A WIRELESS ELECTRONIC INITIATION DEVICE, AN INITIATION ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR INITIATION

Abstract

A wireless electronic initiation device for a detonator via a shock tube comprises an initiation member for initiation the shock tube and an energy storage for providing initiation energy to said initiation member. The initiation device comprises also a wireless communication device with a receiver for receiving an initiation command in a wireless way from an initiation arrangement. The initiation device comprises also a controller, which is configured to determine said received initiation command and based on said received initiation command configured to activate said initiation member to ignite the detonator initiator (108) by the energy fed from the energy storage.

Claims

1. A wireless electronic initiation device for a detonator via a detonator initiator, wherein the initiation device comprises: an initiation member for initiation the detonator initiator, an energy storage for providing initiation energy to said initiation member, a controller, wherein said wireless electronic initiation device is configured to receive energy in a wireless manner outside from the initiation device and the initiation device is configured to charge said energy storage by the received energy, and an initiation command in a wireless way outside from the initiation device said controller is configured to manage said charging process of said energy storage and to determine said received initiation command and based on said received initiation command configured to activate said initiation member to ignite the detonator initiator by the energy fed from the energy storage. characterized in that the initiation device additionally comprises a connector for connecting said initiation device to the detonator initiator, where the detonator initiator or the detonator is a separate component from the initiation device and connected to said initiation device only via said connector.

2. The initiation device of claim 1, wherein the initiation device comprises: a first wireless communication device with a receiver for receiving said initiation command and said energy, or a first wireless communication device with a receiver for receiving said initiation command, and in addition a second wireless communication device for receiving said energy.

3. The initiation device of claim 2, wherein said first and/or second wireless communication device(s) is/are an induction receiver, acoustic receiver, optic receiver or radio receiver and said energy received by said radio receiver is electromagnetic radiation, especially high or ultrahigh frequency radio waves, and in particularly microwave radiation having frequency in the range of 2-4 GHz, most advantageously around 2.45 GHz for receiving said initiation command and/or said energy.

4. The initiation device of claim 2, wherein the first and second wireless communication devices are implemented either by one device or two different devices.

5. The initiation device of claim 2, wherein the first and second wireless communication devices are functioning with different frequencies; or wherein the both devices are functioning with same frequency range, whereupon the initiation command comprises a code identifying said initiation command to be as an acceptable initiation command.

6. The initiation device of claim 1, wherein said initiation command comprises identification code based of which the initiation device either ignore running said initiation command and if said identification code matches with the identification code of the initiation device in question, said initiation device is then configured to run said initiation command in order to activate said initiation member to ignite the detonator initiator by the energy fed from the energy storage; or wherein said initiation command comprises a delay or timing information for controlling the timing of running said initiation command by the initiation device in order to activate said initiation member to ignite the detonator initiator by the energy fed from the energy storage.

7. The initiation device of claim 1, wherein said initiation device is configured to control the charging process of the energy storage and allowing said activation of said initiation member only when the energy storage is charged enough to provide energy suitable to execute initiation command sequence and then finally ignite the detonator initiator.

8. The initiation device of claim 1, wherein the initiation device is configured to establish a communication test with at least two different frequencies and select the frequency with highest signal strength to be used for receiving said initiation command.

9. The initiation device of claim 1, wherein said energy storage comprises a capacitor, a supercapacitor or a rechargeable battery to be charged by said energy received in the wireless manner.

10. The initiation device of claim 1, wherein said detonator initiator is a shock tube or an electric fusehead for initiating said detonator.

11. The initiation device of claim 1, wherein the connector—is a bunch connector comprising at least one input for connecting the initiation device and at least two outputs for connecting at least two shock tubes.

12. An initiation arrangement for controlling the operation of the wireless electronic initiation device according to claim 1, wherein the initiation arrangement comprises the wireless electronic initiation device according to previous claims and at least one first transmitter for transmitting said initiation command in a wireless way to the initiation device.

13. The initiation arrangement of claim 11, wherein the first transmitter is configured to transmit said initiation command to the initiation devices by sweeping the transmission frequency in a predetermined transmission frequency range covering the frequencies used by the initiation devices in order to assure that communication is not disturbed by a multipath fading.

