초록 ▼

Detonating apparatus comprises a plurality of multichannel exploders (MCEs) connected to a control unit which provides an operator/apparatus interface remote from the MCE's detonator circuits. MCEs measure integrity, resonant frequency and impedance at resonance of the detonator circuits connected t

Detonating apparatus comprises a plurality of multichannel exploders (MCEs) connected to a control unit which provides an operator/apparatus interface remote from the MCE's detonator circuits. MCEs measure integrity, resonant frequency and impedance at resonance of the detonator circuits connected to each channel, and are thereby programmed to give optimum firing current at the resonant frequency. The control unit provides electrical power, interrogates the MCEs on the status of their detonator circuits, and gives firing signals to be obeyed by MCEs after predetermined delays.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for initiating explosions by providing an electrical firing current in a plurality of detonator circuits connected thereto, said apparatus comprising: a control unit locatable remote from the detonator circuits, at least one multi-channel exploder (MCE) connected to said control

1. An apparatus for initiating explosions by providing an electrical firing current in a plurality of detonator circuits connected thereto, said apparatus comprising: a control unit locatable remote from the detonator circuits, at least one multi-channel exploder (MCE) connected to said control unit and having a plurality of channels, each channel being provided with output means for connection to one of the detonator circuits, each MCE comprising energy storage means for receiving and storing electrical energy provided by the control unit, means for testing the impedance of the detonator circuit connected to each channel thereby to detect whether the circuit is complete or broken, and firing means responsive to a firing signal from the control unit for converting at least a portion of the energy storage means into a firing current in each channel at a predetermined time interval after receipt of the firing signal; and the control unit comprising an energy source from which to provide the electrical energy requirements of all the MCEs connected thereto, means for interrogating each MCE to determine whether or not all of the MCE's channels have complete detonator circuits, and a firing signal generator to activate the firing means in the MCEs. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control unit and each of the MCEs is provided with send and receive circuits including addressing means to enable each MCE to be interrogated by the control unit using a common communications link. 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the control unit has a firing signal generator adapted to transmit at least one characteristic frequency, the interrogating means is adapted to determine whether or not all of the MCE's are detecting the presence of the said characteristic frequency and each MCE contains a means for detecting the presence of the said characteristic frequency and a means for communicating the presence of the said characteristic frequency to the control unit. 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the said MCE comprises a processor and a plurality of channels connected to and controlled by said processor, said processor also providing an interface between the channels and the communications link to the control unit, the channels each having their own energy storage means, impedance testing means and firing means. 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein each channel has its own built-in impedance testing means. 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein each firing means has its own built-in time delay means. 7. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 2 wherein each impedance testing means is adapted to provide a quantitative measure of the impedance of the circuit tested, and each channel comprises means responsive to its measured impedance for regulating the voltage of the energy stored, or the proportion thereof converted to a firing current, to that voltage which produces a predetermined optimum current in its detonator circuit. 8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 2 wherein the detonator circuits are transformer-coupled to detonators of the kind fired by alternating current. 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the detonator circuits are coupled to electric detonators through ferrite rings. 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the detonator circuit duly coupled to the detonators has a resonant frequency within the range 15-25 kHz, the resonant frequency of the circuit being substantially equal to the frequency of the a.c. current generated by the firing means. 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the testing means comprises a variable frequency generator adapted to provide a test signal scanning a predetermined range of frequency, means to monitor changes in the detonator circuit impedance with changes in the test signal frequency and thereby to detect any frequency at which the impedance passes through a minimum, means to measure this minimum impedance and the frequency at which it occurs, this latter frequency being the resonant frequency, and means to indicate when the measured impedance fails to pass through a minimum within the range of frequencies applied; and the firing means having programmable means for setting the frequency of the firing current to the resonant frequency of the detonator circuit as determined by the testing means. 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the testing means and firing means utilise the same frequency generator. 13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 characterised in that the alternating test current is transformer coupled to the detonator circuit. 14. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 2 wherein each MCE channel is provided with means for detecting when it fails to supply a firing current in response to a firing signal and the control unit has means for indicating when any channel has so failed. 15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein each MCE has means for identifying any failed channel and the control unit has means for displaying such identification. 16. A method for initiating explosions by providing an electrical firing current in a plurality of detonator circuits comprising connecting each detonator circuit to a channel of at least one multi-channel exploder (MCE), connecting said MCE to a control unit located remote from said detonator circuits, said MCE comprising energy storage means for receiving and storing electrical energy provided by said control unit, means for testing the impedance of the detonator circuit connected thereto to detect whether said circuit is complete or broken and firing means responsive to a firing signal from the control unit for converting at least a portion of the stored energy into a firing current in said channel at a predetermined time interval after receipt of a firing signal, and said control unit comprising an energy source to provide electrical energy to said MCE, means for interrogating said MCE to determine whether or not said channel is connected to a complete detonator circuit and a firing signal generator to activate said firing means in the MCE, providing electrical energy from said energy source to said energy storage means, testing the impedance of said detonator circuit, interrogating said MCE to determine whether or not said channel is connected to a complete detonator circuit and generating a firing signal to actuate said firing means to provide firing current in said detonator circuit. 17. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the detonator circuits are transformer coupled to electric detonators, the impedance of each detonator circuit is tested by applying an alternating test signal to the detonator circuit at a frequency which at least includes the resonant frequency of the detonator circuit and detecting the impedance at the resonant frequency, and a firing current is produced from the firing means substantially at the resonant frequency of the detonator circuit.