Sensor for monitoring electronic detonation circuits

• US 6,941,869 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2001
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orica Explosives Technology Pty Limited (Orica Limited)
• Original Assignee: Orica Explosives Technology Pty Limited (Orica Limited)
• Inventors: Hummel, Dirk, Steiner, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tuyet Thi
• Application Number:
  US10/415,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20040034463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,424 Days
• Field of Search: 102/217, 102/206, 102/200, 102/204, 102/215, 102/202.8, 102/200.5, 102/200.4, 102/200.6, 102/200.8, 315/323, 315/312, 315/316, 315/209.CD, 315/209
• US Class Current: 102/217
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 1/045 Arrangements for electric ignition dynamo-electric generators H02K
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0084 measuring voltage only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2829 Testing of circuits in sensor or actuator systems testing of apparatus for measuring electric or magnetic variables G01R35/00; testing of indicating or recording apparatus G01D; in airbag systems B60R21/0173; checking gas analysers G01N33/007; monitoring or fail-safe circuits for electromagnets H01F7/1844
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72

Abstract

A voltage sensor (10) for monitoring electronic ignition circuits (1) which contains a plurality of igniters (4) connected to an ignition line (3) and an ignition device (2) connected to the ignition line (3) to program the electronic igniters (4). The voltage sensor (10) can be connected separately to the ignition line and contains a voltage measuring device (15) for measuring the voltage (U2) on the ignition line (3) at the voltage sensor (10). The voltage sensor (10) also contains a communications device (15, 17, 18, 19) for receiving a start signal from the ignition device (2) triggering the start of the voltage measurement and for transmitting to the ignition device (2) a measured value determined during the voltage measurement.

Claims

1. A voltage sensor for monitoring an electronic ignition circuit (1), the ignition circuit (1) comprising a programming device (2), an ignition line (3) and a plurality of igniters (4), it being possible for the voltage sensor (10) to be connected separably to the ignition line (3), wherein the voltage sensor has a voltage measuring device (13, 15) for measuring the voltage (U2) on the ignition line (3) at the voltage sensor (10) and a communications device (15, 17, 18, 19) for receiving a start signal from the programming device (2) for triggering the start of the voltage measurement and for transmitting a measured value to the programming device (2) determined during the voltage measurement.

2. The voltage sensor according to claim 1, wherein the communications device (15, 17, 18, 19) processes and generates types of signals used by the programming device (2) to program the igniter (4).

3. The voltage sensor according to claim 1, wherein an activation device (15, DE) which activates the voltage sensor (10) as a reaction to the start signal.

4. The voltage sensor according to claim 1, wherein the voltage sensor (10) can be connected to the end of the ignition line (3).

5. The voltage sensor according to claim 1, wherein the communications device (15, 17, 18, 19) contains means for changing the power consumption (17, 18, 19) of the voltage sensor (10), the measured values for transmission to the programming device (2) being coded by means of the changed power consumption.

6. An electronic ignition circuit (1) comprising a plurality of electronic igniters (4) connected to an ignition line (3), a programming device (2) connected to the ignition line (3) to program the igniter (4) and a voltage sensor (10) according to claim 1 which can be connected to the ignition line (3).

7. The voltage sensor according to claim 1, wherein the energy required to operate the voltage sensor (10) is obtained from the signals received from the programming device (2).

8. The voltage sensor according to claim 7, wherein a capacitor (16) is provided as energy store.

9. The voltage sensor according to claim 1, wherein the voltage measuring device (15) comprises a microprocessor with integrated AD converter for voltage measurement.

10. The voltage sensor according to claim 9, wherein the microprocessor (15) has a sleep mode which can be activated by software and can be terminated by the start signal.