the shaft rod 21, and its side wall has a first locking screw. Tightening the screw clamps the shaft rod 21, thus fixing its vertical position. The shaft 23 is fixed to the outer wall of the bushing 22. The sound acquisition mounting block 24 is slidably mounted on the shaft 23. A second locking screw is provided on its side wall. After tightening, the sound acquisition mounting block 24 can clamp the shaft 23, thereby fixing its horizontal position. The sound collector 25 is fixed to the front end of the sound acquisition mounting block 24. It is a MEMS digital microphone with a signal-to-noise ratio of not less than 65dB and a sampling frequency of 48kHz, which can meet the requirements of high-precision voiceprint acquisition.
[0021] After the liquid cooling module 28 is placed on the limiting area 11 and the tooling module 7, the transverse rubber straps 8 and longitudinal rubber straps 9 respectively complete the flexible clamping of the cold plate body 29 and the cooling fan. The plug-in socket 15 is connected to the power supply interface of the liquid cooling module 28. The sound acquisition component 3 is adjusted to a suitable position and aligned with the key sound-emitting area according to actual needs. At this time, the robot joint motion mechanism 5 is activated, driving the rotating shaft 4 to rotate, thereby causing the entire detachable quick-change flexible tooling 2 to rotate around the rotating shaft 4, realizing multi-angle posture changes of the liquid cooling module 28 within the range of 0° to 180°. The robot joint motion mechanism 5 is composed of a low-noise servo motor and a harmonic reducer. Its output shaft is coaxially connected to the rotating shaft 4. The outer shell is covered with a sound-absorbing cotton layer, and the internal gears are made of engineering plastic material, which effectively suppresses mechanical noise during operation and prevents interference with acoustic acquisition.
[0022] In practical use, firstly, select the corresponding tooling module 7 according to the model of the liquid cooling module 28 to be tested; then slide the tooling module 7 into the bottom limiting surface along the stud in the contour groove 10, and screw in the quick-change nut 18 until it is fully engaged with the stud and the tooling module 7 is pressed; next, place the cold plate body 29 of the liquid cooling module 28 in the limiting area 11, and embed the cooling fan or fluid pipeline into the positioning groove of the tooling module 7; then pull the transverse rubber strap 8 across the upper surface of the cold plate body 29 and snap it into the U-shaped mounting seat 12, so that it springs back and presses tightly; then connect the longitudinal rubber strap 9 through the hook between the upper and lower locking seats, wrap around the cooling fan or pipeline and tighten it; then place the liquid cooling module 28... Align the power supply interface with the connector 15 and press down to make the electrode contacts make contact with the module power supply terminal; loosen the first and second locking screws, adjust the height of the bushing 22, the horizontal position of the sound acquisition mounting block 24 and the angle of the shaft seat rod 21 so that the sound acquisition device 25 is facing the key sound-emitting area of the liquid-cooled module 28, and then tighten all locking screws; start the robot joint motion mechanism 5 to drive the flexible tooling to rotate around the rotating shaft 4 to the preset angle, and at the same time start the sound acquisition device 25 to collect multi-angle soundprint data; after the collection is completed, loosen all rubber straps, remove the liquid-cooled module 28, unscrew the quick-change nut 18, pull out the tooling module 7, replace it with the tooling module 7 corresponding to the next model, and repeat the above steps to continue the test.
[0023] Throughout the operation of the device, the drive module 1, the detachable quick-change flexible fixture 2, and the audio acquisition component 3 work together: the drive module 1 provides precise and controllable angle adjustment capabilities; the detachable quick-change flexible fixture 2 enables rapid adaptation and non-destructive clamping of various models of liquid-cooled modules 28; and the audio acquisition component 3 ensures precise positioning of the pickup point through flexible adjustment in three-dimensional space. The connections between the components are clear and tightly integrated, and all adopt non-rigid contact or flexible connection methods to minimize structural noise caused by clamping or driving actions, ensuring the purity of the acoustic acquisition environment. The support base plate 6, as the core support structure, not only supports all clamping and positioning elements but also integrates power supply and signal transmission paths. Its internal cable channel runs through the weight reduction cavity, balancing strength and lightweight design. The fixture module 7 achieves rapid replacement through a quick-change mechanism composed of studs 16, internal threaded bushings, and quick-change nuts, adapting to the needs of high-frequency switching of inspection objects on the production line. The magnetic base 20, shaft seat 21, bushing 22, shaft 23, and sound acquisition mounting block 24 of the sound acquisition component 3 together constitute a multi-degree-of-freedom adjustment system. This system allows for independent adjustment of the spatial position of the sound acquisition unit 25 in three dimensions: vertical, horizontal, and rotational angle, to meet the sound source distribution characteristics of different types of liquid-cooled modules 28. The robot joint motion mechanism 5 incorporates a low-noise transmission system and is supplemented with external sound-absorbing coatings to ensure that no significant airflow disturbance or structural vibration is introduced during the rotation of the tested component, thereby maintaining the accuracy and consistency of acoustic testing.
