초록 ▼

A Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) turbine turbocharger comprises a turbine wheel in a housing, and a compressor wheel coupled to the turbine wheel with a main shaft. The turbocharger additionally includes a VTG assembly in the housing, an actuator outside the housing, and an actuation pivot shaft th

A Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) turbine turbocharger comprises a turbine wheel in a housing, and a compressor wheel coupled to the turbine wheel with a main shaft. The turbocharger additionally includes a VTG assembly in the housing, an actuator outside the housing, and an actuation pivot shaft that extends through an opening of the housing and connects the VTG assembly to the actuator. A face seal assembly seals the opening, and includes an inner ring member rotationally fixed on the pivot shaft, a disc member, and a spring seal. The disc member includes a first face that forms a seal with a surface of the housing, and is rotationally fixed to, while being movable axially relative to, the inner ring member. The spring seal seals the inner ring member and the disc member, and applies a seating force against the disc member.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A face seal assembly comprising: a first annulus comprising a cylindrical body have a central bore configured to be press fit onto a pivot shaft to be fixed to and form a first seal with the pivot shaft, the first annulus additionally comprising a flange extending radially outward from the cylind

1. A face seal assembly comprising: a first annulus comprising a cylindrical body have a central bore configured to be press fit onto a pivot shaft to be fixed to and form a first seal with the pivot shaft, the first annulus additionally comprising a flange extending radially outward from the cylindrical body and a first rotational locking feature;a second annulus having a central aperture configured to receive the cylindrical body of the first annulus therein, the second annulus additionally comprising a first planar side surface that is configured to form a face seal, a second planar side surface opposite the first planar side surface, and a second rotational locking feature configured to engage the first rotational locking feature to rotationally lock the first annulus to the second annulus while allowing the second annulus to tilt and displace axially relative to the first annulus; anda spring seal including a first axially facing surface that engages the flange to form a second seal therewith and including a second axially facing surface that engages the second planar side surface to form a third seal therewith and to apply a seating force against the second annulus. 2. An actuation system for a variable turbine geometry turbocharger, the actuation system comprising: an actuator;a pivot shaft coupled to the actuator to be rotated thereby back and forth within a limited range of rotational movement; anda face seal assembly, the face seal assembly comprising: a first annulus rotationally fixed to the pivot shaft and forming a first seal therewith;a second annulus rotationally fixed to the first annulus and axially movable relative thereto, wherein the second annulus is configured to form a face seal with another member of the turbocharger; anda spring seal compressible axially between the first annulus and the second annulus to therebetween form a second seal that is maintained as the pivot shaft is moved to cause axial misalignment and axial displacement between the first annulus and the second annulus. 3. The actuation system of claim 2 further comprising a bushing configured to be received within an opening of a housing of the turbocharger, wherein the bushing includes a central bore through which the pivot shaft extends, and a tolerance between the bore and the pivot shaft allows the pivot shaft to rotate therein and tilt relative thereto to cause the axial misalignment. 4. The actuation system of claim 3, wherein the second annulus forms the face seal with an end surface of the bushing. 5. The actuation system of claim 2, wherein the first annulus and the second annulus include rotational locking features that rotationally fix the second annulus to the first annulus. 6. The actuation system of claim 5, wherein the rotational locking features include a tab received within a slot. 7. The actuation system of claim 2, wherein the second annulus includes a first side surface that is planar and forms the face seal and a second side surface that is opposite the first side surface, and the spring seal includes a first axially facing surface that forms a first portion of the second seal with the second side surface and applies a seating force thereagainst. 8. The actuation system of claim 7, wherein the spring seal includes a second axially facing surface that forms a second portion of the second seal with a radially extending arm of the first annulus. 9. The actuation system of claim 8, wherein the spring seal includes a central aperture having an axis, an inner segment extending radially outward from the central aperture, an intermediate segment extending radially outward from the inner segment and a non-perpendicular angle relative to the axis, and an outer segment extending radially outward from the intermediate segment; and wherein the inner segment includes one of the first or the second axially facing surface, and the outer segment includes the other of the first or the second axially facing surface. 10. The actuation system of claim 8, wherein the spring seal is a U-seal ring. 11. The actuation system of claim 2, wherein the first annulus and the second annulus are positioned on opposing sides of the spring seal, the first annulus and the second annulus being configured and dimensioned to insulate the spring seal from frictional wear as the pivot shaft is rotated. 12. A Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) turbine turbocharger, comprising: a turbine wheel and a housing, the turbine wheel being disposed in the housing;a compressor wheel and a main shaft that connects the turbine wheel and the compressor wheel;a VTG assembly disposed in the housing, an actuator disposed outside the housing, and an actuation pivot shaft that extends through an opening of the housing and connects the VTG assembly to the actuator; anda face seal assembly that seals the opening, the face seal assembly comprising: an inner ring rotationally fixed on the actuation pivot shaft;a disc including a first side face that forms a first seal with a surface of the housing, the disc being rotationally fixed to the inner ring and being movable axially relative to the inner ring; anda spring seal ring forming a second seal between the inner ring and the disc and applying a seating force against the disc. 13. The turbocharger of claim 12, wherein: the inner ring is annular and includes a hollow cylindrical base portion coupled to the actuation pivot shaft to form a third seal therewith, and a radially-extending flange formed at one end of the base portion;the disc includes an inner edge that defines a central opening and includes a second side face that is opposed to the first side face, the base portion of the inner ring being received within the central opening; andthe spring seal ring is disposed between the second side face of the disc and the flange and is configured to function as a spring that biases the second side face of the disc away from the flange of the inner ring. 14. The turbocharger of claim 13, wherein the base portion of the inner ring includes an axially extending slot, and the disc includes a tab protruding radially inward into the central opening, the tab being received within the slot to rotationally fix the disc to the inner ring. 15. The turbocharger of claim 12, wherein the inner ring and the disc include complementary engaging features that rotationally fix the inner ring and the disc to each other. 16. The turbocharger of claim 15, wherein the spring seal is compressible in an axial direction between the inner ring and the disc, such that the face seal assembly seals the opening as the actuation pivot shaft is at least one of tilted or moved axially relative to the opening. 17. The turbocharger of claim 12, wherein the inner ring and the disc are positioned on opposing sides of the spring seal ring, the inner ring and the disc being configured and dimensioned to insulate the spring seal ring from frictional wear. 18. The turbocharger of claim 12, wherein the spring seal includes a central aperture having an axis, an inner segment that extends radially outward from the central aperture, an intermediate segment that extends radially outward from the inner segment at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the axis, and an outer segment that extends radially outward from the intermediate segment. 19. The turbocharger of claim 18, wherein to form the second seal, the inner segment includes a first axially facing surface that engages one of the flange of the inner ring or the second side surface of the disc to seal therewith, and the outer segment includes a second axially facing surface that engages the other of the flange of the inner ring or the second side surface of the disc to seal therewith. 20. The turbocharger of claim 12, wherein the housing includes a bushing that forms the surface of the housing, and the first side face of the disc forms the first seal with the bushing.