Optical module heat dissipation device and optical module heat dissipation method

Abstract

The invention provides an optical module heat dissipation device and an optical module heat dissipation method. The optical module heat dissipation device comprises a circuit board, a mounting cage and a cold plate, the mounting cage is used for mounting an optical module; a plurality of mounting cages are arranged, and the plurality of mounting cages are arranged on the circuit board; the optical module is inserted into the mounting cage so as to be connected with the circuit board; a first opening is formed in one side, away from the circuit board, of the mounting cage; the cold plate is arranged on the side, provided with the first opening, of the installation cage. The cold plate comprises a shell and a liquid cooling channel arranged in the shell; a second opening is formed in the side, close to the mounting cage, of the shell, and the second opening corresponds to the multiple first openings; a flexible inner film is arranged in the shell, and the flexible inner film is at least arranged at the position between the liquid cooling channel and the second opening; the flexible inner film is in direct and / or indirect contact with the plurality of optical modules through the second opening and the first opening. According to the invention, the whole cold plate is used for cooling the optical modules with different heights, so that the heat dissipation cost is saved, and the heat dissipation effect is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of optical module heat dissipation technology, and in particular to an optical module heat dissipation device; this application also relates to an optical module heat dissipation method, an optical module heat dissipation device manufacturing method, an optical module heat dissipation device manufacturing equipment, and a computing device. Background Technology

[0002] An optical module is a photoelectric conversion module that includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter converts electrical signals into optical signals and transmits them via optical fiber; the receiver converts the optical signals received via optical fiber back into electrical signals. When the power consumption of a single optical module increases to 50W, air cooling is insufficient to solve the heat dissipation problem, and liquid cooling is required to ensure effective heat dissipation.

[0003] In existing technologies, each optical module can be equipped with an independent cold plate, but this method is very expensive and has a high risk of leakage. Moreover, this complex installation method is difficult to popularize. Alternatively, a single cold plate can be used to dissipate heat from multiple optical modules at the same time. However, due to the difference in assembly height between the optical modules, at least some optical modules will have a large gap with the cold plate, resulting in poor heat dissipation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present application provides a heat dissipation device and a heat dissipation method for optical modules to solve the problem of poor heat dissipation caused by the difference in assembly height of optical modules in the prior art.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the embodiments of this application, a heat dissipation device for an optical module is provided, comprising:

[0006] Circuit board;

[0007] Mounting cages are provided for mounting optical modules; multiple mounting cages are provided and multiple mounting cages are provided on the circuit board; the optical module is configured to be inserted into the mounting cage to connect with the circuit board; a first opening is provided on the side of the mounting cage away from the circuit board;

[0008] A cold plate is disposed on the side of the mounting cage where a first opening is provided; the cold plate includes a shell and a liquid cooling channel disposed inside the shell; a second opening is provided on the side of the shell adjacent to the mounting cage, and the second opening is configured to correspond to a plurality of the first openings;

[0009] The outer casing is provided with a flexible inner membrane, which is disposed at least between the liquid cooling channel and the second opening; the flexible inner membrane is configured to directly and / or indirectly contact the plurality of optical modules through the second opening and the first opening.

[0010] In one embodiment of this application, the flexible inner membrane is configured to expand under the hydraulic pressure of the liquid in the liquid cooling channel to extend out of the second opening, and is configured to extend into the first opening to directly contact the optical module located in the mounting cage.

[0011] In one embodiment of this application, when the mounting cage is empty, the minimum depth to which the flexible inner membrane expands into the first opening is denoted as the first depth; after the optical module is inserted into the mounting cage, the maximum depth to which the flexible inner membrane expands into the first opening is denoted as the second depth; the first depth is greater than the second depth.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, during the process of inserting the optical module into the mounting cage, the flexible inner membrane is configured to shrink under the compression of the optical module.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, a thermally conductive boss is further included, which is configured to be movably connected to the side of the housing adjacent to the mounting cage; one end of the thermally conductive boss is configured to always abut against the flexible inner membrane, and the other end is configured to extend into the first opening to abut against the optical module located inside the mounting cage.

[0014] In one embodiment of this application, when the mounting cage is empty, the minimum depth to which the heat-conducting protrusion extends into the first opening is denoted as the third depth; after the optical module is inserted into the mounting cage, the maximum depth to which the heat-conducting protrusion extends into the first opening is denoted as the fourth depth; the third depth is greater than the fourth depth.

[0015] In one embodiment of this application, during the process of inserting the optical module into the mounting cage, the heat-conducting protrusion is configured to move in the direction of extending into the second opening under the squeezing action of the optical module, and the flexible inner membrane is configured to deform under the squeezing action of the heat-conducting protrusion.

[0016] In one embodiment of this application, the mounting cage includes a connector for mounting the optical module; the heat-conducting boss has a guide ramp on the side facing the connector; during the process of the optical module being inserted into the mounting cage, the optical module is configured to cooperate with the guide ramp to press the heat-conducting boss in the direction of extending into the second opening.

[0017] In one embodiment of this application, the liquid cooling channel is a flat cavity structure located within the housing, or the liquid cooling channel is constructed as a pipeline laid in a circuitous manner within the housing.

[0018] In one embodiment of this application, the liquid cooling channel includes an inlet and an outlet, which are configured to be connected by a circulation pipeline disposed outside the cold plate; a drive pump is disposed on the circulation pipeline, and under the action of the drive pump, liquid is configured to flow back from the outlet to the inlet through the circulation pipeline.

[0019] In one embodiment of this application, the direction perpendicular to the cold plate is denoted as the X-axis direction; the maximum deformation of the flexible inner membrane in the X-axis direction is greater than 1 mm; and the maximum height difference of the plurality of optical modules located in the mounting cage in the X-axis direction is less than 0.3 mm.

