Author: claimsbot

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a compressor casing for a turbocharger, the compressor casing defining an air inlet and having a blower casing component, the air inlet configured to admit air to a compressor wheel mechanically coupled to a turbine disc via a shaft, the turbine disc rotatable about a rotational axis of the turbocharger; and
a turbine casing for the turbocharger, the turbine casing housing the turbine disc, the turbine casing comprising a shroud component surrounding at least a portion of the turbine disc.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a wall of the blower casing component and a wall of the air inlet are adjacent to and continuous with each other along at least a section, and each of the wall of the blower casing component and the wall of the air inlet have a selected thickness and each comprise a selected material such that the combination of the wall of the blower casing component and the wall of the air inlet will exhibit a burst-strength sufficient to retain one or more fragments of the compressor wheel under a burst condition.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one of the wall of the air inlet or the wall of the blower casing comprise a ductile metal.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the thickness of the wall of the air inlet differs from a thickness of the wall of the blower casing.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compressor casing and the turbine casing are formed together as one undivided, monolithic turbocharger casing.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shroud component is integrated with a remainder of the turbine casing, and the shroud component has a cross-section having a thickness, the thickness being defined as perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shroud component and the thickness being determined to have a burst-strength for retaining one or more fragments of the turbine disc under a burst condition, the longitudinal axis parallel to the rotational axis of the turbocharger.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the shroud component is integrated with the remainder of the turbine casing at a first end of the shroud component, the first end being further away from the turbine disc than a second end of the shroud component.
8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the shroud component has an inner surface that defines a water circulation passage extending through the shroud component, and is configured so that thermal fluid circulating through the water circulation passage will carry heat from the shroud component to a location away from the shroud component.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the water circulation passage is an annular-shaped passage that extends along a circumferential edge of the shroud.
10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the shroud component comprises a heat transfer structure configured to transport heat energy from inside the shroud component to a stream of air impinging on the heat transfer structure.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shroud component is coupled to a flange of the turbine casing, the flange integrated with the turbine casing and extending along a length of the shroud component, the flange positioned at an outer face of the shroud with respect to the rotational axis of the turbocharger, the flange having a first thickness.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flange and the shroud component are coupled to one another at a distal end of the flange and a distal end of the shroud component and wherein the distal end of the shroud component has a second thickness and a proximal end of the shroud component has a third thickness, the third thickness larger than the second thickness and the first thickness of the flange.
13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the shroud component is an annular shroud surrounding the turbine disc, and a distal end of the shroud component is coupled at an outer surface to a flange of the turbine casing, the flange extending along a length of the shroud component from the distal end to a proximal end of the shroud component, the proximal end proximal to a blade of the turbine disc.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first bearing bush positioned within the turbine casing and a second bearing bush positioned within the compressor casing, the first bearing bush and second bearing bush surrounding bearings of the shaft, an inner diameter of the first bearing bush and the second bearing bush based on a diameter of the bearings.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first bearing bush is positioned within the turbine casing and has an outer diameter corresponding to an inner diameter of the turbine casing, and further comprising a first mounting flange defined by the first bearing bush, wherein the first mounting flange defines a plurality of apertures configured to facilitate mounting of the first bearing bush to the turbine casing.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second bearing bush is positioned within the compressor casing and has an outer diameter corresponding to an inner diameter of the compressor casing and further comprising a second mounting flange defined by the second bearing bush, wherein the second mounting flange defines a plurality of apertures for mounting the second bearing bush to the compressor casing.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compressor casing and the turbine casing are not monolithic, but are coupled to one another through an intermediate spacer centered along the rotational axis, the intermediate spacer having a width and surrounding the shaft, the width of the intermediate spacer selected based on a length of the shaft.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the intermediate spacer has a surface that defines two depressions that are about the same size as each other but disposed on opposing sides of the intermediate spacer.
19. A turbocharger, comprising:
a compressor casing comprising an air inlet and a blower casing formed as a single, unitary piece with an air inlet wall continuous with a blower casing wall, the air inlet configured to admit air to a compressor wheel of the turbocharger; and
a turbine casing housing a turbine disc mechanically coupled to the compressor wheel, the turbine casing comprising an annular shroud surrounding the turbine disc and an exhaust casing, the shroud integrated and formed as one piece with the exhaust casing, a thickness of the shroud being uniform along a length of the shroud.
