Compressor assembly having a matched shim

Abstract

A compressor assembly is disclosed. The compressor assembly has a compressor housing. The compressor assembly may also have a compressor impeller disposed within the compressor housing. Further, the compressor assembly may have a bearing housing. The bearing housing may have a body portion and a web. The web may extend outward from the body portion. The bearing housing may also have a bearing housing flange extending radially outward from the web. The bearing housing flange may be configured to be attached to the compressor housing. In addition, the compressor assembly may have a shim disposed between the compressor housing and the bearing housing flange.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compressor assembly, comprising:
 a compressor housing;   a compressor impeller disposed within the compressor housing;   a bearing housing, including:
 a body portion; 
 a web extending outward from the body portion; and 
 a bearing housing flange extending radially outward from the web, the bearing housing flange being configured to be attached to the compressor housing; and 
   a shim disposed between the compressor housing and the bearing housing flange.   
     
     
         2 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein
 the compressor housing includes:
 an inner wall; and 
 a volute connected to the inner wall, the volute including a volute rear wall, the bearing housing flange is configured to be attached to the volute rear wall, and the shim is disposed between the volute rear wall and the bearing housing flange. 
   
     
     
         3 . The compressor assembly of  claim 2 , wherein
 the bearing housing flange includes:
 a front face abutting the volute rear wall; 
 a rear face disposed opposite the front face; and 
 a flange recess extending axially inwards from the front face towards the rear face, the flange recess including a recess seating surface disposed axially spaced apart from the volute rear wall, and 
   the shim is disposed between the volute rear wall and the recess seating surface.   
     
     
         4 . The compressor assembly of  claim 3 , further including a diffuser ring disposed between the inner wall and the web, the diffuser ring including:
 a back plate extending from a back plate leading edge to a back plate trailing edge; and   a vane extending from the back plate to a vane tip, wherein the shim has a thickness selected such that the vane tip abuts the inner wall.   
     
     
         5 . The compressor assembly of  claim 4 , wherein
 the compressor impeller includes a gage location, and   a thickness of the shim is based at least in part on a first axial distance between the recess seating surface and the gage location.   
     
     
         6 . The compressor assembly of  claim 5 , wherein
 the gage location is a first gage location,   the compressor housing includes a second gage location, and   the thickness of the shim is based on a second axial distance between the volute rear wall and the second gage location.   
     
     
         7 . The compressor assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the thickness of the shim is further based on a predetermined variation of the second axial distance. 
     
     
         8 . The compressor assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the thickness of the shim is selected such that the first axial distance is at least about equal to a sum of the second axial distance and the thickness of the shim. 
     
     
         9 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shim has a generally annular shape disposed around a rotational axis of the compressor assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shim is attached to the bearing housing flange using a plurality of fasteners. 
     
     
         11 . The compressor assembly of  claim 10 , wherein a number of the fasteners ranges from 6 to 12. 
     
     
         12 . A turbocharger cartridge, comprising:
 a turbine housing;   a turbine wheel disposed within the turbine housing;   a compressor impeller;   a shaft connecting the turbine wheel and the compressor impeller;   a bearing housing, including:
 a body portion; 
 a web extending outward from the body portion; and 
 a bearing housing flange extending radially outward from the web; and 
   a shim attached to the bearing housing flange.   
     
     
         13 . The turbocharger cartridge of  claim 12 , wherein
 the bearing housing flange includes:
 a front face; 
 a rear face disposed opposite the front face; and 
 a flange recess extending axially inwards from the front face towards the rear face, the flange recess including a recess seating surface disposed axially spaced apart from the front face, and 
   the shim is attached to the recess seating surface.   
     
     
         14 . The turbocharger cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein
 the compressor impeller includes a gage location, and   a thickness of the shim is based at least in part on a first axial distance between the recess seating surface and the gage location.   
     
     
         15 . The turbocharger cartridge of  claim 12 , wherein the shim has a generally annular shape disposed around a rotational axis of the turbocharger cartridge. 
     
     
         16 . The turbocharger cartridge of  claim 12 , wherein the shim is attached to the bearing housing flange using a plurality of fasteners. 
     
     
         17 . A turbocharger, comprising:
 a turbine housing;   a turbine wheel disposed within the turbine housing and configured to be driven by exhaust received from an engine;   a compressor housing;   a compressor impeller disposed within the compressor housing;   a shaft connecting the turbine wheel and the compressor impeller;   a bearing housing attached to the compressor housing and the turbine housing, including:
 a body portion; 
 a web extending outward from the body portion; and 
 a bearing housing flange extending radially outward from the web, the bearing housing flange being configured to be attached to the compressor housing; and 
   a shim disposed between the compressor housing and the bearing housing flange.   
     
     
         18 . The turbocharger of  claim 17 , wherein
 the compressor housing includes:
 an inner wall; and 
 a volute connected to the inner wall, the volute including a volute rear wall, the bearing housing flange is configured to be attached to the volute rear wall, the bearing housing flange includes: 
 a front face abutting the volute rear wall; 
 a rear face disposed opposite the front face; and 
 a flange recess extending axially inwards from the front face towards the rear face, the flange recess including a recess seating surface disposed axially spaced apart from the volute rear wall, and 
   the shim is disposed between the volute rear wall and the recess seating surface.   
     
     
         19 . The turbocharger of  claim 18 , further including a diffuser ring disposed between the inner wall and the web, the diffuser ring including:
 a back plate extending from a back plate leading edge to a back plate trailing edge; and   a vane extending from the back plate to a vane tip, wherein the shim has a thickness selected such that the vane tip abuts the inner wall.   
     
     
         20 . The turbocharger of  claim 19 , wherein
 the compressor impeller includes a first gage location disposed at a first axial distance from the recess seating surface,   the compressor housing includes a second gage location disposed at a second axial distance from the volute rear wall, and   a thickness of the shim is selected such that the first axial distance is at least about equal to a sum of the second axial distance and the thickness of the shim.