Liquid cooling connector locking structure

Abstract

This utility model discloses a liquid-cooled connector locking structure, relating to the field of device connection technology. It includes a male connector and a female connector for mating. A pin is provided at the end of the female connector via an elastic element. The pin is arranged radially, with its two ends forming an inner end and an outer end, respectively. The elastic element allows the outer end to tend to move outwards from the female connector. A movable sleeve is fitted outside the female connector for abutting against the outer end. The axial movement of the movable sleeve can drive the pin to move radially, thereby changing the position of the inner end within the female connector. This utility model utilizes the radially arranged pin and elastic element to achieve direct radial mechanical locking by inserting the inner end of the pin into the annular groove of the male connector. Compared to the steel ball structure locking method in the prior art, it provides greater radial friction and mechanical engagement stability, and can more effectively resist loosening or unlocking tendencies caused by vibration and impact.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of device connection technology, specifically to a liquid-cooled connector locking structure. Background Technology

[0002] Liquid cooling connectors are connection devices used in servers and big data systems. Their main function is to allow liquid to pass smoothly through pipes. Connectors play a role in system connection and disconnection, and are an indispensable part of the cooling system.

[0003] Currently, there are various connection methods for liquid-cooled connectors on the market. Due to considerations of ease of operation and use, most adopt a direct-push locking mechanism with steel balls. For example, patent document with authorization announcement number CN212430113U discloses a novel direct-push locking structure. This locking structure includes a boss structure set on the plug connector housing I, a front row of steel balls and a rear row of steel balls set on the insertion end of the socket connector housing II, and a connecting nut assembled on the outside of the socket connector housing II and housing III. A spring I is set between the step I on the inner wall of the connecting nut and the front end of the housing III. An inclined surface I is set on the front end of the inner wall of the connecting nut. An inclined surface II is set on the rear side of the boss structure, and an inclined surface III is set on the front side of the boss structure. The top surface of the boss structure is a plane.

[0004] In the aforementioned locking structure, the inner wall of the mounting groove I for installing the front row of steel balls has a variable diameter structure, with its upper port diameter larger than its lower port diameter. The diameter of the front row of steel balls is larger than the lower port diameter of the mounting groove I but smaller than its upper port diameter. However, since there are multiple steel balls arranged in a circumferential array, some steel balls will be located at the lower position. Due to the variable diameter structure design and the weight of the steel balls, both the upper and lower steel balls have a downward displacement tendency within their respective mounting grooves I. This results in the tendency of multiple steel balls not all pointing towards the axial center of the socket connector housing II, thus reducing the locking effect of this locking method. Furthermore, frequent locking and unlocking will accelerate the wear of the steel balls and the groove wall, causing the reduced-diameter steel balls to fall out of the expanded-diameter mounting groove I.

[0005] Therefore, we propose a new liquid-cooled connector locking structure to solve the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems in the prior art by proposing a liquid-cooled connector locking structure. This locking structure locks the female connector and the male connector by inserting a pin into an annular groove. Compared with the conventional steel ball locking method, this locking method provides greater radial friction and mechanical engagement stability, and can more effectively resist the tendency to loosen or unlock caused by vibration and impact.

[0007] To solve the above problems, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0008] A liquid-cooled connector locking structure includes a male connector and a female connector for mating. A pin is provided at the end of the female connector via an elastic element. The pin is arranged radially so that its two ends form an inner end and an outer end, respectively. The elastic element is used to give the outer end a tendency to move outward from the female connector. A movable sleeve is fitted outside the female connector for actuating with the outer end. The axial movement of the movable sleeve can drive the pin to move radially, thereby changing the position of the inner end within the female connector. The male connector has an annular groove on its exterior so that when the male connector is inserted into the female connector, the inner end can be radially inserted into the annular groove, achieving radial locking.

[0009] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the inner wall of the moving sleeve is provided with an annular inclined wedge surface arranged coaxially with the connector female joint, and the annular inclined wedge surface is arranged in a converging state along the depth direction. The outer end with the tendency to move towards the outside of the connector female joint is in a wedge-fitting state with the annular inclined wedge surface, so that when the moving sleeve moves axially, the pin moves radially.

