# US 10,485,135 B2 · Storage device cooling utilizing a removable heat pipe > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,485,135 B2 - Document ID: US10485135B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/639,904 - Filed: 2017-06-30 - Published: 2019-01-03 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-30 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products, L.P. - Inventors: Qinghong He; Travis North - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10485135B2 ## CPC - H05K 7/20145: {Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides} - F28D 15/0233: {the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular (F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence)} - F28D 15/0275: {Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores} - G06F 1/203: {for portable computers, e.g. for laptops} - G06F 1/206: {comprising thermal management} - H05K 7/20172: {Fan mounting or fan specifications} - H05K 7/20509: {Multiple-component heat spreaders; Multi-component heat-conducting support plates; Multi-component non-closed heat-conducting structures} - H10W 40/43: by flowing gases, e.g. forced air cooling - H10W 40/73: for cooling by change of state - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A system provides cooling to a storage device, such as solid-state drive, installed within a sealed compartment of an IHS (Information Handling System). The heat pipe extends between the storage device and a fan housing that seals a cooling fan in a physically isolated compartment from the sealed compartment of the IHS. A plurality of clips allow the heat pipe to be removably secured to an outer surface of the fan housing. A cooling plate is used to removably secure the heat pipe to a surface of the storage device. Once installed, the heat pipe transfers heat directly from the surface of the storage device to the outer surface of the sealed fan housing. The heat pipe may be uninstalled by removing screws that secure the cooling plate to the storage device and the heat pipe to the fan housing, allowing the storage device to be removed as needed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cooling system for providing cooling to a storage device installed in a sealed compartment of an Information Handling System (IHS), the cooling system comprising: a heat pipe extending between the storage device at a first end of the heat pipe and a fan housing at a second end of the heat pipe, wherein the fan housing comprises a fan cover plate and a side wall that physically isolate a cooling fan from the sealed compartment; a plurality of fan housing clips coupled to the second end of the heat pipe, wherein the fan housing clips secure the second end of the heat pipe to the fan cover plate, wherein the fan cover plate comprises a channel manufactured thereon and configured to transfer heat from the heat pipe to the fan cover plate, and wherein the fan cover plate is configured to dissipate the heat from the heat pipe; and a cooling plate joined to the first end of the heat pipe, wherein the cooling plate secures the heat pipe to a first surface of the storage device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe is removably secured to an edge of the fan cover plate at a location where the channel terminates. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the cooling plate is removably secured to the storage device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, wherein a size of the cooling plate corresponds to a size of the first surface of the storage device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The cooling system of claim 2, wherein the fan cover plate comprises a plurality of threaded screw holes corresponding to the plurality of fan housing clips, and wherein the heat pipe is removably secured to the fan cover plate by installing a plurality of screws in the corresponding fan housing clips and threaded screw holes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the storage device is a solid-state drive installed in a drive bay within the sealed compartment. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cooling system of claim 6, wherein the drive bay comprises a plurality of threaded screw holes corresponding a plurality of clips on the cooling plate, and wherein the heat pipe is removably secured to the storage device by installing a plurality of screws in the corresponding cooling plate clips and drive bay screw holes. ### Claim 8 An Information Handling System (IHS) comprising: a storage device installed in a sealed compartment of the IHS; a fan housing that seals a cooling fan in a physically isolated compartment from the sealed compartment, wherein the fan housing comprises a fan cover plate; a heat pipe extending between the storage device at a first end of the heat pipe and the fan housing at a second end of the heat pipe, wherein the fan cover plate comprises a channel manufactured thereon and configured to transfer heat from the heat pipe to the fan cover plate, and wherein the fan cover plate is configured to dissipate the heat from the heat pipe; a plurality of fan housing clips joined to the second end of the heat pipe, wherein the fan housing clips secure the second end of the heat pipe to an outer surface of the fan housing; and a cooling plate joined to the first end of the heat pipe, wherein the cooling plate secures the heat pipe to a first surface of the storage device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The IHS of claim 8, wherein the heat pipe is removably secured to an edge of the fan cover plate at a location where the channel terminates. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The IHS of claim 8, wherein the cooling plate is removably secured to the storage device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The IHS of claim 8, wherein a size of the cooling plate corresponds to a size of the first surface of the storage device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The IHS of claim 9, wherein the fan cover plate comprises a plurality of threaded screw holes corresponding to the plurality of fan housing clips, and wherein the heat pipe is removably secured to the fan cover plate by installing a plurality of screws in the corresponding fan housing clips and threaded screw holes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The IHS of claim 8, wherein the storage device is a solid-state drive installed in a drive bay within the sealed compartment. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The IHS of claim 13, wherein the drive bay comprises a plurality of threaded screw holes corresponding a plurality of clips on the cooling plate, and wherein the heat pipe is removably secured to the storage device by installing a plurality of screws in the corresponding cooling plate clips and drive bay screw holes. ### Claim 15 A heat pipe for providing cooling to a storage device installed in a sealed compartment of an Information Handling System (IHS), wherein the heat pipe extends between the storage device at a first end of the heat pipe and a fan housing at a second end of the heat pipe, and wherein the heat pipe comprises: a plurality of fan housing clips joined to the second end of the heat pipe, wherein the fan housing clips secure the second end of the heat pipe to an outer surface of a fan housing that seals a cooling fan in a physically isolated compartment from the sealed compartment, wherein the fan housing comprises a fan cover plate, wherein the fan cover plate comprises a channel manufactured thereon and configured to transfer heat from the heat pipe to the fan cover plate, and wherein the fan cover plate is configured to dissipate the heat from the heat pipe; and a cooling plate joined to the first end of the heat pipe, wherein the cooling plate secures the heat pipe to a first surface of the storage device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The heat pipe of claim 15, wherein the heat pipe is removably secured to an edge of the fan cover plate at a location where the channel terminates. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The heat pipe of claim 15, wherein the cooling plate is removably secured to the storage device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The heat pipe of claim 15, wherein a size of the cooling plate corresponds to a size of the first surface of the storage device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The heat pipe of claim 16, wherein the fan cover plate comprises a plurality of threaded screw holes corresponding to the plurality of fan housing clips, and wherein the heat pipe is removably secured to the fan cover plate by installing a plurality of screws in the corresponding fan housing clips and threaded screw holes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The heat pipe of claim 19, wherein the storage device is installed in a drive bay comprising a plurality of threaded screw holes corresponding a plurality of clips on the cooling plate, and wherein the heat pipe is removably secured to the storage device by installing a plurality of screws in the corresponding cooling plate clips and drive bay screw holes.