Wirelessly programmable electronic device for igniting an explosive accessory

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wirelessly programmable electronic device for igniting an explosive accessory designed such that the electronic device can be located on the surface of the blasting area and the explosive accessory can be located underground. For this purpose, the invention comprises a printed circuit board inside a casing, said board being powered by batteries placed inside the same casing. The printed circuit board has a controller and a wireless communication module electrically connected thereto which allows it to be connected to and receive delay and activation programming commands by a remote activation device to the controller. Said activation device has an operating system that allows multiple devices of the invention to be programmed due to the assignment of a single identifier to each device. The printed circuit board has a group of resistors and transistors connected thereto for activating and sensing droplets; a horn and LEDs as an audible and visual indicator of the status of the device; an on / off switch; and a crystal oscillator connected to the controller. The board is connected to a conductor cable that is welded at its other end to a secondary board that has an ignition droplet. Said board is located inside the plastic adapter along with the blasting cap and ensures the start of detonation in case of a break in the cable.

Description

[0001] WIRELESS PROGRAMMABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR INITIATION OF AN EXPLOSIVE ACCESSORY

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present invention relates to the technical field of explosives, and in particular to wireless electronic adapters for the initiation of explosives.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The closest antecedent to the invention is the national patent document with file number 001790-2021 / DIN.

[0006] This document describes an electronic adapter with a remotely programmable delay for initiating a standard detonator. This adapter is designed to be mounted on-site to the detonator by means of caps that attach to the adapter housing. This housing contains a printed circuit board to which various electronic components are connected. These components enable energy storage, ignition status sensing, spark generation of the ignition filament to ignite the detonator charge and generate the explosion, and bidirectional communication between the device and a remote control unit.For its operation, the bidirectional chip is used to connect operationally and allow the transmission and reception of data, as well as the programming of a delay time from the remote control unit to the electronic adapter where said adapters are connected to the remote control by means of an output connector through which the ignition charge is transmitted to the adapter and consequently to the detonator generating the explosion.

[0007] Although this adapter's design efficiently achieves its purpose, it has the limitation that the adapters receive the ignition charge through the output connectors. This limits the number of connected devices due to voltage drop if many devices are connected simultaneously or if the output connector is too long. Therefore, a device for initiating or activating the detonator is needed to overcome these limitations.

[0008] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention relates to a wirelessly programmable electronic device for initiating an explosive device. The device is designed to be surface-mounted in the blast zone by means of a housing that contains a main printed circuit board (PCB). This PCB electronically connects a controller, a set of resistors, a set of transistors, voltage regulators, crystal oscillators, LEDs, a switch, and a buzzer. Additionally, a wireless communication module is located on the main PCB. This module has an antenna exposed on the exterior of the device housing and connects to the controller. The main PCB, and all components attached to it, are powered by batteries connected to the PCB via cables.On the other hand, the main PCB is connected by a conductive cable to a secondary printed circuit board (PCB) which comprises a polarity rectifier, capacitors, a transistor, and a secondary microcontroller. This secondary PCB features an activation droplet that initiates detonation and is located inside a plastic adapter which also contains a detonator.

[0010] Regarding the printed circuit board circuits, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that other elements, such as additional capacitors or resistors, may be necessary for the protection or operation of certain components described in the preceding paragraph, as will be described in the preferred embodiment section. However, these elements are not mentioned in this section unless they are considered a defining part of the invention and may vary depending on the invention's operating capabilities. The controller is the element that houses the operating program with the instructions required to send the equipment's status commands to the horn and LEDs, to store the activation delay, and to generate the command to initiate the ignition spark.The information required by the controller is delivered from the activation equipment via the communication module, which is electrically connected to the controller. Additionally, the controller has crystal oscillators connected to it, which provide the precise frequency for the controller's operation and delay programming.

[0011] The wireless communication module communicates bidirectionally with an activation device, which has a program capable of generating a unique time delay schedule for each device related to the invention that connects to said activation device by assigning a unique identifier (ID).

[0012] The device displays its status to the user via an audible and visual indicator. The speaker produces the sound required to indicate the desired status, while the LEDs provide the visual component. It's important to note that the device status refers to the battery level, power status, and / or warnings regarding malfunctions of any components on the printed circuit board.

[0013] The switch is the device's on / off control and is located on one side of the base of the casing. Voltage regulators adjust the voltage required by the controller and the wireless communication module. For this purpose, each controller and the wireless communication module is individually connected to a voltage regulator.

[0014] A set of resistors and transistors forms a circuit on the main PCB for activating and sensing the outrage drop. Separately, voltage regulators individually adjust the voltage required by the microcontroller and the wireless communication module.

[0015] The casing consists of a base and a lid, both made of plastic and connected by clips located on the lid. The interior of the casing, along with the main PCB, is filled with resin to make it watertight and resistant to splashes and water.

[0016] The user remotely and wirelessly configures the programmable electronic devices related to the invention using the activation device. Thanks to the operating algorithm housed in the activation device and the controller, more than one device can be configured and more than one device can be initiated. Once the programming of the device(s) is complete, they are placed in the surface area of ​​the blast site, while the detonator adapter is placed underground.