[0024] When performing online AI acoustic quality inspection on a certain type of server liquid cooling module 28, the tooling module 7 matching the profile of its cooling fan is first selected based on the shape characteristics of the liquid cooling module 28. The tooling module 7 is then slid vertically into the pre-embedded stud 16 in the contour groove 10 until its bottom surface is in contact with the limiting surface at the bottom of the contour groove 10. At this point, the through hole is coaxially aligned with the stud 16. Subsequently, the quick-change nut 18 is inserted from above the tooling module 7 onto the stud and manually tightened until fully engaged. The end face of the quick-change nut 18 presses against the bottom surface of the tooling module 7, and the clamping force is transmitted through the internal thread bushing, thereby achieving axial fixation of the tooling module 7 in the contour groove 10. This structure avoids the time-consuming disassembly and assembly problem caused by traditional screw fastening. Furthermore, because the quick-change nut 18 has a countersunk hole at its head, a standard lever can be inserted to apply torque, allowing for replacement without special tools. This enables rapid switching between different models of tooling modules 7 within 30 seconds.
[0025] Next, the liquid cooling module 28 to be tested is placed entirely on the supporting base plate 6, with its cold plate body falling into the positioning reference surface formed by the limiting area 11. The cooling fan is embedded in the positioning groove on the top of the installed tooling module 7, forming preliminary constraints in the XY plane. Then, the transverse rubber strap 8 is pulled, so that its two ends pass through the U-shaped mounting base 12 and are pulled back by the buckle. The elastic recovery force of the rubber material itself applies uniform downward pressure to the upper surface of the cold plate body 29. Since the contact surface of the transverse rubber strap 8 is covered with a silicone buffer layer with a thickness of 2.0 mm and its Shore hardness is controlled between 40A and 50A, it provides sufficient clamping force. The rigid contact between the metal shell and the strap is effectively isolated, preventing frictional noise caused by micro-vibration. At the same time, one end of the longitudinal rubber strap 9 is hooked to the hook of the upper locking seat 13, and the other end is hooked to the corresponding lower locking seat 14 after passing around the outer periphery of the cooling fan. The longitudinal rubber strap 9 applies circumferential constraint to the cooling fan by its own pre-stretched elasticity, limiting its micro-amplitude jump in the Z-axis direction and its rotational freedom around the vertical axis. This dual strap synergistic mechanism effectively suppresses the micro-rotation or displacement induced by fluid pulsation in the liquid-cooled module 28 under liquid-flow operation, ensuring that the test piece maintains a stable spatial posture during acoustic acquisition.
[0026] Subsequently, align the power supply terminal at the bottom of the liquid cooling module 28 with the connector 15, press down to insert the terminal between the elastic electrode contacts. The phosphor bronze contacts inside the connector 15 generate a constant contact positive pressure within the compression stroke range of 0.8mm to 1.2mm. Combined with the gold-plated surface to reduce contact resistance, a low-impedance, highly reliable electrical connection is achieved, powering the water pump or sensor inside the liquid cooling module 28, putting it under real operating conditions, thereby generating real acoustic signals containing fault characteristics such as bubbles, blockages, or micro-leakage.
