Tilting pad journal bearing for use in a turbocharger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9822812-B2
Application number	US-201414913711-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2014
Priority date	Sep 5, 2013
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A bearing housing ( 12 ) for a turbocharger having a rotatable shaft ( 14 ) passing through the bearing housing ( 12 ) with journal bearings ( 30 ) having tilting pads ( 40 ) for supporting the rotatable shaft ( 14 ) in the bearing housing ( 12 ). The tilting pads ( 40 ) may have oil supply holes ( 50 ) through each pad ( 40 ) to direct lubrication to each pad surface ( 44 ). The journal bearings ( 30 ) preferably have a circumferential groove ( 52 ) on an outer surface of the bearing aligned with the oil supply holes ( 50 ) to help feed oil to the oil supply holes ( 50 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A single-piece journal bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) that is a fully-floating or semi-floating tilting pad bearing comprising:
a bearing outer surface ( 22 ) that is adapted to be received by a center bearing housing ( 12 ) of a turbocharger ( 100 ),
a bearing inner surface ( 20 ) that is adapted to receive a rotating shaft ( 14 ) of the turbocharger ( 100 ),
a first set of tilting pads ( 40 ) at one axial end ( 30 a ) of the bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) and a second set of tilting pads ( 40 ) at another axial end ( 30 b ) of the bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) arranged circumferentially about the bearing inner surface ( 20 ), wherein the tilting pads ( 40 ) are integrally connected with the bearing inner surface ( 20 ) by a connecting membrane ( 42 ) and rotate, precess, or both relative to the bearing housing ( 12 ), and
a radially-extending oil supply hole ( 50 ) that is formed in the bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) and passes through at least one tilting pad ( 40 ) and its corresponding connecting membrane ( 42 ).

2. The single-piece journal bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) of claim 1 , wherein
the connecting membrane ( 42 ) is configured to permit the tilting pads ( 40 ) to pivot relative to the bearing inner surface ( 20 ).

3. The single-piece journal bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) of claim 1 , further comprising
a groove ( 52 ) formed on the bearing outer surface ( 22 ) and adapted to feed oil to the oil supply hole ( 50 ).

4. The single-piece journal bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) of claim 3 , wherein the groove ( 52 ) extends circumferentially and is axially aligned with the oil supply hole ( 50 ).

5. A turbocharger ( 100 ) comprising:
a bearing housing ( 12 ) defining an axial bore ( 16 );
a rotatable shaft ( 14 ) disposed in the bore ( 16 ),
a single-piece journal bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) that is fully-floating or semi-floating disposed in the bore ( 16 ) and configured to rotatably support the shaft ( 14 ), the bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) including
a bearing outer surface ( 22 ),
a bearing inner surface ( 20 ),
a first set of tilting pads ( 40 ) at one axial end ( 30 a ) of the bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) and a second set of tilting pads ( 40 ) at another axial end ( 30 b ) of the bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) arranged circumferentially about the bearing inner surface ( 20 ), wherein the tilting pads ( 40 ) are integrally connected with the bearing inner surface ( 20 ) by a connecting membrane ( 42 ) and rotate, precess, or both relative to the bearing housing ( 12 ), and
a radially-extending oil supply hole ( 50 ) that is formed in the bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) and passes through at least one tilting pad ( 40 ) and its corresponding connecting membrane ( 42 ).

6. The turbocharger ( 100 ) of claim 5 , wherein the connecting membrane ( 42 ) is configured to permit the tilting pads ( 40 ) to pivot relative to the bearing inner surface ( 20 ).

7. The turbocharger ( 100 ) of claim 5 , further comprising
a groove ( 52 ) formed on the bearing outer surface ( 22 ) and adapted to feed oil to the oil supply hole ( 50 ).

8. The turbocharger ( 100 ) of claim 7 , wherein the groove ( 52 ) extends circumferentially and is axially aligned with the oil supply hole ( 50 ).

9. The turbocharger of claim 5 wherein rotation of the rotatable shaft ( 14 ) pulls oil through each tilting pad ( 40 ) via the oil supply holes ( 50 ) to each pad surface ( 44 ).

10. A turbocharger ( 100 ) comprising:
a bearing housing ( 12 ) defining an axial bore ( 16 );
a rotatable shaft ( 14 ) disposed in the bore ( 16 ),
a single-piece journal bearing ( 10 , 30 , 130 , 230 ) that is fully-floating or semi-floating disposed in the bore ( 16 ) and configured to rotatably support the shaft ( 14 ), the bearing including
a bearing outer surface ( 22 ) that is spaced apart from an inner surface of the bore ( 16 ),
a bearing inner surface ( 20 ),
a first set of tilting pads ( 40 ) at one axial end ( 30 a ) of the bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) and a second set of tilting pads ( 40 ) at another axial end ( 30 b ) of the bearing ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) arranged circumferentially about the bearing inner surface ( 20 ), wherein the tilting pads ( 40 ) are integrally connected with the bearing inner surface ( 20 ) by a connecting membrane ( 42 ) and rotate, precess, or both relative to the bearing housing ( 12 ),

wherein the journal bearing is disposed in the bore ( 16 ) in a manner such that the journal bearing is free to rotate, precess, or both relative to both the inner surface of the bore ( 16 ) and an outer surface of the shaft ( 14 ).

11. The turbocharger ( 100 ) of claim 10 , comprising an oil lubrication path ( 50 ) formed in the bearing housing and configured to deliver oil to the journal bearing ( 130 ), wherein
an outer oil layer ( 26 ) is formed between the bearing outer surface and a surface of bore ( 16 ),
an inner oil layer ( 24 ) is formed between the bearing inner surface and the shaft ( 14 ), and
both the inner oil layer ( 24 ) and the outer oil layer ( 26 ) function as a bearing surface during operation of the turbocharger ( 100 ).

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc
• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Ryu Keun
• Ashton Zachary

Classifications

• F16C2360/24

  Turbochargers · CPC title

• F16C33/1045

  Details of supply of the liquid to the bearing · CPC title

• F16C17/26

  Systems consisting of a plurality of sliding-contact bearings · CPC title

• F16C17/18 Primary

  with floating brasses or brushing, rotatable at a reduced speed {(F16C17/03, F16C17/06 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F16C17/035

  the segments being integrally formed with, or rigidly fixed to, a support-element · CPC title