[0010] As a further embodiment of this utility model: a reset member is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the female connector, one end of the reset member is fixedly connected to the outside of the female connector, and the other end is fixedly connected to the moving sleeve.

[0011] As a further embodiment of this utility model: when the inner end of the pin is inserted into the annular groove on the outside of the male connector, the end of the moving sleeve and the end of the female connector are arranged in a flush manner.

[0012] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the inner wall of the moving sleeve is provided with a stop portion, the outer side of the connector female connector is provided with a step, and the step is located within the movement path range of the stop portion. When the inner end of the pin is inserted into the annular groove on the outer side of the connector male connector, the step and the stop portion are in abutting state.

[0013] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the end of the female connector is provided with a receiving groove for accommodating the pin, the elastic element is located in the receiving groove and sleeved on the outside of the pin, one end of the elastic element is connected to the bottom of the receiving groove, and the other end is connected to the pin.

[0014] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the pin and the elastic element together form a locking tongue structure, and the locking tongue structure is configured in multiple groups and arranged in a circumferential array on the end of the connector female connector.

[0015] As a further embodiment of this utility model: the male connector is provided with an annular guide slope located at the front end of the annular groove, and the annular guide slope is arranged in a converging state along the insertion direction.

[0016] As a further embodiment of this utility model, the outer end of the pin is provided with a smooth curve transition.

[0017] As a further embodiment of this utility model, both the elastic element and the reset element are configured as springs.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0019] 1. Utilizing radially arranged pins and elastic elements, direct radial mechanical locking is achieved by inserting the inner end of the pin into the annular groove of the male connector. Compared to the existing steel ball structure locking method, this provides greater radial friction and mechanical engagement stability, and more effectively resists loosening or unlocking tendencies caused by vibration and impact. Furthermore, this locking structure can withstand greater axial loads without damage, and its compressive strength and load-bearing capacity are far superior to those of the steel ball structure.

[0020] 2. The design of the moving sleeve separates the unlocking operation (axial pulling of the moving sleeve) from the insertion and removal direction, making the operation convenient and avoiding accidental activation of the locking mechanism during insertion and removal.

[0021] 3. By utilizing the axial movement of the moving sleeve and the inclined surface of the wedge to cooperate with the inclined surface of the outer end of the pin, the axial movement is converted into precisely controlled radial movement (pin retraction). This design has high force conversion efficiency, is easy to operate, and has a compact structure. The locking / unlocking action can be driven by only the axial sliding of the moving sleeve, without the need for additional complex transmission mechanisms, which simplifies the overall design.

[0022] 4. When the moving sleeve is released, the reset component automatically pulls it back to its initial position, ensuring that the pin automatically returns to the locking position after unlocking or unlocking. This not only simplifies the operation (eliminating the need for manual retraction of the moving sleeve) and improves connection efficiency, but more importantly, it ensures that the locking mechanism is always in a predictable and controllable state, preventing connection unreliability issues caused by forgetting to reset.

[0023] 5. When the end of the moving sleeve is flush with the end of the female connector, it clearly indicates that the pin has been fully inserted into the annular groove and locked in place. This visual feedback requires no additional sensors or complex observation, making it simple and reliable. At the same time, the flush position means that the moving sleeve has no protrusions in the locked position, resulting in a smoother and more compact overall connector shape and reducing the risk of accidental snagging.

[0024] 6. When the pin engages with the annular groove and the moving sleeve reaches the locked position, the step abuts against the stop, forming a rigid stop. This firstly provides physical confirmation and tactile feedback that the lock is in place, enhancing reliability; secondly, it can withstand some of the unexpected axial tension applied to the moving sleeve from the outside, sharing the force on the pin and preventing damage to the bolt or accidental unlocking due to excessive external force pulling the sleeve in the locked state, thus improving the robustness of the structure.

[0025] 7. Placing the elastic element within the receiving groove and fitting it onto the pin significantly saves external space, allowing for a more compact connector design. This layout also facilitates the assembly and positioning of the pin and spring. More importantly, the receiving groove provides protective enclosure for the spring, effectively preventing it from being contaminated by external factors (dust, liquids), physical impacts, or torsional deformation during long-term use, thereby improving the spring's service life and the reliability of the locking action.

