A bidirectional rotating floating blind plug stop joint

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of fluid connection connector technology and discloses a bidirectional rotatable and floating blind-mating stop connector, including a plug assembly and a matching socket assembly. The plug assembly includes a plug body and a plug connector with rotatable and floating displacement disposed within the plug body; the socket assembly includes a socket body and a socket connector with rotatable and floating displacement disposed within the socket body; the plug connector and the socket connector are interlocked to achieve fluid connection. This invention adopts a double-end rotatable and floating design for the plug and socket, which can adaptively compensate for radial, angular, and mating distance deviations, achieving large-angle swing and floating compensation, significantly reducing assembly precision requirements, solving the problems of jamming and sealing failure caused by tolerance accumulation, and expanding the applicable scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of fluid connection joint technology, and specifically relates to a blind-fitting stop joint that can rotate and float in both directions. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous improvement of internet device performance, high-density integration and modular deployment have become the mainstream development trend for various IT and electronic devices such as data centers, communication cabinets, server clusters, and industrial control equipment. To meet the heat dissipation needs of high-power, high-heat-fluidity equipment, liquid cooling, with its advantages of high heat dissipation efficiency, low operating noise, excellent energy consumption control, and high space utilization, is gradually replacing traditional air cooling as the mainstream heat dissipation solution. In modular liquid cooling systems such as cabinets, IT equipment, energy storage systems, and industrial electronics, quick-connect fluid couplings are the core components for realizing the on / off, sealing, and transmission of coolant. They directly determine the ease of system assembly, operational reliability, and heat dissipation performance. The industry is placing increasingly stringent requirements on their float compensation capability, connection sealing, piping compatibility, flow resistance characteristics, and service life.

[0003] Currently, widely used liquid-cooled blind-mating fluid connectors in the industry are mainly divided into two categories: fixed blind-mating connectors and single-end floating compensation blind-mating connectors. Fixed blind-mating connectors adopt an integral rigid fixed structure, with no rotational or floating compensation function between the plug and socket. The hose interface is rigidly connected to the connector body with no rotational freedom, relying entirely on the high-precision assembly of equipment, cabinets, and manifolds to ensure coaxiality and docking accuracy. In actual engineering applications, the machining and installation tolerances of components such as racks and chassis easily accumulate, leading to misalignment of the mating coaxiality, fluctuations in the docking distance, and frequent problems such as blind-mating jamming, poor sealing, and sealing failure. In severe cases, this can directly damage the connector or equipment installation structure, resulting in extremely poor assembly tolerance and adaptability. Single-end floating compensation blind-mating connectors only have a limited-angle swing or radial fine-adjustment structure on one side of the plug or socket, while the other end remains fixed. Furthermore, the floating compensation end is coupled to the hose interface, and the rigidity of the hose itself significantly limits the range of motion of the compensation structure, achieving only minor compensation in a single dimension. The actual compensation effect is far below the design expectations. Meanwhile, existing connectors generally suffer from problems such as the lack of axial rotation capability of the hose interface, fixed wiring direction, and poor adaptability to confined spaces. On-site assembly often requires the addition of auxiliary components such as adapter elbows and extended hoses, which increases system costs and leakage risks, and reduces assembly efficiency. In addition, most existing floating compensation structures do not have an automatic centering and reset function. The radial force generated by eccentric contact during the mating process can easily aggravate the wear of the seals and structural fatigue deformation, shortening the service life of the connector. In order to achieve floating compensation, most products are forced to compress the internal flow channel cross-section, resulting in a larger flow resistance for the same external dimensions, which affects the circulation efficiency and heat dissipation capacity of the liquid cooling system.

[0004] In summary, existing liquid-cooled blind connectors cannot simultaneously meet the comprehensive requirements of multi-dimensional misalignment adaptive compensation, flexible cabling, low flow resistance, high versatility, and long lifespan. They cannot fully adapt to the application requirements of modular liquid cooling systems for large-scale, standardized, and highly reliable applications, thus hindering the popularization and promotion of liquid cooling technology in various IT equipment, cabinets, and industrial equipment.

