ELECTRICAL PULSE SPLITTER FOR AN EXPLOSIVES SYSTEM

• US 20150059608A1
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Secretary of State For Defence
• Original Assignee: Secretary of State For Defence
• Inventors: McLean, Stephen James, Searle, Gary John
• Granted Patent: US 9,970,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/217
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/16 in combination with an additional projectile or charge, acting successively on the target see also F42B12/625
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 11/06 with time delay by electric circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 1/055 specially adapted for firing multiple charges with a time delay

Abstract

There is provided an electrical pulse splitter (EPS) for an explosives system (10), the explosives system comprising an electrical pulse generator (EPG), the electrical pulse splitter (EPS), and first and second explosive charges (Ch1, Ch2) having respective first and second electrical initiators (D1, D2), The electrical pulse splitter (EPS) is configured to receive a primary electrical pulse from the electrical pulse generator (EPG), and to output first and second electrical pulses to the first and second electrical initiators (Ch1, Ch2) respectively. The second electrical pulse is output a length of time after the first electrical pulse is output, and the electrical pulse splitter is powered by the primary electrical pulse.

Claims

1. An electrical pulse splitter for an explosives system, the explosives system comprising an electrical pulse generator, the electrical pulse splitter, and first and second explosive charges having respective first and second electrical initiators, wherein the electrical pulse splitter is configured to receive a primary electrical pulse from the electrical pulse generator, and to output first and second electrical pulses to the first and second electrical initiators respectively, the second electrical pulse being output a length of time after the first electrical pulse is output, the electrical pulse splitter being powered by the primary electrical pulse.

2. An electrical pulse splitter according to claim 1, wherein the electrical pulse splitter is connectable to the electrical pulse generator by a primary cable for transmitting the primary electrical pulse.

3. An electrical pulse splitter of claim 1, wherein the electrical pulse splitter is connectable to the first electrical initiator by a first cable for transmitting the first electrical pulse, and is connectable to the second electrical initiator by a second cable for transmitting the second electrical pulse.

4. An electrical pulse splitter of claim 1, configured to output a first portion of the primary electrical pulse as the first electrical pulse, and a second portion of the primary electrical pulse as the second electrical pulse.

5. An electrical pulse splitter of claim 1, wherein the electrical pulse splitter comprises a storage capacitance configured to store the second portion of the primary electrical pulse, and to output the stored second portion as the second electrical pulse.

6. An electrical pulse splitter of claim 1, wherein the electrical pulse splitter comprises a power storage capacitance configured to store electrical energy of the primary electrical pulse for powering the electrical pulse splitter.

7. An electrical pulse splitter of claim 1, wherein the electrical pulse splitter comprises a controller that controls the output times of the first and second electrical pulses, the controller being powered by the primary electrical pulse.

8. An electrical pulse splitter of claim 1, wherein the length of time is a predetermined length of time, the predetermined length of time being determined prior to receiving the primary electrical pulse.

9. An electrical pulse splitter of claim 1, wherein the electrical pulse splitter comprises a timer for determining when the length of time has elapsed.

10. An electrical pulse splitter of claim 7, wherein the length of time is determined to have elapsed when a sensor connected to the controller indicates a given event.

11. An electrical pulse splitter of claim 7, wherein the length of time is determined to have elapsed when both a sensor connected to the controller indicates a given event, and a predetermined length of time has elapsed.

12. An explosives system comprising an electrical pulse generator, the electrical pulse splitter of claim 1, and first and second explosive charges having respective first and second electrical initiators.

13. A method within an electrical pulse splitter for an explosives system, the method comprising:

receiving a primary electrical pulse;

powering the electrical pulse splitter with the primary electrical pulse;

outputting a first portion of the primary electrical pulse as a first electrical pulse at a first output;

outputting a second portion of the primary electrical pulse as a second electrical pulse at a second output;

wherein the second electrical pulse is output a length of time after the electrical pulse is output.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

storing the second portion of the primary electrical pulse prior to the outputting of the first portion.

15. (canceled)