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US-12624783-B2 - Connector and connecting system

US12624783B2US 12624783 B2US12624783 B2US 12624783B2US-12624783-B2

Abstract

A connector is mounted to a first object and connected between an outlet device and an inlet device to direct a fluid. The connector comprises: a housing mounted to the first object; a pipeline penetrating the housing in a flow direction of the fluid and comprising an outlet end connected to the outlet device and an inlet end connected to the inlet device; a floating device disposed on the housing and floatingly connected to the pipeline, allowing the pipeline to float in the radial direction transverse to a flow direction of the fluid with respect to the housing.

Inventors

  • Jingyao Peng

Assignees

  • SOUTHCO MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20231103

Claims (15)

  1. 1 . A connector ( 100 ) mounted to a first object and connected between an outlet device ( 500 ) and an inlet device ( 600 ) to direct a fluid, wherein the connector ( 100 ) comprises: a housing ( 110 ) mounted to the first object; a pipeline ( 120 ) penetrating the housing ( 110 ) in a flow direction of the fluid and comprising an outlet end ( 121 ) connected to the outlet device ( 500 ) and an inlet end ( 122 ) connected to the inlet device ( 600 ); and a floating device disposed on the housing ( 110 ) and floatingly connected to the pipeline ( 120 ), allowing the pipeline ( 120 ) to float in the radial direction transverse to a flow direction of the fluid with respect to the housing ( 110 ), the floating device comprising at least one bolt ( 130 ) and at least one spring ( 160 ), the bolt ( 130 ) penetrates a sidewall ( 111 ) of the housing ( 110 ) in the radial direction, and the spring ( 160 ) is abutted between the bolt ( 130 ) and the sidewall ( 111 ) of the pipeline ( 120 ), allowing the pipeline ( 120 ) to float in the radial direction.
  2. 2 . The connector ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein: four sets of the floating devices are surroundingly disposed on the housing ( 110 ) at uniform intervals in a circumferential direction, and each set of the floating devices comprises two floating devices arranged in the flow direction.
  3. 3 . The connector ( 100 ) of claim 2 , wherein the connector ( 100 ) further comprises: at least one gasket ( 140 ) having an annular shape and sleeved on the pipeline ( 120 ) and abutting against at least one end wall ( 112 ) of the housing ( 110 ) in the flow direction to prevent inclination of the pipeline ( 120 ) with respect to the housing ( 110 ).
  4. 4 . The connector ( 100 ) of claim 3 , wherein: a first limiting portion ( 115 ) protruding outwards in the flow direction is provided on the at least one end wall ( 112 ) of the housing ( 110 ), and the first limiting portion ( 115 ) at least partially surrounds a periphery of the at least one gasket ( 140 ) so as to prevent the at least one gasket ( 140 ) from sliding with respect to the housing ( 110 ).
  5. 5 . The connector ( 100 ) of claim 3 , wherein: a notch ( 142 ) which is inwardly recessed in the radial direction is provided in a periphery of the at least one gasket ( 140 ); and a second limiting portion ( 116 ) extending outwards in the flow direction is provided on the end wall ( 112 ) of the housing ( 110 ), and the second limiting portion ( 116 ) corresponds to the position of the notch ( 142 ) so as to prevent the at least one gasket ( 140 ) from sliding with respect to the housing ( 110 ).
  6. 6 . The connector ( 100 ) of claim 3 , wherein: the inlet end ( 122 ) of the pipeline ( 120 ) is also sleeved with a snap ring ( 150 ), and the snap ring ( 150 ) is generally E-shaped and abuts against an outer side of the at least one gasket ( 140 ) at the inlet end ( 122 ).
  7. 7 . The connector ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein: the pipeline ( 120 ) comprises an intermediate segment ( 123 ) connected between the outlet end ( 121 ) and the inlet end ( 122 ), and the outlet end ( 121 ) and the inlet end ( 122 ) are both located outside of the housing ( 110 ), and the intermediate segment ( 123 ) is located inside of the housing ( 110 ).
  8. 8 . The connector ( 100 ) of claim 7 , wherein: the inlet end ( 121 ) of the pipeline ( 120 ) is provided with a mounting nut for connecting to the outlet device ( 500 ); the inlet end ( 122 ) of the pipeline ( 120 ) is provided with: an inlet connector mounting hole ( 125 ) located at a center of the inlet end ( 122 ); and at least one guide mounting hole ( 124 ) surrounding the inlet connector mounting hole ( 125 ); and the at least one guide mounting hole ( 124 ) is located radially outside of the intermediate segment ( 123 ) when viewed in the flow direction.
  9. 9 . The connector ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein: the radial position of the floating device with respect to the housing ( 110 ) is adjustable to change the floating position of the pipeline ( 120 ).
  10. 10 . The connector ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein: the housing ( 110 ) comprises: a first housing ( 118 ) and a second housing ( 119 ) assembled to each other in a transverse direction perpendicular to the flow direction to form the housing ( 119 ).
  11. 11 . A connecting system ( 1 ), wherein the connecting system ( 1 ) comprises: the connector ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the first object is a mounting base ( 200 ); the inlet device ( 600 ) comprises an inlet connector ( 300 ) and at least one guide ( 400 ), wherein the inlet connector ( 300 ) is connected to an inlet connector mounting hole ( 125 ) at a center of an inlet end ( 122 ) of the pipeline ( 120 ); and the at least one guide ( 400 ) surrounds the inlet connector ( 300 ) and is connected to a guide mounting hole ( 124 ) at a periphery of the inlet end ( 122 ) of the pipeline ( 120 ).
  12. 12 . A connector ( 100 ) mounted to a first object and connected between an outlet device ( 500 ) and an inlet device ( 600 ) to direct a fluid, wherein the connector ( 100 ) comprises: a housing ( 110 ) mounted to the first object; a pipeline ( 120 ) penetrating the housing ( 110 ) in a flow direction of the fluid and comprising an outlet end ( 121 ) connected to the outlet device ( 500 ) and an inlet end ( 122 ) connected to the inlet device ( 600 ); a floating device disposed on the housing ( 110 ) and floatingly connected to the pipeline ( 120 ), allowing the pipeline ( 120 ) to float in the radial direction transverse to a flow direction of the fluid with respect to the housing ( 110 ); and wherein the housing ( 110 ) has two pairs of sidewalls ( 111 ) opposite to each other, and a mounting groove ( 117 ) is provided in one pair of the sidewalls ( 111 ) along a surface of each sidewall ( 111 ), and the mounting groove ( 117 ) extends over a partial height of the sidewall ( 111 ) so that the housing ( 110 ) is mounted to the first object by a bolt penetrating the remaining height of the sidewall ( 111 ).
