Patents by Inventor Louis P. Begin

Louis P. Begin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220251970
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a bearing housing defining a bearing bore, a bearing system within the bore having first and second bearings, a turbine shaft having first and second ends, the turbine shaft supported by the bearing system for rotation about an axis within the bore, a compressor wheel fixed to the turbine shaft proximate to the second end, a turbine wheel fixed to the turbine shaft proximate to the first end, a turbine rotor hub fixed to the turbine shaft and including at least one annular seal ring groove, an annular oil slinger groove, and a plurality of annular lands formed therein, and an anti-coking coating applied to annular lands immediately adjacent to the at least one seal ring groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: John A. Schultz, Louis P. Begin
  • Patent number: 10954996
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Louis P. Begin, Dingfeng Deng, Yuchuan Liu
  • Publication number: 20200408247
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Louis P. Begin, Dingfeng Deng, Yuchuan Liu
  • Patent number: 10465604
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a center housing and a bore defined by the center housing. The bore has a primary annular groove and a secondary annular groove configured to receive a fluid. A journal bearing is disposed within the bore proximate to a proximate end of the shaft such that the journal bearing, together with the rotating shaft, feeds fluid to the primary and secondary annular grooves. The shaft is further coupled to a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel. The shaft has a longitudinal axis and is supported by the journal bearing for rotation within the bore about the axis. The primary and secondary annular grooves are each in fluid communication with a drain gallery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Louis P Begin, Dingfeng Deng, Ran Wu
  • Publication number: 20190277159
    Abstract: A turbocharger assembly includes a center housing which defines a bore, a journal bearing, and a rotating assembly. The bore further defines primary and secondary annular grooves. The journal bearing may be disposed within the bore such that the annular groove encircles the journal bearing and feeds the fluid thereto. The rotating assembly includes a shaft, a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel. The turbine wheel is configured to be driven by the post-combustion gasses while the compressor wheel pressurizes the airflow for delivery to a combustion chamber. The shaft may be supported by one or more journal bearings for rotation within the bore about a longitudinal axis. The shaft includes a shaft surface which defines a standard region and a feature in a feature region. The feature is configured to generate a plurality of fictitious forces which stabilizes the turbocharger shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Yuli Huang, Fanghui Shi, Yuchuan Liu, Bo Yang, Louis P. Begin
  • Patent number: 10260516
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a housing and a rotary assembly disposed within the housing and including a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel attached to one another by a shaft. A bearing is disposed in the housing and rotatably supports the shaft. The bearing includes a pair of inner bearing surfaces that engage opposite ends of the shaft and a pair of outer bearing surfaces that engage the housing. The pair of inner bearing surfaces have a first axial dimension and the pair of outer bearing surfaces have a second axial dimension that is smaller than the first axial dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Fanghui Shi, Dingfeng Deng, Ran Wu, Louis P. Begin
  • Patent number: 10190634
    Abstract: A turbocharger including a housing and a rotary assembly disposed within the housing and including a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel attached to one another by a shaft. The rotary assembly being subject to aero-load in a lateral direction. A bearing is disposed in the housing and rotatably supports the shaft, the bearing including an inner bearing surface that engages the shaft and an outer bearing surface that engages the housing, the outer bearing surface having a pair of axially extending recessed grooves extending at least partially along the bearing. The pair of axially extending grooves being located perpendicular to the aero-load direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Fanghui Shi, Dingfeng Deng, Ran Wu, Louis P. Begin, Yuli Huang
  • Publication number: 20190017550
    Abstract: A turbocharger including a housing and a rotary assembly disposed within the housing and including a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel attached to one another by a shaft. The rotary assembly being subject to aero-load in a lateral direction. A bearing is disposed in the housing and rotatably supports the shaft, the bearing including an inner bearing surface that engages the shaft and an outer bearing surface that engages the housing, the outer bearing surface having a pair of axially extending recessed grooves extending at least partially along the bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Fanghui SHI, Dingfeng DENG, Ran WU, Louis P. BEGIN, Yuli HUANG
