US-12618655-B1 - Shock initiation of non-electric shock tube

US12618655B1US 12618655 B1US12618655 B1US 12618655B1US-12618655-B1

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to a shock initiation system for initiating shock in a shock tube for demolition. In some embodiments, the shock initiation system comprises a reusable discharge unit and a replaceable shock initiation platform. The reusable discharge unit may comprise a power source, a timer, a switch, and user inputs and may function to store a time, countdown the timer, and generate and transmit an electrical energy to the replaceable shock initiation platform. The shock initiation platform may receive the electrical energy from the discharge unit overpowering a resistor disposed on the shock initiation platform. The resistor may then detonate providing an initiation shock to a proximally disposed shock tube, thereby initiating shock in the shock tube.

Inventors

Joshua Dale Vance
Paul Thomas Heffernan

Assignees

HONEYWELL FEDERAL MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20241217

Claims (20)

1 . A shock initiation system for initiating shock in a shock tube, the shock initiation system comprising: a discharge unit, comprising: a power source configured to provide electrical energy; a switch; and discharge unit leads; a disposable shock initiation platform configured to support electrical components and further configured to selectively couple directly to the discharge unit; a resistor electrically coupled to the discharge unit leads of the discharge unit and disposed on the disposable shock initiation platform, wherein the resistor is configured to detonate when the electrical energy is provided by the power source to the resistor via the discharge unit leads when the switch is closed; and a housing configured to entirely house the discharge unit and the disposable shock initiation platform, the housing comprising a shock tube hole in proximity to the resistor, wherein the shock tube hole is configured to receive the shock tube and position a proximal end of the shock tube adjacent the resistor with the resistor positioned outside of the shock tube, wherein detonation of the resistor provides energy to the proximal end of the shock tube, thereby activating the shock tube.
2 . The shock initiation system of claim 1 , wherein the disposable shock initiation platform is secured to a top or to a side of the discharge unit.
3 . The shock initiation system of claim 2 , further comprising platform leads configured to contact the discharge unit leads when the disposable shock initiation platform is secured to the top or to the side of the discharge unit.
4 . The shock initiation system of claim 3 , further comprising platform fasteners configured to secure the disposable shock initiation platform to the discharge unit inside the housing.
5 . The shock initiation system of claim 4 , wherein the platform fasteners are snaps configured to snap the disposable shock initiation platform to the discharge unit.
6 . The shock initiation system of claim 1 , further comprising a timer configured to activate the switch after a predetermined time.
7 . The shock initiation system of claim 6 , wherein the timer is a digital timer.
8 . The shock initiation system of claim 6 , wherein the timer is a mechanical timer comprising an activation lever positioned through a lever hole in the housing.
9 . A shock initiation system for initiating shock in a shock tube, the shock initiation system comprising: a discharge unit, comprising: a power source configured to provide electrical energy; a switch; discharge unit leads; and a disposable shock initiation platform configured to support electrical components and mechanically secured directly to the discharge unit at a top of the discharge unit or a side of the discharge unit; a resistor electrically coupled to the discharge unit leads of the discharge unit and disposed on the disposable shock initiation platform, wherein the resistor is configured to detonate when the electrical energy is provided by the power source to the resistor via the discharge unit leads by actuation of the switch; and a housing configured to entirely house the discharge unit and the disposable shock initiation platform, the housing comprising a shock tube hole, wherein the shock tube hole is configured to receive the shock tube and position a proximal end of the shock tube adjacent the resistor with the resistor positioned outside of the shock tube, wherein detonation of the resistor provides energy to the proximal end of the shock tube, thereby activating the shock tube.
10 . The shock initiation system of claim 9 , wherein the discharge unit further comprises a communication device, wherein the switch is activated based on an activation signal received by the communication device.
11 . The shock initiation system of claim 9 , wherein the housing comprises a base and a lid, wherein the discharge unit is configured to be disposed in the base and the lid comprises the shock tube hole for receiving the shock tube therethrough.
12 . The shock initiation system of claim 11 , further comprising platform leads coupled to the resistor; wherein the platform leads are configured to contact the discharge unit leads when the disposable shock initiation platform is secured to the top of the discharge unit or to the side of the discharge unit.
13 . The shock initiation system of claim 11 , wherein the resistor is a metal film resistor with a resistance in a range of 1 to 15 ohms.
14 . The shock initiation system of claim 11 , further comprising a timer configured to cause the actuation of the switch.
