Cold plate placement and retraction apparatus with predefined travel pathway

1 . An apparatus comprising:

a moveable arm assembly comprising a first linkage arm, a second linkage arm, and a third linkage arm, wherein the first linkage arm and the second linkage arm are pivotally connected by by-a first pivot pin and the second linkage arm and the third linkage arm are pivotally connected by a second pivot pin, the moveable arm assembly has a first end and a second end, and the first end is adapted to allow for removable attachment of a cold plate from a cooling assembly in a computer server; and

a coupling that reversibly connects the second end of the moveable arm assembly to a location on the cooling assembly, wherein the coupling is adapted to allow the moveable arm assembly to be held in place at the location on the cooling assembly,

wherein the moveable arm assembly is adapted to move along a predefined travel pathway and adapted to be reversibly converted between at least:

a lowered configuration in which the moveable arm assembly is in an arrangement adapted to allow the first end of the moveable arm assembly to attach to the cold plate; and

a service configuration in which the moveable arm assembly is raised from the lowered configuration along the predefined travel pathway to an elongated arrangement adapted to allow the cold plate to extend away from the cooling assembly to allow for service actions on the cold plate.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein while the moveable arm assembly is in the service configuration, the cold plate can be detached from the apparatus and replaced with a replacement cold plate.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a locking assembly adapted to lock the moveable arm assembly and prevent the first linkage arm, the second linkage arm and the third linkage arm from moving while the apparatus is in the service configuration.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a counterbalance spring connected between at least two of the first linkage arm, the second linkage arm and the third linkage arm and adapted to dampen movement of the moveable arm assembly along the predefined travel pathway.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a linear bearing connected between at least two of the first linkage arm, the second linkage arm and the third linkage arm and adapted to dampen movement of the moveable arm assembly along the predefined travel pathway.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a light source attached to the apparatus.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first linkage arm, the second linkage arm and the third linkage arm includes a plurality of height adjustment openings adapted to allow the moveable arm assembly to be attached in order to provide for different heights of the apparatus.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to allow detachment of the coupling from the location on the cooling assembly and attachment of the coupling to a second location on the cooling assembly.

9 . A method of using a cold plate placement and retraction apparatus, the method comprising:

providing the cold plate placement and retraction apparatus including

a moveable arm assembly comprising a first linkage arm, a second linkage arm, and a third linkage arm, wherein the first linkage arm and the second linkage arm are pivotally connected by-a first pivot pin and the second linkage arm and the third linkage arm are pivotally connected by a second pivot pin, the moveable arm assembly has a first end and a second end, and the first end is adapted to allow for removable attachment of a cold plate from a cooling assembly in a computer server; and

a coupling that reversibly connects the second end of the moveable arm assembly to a location on the cooling assembly, wherein the coupling is adapted to allow the moveable arm assembly to be held in place at the location on the cooling assembly, wherein the moveable arm assembly is adapted to move along a predefined travel pathway and adapted to be reversibly converted between at least:

a lowered configuration in which the moveable arm assembly is in an arrangement adapted to allow the first end of the moveable arm assembly to attach to the cold plate; and

a service configuration in which the moveable arm assembly is raised from the lowered configuration along the predefined travel pathway to an elongated arrangement adapted to allow the cold plate to extend away from the cooling assembly to allow for service actions on the cold plate;

coupling the cold plate placement and retraction apparatus to the location on the cooling assembly;

attaching the first end of the moveable arm assembly to the cold plate while the moveable arm assembly is in the lowered configuration;

raising the moveable arm assembly from the lowered configuration to the service configuration; and

replacing the cold plate with a replacement cold plate.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein after the replacing step, the method further comprising:

lowering the moveable arm assembly for the service configuration to the lowered configuration;

detaching the replacement cold plate from the cold plate placement and retraction apparatus; and

placing the replacement cold plate in the cooling assembly.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein after the placing step, the method further comprising:

de-coupling the cold plate placement and retraction apparatus from the location on the cooling assembly; and

coupling the cold plate placement and retraction apparatus to a second location on the cooling assembly.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the cold plate placement and retraction apparatus further includes a locking assembly adapted to prevent the moveable arm assembly from moving while the cold plate placement and retraction apparatus is in the service configuration, the method further comprising:

locking the moveable arm assembly using the locking assembly in the service configuration.