Patents by Inventor Ian R. Thompson

Ian R. Thompson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5606951
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of controlling the air supply to an internal combustion engine having a means to throttle the air flow to the engine comprising determining the air demand in response to a driver initiated signal; determining an initial position of the throttle means in response to the driver initiated signal; determining the actual rate of air supply and comparing the actual rate of air supply with the determined air demand; moving the throttle means to the initial position, the position of the throttle means being adjusted to bring the actual air supply within acceptable operating limits of the determined air demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty. Limited
    Inventors: Michael P. Southern, Keith Melbourne, Ian R. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5540205
    Abstract: A method of controlling the mass of air and fuel delivered to an internal combustion engine per cylinder, per cycle, by utilizing a unique control algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty. Limited
    Inventors: Robert M. Davis, Darren A. Smith, Ian R. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5150836
    Abstract: A method of injecting liquid fuel to an engine which includes delivering a quantity of fuel into a conduit and propelling the fuel along the conduit by a pulse of gas under sufficient pressure to discharge the fuel from an open nozzle into an engine induction passage, or combustion chamber. The pressure and quantity of gas are preferably sufficient to cause the fuel to issue from the nozzle at or near sonic speed. The duration of the pulse of gas may be varied with a variation in the quantity of fuel to improve the fuel metering accuracy with engine load changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company Proprietary Limited
    Inventors: Michael L. McKay, Ian R. Thompson, Ralph T. Sarich
  • Patent number: 4945886
    Abstract: A method of injecting liquid fuel to an engine comprising delivering a quantity of fuel into a conduit and propelling the fuel along the conduit by a pulse of gas under sufficient pressure to discharge the fuel from an open nozzle into an engine induction passage, or combustion chamber. The pressure and quantity of gas preferably being suficient to cause the fuel to issue from the nozzle at or near sonic speed. The duration of the pulse of gas may be varied with the variation in the quantity of fuel to improve the fuel metering accuracy with engine load changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Inventors: Michael L. McKay, Ian R. Thompson, Ralph T. Sarich
  • Patent number: 4934329
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, which includes a rigid elongated unitary member incorporating a gas supply duct, a fuel supply duct and a fuel return duct, each of which extends in the direction of elongation of the unitary member. A separate fuel metering device and fuel injecting device is provided for each engine cylinder. The fuel metering device is arranged to deliver metered quantities of fuel to the fuel injection device and is in communication with the fuel supply and fuel return ducts so that fuel can be circulated through each of the fuel metering devices. The fuel injecting devices are each in communication with the gas duct and communicable with one of the engine cylinders. The fuel injection devices are adapted to effect delivery of a metered quantity of fuel entrained in gas supplied from the gas duct when the fuel injecting device is in fluid communication with a cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company Proprietary Limited
    Inventors: Mark Lear, Sam R. Leighton, Christopher N. F. Sayer, Ian R. Thompson
  • Patent number: 4712524
    Abstract: A method of delivering fuel to an internal combustion engine comprising delivering individual metered quantities of fuel into a conduit, and propelling each individual metered quantity of fuel along the conduit by an individual gas pulse. During the time interval between the respective gas pulses that deliver the metered quantities of fuel there is established a secondary gas flow in the conduit so as to limit variations in the quantity of fuel retained in the conduit as the metered quantity of fuel varies with engine fuel demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1987
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company Proprietary Limited
    Inventors: Darren A. Smith, Ian R. Thompson