Floating Quick Disconnect for Tolerance-Tolerant Liquid Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional quick disconnect systems face issues with fitment and fluid flow due to tolerance discrepancies between server racks and connectors, leading to potential misalignment and mechanical stress, especially in direct contact liquid cooling applications where precise alignment is critical.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a pre-loaded biasing element within the housing of the quick disconnect system that applies a biasing force, allowing the connector to move relative to the housing, thereby accommodating tolerance variations and ensuring secure mating while maintaining connection integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional quick disconnect systems are used with fixed connectors, then the system structure is simple, but tolerance discrepancies cause misalignment and mechanical stress
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is designed to move relative to the housing along the fluid conduit path, transforming from a fixed rigid connection to a dynamic adjustable connection. This allows the connector to self-align and compensate for tolerance variations between server racks, eliminating misalignment and mechanical stress while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the positional parameter of the connector relative to the housing, allowing the connector to move to different positions along the fluid conduit. This parameter change enables the system to adapt to tolerance variations without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms.
2Manufacturing precision
If the connector is fixed to the housing, then the structure is stable, but dimensional variations cause fitment issues and fluid flow problems
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is designed to move relative to the housing along the fluid conduit path, transforming from a fixed rigid connection to a dynamic adjustable connection. This allows the connector to self-align and compensate for tolerance variations between server racks, eliminating misalignment and mechanical stress while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing element pre-loads the connector against the housing, creating a preliminary force that maintains connector engagement. This preliminary anti-action ensures the connector remains securely positioned while allowing for controlled movement to accommodate dimensional variations in the fluid conduit path.
3Reliability
If a pre-loaded biasing element is added to allow connector movement, then tolerance variations are compensated and connection integrity is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing element pre-loads the connector against the housing, creating a preliminary force that maintains connector engagement. This preliminary anti-action ensures the connector remains securely positioned while allowing for controlled movement to accommodate dimensional variations in the fluid conduit path.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing element provides beforehand cushioning by pre-loading the connector, which absorbs and compensates for dimensional variations and misalignments before they can cause connection failure. This cushioning effect maintains connection integrity while accommodating tolerance variations.
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
The pre-loaded biasing element compensates for dimensional variations, ensuring reliable fluid conduit formation and preventing mechanical stress, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of fluid flow in direct contact liquid cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
a pre-loaded biasing element disposed in the housing to apply a biasing force between the housing and the first connector of the quick disconnect
Data Source
AI summary
A quick disconnect system includes a housing and a first connector of a quick disconnect configured to complementarily mate with a second connector of the quick disconnect. A pre-loaded biasing element is configured to provide a biasing force between the first connector and the housing. A method for mating a quick disconnect is also described. The method includes receiving a connecting force to mate a first connector of a quick disconnect in a housing with a second connector of the quick disconnect. When the connecting force is at least equal to or greater than a mating force value, the first connector is mated with the second connector. When the connecting force is greater than a pre-load value of a biasing element in the housing, the mated quick disconnect is moved relative to the housing while maintaining the connection of the mated quick disconnect.