Technology disclosed herein relates to a data processing rack unit.
Known data processing rack units include a rack with plural columns, and with data processing devices that are mounted by insertion into the rack from a front face side of the rack. Such data processing rack units include a data processing rack unit in which a water pipe, through which cooling water flows, is formed at a column positioned at a back face side out of the plural columns of the rack. Cooling water supplied through the water pipe cools an internal portion of the data processing device.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-374086
According to an aspect of the embodiments, a data processing rack unit includes: a rack including plural columns; a data processing device that is mounted by insertion into the rack from one side in a horizontal direction; a cable leading out from the data processing device to an opposite side from the one side; a coupling member that is connected to a water pipe that is formed at a column positioned on the one side out of the plurality of columns and through which cooling water flows, and that extends toward the one side; a cooling water pipe that is provided at the data processing device and cools an internal portion of the data processing device; and a coupled-to member that is provided at a location on the one side of the data processing device, that is connected to the cooling water pipe, that extends toward the opposite side from the one side, and that is coupled to the coupling member accompanying insertion of the data processing device into the rack.
The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention.
Explanation follows regarding an exemplary embodiment of technology disclosed herein.
As illustrated in
The rack 12 includes plural columns 16A to 16D, a top panel 18, and a bottom frame 20. The plural columns 16A to 16D are disposed at positions corresponding to four corner portions of the data processing devices 14, 15. The top panel 18 is formed in a rectangular shape in plan view, and has a larger external profile than the data processing devices 14, 15.
The rack 12 is provided with plural outer columns 22A to 22D at the outside of the plural columns 16A to 16D (see also
The plural data processing devices 14 illustrated in
Note that, as described later, the plural data processing devices 14 are water-cooled, and the plural data processing devices 15 are air-cooled.
As illustrated in
The rack 12 and the data processing devices 14 are formed with substantially left-right symmetry as viewed from the front. Accordingly, in the present exemplary embodiment, explanation is chiefly given regarding configuration of the right hand side half, with explanation regarding configuration of the left hand side half omitted.
As illustrated in
A location on the rack 12 front face side of each of the data processing devices 14 is formed with a flange 34 that projects out sideways of the data processing device 14 (the arrow OUT side), and faces the bent portion 30. An attachment screw 36 is provided passing through the flange 34. A cage nut 38 is attached to a given mounting hole 32 out of the plural mounting holes 32, and the flange 34 is fixed to the bent portion 30 by screwing the attachment screw 36 into the cage nut 38. The placement of each of the data processing devices 14 in the height direction of the rack 12 is adjusted by selectively attaching the cage nuts 38 to given mounting holes 32 out of the plural mounting holes 32.
As illustrated in
Each of the data processing devices 14 is provided with cooling water pipes 50 for cooling the inside of the data processing device 14. The cooling water pipes 50 are preferably made from copper, which has high thermal conductivity, however they may also be made from resin. Each cooling water pipe 50 is formed with a U-shaped portion 52 that is bent around into a U-shape.
The U-shaped portion 52 is disposed further to the front face side of the rack 12 than the data processing device 14 (flange 34), and is exposed to the outside of the data processing device 14. One end of the U-shaped portion 52 is connected to a cooling portion 54 of the cooling water pipe 50, housed inside the data processing device 14. The other end of the U-shaped portion 52 is connected to a coupled-to member 56. The U-shaped portion 52, the flange 34, and a front face 14A of the data processing device 14 are covered by a front cover 57 (see
The coupled-to member 56 is provided at the flange 34 as an example of a location on the rack 12 front face side of the data processing device 14. The coupled-to member 56 extends toward the opposite side to the rack 12 front face side, and is coupled to the coupling member 40 accompanying insertion of the data processing device 14 into the rack 12. More specifically, the coupled-to member 56 is coupled to the coupling member 40 in an inserted state inside the coupling member 40. The coupled-to member 56 and the cooling water pipe 50 are formed with a flow path, not illustrated in the drawings, that is in communication with the water path 46 through the through path 42 described above.
A ring shaped fixing member 58 (sleeve) is mounted to a leading end outer peripheral portion of the coupling member 40. The fixing member 58 is disposed between the water pipe 26 and the bent portion 30, and is capable of movement along the axial direction of the coupling member 40. The fixing member 58 is biased toward the rack 12 front face side by a resilient member such as a spring, not illustrated in the drawings. A ridge shaped engagement portion 60 is formed around the circumferential direction of an outer peripheral portion of the coupled-to member 56.
As illustrated in
The fixing member 58 is further provided with an ejector 62 that extends toward the front face side of the rack 12. As illustrated in
Moreover, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The pair of connection pipes 68A, 68B extend out toward the back face side (arrow RR side) of the rack 12 and are connected through members including the connection hoses 74A, 74B to a cooling water supply device 72 (see
When cooling water is conveyed from the cooling water supply device 72 illustrated in
The cooling water that has passed through the inside of the data processing device 14 is returned to the cooling water supply device 72 through the coupled-to member 56 and coupling member 40 connected to the other cooling water pipe 50, the water pipe 26 of the other column 16B, and the other connection pipe 68B. The above operation is performed non-stop, cooling the heat generating member 78 continuously.
