Piloted Bearing Support for Turbocharger Gear Train Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbocharger gear train alignment is complex and prone to misalignment, leading to component damage and reduced service life, particularly due to the use of spur gears with offset centerlines and the need for complex machining and matched assemblies.
Innovation Solution
A bearing support with a body, bore, and plurality of pilots is used to align components, providing an interference fit for precise alignment of the turbocharger's gear train, including a drive shaft, planetary gears, and planet carrier, simplifying the alignment process and reducing the complexity of traditional doweling methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional doweling methods are used to align turbocharger housings, then alignment accuracy can be achieved, but the manufacturing complexity and requirement for matched assemblies increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing support is pre-machined with integrated pilots during the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for field alignment operations. The pilots are precisely positioned and sized to guide assembly, with dimensions controlled within ±0.002 inches, ensuring accurate alignment is built into the component itself rather than achieved through complex post-assembly procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment function is extracted from the housing assembly process and integrated directly into the bearing support component. By incorporating the pilots as integral features of the bearing support rather than requiring separate alignment mechanisms, the patent eliminates the need for complex doweling procedures and matched assemblies while maintaining alignment accuracy
2Power
If spur gears with offset centerlines are used in the gear train, then power transmission between parallel shafts is achieved, but housing alignment complexity increases due to the need for apertures and difficulty in aligning housings via simple pilots
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing support acts as an intermediary component that bridges the turbine housing and compressor housing. It incorporates precisely positioned pilots that interface with both housings, providing a stable reference framework that accommodates the offset centerlines of spur gears while simplifying the alignment process. The pilots serve as mediators that translate the complex geometric requirements into simple alignment features
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing support merges multiple functions into a single component: it supports the bearing, provides alignment pilots, and structurally connects the turbine and compressor housings. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate alignment mechanisms and reduces the number of parts requiring coordination during assembly
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The piloted bearing support ensures accurate alignment of the turbocharger's gear train components, enhancing service life and reducing the risk of damage during assembly and maintenance, while allowing for easy removal and replacement, thus improving the reliability and efficiency of turbocharger operation.
Implementation Method 1
Each pilot may be machined for an interference fit with a different component of the turbocharger
Data Source
AI summary
A bearing support for a turbocharger, the bearing support including a body, a bore extending axially through the body and dimensioned to receive a bearing and a portion of a planet carrier, and a plurality of pilots. Each pilot may be formed on an external surface of the body, and each pilot may be machined for an interference fit with a different component of the turbocharger.