Velocity variance reducing multiple bearing arrangement for impeller shaft of centrifugal supercharger

Claim 2

A centrifugal supercharger for supplying supercharged intake fluid to an engine; said centrifugal supercharger comprising: a case; a rotatable impeller operable to supercharge the intake fluid; an impeller shaft on which the impeller is supported, said impeller shaft being drivingly connectable to a power source; and a multiple bearing arrangement rotatably supporting the impeller shaft on the case, said bearing arrangement including a shaft bearing and a case bearing, each of which includes relatively rotatable first and second races, said first race of the shaft bearing being fixed relative to the impeller shaft, said second race of the case bearing being fixed relative to the case, and said second race of the shaft bearing and first race of the case bearing being fixed relative to one another.

Claim 3

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 1 , each of said bearings including a ball ring interposed between the first and second races thereof, said ball rings including a plurality of balls moveably interposed between said first and second races, and a cage associated with the balls and operable to separate the balls, said ball rings each defining a plane associated therewith.

Claim 4

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 2 , said shaft bearing balls having a common diameter that is less than the common diameter of the case bearing balls.

Claim 5

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 2 , said planes being coplanar.

Claim 6

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 2 , said planes being offset.

Claim 7

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 1 , said second race of the shaft bearing and the first race of the case bearing being integrally formed as a unitary body.

Claim 8

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 1 , said bearing arrangement including a spacer fixed relative to both the second race of the shaft bearing and the first race of the case bearing.

Claim 9

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 1 , said first race of the case bearing presenting an interior dimension, said second race of the shaft bearing presenting an exterior dimension that is greater than said interior dimension.

Claim 10

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 1 , at least one of the bearings including an additional first race and an additional second race, said additional first race being fixed relative to the same structure as the first-mentioned first race of said at least one of the bearings, said additional second race being fixed relative to the same structure as the first-mentioned second race of said at least one of the bearings.

Claim 11

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 9 , said additional races being spaced from the first-mentioned races of said at least one of the bearings, said other bearing being located between the spaced apart additional and first mentioned races.

Claim 12

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 1 , each of said bearings being configured so that the first race thereof is spaced radially inward from the second race thereof.

Claim 13

A centrifugal compressor as claimed in claim 1 , said impeller shaft presenting an outer surface speed at the first race of the shaft bearing of at least about 10,000 feet per minute.

Claim 14

In a powered vehicle including an engine, an improved supercharger for supplying supercharged intake fluid to the engine, said centrifugal supercharger comprising: a case presenting a compressor chamber defined between an outlet opening connected to the engine and an inlet opening; a rotatable impeller in the compressor chamber, with the impeller being operable to supercharge the intake fluid and force the supercharged intake fluid through the outlet opening when rotated; an impeller shaft on which the impeller is supported, said impeller shaft being drivingly coupled to the engine; and a multiple bearing arrangement rotatably supporting the impeller shaft on the case, said bearing arrangement including a shaft bearing and a case bearing, each of which includes relatively rotatable first and second races, said first race of the shaft bearing being fixed relative to the impeller shaft, said second race of the case bearing being fixed relative to the case, and said second race of the shaft bearing and first race of the case bearing being fixed relative to one another.

Claim 15

In a powered vehicle including an engine, an improved supercharger for supplying supercharged intake fluid to the engine, said centrifugal supercharger comprising: a case presenting a compressor chamber defined between an outlet opening connected to the engine and an inlet opening; a rotatable impeller in the compressor chamber, with the impeller being operable to supercharge the intake fluid and force the supercharged intake fluid through the outlet opening when rotated; an impeller shaft on which the impeller is supported, said impeller shaft being drivingly coupled to the engine; and a multiple bearing arrangement rotatably supporting the impeller shaft on the case, said bearing arrangement including a shaft bearing and a case bearing, each of which includes relatively rotatable first and second races, said first race of the shaft bearing being fixed relative to the impeller shaft, said second race of the case bearing being fixed relative to the case, and said second race of the shaft bearing and first race of the case bearing being fixed relative to one another.

Claim 16

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , each of said bearings including a ball ring interposed between the first and second races thereof, said ball rings including a plurality of balls moveably interposed between said first and second races, and a cage associated with the balls and operable to separate the balls, said ball rings each defining a plane associated therewith.