Explanation follows regarding operation and advantageous effects of the present exemplary embodiment.
As described in detail above, the rack 12 includes the water pipes 26 through which cooling water flows, as illustrated in
Moreover, as illustrated in
The location on the rack 12 front face side of the data processing device 14 is formed with the respective flanges 34 that project out sideways of the data processing device 14 and are fixed to the columns 16A, 16B. The coupled-to members 56 are provided at the flanges 34. A member to support the coupled-to members 56 is thereby rendered unnecessary, enabling the structure to be simplified.
The flanges 34 face the bent portions 30 and are fixed to the bent portions 30. The flanges 34 can accordingly be easily fixed to the bent portions 30.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Specifically, the guide holes 64 and the guide pins 66 are respectively provided at both the upper side and lower side of the coupling member 40 and the coupled-to member 56. This enables more precise positioning of the coupling members 40 and the coupled-to members 56, thereby enabling coupling of the coupling members 40 and the coupled-to members 56 to be made even easier.
The coupling member 40 is provided with the fixing member 58 that fixes and releases the fixing between the coupling member 40 and the coupled-to member 56. The ejector 62 extends from the fixing member 58 toward the front face side of the rack 12. Pushing the ejector 62 in toward the opposite side to the front face side of the rack 12 moves the fixing member 58 and releases the engagement between the fixing member 58 and the engagement portion 60. Since a pulling out direction of the coupled-to member 56 from the coupling member 40 (the arrow FR direction) is set as the opposite direction to the pushing in direction of the ejector 62, good ease of operation can be achieved when pulling the coupled-to member 56 out after pushing the ejector 62 in.
Moreover, the ejector 62 is disposed alongside the coupling member 40 in the lateral width direction of the rack 12. Good ease of operation can accordingly be achieved for the ejector 62 when pulling the coupled-to member 56 out from the coupling member 40 (when pulling the flange 34 away from the bent portion 30).
The fixing member 58 is disposed between the water pipe 26 and the bent portion 30. Since the fixing member 58 can be protected by the water pipe 26 and the bent portion 30, unintentional movement of the fixing member 58 to a fixing release position (a position toward the opposite side to the front face side of the rack 12) can be suppressed. The ejector 62 moreover passes through the bent portion 30, and projects out further toward the front face side of the rack 12 than the bent portion 30. Good ease of operation can accordingly be secured for the ejector 62.
As illustrated in
The columns 16A, 16B are respectively formed with the extension portion 28 that extends toward the front face side of the rack 12, and the bent portion 30 that is bent round from the leading end portion of the extension portion 28, as well as the water pipe 26. The rigidity of the respective columns 16A, 16B can accordingly be further increased, since the extension portion 28 and the bent portion 30 form an L-shape in plan view.
The connection pipes 68A, 68B that are connected to the cooling water supply device 72 (see
The connection pipes 68A, 68B are disposed below the bottommost of the plural data processing devices 14, namely in a dead space of the rack 12. The dead space of the rack 12 can accordingly be effectively used, enabling a reduction in size of the rack 12 (in particular, the height of the rack 12 can be suppressed).
The overall columns 16A, 16B are formed by extrusion molding, enabling a reduction in manufacturing costs of the columns 16A, 16B.
Explanation follows regarding modified examples of the present exemplary embodiment.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the data processing devices 14 are mounted by insertion into the rack 12 from the front face side of the rack 12, however the data processing devices 14 may be mounted by insertion into the rack 12 from another side, as an example of one side in the horizontal direction.
The guide holes 64 and the guide pins 66 are employed as an example of a guide portion and a guided portion, however other structures may also be employed.
The columns 16A, 16B include the extension portion 28 and the bent portion 30 as well as the water pipe 26, however the columns 16A, 16B may be formed with another cross-section profile.
As illustrated in
One aspect of technology disclosed herein has been described above, however the technology disclosed in the present application is not limited to the above, and it goes without saying that various modifications may be implemented within a range not departing from the spirit of the technology disclosed herein.
The technology disclosed herein enables a reduction in the size of a rack, and enables improved user-friendliness in a data processing rack unit.
All cited documents, patent applications and technical standards mentioned in the present specification are incorporated by reference in the present specification to the same extent as if the individual cited documents, patent applications and technical standards were specifically and individually incorporated by reference in the present specification.
All examples and conditional language provided herein are intended for the pedagogical purposes of aiding the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to further the art, and are not to be construed as limitations to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although one or more embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT/JP/2012/064119, filed May 31, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2012/064119 | May 2012 | US |
Child | 14551357 | US |