Overhung From Central Support Patents (Class 417/407)
  • Patent number: 6979183
    Abstract: An arrangement is proposed for an exhaust gas turbo charger with a carrier housing. The exhaust gas turbo charger is attached to a bearing housing with the carrier housing by way of a fastening element such that the fastening element is oriented in a direction perpendicular to a shaft arranged within the bearing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Hermann Baumann
  • Patent number: 6955528
    Abstract: A turbocharger including center housing with a thermally decoupling flange is provided. The flange, which extends generally radially outward from a body of the center housing, has a connection portion that can be used to mount the center housing to a turbine housing of the turbocharger. A curved portion of the flange is disposed between the connection portion and the housing body and provides a thermal decouple for reducing the thermal gradient in the connection portion. The curved portion can also increase the flexibility of the flange to reduce the stresses therein that result from temperature variations in the center housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Shankar Mukherjee, Zandrie J. Wiesma, Maitreya Madhyastha, Marion Janik
  • Patent number: 6951450
    Abstract: A cartridge is formed by an insert fixed to a base to form turbine intake nozzles in which vanes are rotatably mounted, and the base is fixed to a center housing. A separate exhaust housing which is formed from sheet metal is fixed to the cartridge outside of the insert in order to provide an intake and an outlet for exhaust gases driving a turbine wheel on a shaft journaled in the center housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Giorgio Figura, Denis Jeckel, Eric Dechanet
  • Patent number: 6945046
    Abstract: The invention concerns a casing aggregate for the turbine of an exhaust turbocharger. The invention is identified by the following characteristics: a spiral casing adapted for surround the running wheel of the turbine; a tongue-like wall part (tongue) in the inside of the spiral casing; an inlet connection; an outlet connection; a flange to connect to a bearing casing; wherein the casing aggregate is manufactured of thin-walled precision casting; wherein the casing aggregate is made of at least two parts, so that at least one separation joint is present; and the separation joint is arranged as follows: it runs in an axially perpendicular level; it runs along the apex line of the spiral casing; it extends over an arc of a circle of approximately 270 degrees; it lies outside of the area of the tongue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Ruediger Allmang, Hartmut Claus, Volker Simon
  • Patent number: 6935849
    Abstract: There is provided a shaft member such as a bearing, washers, and shaft, having at least one surface defining a plurality of radial grooves for providing radial fluid communication without generating significant thrust loading between the shaft member and an adjacent surface. The grooves can be formed by pressing a die against the surface(s) of the shaft member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel A. Gutknecht
  • Patent number: 6928816
    Abstract: A variable turbocharger apparatus includes a housing, a compressor mounted for rotation in the housing, a turbine mounted for rotation in the housing, a first inlet for enabling air to be conducted to the compressor, an outlet for enabling air from the compressor to be conducted to an engine, a second inlet for enabling exhaust gases from the engine to be conducted to the turbine in order to rotate the turbine, a chamber which surrounds the turbine and which receives the exhaust gases from the second inlet before the exhaust gases are conducted to the turbine, and a bearing assembly for permitting the rotation of the turbine. Fixed vanes are mounted in the chamber which are for accurately directing exhaust gases on to the turbine. A piston is slidable and is positioned between the vanes and the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Inventor: Malcolm George Leavesley
  • Patent number: 6905316
    Abstract: A turbocharger in which a drive shaft supports at one end a turbine driven by exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine. The end of the drive shaft remote from the turbine supports a drive connection which is coupled to an output shaft of the driving engine. The shaft is supported in a housing by a first bearing adjacent the turbine and a second bearing adjacent the drive coupling. The first and second bearings each define an inner bearing surface relative to which the shaft rotates and an outer bearing surface which rotates relative to the housing. The first and second bearings are mechanically coupled together such that they rotate relative to the housing at the same speed. Coupling the two bearings together ensures that directional forces applied to the bearing at the end adjacent the drive connection which might cause that bearing to seize are resisted by torque delivered from the bearing at the other end of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Holset Engineering Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: John Frederick Parker, Anthony Billington
  • Patent number: 6899531
    Abstract: A secondary air induction system (1) for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, including a turbine (2) and a compressor (3), in which a turbine wheel (4) of the turbine (2) and a compressor wheel (5) of the compressor (3) are mounted on a rotatable common shaft (6) supported by a bearing assembly (8) including at least one roller bearing (17) inside a turbocharger housing (7). An insulating or noise damping material (9) externally encloses at least a portion of the housing (7) to provide sound insulation in the area of the bearing assembly (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventor: Karl-Ernst Hummel
  • Patent number: 6874998
    Abstract: A turbocharger including means for preventing or reducing coking, particularly following engine shutdown, without noticeably increasing weight or volume of the turbocharger. The turbocharger bearing housing (14) has defined therein a lubrication flow path for bearing lubricant and a lubricant drain gallery (40) below a shaft (20), and in accordance with the invention at least a portion of a wall (42) of the lubricant drain gallery (40) is coated with an oil repellant and/or heat insulating coating (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: BorgWagner Inc.
