Locking mechanism for liquid cooled pluggable modules

1 . An information processing device, comprising:

a chassis;

a group of bays coupled to the chassis, each of the bays configured to removably receive a pluggable module;

a liquid cooling system comprising a group of cold plates disposed in the bays, respectively, wherein the cold plates are movable between (i) an engaged state in which the cold plates are positioned to thermally contact pluggable modules received in the bays, respectively, and (ii) a disengaged state in which the cold plates are positioned to disengage from the pluggable modules; and

a module locking mechanism configured to:

prevent insertion and removal of the pluggable modules into or out of the bays if the cold plates are in the engaged state by physically blocking the bays; and

allow insertion and removal of the pluggable modules into or out of the bays if the cold plates are in the disengaged state,

wherein the module locking mechanism comprises a blocking unit configured to, when the cold plates are in the engaged state, physically block the bays by covering a front portion of the bays.

2 . The information processing device of claim 1 ,

wherein the module locking mechanism is moveable between a locked state and an unlocked state, in the locked state the locking mechanism prevents insertion and removal of the pluggable modules, and in the unlocked state the locking mechanism allows insertion and removal of the pluggable modules; and

wherein the module locking mechanism is configured to:

automatically transition from the unlocked state to the locked state in response to the cold plates being moved to the engaged state; and

automatically transition from the locked state to the unlocked state in response to the cold plates being moved to the disengaged state.

3 . The information processing device of claim 2 , comprising:

a cold plate engagement mechanism configured to move the cold plates between the engaged state and the disengage state; and

wherein the module locking mechanism is mechanically coupled to the cold plate engagement mechanism such that motion of the cold plate engagement mechanism drives motion of the module locking mechanism.

4 . The information processing device of claim 3 ,

wherein the cold plate engagement mechanism comprises a manually actuatable lever.

5 . The information processing device of claim 4 ,

wherein the module locking mechanism comprises a cam coupled to the lever, and a follower coupled to the blocking unit and engaged with the cam such that, actuation of the lever drives motion of the blocking unit via interaction between the cam and the follower.

6 . The information processing device of claim 4 , comprising:

a cold plate force transfer mechanism engaged with the cold plate engagement mechanism and movable in response to actuation of the cold plate engagement mechanism,

wherein the cold plate force transfer mechanism is configured to convert motion of the cold plate force transfer mechanism into motion of the cold plates.

7 . The information processing device of claim 1 ,

wherein the module locking mechanism is configured to, while physically blocking the bays, physically block ejection mechanisms of pluggable modules installed in the bays.

8 . The information processing device of claim 1 ,

wherein the blocking unit is configured to be moved between a locked state in which the blocking unit blocks the bays to prevent insertion and removal of pluggable modules in the bays, and an unlocked state in which the blocking unit does not block the bays.

9 . The information processing device of claim 8 ,

wherein the group of bays comprise a plurality of columns of bays and the blocking unit comprises a plurality of vertical blockers configured to respectively block the plurality of columns in the locked state.

10 . The information processing device of claim 8 , wherein the group of bays is arranged at a front panel of the chassis, and wherein the blocking unit is movably connected to the front panel such that the blocking unit is movable relative to the bays.

11 . The information processing device of claim 1 , comprising:

a cold plate engagement mechanism actuatable to move the cold plates between the engaged state and the disengage state; and

wherein the module locking mechanism is mechanically coupled to the cold plate engagement mechanism such that actuation of the cold plate engagement mechanism causes the module locking mechanism to change between preventing insertion and removal and allowing insertion and removal.

12 . The information processing device of claim 11 ,

wherein the blocking unit is configured to be moved between a locked state in which the blocking unit blocks the bays to prevent insertion and removal of pluggable modules in the bays, and an unlocked state in which the blocking unit does not block the bays, and

wherein the blocking unit is mechanically coupled to the cold plate engagement mechanism such that actuation of the cold plate engagement mechanism causes the blocking unit to move between the locked state and the unlocked state.

13 . The information processing device of claim 11 ,

wherein cold plate engagement mechanism is configured to be manually actuated.

14 . An information processing device, comprising:

a chassis;

a group of bays coupled to the chassis, each of the bays configured to removably receive a pluggable module;

a liquid cooling system comprising a group of cold plates disposed in the bays, respectively, wherein the cold plates are movable between (i) an engaged state in which the cold plates are positioned to thermally contact with pluggable modules received in the bays, respectively, and (ii) a disengaged state in which the cold plates are positioned to disengage from the pluggable modules;

a cold plate engagement lever configured to be manually actuatable to drive the cold plates to move between the engaged state and the disengaged state; and

a module locking mechanism mechanically coupled to the cold plate engagement lever such that actuation of the cold plate engagement lever drives the module locking mechanism to change between:

a locked state in which the module locking mechanism prevents insertion and removal of the pluggable modules into or out of the bays by physically blocking the bays; and

an unlocked state in which the module locking mechanism allows insertion and removal of the pluggable modules into or out of the bays,

wherein the module locking mechanism comprises a blocking unit configured to, in the locked state, physically block the bays by covering a front portion of each of the bays.

15 . The information processing device of claim 14 ,

wherein the module locking mechanism is configured to be in the unlocked state if the cold plates are in the disengaged state and to be in the locked state if the cold plates are in the engaged state.

16 . The information processing device of claim 14 ,

wherein in response to actuation of the cold plate engagement lever in a first direction, the cold plates are moved by the cold plate engagement lever to the disengaged state and the module locking mechanism is moved by the cold plate engagement lever to the unlocked state, and

wherein in response to actuation of the cold plate engagement lever in a second direction, the cold plates are moved by the cold plate engagement lever to the engaged state and the module locking mechanism is moved by the cold plate engagement lever to the locked state.

17 . The information processing device of claim 14 ,

wherein the blocking unit is configured to, in the unlocked state, avoid blocking the bays; and

wherein the module locking mechanism comprises a cam connected to the cold plate engagement lever and a follower connected to the blocking unit and engaged with the cam such that actuation of the cold plate engagement lever drives motion of the blocking unit.