NON-ENERGETICS BASED DETONATOR

• US 20130125772A1
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Original Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Inventors: Backhus, Roger F., Klein, Jerome A., Loeser, Ronald L., Paugh, Jason E., Givens, Richard W., VanCleave, Walter G. III, Zimmer, Isaac Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,661,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/206
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/10 Initiators therefor percussion fuzes F42C7/00; percussion caps F42C19/10; electric primers F42C19/12
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/121 Initiators with incorporated integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/122 Programmable electronic delay initiators
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/182 having shunting means F42B3/185 takes precedence; details of shunting devices H01R13/7032
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 1/05 Electric circuits for blasting
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 1/055 specially adapted for firing multiple charges with a time delay
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 5/00 Safety arrangements

Abstract

A detonator system is provided for use with explosives that utilizes two subsystems. A first subsystem functions as a non-explosives based detonator, which does not contain any explosives. The second subsystem is an initiating subsystem, which includes an initiating pellet. To set off an explosive event, the non-energetics based detonator is coupled to the initiating subsystem and the non-energetics based detonator is commanded to provide a suitable signal to the initiating subsystem that is sufficient to function the initiating pellet. Further, the initiating subsystem can be integrated directly into an associated explosive such as a booster that has been configured to receive the initiator subsystem without changing the hazard class of the booster.

Claims

1. A detonator for initiating a detonation event, comprising:

a non-energetics based subsystem that is free of explosive material, having;

a controller;

a low voltage to high voltage converter controlled by the controller;

a primary energy source coupled to the low voltage to high voltage converter;

a secondary energy source controlled by the controller; and

a first interface including a first pair of conductive contacts spaced by an insulator, where each of the conductive contacts of the first pair is electrically coupled to a circuit path associated with the primary energy source; and

an initiating subsystem that is selectively coupled or uncoupled from the non-energetics based subsystem, having;

a high voltage switch;

an initiator electrically coupled in series with the high voltage switch;

an initiating pellet positioned in cooperation with the initiator, having explosive material comprising at least one insensitive secondary explosive material, wherein the explosive material is free of sensitive primary explosive material and is positioned such that functioning the initiator detonates the explosive material of the initiating pellet; and

a second interface having a pair of interface legs that mate with the first interface to electrically connect the circuit of the high voltage switch and initiator with the primary energy source;

wherein;

the interface legs of the second interface are self-shunting and thus short to one another when the initiating subsystem is removed from the non-energetics based subsystem; and

the insulator of the first interface is arranged so as to separate the self-shunting legs and guide each leg to a corresponding one of the conductive contacts when the non-energetics based subsystem is suitably assembled with the initiating subsystem by mating the first interface with the second interface.

2. The detonator according to claim 1, wherein:

the first interface of the non-energetics based subsystem further comprises a second pair of conductive contacts spaced by the insulator, where each of the conductive contacts of the second pair is electrically coupled to a circuit path associated with the secondary energy source;

the second interface of the initiating subsystem comprises a second pair of interface legs positioned so that each interface leg of the second pair mates with a corresponding one of the second pair of conductive contacts of the first interface when the initiating subsystem is suitably mated with the non-energetics based subsystem; and

the second interface couples to a control element of the switch.

3. The detonator according to claim 2, wherein:

the second pair of interface legs are self-shunting and thus short to one another when the initiating subsystem is removed from the non-energetics based subsystem; and

the insulator of the first interface is arranged so as to separate the second pair of self-shunting legs and guide each leg to a corresponding one of the conductive contacts when the non-energetics based subsystem is suitably assembled with the initiating subsystem by mating the first interface with the second interface.

4. The detonator according to claim 1, wherein the second interface of the initiating subsystem further comprises:

a mounting body that serves as an alignment fixture to align the initiator with the initiating pellet, the mounting body having;

a first holder that secures the initiating pellet to the mounting body; and

a second holder that secures the initiator and high voltage switch;

wherein the first holder mates with the second holder.

5. The detonator according to claim 4, wherein:

the first holder defines a top disk having a pellet cup to hold the initiating pellet and a barrel feature for aligning the initiator with the initiating pellet; and

the second holder comprises;

a chip nest that holds the initiator and high voltage switch, and

a feature that couples the electrical connections from the first interface of the non-energetics based subsystem to the initiator seated in the second holder.

