A centrifugal supercharger is provided. One embodiment of the supercharger comprises a two-piece housing wherein a parting area is substantially aligned with a rotational axis of a drive- or impeller shaft. Another embodiment comprises a sleeve, or intermediate member disposed substantially between the housing and a bearing assembly(s) located within the supercharger housing. Another embodiment comprises a disengagement device located between the supercharger impeller and the engine. The disengagement device allows selective disengagement of the impeller from the engine. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained therein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
1. A supercharger, comprising:
a rotatable shaft;
at least one bearing assembly disposed around a portion of the rotatable shaft and comprising at least two spring pre-loaded bearing sets, said bearing sets being constructed of a first material having a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion;
a housing surrounding the bearing assembly, said housing being constructed of a second material having a coefficient of thermal expansion different from said coefficient of thermal expansion of said first material; and
an intermediate member disposed between the bearing assembly and the housing, adjacent to said bearing assembly and proximate said housing, said intermediate member being constructed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially similar to the coefficient of thermal expansion of said first material whereby alignment of said bearing assembly with respect to the rotating shaft is maintained during high speed operation of the supercharger.
2. A supercharger, comprising:
a rotatable shaft;
at least one bearing assembly disposed around a portion of the rotatable shaft and comprising at least two substantially rigidly preloaded bearing sets, said bearing sets being constructed of a first material having a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion;
a housing surrounding the bearing assembly, said housing being constructed of a second material having a coefficient of thermal expansion different from said coefficient of thermal expansion of said first material; and
an intermediate member disposed between the bearing assembly and the housing, adjacent to said bearing assembly and proximate said housing, said intermediate member being constructed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially similar to the coefficient of thermal expansion of said first material whereby alignment of said bearing assembly with respect to the rotating shaft is maintained during high speed operation of the supercharger.
3. A supercharger, comprising:
a rotatable shaft;
at least one bearing assembly disposed around a portion of the rotatable shaft, said bearing assembly being constructed of a first material having a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion;
a housing element surrounding the bearing assembly, said housing being constructed of a second material having a coefficient of thermal expansion different from said coefficient of thermal expansion of said first material; and
an intermediate member disposed between the bearing assembly and the housing element, adjacent said bearing assembly and proximate said housing, said intermediate member being substantially cylindrical and including a gap disposed between said intermediate member and the housing element and wherein said intermediate member defines a lubrication conduit extending through a portion thereof, said conduit being in fluid communication with said gap and with a source of lubrication fluid for providing a hydrostatic supporting force about said member whereby vibration damping and noise reduction is obtained during operation of the supercharger, and wherein said intermediate member is constructed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially similar to the coefficient of thermal expansion of said first material whereby alignment of said bearing assembly with respect to the rotating shaft is maintained during highs peed operation of the supercharger.