Detonator packaging system and method

Abstract

A packaging system includes a container (34) within which are disposed first detonator devices (10) having reactive coils (16), e.g., coils of shock tube leads, and second detonator devices (20) having inert coils (26), e.g., coils of insulated electric leg wires. The inert coils (26) are interposed between the reactive coils (16) and are approximately co-extensive with the reactive coils (16), so that the inert coils (26) form a barrier to propagation of an accidental initiation from one reactive coil (16) to another. Reactive coils (16) and inert coils (26) are fastened to each other to form mixed coil pairs (30) which are nested to interpose a pair of the inert coils (26) between at least some of the reactive coils (16). A method of packing the first and second detonator devices calls for placing them in a container (34) in the described arrangement.

Claims

1. A packaging system comprising a container within which are disposed a plurality of first detonator devices comprising detonators having reactive coils attached thereto, and a plurality of second detonator devices comprising detonators having inert coils attached thereto; the first and second detonator devices being disposed within the container so that at least some of the reactive coils have interposed between them inert coils, the inert coils thereby providing barriers of inert coils between at least some of the reactive coils, wherein the reactive coils have a reactive coil length and reactive coil width and the inert coils have an inert coil length and an inert coil width, the inert coil length being not greater than about one-half of the reactive coil length, and the inert coil width being about the same as the reactive coil width, wherein respective ones of the inert coils are removably secured to respective ones of the reactive coils so as to form mixed coil pairs and leave a portion of the length of the reactive coil of a given mixed coil pair uncovered by the inert coil to which it is secured, and adjacent mixed coil pairs are nested within the container to dispose the inert coils of adjacent mixed coil pairs in alignment with each other whereby to provide barriers of inert coils which extend between their associated reactive coils for about the entire length of the reactive coils.

2. The packaging system of claim 1 wherein the inert coil length is about one-half of the reactive coil length and the barriers are each comprised of two aligned inert coils.

3. The packaging system of claim 1 wherein the mixed coil pairs are disposed within the container in a configuration wherein the reactive coils and the inert coil barriers are disposed in a single or repeating pattern of: (1) reactive coil, (2) inert coil barrier, (3) reactive coil, (4) reactive coil, (5) inert coil barrier, (6) reactive coil.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional shock tube detonator device, with the shock tube coiled;

(2) FIG. 2 is a plan view of a conventional electric wire detonator device with the electric leg wires coiled;

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a plurality of the coiled shock tube and coiled electric wire detonator devices of, respectively, FIGS. 1 and 2, with individual coiled electric wire detonator devices positioned on respective coiled shock tube detonator devices prior to tying one respective shock tube detonator device to one respective electric wire detonator to form mixed coil pairs in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of two mixed coil pairs positioned adjacent to each other prior to being nested together;

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the two mixed coil pairs of FIG. 4 nested together in abutting contact with each other in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5A is an exploded, schematic view of the two mixed coil pairs of FIG. 5;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of four of the coiled pairs of FIG. 4 disposed in nesting abutting contact with each other in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 6A is an exploded, schematic view of the mixed coil pairs of FIG. 6;

(9) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a plurality of the mixed coil pairs of FIG. 4 nested in abutting contact with each other in a container;

(10) FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an arrangement of reactive and inert coils in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS THEREOF

(11) The detonator devices contemplated for packaging in accordance with the present invention generally comprise non-electric detonators having reactive leads and electric detonators having inert leads. Both types are usable for detonating borehole explosives in blasting or mining operations and are often used together. The following description is specific to the electric detonators having electric-conducting leg wires and non-electric detonators having shock tube leads. It should, however, be understood that the present invention is not limited to the illustrated and described specific embodiment. For example, while the current state of the art utilizes electrically-conductive wires for electric detonators, it is conceivable that at some future point other types of inert leads, such as fiber optic strands, may find a similar use. Similarly, while the current technology provides shock tube and safety fuse as the reactive leads or fuses for non-electric detonators, it is conceivable that some other type of reactive fuse may in the future be developed for the same use.

(12) Shock tube, as is known in the art, is an extruded tube of polymer material having a hollow core and a relatively small quantity of explosive material, e.g., HMX, in powder form, and ultrafine aluminum powder, disposed on the inner wall of the tube. As used herein and in the claims, shock tube is meant to include any suitable detonation signal transmission tube of this type, including low velocity signal transmission tube, or the like. Electric detonators are fired by an electrical current passed through the insulated leg wires of the electric detonators. The leg wires, unlike the shock tube, contain no explosive or reactive energetic material and for this reason the coils thereof are referred to herein as inert coils.

