# US 10,309,459 B2 · Ball bearing for a turbocharger > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,459 B2 - Document ID: US10309459B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/324,788 - Filed: 2015-06-01 - Published: 2017-07-13 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-08 - Assignees: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG - Applicants: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG - Inventors: Heiko Schmidt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309459B2 ## CPC - F16C 33/3806: {Details of interaction of cage and race, e.g. retention, centring} - F01D 25/16: Arrangement of bearings; Supporting or mounting bearings in casings (bearings per se F16C) - F16C 19/184: {in O-arrangement} - F16C 33/3843: {formed as one-piece cages, i.e. monoblock cages} - F16C 33/585: {of raceways, e.g. ribs to guide the rollers} - F05D 2220/40: in turbochargers - F05D 2240/54: Radial bearings - F16C 2220/60: by removing material, e.g. machining - F16C 2360/24: Turbochargers - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract An angular ball bearing for a turbocharger, including an outer ring and a cage, along the circumference of which rolling element pockets are arranged and at the end face of which a cage guide surface runs, the cage guide surface together with a surface on the inner circumference of the outer ring forming a sliding surface pair. The sliding surface pair forms a transition region at the sliding surface pair end facing the rolling element pockets such that—when the cage and the outer ring are positioned in an axially parallel manner, the spacing between the surfaces which form the sliding surface pair increases in a monotonous manner, said increase growing continuously. The progression of the spacing achieves a reduction of the wear susceptibility. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An angular ball bearing for a turbocharger, the bearing being centered on a center axis defining an axial direction, comprising: an outer ring and a cage, the cage including a first axial end and a second axial end, the cage including rolling element pockets situated along an outer circumference of the cage, a cage guiding surface running axially along the outer circumference from the second axial end of the cage to a first transition surface, the cage guiding surface forming a sliding surface pair together with an outer ring sliding surface on an inner circumference of the outer ring, the outer ring sliding surface running axially along the inner circumference to a second transition surface, the first transition surface and the second transition surface forming a transition area facing the rolling element pockets in such a way that—in an axially parallel position of the cage and the outer ring—a distance between the cage guiding surface and the outer ring sliding surface on the inner circumference of the outer ring forming the sliding surface pair is monotonically increased, the increase growing continuously to define a distance progression. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The angular ball bearing as recited in claim 1 wherein the distance progression is implemented with the aid of the cage, the cage not being uniform with regard to an outer diameter, the outer diameter being larger in the area of the sliding surface pair outside the transition area than in the transition area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The angular ball bearing as recited in claim 2 wherein the transition area transitions to a runout area at the end facing away from the area of the sliding surface pair, the runout area being designed in such a way that the outer diameter of the cage is reduced to a minimum value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The angular ball bearing as recited in claim 3 wherein an area having a minimum outer diameter is enclosed by areas having a larger diameter abutting the runout area at an end facing away from the transition area. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The angular ball bearing as recited in claim 1 wherein the distance progression is implemented with the aid of the outer ring, the outer ring not being uniform with regard to an inner diameter, the inner diameter being larger in the area of the sliding surface pair outside of the transition area than in the transition area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The angular ball bearing as recited in claim 5 wherein a surface forming the transition area on the inner diameter of the outer ring tangentially emerges from one component of the sliding surface pair or opens tangentially into the surface forming a rolling track. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The angular ball bearing as recited in claim 1 wherein the sliding surface pair forms an end area on an end facing away from the rolling element pockets in such a way that—in the axially parallel position of the cage and the outer ring—a distance between the cage guiding surface and the surface on the inner circumference of the outer ring forming the sliding surface pair is monotonically increased, the increase growing continuously and defining a second distance progression. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The angular ball bearing as recited in claim 1 wherein balls are accommodated by the rolling element pockets arranged along the cage circumference and are guided along a rolling track on the inner circumference of the outer ring, the axial position of the starting point of the distance progression being selected in such a way that, in each operating state, the contact point between the cage and the outer ring is situated at a distance from the area of the rolling track or the area of the rolling element pockets. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The angular ball bearing as recited in claim 1 wherein a profile of the cage guiding surface and the surface on the inner circumference of the outer ring in the transition area are machining worked surfaces. ### Claim 10 An angular ball bearing for a turbocharger, the bearing being centered on a center axis defining an axial direction, comprising: an inner and an outer rolling track; balls guided as rolling elements; and a cage, the cage including a first axial end and a second axial end, the cage including rolling element pockets situated along an outer circumference of the cage, a cage guiding surface running along an inner circumference of the cage from the second axial of the cage to a first transition surface, the cage guiding surface forming a sliding surface pair together with a sliding surface on an outer circumference of an inner ring or rotor shaft containing the inner rolling track, the sliding surface running axially along the inner circumference to a second transition surface; the first transition surface and the second transition surface forming a transition area facing away from the rolling element pockets in such a way that—in an axially parallel position of the cage and an outer ring—a distance between the cage guiding surface and the sliding surface forming the sliding surface pair is monotonically increased, the increase growing continuously to define a distance progression. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The angular ball bearing as recited in claim 1 wherein the rolling element pockets are situated along the outer circumference of the cage eccentrically offset in a direction of the first axial end. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The angular ball bearing as recited in claim 10 wherein the rolling element pockets are situated along the outer circumference of the cage eccentrically offset in a direction of the first axial end.