# US 11,452,237 B2 · Liquid cooling interconnect module of a computing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,452,237 B2 - Document ID: US11452237B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/073,090 - Filed: 2020-10-16 - Published: 2022-04-21 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-16 - Assignees: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP - Applicants: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP - Inventors: Chong S. Tan; Joseph Allen; Kai Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11452237B2 ## CPC - H05K 7/20272: {Accessories for moving fluid, for expanding fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid, for removing gas or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds} - F16L 37/26: in which the connection is made by transversely moving the parts together, with or without their subsequent rotation - F16L 37/30: with fluid cut-off means in each of two pipe-end fittings - H05K 7/20781: {within cabinets for removing heat from server blades} - H05K 7/20772: {within server blades for removing heat from heat source} - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL ## Abstract Example implementations relate to a liquid cooling interconnect module of a computing system, and a tool-less method of assembling the liquid cooling interconnect module having a housing, a biasing member, and an interconnect block. The housing has an interlocking member, a support assembly, and a bore extending between a first end and a second end of the housing. The biasing member is disposed within the bore such that it contacts the support assembly. The interconnect block having a pair of through openings, is configured to be slidably inserted within the bore such that it contacts the biasing member. Further, the interconnect block is configured to compress the biasing member against the support assembly to a compressed position when the interconnect block is inserted into the bore, and the interlocking member is configured to retain the interconnect block within the housing when the biasing member is in the compressed position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid cooling interconnect module for a liquid cooling assembly of a computing system, comprising: a housing having a bore extending between a first end and a second end of the housing, wherein the housing comprises an interlocking member and a support assembly; a biasing member disposed within the housing contacting the support assembly; an interconnect block having a pair of through openings and configured to be slidably inserted within the bore of the housing contacting the biasing member, wherein the interconnect block is configured to compress the biasing member against the support assembly to a compressed position when inserted into the bore of the housing, and wherein the interlocking member is configured to retain the interconnect block within the housing when the biasing member is in the compressed position; and a pair of first connectors coupled to a first end of the pair of through openings, and a fluid flow channel of the liquid cooling assembly, wherein a first connector of the pair of first connectors is coupled to a first end of the fluid flow channel and a second connector of the pair of first connectors is coupled to a second end of the fluid flow channel, and wherein the fluid flow channel extends via a plurality of cold plates of the liquid cooling assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 1, wherein the support assembly comprises a post disposed in the bore at an offset distance from the first end of the housing, and a guide pin extending from the post, and wherein the biasing member is disposed along the guide pin contacting the post and the interconnect block. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 2, wherein the interlocking member comprises a pair of detents formed on a first wall and a second wall of the housing, wherein the interconnect block has a pair of depressions formed on a first wall and a second wall of the interconnect block, and wherein the first and second walls of each of the housing and the interconnect block are mutually opposite walls. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 3, wherein each detent of the pair of detents is configured to move inwards relative to the housing for engaging a protrusion of each detent with a lobe of a corresponding depression of the pair of depressions to directly retain the interconnect block within the housing, and wherein each detent of the pair of detents is configured to move outwards relative to the housing for disengaging each protrusion from the lobe of the corresponding depression to directly release the interconnect block from the housing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 2, wherein the interlocking member comprises a flat spring finger disposed on and coupled to a wall of the housing, wherein the flat spring finger protrudes outside the second end of the housing, and wherein the interconnect block has a depression formed on a wall of the interconnect block. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 5, wherein the flat spring finger is configured to move inwards relative to the housing for engaging a protrusion of the flat spring finger with a lobe of the depression to directly retain the interconnect block in the housing, and wherein the flat spring finger is configured to move outwards relative to the housing for disengaging the protrusion from the lobe to directly release the interconnect block from the housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 1, wherein the support assembly and the interlocking member are integrated to one another to form an interlocking support assembly, wherein the interlocking support assembly comprises a shoulder stud, and an attachment block comprising a body having a through-hole, and a pair of shoulders having a pair of protrusions, coupled to the body, wherein the interconnect block has a hole, wherein the biasing member is disposed contacting the attachment block and the interconnect block, wherein the shoulder stud extends along the through-hole and the biasing member, and coupled to the hole, and wherein a pair of peripheral walls of the housing comprises a pair of notches. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 7, wherein each shoulder of the pair of shoulders is configured to move outwards relative to the housing for engaging each protrusion with a corresponding notch to indirectly retain the interconnect block within the housing via the attachment block, and wherein each shoulder of the pair of shoulders is configured to move inwards relative to the housing for disengaging each protrusion from the corresponding notch to indirectly release the interconnect block from the housing via the attachment block. