Patent Publication Number: US-2023136128-A1

Title: Pipeline alignment structure and alignment pipeline thereof

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosure relates to a pipeline alignment structure and an alignment pipeline thereof, and in particular, to a pipeline alignment structure and an alignment pipeline thereof that can easily align a joint connection portion and reduce a risk of water leakage. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Computer devices in the market are often equipped with a water cooling system for heat dissipation inside the computer. Generally, a water cooling liquid pipeline in a computer device is a suitable circulation pipeline assembled by connecting a plurality of pipelines to each other. An end at a connection portion of the pipeline is usually designed as a male joint, and another end is a female joint. The male joint and the female joint are in surface contact and can slide along a contact surface, to align pipeline axis lines of the male joint and the female joint. An O-ring covers the outside of the contact surface of the male joint and the female joint to enhance a waterproof function. 
     However, because the male joint and the female joint are in surface contact, and moving resistance of the contact surface is relatively high, it is difficult to precisely adjust a contact position between the male joint and the female joint during assembly, and it is difficult to align the pipeline axis lines of the male joint and the female joint. In addition, when the male joint and the female joint slide along the contact surface, a gap may be formed between the contact surfaces of the male joint and the female joint. Therefore, liquid may still flow out from the gap, and a leak-proof effect that can be achieved by the O-ring is quite limited. 
     Therefore, how to provide a pipeline having a waterproof and alignment function to resolve the above problem has become a topic worthy of discussion. 
     SUMMARY 
     A main objective of the present invention is to provide an alignment pipeline that can easily align a joint connection portion and reduce a risk of water leakage. 
     In order to achieve the foregoing objective, an alignment pipeline of the present invention is arranged on an outer casing and configured to connect to a communication pipe. 
     The communication pipe has a communication pipe axis line. The alignment pipeline includes a pipe body, a connection piece, and a plurality of balls. The pipe body has a pipe body axis line, and includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first end is configured to connect to the communication pipe. The connection piece surrounds the pipe body, is arranged at the second end, and is movably connected to the outer casing. The plurality of balls is arranged on the connection piece in a rolling and dispersing manner. At least a part of the balls are in contact with the outer casing, so that the connection piece is movable relative to the outer casing along a radial direction of the pipe body axis line. In this way, when the communication pipe is inserted into the first end, the connection piece moves relative to the outer casing, to align the pipe body axis line with the communication pipe axis line. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the connection piece includes a first connection surface, the first connection surface faces the outer casing, and the part of the balls are arranged on the first connection surface and in contact with the outer casing. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, a quantity of the plurality of balls arranged on the first connection surface is at least 6. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the alignment pipeline further includes a fixing base, where the fixing base is combined with the outer casing to form an accommodation space for accommodating the plurality of balls and the connection piece. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the connection piece includes an outer edge, and a gap is formed between the outer edge and the fixing base. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the connection piece includes a second connection surface, the second connection surface faces the fixing base, and the part of the balls are arranged on the second connection surface and in contact with the fixing base. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, a quantity of the plurality of balls arranged on the second connection surface is at least 6. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the pipe body further includes a protruding structure arranged at the first end. The communication pipe further includes a limiting structure. When the communication pipe is inserted into the first end, the limiting structure limits movement of the protruding structure to achieve limiting. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the alignment pipeline further includes a threaded portion, the threaded portion is arranged at the second end, and the connection piece is located between the threaded portion and the protruding structure. 
     Another main objective of the present invention is to provide a pipeline alignment structure that can easily align a joint connection portion and reduce a risk of water leakage. 
     To achieve the foregoing objective, a pipeline alignment structure of the present invention includes a communication pipe and the alignment pipeline described above. The communication pipe has a communication pipe axis line. A first end of the alignment pipeline is connected to the communication pipe, and a second end of the alignment pipeline is connected to an outer casing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of a pipeline alignment structure of an alignment pipeline and a communication pipeline that are uncombined according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of an alignment pipeline before a fixing base is mounted according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram of an alignment pipeline according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional view of an alignment pipeline according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic diagram of a pipeline alignment structure of an alignment pipeline and a communication pipeline that are combined according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     To understand the technical content of the present invention better, descriptions of specific preferred embodiment are provided below particularly. 