  13. 13 . The connector ( 100 ) of claim 12 , wherein: the pipeline ( 120 ) comprises an intermediate segment ( 123 ) connected between the outlet end ( 121 ) and the inlet end ( 122 ), and the outlet end ( 121 ) and the inlet end ( 122 ) are both located outside of the housing ( 110 ), and the intermediate segment ( 123 ) is located inside of the housing ( 110 ).
  14. 14 . The connector ( 100 ) of claim 13 , wherein: the inlet end ( 121 ) of the pipeline ( 120 ) is provided with a mounting nut for connecting to the outlet device ( 500 ); the inlet end ( 122 ) of the pipeline ( 120 ) is provided with: an inlet connector mounting hole ( 125 ) located at a center of the inlet end ( 122 ); and at least one guide mounting hole ( 124 ) surrounding the inlet connector mounting hole ( 125 ); and the at least one guide mounting hole ( 124 ) is located radially outside of the intermediate segment ( 123 ) when viewed in the flow direction.
  15. 15 . The connector ( 100 ) of claim 12 , wherein: the radial position of the floating device with respect to the housing ( 110 ) is adjustable to change the floating position of the pipeline ( 120 ).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to Chinese Application No. 202223170065X, filed on Nov. 25, 2022, entitled “CONNECTOR AND CONNECTING SYSTEM”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a connector, in particular a floating connector, and a connecting system including the connector. BACKGROUND Connector is a common device. In an application environment such as a server, a connector is required to direct cooling liquid from an outlet pipeline (e.g., a source of cooling liquid) to an inlet pipeline (e.g., the interior of the server). In some cases, the pipeline connections for the cooling liquid are not permanently connected, but are temporarily connected. That is, the connector may switch between different servers, the connector may connect to one server during a period of time, and connect to another server during another period of time. Therefore, on the one hand, it is desirable that there is a quick connection function between the connector and the server to allow convenient and quick switching of the connection manner. On the other hand, it is desirable that the connector has a floating connection function, and that the alignment of the connector and the inlet pipeline can be ensured even if there is a certain error between the installation environment of the connector and the inlet pipeline. SUMMARY A connector according to the present application is mounted to a first object and connected between an outlet device and an inlet device to direct a fluid. The connector includes: a housing mounted to the first object; a pipeline penetrating the housing in a flow direction of the fluid and including an outlet end connected to the outlet device and an inlet end connected to the inlet device; a floating device disposed on the housing and floatingly connected to the pipeline, allowing the pipeline to float in a radial direction transverse to the flow direction of the fluid with respect to the housing. In one embodiment, the floating device includes at least one bolt and at least one spring, the bolt penetrates a sidewall of the housing in the radial direction, and the spring is abutted between the bolt and the sidewall of the pipeline, allowing the pipeline to float in the radial direction. In one embodiment, four sets of the floating devices are surroundingly disposed on the housing at uniform intervals in a circumferential direction, and each set of the floating devices includes two floating devices arranged in the flow direction. In one embodiment, the connector further includes: at least one gasket having an annular shape and sleeved on the pipeline, and abutting against at least one end wall of the housing in the flow direction to prevent inclination of the pipeline with respect to the housing. In one embodiment, a first limiting portion protruding outwards in the flow direction is provided on the end wall of the housing, and the first limiting portion at least partially surrounds the periphery of the gasket so as to prevent the gasket from sliding with respect to the housing. In one embodiment, a notch which is inwardly recessed in the radial direction is provided in the periphery of the gasket; and a second limiting portion extending outwards in the flow direction is provided on the end wall of the housing, and the second limiting portion corresponds to the position of the notch so as to prevent the gasket from sliding with respect to the housing. In one embodiment, the inlet end of the pipeline is also sleeved with a snap ring, and the snap ring is generally E-shaped and abuts against the outer side of the gasket at the inlet end. In one embodiment, the housing has two pairs of the sidewalls opposite to each other, and a mounting groove is provided in one pair of the sidewalls along a surface of each sidewall, the mounting groove extends over a partial height of the sidewall so that the housing is mounted to the first object by a bolt penetrating the remaining height of the sidewall. In one embodiment, the pipeline includes an intermediate segment connected between the outlet end and the inlet end, and the outlet end and the inlet end are both located outside of the housing, the intermediate segment is located inside of the housing. In one embodiment, the inlet end of the pipeline is provided with a mounting nut for connecting to the outlet device; the inlet end of the pipeline is provided with: an inlet connector mounting hole located at the center of the inlet end; and at least one guide mounting hole surrounding the inlet connector mounting hole; and the guide mounting hole is located radially outside of the intermediate segment when viewed in the flow direction. In one embodiment, the radial position of the floating device with respect to the housing is adjustable to change the floating position of the pipeline. In one embodiment, the housing includes: a first housing and a second housing assem