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US-20260129795-A1 - TRAY SYSTEM FOR LIQUID COOLANT SYSTEMS FOR ELECTRONICS ASSEMBLIES

US20260129795A1US 20260129795 A1US20260129795 A1US 20260129795A1US-20260129795-A1

Abstract

A tray system for capturing a liquid that leaks from a liquid connector assembly of a liquid coolant system for an electronic assembly, the tray system including: a tray section including a floor and one or more tray walls, the floor configured to extend underneath one or more components of the liquid connector assembly; and an engagement section coupled with the tray section and including one or more engagement portions configured to position the tray section beneath the one or more components of the liquid connector assembly to capture the liquid.

Inventors

  • Paul Harold Anderson
  • Sruti Chigullapalli

Assignees

  • AMD DESIGN, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241105

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A tray system for capturing a liquid that leaks from a liquid connector assembly of a liquid coolant system for an electronic assembly, the tray system comprising: a tray section including a floor and one or more tray walls, the floor being configured to extend underneath one or more components of the liquid connector assembly; and an engagement section coupled with the tray section and including one or more engagement portions configured to position the tray section underneath the one or more components of the liquid connector assembly to capture the liquid.
  2. 2 . The tray system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more engagement portions are configured to frictionally engage a portion of the liquid coolant system.
  3. 3 . The tray system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more engagement portions are configured to snap fit engage a portion of the liquid coolant system.
  4. 4 . The tray system according to claim 1 , wherein: the liquid coolant system includes a liquid connector manifold; and the one or more engagement portions are configured to engage the liquid connector manifold.
  5. 5 . The tray system according to claim 4 , wherein the one or more engagement portions form at least a partial opening configured to fit around the liquid connector manifold.
  6. 6 . The tray system according to claim 5 , wherein the partial opening formed by the one or more engagement portions is configured to substantially surround the liquid connector manifold.
  7. 7 . The tray system according to claim 1 , wherein: the floor of the tray section is configured to extend at least a length of a coupling portion of the one or more components of the liquid connector assembly; and a height of the tray walls is at least 5 mm.
  8. 8 . The tray system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more engagement portions are configured to stretch to fit over a portion of the liquid coolant system.
  9. 9 . The tray system according to at least claim 7 , wherein the one or more engagement portions are formed of at least one of: silicone, rubber, neoprene, or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).
  10. 10 . The tray system according to claim 1 , wherein the tray section and the engagement section are formed by injection molding.
  11. 11 . The tray system according to claim 10 , wherein the tray section and the engagement section are portions of a single structure.
  12. 12 . The tray system according to claim 1 , further comprising a sponge disposed on the floor of the tray section.
  13. 13 . The tray system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more engagement portions include one or more engagement walls each having a height between 5 mm and 15 mm and having a length between 20 mm and 100 mm.
  14. 14 . A method of capturing liquid that leaks from a liquid connector assembly of a liquid coolant system for an electronics assembly, the method comprising: connecting a tray system to the liquid coolant system in proximity to the liquid connector assembly such that a tray section of the tray system having a floor and one or more tray walls is positioned to extend underneath one or more components of the liquid connector assembly; and performing at least one of installing or disconnecting a first component of the liquid connector assembly to or from a second component of the liquid connector assembly.
  15. 15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein connecting the tray system to the liquid coolant system includes attaching an engagement section of the tray system to a portion of the liquid coolant system.
  16. 16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein attaching the engagement section includes frictionally fitting the engagement section to a liquid connector manifold of the liquid coolant system.
  17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein frictionally fitting the engagement section includes stretching an opening of the engagement section over the liquid connector manifold of the liquid coolant system.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the method includes positioning a replaceable sponge adapted to absorb liquid within the tray section of the tray system.
  19. 19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the method includes: disconnecting the first component from the second component; and disconnecting the tray system from the liquid cooling system.
  20. 20 . A system comprising: a liquid manifold configured to be implemented in a liquid coolant system for an electronic assembly; and a tray system for capturing a liquid that leaks from a liquid connector assembly coupled with the liquid manifold, the tray system including: a tray section having a floor and one or more tray walls, the floor being configured to extend underneath one or more components of the liquid connector assembly; and an engagement section coupled with the tray section and having one or more engagement portions configured to attach to the liquid manifold and position the tray section underneath the one or more components of the liquid connector assembly to capture the liquid.