6. The detonator according to claim 1, wherein:

the initiating subsystem mated with the non-energetics based subsystem takes on the form factor of a conventional detonator.

7. The detonator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a booster of explosive material having a detonation well, wherein;

the initiating subsystem is fixedly installed generally towards the top of the detonation before the non-energetics based subsystem mates with the initiating subsystem by inserting the non-energetics based subsystem into the detonation well so as to mate each interface leg with its corresponding conductive pad.

8. The detonator according to claim 7, wherein:

the detonator well comprises;

a seat recessed back into the detonator well for seating the initiating subsystem; and

an alignment feature that guides the non-energetics subsystem into the detonator well so as to align and properly mate the inserted non-energetics subsystem with the initiating subsystem installed into the detonator well.

9. The detonator according to claim 1, wherein:

the non-energetics based subsystem is packaged in a puck-shaped housing dimensioned to mate with a cast booster, the puck shaped housing having;

an aperture there through that aligns substantially in register with the through aperture of the corresponding cast booster when a cast booster is integrated with the non-energetics based subsystem.

10. The detonator according to claim 9, wherein:

the puck-shaped housing further comprises a spring biased takeup provided on an extension that is dimensioned to register with a detonator well of the cast booster when a cast booster is integrated with the non-energetics based subsystem.

11. The detonator according to claim 10, further comprising:

an inductive core comprising at least two through tunnels built into the detonator puck-shaped housing, which are utilized for inductive linking and communication; and

an inductor proximate to at least one through tunnel having a through hole generally coaxial with the corresponding through tunnel, which serves as an inductive pickup for communication with associated circuitry.

12. The detonator of claim 1, further comprising:

a sleeve that sleeves the detonator such that the initiating subsystem is located at one end thus defining a closed end of the sleeve and the non-energetics based subsystem is located towards an open end of the sleeve;

an adapter for interfacing with an explosive material located at the closed end of the sleeve in cooperation with the initiating subsystem;

a cradle base at the open end of the sleeve having an aperture for wiring to pass from outside the sleeve to the non-energetics based subsystem; and

a takeup in cooperation with the cradle base having a spring that urges an initiator of the non-energetics based subsystem into mating contact with the initiating subsystem.

13. A detonator for initiating a detonation event, comprising:

a non-energetics based subsystem that is free of explosive material, having;

a controller;

a low voltage to high voltage converter controlled by the controller;

a primary energy source coupled to the low voltage to high voltage converter; and

a secondary energy source controlled by the controller;

an initiating subsystem that is selectively coupled or uncoupled from the non-energetics based detonator, having;

an initiating pellet having explosive material comprising at least one insensitive secondary explosive material, wherein the explosive material is free of sensitive primary explosive material;

a high voltage switch having a control element and an initiator electrically coupled with the high voltage switch, wherein the high voltage switch and initiator are coupled to a select one of the non-energetics based subsystem and the initiating subsystem; and

a booster of explosive material having a detonation well, wherein the initiating subsystem is positioned within the detonation well such that the non-energetics based subsystem mates with the initiating subsystem by inserting the non-energetics based subsystem into the detonation well.

14. The detonator according to claim 13, further comprising:

a plug that threads into the detonator well so as to register the initiator with the initiating pellet previously installed in the booster.

15. The detonator according to claim 13, further comprising:

a clip-in connector having a takeup mechanism to properly seat the initiator of the non-energetics based subsystem with the pellet of the initiating subsystem when the non-energetics based subsystem mated with the initiating subsystem.

16. The detonator according to claim 13, wherein:

the non-energetics based subsystem is packaged in a puck-shaped housing dimensioned to mate with the booster, implemented as a cast booster, the puck shaped housing having;

an aperture there through that aligns substantially in register with the through aperture of the corresponding cast booster when a cast booster is integrated with the non-energetics based subsystem.