    Inventor: Steve Roby
  • Patent number: 6871499
    Abstract: Turbocharger control systems used with electric assist turbochargers include an electric motor for controlling turbocharger operation. The system comprises an oil pressure sensor attached to the turbocharger for sensing oil pressure for lubricating a shaft bearing assembly. The pressure sensor provides oil pressure information to a control system that controls the operation of the electric motor and/or other operating parameters of the turbocharger and/or the vehicle. The control system regulates operation of the electric motor during operating conditions where a low oil pressure condition is detected when compared to a predetermined minimum. The control system reactivates the electric motor once a desired minimum oil pressure has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell Interntional, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Allen, Gerhard E. Delf, Rhett Hedrick, Daniel Black, Kevin Birch
  • Patent number: 6863509
    Abstract: A segmented seal plate supporting a brush seal mounted in the space between the compressor and turbine and bearing against the shaft of a microturbine engine form a barrier in this cavity and serves to control flow in this space. A plurality of circumferentially spaced discretely sized holes in the seal plate judiciously located above the brush seal bearing against the shaft interconnecting the back-to-back mounted compressor/turbine controls the amount of cooling air so that the combination of the brush seal, segmented plate and discretely sized holes controls the leakage from the compressor of each engine of a given model and controls cooling flow to the turbine for reducing efficiency scatter from engine to engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Elliott Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: David W. Dewis
  • Patent number: 6846167
    Abstract: The invention relates to an exhaust gas turbocharger (1) having a housing and having a shaft (2) which is arranged so as to be capable of rotating about its longitudinal axis in the housing and on which a turbine wheel (4) and a compressor wheel (3) are seated and which is guided in radial bearings (5, 6) and in at least one axial bearing (9), the radial bearings (5, 6) being embodied as passive, permanent-magnetic bearings which each have a bearing plate (12, 16) which is seated on the shaft (2) as a rotor, and at least one stator (19, 20, 21, 22) which is disposed axially opposite to said rotor. In order to achieve a radial oscillation damping of the shaft (2) in a simple manner, it is proposed according to the invention that a resilient element (60, 61) is disposed between the stator (19, 20, 21, 22) and a part (37, 38) which is fixed to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Jens-Wolf Jaisle
  • Patent number: 6834500
    Abstract: In a turbine for an exhaust gas turbocharger including a turbine wheel with a number of turbine wheel blades supported in a housing, which defines a first radial inlet flow channel and which includes in the radial inlet flow channel a variable guide vane structure for guiding exhaust gas radially onto the turbine wheel, and a second, semi-axial, flow channel for guiding exhaust gas semi-axially to the turbine wheel, the turbine wheel blades are arranged and sized so as to define between circumferentially adjacent blades, a flow passage with a flow cross-section which has a minimum at its inlet end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Inventors: Siegfried Sumser, Erwin Schmidt, Stephan Schenkel
  • Publication number: 20040247462
    Abstract: A variable geometry turbocharger comprises a turbine wheel (20) mounted within a turbine housing (23) on one end of a turbocharger shaft (22) for rotation about a turbocharger axis. The turbine housing (23) defines an annular turbine inlet (36) around the turbine wheel (20). A compressor wheel (21) is mounted within a compressor housing (24) on the other end of the turbocharger shaft (22). Turbocharger shaft bearing assemblies (26, 27) are located within a bearing housing (25) connected between the turbine housing (23) and the compressor housing (24). A variable geometry mechanism (35) is provided for varying the size of the annular turbine inlet (36). The variable geometry mechanism is actuated by a tubular linear electric motor comprising a fixed annular stator ring (31a, 46, 48) and an axially moveable annular forcer ring (44), arranged coaxially about the turbocharger axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: Jeffrey Carter
  • Publication number: 20040247461