[0027] During the acoustic acquisition preparation stage, the operator loosens the first and second locking screws, slides the bushing 22 up and down along the shaft seat rod 21 to adjust the vertical height of the sound collector 25, so that its pickup port is located near the outlet of the flow channel on the side wall of the cold plate body 29; then slides the sound acquisition mounting block 24 horizontally along the shaft rod 23 so that the sound collector 25 is facing the cooling fan blade area; at the same time, rotate the shaft seat rod 21 around the magnetic base 20, and use its top angle adjustment dial to adjust the sound acquisition axis to an angle of 30° to 60° with the key sound source to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio; after adjustment, tighten the second and first locking screws in sequence to lock the precise position of the sound collector 25 in three-dimensional space; the 3N to 5N magnetic attraction between the magnetic base 20 and the shaft seat rod 21 is sufficient to resist the displacement caused by the weight of the sound collector assembly 3 and slight vibration, while allowing manual disassembly to adapt to different detection layouts.
[0028] After the robot joint motion mechanism 5 is activated, the torque output of its internal low-noise servo motor is reduced and amplified by the harmonic reducer and then transmitted to the rotating shaft 4, driving the entire detachable quick-change flexible tooling 2 and the clamped liquid-cooled module 28 to rotate synchronously around the rotating shaft 4. Since the outer shell of the robot joint motion mechanism 5 is covered with a polyester fiber sound-absorbing cotton layer with a thickness of 8mm and the internal transmission gears are made of polyoxymethylene (POM) engineering plastic, its meshing noise is reduced by more than 15dB compared with metal gears. Therefore, it will not radiate significant structural noise to the inner wall 31 of the acoustic detection equipment during the rotation from 0° to 180°. The liquid-cooled module 28 operates continuously in multiple angle postures. The acoustic signals generated by the abnormal flow channel inside the module are synchronously collected by the sound collectors 25 on the left and right sides. The MEMS digital microphone records full-band acoustic data at a sampling rate of 48kHz and a signal-to-noise ratio of more than 65dB, which is used by the back-end AI model for fault classification and health status assessment.
[0029] After collection, release the buckle of the horizontal rubber strap 8 and the hook of the vertical rubber strap 9, and remove the liquid cooling module 28; unscrew the quick-change nut 18 and pull out the tooling module 7 upward along the stud; after replacing the tooling module 7 with the next model, repeat the above process to achieve efficient, non-destructive, and high-fidelity acoustic quality inspection of multiple liquid cooling modules 28 in the production line environment.
[0030] The advantages of this invention are that this technical solution solves the technical problems of multi-model adaptation, vibration isolation and pure acoustic acquisition by using a low-noise drive structure, non-rigid rubber strap clamping, quick-change tooling module and multi-degree-of-freedom sound collector positioning. It uses a combination of horizontal and vertical rubber straps for clamping, with a silicone buffer layer on the contact surface. There is no metal collision sound during clamping, and the pressure is evenly distributed, which avoids micro-deformation of the cold plate shell due to local stress and ensures the authenticity of the voiceprint signal. The tooling module enables embedded quick replacement via studs and quick-change nuts, allowing tooling switching between different models of liquid cooling modules without tools, thus improving the production line inspection cycle. The robot's joint motion mechanism is integrated inside the acoustic testing equipment. Its low-noise design and sound-absorbing covering structure prevent the driving action from interfering with acoustic acquisition, while driving the tested object to rotate to achieve multi-angle sound source localization. The sound pickup unit uses a magnetic base with a multi-segment adjustable structure, which can accurately locate the pickup point in three-dimensional space, adapt to the acoustic feature area of liquid-cooled modules of different sizes, and improve the quality of input data for AI analysis models.
[0031] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules, characterized in that: It includes a drive module placed inside an acoustic testing device, a detachable quick-change flexible tooling whose angle is adjusted by the drive module, and a sound collector assembly whose position can be adjusted. The detachable quick-change flexible tooling is connected to the drive module via a connecting block; The detachable quick-change flexible tooling includes a support base plate, a limiting area on one side of the support base plate for placing the cold plate body, and a contour groove on the other side of the support base plate; the contour groove is fitted with a tooling module that matches the outline of the liquid cooling module to be tested. The tooling module is an independent and replaceable structure. Its bottom is provided with a through hole corresponding to the pre-embedded stud in the contour groove. An internal threaded bushing is embedded in the through hole. The limiting area is provided with a transverse rubber strap. The two ends of the transverse rubber strap pass through the U-shaped mounting bases fixed on both sides of the limiting area and are pulled back and tightened by the buckle structure so that the transverse rubber strap is pressed onto the upper surface of the cold plate body. A row of upper locking seats is provided on the edge of the bearing base plate above the contour groove, and a row of lower locking seats is provided at the corresponding position on the bottom of the bearing base plate; a longitudinal rubber strap is connected between each set of upper and lower locking seats by a hook; the longitudinal rubber strap is wrapped around the cooling fan or fluid pipeline of the liquid cooling module to be tested, and presses the test part tightly by its own elasticity.