[0017] The casing is located above ground at the blast site, while the adapter housing the detonator is located underground. The activation device programs the initiation delays, verifies the device's identification, and issues the activation command. It's worth noting that the activation device can perform these functions with more than one device thanks to the necessary operating algorithm housed in both the activation device and the controller.

[0018] When the activation signal is generated, the main PCB generates an electrical charge that is transmitted through the conductive cable to the secondary PCB, charging the capacitors that provide the secondary PCB with power. Thanks to this power, the secondary microcontroller, which has a pre-configured activation time set by ones, generates the spark for the initiation droplet via an activation transistor, thus detonating the detonator. In this way, the present invention allows for remote programming of the required delay time. It does not generate pollution by performing the activation electronically and allows for safe handling, transport, and storage because the detonator or explosive accessory is not integrated and only requires interaction with the detonator on-site during installation.

[0019] Furthermore, it does not require wiring between the triggering device and the devices, which leads to a reduction in inputs required for detonation and amplifies the number of devices that can communicate with the controller by avoiding voltage drops that occur in traditional triggering device-detonator systems.

[0020] Additionally, having a secondary PCB in the adapter ensures the desired detonation occurs. This is because, in situations where simultaneous explosions happen, there is a risk of the connection between the surface device and the detonator breaking, resulting in a misfire or no detonation. The secondary PCB ensures that even if the connection to the detonator is broken, it already contains the charge necessary for the secondary microcontroller to ignite the spark for the trigger droplet, thus achieving detonation.

[0021] Finally, placing the PCB on the surface improves wireless connectivity compared to its predecessor because it reduces the likelihood of connection errors or accessibility issues when the controller is underground.

[0022] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0023] To complement the description being made and with the aim of helping a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, the following figures are attached, in which the following has been represented for illustrative and non-limiting purposes:

[0024] Figure 1: Horizontal view of the main printed circuit board.

[0025] Figure 2: Isometric view of components inside the housing. Figure 3: Isometric view of the device with the conductor cable attached.

[0026] Figure 4: Isometric view of device with conductor cable and adapter attached to conductor cable

[0027] Figure 5: Activation device and wirelessly programmable electronic device for initiating an explosive accessory

[0028] Figure 6: Activation device, receiver attached to drone and programmable electronic device via wireless for initiating an explosive accessory

[0029] Figure 7: Top view of secondary printed circuit board.

[0030] Figure 8: Exploded view of the conductor cable and secondary PCB entering the plastic adapter

[0031] Figure 9: Cross-sectional view of conductor cable and PCB inside adapter with bottom cover in place

[0032] Figure 10: Cross-section view of cable, secondary PCB and detonator inside the plastic adapter with bottom and top caps

[0033] PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0034] The present invention can be implemented by referring to Figures 1-5. Those skilled in the art should understand that the group of capacitors, transistors, or resistors used in the present embodiment is not limiting and their presence may vary according to the protection or operating requirements of the electronic elements characterizing the system. In this regard, the technical specifications of the components required for the preferred embodiment described are shown in Table 1. The wirelessly programmable electronic device (100) for initiating an explosive accessory, where the housing (101) and the printed circuit board (PCB) (102) are located in the surface area of ​​the blast site, while the explosive accessory is located underground.

[0035] The housing (100) contains the main printed circuit board (102) which electronically comprises a controller (103), voltage regulators (104), crystal oscillator (105), LED lights (106), a speaker (107), a set of resistors (108), a set of transistors (109), and a switch (112).

[0036] The housing (101) consists of a lid (101a) and a base (101b) connected by fastening hooks located on the lid (101a). The housing sections are made of plastic and filled with resin to provide a watertight seal and resistance to water and splashes.

[0037] A wireless communication module (110) is placed on the main PCB (102), which has an antenna (110a) exposed on the outside of the housing (101). The main PCB (102) and its attached components receive electrical power from batteries (111) also located inside the housing (101). In this particular example, the batteries are located at the bottom of the PCB (102), as shown in Figure 2. Additionally, the printed circuit board (102) has resistors (R1, R2) in the connection line to the battery (111) to measure the charge of the batteries (111).

[0038] The controller (103) houses the system's operating program and, as shown in Figure 1, has pins at one end of the PCB for programming the algorithm into the controller (102). The controller (102) receives the delay and activation programming commands via a wireless communication module (110) that communicates bidirectionally with an activation device (900). Additionally, the controller (102) has a crystal oscillator (105) connected to it, which externally provides the precise frequency required for the controller's operation and delay programming. Capacitors (C1, C2) are included in the circuit between the controller (102) and the crystal oscillator (105) for proper operation.It should be noted that bidirectional communication between the invention (100) and the activation equipment (900) may have communication distance limitations. To address this, the invention includes receivers (600) that amplify or bridge the communication signal between the activation equipment (900) and the invention (100). These receivers (600) can be attached to vehicles so that the user does not need to approach the blasting area, creating the necessary environment for wireless communication, as shown in Figure 6 where the receiver (600) is attached to a drone.