17. A detonator for initiating a detonation event when utilized with a booster that provides an initiating subsystem having an initiating pellet installed in a detonation well thereof, comprising:

a non-energetics based subsystem that is free of explosive material, having;

a housing having a cross-section that generally corresponds the cross section of the associated booster, the housing having at least one through passageway that passes through the housing, and which aligns substantially in register with a corresponding through tunnel of the booster;

an extension extending from the housing having a dimension and position along the housing that aligns substantially in register with the detonation well of the booster;

a controller contained within the housing;

a low voltage to high voltage converter coupled the controller;

a primary energy source coupled to the low voltage to high voltage converter;

a secondary energy source;

a first interface electrically coupled to the primary energy source; and

an initiator positioned at the distal end of the extension that is coupled to the primary energy source via a high voltage switch;

wherein;

the non-energetics based subsystem mates with the booster such that the extension extends into the detonator well of the booster so as to bring the initiator in register with the initiating pellet pre-installed in the detonator well.

18. The detonator according to claim 17, wherein:

the extension comprises a spring loaded takeup having a spring that urges the distal end of the extension against the initiating pellet when the non-energetics based subsystem is suitably installed with the booster.

19. The detonator according to claim 17, wherein:

the housing is generally puck shaped and comprises at least one clip to secure the housing to the booster.

20. The detonator according to claim 17, wherein the initiator comprises an exploding foil initiator having an integrated barrel that defines a bare header for interfacing with the initiating pellet when the non-energetics based subsystem is mated with the booster.

21. The detonator according to claim 17, further comprising:

an inductive core having an inductor proximate to a select through tunnel within the through passageway of the housing having a through hole generally coaxial with the corresponding through tunnel, which serves as an inductive pickup for wireless communication with associated circuitry external to the detonator, the inductor in communication with the controller within the detonator.

22. The detonator according to claim 17, wherein:

the at least one through tunnel comprises at least two through tunnels arranged such that wire passed through two tunnels to form a loop, is in cooperation with the inductor so as to allow an electrical pulse to pass through the inductor and return back to an external generation source outside of the inductor to enable two way communications between the detonator and the external generation source.

23. The detonator according to claim 17, further comprising:

a radio frequency identification device within the housing in communication with the controller within the detonator, wherein the controller can transmit identification information from the radio frequency identification device to an external source via the inductor.

24. A computer network box for commanding a blasting operation, comprising:

a network box having a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side, the network box for positioning at a hole of a plurality of holes in an associated blast pattern, wherein;

the first side has at least one connector, each first side connector for linking an associated downhole detonator downline to connect a corresponding detonator to the network box, and at least one additional connector for coupling out to another network box positioned in a next row of holes if a next row of holes is in the blast pattern;

the second side has a connector for linking in from another network box associated with an adjacent row of holes if an adjacent row of holes is included in the blast pattern;

the third side comprises at least one connector for linking in from yet another network box associated with a previous sequential hole in a row of holes if a previous sequential hole is in the blast pattern; and

the fourth side comprises at least one connector for linking out to a next network box associated with a next sequential hole in a row of holes if a next sequential hole is in the blast pattern.

25. A computer network system for commanding a blasting operation, comprising:

a plurality of network boxes, each box for positioning at a corresponding hole in a blast operation, each network box comprising a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side, that is positioned at a hole of a plurality of holes in an associated blast pattern, wherein;

the first side has at least one connector, each first side connector for linking an associated downhole detonator downline to connect a corresponding detonator to the network box, and at least one additional connector for coupling out to another network box positioned in next row of holes if a next row of holes is in the blast pattern;

the second side has a connector for linking in from a another network box associated with an adjacent row of holes if an adjacent row of holes is included in the blast pattern;

the third side comprises at least one connector for linking in from yet another network box associated with a previous sequential hole in a row of holes if a previous sequential hole is in the blast pattern; and

the fourth side comprises at least one connector for linking out to a next network box associated with a next sequential hole in a row of holes if a next sequential hole is in the blast pattern; and

a blasting computer for connection to a select one of the network boxes, the blasting computer configured to;

execute a software positioning algorithm that identifies a detonator attached to each first side connector of each network box;

compute a detonator firing time for each detonator attached to each first side connector of each network box;

transmit the fire time to each detonator attached to each first side connector of each network box; and

initiate a detonation event to detonate each detonator according to its preprogrammed fire time.