[0020] In one embodiment of this application, multiple second openings are provided, and the multiple second openings are respectively provided corresponding to multiple first openings.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of this application, a method for heat dissipation of an optical module is provided, applied to the optical module heat dissipation device provided in the first aspect of the embodiments of this application, comprising:

[0022] The heat generated by the optical module located in the mounting cage is absorbed by the cold plate and conducted to the liquid contained in the liquid cooling channel;

[0023] The heat is dissipated by utilizing the flow of the liquid.

[0024] According to a third aspect of the embodiments of this application, a method for manufacturing an optical module heat dissipation device is provided, for manufacturing the optical module heat dissipation device provided in the first aspect of the embodiments of this application, comprising:

[0025] Acquire circuit boards, mounting cages, and cold plates;

[0026] Cooling liquid is injected into the liquid cooling channel of the cold plate until the expansion of the flexible inner membrane extending out of the second opening under hydraulic pressure reaches the predetermined expansion amount, thus obtaining the target cold plate;

[0027] Multiple mounting cages are fixed to the circuit board, and the target cold plate is fixed to the side of the mounting cage with the first opening, wherein the flexible inner membrane extends into the first opening to a predetermined depth.

[0028] According to a fourth aspect of the embodiments of this application, an optical module heat dissipation device manufacturing apparatus is provided, used to manufacture the optical module heat dissipation device provided in the first aspect of the embodiments of this application, comprising:

[0029] The component acquisition module is configured to acquire circuit boards, mounting cages, and cold plates;

[0030] The liquid injection module is configured to inject cooling liquid into the liquid cooling channel of the cold plate until the expansion of the flexible inner membrane extending out of the second opening under hydraulic action reaches the predetermined expansion amount, thereby obtaining the target cold plate.

[0031] The connection module is configured to fix multiple mounting cages onto a circuit board and fix a target cold plate onto the side of the mounting cage with a first opening, thereby obtaining a heat dissipation device for an optical module, wherein the flexible inner membrane extends into the first opening to a predetermined depth.

[0032] According to a fifth aspect of the embodiments of this application, a computing device is provided, comprising:

[0033] Multiple optical modules;

[0034] The first aspect of the embodiments of this application provides a heat dissipation device for optical modules.

[0035] One embodiment of this application provides a heat dissipation device for optical modules, including a circuit board, a mounting cage, and a cold plate. The cold plate has a flexible inner membrane that can directly or indirectly contact multiple optical modules through a second opening on the outer shell of the cold plate and a first opening on the mounting cage. The optical modules within the mounting cage have varying mounting heights. When optical modules of different heights contact the cold plate for heat dissipation, the flexible inner membrane absorbs the height difference between the optical modules. Compared to traditional heat dissipation solutions, this application uses a single cold plate to simultaneously cool multiple optical modules of different heights, thereby saving heat dissipation costs. Furthermore, the flexible inner membrane can directly or indirectly contact the optical modules without gaps, thus improving the heat dissipation effect. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the optical module heat dissipation device provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a partially exploded structural diagram of an optical module heat dissipation device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 3 This is an anatomical view of an optical module heat dissipation device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of a heat dissipation device for an optical module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a heat dissipation device for an optical module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 6This is an exploded view of another optical module heat dissipation device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of another optical module heat dissipation device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of another optical module heat dissipation device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 9 This is an exploded view of another optical module heat dissipation device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 10 This is a flowchart of a heat dissipation method for an optical module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing an optical module heat dissipation device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a manufacturing equipment for an optical module heat dissipation device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 13 This is a structural block diagram of a computing device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0049] Figures 1 to 13 The one-to-one correspondence between the component names and the reference numerals in the figures is as follows:

[0050] 1. Optical module; 2. Mounting cage; 21. First opening; 22. Plug-in interface; 3. Circuit board; 4. Cold plate; 41. Housing; 42. Liquid cooling channel; 421. Liquid inlet; 422. Liquid outlet; 43. Second opening; 44. Flexible inner membrane; 5. Thermally conductive boss; 51. Guide slope; 6. Circulation pipeline; 61. Drive pump. Detailed Implementation

[0051] Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a full understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of this application; therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0052] The terminology used in one or more embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of one or more embodiments of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in one or more embodiments of this application and in the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” used in one or more embodiments of this application refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0053] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, etc., may be used to describe various information in one or more embodiments of this application, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, first may also be referred to as second without departing from the scope of one or more embodiments of this application, and similarly, second may also be referred to as first. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to a determination."

[0054] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps described in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application.

[0055] Techniques, methods, and apparatus known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and apparatus should be considered part of the specification. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0056] In this article, terms such as "up," "down," "front," "back," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate the relative positional relationship between related parts, rather than to define the absolute position of these related parts.

[0057] First, the terms and concepts used in one or more embodiments of this specification will be explained.

[0058] An optical module is an integrated module used to convert optical signals into and out of electrical signals. For example, an optical module may include optoelectronic devices, functional circuits, and optical interfaces. The optoelectronic devices may include a transmitter and a receiver. Simply put, an optical module can convert electrical signals into optical signals at the transmitter and transmit them through optical fibers, while the receiver can convert the optical signals transmitted through the optical fiber back into electrical signals.

[0059] Mounting Cage: A hollow metal cage used to mount optical modules; it is the outer shell structure that constrains the installation of optical modules. The mounting cage forms the interface on the switch for inserting optical modules. For a typical 4RU switch, a single device has 128 optical modules, each inserted into its corresponding mounting cage. During the insertion process, some assembly differences may occur, resulting in a certain height difference between the optical modules on a single layer.

[0060] Cold plate: Also known as liquid-cooled plate or water-cooled plate, it is a device used to dissipate heat from optical modules. It achieves heat dissipation by introducing water or other cooling media into the system, which absorbs and carries away heat from the device.

[0061] AI clusters are increasingly demanding higher bandwidth, leading to higher transmission rates for optical modules: 100G optical modules consume 4.5W, 200G 6.5W, 400G 10W, 800G 16W, 1.6T 32W, and 3.2T 50W. When the power consumption of a single module reaches 50W, air cooling is insufficient to address the heat dissipation issue, necessitating liquid cooling to ensure effective heat dissipation. Existing heat dissipation technologies suffer from high cost, complex installation, high risk of leakage, and poor heat dissipation performance.