     For a pipeline alignment structure and an alignment pipeline according to an embodiment of the present invention, refer to  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  5    together below.  FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of a pipeline alignment structure of an alignment pipeline and a communication pipeline that are uncombined according to an embodiment of the present invention;  FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of an alignment pipeline before a fixing base is mounted according to an embodiment of the present invention;  FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram of an alignment pipeline according to an embodiment of the present invention;  FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional view of an alignment pipeline according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  FIG.  5    is a schematic diagram of a pipeline alignment structure of an alignment pipeline and a communication pipeline that are combined according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  3   , in an embodiment of the present invention, a pipeline alignment structure  900  is, for example, a liquid pipeline of a water cooling system mounted inside a computer, and the pipeline alignment structure  900  can easily align a joint connection portion of the pipeline and reduce a risk of water leakage. The computer includes an outer casing  800 . The pipeline alignment structure  900  is arranged in the outer casing  800  of the computer. The pipeline alignment structure  900  includes a communication pipe  910  and an alignment pipeline  1 . The communication pipe  910  is configured to allow liquid flow inside, and the communication pipe  910  includes a communication pipe axis line  911  and a limiting structure  912 . The communication pipe axis line  911  is an axis line extending along a center of the communication pipe  910 . The limiting structure  912  is a protruding region inside the communication pipe  910 , and is configured to stop the alignment pipeline  1 . 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the alignment pipeline  1  includes a pipe body  10 , a connection piece  20 , a plurality of balls  30 , a fixing base  40 , and a threaded portion  60 . The pipe body  10  is configured to communicate with the communication pipe  910  and allow liquid to flow inside. The pipe body  10  includes a pipe body axis line  11 , a first end  12 , a second end  13  opposite the first end  12 , and a protruding structure  14 . The pipe body axis line  11  is an axis line extending along a center of the pipe body  10 , and the communication pipe axis line  911  is parallel to the pipe body axis line  11 . When the communication pipe axis line  911  and the pipe body axis line  11  are aligned with each other, the alignment pipeline  1  and a communication pipeline  910  are completely aligned. The first end  12  and the second end  13  are two opposite ends of the pipe body  10 . The first end  12  is configured to connect to the communication pipe  910 . The protruding structure  14  is a protruding region outside the pipe body  10  and is arranged at the first end  12 . A shape of the protruding structure  14  corresponds to the limiting structure  912 . When the pipe body  10  is inserted into the communication pipe  910 , the protruding region of the limiting structure  912  stops and limits movement of the protruding region of the protruding structure  14  to achieve limiting. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , and  FIG.  3    to  FIG.  5   , the connection piece  20  is arranged at the second end  13  and movably connected to the outer casing  800 . In this embodiment, the connection piece  20  is an annular structure and surrounds the pipe body  10 . The connection piece  20  includes a first connection surface  21 , an outer edge  22 , and a second connection surface  23 . The first connection surface  21  faces the outer casing  800 , the second connection surface  23  faces the fixing base  40 , and two opposite sides of the outer edge  22  are respectively connected to the first connection surface  21  and the second connection surface  23 . 
     The plurality of balls  30  is arranged on the first connection surface  21  and the second connection surface  23  of the connection piece  20  in a rolling and dispersing manner. The balls  30  arranged on the first connection surface  21  are in contact with the outer casing  800 , and the balls  30  arranged on the second connection surface  23  are in contact with the fixing base  40 . Through the design of the balls  30 , the connection piece  20  is movable along a radial direction of the pipe body axis line  11  relative to the outer casing  800  and the fixing base  40 , so that the alignment pipeline  1  can move up and down relative to the communication pipeline  910 . In this embodiment, eight balls  30  are respectively exposed on the first connection surface  21  and the second connection surface  23  to come into contact with the outer casing  800  or the fixing base  40 . However, a quantity of the balls  30  is not limited to this. According to the inventor&#39;s actual experiment, at least six balls  30  are respectively exposed on the first connection surface  21  and the second connection surface  23 , so that the connection piece  20  can smoothly move in a vertical direction relative to the outer casing  800  and the fixing base  40 . 
     In this embodiment, the fixing base  40  is an annular casing, and the fixing base  40  and the outer casing  800  are combined to form an accommodation space  41 , so that the surrounding connection piece  20  and the plurality of balls  30  are arranged in the accommodation space  41  in a rolling manner. A gap  50  is formed between the fixing base  40  and the outer edge  22  of the connection piece  20 , thereby providing a sufficient moving space for the connection piece  20  to move relative to the outer casing  800  and the fixing base  40 , so that the alignment pipeline  1  can move up and down relative to the communication pipeline  910 . According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, a threaded portion  60  is arranged at the second end  13 , the connection piece  20  is located between the threaded portion  60  and the protruding structure  14 , and the threaded portion  60  is used for combining the alignment pipeline  1  and other pipelines or casings. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  5   , when a worker assembles the alignment pipeline  1  and the communication pipeline  910 , the worker can insert the communication pipe  910  into the pipe body  10 , and move the pipe body  10  to the limiting structure  912  to stop and limit the protruding structure  14 , so that horizontal limiting can be achieved. Then, the worker can apply a force to the pipe body  10  along a longitudinal direction, so that the plurality of balls  30  rolls along wall surfaces of the outer casing  800  and the fixing base  40 , causing the connection piece  20  to move relative to the outer casing  800 . Through rolling of the plurality of balls  30  on the outer casing  800  and the fixing base  40 , a friction force of the contact surface can be reduced. In addition, through the moving space provided by the gap  50 , the alignment pipeline  1  can be easily moved up and down to align the communication pipe axis line  911  with the pipe body axis line  11 , thereby aligning the communication pipeline  910  and the alignment pipeline  1  with each other. In addition, because the communication pipe axis line  911  and the pipe body axis line  11  do not move along a contact surface between the communication pipeline  910  and the alignment pipeline  1 , liquid in the pipeline does not flow out along the contact surface, and a good leak-proof effect can be achieved. 
     According to the design of the pipeline alignment structure and the alignment pipeline of the present invention, through features including rolling of the plurality of balls and the moving space provided by the gap between the connection piece  20  and the fixing base  40 , the friction force of the contact surface can be reduced, and a joint connection portion between the communication pipeline and the alignment pipeline can be easily aligned. The liquid in the pipeline does not flow out along the contact surface, thereby achieving the good leak-proof effect. In addition, there is no need to mount an additional O-ring outside the pipeline, which can save material and assembly costs, and resolve the problem existing in the prior art. 
     It should be noted that, the foregoing is merely embodiments, but is not intended to be limited in the embodiments. For example, basic architectures without departing from the present invention shall fall within the protection scope claimed by the patent, and should be subject to the scope of the claims.