Patents Assigned to Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
  • Patent number: 7201136
    Abstract: A fuel delivery injector for an internal combustion engine is provided. A fuel injector forms part of a device which provides a combined injection and ignition. The fuel delivery injector comprises first and second portions adapted to be detachably connected together. The first portion incorporates a valve structure having a valve member movable with respect to a valve seat for opening and closing a delivery port, and an actuating member operatively connected to the valve member. An actuator is provided in the second portion. When the first and second portions are connected together, the actuator is operably associated with the actuating member to provide an actuating assembly. Typically, the actuating assembly comprises an electromagnetic device in which the actuating member comprises a solenoid armature and the actuator comprises a solenoid coil, whereby connection of the first and second portions together completes assembly of the electromagnetic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventors: Michael Leonard McKay, David John Longman, James Allen Kimmel
  • Patent number: 7137571
    Abstract: Disclosed is an injector nozzle through which fluid is delivered and which has a port (17) having an internal surface and a valve member (13) having a complementary external surface. The valve member (13) is movable relative to the port (17) to respectively provide a passage between the internal and external surfaces for delivery of fluid in the form of a spray. Alternatively, sealed contact of the surfaces will prevent the delivery of fluid. The nozzle includes a flow control body (30) located beyond an extremity of the port (17). The flow control body (30) has a control surface (33) arranged downstream of the port (17) in the direction of movement of the valve member (13). The control surface (33) is configured and positioned to promote the fluid spray established by the fluid issuing from the port (17) to in part follow a path determined by the shape of the control surface (33).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventors: David James Caley, Hugh William Carlisle, Robert Walter Frew, David John Longman
  • Patent number: 7086376
    Abstract: A device (10) providing a combined fuel injection and ignition means for a spark-ignition internal combustion engine. The device (10) comprises a insulator body (25) of ceramic material, a fuel flow path (24) having a section thereof encased in the insulator body (25) and terminating at a delivery port (45) disposed outwardly of the insulator body (25), and, an ignition path (23) having a section encased in the insulator body (25) in a spaced apart relationship with respect to the section of the fuel path (24). The fuel path (24) is defined within a valve structure (33) detachably secured to the insulator body (25) so as to be selectively removable therefrom. The ignition path (23) terminates at an electrode (95) disposed outwardly of the insulator body (25). The insulator body has a nose portion (100) and a skirt portion (69) beyond the delivery port (45).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) PTY Limited
    Inventor: Michael Leonard McKay
  • Patent number: 7027907
    Abstract: An electronic control unit for an internal combustion engine having a fuel injection system and an ignition system including: timing determination means (2) for determining timing sequences for injection events of the fuel injection system and ignition events of the ignition system and to provide update timing sequence data (10) to a schedule sequencing means (3) adapted to control at least one driver circuit (4) wherein the at least one driver circuit (4) is adapted to provide drive pulses (11) to the fuel injection system and ignition system; wherein the schedule sequencing means (3) is adapted to select between update sequence data to at least one of an injection of ignition event, such that the update timing sequence data is selected when there is no current injection occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventors: Jean-Yves Rene Le Gall, Luke Newman Andersen, Wayne Andrew Hawken, Craig Bowman, Troy Bradley Epskamp, Peter Truong, Phillip Leo O'Neill, Koon Chul Yang
  • Patent number: 6978942
    Abstract: A system for assisting in the atomisation of liquid particles conveyed in a gas stream flowing along a flow path having a rigid boundary, said system involving the creation of one or more shock waves in the gas stream. In a preferred embodiment, the system comprises a fuel injection nozzle (10) comprising a fluid flow passage (43) terminating at a discharge orifice (15) and incorporating a delivery port (33) defined between a valve seat (31) and a valve member (23) movable with respect to the valve seat for opening and closing the delivery port. Fuel is delivered along the fluid flow passage (43) into a combustion chamber through the discharge orifice (15) upon opening of the delivery port (33). The valve member (23) devines an inner boundary surface (47) of the flow passage (43) and the valve seat (31) defines at least part of an outer boundary surface (45) of the flow passage (43).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventor: Peter John Murdoch
  • Patent number: 6955307
    Abstract: An injector nozzle for a fuel injected internal combustion engine, said injector nozzle including a port (5) having an internal valve seat surface (15) and a valve member (13) having an external seating surface (17), said valve member being movable relative to the port to respectively provide a passage between the valve seat surface and the external seating surface for the delivery of fuel therethrough or sealed contact therebetween to prevent said delivery of fuel, the port further including an outer port surface (16) surrounding and located adjacent the valve seat surface and external to the port, wherein the angle between the valve seat surface and the outer port surface of the port is less than 90 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventors: Hugh William Carlisle, Robert Walter Frew, Geoffrey Paul Cathcart