[0062] To address the aforementioned issues, this application designs a cold plate, thereby providing a novel optical module heat dissipation device. This application also relates to an optical module heat dissipation method, a method for manufacturing an optical module heat dissipation device, equipment for manufacturing an optical module heat dissipation device, and a computing device, which will be described in detail in the following embodiments.

[0063] Example 1

[0064] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 This embodiment provides a heat dissipation device for an optical module, including: a circuit board 3, a mounting cage 2, and a cold plate 4. The mounting cage 2 is used to mount the optical module 1. Figure 1 As shown, multiple mounting cages 2 are provided, and multiple mounting cages 2 are set on the circuit board 3. Each mounting cage 2 can install one optical module 1. The dimensions of each mounting cage 2 can be the same, so that optical modules 1 of the same size can be installed. The mounting cages 2 of the same size can keep their upper surfaces basically flush, which facilitates the use of a single cold plate 4 to dissipate heat for multiple optical modules 1 at the same time.

[0065] like Figure 2As shown, the optical module 1 is configured to be inserted into the mounting cage 2 for connection to the circuit board 3. In one specific embodiment of this application, the mounting cage 2 includes a connector 22 for mounting the optical module 1. A user can insert the optical module 1 into the mounting cage 2 through the connector 22, thereby connecting it to the circuit board 3 below. Due to the constraint of the mounting cage 2, the optical module 1 can only be inserted into or removed from the mounting cage 2 through the connector 22, and will not move in any other direction relative to the mounting cage 2. In practical applications, both the circuit board 3 and the mounting cage 2 can be located inside the switch, with the connector 22 being the port exposed outside the switch housing, thus facilitating the user's insertion and removal of the optical module 1.

[0066] like Figure 2 As shown, the mounting cage 2 has a first opening 21 on the side away from the circuit board 3, and the cold plate 4 is located on the side of the mounting cage 2 with the first opening 21. (Reference) Figure 2 In the view direction, the side of the mounting cage 2 with the first opening 21 is referred to as the upper side. It should be noted that this application only limits the cold plate 4 to be located on the upper side of the mounting cage 2, and does not limit its specific fixing method. For example, the cold plate 4 can be directly fixed to the mounting cage 2 by a connector, or it can be fixed to the circuit board 3 by a bracket structure, or it can be fixed to other structures inside the switch.

[0067] The upper surface of the optical module 1 located inside the mounting cage 2 is lower than the upper surface of the mounting cage 2. For traditional rigid liquid-cooled plates, although the upper surface of the optical module 1 can be exposed through the first opening 21 and is not obstructed by the metal structure of the mounting cage 2, a certain gap still exists between the optical module 1 and the cold plate 4, making it difficult for the optical module 1 to directly contact the cold plate 4 for heat dissipation. To solve this problem, the structure of the cold plate 4 is designed in this embodiment.

[0068] Specifically, refer to Figure 3 The cold plate 4 includes a housing 41 and a liquid cooling channel 42 disposed inside the housing 41. The liquid cooling channel 42 contains a liquid cooling medium, such as water. In a specific embodiment of this application, refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 3 The liquid cooling channel 42 includes an inlet 421 and an outlet 422, which are connected by a circulation pipe 6 located outside the cold plate 4. A drive pump 61 is installed on the circulation pipe 6, and under the action of the drive pump 61, the liquid is configured to flow back from the outlet 422 to the inlet 421 through the circulation pipe 6.

[0069] Liquid flows from inlet 421 to outlet 422 in the liquid cooling channel 42, carrying away the heat generated by the optical module 1 at the location it passes through. After the liquid flows out of the cold plate 4 from the outlet 422, it flows and cools down in the circulation pipe 6 under the action of the drive pump 61. When the liquid flows back to the inlet 421, its temperature has dropped to a predetermined temperature, so it can re-enter the cold plate 4 to dissipate heat from the optical module 1. This application, by setting up the circulation pipe 6, enables the recycling of the cooling medium, thereby reducing the cost of heat dissipation and improving the environmental friendliness of the cold plate 4.

[0070] In one embodiment of this application, the liquid cooling channel 42 is a flat cavity structure located within the outer casing 41. This maximizes the heat dissipation area of ​​the entire cold plate 4, resulting in excellent heat dissipation. Furthermore, the flat cavity structure defined in this embodiment greatly simplifies the internal structure of the cold plate 4, minimizing the risk of cooling medium leakage. (Reference) Figure 3 In this embodiment, the liquid inlet 421 and the liquid outlet 422 can be two through holes respectively located on the right and left sides of the outer casing 41. The liquid flows into the liquid cooling channel 42 from the liquid inlet 421 on the right side and flows to the left until it flows out from the liquid outlet 422 and enters the circulation pipeline 6.

[0071] In another embodiment of this application, the liquid cooling channel 42 is constructed as a convoluted pipeline laid within the outer casing 41. Specifically, the pipeline can be laid in various ways, such as S-shaped, bow-shaped, or U-shaped, and this application does not impose any specific limitations on this. This embodiment can lay the pipeline only at the position corresponding to the optical module 1, thereby reducing the waste of cooling capacity. Moreover, the convoluted pipeline can pass through the same optical module 1 multiple times, thereby further improving the heat dissipation effect. In addition, the flat cavity structure of the previous embodiment may cause a small amount of liquid located at the corners of the cold plate 4 to have difficulty flowing to the liquid outlet 422, resulting in uneven temperature at different positions of the cold plate 4; this embodiment restricts the flow direction of the liquid through the pipeline, and there are no dead corners where liquid accumulates in the cold plate 4, thereby improving the temperature uniformity of the cold plate 4.

