Detonation control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10436005-B2
Application number	US-201615279910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2016
Priority date	Jan 13, 2012
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

Detonation control modules and detonation control circuits are provided herein. A trigger input signal can cause a detonation control module to trigger a detonator. A detonation control module can include a timing circuit, a light-producing diode such as a laser diode, an optically triggered diode, and a high-voltage capacitor. The trigger input signal can activate the timing circuit. The timing circuit can control activation of the light-producing diode. Activation of the light-producing diode illuminates and activates the optically triggered diode. The optically triggered diode can be coupled between the high-voltage capacitor and the detonator. Activation of the optically triggered diode causes a power pulse to be released from the high-voltage capacitor that triggers the detonator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A detonation control module, comprising:
a high-voltage capacitor;
an optically triggered diode coupled between the high-voltage capacitor and a detonator;
a light-producing diode positioned to activate the optically triggered diode;
a timing circuit comprising a delay element that controls timing of an activation of the light-producing diode; and
a transistor coupled to a trigger input signal, the transistor preventing activation of the detonator by stray signals;
wherein activation of the light-producing diode illuminates the optically triggered diode and causes a power pulse to be released from the high-voltage capacitor to the detonator.

2. The detonation control module of claim 1 , wherein the optically triggered diode is reverse biased, and wherein avalanche breakdown of the optically triggered diode causes the power pulse to be released from the high-voltage capacitor.

3. The detonation control module of claim 1 , wherein the transistor is a field effect transistor (FET), and wherein activation of the detonator by stray signals is prevented by a parasitic capacitance of the FET and a gate voltage level required to activate the FET.

4. The detonation control module of claim 1 , wherein the light-producing diode is a laser diode.

5. The detonation control module of claim 1 , wherein the high-voltage capacitor is at between 1000 volts and 3500 volts when fully charged.

6. The detonation control module of claim 1 , further comprising a bleed resistor and a passive diode connected to the high-voltage capacitor such that if a high-voltage supply is disconnected from the high-voltage capacitor, the high-voltage capacitor discharges through the bleed resistor and the passive diode.

7. The detonation control module of claim 1 , wherein the timing circuit comprises:
at least one integrated circuit (IC);
for the at least one IC, a diode forward biased between a supply voltage and a power input pin of the IC and a plurality of capacitors in parallel connected between the power input pin of the IC and ground, wherein the diode and the plurality of capacitors act as a temporary power supply to the IC when the supply voltage is disconnected or shorted.

8. A detonation control method, comprising:
activating a laser diode using at least one timing circuit comprising a delay element to control a timing of activating the laser diode;
illuminating an optically triggered diode with a beam produced by the activated laser diode; and
providing a power pulse from a high-voltage capacitor to a detonator, the optically triggered diode coupled between the high-voltage capacitor and the detonator.

9. The detonation control method of claim 8 , wherein the timing circuit is triggered by an input trigger signal pulse.

10. The detonation control module of claim 1 , wherein the timing circuit provides a signal at a controlled time to activate the light-producing diode.

Assignees

• Los Alamos Nat Security Llc
• Triad Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Mace Jonathan L
• Seitz Gerald J
• Bronisz Lawrence E

Classifications

• F42D1/042

  Logic explosive circuits, e.g. with explosive diodes · CPC title

• F42D1/055

  specially adapted for firing multiple charges with a time delay · CPC title

• F42D3/06

  for seismic purposes · CPC title

• E21B43/263 Primary

  using explosives · CPC title

• F42D3/04

  for rock blasting · CPC title