Electronic detonator system

A system for performing blasting operations comprising:

• a plurality of hole controllers, each hole controller for positioning at a corresponding blast hole in a corresponding blast site;
• at least one detonator for each blast hole that is in communication with the corresponding hole controller associated with that blast hole, each detonator having a detonator housing that contains therein:
• a chip having:
• a high voltage switch having a first contact, a second contact and a trigger element, the trigger element having a first contact and a second contact, the high voltage switch configured in a normally open state such that the first contact is electrically isolated from the second contact, wherein the high voltage switch is operable to transition to a closed state such that the first contact is electrically coupled to the second contact by applying a predetermined signal across the first and second contacts of the trigger element;
• and
• an initiator configured as at least one exploding foil initiator electrically connected in series to the first contact of the high voltage switch;
• wherein:
• the high voltage switch is formed on the chip such that the trigger element is positioned between the first and second switch contacts and is shaped to have a repeating pattern of faceted sections that narrow in width and funnel out in width between the first and second switch contacts;
• an initiating pellet that is void of a primary explosive material and that comprises an insensitive secondary explosive material, the initiating pellet positioned relative to the initiator such that functioning of the initiator causes detonation of the initiating pellet;
• a primary energy source;
• a secondary energy source;
• a low voltage to high voltage converter that is controlled to convert a low voltage to a high voltage sufficient to charge the primary energy source;
• a primary circuit that electrically couples the primary energy source to a series circuit that couples the high voltage switch in series with the initiator;
• a secondary circuit that selectively electrically isolates the secondary energy source from the trigger element of the high voltage switch in a first state and electrically couples the secondary energy source across the first and second contacts of the trigger element of the high voltage switch in a second state;
• and
• communications circuitry for communicating with the associated hole controller;
• and
• a controller that controls operation of the high voltage switch and the initiator to initiate the initiating pellet;
• a shot controller for wireless communication with each of the hole controllers;
• and
• a blasting computer that communicates with the shot controller for coordinating a blast event by:
• obtaining data from each of the detonators via their corresponding hole controller and the shot controller;
• calculating a firing solution;
• automatically programming each detonator with a corresponding detonation time based upon the calculated firing solution;
• initiating an arm sequence, wherein the controller of each detonator controls its low voltage to high voltage converter to charge the primary energy source to a desired primary charge potential, wherein the high voltage switch holds off the primary charge potential from functioning the initiator while the detonator is armed;
• receiving by the blasting computer, a confirmation that each detonator is armed and ready to fire;
• and
• initiating a blast command after acknowledging that all detonators are armed, wherein each detonator functions its initiator to detonate its initiating pellet by selecting the second state of the secondary circuit so as to close the high voltage switch, thus allowing the primary charge potential to function the initiator to detonate the initiating pellet, at the corresponding programmed detonation time.

An electronic detonator comprising:

• a generally puck shaped detonator housing having at least one through tunnel that extends through the puck that integrally packages:
• an inductor proximate to a select one of the through tunnels that is coupled to control electronics of the detonator so as to function as an inductive pickup for wireless communication with an external source;
• a chip having:
• a high voltage switch having a first contact, a second contact and a trigger element, the trigger element having a first contact and a second contact, the high voltage switch configured in a normally open state such that the first contact is electrically isolated from the second contact, wherein the high voltage switch is operable to transition to a closed state such that the first contact is electrically coupled to second contact by applying a predetermined signal across the first and second contacts of the trigger element;
• and
• an initiator configured as at least one exploding foil initiator electrically connected in series to the first contact of the high voltage switch;
• wherein:
• the high voltage switch is formed on the chip such that the trigger element is positioned between the first and second switch contacts and is shaped to have a repeating pattern of faceted sections that narrow in width and funnel out in width between the first and second switch contacts;
• an initiating pellet that is void of a primary explosive material and that comprises an insensitive secondary explosive material, the initiating pellet positioned relative to the initiator such that functioning of the initiator causes detonation of the initiating pellet;
• a primary energy source;
• a secondary energy source;
• a low voltage to high voltage converter that is controlled to convert a low voltage to a high voltage sufficient to charge the primary energy source;
• a primary circuit that electrically couples the primary energy source to a series circuit that couples the high voltage switch in series with the initiator;
• a secondary circuit that selectively electrically isolates the secondary energy source from the trigger element of the high voltage switch in a first state and electrically couples the secondary energy source across the first and second contacts of the trigger element of the high voltage switch in a second state;
• and
• a controller that performs a detonation action by:
• receiving a request to arm the detonator;
• controlling the low voltage to high voltage converter to charge the primary energy source to a desired primary charge potential, wherein the high voltage switch holds off the primary charge potential from functioning the initiator while the detonator is armed;
• charging the secondary energy source to a desired secondary charge potential, and
• functioning the initiator to detonate the initiating pellet by selecting the second state of the secondary circuit so as to close the high voltage switch after charging the secondary energy source, thus allowing the primary charge potential to function the initiator to detonate the initiating pellet.