Liquid Cooling Tube Support Structure for Load-Isolated Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electronic devices with liquid cooling systems, the connection and disconnection of cooling medium tubes can apply loads to the connection portions between the tubes and the cooling members, potentially causing stress on the housing and affecting maintenance.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device design that includes a substrate with a heat generating member, a cooling member, a tube for supplying or discharging a cooling medium, a joint member with a connection portion, and a support member fixed to the housing or substrate, which fixes the tube to prevent forces from being transmitted to the connection and fixing portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the tube is connected directly to the cooling member for liquid cooling, then the cooling function is achieved, but a load is applied to the connection portion between the tube and cooling member and the fixing portion on the housing side when the tube is attached or detached
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a support member as an intermediary component between the tube and the housing/substrate. This support member includes a tube fixing portion that secures the tube, a joint fixing portion that holds the joint, and a support portion that provides mechanical support. By positioning the support portion between the joint fixing portion and the tube fixing portion, the support member acts as a mediator that absorbs and distributes the forces generated during tube attachment and detachment, preventing these forces from being transmitted to the connection portion between the tube and cooling member and the fixing portion on the housing side.
2Reliability
If the tube is fixed securely to the cooling member, then the cooling system stability is improved, but the load from tube maintenance operations is transmitted to the cooling member fixing portion on the housing side
Solution Approach 1:
The support member serves as an intermediary structure that decouples the tube fixing function from the housing fixing function. The tube fixing portion secures the tube reliably, while the support portion positioned between the joint fixing portion and tube fixing portion absorbs the harmful loads generated during tube maintenance operations, preventing these loads from being transmitted to the cooling member fixing portion on the housing side.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member is divided into distinct functional portions: a tube fixing portion for securing the tube, a joint fixing portion for holding the joint, and a support portion for providing mechanical support and absorbing loads. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function independently, with the support portion specifically designed to intercept and absorb harmful loads before they can affect the housing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration prevents loads from being applied to the connection and fixing portions, enhancing the stability and ease of maintenance of the electronic device by isolating the force transmission during tube attachment and detachment.
Implementation Method 1
A liquid cooling scheme is adopted in which the electronic components having high heat generation among the plurality of electronic components housed in the housing are cooled by a liquid cooling medium
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes a substrate which is provided in a housing and on which a heat generating member is mounted, a cooling member configured to cool the heat generating member, a first tube including one end connected to the cooling member and configured to supply a cooling medium to the cooling member or discharge the cooling medium from the cooling member, a joint member including a first connection portion extending in a tube axial direction of the first tube and connected to another end of the first tube, a support member fixed to the housing or the substrate, and a tube fixing portion configured to fix the first tube to the support member.