Patent Publication Number: US-2023152049-A1

Title: Water supply device and tube connector structure thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to a water supply device for supplying water to a liquid cooler in an electronic device, particularly to a water supply device and a tube connector structure thereof. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Electronic devices such as laptop computers and tablets are installed with cooling structures to help heat dissipation. A related-art cooling structure includes a heat tube, fins and a fan. However, with the requirement of volume reduction of a cooling structure, the cooling ability of the heat tube, fins and fan appears to be insufficient. 
     Thus, a liquid-cooling module appears in the market. The liquid-cooling module includes a liquid-cooling tube installed in an electronic device and attached on the abovementioned cooling structure. The liquid-cooling tube is used to rapidly carry away the heat of the cooling structure to effectively enhance the cooling efficiency of the electronic device. 
     However, to maintain the compactness of an electronic device, the other components of the liquid-cooling module (such as pump, water tank and evaporator) are connected externally, and the liquid-cooling tube and the other components of the liquid-cooling module are connected by tube connectors. However, too many tube connectors connected with each other one by one may be excessively time and labor consuming in the assembling process. 
     In view of this, the inventors have devoted themselves to the above-mentioned related art, researched intensively and cooperated with the application of science to try to solve the above-mentioned problems. Finally, the invention which is reasonable and effective to overcome the above drawbacks is provided. 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosure provides a water supply device and a tube connector structure thereof, which utilize the connecting plate to drive two tube connector plugs to connect with the water inlet and the water outlet to accomplish advantages of rapid connection and disconnection between the water supply device and the tube connector structure and saving time and labor in assembling. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the disclosure provides a tube connector structure used for an electronic device having a water inlet and a water outlet. The tube connector structure includes a connecting plate and two tube connector plugs passing through and fixed to the connecting plate. One of the tube connector plugs is connected with the water inlet, and the other one of the tube connector plugs is connected with the water outlet. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the disclosure provides a water supply device used for an electronic device having a water inlet and a water outlet. The water supply device includes a water supply assembly and a tube connector structure. The water supply assembly includes a water tank, a water output tube and a water input tube. The water output tube and the water input tube communicate with the water tank. The tube connector structure includes a connecting plate and two tube connector plugs passing through and fixed to the connecting plate. One of the tube connector plugs is connected with the water inlet, and the other one of the tube connector plugs is connected with the water outlet. 
     According to the above description, the driving plate may synchronously drive two tube connector plugs to be jointly aligned and connected with the water inlet and the water outlet. 
     In comparison with the related art of two tube connector plugs are being separately connected with the water inlet and the water outlet, which is time and labor consuming, the water supply device and the tube connector structure of the disclosure further have the advantages of rapid connection and disconnection with the electronic device and saving time and labor in assembling. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective schematic view of the tube connector structure of the disclosure;  FIG.  2    is a schematic view of a using status of the tube connector structure of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective schematic view of the water supply device of the disclosure;  FIG.  4    is a schematic view of a using status of another embodiment of the tube connector structure of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective schematic view of another embodiment of the tube connector structure of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective schematic view of still another embodiment of the tube connector structure of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  7    is a cross-sectional schematic view of still another embodiment of the tube connector structure of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  8    is a schematic view of a using status of still another embodiment of the tube connector structure of the disclosure;  FIG.  9    is a schematic view of another using status of still another embodiment of the tube connector structure of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The technical contents of this disclosure will become apparent with the detailed description of embodiments accompanied with the illustration of related drawings as follows. It is intended that the embodiments and drawings disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. 
