초록 ▼

An explosives detonator system for detonating an explosive charge with which it is, in use, arranged in a detonating relationship is provided. On acceptance of a detonation initiating signal having a detonation initiating property, the system initiates and thus detonates the explosive charge. The sy

An explosives detonator system for detonating an explosive charge with which it is, in use, arranged in a detonating relationship is provided. On acceptance of a detonation initiating signal having a detonation initiating property, the system initiates and thus detonates the explosive charge. The system includes an initiating device which accepts the detonation initiating signal and initiates and thus detonates the explosive charge. The initiating device is initially in a non-detonation initiating condition, in which it is not capable of accepting the detonation initiating signal. The system also includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) based switching device that detects a switching property of a radio switching signal that is transmitted to the detonator system and switches the initiating device, on detection of the detonation initiating property, to a standby condition in which the initiating device is capable of operatively accepting the detonation initiating signal when it is transmitted thereto.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An explosives detonator for detonating an explosive charge, the detonator including: an initiating device which comprises a printed electronic detonation circuit that includes a printed primary conductive path;at least two spaced apart printed conductive electrodes that are included in the primar

1. An explosives detonator for detonating an explosive charge, the detonator including: an initiating device which comprises a printed electronic detonation circuit that includes a printed primary conductive path;at least two spaced apart printed conductive electrodes that are included in the primary conductive path;a printed resistive bridge that is provided between the electrodes and that has a breakdown voltage specification beyond which the resistive bridge breaks down and generates a voltage spark or plasma; anda printed voltage source that is included in the primary conductive path,wherein the initiating device is in a non-detonation initiating condition in which it cannot operatively accept a detonation initiating signal which, when operatively accepted, causes generation of a voltage difference across the electrodes by the voltage source, which voltage difference exceeds the breakdown voltage specification,wherein the detonator further includes;a radio frequency identification (RFID) based switching device that is programmed as a switch and is sensitive to a switching property of a radio switching signal that is transmitted to the detonator in use, the sensitivity of the RFID based switching device to the switching property being such that, on detection of the switching property, the RFID based switching devices switches the initiating device from the non-detonation initiating condition into a standby condition in which the initiating device can operatively accept the detonation initiating signal and thereby switch into a detonation initiating condition,wherein the voltage source includes an electrically chargeable or rechargeable component that is electrically charged on exposure to a charging property of a charging signal to a magnitude sufficient to generate a voltage difference across the electrodes that exceeds the breakdown voltage specification, the charging signal being a shock signal that is generated, in use, by a shock tube,and wherein the printed electronic detonation circuit is printed onto a substrate, by one or more of inkjet, gravure, screen printing, offset lithography, flexography. 2. The detonator according to claim 1, in which the primary conductive path is open in the non-detonation initiating condition and is closed by the RFID-based switching device on acceptance of the switching signal, with the initiating device thereby assuming the standby condition. 3. The detonator according to claim 1, in which the RFID-based switching device includes a programmable RFID chip, which is programmed as a switch, and an antenna for the RFID chip, with the antenna being operatively integrated with the detonation circuit. 4. The detonator according to claim 3, in which the integrated antenna provides a secondary conductive path of the detonation circuit which is closed in the non-detonator initiating condition. 5. The detonator according to claim 1, in which the RFID-based switching device comprises a RFID tag, being selected from an active RFID tag and a passive RFID tag. 6. The detonator according to claim 5, in which the RFID tag is programmed with at least one of identification information, manufacturing information and operational information relating to the detonator. 7. The detonator according to claim 1, in which the switching property is a predetermined radio frequency of the radio switching signal. 8. A method of operating a detonator according to claim 1 comprising: transmitting a radio switching signal having a switching property to the RFID-based switching device of the detonator while the initiating device of the detonator is in the non-detonation initiating condition thereby causing the RFID-based switching device to switch the initiating device into the standby condition; andtransmitting, as a charging signal, a shock signal generated by the shock tube to the voltage source of the detonator, the shock signal having a charging property which is a signal component of the shock signal and which causes the electrically chargeable or rechargeable component of the voltage source to become electrically charged when it is exposed to the charging property. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the switching property is a predetermined radio frequency of the radio switching signal.