[0072] like Figure 3As shown, a second opening 43 is provided on the side of the outer shell 41 adjacent to the mounting cage 2, and the second opening 43 is configured to correspond to a plurality of first openings 21. A flexible inner membrane 44 is provided in the outer shell 41, and the flexible inner membrane 44 is at least located between the liquid cooling channel 42 and the second opening 43. The flexible inner membrane 44 is configured to directly and / or indirectly contact a plurality of optical modules 1 through the second opening 43 and the first openings 21. Specifically, the flexible inner membrane 44 can be made of a sealing flexible material with good thermal conductivity. The flexible inner membrane 44 can be directly attached to the optical module 1, thereby achieving direct contact with the optical module 1; other thermally conductive structures can also be provided between the flexible inner membrane 44 and the optical module 1, such as a thermally conductive protrusion 5 structure, thereby achieving indirect contact with the optical module 1; the flexible inner membrane 44 can also partially directly contact the optical module 1 and partially indirectly contact the optical module 1. All three contact methods can effectively achieve heat exchange, thereby enabling heat dissipation of the optical module 1 through the flexible inner membrane 44.

[0073] Without external force, the flexible inner membrane 44 is configured to expand to extend beyond the second opening 43 under the hydraulic pressure of the liquid in the liquid-cooled channel 42. The hydraulic pressure causes the flexible inner membrane 44 to deform. In areas shielded by the outer shell 41, the expanded flexible inner membrane 44 can fit tightly against the inner wall of the outer shell 41; and in locations where the second opening 43 is provided, the flexible inner membrane 44 can expand to extend beyond the second opening 43. Since the second opening 43 is correspondingly provided to the first opening 21, the flexible inner membrane 44 can directly and / or indirectly contact multiple optical modules 1 through the second opening 43 and the first opening 21.

[0074] In one specific embodiment of this application, multiple second openings 43 may be provided, each corresponding to a plurality of first openings 21. The flexible inner membrane 44 can expand outward from each of the multiple second openings 43 to a position that directly and / or indirectly contacts the plurality of optical modules 1. In another specific embodiment of this application, only one second opening 43 may be provided, which can cover the plurality of first openings 21, thus simultaneously corresponding to the plurality of first openings 21. The flexible inner membrane 44 can expand outward from one second opening 43 and simultaneously directly and / or indirectly contact the plurality of optical modules 1.

[0075] There are certain differences in the assembly height among the various optical modules 1 within the mounting cage 2. When optical modules 1 of different heights contact the cold plate 4 for heat dissipation, the flexible inner membrane 44 can absorb the height difference between the various optical modules 1. Compared with traditional heat dissipation solutions, this application uses a single cold plate 4 to simultaneously cool multiple optical modules 1 of different heights, thereby saving heat dissipation costs. In addition, the flexible inner membrane 44 can directly and / or indirectly contact the optical modules 1 without any gap between them, thus improving the heat dissipation effect.

[0076] In one embodiment of this application, reference is made to Figure 4 The flexible inner membrane 44 is configured to extend into the first opening 21 to directly contact the optical module 1 located within the mounting cage 2. As mentioned earlier, the upper surface of the optical module 1 located within the mounting cage 2 is lower than the upper surface of the mounting cage 2, and a conventional rigid cold plate cannot directly contact the upper surface of the optical module 1. In this embodiment, the flexible inner membrane 44 expands under hydraulic pressure to extend beyond the second opening 43. Since the cold plate 4 is tightly disposed with the mounting cage 2, the expanded flexible inner membrane 44 can extend into the interior of the first opening 21, thereby directly contacting the upper surface of the optical module 1. This improves the heat dissipation effect of the optical module 1. By employing a deformable flexible inner membrane 44, this application achieves direct bonding between the cold plate 4 and the optical module 1, preventing loss of heat dissipation performance, thereby supporting heat dissipation of higher power optical modules 1. Furthermore, compared to heat dissipation through contact between the outer shell 41 of the cold plate 4 or the outer wall of the cold pipe and the optical module 1, the ultra-thin flexible inner membrane 44 can maximize the heat dissipation effect.

[0077] In one embodiment of this application, when the mounting cage 2 is empty, the minimum depth to which the flexible inner membrane 44 expands into the first opening 21 is denoted as the first depth. Specifically, in its natural state, due to the possible differences in elasticity at various locations of the flexible inner membrane 44, and the possible different hydraulic pressures generated by the liquid flowing in the liquid cooling channel 42, the amount by which the flexible inner membrane 44 expands out from different second openings 43 may vary, thus causing the depth to which it extends into the first opening 21 to also vary. The minimum of these depths is denoted as the first depth.

[0078] After the optical module 1 is inserted into the mounting cage 2, the flexible inner membrane 44 expands to the maximum depth into the first opening 21, which is denoted as the second depth. Specifically, after the optical module 1 is inserted into the mounting cage 2, the optical module 1 will push the flexible inner membrane 44 upward. Due to the certain assembly differences in the height of each optical module 1, the flexible inner membrane 44 in contact with the optical module 1 with the shortest upper surface has the maximum depth into the first opening 21, which is denoted as the second depth.

[0079] The first depth is greater than the second depth. This means that even if the light module 1 has the shortest mounting height, when the light module 1 is inserted into the shallowest part of the first opening 21 under its natural state, it can still push up this portion of the flexible inner membrane 44. By limiting the first depth to be greater than the second depth, this application ensures that each light module 1 inserted into the mounting cage 2 can push up the flexible inner membrane 44, thereby ensuring that the flexible inner membrane 44 can directly contact the upper surface of each light module 1, thus improving heat dissipation.

[0080] Specifically, during the insertion of the optical module 1 into the mounting cage 2, the flexible inner membrane 44 is configured to shrink under the compression of the optical module 1. For example, the insertion depth of the flexible inner membrane 44 extending through a certain first opening 21 is 0.5 mm, and the distance between its lowest point and the circuit board 3 is 8.2 mm. When an optical module 1 with a height of 8.5 mm is inserted into the mounting cage 2, the optical module 1 will compress the flexible inner membrane 44 upwards, thereby reducing the depth of the flexible inner membrane 44 extending into the first opening 21 to 0.2 mm. In this way, when the optical module 1 is installed in place, the flexible inner membrane 44 can remain tightly attached to the upper surface of the optical module 1 under hydraulic pressure, thus ensuring the heat dissipation effect.

