Patent ID: 7021218
Filing Date: 2006-04-04
Classification: F42B

Abstract:
1. A safety and performance enhancement circuit for primary explosive detonators sensitive to electro-static discharge, including: an energy storage capacitor adapted to be connected to a primary explosive detonator, and adapted to store an electrical charge sufficient to fire said primary explosive detonator and associated with a threshold applied voltage, said energy storage capacitor located at an input of said circuit exposed to electro-static discharge sources to directly buffer said primary explosive detonator from electro-static discharge, a voltage sensing trigger operatively connected to said energy storage capacitor and adapted to self-trigger at the threshold applied voltage whereupon a trigger signal is produced, and a switch device operatively connected to said voltage sensing trigger, said energy storage capacitor, and said primary explosive detonator, wherein said switch device switches the electrical charge from said energy storage capacitor directly to said primary explosive detonator in response to receiving the trigger signal from said voltage sensing trigger to electrically initiate said primary explosive detonator.