Claim 17

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 14 , said shaft bearing balls having a common diameter that is less than the common diameter of the case bearing balls.

Claim 18

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 14 , said planes being coplanar.

Claim 19

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 14 , said planes being offset.

Claim 20

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , said second race of the shaft bearing and the first race of the case bearing being integrally formed as a unitary body.

Claim 21

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , said bearing arrangement including a spacer fixed relative to both the second race of the shaft bearing and the first race of the case bearing.

Claim 22

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , said first race of the case bearing presenting an interior dimension, said second race of the shaft bearing presenting an exterior dimension that is greater than said interior dimension.

Claim 23

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , at least one of the bearings including an additional first race and an additional second race, said additional first race being fixed relative to the same structure as the first-mentioned first race of said at least one of the bearings, said additional second race being fixed relative to the same structure as the first-mentioned second race of said at least one of the bearings.

Claim 24

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 21 , said additional races being spaced from the first-mentioned races of said at least one of tie bearings, said other bearing being located between the spaced apart additional and first mentioned races.

Claim 25

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , each of said bearings being configured so that the first race thereof is spaced radially inward from the second race thereof.

Claim 26

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , said impeller shaft presenting an outer surface speed at the first race of the shaft searing of at least about 10,000 feet per minute.

Claim 27

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 24 ; a transmission drivingly connected to the engine so as to provide driving power to the impeller, with the impeller shaft being part of the transmission; and a drive mechanism drivingly connecting the transmission to the engine, said drive mechanism and said transmission being configured to rotate the impeller shaft at said outer surface speed during operation of the engine.

Claim 28

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 25 , said drive mechanism comprising a belt drive including a plurality of sheaves and an endless belt drivingly connecting the sheaves.

Claim 29

A centrifugal supercharger for supplying supercharged intake fluid to an engine, said centrifugal supercharger comprising: a case; a rotatable impeller operable to supercharge the intake fluid; an impeller shaft including a cantilevered section on which the impeller is supported, said impeller shaft being drivingly connectable to a power source; and a compound bearing assembly rotatably supporting the impeller shaft on the case, said bearing assembly including a shaft bearing and a case bearing, each of which includes relatively rotatable first and second races, said first race of the shaft bearing being fixed relative to the impeller shaft, said second race of the case bearing being fixed relative to the case, and said second race of the shaft bearing and first race of the case bearing being fixed relative to one another.

Claim 30

A centrifugal supercharger for supplying supercharged intake fluid to an engine, said centrifugal supercharger comprising: a case; a rotatable impeller operable to supercharge the intake fluid; an impeller shaft including a cantilevered section on which the impeller is supported, said impeller shaft being drivingly connectable to a power source; and a compound bearing assembly rotatably supporting the impeller shaft on the case, said bearing assembly including a shaft bearing and a case bearing, each of which includes relatively rotatable first and second races, said first race of the shaft bearing being fixed relative to the impeller shaft, said second race of the case bearing being fixed relative to the case, and said second race of the shaft bearing and first race of the case bearing being fixed relative to one another.

Claim 31

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 27 , each of said bearings including a ball ring interposed between the first and second races thereof, said ball rings including a plurality of balls moveably interposed between said first and second races, and a cage associated with the balls and operable to separate the balls, said ball rings each defining a plane associated therewith.

Claim 32

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 28 , said shaft bearing balls having a common diameter that is less than the common diameter of the case bearing balls.

Claim 33

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 28 , said planes being coplanar.

Claim 34

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 28 , said planes being offset.

Claim 35

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 27 , said second race of the shaft bearing and the first race of the case bearing being integrally formed as a unitary body.

Claim 36

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 27 , said bearing arrangement including a spacer fixed relative to both the second race of the shaft bearing and the first race of the case bearing.

Claim 37

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 27 , said first race of the case bearing presenting an interior dimension, said second race of the shaft bearing presenting an exterior dimension that is greater than said interior dimension.

Claim 38

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 27 , at least one of the bearings including an additional first race and an additional second race, said additional first race being fixed relative to the same structure as the first-mentioned first race of said at least one of the bearings, said additional second race being fixed relative to the same structure as the first-mentioned second race of said at least one of the bearings.

