INITIATOR UNIT

Abstract

An electronic initiator unit for the electrical firing of a charge in an energetic device is described. The unit includes an actuation module comprising electrically in series a first conductor, an electronic actuator, and a second conductor; an engagement module including a first electrical connector conductively connected to the first conductor and defining a first connector contact portion spaced remotely from the first conductor and a second electrical connector conductively connected to the second conductor and defining a second connector contact portion spaced remotely from the second conductor; a shunt module including a first shunt connector defining a first shunt contact portion, a second shunt connector defining a second shunt contact portion, and a conductive shunt connection between the first and second shunt connector spaced remotely from the shunt contact portions; wherein the engagement module and the shunt module are co-operably configured so as to be engageable together such as to effect when so engaged an electrical connection between the first connector contact portion and the first shunt contact portion and between the second connector contact portion and the second shunt contact portion. A system and method for the electrical firing of a charge in a plurality of energetic devices in a controlled manner from a remote location are also described.

Claims

1. An electronic initiator unit for the electrical firing of a charge in an energetic device comprising: an actuation module comprising electrically in series a first conductor, an electronic actuator, and a second conductor; an engagement module including a first electrical connector conductively connected to the first conductor and defining a first connector contact portion spaced remotely from the first conductor and a second electrical connector conductively connected to the second conductor and defining a second connector contact portion spaced remotely from the second conductor; a shunt module including a first shunt connector defining a first shunt contact portion, a second shunt connector defining a second shunt contact portion, and a conductive shunt connection between the first and second shunt connector spaced remotely from the shunt contact portions; wherein the engagement module and the shunt module are co-operably configured so as to be engageable together such as to effect when so engaged an electrical connection between the first connector contact portion and the first shunt contact portion and between the second connector contact portion and the second shunt contact portion.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second connector contact portions and the first and second shunt contact portions respectively comprise connector end portions of their respective connectors, which are disposed to be brought into conductive contact when the engagement module and the shunt module are engaged together.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the connector end portions comprise complementary projecting and receiving conducting structures.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the engagement module and the shunt module further each comprise a housing in which the respective first and second connectors are housed and electrically isolated from each other.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the respective housings of the engagement module and the shunt module are co-operably structured to facilitate their mutual mechanical engagement.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the respective housings comprise mutually engageable projecting and recessed portions which facilitate the releasable engagement together of the two housings and additionally facilitate the location and electrical connection between the first connector contact portion and the first shunt contact portion and between the second connector contact portion and the second shunt contact portion.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the engagement module and the shunt module comprises a plug, and the other one of the engagement module and the shunt module comprises a socket.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the engagement module comprises a plug.

9. The device of claim 1, characterized by the provision of a plug and socket type arrangement by means of the engagement module and the shunt module, to protect the electronic actuator when not in use, and to facilitate its connection for use into a firing circuit. It will be appreciated that the invention is suitably applicable to standard electronic actuator technology, for example in particular where the electronic actuator is an electric match.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic actuator comprises an electrically ignitable pyrogenic material.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuation module comprises a first conductor, a second conductor, and a bridge wire coupled therebetween, which bridge wire is provided in association with an ignitable pyrogenic material.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the actuation module further comprises a protective and/or insulting housing surrounding the said conductors, bridge wire and pyrogenic material.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the shunt module comprises a housing containing the said first and second shunt connectors and the conductive shunt connection between the first and second shunt connectors comprises a conductor extending externally of the housing, which is for example a shunt wire.

14. A system for the electrical firing of a charge in a plurality of energetic devices in a controlled manner from a remote location, comprising: a plurality of electronic initiator units in accordance with any preceding claim; and a firing control board adapted to make electrical connection with a plurality of electronic initiator units in accordance with any preceding claim.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the firing control board comprises a plurality of terminal connections each comprising a mounting module equivalently configured to the respective shunt modules of the electronic initiator units.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each mounting module comprises a first terminal connector defining a first terminal contact portion, and a second terminal connector defining a second terminal contact portion, and wherein the mounting module is co-operably configured so as to be engageable to the engagement module of the initiator unit such as to effect when so engaged an electrical connection between the first connector contact portion and the first terminal contact portion and between the second connector contact portion and the second terminal contact portion.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the mounting modules are integrally formed on the firing control board.

