Patent ID: 8226296

Claim:
An assembly comprising: a turbocharger center housing that comprises a bore having a diameter; a turbocharger bearing wherein the turbocharger bearing comprises an inner journal, a lubricant opening for flow of lubricant to the inner journal and an annular groove having a diameter, the annular groove disposed between the lubricant opening and an end of the bearing; and a substantially planar spring, seated at least partially in the annular groove for positioning the turbocharger bearing in the bore of the housing, wherein the spring comprises a first curved end and a second curved end to provide an outward radial bias at outer contact points between each of the curved ends and the housing, a free standing inner diameter and a free standing outer diameter, a plurality of straight sections tangent to the free standing inner diameter and disposed between the first curved end and the second curved end to provide an inward radial bias at one or more respective inner contact points between each of the plurality of straight sections and the bearing, and a first curved section and a second curved section, each curved section disposed between two of the plurality of straight sections to provide an outward radial bias at outer contact points between each of the curved sections and the housing wherein the spring balances the inward radial bias with the outward radial bias to reduce contact between the bearing and the housing and variation in a lubricant squeeze film thickness, wherein the spring hinders axial flow of lubricant to the end of the bearing, and wherein the diameter of the annular groove of the bearing exceeds the free standing inner diameter of the spring and wherein the free standing outer diameter of the spring exceeds the diameter of the bore of the housing.