     Please refer to  FIGS.  1 - 3   . The disclosure provides a water supply device  10  and a tube connector structure  2  thereof, which are used for an electronic device  100 . There is a liquid-cooling tube (not shown in figures) in the electronic device  100 . Two ends of the liquid-cooling tube are a water inlet  101  and a water outlet  102 . The water supply device  10  includes a water supply assembly  1  and a tube connector structure  2 . The tube connector structure  2  includes a connecting plate  21  and two tube connector plugs  22 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS.  2 - 3   . The water supply assembly  1  includes a water tank  11 , a water output tube  12 , a water input tube  13 , a casing  14 , a pump  15  and an adapter  16 . The water output tube  12  and the water input tube  13  communicate with the water tank  11 . The pump  15  and the adapter  16  are received in the casing  14 . The pump  15  communicates with the water tank  11 . The adapter  16  is electrically connected with the pump  15  and an external electricity source to supply electricity to the pump  15 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1 - 3   , the tube connector structure  2  includes a connecting plate  21  and two tube connector plugs  22  passing through and fixed to the connecting plate  21 . Two ends of one of the tube connector plugs  22  are connected with the water output tube  12  and the water inlet  101 , and two ends of the other one of the tube connector plugs  22  are connected with the water input tube  13  and the water outlet  102 . The pump  15  is used for guiding the working fluid (not shown in figures) in the water tank  11  to flow sequentially via the water output tube  12 , one of the tube connector plugs  22 , the water inlet  101 , the liquid-cooling tube, the water outlet  102 , the other tube connector plug  22  and the water input tube  13  to back to the water tank  11 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  2 - 3   , which show a using status of the water supply device  10  and the tube connector structure  2  of the disclosure, the disclosure utilizes the connecting plate  21  to synchronously drive two tube connector plugs  22  to be jointly connected or disconnected with the water inlet  101  and the water outlet  102 . In comparison with the related art separately connecting two tube connector plugs with the water inlet and the water outlet, the water supply device  10  and the tube connector structure  2  of the disclosure further have the advantages of rapid connection and disconnection with the electronic device  100  and saving time and labor in assembling. Please refer to  FIGS.  4 - 5   , which show another embodiment of the water supply device  10  and the tube connector structure  2  of the disclosure. The embodiment of  FIGS.  4 - 5    is substantially the same as the embodiment of  FIGS.  1 - 3   . The embodiment of  FIGS.  4 - 5    differs from the embodiment of  FIGS.  1 - 3    by the tube connector structure  2  further including a connector  3  and a transmission wire  4 . 
     In detail, the electronic device  100  is disposed with an electricity source socket  104  and a recess  105 . The connector  3  passes through and is fixed to the connecting plate  21  and connected to the electricity source socket  104 . Two ends of the transmission wire  4  are electrically connected with the adapter  16  and the connector  3 . The connecting plate  21  includes a separator sheet  211  extended therefrom and arranged between the connector  3  and the two tube connector plugs  22 . The separator sheet  211  is adapted to be embeddable into the recess  105 . 
     Therefore, when the electronic device  100  is in a state of insufficient electricity, the adapter  16  may supply electricity to the electronic device  100  through the connector  3 , the transmission wire  4  and the electricity source socket  104 . The inside of the adapter  16  may include a computing and data processing unit. The adapter  16  may transmit data to the electronic device  100  through the connector  3 . 
     In addition, the connecting plate  21  is extended with a separator sheet  211  between the connector  3  and the two tube connector plugs  22  to make the separator sheet  211  provide a splash-proof and water-resistant function to prevent he working fluid (not shown in figures) from leaking to the connector  3  when the working fluid leaks at the two tube connector plugs  22 . 
     Further, the connecting plate  21  may synchronously drive the two tube connector plugs  22  and the connector  3  to be jointly connected or disconnected with the water inlet  101 , the water outlet  102  and the electricity source socket  104  to make the water supply device  10  and the tube connector structure  2  be rapidly connected or disconnected with the electronic device  100  and to save time and labor in assembling. 
     Please refer to  FIGS.  6 - 9   , which show still another embodiment of the tube connector structure  2  of the disclosure. The embodiment of  FIGS.  6 - 9    is substantially the same as the embodiment of  FIGS.  1 - 3   . The embodiment of  FIGS.  6 - 9    differs from the embodiment of  FIGS.  1 - 3    by the tube connector structure  2  further including more detailed features. 
     In detail, each tube connector plug  22  includes a main tube  221 , a water blocking member  222  and a first return spring  223 . Each main tube  221  passes through and is fixed to the connecting plate  21 . An inner wall of each main tube  221  is extended with an inner annular block  2211 . Each water blocking member  222  movably passes each main tube  221 . Each first return spring  223  is clamped between each main tube  221  and each water blocking member  222  and pushes each water blocking member  222  to abut against each inner annular block  2211  so as to make each main tube  221  be closed by each water blocking member  222 . 