    Abstract: An electrically powered compressor designed for providing high pressure ratio at low flow rate, yet having low power consumption. The compressor is designed for optimizing efficiency in fuel cell systems. The inventive compressors are however not limited to fuel cell system applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Frank Pflueger, Stefan Muenz, Karl Walther, Steve O'Hara
  • Publication number: 20040244372
    Abstract: Variable turbocharger apparatus (2) comprising a housing (4), a compressor (6) mounted for rotation in the housing (4), a turbine (8) mounted for rotation in the housing (4), a first inlet (10) for enabling air to be conducted to the compressor, an outlet (12) for enabling air from the compressor to be conducted to an engine, a second inlet (14) for enabling exhaust gases from the engine to be conducted to the turbine (8) in order to rotate the turbine (8), a chamber (16) which surrounds the turbine (8) and which receives the exhaust gases from the second inlet (14) before the exhaust gases are conducted to the turbine (8), and a bearing assembly (18) for permitting the rotation of the turbine (8), the variable turbocharger apparatus (2) comprising fixed vanes (22) which are mounted in the chamber (16) and which are for accurately directing exhaust gases on to the turbine (8), a piston (24) which is slidable and which is positioned between the vanes and the turbine (8), and control means (26) which is connect
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: Malcolm George Leavesley
  • Publication number: 20040241015
    Abstract: The invention relates to an exhaust-gas turbocharger, which is operated by the exhaust gas of a combustion engine and is equipped with a rotor unit that rotates at high-speed. Said rotor unit comprises a turbocharger shaft, a turbine wheel that is rotationally fixed to the shaft, in addition to a compressor wheel that is rotationally fixed to the shaft. To increase the operational reliability of said turbocharger, a torsional-vibration damper is located on the turbocharger shaft. The torsional-vibration damper reduces torsional-vibration stresses that arise in the shaft, which are caused by motor pulsations of a higher order of the combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: Markus Loos
  • Publication number: 20040237523
    Abstract: A high-pressure ratio turbocharger of this invention has a two-stage compressor section comprising a first-stage compressor impeller rotatably disposed in a first compressor housing, and a second-stage compressor impeller rotatably disposed in a second-stage compressor housing. The first and second stage compressor impellers are attached to a common shaft, and are positioned within respective compressor housing in a direction facing away from one another. A portion of the second-stage compressor housing is formed from a compressor backplate attached to a turbocharger center housing. A scroll seal is disposed between the first and second-stage compressor housings, and is interposed between the impellers to separate outlet air flow between each respective first and second-stage compressor chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Steven Don Arnold, Gary Vrbas
  • Publication number: 20040237522
    Abstract: A turbocharger system for a combustion engine and method of installing a turbocharger system includes a turbocharger having an oil inlet configured for being coupled to a pressure side of an oiling system and an oil outlet, an exhaust inlet and outlet and an air charge inlet and outlet. An oil pump is connected to the oil outlet of the turbocharger and is further connected to the oiling system. A pressure driven check valve is coupled to the oil inlet of the turbocharger to prevent oil from flowing into the turbocharger when the pressure on the pressure side of the oiling system drops below a predetermined level. The turbocharger system also includes mounting hardware for mounting the turbocharger to an exhaust pipe and away from the engine and at or below the oil level of the oiling system. In one embodiment, the method of installing the turbocharger system includes removing an existing muffler from the vehicle and mounting the turbocharger in the location of the existing muffler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: Richard K. Squires
  • Patent number: 6810666
    Abstract: A variable geometry turbine, particularly for a supercharger turbocompressor of an internal combustion engine, comprising an outer housing forming a spiral inlet channel for an operating fluid, a rotor supported in a rotary manner in the housing, and an annular vaned nozzle of variable geometry interposed radially between the channel and the rotor and comprising a control member moving axially in order to control of the flow of the operating fluid from the channel to the rotor, the control member being formed as an annular piston of a fluid actuator actuated directly by means of a control pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Iveco Motorenforschung AG
