US6754076B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Stackable liquid cooling pump
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 2002-10-30
•
Granted: 2004-06-22
•
Expires: 2022-10-30
Abstract
Abstract Electronic system components are cooled using a field configurable pump comprising a selectable plurality of identical or nearly identical modular pump units. The pump units are disposed in a stacked arrangement and are fluidly connected to adjacent modular pump units via a removable coupling, preferably one of the quick-disconnect variety. Each modular pump unit comprises a housing, an impeller and a sealing mechanism. When disposed in a stack the combined pump structure is driven by a single motor. In this fashion, pump structures may be employed which are adaptable to heat flux demands imposed by the electronic components.
Inventors
- 👤 William E. Cox
- 👤 Roger R. Schmidt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:28
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04D; F04D13/00; F04D13/12; F04D13/14; F04D1/00; F04D1/06; G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/20; G06F1/206; F28; F28F; F28F2250/00; F28F2250/08; G06F2200/00; G06F2200/20; G06F2200/201
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A field configurable fluid pump comprising: a plurality of modular pump units each having a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port and a set of rotatable fluid moving vanes disposed within a substantially central volume of said pump unit, said pump units being sealed one against the other and arranged in a stack, whereby there is an uppermost pump unit in said stack; a drive shaft extending through said modular pump units and connected so as to rotate said vanes to move fluid from respective ones of said inlet ports to respective ones of said outlet ports; at least one removable fluid coupling conduit extending from one of said outlet ports to the inlet port in an adjacently disposed pump unit in said stack; and a sealing member disposed against said uppermost pump unit in said stack to provide a fluid seal for the substantially central volume of said uppermost pump unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
A field configurable fluid pump comprising: a plurality of modular pump units each having a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port and a set of rotatable fluid moving vanes disposed within a substantially central volume of said pump unit, said pump units being sealed one against the other and arranged in a stack, whereby there is an uppermost pump unit in said stack; a drive shaft extending through said modular pump units and connected so as to rotate said vanes to move fluid from respective ones of said inlet ports to respective ones of said outlet ports; at least one removable fluid coupling conduit extending from one of said outlet ports to the inlet port in an adjacently disposed pump unit in said stack; and a sealing member disposed against said uppermost pump unit in said stack to provide a fluid seal for the substantially central volume of said uppermost pump unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The pump of claim 1 in which said sealing member comprises an unconnected modular pump unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The pump of claim 1 in which said sealing member comprises a flat plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The pump of claim 1 in which said modular pump units comprise a material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic and ceramic.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The pump of claim 1 in which said vanes are affixed to separate axles which interlock with one another so as to comprise said drive shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The pump of claim 1 in which said vanes are affixed to separate axles and in which said drive shaft comprises an integral structure separate from said rotatable vanes and which is disposed through a plurality of said axles so as to be able to rotate said vanes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The pump of claim 1 in which there is one less removable fluid coupling conduit than there are modular pump units in said stack.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The pump of claim 1 in which said inlet port and said outlet port are disposed on the same side of said modular pump unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The pump of claim 1 in which said sealing is provided by an O-ring disposed in a channel on an upper surface of said modular pump unit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The pump of claim 1 further including a biasing mechanism urging said modular pump units together to faciliate said sealing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The pump of claim 10 in which said biasing mechanism is provided by a plurality of bolts extending through said stack and nuts for said bolts.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
125 words
A modular pump unit comprising: a housing having a top side with a substantially centrally disposed opening on said top side, said opening defining a fluid flow volume, said housing including an inlet port in fluid communication with said volume and an outlet port in fluid communication with said volume; a set of rotatable vanes mounted on a drive axle which extends through a sealed opening in the bottom of said fluid flow volume, said vanes being rotatable with said fluid flow volume so as to move fluid from said inlet port to said outlet port; and a seal disposed on said top side of said housing so as to be capable of forming a seal with other modular pump units in a stacked configuration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
125 words
A modular pump unit comprising: a housing having a top side with a substantially centrally disposed opening on said top side, said opening defining a fluid flow volume, said housing including an inlet port in fluid communication with said volume and an outlet port in fluid communication with said volume; a set of rotatable vanes mounted on a drive axle which extends through a sealed opening in the bottom of said fluid flow volume, said vanes being rotatable with said fluid flow volume so as to move fluid from said inlet port to said outlet port; and a seal disposed on said top side of said housing so as to be capable of forming a seal with other modular pump units in a stacked configuration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The modular pump unit of claim 12 in which said axle includes ends thereof which mate with corresponding axle portions in said stacked configuration.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The modular pump unit of claim 12 in which said unit comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic and ceramic.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The modular pump unit of claim 12 in which said inlet port and said outlet port are disposed on the same side of said housing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
86 words
A fluid cooled electronic system comprising: an electronic component from which heat is to be removed; a cold plate in thermal contact with said electronic component, said cold plate having cooling fluid channels therein; at least one air-to-fluid heat exchanger; a fluid pump; and fluid connections forming a closed loop fluid path from said pump to said at least one heat exchanger, to said cold plate and back to said pump; wherein said fluid pump comprises a plurality of modular pump units in a sealed stack.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
86 words
A fluid cooled electronic system comprising: an electronic component from which heat is to be removed; a cold plate in thermal contact with said electronic component, said cold plate having cooling fluid channels therein; at least one air-to-fluid heat exchanger; a fluid pump; and fluid connections forming a closed loop fluid path from said pump to said at least one heat exchanger, to said cold plate and back to said pump; wherein said fluid pump comprises a plurality of modular pump units in a sealed stack.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The fluid cooled electronic system of claim 16 in which said at least one heat exchanger is disposed immediately downstream of said pump.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The fluid cooled electronic system of claim 16 in which said cold plate is disposed immediately downstream of said pump.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
The fluid cooled electronic system of claim 16 further including a cooling fluid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3170630A
Cited
US4590538A
Cited
US5144531A
Cited
US5323847A
Cited
US5406807A
Cited
US5338164A
Cited
US6439835B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-06-22 | 2007-12-22 | 2008-06-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-06-22 | 2011-12-22 | 2012-06-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-06-22 | 2015-12-22 | 2016-06-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |