Compact two sided cold plate with floating transfer tubes

Abstract

A structural cold plate assembly includes cold plates mounted to opposing sides of a panel and in fluid communication through fluid passages that extend through the panel.

1 . A cold plate assembly comprising:
 a support structure including first and second opposing sides;   a first cold plate disposed on the first side of the support structure;   a second cold plate disposed on a second side of the support structure; and   a bore defined within the first cold plate and the second cold plate; and   a transfer tube movable within the bore and extending through the support structure for communicating fluid between the first cold plate and the second cold plate.   
     
     
         2 . The cold plate assembly as recited in  claim 1 , including first and second flanges disposed on opposing ends of the transfer tube. 
     
     
         3 . The cold plate assembly as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the transfer tube includes a central bore extending between the first and second flanges. 
     
     
         4 . The cold plate assembly as recited in  claim 1 , including first and second biasing members at opposite ends of the transfer tube for holding the transfer tube in a desired position within the bore. 
     
     
         5 . The cold plate assembly as recited in  claim 2 , including a first seal between the first flange and the bore and a second seal between the second flange and the bore. 
     
     
         6 . The cold plate assembly as recited in  claim 5 , wherein each of the first flange and the second flange includes an annular channel defined between a first outer diameter at an end of the transfer tube and a second outer diameter spaced apart from the end of the transfer tube, the second outer diameter is greater than the first outer diameter. 
     
     
         7 . The cold plate assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the bore extends partially through each of the first and second cold plates. 
     
     
         8 . The cold plate assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second cold plates comprises passages for a cooling medium. 
     
     
         9 . The cold plate assembly as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the transfer tube communicates cooling medium through the support structure between the passages in the first cold plate and the passages in the second cold plate. 
     
     
         10 . The cold plate assembly as recited in  claim 1 , including a shim defining a portion of the bore through the support structure. 
     
     
         11 . A support structure comprising:
 a panel including a first side and a second side;   a first cold plate supported on the first side of the panel;   a second cold plate supported on the second side of the panel; and   a bore defined within the first cold plate and the second cold plate; and   a transfer tube movable within the bore and extending through the support structure for communicating fluid between the first cold plate and the second cold plate.   
     
     
         12 . The support structure as recited in  claim 11 , including first and second flanges disposed on opposing ends of the transfer tube. 
     
     
         13 . The support structure as recited in  claim 12 , wherein in the transfer tube includes a central bore extending between the first and second flanges. 
     
     
         14 . The support structure as recited in  claim 11 , including first and second biasing members at opposite ends of the transfer tube for holding the transfer tube in a desired position within the bore. 
     
     
         15 . The support structure as recited in  claim 12 , wherein a first passage is defined within the first cold plate and a second passage is defined within the second cold plate. 
     
     
         16 . The support structure as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the transfer tube communicates cooling medium through the support structure between the passages in the first cold plate and in the second cold plate. 
     
     
         17 . A method of assembling a structural support for a heat generating device, the method comprising:
 assembling a panel including a first side and a second side;   mounting a first cold plate to the first side of the panel;   mounting a second cold plate to the second side of the panel;   inserting a transfer tube within a bore defined within the panel, first cold plate and the second cold plate to create a passage for a cooling medium through the panel between the first cold plate and the second cold plate; and   suspending the transfer tube in a desired position within the bore between first and second biasing members.   
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , including the step of sealing each end of the transfer tube to a portion of the bore corresponding to the first and second cold plates. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , including the step of defining a first diameter of the transfer tube at opposing ends and a second diameter spaced apart from the opposing end such that the second diameter is greater than the first diameter.