    Inventors: Ernst Lutz, Juerg Spuler
  • Publication number: 20040202556
    Abstract: A turbocharger rotor has a turbine wheel and shaft, a compressor wheel and adapter and a separate thrust runner clamped together by a fastener rod. The adapter is piloted on the shaft and the thrust runner is piloted on the adapter, which has annular ends engaging the shaft and adapter for torque transmission between the turbine and compressor wheels. An anti-rotation coupling relates the phase angles of the shaft with the adapter and the thrust runner during assembly. Opposed radial thrust faces on the thrust runner and adapter are disposed at opposite ends of a compressor bearing journal on the adapter to allow placement of mating bearings on a single element of a turbocharger housing. Advantages include simplification of manufacture and assembly of the rotor in a turbocharger housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Gary R. Svihla, Eric J. Duve, John M. Carr
  • Publication number: 20040197212
    Abstract: A turbocharger including means for preventing or reducing coking, particularly following engine shutdown, without noticeably increasing weight or volume of the turbocharger. The turbocharger bearing housing (14) has defined therein a lubrication flow path for bearing lubricant and a lubricant drain gallery (40) below a shaft (20), and in accordance with the invention at least a portion of a wall (42) of the lubricant drain gallery (40) is coated with an oil repellant and/or heat insulating coating (44).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventor: Steve Roby
  • Publication number: 20040184934
    Abstract: An arrangement is proposed for an exhaust gas turbo charger with a carrier housing. The exhaust gas turbo charger is attached to a bearing housing with the carrier housing by way of a fastening element such that the fastening element is oriented in a direction perpendicular to a shaft arranged within the bearing housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Applicant: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH.
    Inventor: Hermann Baumann
  • Patent number: 6793468
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, in which a bearing having excellent abrasion resistance without generating a black corrosion product in a high-temperature oil environment is provided. As bearing materials of a turbocharger, a copper alloy material containing, as main components, Cu, Zn, Al, Mn, and Si is employed. The elongating direction of an Mn—Si compound crystallized in the alloy material is set to the axial direction of a rotary shaft with respect to a radial bearing and is set to the direction perpendicular to the rotary shaft with respect to a thrust bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Ojima, Noboru Baba, Toshikatsu Akiyama, Katsuhiro Komuro, Tetsuo Udagawa
  • Publication number: 20040166003
    Abstract: A turbocharger including center housing with a thermally decoupling flange is provided. The flange, which extends generally radially outward from a body of the center housing, has a connection portion that can be used to mount the center housing to a turbine housing of the turbocharger. A curved portion of the flange is disposed between the connection portion and the housing body and provides a thermal decouple for reducing the thermal gradient in the connection portion. The curved portion can also increase the flexibility of the flange to reduce the stresses therein that result from temperature variations in the center housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Shankar Mukherjee, Zandrie J. Wiesma, Maitreya Madhyastha, Marion Janik
  • Patent number: 6767185
    Abstract: A turbomachinery apparatus. A turbine is provided with a retainer having a bore step element for turbine wheel retention, and with an aperture manifesting a tailored diameter less than the trim diameter of the turbine, thereby to permit customization of the turbine efficiency characteristic. Various configurations of turbine retainers, with tailored diameter apertures, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. Martin, Glenn F. Thompson, Scott G. Aguilar
  • Publication number: 20040136844