[0081] refer to Figure 5 The two optical modules 1, assembled in two mounting cages 2, have a height difference, with the right-hand optical module 1 being taller. When these two optical modules 1 are inserted, the right-hand optical module 1 can compress the flexible inner membrane 44 to a higher position, meaning the flexible inner membrane 44 extends into the first opening 21 to a smaller depth; while the left-hand optical module 1 can compress the flexible inner membrane 44 to a lower position, meaning the flexible inner membrane 44 extends into the first opening 21 to a greater depth. Regardless of the height of the inserted optical module 1, the flexible inner membrane 44 can always adhere tightly to the upper surface of the optical module 1, thus absorbing the height difference between the optical modules 1 through the flexible inner membrane 44.

[0082] In one specific embodiment of this application, such as Figure 3 As shown, the direction perpendicular to the cold plate is denoted as the X-axis. The maximum deformation of the flexible inner membrane 44 in the X-axis direction is greater than 1 mm, and the maximum height difference of the multiple optical modules 1 located in the mounting cage 2 in the X-axis direction is less than 0.3 mm. This ensures that the deformation of the flexible inner membrane 44 is sufficient to absorb the maximum height difference of the multiple optical modules 1, so that a single cold plate 4 can simultaneously dissipate heat for multiple optical modules 1, and each optical module 1 can maintain good contact with the flexible inner membrane 44.

[0083] Example 2

[0084] This embodiment also provides a heat dissipation device for an optical module. The only difference from Embodiment 1 is that the optical module 1 and the flexible inner membrane 44 are no longer in direct contact, but indirect contact. The other structures of the heat dissipation device for the optical module are exactly the same as those in Embodiment 1, and will not be described again here.

[0085] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7The optical module heat dissipation device also includes a heat-conducting protrusion 5, which is configured to be movably connected to the side of the housing 41 adjacent to the mounting cage 2. For example, a slot can be opened on the side wall of the housing 41 at the second opening 43, and the heat-conducting protrusion 5 can be movably connected in the slot. A limiting structure can also be provided above the heat-conducting protrusion 5, which can be located between the inner wall of the housing 41 and the flexible inner membrane 44, thereby suspending the heat-conducting protrusion 5 movably at the position of the second opening 43 through the limiting structure. Alternatively, the heat-conducting protrusion 5 can be fixed to the flexible inner membrane 44 at the position corresponding to the second opening 43, thereby driving the heat-conducting protrusion 5 to move through the deformation of the flexible inner membrane 44. One end of the heat-conducting protrusion 5 is configured to always abut against the flexible inner membrane 44, and the other end is configured to extend into the first opening 21 to abut against the optical module 1 located in the mounting cage 2. The heat-conducting protrusion 5 can be a metal block with good thermal conductivity, and its size is smaller than the first opening 21 and the second opening 43. Multiple heat-conducting protrusions 5 are provided, and each heat-conducting protrusion 5 can be movably connected to a position in one of the multiple second openings 43. (Reference) Figure 7 In the view direction, the flexible inner membrane 44 is always in contact with the upper end face of the heat-conducting protrusion 5 under hydraulic action; the lower end face of the heat-conducting protrusion 5 can extend into the first opening 21 and contact the optical module 1, thereby indirectly conducting the heat generated by the optical module 1 to the flexible inner membrane 44 through the heat-conducting protrusion 5, and dissipating the heat through the liquid in the liquid cooling channel 42.

[0086] In one embodiment of this application, when the mounting cage 2 is empty, the minimum depth to which the heat-conducting protrusion 5 extends into the first opening 21 is denoted as the third depth. Specifically, in the natural state, due to certain assembly differences between the heat-conducting protrusions 5, the amount by which each heat-conducting protrusion 5 extends from different second openings 43 may differ, and thus the depth to which it extends into the first opening 21 may also differ. The minimum of these depths is denoted as the first depth.

[0087] After the optical module 1 is inserted into the mounting cage 2, the maximum depth to which the heat-conducting protrusion 5 extends into the first opening 21 is recorded as the fourth depth. Specifically, after the optical module 1 is inserted into the mounting cage 2, the optical module 1 will push the heat-conducting protrusion 5 upward. Due to the certain assembly differences in the height of each optical module 1, the heat-conducting protrusion 5 in contact with the shortest optical module 1 on the upper end has a maximum depth to which it extends into the first opening 21, which is recorded as the second depth.

[0088] The third depth is greater than the fourth depth. This means that even if the light-conducting protrusion 5, which is the shallowest part of the first opening 21, is inserted into the first opening in its natural state, the corresponding optical module 1, which has the lowest assembly height, can still push the light-conducting protrusion 5 upwards. By limiting the third depth to be greater than the fourth depth, this application ensures that each optical module 1 inserted into the mounting cage 2 can push the light-conducting protrusion 5 upwards, thereby ensuring that the light-conducting protrusion 5 can tightly abut against the upper surface of each optical module 1, thus improving the heat dissipation effect.