[0039] The activation unit (900) features an operating system capable of programming the delay in the controller (102) and sending the activation signal. It is capable of independently and securely programming multiple devices (100) and assigning a unique identifier (ID) to each device (100).

[0040] Because the programming and activation of the explosion are performed remotely from the device (100), the graphical interface is located on the activation equipment (109). However, the device (100) must be able to display its status to the user, including, but not limited to, device (100) malfunctions, battery charge level (110), and other information. To this end, the PCB (102) features an audible and visual indicator consisting of LEDs (106) and a speaker (107).

[0041] The speaker (107) is the component responsible for producing the sound according to the state being reflected. In this embodiment, the speaker (107) is connected to resistors (R3, R4) and a transistor (TI) for its proper operation. The LEDs (106) provide the visual indicator; preferably, as shown in Figure 2, they should protrude from the housing to facilitate visibility. These LEDs (106) have a resistor (R5) connected to them for the correct operation of the visual indicators. A switch (112), preferably but not exclusively a toggle switch, is located on one side of the base (110b) of the housing to turn on the device (100). The voltage regulators (104) adjust the voltage required by the controller (102) and the wireless communication module (110).Figure 1 shows that in this case, a voltage regulator (104) is connected to the controller (102), and this connection requires a capacitor (C3). On the other hand, the wireless module has a different voltage regulator (104) connected, which in turn requires another capacitor (C4) to operate.

[0042] Having configured the trigger drop delay, the PCB (102) generates said trigger by means of a circuit consisting of a set of resistors (108) and transistors (109). The trigger pulse is transmitted by means of a conductive wire (113) soldered to the main PCB (102) to a secondary PCB (500) comprising a polarity rectifier (501), capacitors (502), a transistor (503), a secondary microcontroller (504), and a trigger drop (505).The activation pulse passes through the polarity rectifier (501) to charge the capacitors (502) that give autonomy to the secondary PCB (500) so that the secondary microcontroller (504), which houses a pre-configured initiation time, generates the spark by means of the transistor (503) and this spark is transmitted to the initiation droplet (505) for the detonation of the detonator which is located inside the same plastic adapter (700) that houses the secondary PCB (500).

[0043] As an example of how to place the secondary PCB (500) and the detonator in the plastic adapter (700), a lower plastic cap (701) is used, which is placed after inserting the secondary PCB into the adapter (700). The detonator is placed through the end not covered by the lower plastic cap (701), and after placing the detonator, this end is covered with an upper plastic cap (702). The described installation configuration is shown in Figures 8-10.

[0044] The present description clearly and sufficiently reflects the technical aspects of the invention, taking into account that changes to the name or form of elements that do not alter the operating principle of the invention are considered within the scope of the invention.

[0045] Table 1. Specifications of elements used in the preferred embodiment described

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A wirelessly programmable electronic device (100) for initiating an explosive accessory, wherein the device (100) has a housing (101) that contains a main printed circuit board (102) which comprises - a voltage regulator (104) connected to a, - a microcontroller (103) that houses the system's operating program for delay and activation programming received by an activation device (900); characterized in that the housing (101) and the main printed circuit board (102) are located in the surface area of ​​the explosion zone and in the housing (101) there are also batteries (111) that provide electrical power to the main printed circuit board (102) which further comprises electronically connected: - a wireless communication module (110) that receives instructions from the activation equipment (900) and transmits them to the controller (103) and said module receives voltage from another voltage regulator (104); - a speaker (107), connected to the microcontroller (103), and which generates the sound to reflect the state of the device (100); - LED lights (106), connected to the microcontroller (103), which generates the visual indicator of the device status (100); - a switch (112) that turns the device (100) on or off, - a crystal oscillator (105) that externally provides the microcontroller (103) with the frequency for its operation and delay programming; - a set of resistors (108) and a set of transistors (109) forming a circuit for the activation and sensing of an initiation droplet (800); and likewise the main printed circuit board (102) is connected to a conducting cable (103) in which its free end is connected to a secondary printed circuit board (500) comprising a polarity rectifier (501), capacitors (502), a transistor (503), a secondary microcontroller (504) and an initiation droplet (800), wherein the secondary board (500) is located within a plastic adapter (700) which also houses a detonator.

2. A wirelessly programmable electronic device (100) for initiating an explosive accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the explosive accessory is housed within the plastic adapter (700).

3. A wirelessly programmable electronic device (100) for initiating an explosive accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the activation equipment (900) houses an operating system for programming the device (100) and can program multiple devices (100) by assigning unique identifiers.

4. A wirelessly programmable electronic device (100) for initiating an explosive accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (101) is made of plastic and consists of a lid (101a) and a base (101b) connected to each other by means of fastening hooks, and the interior of the housing (101) is filled with resin.

5. A wirelessly programmable electronic device (100) for initiating an explosive accessory according to claim 1 characterized in that the switch (112) is of the switch type and is located at the base of the housing (101b).

6. A wirelessly programmable electronic device (100) for initiating an explosive accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the wireless communication module (110) has an antenna (110a)

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