Smart explosive igniter

• US 4,843,964 A
• Filed: 02/01/1988
• Issued: 07/04/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sandia Corporation Albuquerque New Mexico
• Original Assignee: United States Department of Energy
• Inventors: Wilcox, Paul D., Marbach, Kevin D., Bickes, Robert W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Application Number:
  US07/150,805
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 102/202.5, 102/215, 102/218, 102/220
• US Class Current: 102/202.5
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/13 with semiconductive bridge
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/188 having radio-frequency filters , e.g. containing ferrite cores or inductances F42B3/185 takes precedence

Abstract

A non electrically conductive substrate includes both an SCB and a semiconductor switch, the switch being electrically connected to cause the SCB to fire when the switch is triggered.

Claims

1. A smart explosive igniter comprising:

a non electrically conducting substrate;

a semiconductor bridge (SCB) mounted on said substrate, said SCB having two electrical terminals;

a semiconductor switch mounted on said substrate adjacent said semiconductor bridge igniter, said switch having an input terminal, an output terminal, and a trigger terminal, said input terminal being electrically connected to said output terminal upon the application of a trigger signal to said trigger terminal;

output means for electrically connecting said output terminal to one of said SCB terminals;

connecting means for electrically connecting a SCB firing voltage between said switch input terminal and the other of said SCB terminals; and

trigger means for electrically connecting a trigger voltage between said switch trigger terminal and the other of said SCB terminals.

2. The smart explosive igniter of claim 1 wherein said trigger means further comprises logic means for providing said trigger voltage upon receipt of a preselected coded trigger voltage.

3. The smart explosive igniter of claim 2 wherein said logic means comprises:

shift register means for converting a serial pulse train into a plurality of energized parallel outputs; and

network means connected to each of said outputs for providing said trigger voltage only when a preselected pattern of shift register outputs are energized.

4. The smart explosive igniter of claim 3 wherein said logic means is mounted on said substrate.

5. The smart explosive igniter of claim 3 wherein said trigger means further comprises electronic time delay means for providing said trigger signal a predetermined time after receipt of said trigger voltage.

6. The smart explosive igniter of claim 5 wherein said time delay means comprises:

oscillator means energized by said trigger voltage for generating a string of pulses;

counter means for counting said pulses from said oscillator means; and

comparison means for providing said trigger signal when the count in said counter means equals a predetermined value in said comparison means.

7. The smart explosive igniter of claim 1 further comprising:

cylindrical housing means having an output end for operational engagement with an explosive and an opposed input end, said substrate being mounted with said housing with said SCB facing said output end; and

SCB igniting means for detonating said explosive, said igniting means being ignited by said SCB.

8. The smart explosive igniter of claim 7 further comprising:

a firing capacitor connected between said switch input terminal and said other SCB terminal, said capacitor being mounted between said housing input end and said substrate;

said trigger voltage and said firing voltage being connected to said igniter through said input end.