  • Patent number: 6941747
    Abstract: A method of treating NOx emmissions in the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine having catalyst means including at least a first catalyst converter capable of treating NOx, the method including operating the engine in a first mode to promote a first set of conditions and in a second mode to promote a second set of conditions, wherein the first mode of operation includes operating the engine with a lean air-fuel ratio, and the second mode of operation includes operating the engine with a stoichiometic air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) PTY Limited
    Inventors: Rodney Alexander Houston, Koon Chul Yang, David Richard Worth, Geoffrey Paul Cathcart, Michael Moore
  • Patent number: 6923387
    Abstract: An injector nozzle for a fuel injected internal combustion engine, said injector nozzle including a port (5) having a valve seat surface (15) and a valve member (3) having a seating surface (17), said valve member (3) being movable relative to the port (5) to respectively provide a nozzle passage (6) between the valve seat surface (15) and the seating surface (15) for the delivery of fuel therethrough or sealed contact therebetween to prevent said delivery of fuel, the valve member (3) including an outer valve surface (18) located adjacent the seating surface and external to the port, wherein a sharp edge (25) is provided on the valve member (3) at the transition between the seating surface (17) and the outer valve surface (18) thereby for controlling the formation of deposits at or adjacent an exit of the nozzle passage (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventors: Hugh William Carlisle, Robert Walter Frew, John Richard Mills, Peter John Murdoch
  • Patent number: 6913003
    Abstract: A method of operating a direct injected combustion engine having an exhaust system with a conventional three-way catalytic converter, the method including operating the engine with a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio at least substantially across the entire engine operating load range, such that emissions of NOx from the engine are minimised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) PTY Limited
    Inventors: Rodney Alexander Houston, Geoffrey Paul Cathcart, Koon Chul Yang
  • Patent number: 6889664
    Abstract: A method of measuring the airflow in an engine, the engine having an intake manifold, including: sampling the manifold absolute pressure in said intake manifold at a predetermined crank angle of the engine; and determining the airflow as a function of the pressure differential between atmospheric pressure and the manifold absolute pressure at said crank angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) PTY Limited
    Inventors: David Richard Worth, Richard Albert Woolford, Troy Bradley Epskamp, Andrrew Michael Tilmouth
  • Patent number: 6854440
    Abstract: Disclosed is an internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder with a reciprocating piston to provide said engine with at least one combustion chamber, said combustion chamber further comprising a delivery injector for injecting fuel directly into said combustion chamber, said engine further comprising at least one valved inlet air duct for delivering combustion air into said combustion chamber, wherein at least said inlet air duct and/or its valve is arranged to provide a low tumble inlet port to said at least one combustion chamber, said combustion chamber, in use, having low in-cylinder tumble gas motion of said combustion air and wherein said low in-cylinder tumble gas motion of said combustion air reduces over-enleanment of fuel in end gas regions of said combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventors: Geoffrey Paul Cathcart, Christian Chandrakumar Zavier, Donald Andrew Railton, John Roy McGrath
  • Patent number: 6755175
    Abstract: A fuel delivery injector for a spark-ignition internal combustion engine. The delivery injector forms part of a device (10) which provides a combined fuel injection and ignition means for the engine. The fuel delivery injector comprises means defining a flow path (28) for delivery of a fuel entrained in a gas to a combustion chamber of the engine. The flow path (28) has a delivery port (30) through which the fuel is delivered into the combustion chamber as a spray of fuel droplets and vapour, the delivery port (30) being defined between a valve seat (31) and a valve member (23) movable with respect to the valve seat (31) for opening and closing the delivery port (30). The delivery injector is configured to influence the trajectory of the fuel spray, whereby smaller fuel droplets and vapour in the fuel spray are caused to flow towards a spark gap (49) in close proximity to the downstream end of the delivery port (30) and whereby larger fuel droplets are not so caused to flow towards the spark gap (49).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventors: Michael Leonard McKay, Mark Douglas Archer
  • Patent number: 6755177
    Abstract: A method of controlling the engine speed of an internal combustion engine, the method including the steps of determining the engine speed demanded by an operator of the engine and comparing this demanded engine speed with a predetermined engine speed limit, wherein if the demanded engine speed exceeds the predetermined engine speed limit, the fuelling rate demanded of the operator is only reduced in order to control the engine speed to the predetermined engine speed limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventors: Richard Albert Woolford, David Richard Worth, Mark John Taylor
