Patents Assigned to Orbital Australia Pty Ltd
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Patent number: 9399934Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) engine (40) lubrication system and lubrication oil heating strategy uses a solenoid actuated electric oil pump (10,42) to deliver lubrication oil to the engine from a lubrication oil reservoir (12,44) by energizing and de-energizing the solenoid (18) to operate a pump mechanism of the electric oil pump. A controller (ECU) (100) can control operation of the electric oil pump, the solenoid maintained energized for a required period of time to cause heating of the oil without continuously pumping the oil. An electric oil pump control strategy can maintain engine speed dependent minimum oil delivery rates, can heat the electric oil pump and oil through extended energized (ON) time of the solenoid, and, by varying the turn on time of the electronic oil pump based on sensed ambient temperature, long time periods can be used to ensure oil delivery for cold temperatures, and shorter times are permitted when necessary in order to reach maximum oil flow rate.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2013Date of Patent: July 26, 2016Assignee: Orbital Australia Pty LtdInventors: Terran Ambrose Barber, John Howard Tubb, Geoffrey Paul Cathcart, Robert Walter Frew, Donald Andrew Railton
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Patent number: 9284928Abstract: A fuel injector (10) for liquid phase injection of liquefied gaseous fuels for combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector (10) comprises a nozzle portion (15) having an end (30) from which gaseous fuel can be delivered through an outlet (21), the end (30) being configured to prevent or at least inhibit formation of ice thereon upon delivery of gaseous fuel through the outlet.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2011Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: Orbital Australia Pty LtdInventors: David James Caley, Geoffrey Paul Cathcart
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Publication number: 20150152757Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) engine (40) lubrication system and lubrication oil heating strategy uses a solenoid actuated electric oil pump (10,42) to deliver lubrication oil to the engine from a lubrication oil reservoir (12,44) by energising and de-energising the solenoid (18) to operate a pump mechanism of the electric oil pump. A controller (ECU) (100) can control operation of the electric oil pump, the solenoid maintained energised for a required period of time to cause heating of the oil without continuously pumping the oil. An electric oil pump control strategy can maintain engine speed dependent minimum oil delivery rates, can heat the electric oil pump and oil through extended energised (ON) time of the solenoid, and, by varying the turn on time of the electronic oil pump based on sensed ambient temperature, long time periods can be used to ensure oil delivery for cold temperatures, and shorter times are permitted when necessary in order to reach maximum oil flow rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2013Publication date: June 4, 2015Applicant: Orbital Australia Pty LtdInventors: Terran Ambrose Barber, John Howard Tubb, Geoffrey Paul Cathcart, Robert Walter Frew, Donald Andrew Railton
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Publication number: 20140246508Abstract: A fuel injection system (10) for delivering metered amounts fuel into the combustion chamber or cylinder of an engine. The fuel delivered can selectively comprise a gaseous fuel, a liquid fuel or a fuel mixture comprising the gaseous fuel and the liquid fuel. When the fuel delivered comprises a mixture of the gaseous fuel and the liquid fuel, the quantity of liquid fuel comprises a metered quantity. The quantity of gaseous fuel also comprises a metered quantity, with the metering of the gaseous fuel being regulated by prediction. The injection event involves delivering the liquid fuel and the gaseous fuel, with the metering of the gaseous fuel delivered being adjusted to allow for the quantity of liquid fuel delivered with the gaseous fuel. The injection system (10) comprises a liquid fuel circuit (11) and a gaseous fuel circuit (13), both communicating with a fuel delivery injector (15) that delivers fuel to the combustion chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2012Publication date: September 4, 2014Applicant: ORBITAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTDInventors: David James Caley, Thomas Gerlach, Simon Christopher Brewster
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Publication number: 20140130776Abstract: A method for fuelling an internal combustion engine, and a fuel system for delivering a variety of fuel types to the engine, configured to accommodate liquid fuels such as gasoline, ethanol or a blend thereof, and gaseous fuels such as CNG, LNG or LPG. The engine is configured to operate on any of the designated liquid fuels, and can switch between the liquid and gaseous fuels. The fuel system includes a common delivery arrangement, for selectively delivering fuel into the combustion chamber of each cylinder of the engine, comprising a fluid delivery injector and a liquid metering device configured for operation in concert. The same common fluid delivery injector is used for delivery of gaseous fuel only, delivery of liquid fuel only (by way of an air assist delivery process), or delivery of a fuel mixture comprising the gaseous fuel and the liquid fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2012Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: ORBITAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTDInventor: David James Caley
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Publication number: 20130233274Abstract: A fuel injector (10) for liquid phase injection of liquefied gaseous fuels for combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector (10) comprises a nozzle portion (15) having an end (30) from which gaseous fuel can be delivered through an outlet (21), the end (30) being configured to prevent or at least inhibit formation of ice thereon upon delivery of gaseous fuel through the outlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2011Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: ORBITAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTDInventors: David James Caley, Geoffrey Paul Cathcart
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Publication number: 20130233279Abstract: A fuel injection assembly comprising a fuel injector (19) having an injection outlet (19) and a fuel rail (17) in which the fuel injector is adapted to be supported. The fuel injector (19) has a tip (37) having an end from which fuel issuing from the outlet of the fuel injector is discharged. The tip (37) is adapted for location in an injection port (21), the tip being of flexible construction to accommodate some misalignment between the fuel rail (17) and the injection port (21).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2011Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: ORBITAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTDInventor: Steve Karay
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Publication number: 20120216773Abstract: A gaseous fuel injection system (10) for delivering metered amounts of gaseous fuel into the combustion chamber of an engine, and also a method for injecting gaseous fuel directly into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The gaseous fuel injection system (10) comprises a body structure (11) defining a holding chamber (13) from which a fluid mixture contained therein can be subsequently delivered by a delivery injector (15) into the combustion chamber. The delivery injector (15) has an inlet (16) communicating with the holding chamber (13) and an outlet (18) for communication with the combustion chamber. The holding chamber (13) is adapted to receive a quantity of gaseous fuel from a fuel source through an inlet port (17). The holding chamber (13) is also adapted to receive a metered quantity of a supplementary gaseous fluid through a metering means (21). In one arrangement, the supplementary gaseous fluid may function as a diluent for the gaseous fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2010Publication date: August 30, 2012Applicant: Orbital Australia Pty LtdInventors: Simon Christopher Brewster, Geoffrey Paul Cathcart, Benjamin John Parry, Donald Andrew Railton