Patent ID: 8616837

Claim:
A turbocharger comprising: a turbine housing ( 100 ); a vane ring assembly, comprising a lower vane ring ( 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ), an upper vane ring ( 30 , 31 ), one or more guide vanes ( 80 ) pivotably mounted at least partially between said lower vane ring and said upper vane ring, and at least one spacer ( 50 ) positioned between said lower vane ring and said upper vane ring for maintaining a distance between said lower vane ring and said upper vane ring; one or more fasteners ( 190 ) directly fastening said lower vane ring ( 20 ) to said turbine housing ( 100 ) but not to said upper vane ring ( 30 ), the one or more fasteners extending in a substantially axial direction of the vane ring assembly, and one or more fastener assemblies ( 191 , 43 ) attaching said lower vane ring ( 20 ) to said upper vane ring ( 30 ) but not to said turbine housing ( 100 ).