Providing Connection Elements For Connecting Fluid Pipes To Carry Cooling Fluid In A System

Abstract

A system has a housing and a rigid fluid pipe fixedly mounted inside the housing to carry cooling fluid, A first connection element is attached to an end portion of the rigid fluid pipe, and a heat-generating assembly is mounted inside the housing. The heat-generating assembly has a flexible fluid pipe. A second connection element is attached to an end portion of the flexible fluid pipe, where the first and second connection elements are removably connectable together and provide an automatic sealing mechanism when the first and second connection elements are disconnected.

1 . A system comprising:
 a housing;   a rigid fluid pipe fixedly mounted inside the housing to carry cooling fluid;   a first connection element attached, to an end portion of the rigid fluid pipe;   a heat-generating assembly mounted inside the housing, wherein the heat-generating assembly has a flexible fluid pipe; and   a second, connection element attached to an end portion of the flexible fluid pipe, wherein the first and second connection elements are removably connectable together and provide an automatic sealing mechanism when the first and second connection elements are disconnected.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second connection elements form a fluid quick-connect mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first connection element has a sealing element to fluidically seal the end portion of the rigid fluid pipe upon disconnection of the second connection element from the first connection element. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating assembly comprises an electronic device and a heat sink attached to the flexible fluid pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the heat-generating assembly with the flexible fluid pipe is mountable in the housing as a unit, and wherein the flexible fluid pipe is arranged to enable manipulation for connecting the first and second connection elements. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the electronic device is thermally contacted to the heat sink, and wherein the heat sink has an internal fluid passage to receive cooling fluid from the flexible fluid pipe. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the heat-generating assembly further has a second flexible fluid pipe, and the system farther comprises:
 a second rigid fluid pipe fixedly mounted inside the housing; and   a connection mechanism for removably connecting the second flexible fluid pipe to the second rigid fluid pipe, wherein the second flexible fluid pipe is to carry heated cooling fluid away from the heat sink.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating assembly is removably mounted in the system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating assembly comprises a heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the heat exchanger includes heat fins and at least one fan to generate a flow of air across the fins. 
     
     
         11 . A method of providing cooling a system having a housing, comprising:
 fixedly mounting a rigid fluid pipe inside the housing to carry a cooling fluid;   mounting a heat-generating assembly inside the housing, wherein the heat-generating assembly has a flexible fluid pipe; and   removably connecting the rigid fluid pipe to the flexible fluid pipe using a quick-connect mechanism, wherein the quick-connect mechanism has an automatic sealing mechanism to reduce likelihood of leakage of the cooling fluid upon disconnection of the quick-connect mechanism.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein removably mounting the heat-generating assembly inside the housing comprises removably mounting an assembly including a heat sink in an electronic device thermally contacted to the heat sink. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein removably mounting the heat-generating assembly comprises removably mounting a heat exchanger that includes heat fins and one or more fans. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 fixedly mounting additional rigid fluid pipes inside the housing; and   organizing locations of the rigid fluid pipes to enable convenient insertion and removal of the heat-generating assembly.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 providing additional flexible fluid pipes attached to the heat-generating assembly; and   removably connecting the additional flexible fluid pipes to corresponding additional rigid fluid, pipes using respective quick-connect mechanisms.