A control method configured to control the preload of a bearing includes estimating the preload on the bearing; comparing the estimated preload with a predetermined acceptance range; and correcting the preload on the bearing when the preload is outside the acceptance range.

Provided is a magnetic fluid sealed bearing having a stable sealing performance in a gap. The magnetic fluid sealed bearing includes: an inner ring and an outer ring; a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer rings; a ring-shaped polar plate mounted on an inner circumferential surface of the outer ring such that a gap is formed between the ring-shaped polar plate and an outer circumferential surface of the inner ring; a ring-shaped magnet attached to the ring-shaped polar plate and magnetized such that magnetic poles thereof point to axial directions, to form magnetic circuits on both an outer ring side and an inner ring side; an inner ring magnetic fluid retained in the magnetic circuit on the inner ring side; and a magnetic field intensity increasing portion for increasing magnetic field intensity of the magnetic circuit on the inner ring side.

An improved thrust bearing for a turbocharger includes a first bearing surface, a second bearing surface, an internal passageway, a primary pad, and a plurality of secondary pads. The internal passageway fluidly connects the first and second bearing surfaces. The primary pad may be defined on the first bearing surface. The primary pad further defines a first aperture in fluid communication with the internal passageway and an oil feed defined in a turbocharger housing. The plurality of secondary pads may also be defined on the first bearing surface. Each secondary pad in the plurality of secondary pads may include a secondary surface area which is smaller than the primary surface area of the primary pad.

A sealing arrangement having a rod seal for sealing a cavity for a flowable medium in the region of a rod includes an output apparatus for discharging the flowable medium. The rod is movably supported in a housing to be displaced in an axial direction. The housing has a bearing portion, wherein the rod seal is supported in a fixed manner and wherein the rod extends through the bearing portion and the rod seal so that a first rod portion and a second rod portion are arranged at different sides of the bearing portion. The first rod portion is located at a side facing the cavity and the second rod portion is located at a side facing away from the cavity. The rod seal is arranged at the side of the bearing portion facing the first rod portion and has a first sealing lip and a second sealing lip that are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction and circumferentially contact the rod. The bearing portion facing the cavity has a discharge structure having a support face which circumferentially surrounds the rod. The rod seal is in abutment with the support face and the support face has a diameter which increases in the direction of the second rod portion.