    Abstract: A segmented seal plate supporting a brush seal mounted in the space between the compressor and turbine and bearing against the shaft of a microturbine engine form a barrier in this cavity and serves to control flow in this space. A plurality of circumferentially spaced discretely sized holes in the seal plate judiciously located above the brush seal bearing against the shaft interconnecting the back-to-back mounted compressor/turbine controls the amount of cooling air so that the combination of the brush seal, segmented plate and discretely sized holes controls the leakage from the compressor of each engine of a given model and controls cooling flow to the turbine for reducing efficiency scatter from engine to engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventor: David W. Dewis
  • Publication number: 20040126251
    Abstract: A compressor wheel assembly comprises a compressor wheel (7) mounted to a rotating shaft (8) which extends through a bore provided along the rotational axis of the wheel. The bore has a first axial portion (21) corresponding in diameter to the diameter of the shaft, and a second axial portion (22) of enlarged diameter, such that the inner surface of the second portion of the bore (22) is radially spaced from the shaft (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Anthony Billington
  • Publication number: 20040120835
    Abstract: A sealing device has a seal ring and a cylindrical bellows portion connected to the seal ring. The cylindrical bellows portion has a corrugated outer surface. A turbocharger utilizing the sealing device has a turbine wheel connected to a shaft and a compressor wheel connected to the shaft. The sealing device is sealingly engaged with the shaft. The sealing device provides a seal between a bearing housing of the turbocharger and either a turbine housing or a compressor housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventor: Stephen J. O'Hara
  • Publication number: 20040115071
    Abstract: A turbocharger comprises a compressor wheel (7) assembled to one end of a turbocharger shaft (8). A nut (17) is threaded on to the end of the shaft (8) to clamp the wheel (7) on the shaft to prevent both axial movement of the wheel (7) along the shaft (8) and rotational slippage. The torque capacity of the coupling between the compressor wheel (7) and nut (17) is increased by treating contacting surfaces of the coupling to increase their co-efficient of friction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventor: Anthony Billington
  • Patent number: 6745568
    Abstract: A turbocharger system for a combustion engine and method of installing a turbocharger system includes a turbocharger having an oil inlet configured for being coupled to a pressure side of an oiling system and an oil outlet. An oil pump is connected to the oil outlet of the turbocharger and is further connected to the oiling system. The turbocharger system also includes mounting hardware for mounting the turbocharger to an exhaust pipe away from the engine at or below the oil level of the oiling system. In one embodiment, the method of installing the turbocharger system includes removing an existing muffler from the vehicle and mounting the turbocharger in the location of the existing muffler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Inventor: Richard K. Squires
  • Patent number: 6739845
    Abstract: A turbocharger comprising two closely spaced ball bearings that does not require lubricating oil from an engine. The bearing housing forms a cooling jacket with two bearing engagement surfaces engaged with the outer races of the ball bearings through an intermediate radial spring. Closely spacing the ball bearings provides a rotor shaft of minimal length. In addition, an external motor-generator may be by mounted on the turbocharger, with the motor rotor solidly connected to the turbocharger rotor. In such an assembly, an electronic control is energizes the motor from battery power during acceleration up to approximately torque peak speed; thereafter, the control changes to a generator mode when there is excess energy in the engine exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Inventor: William E. Woollenweber
  • Patent number: 6739134
    Abstract: An exhaust-gas turbocharger for an internal combustion engine has a turbine in the exhaust-gas tract and a compressor, driven by the turbine, in the intake tract, the turbine having a flow channel with a radial flow-inlet cross-section and a semi-axial flow-inlet cross-section, and a flow ring being provided which limits the two flow-inlet cross-sections. The turbine is furnished with variable turbine geometry for the changeable adjustment of the flow-inlet cross-section. To improve efficiency, the position of the flow ring in the housing of the exhaust-gas turbocharger is variably adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignees: DaimlerChrysler AG, 3-K Warner Turbosystems GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Fledersbacher, Siegfried Sumser, Paul Loeffler, Helmut Finger, Hans-Josef Hemer, Ralf Koch
  • Publication number: 20040088976