[0026] 8. The locking tongue structure (pin + elastic element) is arranged in multiple groups in a circumferential array. Multiple locking tongues can evenly distribute the load (such as vibration, tension, and hydraulic pressure) on the connection point, avoiding single-point overload failure. Even if one locking tongue fails to fully engage or malfunctions, the remaining locking tongues can still provide sufficient holding force, resulting in high system redundancy and good fault tolerance. The circumferentially symmetrical arrangement also ensures the connector is under balanced force, preventing seal failure or joint misalignment caused by uneven loads, significantly enhancing the stability and security of the connection.

[0027] 9. The converging bevel allows for smooth contact and guidance of the inner end of the pin radially outward during the initial insertion of the male connector into the female connector, eliminating the need for precise alignment. This significantly reduces assembly difficulty, allowing for "blind insertion" and improving operational efficiency and user experience. Simultaneously, the bevel transition prevents a hard collision between the pin and the end of the male connector, reducing impact on the pin and elastic components and providing protection. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0030] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Enlarged structural diagram at point A;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0032] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Enlarged structural diagram at point B;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the present invention. Figure 3 ;

[0034] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Enlarged structural diagram at point C;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the female connector of this utility model;

[0036] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of the structure with the moving sleeve removed in the current state;

[0037] Figure 9 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the moving sleeve of this utility model;

[0038] Figure 10 yes Figure 5 The diagram shows the liquid flow direction under the given conditions.

[0039] In the figure: 1. Connector male connector; 2. Connector female connector; 201. Step; 3. Elastic element; 4. Pin; 401. Inner end; 402. Outer end; 5. Moving sleeve; 501. Annular wedge surface; 502. Stop part; 6. Annular groove; 7. Reset element; 8. Receiving groove; 9. Annular guide slope. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0041] like Figures 1-10 As shown, a liquid-cooled connector locking structure includes a male connector 1 and a female connector 2, which can be plugged into each other. When the two are properly plugged in, their internal cavities are both conductive, allowing the liquid to flow freely. Figure 10 The arrows in the diagram indicate this; when the two parts separate, their internal cavities are sealed off. This structural design of conduction and sealing is a conventional technique in the prior art, and can be equated with, for example, the patent document with authorization announcement number CN212430113U. To avoid unnecessary detail, it will not be elaborated upon here.

[0042] To achieve position locking after the two parts are connected, this application makes the following design:

[0043] (1) Improvement of connector female connector 2: A receiving groove 8 is provided on the end of connector female connector 2. A pin 4 is movably disposed in the receiving groove 8. The pin 4 is arranged radially, and its two ends extend to the inner cavity and the outside of connector female connector 2, respectively. These two ends are defined as the inner end 401 and the outer end 402. At the same time, an elastic element 3 is provided in the receiving groove 8. The elastic element 3 applies a force to the pin 4, which causes the outer end 402 to have a tendency to move outward of connector female connector 2. Meanwhile, a movable sleeve 5 is movably sleeved on the outside of connector female connector 2. The movable sleeve 5 is arranged coaxially with connector female connector 2 and covers the pin 4 inside it. Because the elastic element 3 applies an outward movement tendency to the outer end 402, the outer end 402 will abut against the inner wall of the movable sleeve 5. By improving the design of the inner wall of the moving sleeve 5, the axial movement of the moving sleeve 5 drives the pin 4 to move radially, and the radial movement of the pin 4 can change the position of the inner end 401 in the connector female joint 2.

[0044] (2) Improvement to the male connector 1: An annular groove 6 is formed on the outer side of the end of the male connector 1 that is inserted into the inner cavity of the female connector 2. When one end of the male connector 1 is inserted into the designated position in the inner cavity of the female connector 2, the annular groove 6 will be located directly below the inner end 401. Furthermore, by changing the axial position of the moving sleeve 5, the position of the inner end 401 of the pin 4 can be radially adjusted until the inner end 401 is inserted into the annular groove 6, thereby achieving radial locking and ensuring the locking stability of the female connector 2 and the male connector 1.

