Patent ID: 7559199

Claim:
A turbocharger having a variable-nozzle turbine, comprising: a turbine assembly comprising a turbine housing and a turbine wheel mounted in the turbine housing and connected to a rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, the turbine housing defining a chamber surrounding the turbine wheel for receiving exhaust gas from an engine and for supplying the exhaust gas to the turbine wheel, the turbine assembly defining a nozzle leading from the chamber generally radially inwardly to the turbine wheel, the turbine housing further defining an axially extending bore through which exhaust gas is discharged after passing through the turbine wheel; a compressor assembly comprising a compressor housing and a compressor wheel mounted in the compressor housing and connected to the rotatable shaft for rotation therewith; a center housing connected between the compressor housing and the turbine housing; and a cartridge connected between the center housing and the turbine housing, the cartridge comprising an assembly of: a generally annular nozzle ring and an array of vanes circumferentially spaced about the nozzle ring and disposed in the nozzle such that exhaust gas flows between the vanes to the turbine wheel, each vane being rotatably mounted to the nozzle ring and connected to a rotatable actuator ring such that rotation of the actuator ring rotates the vanes for regulating exhaust gas flow to the turbine wheel, wherein the nozzle ring includes a radially outer surface facing a radially inner surface of the turbine housing, and wherein a radial gap is defined between the radially outer surface of the nozzle ring and the radially inner surface of the turbine housing, the radial gap allowing radial displacement of the radially outer surface of the nozzle ring relative to the turbine housing; an insert having a tubular portion sealingly received into the bore of the turbine housing and having a nozzle portion extending generally radially out from one end of the tubular portion, the nozzle portion being axially spaced from the nozzle ring such that the vanes extend between the nozzle ring and the nozzle portion; and a plurality of spacers connected between the nozzle portion of the insert and the nozzle ring for securing the nozzle ring to the insert and maintaining an axial spacing between the nozzle portion of the insert and the nozzle ring; wherein the turbine housing includes a surface directly contacting a surface of the nozzle ring that faces axially toward the insert for axially locating the nozzle ring relative to the turbine housing, and the nozzle ring is structured and arranged relative to the center housing such that radial locating of the nozzle ring is performed by the center housing.