14. The initiation arrangement of claim 11, wherein said first transmitter is configured to transmit also energy in a wireless manner to the initiation device in order to charge said energy storage of the initiation device by said transmitted energy.

15. The initiation arrangement of claim 11, wherein the initiation arrangement comprises a second transmitter for transmitting energy in a wireless manner to the initiation device in order to charge said energy storage of the initiation device by said transmitted energy.

16. The initiation arrangement of claim 15, wherein the second transmitter is a radio transmitter for transmitting said energy via radio waves, or the second transmitter is an induction transmitter for transmitting said energy via induction, or the second transmitter is an acoustic transmitter for transmitting said energy via acoustic waves or an optical transmitter for transmitting said energy optically.

17. A method for initiation a wireless electronic initiation device for a detonator via a detonator initiator, wherein the method comprises steps of: providing an initiation member for initiation of the detonator initiator, providing initiation energy to said initiation member from an energy storage, receiving an initiation command in a wireless way outside from the initiation device, receiving energy in a wireless manner outside from the initiation device, and charging said energy storage by the received energy and determining said received initiation command and based on said received initiation command activating said initiation member to ignite the detonator initiator by the energy fed from the energy storage characterized in that the method further comprises: connecting the initiation device to the detonator initiator via a connector, where the detonator initiator or the detonator is a separate component from the initiation device and connected to said initiation device only via said connector.

18. Use of the wireless initiation device of claim 1, especially in a blasting operation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Next the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to exemplary embodiments in accordance with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates a principle of an exemplary wireless electronic initiation device according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention,

[0028] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary initiation arrangement for controlling the operation of the wireless electronic initiation device according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, and

[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates a principle of an exemplary wireless electronic initiation device with a bunch connector according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIG. 1 illustrates a principle of an exemplary wireless electronic initiation device 100 according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention for a detonator 109 via a shock tube 108. The initiation device 100 comprises an initiation member 106 for initiation or activating the shock tube 108. In addition the initiation device comprises advantageously a first wireless communication device 101 with a receiver for receiving an initiation command in a wireless way outside from the initiation device. For wireless communication the initiation device comprises an antenna 107 for receiving and transmitting radio waves, but can also be implemented by an acoustic transceiver or optical or inductive transceiver devices.

[0031] The initiation device comprises also an energy storage 105, such as a battery or a loadable capacitor. In addition the initiation device 100 comprises also a controller 102 for controlling e.g. an operation of an initiation circuit 103 (optional) as well as for determining the received initiation command and its authenticity and other task described elsewhere in this document.

[0032] The initiation device comprise also advantageously a second wireless communication device 104 for receiving energy in a wireless manner outside from the initiation device and charge the energy storage 105. The second wireless communication device 104 is according to an embodiment radio receiver using either own antenna (not shown) or a common antenna 107 with the first wireless communication device 101, but can also be implemented by another technique such as by an induction receiver, acoustic receiver or optic receiver.

[0033] It is to be noted that even if the first and second wireless communication devices 101, 104 are illustrated as separate devices, they can also be implemented, according to an embodiment of the invention, by integrating to one IC circuit, or they can be implemented by one device 101, as described elsewhere in this document.

[0034] According to an embodiment the initiation device 100 may also comprise a connector 108A for connecting the initiation device to the detonator initiator, such as the shock tube 108 in Figures. However, this is an optional feature.

[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary initiation arrangement 200 for controlling the operation of the wireless electronic initiation device 100 or advantageously number of wireless electronic initiation device 100. The initiation arrangement 200 comprises at least one first transceiver 201 for transmitting initiation commands in a wireless way 206 to the initiation device 100. The first transceiver can be implemented by a radio transceiver transmitting said initiation commands by sweeping the transmission frequency in a predetermined transmission frequency range covering the frequencies used by the initiation devices 100 in order to assure a multipath fading that communication is not disturbed by a multipath fading for the plurality of the initiation devices. As discussed elsewhere in this document the first transceiver can also be implemented by other techniques known by the skilled person for transmitting signals, like the initiation commands.