[0045] In summary, this locking method, which combines the pin 4 and the elastic element 3 to form a locking tongue structure and is adapted to the annular groove 6, provides greater radial friction and mechanical engagement stability compared to the existing steel ball structure locking method. It can more effectively resist loosening or unlocking tendencies caused by vibration and impact. Furthermore, this locking tongue structure can withstand greater axial loads without damage, and its compressive strength and load-bearing capacity are far superior to the steel ball structure. Preferably, multiple locking tongue structures are provided and arranged in a circumferential array on the end of the connector female connector 2, resulting in a uniform distribution of the locking effect.

[0046] For the design where the central axially movable sleeve 5 can radially drive the pin 4, an annular wedge surface 501 can be provided on the inner wall of the sleeve 5. This annular wedge surface 501 is coaxially arranged with the connector female 2, and the annular wedge surface 501 is arranged in a converging state when viewed from the depth direction of the connector female 2. Since the elastic member 3 applies a movement tendency to the pin 4 to make the outer end 402 move outward towards the connector female 2, the outer end 402 will abut against the annular wedge surface 501 and form an inclined engagement state.

[0047] Under normal circumstances, the outer end 402 of the pin 4 abuts against the annular wedge surface 501, and the inner end 401 of the pin 4 extends into the connector female connector 2. This state can be achieved by... Figure 2 This state represents the working state of pin 4. If the female connector 2 and the male connector 1 are in a mating state at this time, then... Figure 2 The state shown can be transformed into Figure 6 In the indicated state, the inner end 401 of the pin 4 is inserted into and abuts against the annular groove 6, achieving a locking mechanism. Figure 2 In the indicated state, when the driven sleeve 5 slides axially to the right, it will cause the annular wedge surface 501 to move to the right. Since the annular wedge surface 501 is arranged in a converging state when viewed from the depth direction of the connector female 2, during the rightward movement of the annular wedge surface 501, the outer end 402 of the pin 4 will gradually move radially outward in accordance with the rightward movement of the annular wedge surface 501, thanks to the elastic action of the elastic element 3. This will reduce the length of the inner end 401 of the pin 4 within the connector female 2, causing the inner end 401 to move away from the annular groove 6, thus unlocking the connector. This state can be achieved by… Figure 4 To represent it.

[0048] Since the female connector 2 and the male connector 1 are in a mating state after insertion, they need to rely on the fit of the pin 4 and the annular groove 6 for long-term locking, therefore, as Figure 9 As shown, a stop 502 is provided on the inner wall of the moving sleeve 5, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the female connector 2 has a step 201 on its exterior, and the step 201 is located within the movement path range of the stop portion 502. When the inner end 401 of the pin 4 is inserted into the annular groove 6 on the exterior of the male connector 1, this state can be achieved by... Figure 5 To illustrate, at this point, the step 201 and the stop 502 are in abutting position, and the annular wedge surface 501 and the outer end 402 of the pin 4 are in a wedge-fitting position. The position of the stop 502 is limited, thus ensuring the stability of the insertion position of the inner end 401 of the pin 4 within the annular groove 6. Simultaneously, to ensure that the position of the moving sleeve 5 can be directly observed and determined, this application designs the end of the moving sleeve 5 and the end of the connector female connector 2 as follows: when the inner end 401 of the pin 4 is inserted into the annular groove 6 on the outside of the connector male connector 1, the end of the moving sleeve 5 and the end of the connector female connector 2 are flush. This state can be determined by… Figure 5 To illustrate, staff can determine the state of the moving sleeve 5 by visually observing whether the end of the moving sleeve 5 is flush with the end of the connector female connector 2.

[0049] To ensure that the movable sleeve 5 can automatically return to its initial state after unlocking by moving to the right, this application provides a reset member 7 coaxially sleeved on the outside of the connector female connector 2. One end of the reset member 7 is fixedly connected to the outside of the connector female connector 2, and the other end is fixedly connected to the movable sleeve 5. When the movable sleeve 5 moves to the right, the reset member 7 is compressed. After unlocking, the movable sleeve 5 is released, allowing it to move horizontally to the left until the stop part 502 abuts against the step 201.

