US 5,295,438 AGranted

Single initiate command system and method for a multi-shot blast

AssigneePlessey Tellumat South Africa Limited

InventorsTrevor R. Hill, Antony J. Surtees, Mark D. Chewins, Andrew J. Houliston, Ari Zagnoev

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Abstract

Apparatus for timing and initiating a multi-shot blast is disclosed and claimed. The apparatus comprises a programming tool 16 for individually programming a plurality of electronic detonator arrangements 18.1 to 18.5 with delay time data relative to a common initiate command signal. The programmed electronic detonator arrangements 18.1 to 18.5 are all connected to a data communication cable 28 connected to a control unit 20. The control unit transmits the initiate command signal to all the detonator arrangements on the cable 28. Upon reception of the initiate command signal, the detonator arrangements start timing out their respective programmed delay times to cause their associated charges 12.1 to 12.5 to explode at the end of the delay times. The blast may be aborted by a disarm command on the cable 28 at any time before the initiate command signal is transmitted on the cable.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A method of timing and initiating a multi-shot blast using apparatus comprising a transportable electronic programming tool including data processing circuitry and memory circuitry;

and a plurality of explosive charges, each said charge including an electronic detonator arrangement comprising timing means, memory circuitry and data processing circuitry;
the programming tool and each said electronic detonator arrangement being provided with means via which a data communication path can be established between the programming tool and any one selected electronic detonator arrangement of said electronic detonator arrangements at a time, the method comprising the steps of:
preparing and positioning said plurality of explosive charges at a blast site;
loading into and storing in the memory circuitry to the programming tool data regarding a desired explosion time for each charge of said plurality of charges, the data regarding a desired explosion time comprising data regarding a delay time relative to an initiate command signal;
physically transporting the programming tool to each said charge;
establishing a data communication path between the programming tool and each said detonator arrangement individually, one after the other;
while the data communication path is established between the programming tool and a selected electronic detonator arrangement of said electronic detonator arrangements, programming the selected electronic detonator arrangement by loading time data comprising data regarding a delay time relative to the initiate command signal that will cause the electronic detonator arrangement to detonate the charge at the desired explosion time associated with that charge from the programming tool into the electronic detonator arrangement and storing said time data in the memory circuitry of the electronic detonator arrangement;
communicating a common initiate command signal to all of said electronic detonator arrangements;
and
causing each of said electronic detonator arrangements, in response to said initiate command signal, to commence processing the delay time data relative to the initiate command signal stored in its memory circuitry and to cause its associated charge to explode when, according to the electronic detonator arrangement's timing means and the delay time data the charge must explode.

7 more elements

Apparatus for timing and initiating a plurality of explosive charges comprising:

a transportable electronic programming tool comprising data processing circuitry, memory circuitry and control circuitry, the tool being programmable to receive time data regarding desired times at which the charges must explode;
a plurality of electronic detonator arrangements, including one electronic detonator arrangement for each charge of said plurality of charges;
said programming tool and said plurality of electronic detonator arrangements being adapted so that a data communication path may be established between the programming tool and each electronic detonator arrangement of said plurality of electronic detonator arrangements individually, one after the other, for programming each electronic detonator arrangement by transferring from the programming tool to the selected electronic detonator arrangement time data regarding the desired time at which the selected electronic detonator arrangement must detonate its associated charge;
means for communicating a common initiate command signal to all of said electronic detonator arrangements;
and
each said electronic detonator arrangement comprising data processing circuitry, memory circuitry for storing the time data received from the programming tool, control circuitry and timing means;
in use, each said detonator arrangement, after reception of said initiate command signal, being self-contained and adapted to detonate its associated charge when, according to the time data stored in its memory circuitry and its timing means, the charge must explode.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.