20. An apparatus, comprising:
a compressor casing for a turbocharger, the compressor casing defining an air inlet and having a blower casing component, the air inlet configured to admit air to a compressor wheel mechanically coupled to a turbine disc via a shaft, where a ratio of a thickness of an air inlet wall to a thickness of a blower casing wall is a function of a radius of curvature between the air inlet wall and the blower casing wall and a material burst-strength of the air inlet wall and the blower casing wall; and
a turbine casing for the turbocharger, the turbine casing housing the turbine disc, the turbine casing comprising a shroud component surrounding at least a portion of the turbine disc.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An auxiliary-gas supplying apparatus for combustion engine disposed externally of an intake member communicated with a combustion chamber, comprising:
an ozone generator for generating ozone by using air;
an auxiliary gas generator for generating an auxiliary gas containing ionized oxygen by forcibly decomposing at least a part of the ozone generated by the ozone generator; and
an intake auxiliary-gas supply path for supplying the auxiliary gas which is generated by the auxiliary gas generator and which contains the ionized oxygen, to the intake member,
the auxiliary gas generator is constructed by spirally winding a tubular body including a plurality of bulges protruded inwardly from an inside wall thereof.
2. The auxiliary-gas supplying apparatus for combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the intake member is an intake manifold, and
wherein the intake auxiliary-gas supply path is in discrete communication with individual branch pipes of the intake manifold.
3. The auxiliary-gas supplying apparatus for combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the intake member is an intake manifold, and
wherein the intake auxiliary-gas supply path includes a branch path for supplying the auxiliary gas through plural circumferential places of a collecting pipe of the intake manifold or of an intake pipe communicated with the collecting pipe.
4. The auxiliary-gas supplying apparatus for combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the intake member is made from a synthetic resin.
5. The auxiliary-gas supplying apparatus for combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising an exhaust auxiliary-gas supply path for supplying the auxiliary gas which is generated by the auxiliary gas generator and which contains the ionized oxygen, to an exhaust path.

1. A silicon carbide power device equipped with termination structure, comprising:
a silicon carbide substrate including a drift layer which includes a first conductivity and an active zone and a termination zone surrounding the active zone;
a power element structure located in the active zone; and
a termination structure which is located in the termination zone and includes a second conductivity different from the first conductivity, and includes at least one first doped ring abutting and surrounding the power element structure, at least one second doped ring surrounding the first doped ring and at least one ancillary ring which overlaps the first doped ring;
wherein the first doped ring has a first doping concentration smaller than that of the second doped ring and a first doping depth greater than that of the second doped ring, and wherein the ancillary ring has a third doping depth smaller than the first doping depth and a third doping concentration greater than the first doping concentration.
2. The silicon carbide power device of claim 1 further including at least one doped well which is located below the power element structure and includes the second conductivity.
3. The silicon carbide power device of claim 2, wherein the doped well includes a first doped well and a second doped well overlapping the first doped well, the first doped well having a doping depth smaller than that of the second doped well and a doping concentration greater than that of the second doped well.
4. The silicon carbide power device of claim 1, wherein the first doped ring has a doped width smaller than that of the second doped ring.
5. The silicon carbide power device of claim 1, wherein the ancillary ring has a greater third doping width in comparison with the first doped ring.
6. The silicon carbide power device of claim 1, wherein the first doped ring has a first doping width greater than that of the second doped ring.
7. The silicon carbide power device of claim 1, wherein the ancillary ring has a smaller third doping width in comparison with the first doped ring.
8. The silicon carbide power device of claim 1, wherein the ancillary ring has a same third doping width in comparison with the first doped ring.
9. The silicon carbide power device of claim 1, wherein the termination structure includes a plurality of first doped rings spaced from each other at at least one first distance, and a plurality of second doped rings spaced from each other at at least one second distance greater than the first distance.
10. The silicon carbide power device of claim 9, wherein the abutting first doped ring and second doped ring are spaced from each other at a third distance greater than the first distance and smaller than the second distance.