[0089] Specifically, during the process of inserting the optical module 1 into the mounting cage 2, the heat-conducting protrusion 5 is configured to extend into the second opening 43 under the squeezing action of the optical module 1, and the flexible inner membrane 44 is configured to deform under the squeezing action of the heat-conducting protrusion 5. In its natural state, the flexible inner membrane 44 can maintain a basically undeformed state under the support of the upper surface of the heat-conducting protrusion 5; while after the optical module 1 lifts the heat-conducting protrusion 5, the upper end of the heat-conducting protrusion 5 will drive the flexible inner membrane 44 to extend into the second opening 43 together, thereby adaptively adjusting according to the height of the optical module 1. Alternatively, under natural conditions, the flexible inner membrane 44 undergoes a certain deformation. For example, the flexible inner membrane 44 can expand to extend beyond the second opening 43, allowing the heat-conducting protrusion 5 below it to extend sufficiently into the first opening 21. After the optical module 1 lifts the heat-conducting protrusion 5, the upper end of the heat-conducting protrusion 5 will cause the flexible inner membrane 44 to deform. For example, the flexible inner membrane 44 can deform to a state with a small expansion, or to a state that is basically flush, or to a state that retracts back into the second opening 43. When the optical module 1 is installed in place, the flexible inner membrane 44 can continuously adhere tightly to the heat-conducting protrusion 5 under hydraulic pressure, and press the heat-conducting protrusion 5 tightly onto the optical module 1, thereby ensuring the heat dissipation effect.

[0090] refer to Figure 8 The two optical modules 1, assembled in two mounting cages 2, have a height difference, with the left optical module 1 being taller. When these two optical modules 1 are inserted, the left optical module 1 can lift the heat-conducting protrusion 5 to a higher position, thereby squeezing the flexible inner membrane 44 to a higher position, resulting in a greater depth of insertion of the flexible inner membrane 44 into the second opening 43; while the right optical module 1 can lift the heat-conducting protrusion 5 to a lower position, thereby squeezing the flexible inner membrane 44 to a lower position, resulting in a smaller depth of insertion of the flexible inner membrane 44 into the second opening 43. Regardless of the height of the inserted optical module 1, the heat-conducting protrusion 5 can always be tightly attached to the upper surface of the optical module 1, achieving the absorption of the height difference between the optical modules 1 through the flexible inner membrane 44.

[0091] In one embodiment of this application, such as Figure 9As shown, the heat-conducting boss 5 has a guide slope 51 on the side facing the insertion interface 22. During the process of inserting the optical module 1 into the mounting cage 2, the optical module 1 is configured to cooperate with the guide slope 51 to press the heat-conducting boss 5 in the direction of extending into the second opening 43. Reference Figure 9 In the view direction, the insertion interface 22 is located on the left side of the mounting cage 2, and the optical module 1 is inserted into the mounting cage 2 to the right; the guide slope 51 is inclined and located on the left side of the heat-conducting boss 5. During the insertion of the optical module 1, the optical module 1 will apply a force to the right to the guide slope 51. The guide slope 51 can decompose this force into an upward component force, thereby causing the heat-conducting boss 5 to move upward until the heat-conducting boss 5 moves to the point where its lower end face abuts against the upper end face of the optical module 1.

[0092] Example 3

[0093] This embodiment provides a method for heat dissipation of optical modules, which can be applied to the optical module heat dissipation devices provided in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. Figure 10 A flowchart illustrating a heat dissipation method for an optical module according to one embodiment of this specification is shown. Figure 10 As shown, the heat dissipation method for the optical module may include the following steps:

[0094] S1002: The heat generated by the optical module 1 located in the mounting cage 2 is absorbed by the cold plate 4 and transferred to the liquid contained in the liquid cooling channel 42;

[0095] S1004: Heat is dissipated by utilizing the flow of liquid.

[0096] Specifically, the liquid cooling channel 42 in the cold plate 4 contains a liquid cooling medium such as water. The liquid flows from the inlet 421 to the outlet 422 in the liquid cooling channel 42, thereby absorbing the heat generated by the optical module 1 and conducting the heat into the liquid; the liquid flows out of the cold plate 4 from the outlet 422, thereby transferring the heat to the outside of the cold plate 4 and dissipating the heat.

[0097] In one embodiment of this application, the liquid cooling channel 42 is a flat cavity structure located within the outer casing 41. This maximizes the heat dissipation area of ​​the entire cold plate 4, resulting in excellent heat dissipation and facilitating heat dissipation. Furthermore, the flat cavity structure defined in this embodiment greatly simplifies the internal structure of the cold plate 4, minimizing the risk of cooling medium leakage.

[0098] In another embodiment of this application, the liquid cooling channel 42 is configured as a conduit laid in a circuitous manner within the housing 41. This embodiment allows the conduit to be laid only at the location corresponding to the optical module 1, thereby reducing the waste of cooling capacity and facilitating the targeted absorption of heat generated by the optical module 1. The circuitous conduit can pass through the same optical module 1 multiple times, further enhancing the heat conduction effect. Furthermore, this embodiment restricts the flow direction of the liquid through the conduit, eliminating dead zones where liquid can accumulate within the cold plate 4, thus improving the temperature uniformity of the cold plate 4.

[0099] Example 4

[0100] This embodiment provides a method for manufacturing an optical module heat dissipation device, which can be used to manufacture the optical module heat dissipation devices provided in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. Figure 11 A flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a heat dissipation device for an optical module according to one embodiment of this specification is shown. Figure 11 As shown, the manufacturing method of the optical module heat dissipation device may include the following steps:

[0101] S1102: Obtain circuit board 3, mounting cage 2 and cold plate 4.

[0102] Specifically, multiple mounting cages 2 of the same size can be obtained, which can then be used to mount optical modules 1 of the same size. The mounting cage 2 has a first opening 21 to facilitate heat dissipation between the optical module 1 inside the mounting cage 2 and the cold plate 4. Furthermore, the specific structure of the cold plate 4 is as described in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. The cold plate 4 should include a flexible inner membrane 44, and the outer shell 41 of the cold plate 4 should have multiple second openings 43 corresponding to the first opening 21.

[0103] S1104: Inject cooling liquid into the liquid cooling channel 42 of the cold plate 4 until the expansion amount of the flexible inner membrane 44 extending out of the second opening 43 under hydraulic action reaches the predetermined expansion amount, and obtain the target cold plate 4.