    Abstract: The invention relates to an exhaust gas turbocharger (1) having a housing and having a shaft (2) which is arranged so as to be capable of rotating about its longitudinal axis in the housing and on which a turbine wheel (4) and a compressor wheel (3) are seated and which is guided in radial bearings (5, 6) which are embodied as magnetic bearings and in at least one axial bearing (9), the bearings (5, 6, 9) each having a bearing plate (12, 14, 16) which is seated on the shaft (2) and at least one stator (19, 20, 21, 22, 49, 50) which lies axially opposite said axial bearing (9) on at least one side, forming a gap. In order to cool the bearings, it is proposed according to the invention that at least one flow duct (62, 65), via which at least one bearing gap can have an air stream applied to it, is formed in the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventor: Jens-Wolf Jaisle
  • Patent number: 6715288
    Abstract: An exhaust gas-driven turbocharger (1) exhibits an adjustable radial turbine (2) which powers a compressor (3) by way of a common shaft (4), whereby a turbine housing (5) designed with a multiplicity of scrolls surround the turbine wheel (6) and exhibits at least two afflux ports (7a, 7b) annularly encompassing the turbine wheel (6), whose outlets (8a, 8b) at least partly surround the wheel approach (9) of the turbine wheel (6) and which are at an axial distance from one another. An annular, axially displaceable coupler (15) is provided for opening and closing the outlet (8a, 8b) of at least one afflux port (7a, 7b), so that the boost pressure of the turbine can be influenced thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: BorgWarner, Inc.
    Inventors: Berthold Engels, Arno Forster, Robert Lingenauber, Jens-Wolf Jaisle
  • Patent number: 6712588
    Abstract: A radial turbine with a novel inlet and a outlet is combined with a centrifugal compressor, also having novel inlet and outlet, so as to obtain a turbocompressor unit wherein the respective inlets and/or exhausts of which are improved. The combination of above improves the overall efficiency of the turbocompressor unit. In addition, the combination limits the axial bulk of such a unit at the cost of a limited increase both in the cross section and the weight and structural complexity of the turbocompressor unit. Such a turbomachine: a radial turbine with an optional centrifugal compressor can be produced using two-microelectronic dimensional machining techniques of the microelectronic type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: ONERA (Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales)
    Inventor: Yves Ribaud
  • Publication number: 20040057847
    Abstract: A turbocharger comprises a turbine wheel (4) mounted to a seal boss (19) provided at one end of a shaft (8) and a compressor wheel (6) mounted to the other end of the shaft (8). The shaft (8) rotates on bearing assemblies (13,14) housed within a bearing housing (3) located between the compressor housing (7) and the turbine housing (5), the turbine wheel (4) being separated from the interior of the bearing housing by a housing wall (3a). The seal boss (19) extends through an annular passage (20) provided through the housing wall (3a) and is sealed with respect thereto by a seal ring (21). The seal boss (19) has an inboard axial end which extends into the bearing housing and has an annular face (31) forming a radial shoulder around the shaft (8). The bearing housing has an oil collecting groove (28) adjacent the bearing housing wall (3a), having an opening (2a) at least partially surrounding the shaft (8) and axially overlapping the inboard end of the seal boss (19).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventor: Philip Mark Wild
  • Publication number: 20040037716
    Abstract: The invention relates to an exhaust gas turbocharger (1) having a housing and having a shaft (2) which is arranged so as to be capable of rotating about its longitudinal axis in the housing and on which a turbine wheel (4) and a compressor wheel (3) are seated and which is guided in radial bearings (5, 6) and in at least one axial bearing (9), the radial bearings (5, 6) being embodied as passive, permanent-magnetic bearings which each have a bearing plate (12, 16) which is seated on the shaft (2) as a rotor, and at least one stator (19, 20, 21, 22) which is disposed axially opposite to said rotor. In order to achieve a radial oscillation damping of the shaft (2) in a simple manner, it is proposed according to the invention that a resilient element (60, 61) is disposed between the stator (19, 20, 21, 22) and a part (37, 38) which is fixed to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventor: Jens-Wolf Jaisle
  • Patent number: 6694733
