Patent ID: 8661978

Claim:
A detonator for initiating a detonation event, comprising: a non-energetics based subsystem that is free of explosive material, having: a controller; a low voltage to high voltage converter controlled by the controller; a primary energy source coupled to the low voltage to high voltage converter; a secondary energy source controlled by the controller; a first interface having: a first pair of conductive contacts spaced by an insulator, where each of the conductive contacts of the first pair is electrically coupled to a circuit path associated with the primary energy source; and a second pair of conductive contacts spaced by the insulator, where each of the conductive contacts of the second pair is electrically coupled to a circuit path associated with the secondary energy source; and an initiating subsystem that is selectively coupled or uncoupled from the non-energetics based subsystem, having: a high voltage switch; an initiator electrically coupled in series with the high voltage switch; an initiating pellet positioned in cooperation with the initiator, having explosive material comprising at least one insensitive secondary explosive material, wherein the explosive material is free of sensitive primary explosive material and is positioned such that functioning the initiator detonates the explosive material of the initiating pellet; and a second interface having: a first pair of interface legs that mate with the first interface to electrically couple the circuit of the high voltage switch and initiator with the primary energy source; and a second pair of interface legs that mate with the first interface to electrically couple a control element of the high voltage switch with the secondary energy source; wherein: the first pair of interface legs of the second interface are self-shunting and thus short to one another when the initiating subsystem is removed from the non-energetics based subsystem; the second pair of interface legs of the second interface are self-shunting and thus short to one another when the initiating subsystem is removed from the non-energetics based subsystem; and the insulator of the first interface is arranged so as to separate the first pair of self-shunting legs and guide each leg to a corresponding one of the first pair of conductive contacts, and separate the second pair of self-shunting legs and guide each leg to a corresponding one of the second pair of conductive contacts, when the non-energetics based subsystem is suitably assembled with the initiating subsystem by mating the first interface with the second interface.