A thrust washer according to an embodiment has an annular washer body having a first thrust surface and a second thrust surface that receive a thrust load, and a tapered portion formed on at least one of the first thrust surface and the second thrust surface, and the washer body has a waviness larger than a difference in height of the tapered portion in a direction perpendicular to the thrust surface.

A slide surface of a thrust bearing includes a planar portion, a taper portion, and a pocket portion. The pocket portion includes a bottom surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface. The first side surface is formed on the side of the taper portion. The second side surface is formed on a side opposed to the first side surface. A depth from the plane of the planar portion to the thinnest portion of the taper portion is between 10 m and 80 m. A first angle that is an angle between a virtual surface obtained by extending the bottom surface and the second side surface is between 90 and 120. And a second angle that is an angle between a virtual surface obtained by extending the first side surface and the tapered surface is between 60 and 120.

A system includes a hydraulic energy transfer system configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid, wherein the first fluid has a pressure higher than the second fluid. The hydraulic transfer system includes a cylindrical rotor configured to rotate circumferentially about a rotational axis and having a first end face and a second end face disposed opposite each other, a first end cover having a first surface that interfaces with the first end face of the cylindrical rotor, and a hybrid hydrodynamic-hydrostatic bearing system configured to resist axial displacement of the cylindrical rotor.

The invention relates to a hydrodynamic bearing, namely a hydrodynamic disk-shaped thrust bearing or hydrodynamic thrust washer, wherein hydrodynamic structures having elevations and having depressions arranged between adjacent elevations are arranged on opposite sides of the bearing, which hydrodynamic structures extend in the peripheral direction, and slopes of the hydrodynamic structures are arranged between adjacent depressions, which slopes extend from the depressions toward the elevations. According to the invention, at least some of the elevations of the hydrodynamic structures of the first side of the bearing are arranged in the region between two depressions of the hydrodynamic structures of the second side of the bearing, the elevations of a side of the bearing being arranged at an offset to each other in the peripheral direction. The hydrodynamic bearing can be easily adapted to expected axial loads of the bearing and enables low-loss and low-wear axial support.

A hydrodynamic thrust bearing for a torque converter comprising: an axis of rotation; a first radial thrust surface; a second radial surface, opposite the first radial thrust surface, including at least two axially protruding anti-rotation pins for preventing relative motion with one of either a stator assembly or an impeller once assembled; an inner circumferential surface defining an opening concentric with the axis of rotation; an outer circumferential surface; and, an axial retention means for attaching to the one of either a stator assembly or an impeller and including at least two resilient tabs, each tab comprising: a deflectable portion; a lockable portion; and, an axial portion having a first width and connecting the deflectable portion and the lockable portion. A torque converter having a hydrodynamic thrust bearing as described is also provided.

An axial bearing may include a body having a disk-form configuration, a centrally disposed passage opening extending axially into the body structured to receive a shaft, and at least one circular segmental oil pocket opening towards the passage opening. The at least one oil pocket, in both circumferential directions relative to the body, may transition into a plateau surface section directly adjoining the at least one oil pocket.

A gas bearing system has at least one gas bearing (30, 32, 34) with a moving part and a static part and which can be operated in both aero-dynamic and aero-static modes. The system has a source (36) of pressurised gas fluidly connected with the bearing and a control system (134) for regulating the supply of pressurised gas to the bearing in dependence on the rotational speed of the moving part. The system has particular application in a turbocharger (1) where a flow of pressurised gas from the source is introduced into the bearing at the start-up and slow down phases of operation of the turbocharger, the flow being stopped, or reduced, when the turbocharger has reached normal operating speeds.

A turbocharger includes a turbine wheel, a compressor wheel, a shaft coupled to the turbine wheel and the compressor wheel, and a thrust bearing. The thrust bearing includes a loaded side and an unloaded side. The loaded side bears a majority of axial loading caused by force imbalances between the turbine wheel and the compressor wheel during engine startup. The thrust bearing restricts oil flow to the unloaded side as compared to the loaded side during engine startup.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to tilting pad bearing assemblies, bearing apparatuses including the tilting pad bearing assemblies, and methods of using the bearing apparatuses. The tilting pad bearing assemblies disclosed herein include a plurality of tilting pads. At least some of the superhard tables exhibit a thickness that is at least about 0.120 inch and/or at least two layers having different wear and/or thermal characteristics.

A thrust washer for an internal combustion engine may include a body. The body may have a slip surface and a planar contact surface associated with an engine block. The slip surface may have a surface profile the may include at least one ramp section, at least one flat horizontal section, and at least one oil channel. The at least one ramp section and the at least one flat horizontal section may be connected via an asymptotic curve. The at least one ramp section may extend asymptotically toward the at least one flat horizontal section. The at least one ramp section may have an angular length of 45 or less, the at least one flat horizontal section may have an angular length of 45 or less, and the at least one oil channel may have an angular length of 20 or less.