  • Publication number: 20180283269
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a center housing which defines a bore, a recess, and an annular groove. The annular groove and the recess may be configured to receive a fluid. A bearing is disposed within the bore proximate to the a turbine wheel such that the bearing, together with the rotating shaft, feeds fluid to the annular groove and recess. The shaft may be further coupled to the turbine wheel at a proximate end and a compressor wheel at a distal end. The shaft has a longitudinal axis and is supported by the bearing for rotation within the bore about the axis. The annular groove is in fluid communication with a drain gallery via a conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Ran WU, Louis P. BEGIN, Fanghui SHI, Dingfeng DENG
  • Publication number: 20180258843
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a center housing and a bore defined by the center housing. The bore has a primary annular groove and a secondary annular groove configured to receive a fluid. A journal bearing is disposed within the bore proximate to a proximate end of the shaft such that the journal bearing, together with the rotating shaft, feeds fluid to the primary and secondary annular grooves. The shaft is further coupled to a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel. The shaft has a longitudinal axis and is supported by the journal bearing for rotation within the bore about the axis. The primary and secondary annular grooves are each in fluid communication with a drain gallery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Louis P. Begin, Dingfeng Deng, Ran Wu
  • Patent number: 9897097
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a bearing housing defining a bearing bore and a hybrid journal bearing system disposed within the bore. The hybrid journal bearing system includes first and second journal bearings. The first journal bearing is a semi-floating bearing and the second journal bearing is a full-floating bearing. The turbocharger also includes a shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein the shaft is supported by the journal bearing system for rotation about an axis within the bore. The turbocharger also includes a turbine wheel fixed to the shaft proximate to the first end and configured to be rotated about the axis by post-combustion gases emitted by the engine. Additionally, the turbocharger includes a compressor wheel fixed to the shaft proximate to the second end and configured to pressurize an airflow being received from the ambient for delivery to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Louis P. Begin, Dingfeng Deng, Isaac H. Y. Du
  • Publication number: 20170335864
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a housing and a rotary assembly disposed within the housing and including a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel attached to one another by a shaft. A bearing is disposed in the housing and rotatably supports the shaft. The bearing includes a pair of inner bearing surfaces that engage opposite ends of the shaft and a pair of outer bearing surfaces that engage the housing. The pair of inner bearing surfaces have a first axial dimension and the pair of outer bearing surfaces have a second axial dimension that is smaller than the first axial dimension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Fanghui SHI, Dingfeng DENG, Ran WU, Louis P. BEGIN
  • Patent number: 9732800
    Abstract: A turbocharger is provided including a housing with a turbine and a compressor disposed in the housing. A central shaft is connected between the turbine and the compressor and is rotatably supported by a first journal bearing disposed within the housing at a location adjacent to the turbine and a second journal bearing disposed within the housing at a location adjacent to the compressor. A spacer is disposed directly between and adjacent to the first journal bearing and the second journal bearing and is neither coupled to or integrally formed with the first journal bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Dingfeng Deng, Louis P. Begin, Fanghui Shi
  • Patent number: 9689397
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a rotating assembly having a turbine wheel disposed inside a turbine housing and a compressor wheel disposed inside a compressor cover. The turbine housing defines a turbine outlet cavity, a turbine housing inlet, and a turbine housing outlet. The turbine housing inlet is configured to channel engine post-combustion gases to the turbine wheel and the turbine housing outlet is configured to exhaust the gases aft of the turbine wheel. A diffuser arranged inside the turbine outlet cavity is configured to channel the post-combustion gases aft of the turbine wheel and out to the turbine housing outlet, without discharging into the turbine outlet cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Brian J. Edwards, Louis P. Begin, Carnell E. Williams
  • Patent number: 9546597
