Bearing system for high-speed rotating machinery

A bearing system for a shaft rotating at high speeds about an axis of rotation comprising:

• an elongated cylinder having a cylindrical outside surface, a central bore and an outwardly projecting annular flange for forming a pair of thrust-bearing surfaces, a first anti-friction ball bearing in the central bore at one end of the elongated cylinder;
• a second anti-friction ball bearing in the central bore at the opposite end of the elongated cylinder;
• two peripheral grooves spaced axially apart around the cylindrical outside surface;
• two elastic members with each elastic member being carried in one of the peripheral grooves;
• and a spacer between the inner races of said anti-friction ball bearings, the inner races of said anti-friction ball bearings carrying said shaft.

A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a rotating assembly comprising a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel carried at the opposite ends of a shaft,
• a stationary housing comprising an exhaust gas volute for directing engine exhaust gas through said turbine wheel to rotate the rotating assembly, a compressor casing for collection of compressed air from the compressor wheel and a bearing housing, and
• a bearing system for rotatably carrying said rotating assembly within the stationary housing, said bearing system comprising an elongated bearing carrier removably supported by a plurality of elastic elements between the elongated bearing carrier and said bearing housing, and a pair of anti-friction ball bearings, one anti-friction ball bearing being axially spaced and carried by the elongated bearing carrier adjacent each of its ends, said pair of anti-friction ball bearings being engaged with said shaft and rotatably carrying said rotating assembly within said stationary housing;
• said anti-friction ball bearings comprising angular contact ball bearings that accept thrust in one direction only.

A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a rotating assembly comprising a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel carried at the opposite ends of a shaft,
• a stationary housing comprising an exhaust gas volute for directing engine exhaust gas through said turbine wheel to rotate the rotating assembly, a compressor casing for collection of compressed air from the compressor wheel and a bearing housing, and
• a bearing system for rotatably carrying said rotating assembly within the stationary housing, said bearing system comprising an elongated bearing carrier removably supported by a plurality of elastic elements between the elongated bearing carrier and said bearing housing, and a pair of anti-friction ball bearings, one anti-friction ball bearing being axially spaced and carried by the elongated bearing carrier adjacent each of its ends, said pair of anti-friction ball bearings being engaged with said shaft and rotatably carrying said rotating assembly within said stationary housing;
• said anti-friction ball bearing on one end of the elongated cylinder is mounted in a tolerance ring that surrounds the outside diameter of the anti-friction ball bearing.

A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a rotating assembly comprising a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel carried at the opposite ends of a shaft,
• a stationary housing comprising an exhaust gas volute for directing engine exhaust gas through said turbine wheel to rotate the rotating assembly, a compressor casing for collection of compressed air from the compressor wheel and a bearing housing, and
• a bearing system for rotatably carrying said rotating assembly within the stationary housing, said bearing system comprising an elongated bearing carrier removably supported by a plurality of elastic elements between the elongated bearing carrier and said bearing housing, and a pair of anti-friction ball bearings, one anti-friction ball bearing being axially spaced and carried by the elongated bearing carrier adjacent each of its ends, said pair of anti-friction ball bearings being engaged with said shaft and rotatably carrying said rotating assembly within said stationary housing;
• said elongated bearing carrier including outwardly projecting flange surfaces, said stationary housing has surfaces adjacent the outwardly projecting flange surfaces of the elongated bearing carrier, and an anti-friction material is located between the outwardly projecting flange surfaces and the stationary housing surfaces, said outwardly projecting flange surfaces and the adjacent housing surface cooperating to bear thrust loads of the rotating assembly.

A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a rotating assembly comprising a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel carried at the opposite ends of a shaft,
• a stationary housing comprising an exhaust gas volute for directing engine exhaust gas through said turbine wheel to rotate the rotating assembly, a compressor casing for collection of compressed air from the compressor wheel and a bearing housing, and
• a bearing system for rotatably carrying said rotating assembly within the stationary housing, said bearing system comprising an elongated bearing carrier removably supported by a plurality of elastic elements between the elongated bearing carrier and said bearing housing, and a pair of anti-friction ball bearings, one anti-friction ball bearing being axially spaced and carried by the elongated bearing carrier adjacent each of its ends, said pair of anti-friction ball bearings being engaged with said shaft and rotatably carrying said rotating assembly within said stationary housing;
• said bearing housing and elongated bearing carrier forming a coolant cavity sealed between the bearing housing and elongated bearing carrier by the plurality of elastic elements, whereby coolant circulated through said coolant cavity in contact with said elongated bearing carrier removes heat from the rotating assembly and anti-friction ball bearings;
• said elongated bearing carrier further including outwardly projecting flange surfaces, said stationary housing has surfaces adjacent the outwardly projecting flange surfaces of the elongated bearing carrier, said outwardly projecting flange surfaces and the adjacent housing surfaces cooperating to bear thrust loads of the rotating assembly.