Patent · US Expired

Optically-energized, emp-resistant, fast-acting, explosion initiating device

US4700629A · kind A · utility

35Cited by
9References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 2, 1986
Grant dateOct 20, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 2, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF42B3/113
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Optical energy, provided from a remote user-operated source, is utilized to initially electrically charge a capacitor in a circuit that also contains an explosion initiating transducer in contact with a small explosive train contained in an attachable housing. Additional optical energy is subsequently supplied in a preferred embodiment to an optically responsive phototransistor acting in conjunction with a silicon controlled rectifer to release the stored electrical energy through the explosion initiating transducer to set off the explosive train. All energy transfers between the user and the explosive apparatus, either for charging it up or for setting it off, are conveyed optically and may be accomplished in a single optical fiber with coding to distinguish between specific optical energy transfers and between these and any extraneous signals.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.