(13) In a specific embodiment, the present invention packages in the same container electric detonator devices having wire leg leads, the electric detonators optionally containing electronic delay timing mechanisms, and non-electric detonator devices having shock tube or safety fuse reactive leads, the non-electric detonators optionally containing electronic delay timing mechanisms. The leg wires of the electric detonator devices and the shock tube or safety fuse leads of the non-electric detonators are coiled. The electric leg wire coils are interposed between the shock tube or safety fuse coils, so that the coiled electric leg wires serve to interrupt, or at least increase the chance of interrupting, propagation from one coil of shock tube or safety fuse to another, of a reaction started by accidental initiation of a detonator within the container.

(14) An aspect of the present invention provides for the packaging system to utilize individual electric detonator devices having their leg wires disposed in a coiled configuration (coiled electric detonator devices) and individual non-electric detonator devices having their reactive leads, e.g., shock tube or safety fuse leads, disposed in a coiled configuration (coiled reactive lead detonator devices). The coiled electric detonator devices are disposed between the coiled reactive lead detonator devices so that the leg wire coils separate the reactive lead coils from each other.

(15) Another aspect of the present invention provides for the packaging system to comprise groups (two or more) of coiled electric detonator devices disposed between groups (two or more) of coiled reactive lead detonator devices so that the groups of inert coils separate the groups of reactive lead coils from each other.

(16) FIG. 1 shows a first detonator device comprising in the illustrated embodiment a shock tube detonator device 10 comprised of a length of shock tube 12 having a detonator 14 at one end thereof. The other end of shock tube 12 (not shown) is sealed to close off the tube interior as is well known in the art. As is conventional, for packing and shipping, shock tube 12 is formed into an elongate, somewhat ovoid-shaped coil 16 which is held in place by a readily removable retainer band 18. The length of the long dimension of coil 16 is indicated by dimension arrow S and the width of the small dimension of coil 16 is indicated by the dimension arrow W. The shock tube 12 may be coiled in a figure of 80 pattern as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,514 to Lilley, Jr. dated Jul. 14, 1992. However, any suitable coiling pattern may be employed. It will be appreciated that in use, retainer band 18 is removed and shock tube 12 is uncoiled and played out to the desired length, as is the electric leg wire 22 (FIG. 2) of inert coil 26. Detonator 14 may be any suitable type of detonator which is initiated by an initiation signal generated in shock tube 12. The explosive ends of detonators 14 (and of detonators 24 described below) may be encapsulated by a protective end cap (not shown) that serves to attenuate the force of the explosion generated by accidental initiation of a detonator. Such devices comprise a tube of inert material such as wood, synthetic plastic polymer or dense cardboard closed at one end and having a bore formed in it so that the device can be slipped over the explosive end of a detonator. Such devices are well known in the art and inclusion of them is not essential to the practices of the present invention. However, such protective end caps can be useful in helping to attain a better shipping classification for packages in accordance with the present invention.

(17) The shock tube 12 of a typical shock tube detonator device 10 may of course be of any suitable length, but will usually range from about 8 to 180 feet (from about 2.4 to 55 meters) and may contain a mixture of HMX and aluminum in an amount, for example, of about 0.016 grams per meter. As is well known, shock tube may be initiated not only by an intense spark delivered to the interior of the tube to ignite the reactive material therein, but by detonation of a detonator in close proximity to, for example, in abutting contact with, the exterior of the shock tube. In either case, generation of an initiation signal in the shock tube will travel to and detonate the detonator to which the shock tube is attached as a fuse. Therefore, accidental detonation of a single detonator in a package containing a plurality of shock tube detonator devices can set off a chain reaction among the shock tube detonator devices in the package.

(18) FIG. 2 shows an electric detonator device 20 comprising insulated electric leg wire 22, one end of which is connected to an electric detonator 24. The other end of wire 22 is adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy to be transmitted through wire 22 to initiate electric detonator 24. Electric leg wire 22 is formed into a substantially circular coil 26 which is held in place by a readily removable retainer band 28. However, any suitable coiling pattern may be employed. The diameter of coil 26 is indicated by the dimension arrow E. In use, retainer band 28 is removed and electric leg wire 22 is uncoiled and played out to the desired length. Electric leg wire 22 comprises a pair of electrically conductive wires contained within an electrically insulating material and insulated from each other, much like a household electric cord. The length of the electric leg wires 22 may of course be any suitable length but will usually range from about 30 feet to 180 feet (from about 9 meters to 55 meters).

