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US 10,947,861 B2Granted
Variable vane mechanism for turbocharger with unison ring and bearing members having independent material characteristics
AssigneeGarrett Transportation I Inc.
InventorsArthur Jeanson, Philippe Arnold
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A turbocharger includes a variable vane mechanism includes a unison ring and at least one bearing member that is fixed to the unison ring. The bearing member includes a bearing surface that supports rotation of the unison ring within the variable vane mechanism. The unison ring and the at least one bearing member have independent material characteristics.
Claims20
A turbocharger system comprising:
- a housing;
- a wheel configured to rotate within the housing;
- a variable vane mechanism configured to move between a first position and a second position to affect a gas stream relative to the wheel, the variable vane mechanism including:
- a support ring with a first bearing surface, the first bearing surface being arcuate;
- a continuous, one-piece unison ring that is supported for rotation about an axis of rotation relative to the support ring as the variable vane mechanism moves between the first position and the second position;
- a plurality of vanes that are operatively connected to the unison ring and configured to move substantially synchronously relative to the support ring as the unison ring rotates relative to the support ring to affect the gas stream;
- and
- at least one bearing member that is fixed to the unison ring and that includes a second bearing surface, the second bearing surface abutting the first bearing surface, the at least one bearing member supported for sliding movement on the first bearing surface to support rotation of the unison ring relative to the support ring, the bearing member abutting the support ring to support radial loads and axial loads between the unison ring and the support ring, the radial loads directed radially relative to the axis of rotation and the axial loads directed along the axis of rotation;
- and
- the unison ring and the at least one bearing member having independent material characteristics, and the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface formed of the same material.
7 more elements
A turbocharger system comprising:
- a housing;
- a wheel configured to rotate within the housing;
- a variable vane mechanism configured to move between a first position and a second position to affect a gas stream relative to the wheel, the variable vane mechanism including:
- a support ring with a first bearing surface, the first bearing surface being arcuate;
- a unison ring that is supported for rotation relative to the support ring as the variable vane mechanism moves between the first position and the second position;
- a plurality of vanes that are operatively connected to the unison ring and configured to move substantially synchronously relative to the support ring as the unison ring rotates relative to the support ring to affect the gas stream;
- at least one bearing member that is fixed to the unison ring and that includes a second bearing surface, the second bearing surface abutting the first bearing surface and supported for sliding movement on the first bearing surface to support rotation of the unison ring relative to the support ring;
- the unison ring and the at least one bearing member having independent material characteristics;
- wherein the bearing member includes at least one end that is fixed to the unison ring;
- wherein the bearing member includes a raised portion that is raised from the unison ring;
- wherein the raised portion includes a radial projection that projects radially inward from the raised portion;
- and
- wherein the radial projection includes the second bearing surface.
10 more elements
A method of manufacturing a variable vane mechanism of a turbocharger, the variable vane mechanism configured to move between a first position and a second position to affect a gas stream relative to a wheel of the turbocharger, the method comprising:
- heat treating a continuous, one-piece unison ring of the variable vane mechanism to add a heat treat coating to the unison ring;
- attaching the heat treated unison ring with an affixed bearing member to a support ring including abutting a first bearing surface of the support ring and a second bearing surface of the bearing member, the heat treated unison ring and the bearing member having independent material characteristics, the first bearing surface being annular and configured to support sliding movement of the second bearing surface on the first bearing surface, the unison ring supported for rotation about an axis of rotation relative to the support ring as the variable vane mechanism moves between the first position and the second position to substantially synchronously move a plurality of vanes of the variable vane mechanism, the bearing member abutting the support ring to support radial loads and axial loads between the unison ring and the support ring, the radial loads directed radially relative to the axis of rotation and the axial loads directed along the axis of rotation, the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface being free of the heat treat coating and formed of the same material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.