    Abstract: A turbocharger having a variable geometry turbine intake incorporating a mobile cylindrical piston (70) for varying the area of the induction nozzle in the turbine (18). Blades (90) mounted on the piston for controlling the flow in the nozzle penetrate through a slotted heat shield (92) having a central opening wherein the rear disc of the turbine wheel is embedded to provide a smooth aerodynamic flow in the turbine vanes. A shield (100) engaged between the heat screen and a central housing of the turbocharger prevents the gas from the rear disc cavity from recycling into the cavity housing the blades further enhancing the aerodynamic flow. An axial actuating device (77) is secured for operating the piston via a shaft coupled by a cross (72) to the piston and coupled to an actuating hub (118) in the actuating device by quick connect unthreaded connection (122).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Honeywell Garrett SA
    Inventors: Luciano Labindo Bernardini, Alain Rene Lombard, Jean-Luc Hubert Perrin, Eric Joseph Viola
  • Publication number: 20040022648
    Abstract: A compressor impeller for use with a boreless turbocharger is provided in accordance with this invention. The compressor impeller comprises an integral hub projecting axially therefrom that includes a partial bore therein that extends from an open to a close bore end. The bore includes a threaded portion that is configured to accommodate threaded engagement with an end of a common shaft disposed through a turbocharger housing and attached at an opposite end to a turbine wheel. The hub is specially configured so that the threaded portion has a relatively increased wall thickness when compared to a remaining portion of the bore disposed between the threaded portion and the end of the bore. The bore is configured providing a section having a reduced wall thickness, between the threaded portion and the bore closed end, for purposes of providing a preferential stress relief mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Jose Cabrales, Gerald Duane LaRue, John M. Wilson, Angus Lemon
  • Publication number: 20040020203
    Abstract: A high-pressure ratio turbocharger of this invention has a two-stage compressor section comprising a first-stage compressor impeller rotatably disposed in a first compressor housing, and a second-stage compressor impeller rotatably disposed in a second compressor housing. The first and second stage compressor impellers are attached to a common shaft, and are positioned within respective compressor housing in a direction facing away from one another. A portion of the second compressor housing is formed from a compressor backplate attached to a turbocharger center housing. A scroll seal is disposed between the first and second compressor housings, and is interposed between the impellers to separate outlet air flow between each respective first and second compressor chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Steven Don Arnold, Gary Vrbas
  • Publication number: 20040018102
    Abstract: A burst protector for a turbocharger covers a first endangered segment of the housing. The burst protector includes insulation, a first sheet, and a second sheet. As a supplement, a casing is installed around the burst protector. The safety of a turbocharger in operation is increased by the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventors: Norbert Wand, Michael Hartmann, Michael Groddeck, Wolfgang Bauer
  • Patent number: 6682321
    Abstract: A turbocharger including center housing with a thermally decoupling flange is provided. The flange, which extends generally radially outward from a body of the center housing, has a connection portion that can be used to mount the center housing to a turbine housing of the turbocharger. A curved portion of the flange is disposed between the connection portion and the housing body and provides a thermal decouple for reducing the thermal gradient in the connection portion. The curved portion can also increase the flexibility of the flange to reduce the stresses therein that result from temperature variations in the center housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Shankar Mukherjee, Zandrie J. Wiesma, Maitreya Madhyastha, Marion Janik
  • Publication number: 20040005231
    Abstract: Enclosure for liquid lubricated rotating elements (12, 16, 17). A first rotating element (16) with at least one bearing (13, 14, 15) lubrication fluid drainage point that cooperates with a second rotating element (17). A partition wall (21) is mounted between the drainage point and the second element (16, 17), in such a manner that lubrication fluid is substantially prevented from migrating from the drainage point to the second element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Applicant: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Per Larsson, Kent Giselmo