15 . A method of initiating shock in a shock tube by a shock initiation system, the method comprising: electrically coupling a disposable shock initiation platform to a discharge unit, wherein the disposable shock initiation platform is physically coupled to the discharge unit at a top or a side of the discharge unit and the discharge unit and the disposable shock initiation platform are entirely disposed inside a housing; providing a proximal end of the shock tube in proximity to a resistor disposed on the disposable shock initiation platform outside of the shock tube; and actuating a switch on the discharge unit, wherein actuation of the switch provides electrical energy from a power source disposed on the discharge unit to the resistor on the disposable shock initiation platform, wherein the electrical energy detonates the resistor, wherein detonation of the resistor provides energy to the proximal end of the shock tube, thereby activating the shock tube.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising: providing the discharge unit in a base of the housing; securing a lid of the housing to the base enclosing the discharge unit and the disposable shock initiation platform within the housing, wherein the lid comprises a hole for receiving the shock tube therethrough; and inserting the shock tube through the hole to position the proximal end of the shock tube with respect to the resistor.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising transmitting an activation signal to a communication device of the discharge unit to actuate the switch.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the activation signal is sent by radio frequency communication or short-range communication.
19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising activating the switch by a timer disposed on the discharge unit.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the resistor is a metal film resistor with a resistance in a range of 1 to 15 ohms.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application is a continuation application claiming priority benefit, with regard to all common subject matter, of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/164,772, filed Feb. 6, 2023, and entitled “SHOCK INITIATION OF NON-ELECTRIC SHOCK TUBE.” The above-referenced application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into the present application. STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT This invention was made with Government support under Contract No.: DE-NA-0002839 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. BACKGROUND 1. Field Embodiments of the disclosure relate to shock initiation of a non-electric shock tube. Specifically, embodiments of the disclosure relate to shock initiation of a non-electric shock tube by detonating a resistor in a shock initiation system. 2. Related Art Typical shock tubes require an initiator to initiate a shock wave in the shock tube. The shock wave then travels the length of the shock tube to an explosive device that detonates providing a desired blast. However, there are several drawbacks to using these typical initiation systems. Typically, a mechanical explosion or an electric shock device is used to initiate shock in a shock tube. The mechanical devices can be spring loaded firing pins that actuate shotgun shell primers. These mechanical shock initiation methods tend to be unreliable and the user, or users, must move several hundred feet away from the shock initiator before detonation. If the initiator does not detonate, the user must return to the mechanical shock initiation device and replace the primer, reset the timer, and move back to a safe location. To increase reliability, two primers may be used. Occasionally, both primers may fail to initiation shock in the shock tube. Consequently, both primers need replacing. This process potentially puts the user in harm's way when detonation does not initially occur. Furthermore, excess time is spent for setup and safety when loading and reloading the mechanical shock initiation devices. Alternatively, electric blast initiators may be used. Electric blast initiators typically emit a high voltage energy pulse across a spark gap to initiate shock in the shock tube. Typically, electrodes are connected to an end of the shock tube and high voltage is provided by a power source. A spark is initiated between the electrodes resulting in ignition of combustive material within the shock tube. The electrical shock initiation devices typically require 4 to 9 kilovolts of electric potential and 6 to 10 Joules of energy. What is needed is a reusable electric shock initiation system that provides reliability at relatively low electrical energy levels. SUMMARY Embodiments of the current disclosure solve the above-mentioned problems by providing an electric shock initiation system comprising a replaceable shock initiation platform comprising electrical leads and a resistor configured to detonate when a minimum threshold voltage is applied. The resistor may be configured such that when the resistor fails the energy from the exploding resistor is transferred into a shock tube resulting in shock initiation of the shock tube. Accordingly, a shock wave translates along the length of the shock tube detonating an explosive device. A first embodiment is directed to a replaceable shock initiation platform of a shock initiation system for initiating shock in a shock tube. The replaceable shock initiation platform comprises a platform configured to support electrical components, electrical leads in electrical communication with a power source, and a resistor coupled to the electrical leads and disposed on the platform, wherein the resistor is disposed at a proximal end of the shock tube, and wherein the resistor is configured to detonate when a minimum electrical energy is provided to the resistor by the power source via the electrical leads. A second embodiment is directed to shock initiation system for initiating shock in a shock tube. The shock initiation system comprises a discharge unit. The discharge unit comprises a power source configured to provide electrical energy, a switch, and a timer configured to activate the switch after a predetermined time. The shock initiation system further comprises a shock initiation platform comprising. The shock initiation platform comprises a platform configured to support electrical components, electrical leads coupled to the discharge unit, and a resistor coupled to the electrical leads and disposed on the platform, wherein the resistor is configured to detonate when the electrical energy is provided by the power source to the resistor via the switch and the electrical leads. A third embodiment including any of the first through the second embodiments, wherein the resistor is a metal film resistor. A fourth embodiment including any of the first through third embod