  • Patent number: 6688281
    Abstract: A method of controlling the engine speed of an internal combustion engine, the method providing the steps of determining the speed of the engine at a given time, determining the change in the speed of the engine from a previous determination of the engine speed, and using the values for engine speed and change in engine speed to determine whether a future event should be a combustion event or a non-combustion event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty., Limited
    Inventors: Richard Albert Woolford, Troy Bradley Epskamp
  • Patent number: 6688288
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine such as a multi-cylinder in-line engine having on one side of the cylinder head an air induction system and on the opposite side an exhaust system, each extend generally in the direction of the length of the engine. Each of said systems extending above the level of a cylinder head of the engine and a fuel rail is provided extending in the direction of the length of the engine and mounted on the cylinder head to be located between the air induction system and the exhaust system. The fuel rail overlies and is in fuel transfer communication with respective fuel injector units mounted in the head of each cylinder of the engine. Preferably, the fuel rail is configured so as to provide sufficient clearance on the exhaust side thereof to enable spark plugs to be appropriately arranged within the cylinder head on the exhaust side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) PTY, Limited
    Inventors: Rodney Alexander Houston, David Shawcross, Martin Peter McNiff, Paul Thomas Gulvin
  • Patent number: 6679233
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine and a method of operating said engine, the engine having a plurality of cylinders (3,4,5) each respectively supporting a piston (6) therein, a fuel injection system (2) including a plurality of selectively operable delivery injector nozzles (10), and a gas supply system (7) for supplying gas to the delivery injector nozzles (10), each delivery injector nozzle (10) arranged to respectively deliver fuel by way of said gas directly into a said engine cylinder (3,4,5), the method including opening the delivery injector nozzles (10) of a first said cylinder and a second said cylinder such that gas within the first said cylinder is transferred through the delivery injector nozzle (10) thereof and into the gas supply system (7) resulting in gas being supplied to the delivery injector nozzle (10) of the second said cylinder to thereby effect the delivery of fuel by way of the gas to the second said cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventor: Keith Melbourne
  • Patent number: 6659079
    Abstract: A method of controlling the idle speed of an internal combustion engine including, in response to the engine speed being below a predetermined level: determining the rate of change of the speed of the engine; selecting an idle entry set-point as a function of said rate; and initiating idle speed control of the engine on the basis of said idle entry set-point to thereby control the engine speed to a base idle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventor: Stuart Graham Price
  • Patent number: 6588402
    Abstract: A method of controlling an internal combustion engine during a warm-up period thereof including controlling at least one operational parameter of the engine as a function of at least a certain measure of the energy delivered to the engine since the start of the warm-up period of the engine to thereby provide improved combustion stability during said warm-up period. Preferably, the measure of the energy delivered to the engine is based on the amount of fuel delivered to the engine during the warm-up period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventors: Stuart Graham Price, Keith Melbourne, Richard William Hurley
  • Patent number: 6581572
    Abstract: A method for controlling the fuelling rate for an internal combustion engine including: a) controlling the fuelling rate in a fuel led control mode whereby the fuelling rate is controlled as a function of the operator demand on the engine during at least a portion of low engine load operation; b) controlling the fuel rate in an air led control mode whereby the fuelling rate is controlled as a function of the air flow rate to the engine during at least a portion of medium-to-high engine load operation; and c) providing a point of transition between the two control modes wherein each control mode provides substantially the same predetermined fuelling rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventors: Richard William Hurley, Martin David Hughes
  • Patent number: 6564770
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fuelling an internal combustion engine by injection of a fuel-gas mixture to a combustion chamber of the engine comprising delivering a metered quantity of fuel from a fuel metering means to a delivery injector operation, the delivery injector being in communication with both the combustion chamber and a supply of pressurized gas for effecting delivery of the metered quantity of fuel to the combustion chamber, wherein at least one of the fuel metering means and the delivery injector are controlled in multiple events and a predetermined fuel distribution in the combustion chamber at ignition during that cycle of engine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty. Limited
    Inventor: Geoffrey Paul Cathcart