Vane pack assembly for VTG turbochargers
AssigneeBorgWarner Inc.
InventorDaniel N. Ward
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vane pack assembly is provided that can remove the spacers between the upper and lower vane rings to a location outside of the exhaust flow through the vane ring. In particular, the spacers are located within the vanes. Further, the assembly can effectively retain the small blocks used in varying the angle of the vanes on their associated vane pivot posts. A vane pack with such a configuration can use inexpensive parts, eliminate the need for welding of the vane pack and/or simplify the vane pack assembly process. Further, the vane pack can be decoupled from the turbine housing, thereby avoiding problems with differential thermal expansion.
Claims16
A vane pack (100) for a variable geometry turbocharger comprising:
- an upper vane ring (26) and a lower vane ring (28);
- a plurality of vanes (60) operatively positioned between the upper and lower vane rings (26, 28), each vane (60) having opposing cheek surfaces (65) with a vane post (68) protruding from one of the cheek surfaces (65), a bore (70) extending through each vane (60);
- a plurality of fasteners (72) having a head (90) at one end, each fastener (72) extending through the upper and lower vane rings (26, 28) and the bore (70) of a respective one of the vanes (60);
- and
- a plurality of spacers (74) for maintaining a minimum distance between the upper and lower vane rings (26, 28), each spacer (74) being received in the bore (70) of a respective one of the vanes (60),
- the vanes (60) being pivotable about the vane post (68) or the fastener (72), whereby the spacers (74) are not located within the flow path between the upper and lower vane rings (26, 28).
A vane pack (100) for a variable geometry turbocharger comprising:
- an upper vane ring (26) and a lower vane ring (26);
- a plurality of vanes (60) operatively positioned between the upper and lower vane rings (26, 28), each vane (60) having opposing cheek surfaces (65) with a vane post (68) protruding from one of the cheek surfaces (65), the vane (60) being pivotable about the vane post (68);
- and
- a plurality of small sliding blocks (82), wherein each small sliding block (82) includes an aperture (83), wherein the aperture (83) of each small sliding block (82) receives a vane post (68) of a respective one of the vanes (60), and wherein at least a portion of each small sliding block (82) is operatively positioned between a respective vane cheek surface (65) and the upper vane ring (26).
A method of assembling a vane pack (100) for a variable turbine geometry turbocharger comprising:
- providing a lower vane ring (28) having a plurality of bores (91) formed therein;
- providing a plurality of elongated fasteners (72) having a head (90) at one end;
- inserting a fastener (72) into a respective one of the bores (91) in the lower vane ring (28) such that the head (90) engages the lower vane ring (28) and the fastener (72) extends from an inner surface (40) of the lower vane ring (28);
- placing a hollow spacer (74) over the extending portion of the fastener (72) such that an end portion of the spacer (74) engages the inner surface (40) of the lower vane ring (28) and such that a portion of the fastener (72) extends beyond the opposite end of the spacer (74);
- and
- providing a plurality of vanes (60) having opposing cheek surfaces (65) with a vane post (68) protruding from one of the cheek surfaces (65) and a bore (70) extending through the vane (60), the spacer (74) and a portion of the fastener (72) being received in the bore (70).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.