[0005] The information disclosed in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the overall background of the invention and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a bidirectional rotatable and floating blind-fit stop connector, thereby overcoming the defects in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a bidirectional rotatable and floating blind-mating stop connector, comprising a plug assembly and a matching socket assembly. The plug assembly includes a plug body and a plug connector disposed within the plug body and having a rotational floating displacement. The socket assembly includes a socket body and a socket connector disposed within the socket body and having a rotational floating displacement capability. The plug connector and the socket connector are inserted to achieve fluid connection.

[0008] Preferably, the outer wall of the plug connector is provided with a first outer arc surface structure, and the plug body is provided with a first inner arc surface structure adapted to the outer wall of the plug connector. The first outer arc surface structure and the first inner arc surface structure cooperate to realize the rotation and floating of the plug body. The outer wall of the socket connector is provided with a second outer arc surface structure, and the socket body is provided with a second inner arc surface structure adapted to the outer wall of the socket connector. The second outer arc surface structure and the second inner arc surface structure cooperate to realize the rotation and floating of the socket body.

[0009] Preferably, the plug body is further provided with a first limiting member and a fastener. The first limiting member is connected to the plug body and is used for limiting the floating of the plug connector. The fastener is connected to both the first limiting member and the plug body. The socket body is provided with a second limiting member, which is used to limit the floating of the socket connector.

[0010] Preferably, the end of the socket connector is further provided with a rotating body.

[0011] Preferably, the inner wall of the rotating body is provided with a rotating ramp.

[0012] Preferably, the plug body is provided with a plug rotation interface, and the socket body is provided with a socket rotation interface.

[0013] Preferably, the plug connector body is provided with a plug valve core assembly, and the socket connector body is provided with a socket valve core assembly. After the plug connector body and the socket connector body are inserted into each other, the plug valve core assembly and the socket valve core assembly cooperate to achieve fluid connection.

[0014] Preferably, the first outer arc surface structure is provided with a first sealing ring, and the second outer arc surface structure is provided with a second sealing ring.

[0015] Preferably, a third sealing ring is provided between the first limiting member and the plug body, and a fourth sealing ring is provided between the second limiting member and the socket body.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, one aspect of the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention adopts a double-end rotating and floating design for the plug and socket, which can adaptively compensate for radial, angular and docking distance deviations, greatly reducing assembly accuracy requirements and solving the problems of jamming and sealing failure caused by tolerance accumulation. This invention uses an arc-shaped structure to achieve rotational floating, enabling large-angle swinging and floating compensation, and is applicable to a wider range of scenarios; After the plug and socket of the present invention are separated, both the plug connector and the socket connector can automatically return to their original positions. Each time blind plugging is performed, the plug and socket can be quickly and accurately aligned, reducing the eccentric contact resistance and radial force in the initial stage of docking, improving docking smoothness, and extending the overall service life. The internal flow channels of this invention are complete and unobstructed, and the floating structure does not compress the flow channel cross-section, achieving lower flow resistance under the same external dimensions and improving the heat dissipation and circulation efficiency of the liquid cooling system. This invention has strong overall versatility and can be adapted to modular liquid cooling systems in various scenarios such as data centers, communication cabinets, and industrial equipment, meeting the needs of large-scale and standardized deployment. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a bidirectional rotatable and floating blind-mating stop connector according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a bidirectional rotatable and floating blind-mating stop connector according to the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a plug assembly of a bidirectional rotatable and floating blind-mating cut-off connector according to the present invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a socket assembly of a bidirectional rotatable and floating blind-plug cut-off connector according to the present invention. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the floating state of a bidirectional rotatable and floating blind-fit stop connector according to the present invention. The attached figures are labeled as follows: 1-Plug assembly, 11-Plug body, 111-First inner arc surface structure, 12-Plug connector, 121-First outer arc surface structure, 122-First sealing ring, 13-First limiting member, 14-Fastener, 15-Plug rotating interface, 16-Plug valve core assembly, 17-Third sealing ring, 2-Socket assembly, 21-Socket body, 211-Second inner arc surface structure, 22-Socket connector, 221-Second outer arc surface structure, 222-Second sealing ring, 23-Second limiting member, 24-Socket rotating interface, 25-Rotating body, 26-Rotating ramp, 27-Socket valve core assembly, 28-Floating seal, 29-Fourth sealing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below, but it should be understood that the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments.