Description

FIELD This disclosure is directed to a method and product to contain liquid coolant drips and spillage in electronics systems and assemblies having a liquid coolant system, for example, liquid cooled servers. BACKGROUND Electronic components are often assembled together creating electronic equipment or assemblies, for example, servers. These electronic assemblies are often stacked and connected together in racks. These pluralities of electronic components forming electronic equipment and/or electronic assemblies, including electronic racks, often generate and dissipate heat. Heat is often detrimental to the performance of the electronic assemblies. Often these electronic assemblies, for example, electronic assembly racks, contain or integrate a cooling system, for example a liquid coolant system, for cooling the electronic equipment/assemblies and/or electronic racks. The liquid cooling system usually includes a supply of liquid coolant, for example, to a heat exchanger, and a return of the liquid coolant, for example, from the heat exchanger. Hoses incorporating liquid coolant (LC) assemblies, e.g., quick disconnect (QD) assemblies, are often used to form a conduit to route the liquid coolant in the liquid coolant system. A first component, e.g., referred to as a liquid connector (LC) fitting, of the liquid connector (LC) assembly is often fitted to a liquid connector (LC) manifold of the liquid coolant system of the electronics assembly (e.g., the chassis of the electronics assembly) while a second component, e.g., referred to as a liquid connector (LC) plug, of the LC assembly is often attached to a hose that forms a conduit for the liquid of the liquid coolant system to flow. The LC fitting is configured to attach to the LC plug in a leak resistant manner. A common LC assembly is a quick disconnect (QD) assembly having a LC fitting, referred to as a quick disconnect (QD) fitting that is often easily and quickly connected and disconnected from the LC plug, referred to as a quick disconnect (QD) plug, and typically in a self-locking manner. While connecting and disconnecting the LC assemblies, liquid coolant can leak from the LC fitting and/or the LC plug. In addition, leaks from the LC assemblies can result from operation of the electronic assemblies, e.g., from vibrations, shock, thermal expansion, movement, shipment, and the like. Liquid coolant leaking from the LC assemblies can cause safety hazards and/or damage to the electronic assemblies. For example, liquid leaking from the LC assemblies (e.g., during connection and/or disconnection of the LC assemblies and/or during operation) can drip onto the electronic components and cause a short circuit and/or cause a fire. In addition, leaking liquid may cause a worker to slip, thereby causing injury and/or cause expensive secondary damage to cooling lines, cabling, etc. Different systems and techniques have been devised to reduce leaks from LC assemblies such as valves and other mechanisms. However, the problem of leaking LC assemblies and liquid leaking during connections of LC assemblies and disconnections of LC assemblies still persists. It would be beneficial and advantageous if a technique, system, and/or mechanism could be developed which would alleviate and/or eliminate the problems associated with liquid leaking from LC assemblies in liquid coolant systems. SUMMARY One or more methods, systems, mechanisms, and/or products for containing a liquid that leaks or escapes from a liquid connector (LC) assembly (e.g., a QD assembly) in a liquid coolant system for an electronics assembly (e.g., a liquid cooled server) are described. In one or more implementations, the methods, systems, mechanisms, and/or products have application for containing a liquid coolant that escapes from a liquid connector (LC) assembly (e.g., a QD assembly) of a liquid coolant system for an electronics assembly (e.g., a liquid cooled server). In one or more implementations, the system, mechanism, and/or product takes the form of a tray system configured and arranged to attach to the liquid coolant system, a chassis of the electronics assembly, and/or a liquid connector (LC) manifold, e.g., a quick disconnect (QD) manifold, proximate the LC assembly. For example, the tray system may be configured to extend underneath at least a portion of the LC assembly. A tray system is described. The tray system is configured to capture a liquid that leaks from a liquid connector assembly of a liquid coolant system for electronic assemblies. The tray system comprises a tray section including a floor and one or more tray walls. The floor is configured to extend underneath one or more components of the liquid connector assembly. The tray system also includes an engagement section coupled with the tray section. The engagement section has one or more engagement portions configured to position the tray section underneath the components of the liquid connector assembly to capture the liquid. A method