Patent ID: 6250897
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: F01D,F04D,F05D,F16C,Y10S

Abstract:
A turbocharger for internal combustion engines comprising:a turbine housing;a compressor housing having a compressor backplate attached thereto;a shaft housing interposed between the turbine and compressor housing;a shaft extending through the shaft housing and comprising a turbine at one end extending into the turbine housing, and a compressor at an opposite shaft end extending into the compressor housing;a bearing assembly disposed within a cavity extending through the shaft housing comprising:an annular rotating journal bearing positioned concentrically around the shaft adjacent the turbine;an annular rotating squeeze film damper positioned concentrically around the shaft and adjacent an axial end of the rotating journal bearing, the damper including a radially outwardly projecting flange at an axial end opposite the rotating journal bearing;an annular combination outer bearing element race/thrust bearing disposed concentrically around the shaft and fixedly interposed axially between the damper flange and compressor backplate, the damper flange being contained within a circumferential notch in axial surface of the combination outer bearing element race/thrust bearing, the notch forming a thrust bearing surface for the damper flange; anda plurality of ball bearing elements interposed radially between the shaft and the combination outer bearing element race/thrust bearing, the combination outer bearing element race/thrust bearing having a center bore with a shoulder shaped to engage an outside surface of the bearing elements thereagainst, the shaft having a first section with a diameter sized to be received through the center bore of the combination outer bearing element race/thrust bearing and a second section with a shoulder shaped to engage an inside surface of the bearing elements thereagainst,the shoulder on the combination outer bearing element race/thrust bearing engaging the the plurality of bearing elements as an outer race and a reaction surface for thrust loads imposed by the shoulder of the shaft on the bearing elements and the notch providing a reaction surface for thrust loads imposed by the damper to control shaft and damper axial displacement within the shaft housing.