[0019] Unless otherwise expressly stated, throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprising" or its variations such as "including" or "comprises" shall be understood to include the stated elements or components without excluding other elements or other components.

[0020] Example 1:

[0021] like Figures 1-5 As shown, a bidirectional rotatable floating blind-mating stop connector includes a plug assembly 1 and a matching socket assembly 2. The plug assembly 1 includes a plug body 11 and a plug connector 12 disposed within the plug body 11 and having a rotational floating displacement. The socket assembly 2 includes a socket body 21 and a socket connector 22 disposed within the socket body 21 and having a rotational floating displacement. The plug connector 12 and the socket connector 22 are inserted to achieve fluid connection. In this case, as a specific solution, the plug connector 12 serves as a rotating body, with a first outer arc surface structure 121 on its outer end wall. The plug body 11 has a first inner arc surface structure 111 adapted to the outer wall of the plug connector 12. The first outer arc surface structure 121 and the first inner arc surface structure 111 cooperate to realize the rotation and floating of the plug body 11. More specifically, the first outer arc surface structure 121 is an outer arc surface structure close to a sphere, and the first inner arc surface structure 111 is an inner arc surface structure that cooperates with it, which can satisfy the large-angle floating of the plug connector 12. The outer wall of the socket connector 22 is provided with a second outer arc surface structure 221, and the socket body 21 is provided with a second inner arc surface structure 211 adapted to the outer wall of the socket connector 22. The second outer arc surface structure 221 and the second inner arc surface structure 211 cooperate to realize the rotation and floating of the socket body 21. More specifically, the second outer arc surface structure 221 is an outer arc surface structure close to a sphere, and the second inner arc surface structure 211 is an inner arc surface structure that cooperates with it, so as to satisfy the large-angle floating of the socket connector 22. Furthermore, the special nature of the arc-shaped structure allows the plug connector 12 and the socket connector 22 to adaptively reset and maintain their alignment after separation. This is because during rotation and floating, the two arc-shaped structures slide, and the contact surfaces of the two are not the fully mating contact surfaces initially. When the plug body 11 or the socket body 21 is fixed, the socket connector 22 or the plug connector 12 will automatically reset to the initial fully mating state.

[0022] In this case, as a more specific solution, the first outer arc surface structure 121 is provided with a first sealing ring 122, and the second outer arc surface structure 221 is provided with a second sealing ring 222, so as to improve the sealing performance of the plug connector 12 and the socket connector 22 when floating.

[0023] In this case, as a specific solution, the plug body 11 is further provided with a first limiting member 13 and a fastener 14. The first limiting member 13 is connected to the plug body 11 and is used to limit the floating of the plug connector 12. The fastener 14 is connected to both the first limiting member 13 and the plug body 11. More specifically, the first limiting member 13 is a fastening ring structure with a stepped structure, which is sleeved on the plug body 11. The two can be connected by threads or nesting. The fastener 14 is also a fastening ring structure with a stepped inner wall, which locks the first limiting member 13 and the plug body 11, thereby limiting the radial floating range of the plug connector 12 and preventing damage at the connection between the plug connector 12 and the plug body 11. The socket body 21 is provided with a second limiting member 23, which is used to limit the floating of the socket connector 22. More specifically, the second limiting member 23 is also a fastening ring structure with a step, which is fastened to the socket body 21 by means of threads, thereby limiting the radial floating range of the socket connector 22 and preventing damage at the connection between the socket connector 22 and the socket body 21.

[0024] In this case, as a specific solution, the end of the plug body 11 away from the plug connector 12 is provided with a plug rotation interface 15, and the end of the socket body 21 away from the socket connector 22 is provided with a socket rotation interface 24, so as to facilitate the free switching between the plug assembly 1 and the socket assembly 2 and external devices, without being affected by the device wiring space, thereby improving applicability; more specifically, the plug rotation interface 15 and the socket rotation interface 24 can even be 90° elbows; the plug body 11 and the fastener 14 can also be structurally interchangeable, that is, the fastener 14 is located at the innermost part, and it has an inner arc surface structure that matches the outer arc surface structure of the plug connector 12, while the plug body 11 simultaneously locks the first limiting member 13 and the plug body 11; in this way, the plug body 11 with the plug rotation interface 15 can be freely replaced to meet the needs of different application scenarios.

