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A turbocharger using a high speed rolling element bearing system is improved in desired speed and life by providing an insulating spacer, with a thermal conductivity lower than that of the material in the inner race of the REB, between the turbine-end of the inner race of the bearing system and the

A turbocharger using a high speed rolling element bearing system is improved in desired speed and life by providing an insulating spacer, with a thermal conductivity lower than that of the material in the inner race of the REB, between the turbine-end of the inner race of the bearing system and the compressor-end face of the piston ring boss to impede the flow of heat from the turbine wheel to the inner race of the rolling element bearing.

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1. A turbocharger comprising: a rotating assembly comprising a shaft (50) and a turbine wheel (51) solidly affixed to one end of the shaft,a bearing housing (3) supporting a rolling element bearing comprising an inner race (65) and an outer race (64) which are each provided with a raceway, and a ser

1. A turbocharger comprising: a rotating assembly comprising a shaft (50) and a turbine wheel (51) solidly affixed to one end of the shaft,a bearing housing (3) supporting a rolling element bearing comprising an inner race (65) and an outer race (64) which are each provided with a raceway, and a series of rolling elements which are in contact with the raceways of each race,a thermal barrier element (90) carried on said shaft between said turbine wheel and said inner race, anda piston ring boss (56) at the turbine end of the shaft, the piston ring boss (56) having a compressor-facing end (55),wherein said shaft (50) is supported for rotation by said rolling element bearing, and said thermal barrier element (90) is provided between said piston ring boss compressor-facing end (55) and said inner race (65). 2. The turbocharger as in claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier element (90) is comprised of a material having a coefficient of thermal conductivity equal to or lower than that of either the bearing inner race or a bearing boss of the rotating assembly. 3. The turbocharger as in claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier element (90) is comprised of titanium, a titanium alloy, a superalloy, or a ceramic material. 4. The turbocharger as in claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier element (90) is comprised of a metal coated with a coating having a lower thermal conductivity than said metal. 5. The turbocharger as in claim 4, wherein said coating is a yttria-stabilized zirconia. 6. The turbocharger as in claim 1, wherein said inner race (65) is axially constrained by said thermal barrier element (90). 7. The turbocharger as in claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier element (90) includes a radial extension which serves as an oil flinger. 8. The turbocharger as in claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier element (90) has an inner race (65) contacting end face, wherein said inner race has a thermal barrier element (90) contacting end face, and wherein at least one of said end faces does not form a continuous ring with constant inner and outer diameter about its entire circumference. 9. The turbocharger as in claim 1, wherein said rolling element bearing is selected from the group consisting of ball bearings, roller bearings, needle bearings, tapered roller bearings, and spherical roller bearings. 10. The turbocharger as in claim 1, wherein said rotating assembly further comprises a piston ring boss at the turbine end of the shaft, the piston ring boss having a compressor-facing end, and wherein said thermal barrier element is provided entirely within an axial spacing between said piston ring boss compressor-facing end and said inner race. 11. A turbocharger comprising: a rotating assembly comprising a shaft (52) and a turbine wheel (51) solidly affixed to one end of the shaft, and a piston ring boss (56) at the turbine end of the shaft, the piston ring boss (56) having a compressor-facing end face (55); anda rolling element bearing comprising an inner race and an outer race which are each provided with a raceway, and a series of rolling elements which are in contact with the raceways of each race, the inner race including a piston ring boss facing end face, wherein said shaft is supported for rotation by said rolling element bearing,wherein at least one of said piston ring boss (56) compressor-facing end face (55) and said inner race piston ring boss (56) facing end face are coated with a low thermal conductance coating.