[0104] Specifically, the amount of liquid injected into the liquid cooling channel 42 should not be too much, otherwise the flexible inner membrane 44 will expand to its maximum extent and lose its elasticity. The amount of liquid injected into the liquid cooling channel 42 should also not be too little, otherwise insufficient hydraulic pressure will result in the flexible inner membrane 44 failing to expand to directly or indirectly contact the optical module 1, which is detrimental to heat dissipation. When the expansion amount of the flexible inner membrane 44 extending beyond the second opening 43 under hydraulic pressure reaches the predetermined expansion amount, it means that the current liquid injection amount is appropriate, ensuring both sufficient hydraulic pressure and sufficient deformation space for the flexible inner membrane 44 to absorb the height difference of the optical module 1.

[0105] S1106: Fix multiple mounting cages 2 onto the circuit board 3, and fix the target cold plate 4 onto the side of the mounting cage 2 with the first opening 21, wherein the flexible inner membrane 44 extends into the first opening 21 to a predetermined depth.

[0106] Specifically, multiple mounting cages 2 can be sequentially soldered onto the circuit board 3, and the insertion interfaces 22 of the multiple mounting cages 2 in the same row should be in a basically flush position. The target cold plate 4 is fixed to the side of the mounting cage 2 with the first opening 21. Specifically, the cold plate 4 can be directly fixed to the mounting cage 2 via connectors, or fixed to the circuit board 3 via a bracket structure, or fixed to other structures inside the switch. Multiple second openings 43 on the target cold plate 4 correspond sequentially to multiple first openings 21, and the flexible inner membrane 44 can extend into the first opening 21. The depth to which the flexible inner membrane 44 extends into the first opening 21 should not be too shallow, otherwise the optical module 1 inserted into the mounting cage 2 will not be able to press against the flexible inner membrane 44, resulting in poor heat dissipation. When the flexible inner membrane 44 extends into the first opening 21 to a predetermined depth, it means that the current installation position is appropriate, and even if the optical module 1 is the shortest in assembly height, the optical module 1 can still push the flexible inner membrane 44 upwards. This ensures that the flexible inner membrane 44 can directly contact the upper surface of each optical module 1, improving the heat dissipation effect.

[0107] Example 5

[0108] This embodiment provides a manufacturing equipment for an optical module heat dissipation device, which can be used to manufacture the optical module heat dissipation devices provided in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, and can also be used to execute the manufacturing method of the optical module heat dissipation device provided in Embodiment 4. Figure 12 This specification illustrates a schematic diagram of the structure of a manufacturing apparatus for a heat dissipation device of an optical module according to one embodiment. Figure 12 As shown, the equipment for manufacturing the optical module heat dissipation device may include:

[0109] The component acquisition module 1202 is configured to acquire the circuit board 3, the mounting cage 2, and the cold plate 4. Specifically, the component acquisition module 1202 may include equipment and methods capable of acquiring the circuit board 3, the mounting cage 2, and the cold plate 4, such as a robotic arm, a sorting line, or manual sorting.

[0110] The liquid injection module 1204 is configured to inject cooling liquid into the liquid cooling channel 42 of the cold plate 4 until the expansion of the flexible inner membrane 44 beyond the second opening 43 under hydraulic pressure reaches a predetermined expansion amount, thereby obtaining the target cold plate 4. Specifically, the liquid injection module 1204 may include equipment and methods capable of injecting cooling liquid into the liquid cooling channel 42 of the cold plate 4, such as liquid filling equipment, liquid injection production line, and manual liquid injection.

[0111] The connection module 1206 is configured to fix multiple mounting cages 2 onto the circuit board 3 and fix the target cold plate 4 onto the side of the mounting cage 2 with the first opening 21, thereby obtaining a heat dissipation device for the optical module. The flexible inner membrane 44 extends into the first opening 21 to a predetermined depth. Specifically, the connection module 1206 may include welding equipment, splicing equipment, assembly lines, or other equipment and methods capable of connection and fixation.

[0112] It should be noted that the technical solution of the optical module heat dissipation device manufacturing equipment and the technical solution of the optical module heat dissipation device manufacturing method in Embodiment 4 belong to the same concept. For details not described in detail in the technical solution of the optical module heat dissipation device manufacturing equipment, please refer to the description of the technical solution of the optical module heat dissipation device manufacturing method.

[0113] Example 6

[0114] This embodiment provides a computing device. Figure 13 This specification shows a structural block diagram of a computing device provided in one embodiment. The components of the computing device 1300 include, but are not limited to, a plurality of optical modules 1, and the optical module heat dissipation device provided in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2.

[0115] In one embodiment of this application, the components of the computing device 1300 and Figure 13 Other components, not shown, can be connected to each other, for example, via a bus. It should be understood that... Figure 13 The block diagram of the computing device shown is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of this specification. Those skilled in the art can add or replace other components as needed.

[0116] The computing device 1300 can be any type of stationary or mobile computing device, including routers, switches (e.g., LAN switches, network core switches, aggregation switches, Layer 3 switches, wireless switches, industrial switches, etc.), mobile computers or mobile computing devices (e.g., tablet computers, personal digital assistants, laptop computers, notebook computers, netbooks, etc.), mobile phones (e.g., smartphones), wearable computing devices (e.g., smartwatches, smart glasses, etc.) or other types of mobile devices, or stationary computing devices such as desktop computers or PCs. The computing device 1300 can also be a mobile or stationary server.

[0117] Taking the computing device 1300 as an example, the switch includes an optical module heat dissipation device, specifically including a circuit board 3, a cold plate 4, and multiple mounting cages 2 mounted on the circuit board 3. The insertion interfaces 22 of the multiple mounting cages 2 are exposed outside the switch housing. Multiple optical modules 1 can be inserted into the mounting cages 2 through the insertion interfaces 22, thereby connecting to the circuit board 3 for information transmission through the switch. Assembly errors exist during the insertion process, resulting in differences in the assembly height of the various optical modules 1 within the mounting cages 2. When optical modules 1 of different heights contact the cold plate 4 for heat dissipation, the flexible inner membrane 44 can absorb the height difference between the various optical modules 1. Compared with traditional heat dissipation solutions, this application uses a single cold plate 4 to simultaneously cool multiple optical modules 1 of different heights, thereby saving heat dissipation costs. Furthermore, the flexible inner membrane 44 can directly and / or indirectly contact the optical modules 1 without gaps, thus improving the heat dissipation effect and enhancing the heat dissipation performance of the switch.

