To reduce bearing loss due to an oil-shortage region on a pad facing a thrust collar, a thrust bearing according to at least one embodiment of the present invention includes a thrust collar, and at least one bearing pad disposed along a circumferential direction on a bearing surface, the at least one bearing pad having a tapered portion and a land portion. Each of the at least one bearing pad is formed so that a periphery portion on an outer side with respect to a radial direction gets closer to an inner side with respect to the radial direction toward an upstream side with respect to the rotational direction.

A bearing including a bearing pad and a housing is provided. The bearing pad has a thrust face for supporting a vibration along an axial direction of the bearing. Additionally, the housing is formed integrally using an additive manufacturing process and is attached to or formed integrally with the bearing pad. The housing defines a working gas delivery system for providing a flow of pressurized working gas to the thrust face of the bearing pad and a fluid damper cavity. The fluid damper cavity provides a dampening of the axial vibration supported by the thrust face of the bearing pad along the axial direction.

An oil-lubricated, tapered-land thrust bearing assembly (60) for automotive turbochargers (10) including a thrust bearing (30). The thrust bearing (30) includes an assembly of a base (62) with at least one insert (64 or 66), which is designed to control the oil film as a purposefully compliant structure based on applied force to optimize performance at low and high power operation. The ramp angle is relatively large at a low load and decreases to a smaller ramp angle at higher loads. On one side of the turbocharger (10), the thrust bearing assembly (60) may operate with a flinger sleeve (34) and a thrust washer (24) within a complementary bearing housing cover (32).

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 pair of sliding members sliding relative to each other at sliding faces is configured such that at least one of the sliding faces includes a negative pressure generation mechanism separated from a leakage side by a leakage-side land portion and a land portion arranged in the negative pressure generation mechanism. In the compact sliding members, sliding torque can be reduced and a sealing function can be maintained.

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.

The present disclosure relates to an improved air foil thrust bearing having a reduced number of components and an increased load support area. The improved air foil thrust bearing comprises a base plate and a plurality of foils attached to the base plate, wherein each of the foils comprises a top foil section and a bump foil section connected to and integral with the top foil section.

A thrust bearing, particularly for a turbocharger, having unique configurations on the thrust pad faces, including free-form curvatures or non-linear configurations defined by a geometric equation. The thrust pad faces can be configured by a programmed linear actuator system and cutting tool.

In an annular sliding component disposed at a relatively rotating position of a rotating machine and sliding relative to an opposed sliding component, a sliding surface is provided with a plurality of first dynamic pressure generation grooves disposed on a leakage side, having terminating ends, and generating a positive pressure and a plurality of second dynamic pressure generation grooves disposed on a sealing target fluid side, having terminating ends, and generating a positive pressure and a depth of the second dynamic pressure generation groove is shallower than a depth of the first dynamic pressure generation groove.

A thrust bearing, particularly for a turbocharger, having unique configurations on the thrust pad faces, including free-form curvatures or non-linear configurations defined by a geometric equation. The thrust pad faces can be configured by a programmed linear actuator system and cutting tool.