18. The system of claim 16, comprising a plurality of secondary mounting modules separate from the firing control board, each mounting module provided with respective first and second connecting wires to effect a conductive connection to the firing control board.

19. A method of shunting an electronic initiator unit for the electrical firing of a charge in an energetic device, comprising: providing an actuation module comprising electrically in series a first conductor, an electronic actuator configured to initiate a charge of energetic material located in its vicinity on passage of an electric current, and a second conductor; providing an engagement module including a first electrical connector conductively connected to the first conductor and defining a first connector contact portion spaced remotely from the first conductor and a second electrical connector conductively connected to the second conductor and defining a second connector contact portion spaced remotely from the second conductor; providing a shunt module including a first shunt connector defining a first shunt contact portion, a second shunt connector defining a second shunt contact portion, and a conductive connection between the first and second shunt connector spaced remotely from the shunt contact portions; wherein the engagement module and the shunt module are co-operably configured so as to be engageable together such as to effect when so engaged an electrical connection between the first connector contact portion and the first shunt contact portion and between the second connector contact portion and the second shunt contact portion; engaging the engagement module and the shunt module together to effect a shunt connection.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of: providing a firing control board with a plurality of terminals each comprising a mounting module including a first terminal connector defining a first terminal contact portion, and a second terminal connector defining a second terminal contact portion, and wherein the mounting module is co-operably configured so as to be engageable to the engagement module of the initiator unit such as to effect when so engaged an electrical connection between the first connector contact portion and the first terminal contact portion and between the second connector contact portion and the second terminal contact portion; separating the shunt module from each engagement module; engaging each engagement module with a terminal module to effect an electrical connection to the firing control board.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] A complete understanding of the present embodiments and the advantages and features thereof will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0049] FIG. 1 illustrates an electric match, according to some embodiments;

[0050] FIG. 2 illustrates a firing control board with bespoke modification for use with a plurality of electric matches, according to some embodiments;

[0051] FIG. 3 illustrates a simple schematic illustration of the connection of a electric match unit into the firing control board, according to some embodiments;

[0052] FIG. 4 illustrates a conventional firing control board, according to some embodiments; and

[0053] FIG. 5 illustrates a simple schematic of a suitable method of connection of an electric match unit into the conventional firing control board, according to some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] The specific details of the single embodiment or variety of embodiments described herein are to the described system and methods of use. Any specific details of the embodiments are used for demonstration purposes only, and no unnecessary limitations or inferences are to be understood therefrom.

[0055] Before describing in detail exemplary embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of components and procedures related to the system and method. Accordingly, the system components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

[0056] FIG. 1 shows an assembled unit in accordance with the principles of the invention in side view, with an electric match actuation module shown in cross section, and a plug and socket assembly comprising an engagement module and a shunt module shown in solid view with some internal structure represented by broken lines. FIG. 1a shows the engagement module and shunt module disengaged.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 1, an actuation module comprising an electric match 1 is shown in which a first elongate wire 3 and a second elongate wire 5 are provided with a bridging wire 7 between them. The bridging wire 7 is in contact with a pyrogenic composition 9. When a suitable electrical current is applied via the conducting wires 3 and 5, resistance heating of the bridging wire 7 ignites the pyrogenic material 9, and thus ignites a pyrotechnic charge (not shown) in the vicinity of which the electric match has been placed for use.

[0058] The electric match actuation module is contained within a protective insulating housing 11 in familiar manner.

[0059] Connecting wires 13, 15 extend to an engagement module 21 in the form of a plug having a protective insulting housing 27 which contains, protects and electrically isolates a pair of conducting electrodes 23, 25 which are respectively conductively continuous with the connecting wires 13, 15.

[0060] The plug formation of the engagement module is configured to releasably engage with a socket formation of a shunt module 31. The shunt module again comprises a protective and insulting housing 37, which contains, protects and electrically isolates a pair of conducting connectors 33, 35. The housing 37 is complementarily shaped with the housing 27 to serve as the socket formation and thereby to effect a releasable engagement between the two housings as the plug formation of the engagement module is inserted into the socket formation of the shunt module.

