Turbocharger shaft seal
AssigneeBorgWarner Inc.
InventorJason W. Chekansky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A seal (42, 82) for a shaft (22) of a turbocharger (10) to prevent liquid from leaking out of a bearing housing (16). The seal (42, 82) includes a cylindrical body extending between opposite end faces (116, 118) and has a cylindrical bore extending between the opposite end faces (116, 118) for receiving the shaft (22) therethrough. The cylindrical bore defines an inner surface (106) having at least one striation (112) extending in a helical direction about the shaft (22). Rotation of the shaft (22) relative to the seal (42, 82) causes a pumping effect on liquid present between the shaft (22) and the inner surface (106) of the seal (42, 82), thereby causing the liquid to flow back towards the bearing housing (16).
Claims5
A seal (42, 82) for a shaft (22) of a turbocharger (10) to prevent liquid from leaking out of a bearing housing (16), said seal (42, 82) comprising:
- a cylindrical body extending between opposite end faces (116, 118) and including a cylindrical bore extending between said opposite end faces (116, 118) for receiving the shaft (22) therethrough, said cylindrical bore defining an inner surface (106) having a plurality of striations (112) extending in a helical direction about the shaft (22);
- wherein rotation of the shaft (22) relative to said seal (42, 82) causes a pumping effect on liquid present between the shaft (22) and said inner surface (106) of said seal (42, 82), thereby causing the liquid to flow back towards the bearing housing (16);
- wherein said helical direction of said at least one striation (112) is opposite to a direction of rotation of the shaft (22) when viewed from within the bearing housing (16);
- wherein each one of said plurality of striations (112) is parallel with one another;
- and
- wherein said cylindrical body is a helical coil including a plurality of loops (114), wherein each of said plurality of loops (114) directly abuts each adjacent one of said plurality of loops (114).
A turbocharger (10) for an internal combustion engine comprising:
- a housing assembly (12) including a first housing (14) and a second housing (16) coupled to said first housing (14), wherein said second housing (16) includes a liquid disposed therein;
- a shaft (22) extending through said second housing (16) and into said first housing (14), said shaft (22) rotatable about an axis of rotation;
- and
- a first seal (42) encircling said shaft (22) and disposed radially between said shaft (22) and said second housing (16) to prevent liquid from leaking out of said second housing (16) into said first housing (14), said first seal (42) including a cylindrical body extending between opposite end faces (116, 118) and having a cylindrical bore extending between said opposite end faces (116, 118) for receiving said shaft (22) therethrough, said cylindrical bore defining an inner surface (106) with at least one striation (112) extending in a first helical direction about said shaft (22);
- wherein rotation of said shaft (22) relative to said first seal causes a pumping effect on said liquid present between said shaft (22) and said inner surface (106) of said first seal (42), thereby causing said liquid to flow back towards said second housing (16);
- wherein said first helical direction of said at least one striation (112) on said first seal is opposite to a direction of rotation of said shaft (22) when viewed from within said second housing (16);
- and
- wherein said cylindrical body is a helical coil including a plurality of loops (114), wherein each of said plurality of loops (114) directly abuts each adjacent one of said plurality of loops (114).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.