A radial bearing serves for mounting a rotating shaft and is employed for example in an exhaust gas turbocharger for an internal combustion engine. Such a generic radial bearing is known from DE 10 2008 000 853 A1. Here, the radial bearing comprises a cylindrically formed bearing body, which forms a receiving space for the shaft to be arranged therein. Within the bearing body, supply channels running in radial direction are provided, which feed a lubricant, for example lubricating oil to the receiving space, which lubricating oil upon rotation of the shaft disposes itself between the shaft and an inner wall of the bearing body facing the receiving space or the shaft in order to avoid a direct mechanical contact between the shaft and the inner wall. To avoid or reduce undesirable vibration effects, for example the so-called oil whirl and/or oil whip, multiple transverse grooves are formed in the inner wall, which run in the axial direction and are separated in the circumferential direction by separating portions, said supply channels being arranged in the separating portions. Here, a lubricant shortage can occur during the rotation of the shaft in the bearing body, in particular at high rotational speeds of the shaft, so that shaft and bearing body directly contact one another. This lubricant shortage results in an increased wear of the radial bearing and can at times result in a failure of the radial bearing.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds