Integrated planar switch for a munition

A detonator for initiating a detonation of an explosive charge, the detonator comprising:

• an exploding foil initiator having a detonator bridge with a bridge member and a bridge contact that are electrically coupled to one another;
• a switch having a switch contact, the switch contact being spaced apart from the detonator bridge such that a spark gap of a predetermined width is defined between the bridge contact and the switch contact;
• and
• a secondary switch having a switch element that is disposed within the spark gap, the switch element changing states when the secondary switch is positioned in the second condition to shorten the width of the spark gap, the secondary switch being operable in a first condition which does not affect the operation of the switch such that the switch is closed only by the formation of the discharge arc in response to the application of a voltage across the bridge contact and the switch contact in excess of the gap breakdown voltage, the secondary switch also being operable in a second condition which affects the operation of the switch such that the switch is closed at a voltage that is less than the gap breakdown voltage, said switch element being in a solid state when the secondary switch is positioned in the first condition and the switch element changing to a plasma state when the secondary switch is positioned in the second condition;
• wherein a discharge arc closed the switch to thereby permit current to flow between the bridge contact and the switch contact, the discharge arc being formed when a voltage in excess of a predetermined gap breakdown voltage is applied across the spark gap.

A detonator for initiating a detonation of an explosive charge, the detonator comprising:

• an exploding foil initiator having a detonator bridge with a bridge member and a bridge contact that are electrically coupled to one another;
• a flyer layer being formed of an electrically insulating material, said flyer layer covering the bridge member;
• a switch having a switch contact, the switch contact being spaced apart from the detonator bridge such that a spark gap of a predetermined width is defined between the bridge contact and the switch contact;
• barrel layer being formed from an electrically insulating material, wherein at least a portion of the flyer layer is juxtaposed between the detonator bridge and the barrel layer, wherein a spark aperture is formed in the barrel layer;
• a base being formed from an electrically insulating material, said base being coupled to said detonator bridge, said switch contact and said barrel layer, said base being further coupled to a first side of the detonator bridge, said flyer layer being coupled to a second side of the detonator bridge,
• wherein a discharge arc closes the switch to thereby permit current to flow between the bridge contact arc and the switch contact, the discharge arc being formed between the bridge contact and the switch contact in the spark aperture when a voltage in excess of a predetermined gap breakdown voltage is applied across the spark gap;
• said spark aperture being sized such that the barrel layer does not overlie the bridge contact, the spark gap and the switch contact in the area proximate the discharge arc.

A detonator for initiating a detonation of an explosive charge, the detonator comprising:

• an exploding foil initiator having a base, a detonator bridge, a flyer layer and a barrel layer, the base being formed from an electrically insulating member, the detonator bridge having a detonator bridge with a bridge member and a bridge contact that are electrically coupled to one another, the flyer layer overlying the bridge member, the barrel layer overlying the flyer layer and being coupled to the base;
• and
• a switch having a switch contact, said switch being defined by the switch contact and the bridge contact, the switch being formed onto the base in a spaced apart relation with the detonator bridge such that a spark gap of a predetermined width is defined between the bridge contact and the switch contact;
• wherein a discharge arc closes the switch to thereby permit current to flow between the bridge contact and the switch contact, the discharge arc being formed across the spark gap and between the bridge contact and the switch contact when a voltage in excess of a predetermined gap breakdown voltage is applied across the spark gap.

A detonator for initiating a detonation of an explosive charge, the detonator comprising:

• an exploding foil initiator having a base, a detonator bridge, a flyer layer and a barrel layer, the base being formed from an electrically insulating member, the detonator bridge having a detonator bridge with a bridge member and a bridge contact that are electrically coupled to one another, the flyer layer overlying the bridge member, the barrel layer overlying the flyer layer and being coupled to the base;
• and
• a switch having a switch contact that is formed onto the base in a spaced apart relation with the detonator bridge such that a spark gap of a predetermined width is defined between the bridge contact and the switch contact;
• wherein a discharge arc closes the switch to thereby permit current to flow between the bridge contact and the switch contact, the discharge arc being formed when a voltage in excess of a predetermined gap breakdown voltage is applied across the spark gap,
• wherein a spark aperture is formed in the barrel layer, the spark aperture being sized such that the barrel layer does not overlie the bridge contact, the spark gap and the switch gap contact in an area proximate the discharge arc.