     Please refer back to  FIG.  2   . Two ends of one of the main tubes  221  of the embodiment of  FIGS.  6 - 9    are separately connected to the water output tube  12  and the water inlet  101 , and two ends of the other one of the main tubes  221  are separately connected to the water input tube  13  and the water outlet  102 . In addition, when the water inlet  101  or the water outlet  102  is inserted into the main tube  221 , the water inlet  101  or the water outlet  102  may push the water blocking member  222  to move away from the inner annular block  2211  to make the main tube  221  open to allow the working fluid (not shown in figures) to flow into the water inlet  101  or the water outlet  102  from the main tube  221 . 
     Additionally, each water blocking member  222  includes a block body  2221  and an O-ring  2223 . Each block body  2221  movably passes each main tube  221 . An outer wall of each block body  2221  is extended with an outer annular block  2222 . Each O-ring  2223  is disposed around each block body  2221  and may be clamped between each inner annular block  2211  and each outer annular block  2222 . An end of each inner annular block  2211  adjacent to each O-ring  2223  is formed with a slant annular groove  2212 . The depth of the slant annular groove  2212  is gradually decreased toward a direction away from each O-ring  2223 . An inner wall of the slant annular groove  2212  is configured to gradually guide the O-ring  2223  to be tightly attached to the inner annular block  2211  to firmly close the main tube  221  to prevent the working fluid from leaking at the main tube  221 . 
     Furthermore, each of the water inlet  101  and the water outlet  102  is disposed with a trough  103 . Each tube connector plug  22  further includes a locking sleeve  224 , a second return spring  225  and a steel ball  226 . Each locking sleeve  224  movably sheathes each main tube  221 . An inner wall of each locking sleeve  224  is disposed with an engaging indent  2241 . An inner wall of each main tube  221  is formed with a depression  2213 . Each second return spring  225  is clamped between each main tube  221  and each locking sleeve  224  and pushes each locking sleeve  224  to a return position where each engaging indent  2241  is staggered with each depression  2213 . Each steel ball  226  may be clamped between each trough  103  and each depression  2213  or between each engaging indent  2241  and each depression  2213 . 
     Also, the tube connector structure  2  further includes a driving plate  23 . The locking sleeves  224  of the two tube connector plugs  22  pass through and are fixed to the driving plate  23  and move with the driving plate  23 . 
     Therefore, when the water inlet  101  or the water outlet  102  is inserted into the main tube  221  and reaches a status of the trough  103  being aligned with the depression  2213 , the steel ball  226  is clamped between the trough  103  and the depression  2213 , and the steel ball  226  escapes from the engaging indent  2241 . Thus, the second return spring  225  pushes the locking sleeve  224  to the return position where the engaging indent  2241  is staggered with the depression  2213 . Because the engaging indent  2241  is staggered with the depression  2213 , the steel ball  226  is not able to enter the engaging indent  2241  and being continuously clamped between the trough  103  and the depression  2213  to make the steel ball  226  lock the water inlet  101  or the water outlet  102  to further make the two main tubes  221  be firmly assembled with the water inlet  101  or the water outlet  102 . 
     After that, the driving plate  23  may synchronously drive two locking sleeves  224  to jointly move to a position where the engaging indent  2241  is aligned with the depression  2213 . The whole tube connector structure  2  may further be moved toward a direction away from the water inlet  101  or the water outlet  102 . The steel  226  escapes from the trough  103  to be clamped between the engaging indent  2241  and the depression  2213 . At the same time, the steel ball  226  does not lock the water inlet  101  or the water outlet  102 , so the two main tubes  221  may be synchronously removed and separated from the water inlet  101  or the water outlet  102 . That may accomplish the advantages of rapid and synchronous connection and disconnection between the tube connector structure  2  and the electronic device  100  and saving time and labor in assembling. While this disclosure has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure set forth in the claims.