  • Patent number: 6668553
    Abstract: A turbocharger component cooling system employs an ejector using energizing gas from the turbocharger system to draw cooling fluid through a plenum around the component to be cooled into the secondary inlet of the ejector and dumping the combined energizing and cooling gas flows into a low pressure dump. Energizing gas is drawn from the high pressure side of the compressor or turbine flows in the turbocharger and returned to the low pressure side in the same flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Nidal A. Ghizawi
  • Publication number: 20030223892
    Abstract: The use of anti-friction ball bearings in a unique arrangement does not require the use of lubricating oil from the internal combustion engine lubricating system and permits close coupling of the bearings and a compact turbocharger. A turbocharger bearing housing forms a coolant jacket with an inner bearing engaging portion that has two bearing engagement surfaces engaged with the outer races of two anti-friction bearings whose inner races carry rotating shaft, turbine and compressor of the turbocharger. The anti-friction bearings are, preferably, angular contact ball bearings, and the two bearing engagement surfaces of the bearing housing are closely spaced, providing a turbocharger shaft of minimal length and substantially reducing the thermal expansion of the shaft. The coolant jacket protects the anti-friction bearings from exposure to the extreme heat of the exhaust gas driven turbine, notwithstanding their increased proximity due to the shortened turbocharger shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Inventor: William E. Woollenweber
  • Patent number: 6648594
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine comprises an air intake, a compressor, a compressor housing (2), a plurality of bypass channels (1) formed in the compressor housing (2) providing a short cut to air from the air intake into the turbine, and elements for controlling the extent to which the bypass channels are open, for example by a slidable or rotatable sleeve (5) having a pattern of slots (6) corresponding to the pattern of channels. This results in increased stability and overall efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Horner, William Connor
  • Publication number: 20030205047
    Abstract: To allow a simplified manufacture by casting the spiral casing for a turbine is divided into two matching parts which can be joined by welding or the like. The separation line between the parts runs along the apex of the spiral casing and lies essentially in a plane perpendicular to the turbine axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventors: Ruediger Allmang, Hartmut Claus, Volker Simon
  • Publication number: 20030194333
    Abstract: In an exhaust gas turbocharger for an internal combustion engine comprising a radial flow exhaust gas turbine and a compressor, which is connected to the turbine via a shaft, the turbine having a radial inflow duct and a radial inlet flow passage, which leads to the turbine wheel and in which a variable geometry vane structure for changing the cross-section of the radial inlet flow passage is supported between two support walls fixed to the turbine casing, one of the support walls projects into the inflow duct, in such a manner that the rear side of this support wall is spaced from the inner wall of the inflow duct wall so that the exhaust gas within the inflow duct is in contact also with the rear side of this support wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: Siegfried Sumser, Peter Fledersbacher, Hans-Josef Hemer, Ralf Koch
  • Patent number: 6616423
    Abstract: A turbo-machine includes a housing (1); a rotor (3) of a centripetally flow-through expansion turbine stage (4) overhung on the one end of the rotor shaft; a rotor of a radially flow-through compressor stage (6) overhung on the other end of the rotor shaft; a measuring system (7) for directly detecting an axial thrust of the rotor shaft (2) supported in roller bearings (8); and at least two pressure control valves (10, 11), which are installed in control lines (12, 13) and controlled by a controller (9). Via the control lines (12, 13), a rotor piston surface (14), which is sealed against the housing (1) and located on the rear side of one of the rotors, for example the compressor rotor (5), can be acted upon by the pressure (p1) prevailing on the inlet into the compressor stage, and the pressure (p2) on the outlet of the compressor stage (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Inventor: Werner Bosen