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The liquid cooling interconnect module of claim 1, further comprising a pair of second connectors coupled to a second end of the pair of through openings, and wherein a first connector of the pair of second connectors is coupled to a supply line manifold of a coolant distribution unit, and a second connector of the pair of second connectors is coupled to a return line manifold of the coolant distribution unit. ### Claim 10 A liquid cooling assembly of a computing system, comprising: a plurality of cold plates; a fluid flow channel extending via the plurality of cold plates; a liquid cooling interconnect module comprising: a housing having a bore extending between a first end and a second end of the housing, wherein the housing comprises an interlocking member and a support assembly; a biasing member disposed within the housing contacting the support assembly; an interconnect block having a pair of through openings and configured to be slidably inserted within the bore of the housing contacting the biasing member, wherein the interconnect block is configured to compress the biasing member against the support assembly to compress the biasing member to a compressed position when inserted into the bore of the housing, and wherein the interlocking member is configured to retain the interconnect block within the housing when the biasing member is in the compressed position; and a pair of first connectors coupled to a first end of the pair of through openings, and the fluid flow channel, wherein a first connector of the pair of first connectors is coupled to a first end of the fluid flow channel, and a second connector of the pair of first connectors is coupled to a second end of the fluid flow channel; and a mezzanine frame coupled to the housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The liquid cooling assembly of claim 10, wherein the support assembly comprises a post disposed in the bore at an offset distance from the first end of the housing, and a guide pin extending from the post, and wherein the biasing member is disposed along the guide pin contacting the post and the interconnect block. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The liquid cooling assembly of claim 11, wherein the interlocking member comprises a pair of detents formed on a first wall and a second wall of the housing, wherein the interconnect block has a pair of depressions formed on a first wall and a second wall of the interconnect block, and wherein the first and second walls of each of the housing and the interconnect block are mutually opposite walls. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The liquid cooling assembly of claim 12, wherein each detent of the pair of detents is configured to move inwards relative to the housing for engaging a protrusion of each detent with a lobe of a corresponding depression of the pair of depressions to directly retain the interconnect block within the housing, and wherein each detent of the pair of detents is configured to move outwards relative to the housing for disengaging each protrusion from the lobe of the corresponding depression to directly release the interconnect block from the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The liquid cooling assembly of claim 11, wherein the interlocking member comprises a flat spring disposed on and coupled to a wall of the housing, wherein the flat spring protrudes outside the second end of the housing, and wherein the interconnect block has a depression formed on a wall of the interconnect block. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The liquid cooling assembly of claim 14, wherein the flat spring is configured to move inwards relative to the housing for engaging a protrusion of the flat spring with a lobe of the depression to directly retain the interconnect block in the housing, and wherein the flat spring is configured to move outwards relative to the housing for disengaging the protrusion from the lobe to directly release the interconnect block from the housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The liquid cooling assembly of claim 10, wherein the support assembly and the interlocking member are integrated to one another to form an interlocking support assembly, wherein the interlocking support assembly comprises a shoulder stud, and an attachment block comprising a body having a through-hole, and a pair of shoulders having a pair of protrusions, coupled to the body, wherein the interconnect block has a hole, wherein the biasing member is disposed contacting the attachment block and the interconnect block, wherein the shoulder stud extends along the through-hole and the biasing member, and coupled to the hole, and wherein a pair of peripheral walls of the housing comprises a pair of notches. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The liquid cooling assembly of claim 16, wherein each shoulder of the pair of shoulders is configured to move outwards relative to the housing for engaging each protrusion with a corresponding notch to indirectly retain the interconnect block within the housing via the attachment block, and wherein each shoulder of the pair of shoulders is configured to move inwards relative to the housing for disengaging each protrusion from the corresponding notch to indirectly release the interconnect block from the housing via the attachment block. ### Claim 18 A method of assembling a liquid cooling interconnect module of a liquid cooling assembly for a computing system, comprising: coupling a pair of first connectors to a first end of a pair of through openings of an interconnect block, wherein a first connector of the pair of first connectors is further coupled to the first end of a fluid flow channel and a second connector of the pair of first connectors is further coupled to the second end of the fluid flow channel, and wherein the fluid flow channel extends via a plurality of cold plates of the liquid cooling assembly; coupling a pair of second connectors to a second end of the pair of through openings; disposing a biasing member within a housing contacting a support assembly; and slidably inserting the interconnect block within a bore of the housing such that the interconnect block compresses the biasing member against the support assembly to a compressed position, and an interlocking member of the housing, retains the interconnect block within the housing when the biasing member is in the compressed position.