TURBOCHARGER WITH THRUST BEARING PROVIDING COMBINED JOURNAL AND THRUST BEARING FUNCTIONS

摘要

Turbochargers typically have separate hydrodynamic journal and thrust bearings. A turbocharger thrust bearing for a turbocharger is provided that merges the function of a journal bearing into a thrust bearing while maintaining the thrust bearing function to produce a turbocharger with a reduced axial space envelope. Such a thrust bearing includes a bore contoured to have a plurality of taper-land pairs distributed circumferentially about the bore. As a result, the axial length of the turbocharger bearing housing and shaft can be reduced.

主权项

1. A turbocharger thrust bearing (52) comprising:
a main body (55) having a bore (72), the bore (72) having a center axis (84) and an associated circumferential direction about the center axis (84), the bore (72) being contoured to provide a plurality of taper-land pairs (78) distributed in the circumferential direction about the bore (72), each taper-land pair (78) including a taper portion (80) transitioning to a land portion (82), each taper portion (80) beginning at a first radial distance from the center axis (84) and extending generally in the circumferential direction therefrom to the land portion (82), the land portion (82) extending generally in the circumferential direction at a substantially constant second radial distance from the center axis (84), the second radial distance being less than the first radial distance.