Electrical sequential firing system
First Claim
1. An electrically operable sequential activation module for supplying an activating signal to a device which has a low resistance prior to being activated and a high resistance thereafter, the module being connectable in a series with other similar modules to sequentially activate a number of devices, the module includinga first convertible element which has three terminals and in its normal first state has a high resistance in at least one direction between its first terminal and its second terminal and which changes to a second state in which it has a low resistance in both directions between its first and second terminals when a first signal having a predetermined characteristic is applied across the first and second terminals, the first element thereafter having the low resistance value in both directions between the first and second terminals when the first signal is removed and the first element further having in its normal first state a high resistance in at least one direction between its first terminal and its third terminal, the first element changing to a third state in which it has a low resistance in both directions between its first and third terminals when a second signal having a predetermined characteristic is applied across the first and third terminals, the first element thereafter having the low resistance value in both directions between the first and third terminals when the second signal is removed;
- a first power terminal connectable to an electrical power source for supplying the first signal, the second signal and the activating signal;
a first and a second device terminal by means of which the device is connectable to the module;
an input steering terminal; and
an output steering terminal which is connectable to the input steering terminal of a succeeding module in a series thereof;
with the first device terminal being connected to the input steering terminal;
the second device terminal being connected to the first terminal of the first element;
the second terminal of the first element being connected to the first power terminal; and
the third terminal of the first element being connected to the output steering terminal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention provides modules and a system for sequentially activating a series of detonators. The modules and the system rely on a transistor in which the base-collector junction is caused to change state by a current pulse of suitable magnitude so that it presents a low resistance. Similarly, the base-emitter junction is also caused to change state to present a low resistance path in both directions. Such transistors are utilized to steer signals through a module in which they are used to activate a detonator associated with that module and then to steer a further signal to a next module in the series.
10 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An electrically operable sequential activation module for supplying an activating signal to a device which has a low resistance prior to being activated and a high resistance thereafter, the module being connectable in a series with other similar modules to sequentially activate a number of devices, the module including
a first convertible element which has three terminals and in its normal first state has a high resistance in at least one direction between its first terminal and its second terminal and which changes to a second state in which it has a low resistance in both directions between its first and second terminals when a first signal having a predetermined characteristic is applied across the first and second terminals, the first element thereafter having the low resistance value in both directions between the first and second terminals when the first signal is removed and the first element further having in its normal first state a high resistance in at least one direction between its first terminal and its third terminal, the first element changing to a third state in which it has a low resistance in both directions between its first and third terminals when a second signal having a predetermined characteristic is applied across the first and third terminals, the first element thereafter having the low resistance value in both directions between the first and third terminals when the second signal is removed; -
a first power terminal connectable to an electrical power source for supplying the first signal, the second signal and the activating signal; a first and a second device terminal by means of which the device is connectable to the module; an input steering terminal; and an output steering terminal which is connectable to the input steering terminal of a succeeding module in a series thereof; with the first device terminal being connected to the input steering terminal; the second device terminal being connected to the first terminal of the first element; the second terminal of the first element being connected to the first power terminal; and the third terminal of the first element being connected to the output steering terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An electrically operably sequential activation module for supplying an activating signal to a device which has a low resistance prior to being activated and a high resistance thereafter, the module being connectable in a series with other similar modules to sequentially activate a number of devices, the module including
a first convertible element which has three terminals and in its normal first state has a high resistance in at least one direction between its first terminal and its second terminal and which changes to a second state in which it has a low resistance in both directions between its first and second terminals when a first signal having a predetermined characteristic is applied across its first and second terminals, the first convertible element thereafter having the low resistance value in both directions between its first and second terminals when the first signal is removed and the first convertible element further having in its first state, a high resistance in at least one direction between its first terminal and its third terminal, the first convertible element changing to a third state in which it has a low resistance in both directions between its first and third terminals when a second signal having a predetermined characteristic is applied across its first and third terminals, the first convertible element thereafter having the low resistance value in both directions between its first and third terminals when the second signal is removed; -
a second convertible element which also has three terminals and in its normal first state has a high resistance in at least one direction between its first terminal and its second terminal and which changes to a second state in which it has a low resistance in both directions between its first and second terminals when the second signal is also applied across its first and second terminals, the second convertible element thereafter having the low resistance value in both directions between its first and second terminals when the second signal is removed and the second convertible element further having in its first state a high resistance in at least one direction between its first terminal and its third terminal, the second convertible element changing to a third state in which it has a low resistance in both directions between its first and third terminals when a third signal having a predetermined characteristic is applied across its first and third terminals, the second convertible element thereafter having the low resistance value in both directions between its first and third terminals when the third signal is removed; a first signal steering element for steering the second signal to the first and third terminals of the first element and to the first and second terminals of the second convertible element; a second signal steering element for steering the third signal to the first and third terminals of the second convertible element; a first bypass element for passing the second signal past a device that has been activated; a first and second power terminal connectable to an electrical power source for supplying the first, second, third and activating signals; a first and a second device terminal by means of which the device is connectable to the module; an input steering terminal; and an output steering terminal which is connectable to the input steering terminal of a succeeding module in a series thereof;
withthe first signal steering element being connected between the input steering terminal and the first terminal of the first convertible element; the first device terminal being connected to the second terminal of the first convertible element; the second device terminal being connected to the first power terminal; the first bypass element being connected between the first and second device terminals; the second signal steering element being connected between the third terminal of the first convertible element and the first terminal of the second convertible element; the second terminal of the second convertible element being connected to the second power terminal; and the third terminal of the second power terminal being connected to the output steering terminal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification