Patents by Inventor Michael Leonard McKay

Michael Leonard McKay 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: 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: 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20030168038
    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: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventor: Michael Leonard McKay
  • Patent number: 6463916
    Abstract: A fuel injector assembly for an internal combustion engine, including: a delivery chamber (5) located within the injector assembly (1); a mass flow rate control means (50) for controlling the mass flow rate of fuel and compressed gas supplied to the delivery chamber (5), the mass flow rate being a function of the differential pressure across the mass flow rate control means (50); and valve means (9) for selectively communicating the delivery chamber (5) to the engine to deliver fuel to the engine; wherein when the valve means (9) is opened, at least compressed gas is caused to flow thereby generating a differential pressure across the mass flow rate control means such that a controlled fuel flow is provided to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Coplin, Raymond John Hill, Michael Leonard McKay
  • Patent number: 6439863
    Abstract: A fuel pump designed to prevent vapor lock. The pump comprises an inlet check valve located between a pumping chamber and a reservoir. The inlet check valve allows the flow of fluid from the reservoir into the pumping chamber. The inlet check valve is constructed such that when a combination of both liquid and vapor is present in the pumping chamber, the liquid and vapor is allowed to flow from the pumping chamber back into the reservoir; but when the pumping chamber is filled only with liquid, the inlet check valve prohibits flow from the pumping chamber into the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty. Limited
    Inventor: Michael Leonard McKay
  • Patent number: 6095769
    Abstract: A pump including a first enclosure (10) and a second enclosure (20), a pumping mechanism (3) and an electromotive means (11,23) operable to drive the pumping mechanism (3). The electromotive means (11,23) includes a solenoid assembly (11) having a solenoid coil (13), and an armature assembly (23), the solenoid coil (13) being sealed within the first enclosure (10). The pump mechanism (3) is supported within the second enclosure (20), the armature assembly (23) being in operational relationship with the pumping mechanism (3). A diagnostic sensor (19) is sealed within the first enclosure (10) for detecting flow through a flow path (22) in the second enclosure (20). A flow responsive member (28) is supported within the flow path (22), the diagnostic sensor (19) detecting displacement of the flow responsive member (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Orbital Engine co. (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventor: Michael Leonard McKay
  • Patent number: 5904126
    Abstract: A control system and method for controlling a pump having a fluid passage therein, including a sensing means for sensing fluid flow through the fluid passage wherein the control system controls the actuation period of the pump as a function of a characteristic of the fluid flow sensed by the sensing means. The sensed characteristic is the quantum rate of fluid flow through the fluid passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventors: Michael Leonard McKay, David Shawcross, Craig Bowman, Thomas Schnepple
  • Patent number: 5666947
    Abstract: A method of delivering an atomised liquid including supplying a liquid to an admixing chamber (3,34), separately supplying a compressed gas to the admixing chamber (3,34), the compressed gas at least substantially completely evacuates the liquid held in the admixing chamber and delivering the liquid through an atomising device (4,5,60) to atomise the liquid, wherein the quantity of the liquid and the compressed gas supplied to the admixing chamber (3,34) is controlled to thereby maintain a predetermined mass ratio of the liquid and the supplied compressed gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty. Limited
    Inventor: Michael Leonard McKay