Claim 39

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 35 , said additional races being spaced from the first-mentioned races of said at least one of the bearings, said other bearing being located between the spaced apart additional and first-,mentioned races.

Claim 40

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 27 , each of said bearings being configured so that the first race thereof is spaced radially inward from the second race thereof.

Claim 41

A centrifugal supercharger as claimed in claim 27 , said impeller shaft presenting an outer surface speed at the first race of the shaft bearing of at least about 10,000 feet per minute.

Claim 42

In a powered vehicle including an engine, an improved supercharger for supplying supercharged intake fluid to the engine, said centrifugal supercharger comprising: a case presenting a compressor chamber defined between an outlet opening connected to the engine and an inlet opening; a rotatable impeller in the compressor chamber, with the impeller being operable to supercharge the intake fluid and force the supercharged intake fluid through the outlet opening when rotated; an impeller shaft including a cantilevered section on which the impeller is supported, said impeller shaft being drivingly coupled to the engine; and a compound bearing assembly rotatably supporting the impeller shaft on the case, said bearing assembly including a shaft bearing and a case bearing, each of which includes relatively rotatable first and second races, said first race of the shaft bearing being fixed relative to the impeller shaft, said second race of the case bearing being fixed relative to the case, and said second race of the shaft bearing and first race of the case bearing being fixed relative to one another.

Claim 43

In a powered vehicle including an engine, an improved supercharger for supplying supercharged intake fluid to the engine, said centrifugal supercharger comprising: a case presenting a compressor chamber defined between an outlet opening connected to the engine and an inlet opening; a rotatable impeller in the compressor chamber, with the impeller being operable to supercharge the intake fluid and force the supercharged intake fluid through the outlet opening when rotated; an impeller shaft including a cantilevered section on which the impeller is supported, said impeller shaft being drivingly coupled to the engine; and a compound bearing assembly rotatably supporting the impeller shaft on the case, said bearing assembly including a shaft bearing and a case bearing, each of which includes relatively rotatable first and second races, said first race of the shaft bearing being fixed relative to the impeller shaft, said second race of the case bearing being fixed relative to the case, and said second race of the shaft bearing and first race of the case bearing being fixed relative to one another.

Claim 44

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 39 , each of said bearings including a ball ring interposed between the first and second races thereof, said ball rings including a plurality of balls moveably interposed between said first and second races, and a cage associated with the balls and operable to separate the balls, said ball rings. each defining a plane associated therewith.

Claim 45

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 40 , said shaft bearing balls having a common diameter that is less than the common diameter of the case bearing balls.

Claim 46

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 40 , said planes being coplanar.

Claim 47

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 40 , said planes being offset.

Claim 48

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 39 , said second race of the shaft bearing and the first race of the case bearing being integrally formed as a unitary body.

Claim 49

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 39 , said bearing arrangement including a spacer fixed relative to both the second race of the shaft bearing and the first race of the case bearing.

Claim 50

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 39 , said first race of the case bearing presenting an interior dimension, said second race of the shaft bearing presenting an exterior dimension that is greater than said interior dimension.

Claim 51

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 39 , at least one of the bearings including an additional first race and an additional second race, said additional first race being fixed relative to the same structure as the first-mentioned first race of said at least one of the bearings, said additional second race being fixed relative to tide same structure as the first-mentioned second race of said at least one of the bearings.

Claim 52

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 47 , said additional races being spaced from the first-mentioned races of-said at least one of the bearings, said other bearing being located between the spaced apart additional and first-mentioned races.

Claim 53

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 39 , each of said bearings being configured so that the first race thereof is spaced radially inward from the second race thereof.

Claim 54

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 39 , said impeller shaft presenting an outer surface speed at the first, race of the shaft bearing of at least about 10,000 feet per minute.

Claim 55

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 50 , a transmission drivingly connected to the engine so as to provide driving power to the impeller, with the impeller shaft being part of the transmission; and a drive mechanism drivingly connecting the transmission to the engine, said drive mechanism and said transmission being configured to rotate the impeller shaft at said outer surface speed during operation of the engine.

Claim 56

In a powered vehicle as claimed in claim 51 , said drive mechanism comprising a belt drive including a plurality of sheaves and an endless belt drivingly connecting the sheaves.