Turbocharger bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10954996-B2
Application number	US-201916455061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2019
Priority date	Jun 27, 2019
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A fluid bearing for operably connecting a shaft to a center housing of a turbocharger is provided. The fluid bearing includes a single-piece bearing sleeve defining a bore between first and second ends that each form a thrust face. The sleeve includes first and second bearing portions proximal to an associated one of the first and second ends, and a shank connecting the first and second bearing portions. Each of the first and second bearing portions includes an outer bearing surface defining a maximum outer diameter, and each of the first and second bearing portions includes an inner bearing surface defining a minimum inner diameter for radially supporting the shaft in the bore. The inner bearing surface is a continuous surface free of grooves. The sleeve has a wall thickness defining oil passages spaced from the inner bearing surface and configured to supply oil to the thrust face.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid bearing for operably connecting a shaft to a center housing of a turbocharger, the fluid bearing comprising:
a single-piece bearing sleeve defining a bore that extends along an axis between first and second ends, wherein each of the first and second ends forms a thrust face for axially supporting the sleeve in the center housing;
wherein the sleeve comprises first and second bearing portions proximal to an associated one of the first and second ends, and a shank connecting the first and second bearing portions;
wherein each of the first and second bearing portions defines:
an outer bearing surface defining a maximum outer diameter for radially supporting the sleeve on the center housing; and
an inner bearing surface defining a minimum inner diameter for radially supporting the shaft in the bore, wherein the inner bearing surface comprises a circumferentially continuous and fully annular surface that is free of any grooves;

wherein the sleeve comprises a wall thickness defining a plurality of oil passages spaced from the inner bearing surface and configured to supply oil to the thrust face;
wherein each of the first and second bearing portions comprises an inner sleeve surface extending between the inner bearing surface and the proximal thrust face, and at least one of the inner sleeve surface and the thrust face defines a plurality of outlets fluidly communicating with an associated one of the oil passages for receiving oil from the oil passages;
wherein the inner sleeve surface defines an increased inner diameter, and the increased inner diameter is larger than the minimum inner diameter of the inner bearing surface.

2. The fluid bearing of claim 1 , wherein the shank comprises an outer shank surface that defines a plurality of inlets fluidly communicating with an associated one of the oil passages for supplying oil to the oil passages.

3. The fluid bearing of claim 2 , wherein the outer shank surface defines a reduced outer diameter, and the reduced outer diameter is smaller than the maximum outer diameter of the outer bearing surface.

4. The fluid bearing of claim 1 , wherein the increased inner diameter of the inner sleeve surface is smaller than the reduced outer diameter of the outer shank surface, wherein the oil passages extend perpendicularly relative to the axis, and the oil passages extend radially inward from the outer shank surface to the inner sleeve surface.

5. The fluid bearing of claim 2 , wherein the inner sleeve surface diverges radially outward, relative to the axis, from the inner bearing surface to the thrust face, such that the inner sleeve surface is angularly disposed relative to the axis.

6. The fluid bearing of claim 5 , wherein the outer shank surface comprises an outer cylindrical surface and a pair of shoulders, wherein each shoulder is angularly disposed relative to the axis and extends between the outer cylindrical surface and the associated outer bearing surface.

7. The fluid bearing of claim 6 , wherein the oil passages extend from the outer shank surface to the thrust face such that each oil passage is angularly disposed relative to the axis.

8. The fluid bearing of claim 6 , wherein the oil passages are angularly spaced from one another about the axis by a common angle.

9. A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, the turbocharger comprising:
a turbine housing defining a turbine chamber;
a compressor housing defining a compressor chamber;
a center housing disposed axially between the turbine housing and the compressor housing, and the center housing comprises a bearing support surface that defines a bearing cavity extending along an axis between the turbine housing and the compressor housing;
a turbine wheel disposed in the turbine chamber and driven by exhaust gases;
a compressor wheel disposed in the compressor chamber for pressurizing an airflow to the internal combustion engine;
a shaft having a first end connected to the turbine wheel and a second end connected to the compressor wheel, such that the turbine wheel is capable of driving the compressor wheel to increase the pressure of intake air for the engine; and
a fluid bearing configured to operably connect the shaft to the center housing, wherein the fluid bearing comprises:
a single-piece bearing sleeve defining a bore that extends along an axis between first and second ends, wherein each of the first and second ends forms a thrust face for axially supporting the sleeve in the center housing;
wherein the sleeve comprises first and second bearing portions proximal to an associated one of the first and second ends, and a shank connecting the first and second bearing portions;
wherein each of the first and second bearing portions defines:
an outer bearing surface facing the bearing support surface and defining a maximum outer diameter for radially supporting the sleeve on an outer film of oil disposed between the outer bearing surface and the bearing support surface; and
an inner bearing surface facing the shaft and defining a minimum inner diameter for radially supporting the shaft on an inner film of oil disposed between the inner bearing surface and the shaft, wherein the inner bearing surface comprises a circumferentially continuous and fully annular surface that is free of any grooves; and
wherein the sleeve comprises a wall thickness defining a plurality of oil passages spaced from the inner bearing surface and configured to supply oil to the thrust face.

10. The turbocharger of claim 9 , wherein the shank comprises an outer shank surface that defines a plurality of inlets fluidly communicating with an associated one of the oil passages for supplying oil to the oil passages.

11. The turbocharger of claim 10 , wherein each of the first and second bearing portions comprises an inner sleeve surface extending between the inner bearing surface and the thrust face, wherein the inner sleeve surface is spaced radially outward from the shaft, and at least one of the inner sleeve surface and the thrust face defines a plurality of outlets fluidly communicating with an associated one of the oil passages for receiving oil from the oil passages.

12. The turbocharger of claim 11 , wherein the outer shank surface defines a reduced outer diameter, and the reduced outer diameter is smaller than the maximum outer diameter of the outer bearing surface.

13. The turbocharger of claim 12 , wherein the inner sleeve surface defines an increased inner diameter, and the increased inner diameter is larger than the minimum inner diameter of the inner bearing surface, and wherein the inner sleeve surface is spaced radially outward from the shaft.

14. The turbocharger of claim 13 , wherein the increased inner diameter of the inner sleeve surface is smaller than the reduced outer diameter of the outer shank surface, wherein the oil passages extend perpendicularly relative to the axis, and the oil passages extend radially inward from the outer shank surface to the inner sleeve surface.

15. The turbocharger of claim 11 , wherein the inner sleeve surface diverges radially outward, relative to the axis, from the inner bearing surface to the thrust face, such that the inner sleeve surface is angularly disposed relative to the axis.

16. The turbocharger of claim 15 , wherein the outer shank surface comprises an outer cylindrical surface and a pair of shoulders, wherein each shoulder is angularly disposed relative to the axis and extends between the outer cylindrical surface and the associated outer bearing surface.

17. The turbocharger of clai

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Begin Louis P
• Deng Dingfeng
• Liu Yuchuan

Classifications

• F04D29/063

  specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• F04D29/0513

  hydrostatic; hydrodynamic thrust bearings · CPC title

• F04D25/04

  the pump being fluid-driven {(pumps driven by exhaust gases F02B37/00, F02B39/00; turbochargers F02C6/12)} · CPC title

• F04D17/10

  for compressing or evacuating · CPC title

• F04D29/057

  hydrostatic; hydrodynamic · CPC title