Supercharger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016003249-A1
Application number	US-201514851384-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 11, 2015
Priority date	Mar 11, 2013
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to compression based engine boosting systems, and, more particularly, to a supercharger configuration for higher pressure applications.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A boost system for an engine comprising:
a supercharger housing including a rotor cavity and gear case; an input drive shaft that is configured to be driven by the engine, the input drive shaft being at least partially housed within the gear case of the housing; a first rotor drive shaft at least partially housed within the rotor cavity of the housing; a second rotor drive shaft at least partially housed within the rotor cavity of the housing; a gear assembly that transfers torque between the input drive shaft and the first and second rotor drive shafts at least partially housed within the gear case of the housing; a first ring seal located on the first rotor shaft in the rotor cavity adjacent the gear case; a second ring seal located on the second rotor shaft in the rotor cavity adjacent the gear case; a first annular oil seal located on the first rotor shaft between the first ring seal and the gear case; a second annular oil seal located on the second rotor shaft between the second ring seal and the gear case; a first air vent pathway located between the first annular oil seal and the first ring; and a second air vent pathway located between the second annular oil seal and the second ring.

2 . The boost system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second air vent pathways intersect and flow together to an air outlet port.

3 . The boost system of claim 1 , further comprising an air conduit connected to the outlet port configured to direct air from the air outlet port back into the engine.

4 . The boost system of claim 3 , wherein the conduit is configured to direct air from the outlet port into the engine at a location wherein the pressure therein is between 0.5 to 1.5 atmospheres.

5 . The boost system of claim 3 , wherein the conduit is configured to direct air from the outlet port into the crankcase of an engine

6 . The boost system of claim 3 , wherein the conduit is configured to direct air from the outlet port into at a location on the engine upstream of a turbocharger.

7 . The boost system of claim 1 , wherein the first air vent pathway overlaps with a first oil seal receiving cavity in the axial direction.

8 . The boost system of claim 7 , wherein the second air vent pathway overlaps with a second oil seal receiving cavity in the axial direction.

9 . The boost system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second air vent paths are straight intersecting drilled bores of between 2.0 millimeters and 4.0 millimeters.

10 . A boost system for an engine comprising:
a supercharger housing including a rotor cavity and gear case; a bearing plate located between the rotor cavity and the gear case; an input drive shaft that is configured to be driven by the engine, the input drive shaft being at least partially housed within the gear case of the housing; a first rotor drive shaft housed within the rotor cavity of the housing, and at least partially extending through the bearing plate; a second rotor drive shaft housed within the rotor cavity of the housing, and at least partially extending through the bearing plate; and a gear assembly that transfers torque between the input drive shaft and the first and second rotor drive shafts at least partially housed within the gear case of the housing; wherein the bearing plate includes a first annular shouldered cylindrical surface that together with an external surface of the first rotor drive shaft defines a first oil seal cavity and includes a second annular shouldered cylindrical surface that together with an external surface of the second rotor drive shaft defines a second oil seal cavity; wherein the first rotor drive shaft defines a first annular ring receiving groove, the groove being coaxially arranged with the first oil seal cavity; wherein the second rotor drive shaft defines a second annular ring receiving groove, the groove being coaxially arranged with the second oil seal cavity; wherein the first and second rotor drive shafts rotate relative to the bearing plate.

11 . The boost system of claim 10 , further comprising a first ring located in the first ring receiving groove and a second ring located in the second ring receiving groove, wherein the ring, ring receiving groove, and bearing plate are configured such that pressure on the rotor cavity side of the ring can be as great as 45 psi and pressure on the gear side of the ring is zero psi.

12 . The boost system of claim 10 , wherein the bearing plate includes a vent path that is configured to direct air from between the first annular ring receiving groove and the first oil seal cavity and from between the second annular ring receiving groove and the second oil seal cavity to an air outlet located on the bearing plate.

13 . The boost system of claim 12 , further comprising a conduit that directs air from the air outlet on the bearing plate into the engine upstream of a turbocharger.

14 . The boost system of claim 12 , further comprising a conduit that directs air from the air outlet on the bearing plate into a vented air receiving location on the engine, wherein the vented air receiving location has an operating pressure of less than 2 ATM.

15 . The boost system of claim 12 , wherein the first rotor drive shaft and the second rotor drive shaft are generally parallel and are configured to drive the rotation of a pair of meshed rotors mounted thereto.

16 . A method of providing boost to an engine comprising:
directing compressed air from a turbocharger into a rotor cavity of a supercharger; driving the rotation of a first rotor shaft and a second rotor shaft in the rotor cavity to further compress the air; limiting the amount of gear lubricating fluid contained in a gear box of the supercharger from entering the rotor cavity by providing an oil seal between the rotor cavity and the gear assembly; and limiting the amount of air pressure on the rotor cavity side of the oil seal by positioning ring seals on the pair of rotor shafts between the rotor cavity and the oil seal.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of limiting the amount of air pressure on the rotor cavity side of the oil seal includes providing an air escape between the oil seal and the ring seals.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising directing air flow from between the ring seals and the oil seal back into the engine for combustion.

19 . The method of claim 18 , including drilling a first through bore hole that extends from an exterior of a bearing plate to the annular shaft receiving aperture at a location between the ring on the first rotor shaft and a first oil seal cavity.

20 . The method of claim 19 , including drilling a second through bore hole that extends from an exterior of a bearing plate to the annular shaft receiving aperture at a location between the ring on the second rotor shaft and a second oil seal cavity, wherein the first and second through bores intersect at a first junction.

21 . The method of claim 20 , including drilling a third bore hole that extends from an exterior of a bearing plate and the first junction, and drilling a fourth bore hole that extends from an exterior of a bearing plate and intersects with the third bore hole.

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Ouwenga Daniel R
• Mcwilliams Paul J

Classifications

• F04C18/126

  with radially from the rotor body extending elements, not necessarily co-operating with corresponding recesses in the other rotor, e.g. lobes, Roots type · CPC title

• F04C27/005 Primary

  Axial sealings for working fluid · CPC title

• F04C29/122

  Arrangements for supercharging the working space (similar arrangements for internal combustion engines F02B33/00, F02B37/00) · CPC title

• F02B37/04

  Engines with exhaust drive and other drive of pumps, e.g. with exhaust-driven pump and mechanically-driven second pump · CPC title

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title