2. The flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive module includes symmetrically arranged mounting bases, shaft seats fixed at both ends of the mounting bases, rolling bearings embedded in the shaft seats, a rotating shaft passing through the inner hole of the rolling bearings, and a robot joint motion mechanism that is drivenly connected to one end of the rotating shaft. The robot joint motion mechanism is composed of a low-noise servo motor and a harmonic reducer, and its output shaft is coaxially connected to the rotating shaft. The detachable quick-change flexible tooling is fixedly connected to both ends of the rotating shaft through connecting blocks.
3. The flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules according to claim 1, characterized in that: The limiting area is also provided with a plug-in socket, which is embedded in the surface of the supporting base plate and has multiple elastic electrode contacts inside. The electrode lead passes through the cable channel inside the supporting base plate from the rear end of the plug-in socket and is led out from the cable outlet at the bottom of the supporting base plate to connect to the external power supply unit.
4. The flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sound collector assemblies are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the supporting base plate. Each sound collector assembly includes a magnetic base, a shaft rod magnetically connected to the magnetic base, a bushing sleeved on the shaft rod, a shaft rod fixed to the outer wall of the bushing sleeve, a sound collection mounting block slidably installed on the shaft rod, and a sound collector fixed to the front end of the sound collection mounting block.
5. The flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bottom of the bearing rod is provided with an annular magnet, which forms a magnetic connection with the soft magnetic material in the magnetic base; the top of the bearing rod is provided with an angle adjustment dial, and the rotation angle is locked by a fixing bolt that passes through its side wall and abuts against the side of the bearing base plate; the side wall of the bushing is provided with a first locking screw, which, when tightened, clamps the bearing rod; the sound-collecting mounting block is provided with a second locking screw, which, when tightened, clamps the shaft rod.
6. The method of using the flexible clamping device for online AI acoustic quality inspection of server liquid cooling modules according to claims 1-5, characterized in that: It includes the following steps: S1. Selection: Select the corresponding tooling module according to the model of the liquid cooling module to be tested; S2. Install the tooling module: Slide the tooling module along the stud in the contour groove to the bottom limiting surface, and screw in the quick-change nut until it is fully engaged with the stud and the tooling module is pressed. S3. Place the test piece: Place the cold plate body of the liquid cooling module in the limiting area, and embed the cooling fan or fluid pipeline part into the positioning groove of the tooling module. S4. Flexible clamping: Pull the horizontal rubber strap over the upper surface of the cold plate body and snap it into the U-shaped mounting seat to make it spring back and tighten; connect the vertical rubber strap through the hook between the upper and lower locking seats, wrap around the cooling fan or pipeline and tighten it. S5. Power supply connection: Align the power supply interface of the liquid cooling module with the connector and press down to make the electrode contacts make contact with the power supply terminal of the module to conduct electricity. S6. Sound collector positioning: Loosen the first and second locking screws, adjust the height of the bushing, the horizontal position of the sound collector mounting block and the angle of the shaft seat rod so that the sound collector is facing the key sound-emitting area of the liquid cooling module, and then tighten each locking screw; S7. Acoustic Acquisition: Activate the robot's joint motion mechanism to drive the flexible tooling to rotate around the axis to a preset angle, and at the same time activate the sound collector to collect multi-angle acoustic data. S8. Change model: After data collection, loosen all rubber straps, remove the liquid cooling module, unscrew the quick-change nut, pull out the tooling module, replace it with the tooling module corresponding to the next model, and repeat steps S3 to S7.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
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