Wastegate assembly for use in a turbocharger and system including the same

A turbocharger for receiving exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine of a vehicle and for delivering compressed air to the internal combustion engine, with the vehicle including a catalytic converter, said turbocharger comprising:

• a turbine housing comprising:
• an interior surface defining a turbine housing interior, said interior surface extending between:
• a turbine housing inlet defined at one end of said interior surface and in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and said turbine housing interior for delivering exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine to said turbine housing interior, and
• a turbine housing outlet defined at an opposite end of said interior surface and in fluid communication with said turbine housing interior for discharging exhaust gas from said turbine housing interior, and
• a wastegate duct disposed downstream of said turbine housing inlet and defining a wastegate channel in fluid communication with said turbine housing inlet for discharging exhaust gas from said turbine housing inlet by bypassing said turbine housing interior;
• a valve seat disposed about said wastegate channel at a wastegate channel outlet of said wastegate channel, with said valve seat having a valve seat plane extending along said valve seat;
• and
• a wastegate assembly for controlling exhaust gas flow to said turbine housing interior, said wastegate assembly comprising,
• a valve element engageable with said valve seat, with said valve element having a valve body and a wastegate arm extending away from said valve body, with said valve element moveable between a first position where said valve body is engaged with said valve seat for preventing exhaust gas flow from said turbine housing inlet to bypass said turbine housing interior, and a second position where said valve body is disengaged with said valve seat for allowing exhaust gas flow from said turbine housing inlet to bypass said turbine housing interior,
• a spindle coupled to said wastegate arm of said valve element for moving said valve element between said first and second positions, with said spindle extending along a spindle axis;
• and
• wherein said valve seat plane is obliquely oriented with respect to said spindle axis such that said wastegate channel and said valve element are configured to direct exhaust gas to the catalytic converter;
• and
• wherein said valve seat plane and said spindle axis define a spindle angle between 1 and 80 degrees;
• and
• a wastegate arm extending from said valve body to said valve seat plane where it connects to said spindle.

A turbocharger for receiving exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine of a vehicle and for delivering compressed air to the internal combustion engine, with the vehicle including a catalytic converter, said turbocharger comprising:

• a turbine housing comprising:
• an interior surface defining a turbine housing interior, said interior surface extending between:
• a turbine housing inlet defined at one end of said interior surface and in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and said turbine housing interior for delivering exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine to said turbine housing interior, and
• a turbine housing outlet defined at an opposite end of said interior surface and in fluid communication with said turbine housing interior for discharging exhaust gas from said turbine housing interior, and
• a wastegate duct disposed downstream of said turbine housing inlet and defining a wastegate channel in fluid communication with said turbine housing inlet for discharging exhaust gas from said turbine housing inlet by bypassing said turbine housing interior;
• a valve seat disposed about said wastegate channel at a wastegate channel outlet of said wastegate channel, with said valve seat having a valve seat plane extending along said valve seat;
• and
• a wastegate assembly for controlling exhaust gas flow to said turbine housing interior, said wastegate assembly comprising,
• a valve element engageable with said valve seat, with said valve element having a valve body and a wastegate arm extending away from said valve body, with said valve element moveable between a first position where said valve body is engaged with said valve seat for preventing exhaust gas flow from said turbine housing inlet to bypass said turbine housing interior, and a second position where said valve body is disengaged with said valve seat for allowing exhaust gas flow from said turbine housing inlet to bypass said turbine housing interior,
• a spindle coupled to said wastegate arm of said valve element for moving said valve element between said first and second positions, with said spindle extending along a spindle axis;
• wherein said wastegate channel extends along a channel axis, and wherein said channel axis is obliquely oriented with respect to said spindle axis such that said wastegate channel and said valve element are configured to direct exhaust gas to the catalytic converter;
• wherein said valve seat plane is obliquely oriented with respect to said spindle axis such that said wastegate channel and said valve element are configured to direct exhaust gas to the catalytic converter;
• wherein said valve seat plane and said spindle axis define a spindle angle between 1 and 80 degrees;
• and
• wherein said channel axis and said spindle axis define an angle between one another that is greater than 90 degrees;
• and
• a wastegate arm extending from said valve body to said valve seat plane where it connects to said spindle.

A turbocharger for receiving exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine of a vehicle and for delivering compressed air to the internal combustion engine, with the vehicle including a catalytic converter, said turbocharger comprising:

• a turbine housing comprising:
• an interior surface defining a turbine housing interior, said interior surface extending between:
• a turbine housing inlet defined at one end of said interior surface and in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and said turbine housing interior for delivering exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine to said turbine housing interior, and
• a turbine housing outlet defined at an opposite end of said interior surface and in fluid communication with said turbine housing interior for discharging exhaust gas from said turbine housing interior, and
• a wastegate duct disposed downstream of said turbine housing inlet and defining a wastegate channel in fluid communication with said turbine housing inlet for discharging exhaust gas from said turbine housing inlet by bypassing said turbine housing interior;
• a valve seat disposed about said wastegate channel at a wastegate channel outlet of said wastegate channel, with said valve seat having a valve seat plane extending along said valve seat;
• and
• a wastegate assembly for controlling exhaust gas flow to said turbine housing interior, said wastegate assembly comprising,
• a valve element engageable with said valve seat, with said valve element having a valve body and a wastegate arm extending away from said valve body, with said valve element moveable between a first position where said valve body is engaged with said valve seat for preventing exhaust gas flow from said turbine housing inlet to bypass said turbine housing interior, and a second position where said valve body is disengaged with said valve seat for allowing exhaust gas flow from said turbine housing inlet to bypass said turbine housing interior;
• wherein said wastegate channel extends along a channel axis, and wherein said channel axis is obliquely oriented with respect to said valve seat plane such that said wastegate channel and said valve element are configured to direct exhaust gas to the catalytic converter;
• wherein said wastegate channel is further defined as a first wastegate channel extending along a first channel axis that is obliquely oriented with respect to said valve seat plane and a second wastegate channel extending along a second channel axis that is obliquely oriented with respect to said valve seat plane, and wherein said valve seat is disposed about said first and second wastegate channels at respective channel outlets of said first and second wastegate channels;
• wherein said wastegate assembly further comprises a spindle coupled to said wastegate arm of said valve element for moving said valve element between said first and second positions, with said spindle extending along a spindle axis;
• wherein said valve seat plane is obliquely oriented with respect to said spindle axis such that said wastegate channel and said valve element are configured to direct exhaust gas to the catalytic converter;
• wherein said first channel axis and said valve seat plane define a first channel axis angle, wherein said second channel axis and said valve seat plane define a second channel axis angle, wherein said valve seat plane and said spindle axis define a spindle angle, wherein said first and second channel axis angles are between 100 and 170 degrees, and wherein said spindle angle is between 1 and 80 degrees;
• and
• wherein a rotational center of said spindle is disposed below said valve seat plane on a first channel side.

A turbocharger for receiving exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine of a vehicle and for delivering compressed air to the internal combustion engine, with the vehicle including a catalytic converter, said turbocharger comprising:

• a turbine housing comprising:
• an interior surface defining a turbine housing interior, said interior surface extending between:
• a turbine housing inlet defined at one end of said interior surface and in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and said turbine housing interior for delivering exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine to said turbine housing interior, and
• a turbine housing outlet defined at an opposite end of said interior surface and in fluid communication with said turbine housing interior for discharging exhaust gas from said turbine housing interior, and
• a wastegate duct disposed downstream of said turbine housing inlet and defining a wastegate channel in fluid communication with said turbine housing inlet for discharging exhaust gas from said turbine housing inlet by bypassing said turbine housing interior;
• a valve seat disposed about said wastegate channel at a wastegate channel outlet of said wastegate channel, with said valve seat having a valve seat plane extending along said valve seat;
• and
• a wastegate assembly for controlling exhaust gas flow to said turbine housing interior, said wastegate assembly comprising,
• a valve element engageable with said valve seat, with said valve element having a valve body and a wastegate arm extending away from said valve body, with said valve element moveable between a first position where said valve body is engaged with said valve seat for preventing exhaust gas flow from said turbine housing inlet to bypass said turbine housing interior, and a second position where said valve body is disengaged with said valve seat for allowing exhaust gas flow from said turbine housing inlet to bypass said turbine housing interior,
• a spindle coupled to said wastegate arm of said valve element for moving said valve element between said first and second positions, with said spindle extending along a spindle axis;
• and
• wherein said valve seat plane is obliquely oriented with respect to said spindle axis such that said wastegate channel and said valve element are configured to direct exhaust gas to the catalytic converter;
• and
• wherein said valve seat plane and said spindle axis define a spindle angle between 1 and 80 degrees;
• and
• wherein a rotational center of said spindle is disposed below said valve seat plane on a first channel side.

A turbocharger for receiving exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine of a vehicle and for delivering compressed air to the internal combustion engine, with the vehicle including a catalytic converter, said turbocharger comprising:

• a turbine housing comprising:
• an interior surface defining a turbine housing interior, said interior surface extending between:
• a turbine housing inlet defined at one end of said interior surface and in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and said turbine housing interior for delivering exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine to said turbine housing interior, and
• a turbine housing outlet defined at an opposite end of said interior surface and in fluid communication with said turbine housing interior for discharging exhaust gas from said turbine housing interior, and
• a wastegate duct disposed downstream of said turbine housing inlet and defining a wastegate channel in fluid communication with said turbine housing inlet for discharging exhaust gas from said turbine housing inlet by bypassing said turbine housing interior;
• a valve seat disposed about said wastegate channel at a wastegate channel outlet of said wastegate channel, with said valve seat having a valve seat plane extending along said valve seat;
• and
• a wastegate assembly for controlling exhaust gas flow to said turbine housing interior, said wastegate assembly comprising,
• a valve element engageable with said valve seat, with said valve element having a valve body and a wastegate arm extending away from said valve body, with said valve element moveable between a first position where said valve body is engaged with said valve seat for preventing exhaust gas flow from said turbine housing inlet to bypass said turbine housing interior, and a second position where said valve body is disengaged with said valve seat for allowing exhaust gas flow from said turbine housing inlet to bypass said turbine housing interior,
• a spindle coupled to said wastegate arm of said valve element for moving said valve element between said first and second positions, with said spindle extending along a spindle axis;
• wherein said wastegate channel extends along a channel axis, and wherein said channel axis is obliquely oriented with respect to said spindle axis such that said wastegate channel and said valve element are configured to direct exhaust gas to the catalytic converter;
• wherein said valve seat plane is obliquely oriented with respect to said spindle axis such that said wastegate channel and said valve element are configured to direct exhaust gas to the catalytic converter;
• wherein said valve seat plane and said spindle axis define a spindle angle between 1 and 80 degrees;
• and
• wherein said channel axis and said spindle axis define an angle between one another that is greater than 90 degrees;
• and
• wherein a rotational center of said spindle is disposed below said valve seat plane on a first channel side.