[0118] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the foregoing method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the described order of actions, as some steps may be performed in other orders or simultaneously according to this application. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are preferred embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this application.

[0119] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0120] The preferred embodiments disclosed above are merely illustrative of this application. The optional embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementations described. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this application. These embodiments are selected and specifically described in this application to better explain the principles and practical applications of this application, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize this application. This application is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. A light module heat sink apparatus, comprising: The application relates to a circuit board, a mounting cage for mounting optical modules, a cold plate, and a flexible inner membrane. The mounting cage is provided with a plurality of first openings on a side thereof away from the circuit board. The cold plate is provided on the side of the mounting cage provided with the first openings. The flexible inner membrane is configured to be in direct and / or indirect contact with the optical modules through the second openings and the first openings. The flexible inner membrane is configured to be expanded to extend out of the second openings under the hydraulic pressure of liquid in the liquid cooling channel and to extend into the first openings to be in direct contact with the optical modules in the mounting cage. In the case that the mounting cage is empty, the minimum depth of the flexible inner membrane extending into the first openings is recorded as a first depth; after the optical modules are inserted into the mounting cage, the maximum depth of the flexible inner membrane extending into the first openings is recorded as a second depth; the first depth is greater than the second depth.

2. The light module heat sink of claim 1, wherein, In the process of inserting the optical modules into the mounting cage, the flexible inner membrane is configured to be shrunk under the extrusion of the optical modules.

3. The light module heat sink of claim 2, wherein, The application further relates to a heat-conducting boss configured to be movably connected to the side of the housing adjacent to the mounting cage; one end of the heat-conducting boss is configured to always abut against the flexible inner membrane, and the other end of the heat-conducting boss is configured to extend into the first openings to abut against the optical modules in the mounting cage.

4. The light module heat sink of claim 3, wherein, In the case that the mounting cage is empty, the minimum depth of the heat-conducting boss extending into the first openings is recorded as a third depth; after the optical modules are inserted into the mounting cage, the maximum depth of the heat-conducting boss extending into the first openings is recorded as a fourth depth; the third depth is greater than the fourth depth.

5. The light module heat sink of claim 1, wherein, In the process of inserting the optical modules into the mounting cage, the heat-conducting boss is configured to move in the direction of extending into the second openings under the extrusion of the optical modules, and the flexible inner membrane is configured to be deformed under the extrusion of the heat-conducting boss.

6. The light module heat sink apparatus of claim 5, wherein, The mounting cage comprises a plug-in port for mounting the optical modules; a side of the heat-conducting boss facing the plug-in port is provided with a guide slope; in the process of inserting the optical modules into the mounting cage, the optical modules are configured to cooperate with the guide slope to extrude the heat-conducting boss in the direction of extending into the second openings.

7. The light module heat sink apparatus of claim 6, wherein, The liquid cooling channel is a flat-layer cavity structure in the housing, or the liquid cooling channel is configured to be a pipeline windingly laid in the housing.

8. The light module heat sink apparatus of claim 7, wherein, ​ 9. The light module heat sink of claim 1, wherein, ​ 10. The light module heat sink of claim 1, wherein, The liquid cooling channel comprises an inlet and an outlet, the inlet and the outlet are configured to be communicated by a circulating pipeline arranged outside the cold plate; a driving pump is arranged on the circulating pipeline, under the action of the driving pump, liquid is configured to flow back from the outlet to the inlet through the circulating pipeline.

11. The light module heat sink of claim 1, wherein, A direction perpendicular to the cold plate is recorded as an X-axis direction; a maximum deformation amount of the flexible inner membrane in the X-axis direction is greater than 1mm; a maximum height difference of the plurality of optical modules in the X-axis direction is less than 0.3mm.

12. The light module heat sink of claim 1, wherein, The second opening is provided with a plurality of second openings, and the plurality of second openings are respectively arranged corresponding to the plurality of first openings.

13. A method for dissipating heat from an optical module, applied to the heat dissipating device for an optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, Comprising: Absorbing heat generated by the optical modules in the mounting cage through the cold plate, conducting the heat to the liquid in the liquid cooling channel of the cold plate; Utilizing the flow of the liquid, the heat is dissipated.

14. A method of manufacturing an optical module heat dissipating device, for manufacturing the optical module heat dissipating device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by, Comprising: Obtaining a circuit board, a mounting cage and a cold plate; Injecting a cooling liquid into the liquid cooling channel of the cold plate until the expansion amount of the flexible inner membrane extending out of the second opening under the action of the liquid pressure reaches a predetermined expansion amount, obtaining a target cold plate; Fixing a plurality of mounting cages on the circuit board, and fixing the target cold plate on the side of the mounting cage provided with the first opening, wherein the depth of the flexible inner membrane extending into the first opening reaches a predetermined depth.

15. An optical module heat sink manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the optical module heat sink according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by comprising: a first mold for molding the first heat sink body; a second mold for molding the second heat sink body; and a third mold for molding the third heat sink body. Comprising: A device acquisition module configured to acquire a circuit board, a mounting cage and a cold plate; A liquid injection module configured to inject a cooling liquid into the liquid cooling channel of the cold plate until the expansion amount of the flexible inner membrane extending out of the second opening under the action of the liquid pressure reaches a predetermined expansion amount, obtaining a target cold plate; A connection module configured to fix a plurality of mounting cages on the circuit board, and fix the target cold plate on the side of the mounting cage provided with the first opening, obtaining an optical module heat dissipation device, wherein the depth of the flexible inner membrane extending into the first opening reaches a predetermined depth.

16. A computing device, comprising: Comprising: A plurality of optical modules; The optical module heat dissipation device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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