[0036] According to an embodiment the first transceiver can also transmit energy in a wireless manner 206 to the initiation devices 100 in order to charge the energy storages 105 in the initiation devices. The first transceiver can operate in this embodiment e.g. with different frequencies for transmitting energy and the initiation commands.

[0037] According to an embodiment the initiation arrangement 200 comprises also a second transceiver or transmitter 202 for transmitting said energy in a wireless manner 206 to the initiation devices in order to charge the energy storages 105 of the initiation devices. The second transceiver or transmitter 202 can be implemented by a radio transceiver or transmitter for transmitting said energy via radio waves. Alternatively the second transceiver or transmitter can be implemented by other techniques known by the skilled person as is discussed in this document elsewhere.

[0038] In operation the initiation arrangement 200 transmits 206 at first the energy used for charging and at the same time or next is configured to receive communication signals 110 from the initiation devices 100. However the steps can be performed also in other order so to establish the communication first and after this transferring said energy. Each of the initiation devices 100 controls the charging process of its energy storage 105. When the energy storage 105 is charged enough to provide energy suitable to execute initiation command sequence, the initiation device in question establishes a communication test 110 with at least two different frequencies with the first wireless communication device 101 to an initiation arrangement 200. The initiation arrangement can receive these communications with different frequencies by the first transceiver 201 and send back 206 communication signals by these different frequencies. The initiation device is configured to receive these communication signals 206 and selecting the frequency with the highest signal strength to be used after for receiving the initiation command send by the initiation arrangement.

[0039] When all initiation devices 100 in the blasting site have established the communication test with the initiation arrangement 200 or other parameters are fulfilled (like at least a certain percent of the initiation devices are ready and a certain predetermined time has lapsed), the initiation arrangement 200 provides the initiation commands to the wireless electronic initiation devices 100 by transmitting the initiation command in a wireless way 206 to the initiation devices 100 by sweeping the transmission frequency in a predetermined transmission frequency range covering at least the frequencies used by the initiation devices in order to assure that the communication is not disturbed by a multipath fading for the plurality of the initiation devices.

[0040] The initiation arrangement 200 comprises also advantageously own energy storage 203 and/or energy receiving means for receiving energy outside, such as from an electricity network (not shown), as well as a controller 204 for controlling the energy transmission and sending from the energy storage 203 via said first and/or second transceiver and an antenna 205 to the initiation devices 100. The controller 205 is also configured to manage said radio communication, so receiving the communication tests 110 with at least one or more different frequencies and managing the back communication with at least one or more different frequencies.

[0041] According to an embodiment the wireless electronic initiation devices 100 can also send the communication test 110 only by one frequency listened by the initiation arrangement 200, whereafter the initiation arrangement 200 sends back 206 the communication signals by at least one or more different frequencies from which the initiation devices 100 select suitable frequency to be used for receiving the initiation commands.

[0042] FIG. 3 illustrates a principle of an exemplary wireless electronic initiation device 100 with a bunch connector 108B according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention. The bunch connector 108B is in principle similar as the connector 108A described elsewhere in this document, but the bunch connector 108B comprises number of outputs 108C for connecting number of the shock tubes 108. Advantageously the number of shock tubes 108 are connected first to the outputs 108C of the bunch connector 108B, after which the initiation device 100 is connected to the input 108D of the bunch connector 108B.

[0043] The invention has been explained above with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, and several advantages of the invention have been demonstrated. It is clear that the invention is not only restricted to these embodiments, but comprises all possible embodiments within the spirit and scope of the inventive thought and the following patent claims. In particularly it is to be noted that even if the shock tube is illustrated in Figures and in many embodiments, it is only an example and that the detonator initiator can also implemented by an electric fusehead.

[0044] In addition it is to be noted that even if two separate wireless communication devices are illustrated in Figures and in many embodiments, the device may either comprise a first wireless communication device for receiving said initiation command and said energy, or a first wireless communication device for receiving said initiation command, and in addition a second wireless communication device for receiving said energy.

[0045] The features recited in dependent claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.