(19) FIGS. 3 and 4 show a plurality of reactive coils 16 (shock tube coils in the illustrated embodiment) and inert coils 26 (electric leg wire coils in the illustrated embodiment) positioned to provided mixed coil pairs 30 which each comprise, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a coiled shock tube detonator device 10 secured by a tie band 32 to a coiled electric detonator device 20. Retainer bands 18 and 28 and tie bands 32 may be made of paper, cardboard, plastic or the like and may readily be removed, usually by tearing or cutting them. It is desirable to position the shock tube coil 16 and electric leg wire coils 26 so that their respective detonators 14, 24 (FIGS. 1 and 2) are not adjacent each other but are positioned in staggered relationship to keep as much distance as possible between adjacent detonators. The diameter E (FIG. 2) of the coiled electric detonator devices 20 is approximately one-half the length S (FIG. 1) of the coiled shock tube detonator devices 10. The first mixed coil pair 30 is placed adjacent to a second mixed coil pair 30 as illustrated in FIG. 4. The two coil pairs may, as illustrated in FIG. 5, be placed in abutting nesting contact with each other with the electric leg wire coils 26 interposed between the shock tube coils 16, the two inert electric leg wire coils 26 being approximately co-extensive with the adjacent reactive shock tube coils 16. The schematic exploded view of FIG. 5A shows the two mixed coil pairs 30 of FIG. 5 spaced apart from each other for enhanced clarity of illustration. Each of the mixed coil pairs 30 as described above, is comprised of reactive coil 16 and an inert coil 26.

(20) FIG. 6 shows four mixed coil pairs 30 disposed in nesting abutting contact with each other. By nesting contact it is meant that the profiles of adjacent mixed coil pairs 30 are essentially congruent to each other as shown, for example, in FIGS. 5 and 6, with aligned inert electric leg wire coils 26 lying in the same plane P. The identical reactive coils are numbered as 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d in FIG. 6 and the identical inert coils are numbered 26a, 26b and 26c, 26d. It is seen that in this type of repeating arrangement, reactive coils 16b and 16c are unavoidably positioned adjacent to each other, in fact, in abutting contact with each other. As discussed elsewhere herein, an insert of inert material, such as a heavy corrugated board, could be inserted between reactive coils 16b and 16c, although that may not be necessary. FIG. 6 shows a repeating pattern, from left to right as viewed in FIG. 6, of a reactive coil 16a, aligned inert coils 26a and 26b, reactive coil 16b, reactive coil 16c, aligned inert coils 26c, 26d, and reactive coil 16d. The schematic exploded view of FIG. 6A shows the four mixed coil pairs 30 of FIG. 6 spaced apart from each other for enhanced clarity of illustration. The pattern of FIG. 6 is repeated in the mixed coil pairs 30 disposed in a container 34 of FIG. 7.

(21) As shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of the mixed coil pairs 30 are disposed in container 34, with each set of two reactive shock tube coils 16 separated from other reactive shock tube coils 16 by paired electric leg wire coils 26. If a detonator should accidentally be initiated, the electric leg wire coils 26 will act as a barrier to ignition spreading beyond more than two adjacent shock tube coils 16. FIG. 8 schematically shows another embodiment of the present invention in which reactive coils 116 are of substantially identical size as inert coils 126 and therefore the nesting configuration is not required. This embodiment permits an arrangement in which no reactive shock tube coils 116 need be positioned in abutting contact, as is the case with the embodiment of FIG. 6.

(22) In addition to the safety feature provided by utilizing the electric leg wire coils as barriers to propagation of initiation signals from one shock tube detonator coil to another, the packaging system of the present invention has the added advantage of providing in a single container both shock tube and electric detonator devices. These two types of detonator devices are often used in conjunction with each other, usually in a one-to-one ratio, in hybrid blasting schemes which utilize both shock tube detonator devices and electric wire detonator devices. Further, the lengths of shock tube 12 and electric leg wires 22 of the respective detonator devices 10, 20 which are packed in a single container may be selected to be approximately equal to each other, to facilitate installation in such hybrid blasting schemes.

(23) The container in which the shock tube and electric detonator devices are packed may comprise corrugated board and as an added safety measure corrugated board divider barriers may be interspersed between some of the detonator devices and elsewhere in the container in which the detonator devices 10, 20 are packed. For example, one or more of the sides, top and bottom of container 34 of FIG. 7 may be lined with inert barrier material. The materials used to produce the containers or divider barriers may be made from any suitable material although corrugated board is usually employed. In addition to the foregoing, it is optional to place coil pairs of shock tube and electric detonator devices, or groups of such paired detonator devices, in sealed moisture barrier bags and place the bags within the container. The moisture barrier bags may be made from polymer-metal foil laminate material and the bags and/or the container may contain desiccant to absorb moisture that may enter the container over long-term storage. This will preclude or reduce the adverse effect of moisture on performance of the detonator devices.

(24) While the invention has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that numerous variations may be made to the described embodiment, which variations nonetheless lie within the scope of the present invention.