[0061] Extending projections of the electrodes 23, 25 are respectively received in the conducting connectors 33, 35 within the socket housing, which receiving connectors are in conductive connection to a shunt wire 39 that connects the two receiving contacts 33, 35 at a distal end of the socket housing. The mechanical engagement of the plug formation and the socket formation creates an electrical contact between the projecting electrodes 23, 25 and the receiving connectors 33, 35 and thereby closes the circuit.

[0062] Thus, in the configuration shown in FIG. 1, with the socket formation of the shunt module engaged with the plug formation of the engagement module, a closed loop is formed in which the electric match is effectively shunted for safety. This provides safe and secure shunting without the requirement of twisting, bending or folding the connecting wires 13, 15 to create the loop. The plug and socket solution creates a more positive and certain loop connection for shunting, but is easier and less time consuming and labour intensive both to create and to remove than is the prior art manual twisting method.

[0063] With the shunt module socket 31 formation removed (see FIG. 1a) the engagement module plug formation can additionally serve as a plug for engagement into a corresponding socket formation of a bespoke firing control board as part of a system for remote firing of multiple energetic charge devices, and for example multiple pyrotechnics in a pyrotechnic display.

[0064] Such a bespoke board is illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0065] A control board 101 is provided with a plurality of connecting terminals 103 each generally configured in similar manner to the shunt socket formation 31 illustrated in FIG. 1. Engagement is effected in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3, whereby the engagement plug 21 is inserted into the socket formation 103 and thereby effects an electrical connection with the firing control board 101 which may be under the control of suitable conventional electronics to fire each of the pyrotechnic or other devices so connected in a selective manner from a remote location as desired.

[0066] The creation of such a plug and play system potentially significantly reduces labour time during the preparation of a pyrotechnic show, for example for concert or event use. It may significantly reduce loading time. It ensures a more positive connection between pyrotechnic and firing system outputs, allows easier resistance testing of ignitors for example and of circuits and systems, due to the ease and speed in which the plug can be connected to those means of testing. Each ignitor could be plugged into and unplugged from such a test more easily and quickly than would be the case with bare cable systems.

[0067] Although there is an additional material cost to the production of a plug and socket system in this manner, this is likely to be insignificant compared with the potential reduction in labour time associated with the shunting for safe shipping, the unshunting for assembly, and the physical assembly of, bare wire based systems.

[0068] However, it is a particular advantage of the present invention that its general principles are similarly adaptable to existing firing control boards embodying bare wire systems. An example of such an adaptation is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0069] FIG. 4 shows a conventional bare wire firing control board 121 in which simple clamped slots 123, 125 are provided for the insertion of and connection of bare wire contacts formed as extensions of the connecting wires such as are shown as wires 13 and 15 in FIG. 1.

[0070] In order to modify such a system to the principles of the invention, the example shown in FIG. 5 is effective.

[0071] A terminal socket formation 131 is provided of identical configuration to the shunt module socket formation 31 of FIG. 1, configured to engaged with and form a conductive pair of contacts with the engagement plug 21 in the same manner. The terminal socket formation 131 is provided with two terminal wires 133, 135 which may be inserted into the receiving slots 123, 125 to effect a conventional bare wire connection. Thus, by provision of a simple secondary terminal module with a terminal socket formation 131, the unit of FIG. 1 is adapted for use with the conventional firing control board 121 of FIG. 4.

[0072] It may not even be necessary to provide a separate terminal module with a terminal socket formation 131. Instead, in a possible adaptation, the shunt module socket formation 31, once it has served its purpose as a means of providing a shunt loop for storage/transit of the unit, may have the shunt wire 39 cut and the end stripped and thus find service as the terminal socket module of FIG. 5.

[0073] Thus, the principles of the invention provide an electronic initiation unit based on an electric match that offers advantages in relation to both shunting and deployment both in terms of safety and in terms of reduction in labour time currently experienced. This is true whether a bespoke solution including a bespoke firing control board is envisaged, or whether a method is envisaged to enable the system to be exploited with existing bare wire control boards. The labour time associated with assembling complex pyrotechnic displays may be significantly reduced. The testing of product, in particular prior to loading a pyrotechnic effect, is simplified. Shipping becomes safer as the shunt connection between the plug and the socket is strong and robust and unlikely to come apart accidently, but is still relatively easy to remove when desired as the plug and socket are physically pulled apart.