[0025] In this specific embodiment, the socket connector 22 is further provided with a rotating body 25 at its end; the rotating body 25 has a rotating ramp 26 on its inner wall; the plug connector 12 has a plug valve core assembly 16 inside, and the socket connector 22 has a socket valve core assembly 27 inside. After the plug connector 12 and the socket connector 22 are inserted, the plug valve core assembly 16 and the socket valve core assembly 27 cooperate to achieve fluid connection; more specifically, the inner wall of the socket connector 22 is provided with a floating seal 28, and the rotating body 25 tightly fixes the floating seal 28 to the end of the socket connector 22. On the other hand, the rotating ramp 26 allows the rotating body 25 to act as a limit limiting structure, with an axial float value of ±3.25mm. When the float limit is reached, the rotating ramp 26 on the inner wall of the rotating body 25 contacts and engages with the first limiting member 13 of the plug body 11. While adapting to the rotational float, it limits excessive floatation, thereby preventing the plug connector 12 and the socket connector 22 from disengaging. Moreover, the limiting process is a flexible buffer rather than a hard collision, which can protect the connector, seals, etc. from impact damage. In addition, the rotating body 25 also has an auxiliary guiding function during insertion.

[0026] In this case, as a specific solution, a third sealing ring 17 is provided between the first limiting member 13 and the plug body 11, and a fourth sealing ring 29 is provided between the second limiting member 23 and the socket body 21.

[0027] like Figure 5 The diagram shows the floating compensation state when the plug body 11 and the socket body 21 are connected. It can achieve ±4° angular floating compensation, ±5mm radial floating compensation, and ±3.25mm axial floating compensation.

[0028] The foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments of the invention is for illustrative and explanatory purposes. These descriptions are not intended to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and it will be apparent that many changes and variations can be made in accordance with the foregoing teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the specific principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to implement and utilize various different exemplary embodiments of the invention, as well as various different choices and variations. The scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A bidirectional rotatable floating blind-mating stop connector, comprising a plug assembly and a matching socket assembly, characterized in that: The plug assembly includes a plug body and a plug connector disposed within the plug body and having a rotational floating displacement. The socket assembly includes a socket body and a socket connector disposed within the socket body and having a rotational floating displacement capability. The plug connector and the socket connector are inserted to achieve fluid connection.

2. The bidirectional rotatable floating blind-mating stop connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer wall of the plug connector is provided with a first outer arc surface structure, and the plug body is provided with a first inner arc surface structure adapted to the outer wall of the plug connector. The first outer arc surface structure and the first inner arc surface structure cooperate to realize the rotation and floating of the plug body. The outer wall of the socket connector is provided with a second outer arc surface structure, and the socket body is provided with a second inner arc surface structure adapted to the outer wall of the socket connector. The second outer arc surface structure and the second inner arc surface structure cooperate to realize the rotation and floating of the socket body.

3. The bidirectional rotatable floating blind-mating stop connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The plug body is also provided with a first limiting member and a fastener. The first limiting member is connected to the plug body and is used for floating and limiting the plug connector. The fastener is connected to both the first limiting member and the plug body. The socket body is provided with a second limiting member, which is used to limit the floating of the socket connector.

4. The bidirectional rotatable floating blind-mating stop connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: The socket connector is also provided with a rotating body at its end.

5. A bidirectional rotatable floating blind-mating stop connector according to claim 4, characterized in that: The inner wall of the rotating body is provided with a rotating inclined platform.

6. The bidirectional rotatable floating blind-mating stop connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plug body is provided with a plug rotation interface, and the socket body is provided with a socket rotation interface.

7. A bidirectional rotatable floating blind-mating stop connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plug connector body is provided with a plug valve core assembly, and the socket connector body is provided with a socket valve core assembly. After the plug connector body and the socket connector body are inserted into each other, the plug valve core assembly and the socket valve core assembly cooperate to achieve fluid connection.

8. A bidirectional rotatable floating blind-mating stop connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first outer arc surface structure is provided with a first sealing ring, and the second outer arc surface structure is provided with a second sealing ring.

9. A bidirectional rotatable floating blind-mating stop connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: A third sealing ring is provided between the first limiting member and the plug body, and a fourth sealing ring is provided between the second limiting member and the socket body.

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