[0050] In the Figure 1 During the insertion of the male connector 1 into the female connector 2, in order to guide the inner end 401 of the pin 4 into the annular groove 6 and ensure smooth insertion, this application provides an annular guide slope 9 located at the front end of the annular groove 6 on the outside of the male connector 1. The annular guide slope 9 is arranged in a converging state along the insertion direction. Utilizing the guiding effect of the annular guide slope 9, it can smoothly rub against the inner end 401 of the pin 4. Similarly, both the inner end 401 and the outer end 402 of the pin 4 can be set as smooth curve transitions, so that each operation can be smooth.

[0051] It should be noted that the aforementioned elastic element 3 and reset element 7 can both be made of existing technologies such as springs, and can be installed according to actual needs. For example, when the elastic element 3 is made of spring, the spring is sleeved on the outside of the pin 4, and when the reset element 7 is made of spring, the spring is sleeved on the outside of the connector female connector 2.

[0052] The above description provides a detailed account of one embodiment of the present invention. However, this description is merely a preferred embodiment and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. All equivalent variations and improvements made within the scope of the claims of the present invention should still fall within the patent coverage of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid-cooled connector locking structure characterized by comprising: The connector includes a male connector (1) and a female connector (2) for plugging and mating. The female connector (2) has a pin (4) on its end via an elastic element (3). The pin (4) is arranged radially so that its two ends form an inner end (401) and an outer end (402) respectively. The elastic element (3) is used to make the outer end (402) have a tendency to move towards the outside of the female connector (2). The female connector (2) is fitted with a movable sleeve (5) for driving abutting against the outer end (402). The axial movement of the movable sleeve (5) can drive the pin (4) to move radially, so as to change the position of the inner end (401) in the female connector (2). The male connector (1) has an annular groove (6) on its outside so that when the male connector (1) is plugged into the female connector (2), the inner end (401) can be inserted into the annular groove (6) radially to achieve radial locking.

2. The liquid-cooled connector locking structure of claim 1, wherein, The inner wall of the moving sleeve (5) is provided with an annular wedge surface (501) arranged coaxially with the connector female connector (2), and the annular wedge surface (501) is arranged in a converging state along the depth direction. The outer end (402) with the tendency to move towards the outside of the connector female connector (2) is in a wedge fit with the annular wedge surface (501) so that when the moving sleeve (5) moves in the axial direction, the pin (4) moves radially.

3. A liquid-cooled connector locking structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The connector female connector (2) is coaxially sleeved with a reset member (7). One end of the reset member (7) is fixedly connected to the outside of the connector female connector (2), and the other end is fixedly connected to the moving sleeve (5).

4. The liquid-cooled connector locking structure of claim 1 or 2, wherein, When the inner end (401) of the pin (4) is inserted into the annular groove (6) on the outside of the male connector (1), the end of the moving sleeve (5) is flush with the end of the female connector (2).

5. The liquid-cooled connector locking structure of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The inner wall of the moving sleeve (5) is provided with a stop (502), and the outside of the connector female connector (2) is provided with a step (201). The step (201) is located within the movement path range of the stop (502). When the inner end (401) of the pin (4) is inserted into the annular groove (6) on the outside of the connector male connector (1), the step (201) and the stop (502) are in contact.

6. The liquid-cooled connector locking structure of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The connector female connector (2) has a receiving groove (8) for accommodating the pin (4) at its end. The elastic element (3) is located in the receiving groove (8) and sleeved on the outside of the pin (4). One end of the elastic element (3) is connected to the bottom of the receiving groove (8), and the other end is connected to the pin (4).

7. The liquid-cooled connector locking structure of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The pin (4) and the elastic element (3) together form a locking tongue structure. The locking tongue structure is set in multiple groups and arranged in a circumferential array on the end of the connector female connector (2).

8. The liquid-cooled connector locking structure of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The male connector (1) is provided with an annular guide slope (9) located at the front end of the annular groove (6), and the annular guide slope (9) is arranged in a converging state along the insertion direction.

9. The liquid-cooled connector locking structure of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The outer end (402) of the pin (4) is provided with a smooth curve transition.

10. The liquid-cooled connector locking structure of claim 3, wherein, Both the elastic element (3) and the reset element (7) are springs.

Images