Turbocharger for use in an internal combustion engine

A turbocharger comprising:

• a housing forming therein a cylindrical bore which has an inner wall and a uniform inner diameter over the entire length thereof;
• a rotary shaft having a central portion which has a uniform outer diameter and passes through said cylindrical bore;
• an impeller fixed onto one end of said rotary shaft;
• a turbine wheel fixed onto the other end of said rotary shaft;
• a first hollow cylindrical floating radial bearing inserted between said rotary shaft and the inner wall of said cylindrical bore;
• a second hollow cylindrical floating radial bearing inserted between said rotary shaft and the inner wall of said cylindrical bore and arranged to be spaced from said first floating radial bearing, each of said first and second floating radial bearings having an outer diameter which is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of said cylindrical bore, and having an inner diameter which is slightly larger than the outer diameter of said central portion of said rotary shaft;
• a hollow cylindrical sleeve inserted between said first floating radial bearing and said second floating radial bearing and between said rotary shaft and the inner wall of said cylindrical bore and having an outer diameter which is substantially the same as that of said first and second floating radial bearings, said sleeve having opposed end faces and an inner diameter which is larger than that of said first and second floating radial bearings, such of said first and second floating radial bearings having an inner end face arranged to face the corresponding end face of said sleeve, and an outer end face opposite to said inner end face, said sleeve being freely rotatable and freely movable in the axial direction;
• first stop means arranged on said rotary shaft and cooperating with the outer end face of said first floating radial bearing;
• and,
• second stop means arranged on said rotary shaft and cooperating with the outer end face of said second floating radial bearing, said first and second stop means being arranged to loosely support said first and second floating radial bearings and said sleeve for restricting the axial movement of said first and second floating radial bearings and said sleeve.