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a rotating assembly having a turbine wheel disposed inside a turbine housing and a compressor wheel disposed inside a compressor cover. The turbocharger also includes a waste-gate assembly configured to selectively redirect at least a portion of the engine's post-combustion gases away from the turbine wheel. The waste-gate assembly includes a valve, a rotatable shaft connected to the valve, and a bushing fixed relative to the turbine housing and disposed concentrically around the shaft such that the shaft rotates inside the bushing for opening and closing the valve. The bushing is defined by a length, an outer surface in contact with the turbine housing, and an inner surface in contact with the shaft. The inner surface includes a plurality of longitudinal grooves configured to counteract friction between the bushing and the shaft and avoid seizure of the shaft relative to the bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Julie Swartz, Robert Bielas, Louis P. Begin, Roman Mudel
  • Patent number: 9494189
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a bearing housing and a bearing bore defined by the bearing housing. The bearing bore has an annular bearing groove configured to receive a fluid. A journal bearing is disposed within the bore such that the annular bearing groove encircles the journal bearing and feeds the fluid thereto. The turbocharger also includes a rotating assembly having a shaft with a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel. The shaft has a longitudinal axis and is supported by the journal bearing for rotation within the bore about the axis. The annular bearing groove is characterized by a trapezoidal shape in a cross-sectional view of the bearing bore taken along and through the longitudinal axis. The trapezoidal shape is configured to generate Taylor vortices in the fluid for capturing debris carried by the fluid and keeping the debris from being fed to the journal bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Louis P. Begin, Dingfeng Deng, Ran Wu, Fanghui Shi
  • Patent number: 9470106
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a turbine housing defining a turbine chamber and a compressor housing defining a compressor chamber. A turbine wheel is disposed in the turbine chamber and a turbine shaft is connected to the turbine wheel. A compressor wheel is disposed in the compressor chamber and connected to the turbine shaft. A compressor back plate is adjacent to the compressor wheel and a bearing cartridge is sandwiched directly between the compressor back plate and the turbine housing and rotatably supporting the turbine shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Louis P. Begin, Brian J. Edwards
  • Publication number: 20160290350
    Abstract: A turbocharger is provided including a housing with a turbine and a compressor disposed in the housing. A central shaft is connected between the turbine and the compressor and is rotatably supported by a first journal bearing disposed within the housing at a location adjacent to the turbine and a second journal bearing disposed within the housing at a location adjacent to the compressor. A spacer is disposed directly between and adjacent to the first journal bearing and the second journal bearing and is neither coupled to or integrally formed with the first journal bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Dingfeng DENG, Louis P. BEGIN, Fanghui SHI
  • Publication number: 20160215785
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a bearing housing defining a bearing bore and a hybrid journal bearing system disposed within the bore. The hybrid journal bearing system includes first and second journal bearings. The first journal bearing is a semi-floating bearing and the second journal bearing is a full-floating bearing. The turbocharger also includes a shaft having a first end and a second end, wherein the shaft is supported by the journal bearing system for rotation about an axis within the bore. The turbocharger also includes a turbine wheel fixed to the shaft proximate to the first end and configured to be rotated about the axis by post-combustion gases emitted by the engine. Additionally, the turbocharger includes a compressor wheel fixed to the shaft proximate to the second end and configured to pressurize an airflow being received from the ambient for delivery to the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Louis P. Begin, Dingfeng Deng, Isaac H. Y. Du
  • Patent number: 9382877
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a bearing housing and a rotating assembly arranged therein. The rotating assembly includes a shaft with a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel. The turbocharger also includes a thrust bearing assembly operatively connected to the shaft, lubricated by pressurized oil from the engine, and configured to transmit thrust forces developed by the turbine wheel to the bearing housing. The thrust bearing assembly includes a thrust plate having a first thrust face and a thrust washer having a second thrust face. An oil film is generated between the first and second thrust faces, and the first and second thrust faces rotate relative to each other and transmit the thrust forces to the bearing housing. The thrust plate and/or the thrust washer include a circumferential groove configured to trap oil-borne debris and minimize an amount of the debris in the oil film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Louis P. Begin, Ran Wu, Dingfeng Deng