11. The silicon carbide power device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of first doped rings are spaced from each other at a plurality of first distances which gradually increase with increased distances from the power element structure.
12. The silicon carbide power device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of second doped rings are spaced from each other at a plurality of second distances which gradually increase with increased distances from the power element structure.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for forming liquid metal droplets comprising the steps of:
a) providing a pool of a molten metal with a free surface,
b) providing a continual flow of an inert gas across the free surface of the pool of molten metal, the continual flow substantially having a gas flow direction at the free surface of the pool,
c) generating ultrasonic acoustic waves with at least one ultrasonic transducer adjacent to the pool of molten metal,
d) focussing the generated ultrasonic acoustic waves to converge near the free surface of the pool of molten metal to emit drops of liquid metal through the continual flow of inert gas using at least one acoustic lens positioned adjacent to the at least one ultrasonic transducer, the emitted drops being emitted in a direction which is substantially transverse to the gas flow direction.
2. The method for forming liquid metal droplets of claim 1 wherein the emitted droplets are emitted in a direction which is substantially orthogonal to the gas flow direction.
3. The method for forming liquid metal droplets of claim 1 further comprising the step of successively depositing the emitted droplets of liquid metal onto a substrate to form a solid structure.
4. The method for forming liquid metal droplets of claim 1 wherein the continual flow of inert gas is at approximately 0.5 msec or less.
5. The method for forming liquid metal droplets of claim 3 wherein the continual flow of inert gas across the free surface also comprises bleeding gas outward from the free surface.
6. The method for forming liquid metal droplets of claim 5 wherein the space between the free surface and the substrate are substantially filled with the inert gas.
7. A method for forming liquid metal droplets comprising the steps of:
a) providing at least two separated pools of liquid metal, each pool having a free surface,
b) providing a single continual flow of inert gas across the free surfaces of the at least two separated pools of liquid metal, the continual flow substantially having a gas flow direction at the free surface of each pool,
c) generating ultrasonic acoustic waves in at least one pool with at least one ultrasonic transducer associated with the at least one pool,
d) focussing the generated ultrasonic waves to converge near the free surface of the at least one pool to emit drops of liquid metal through the continual flow of inert gas using at least one acoustic lens positioned adjacent to the at least one ultrasonic transducer, the emitted drops being emitted in a direction which is substantially transverse to the gas flow direction.
8. The method for forming liquid metal droplets of claim 7 wherein the emitted liquid metal droplets are emitted in a direction which is substantially orthogonal to the gas flow direction.
9. The method for forming liquid metal droplets of claim 7 further comprising the step of successively depositing the emitted droplets of liquid metal onto a substrate to form a solid structure.
10. The method for forming liquid metal droplets of claim 7 wherein the continual flow of inert gas is at approximately 0.5 msec or less.
11. The method for forming liquid metal droplets of claim 9 wherein the continual flow of inert gas across the free surface also comprises bleeding gas outward from the free surface.
12. The method of forming liquid metal droplets of claim 11 wherein the space between the free surface and the substrate are substantially filled with the inert gas.
13. A device emitting liquid metal droplets on demand from a free surface of a liquid pool comprising:
a) a solid substrate having first and second surfaces, and having an acoustic focussing element on the first surface,
b) acoustic wave generating means intimately coupled to the second surface of said solid substrate for generating RF acoustic waves such that the acoustic focussing element causes an acoustic beam to be focussed to converge near the free surface of the liquid pool, for forming droplets of the liquid,
c) a top liquid control plate, having first and second surfaces, with the first surface in intimate contact with the liquid pool, said top fluid control plate have at least one opening therethrough, the opening being aligned with said acoustic wave generating means and the acoustic focussing element such that the acoustic beam focussed near the free surface of the pool will be focussed at least partly within the opening, the opening being large enough to permit droplets formed by the focussing of the acoustic beam at the free surface of the liquid to pass therethrough,
d) a top gas containment plate have first and second surfaces to at least partially contain an inert gas between the first surface of the top gas containment plate and the second surface of the top fluid control plate, said top gas containment plate having at least one opening therethrough, the opening in the top gas containment plate being aligned with the opening in the top fluid control plate such that any liquid drops passing through the opening in the top fluid control plate may also pass through the top gas containment plate.