Patent US4621577A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4621577A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Miniature plasma accelerating detonator and method of detonating insensitive materials
Assignee: United States Department of Energy
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Filing: 1985-01-04
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Granted: 1986-11-11
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Expires: 2005-01-04
Abstract
Abstract The invention is a detonator for use with high explosives. The detonator comprises a pair of parallel rail electrodes connected to a power supply. By shorting the electrodes at one end, a plasma is generated and accelerated toward the other end to impact against explosives. A projectile can be arranged between the rails to be accelerated by the plasma. An alternative arrangement is to a coaxial electrode construction. The invention also relates to a method of detonating explosives.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert W. Bickes, Jr.
- 👤 Michael R. Kopczewski
- 👤 Alfred C. Schwarz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 15:19
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41B; F41B6/00; F41B6/006; F42; F42C; F42C19/00; F42C19/08; F42C19/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
In a detonator assembly for initating insensitive explosives or energetic materials, the improvement wherein said detonator assembly comprises: railgun accelerating means of a size sufficient to be used as a detonator for insensitive explosives or energetic materials in an amount of about 100 mg of explosives or less and capable of accelerating a plasma to detonation intiating velocities; and power supply means for supplying the power necessary to said railgun accelerating means to generate and accelerate said plasma.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
In a detonator assembly for initating insensitive explosives or energetic materials, the improvement wherein said detonator assembly comprises: railgun accelerating means of a size sufficient to be used as a detonator for insensitive explosives or energetic materials in an amount of about 100 mg of explosives or less and capable of accelerating a plasma to detonation intiating velocities; and power supply means for supplying the power necessary to said railgun accelerating means to generate and accelerate said plasma.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A detonator as in claim 1 wherein said railgun accelerating means comprises a miniature pair of parallel rail electrodes having means for shorting the electrodes at the power supply means end to generate a plasma to be accelerated by said parallel rail electrodes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
A detonator as in claim 2 wherein said power supply means comprises a capacitor discharge unit for providing a current pulse to the railgun accelerating means to thereby generate said plasma and accelerate said plasma along said rails by means of an electromagnetic field generated by said rails.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
A detonator as in claim 3 further comprising a solid projectile arranged within said rails, separate from the plasma to be generated, for being accelerated by a plasma to be generated by said rails, to impact against and initiate explosion of an insensitive explosive or energetic material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
A detonator as in claim 1 wherein said railgun accelerating means comprises a coaxial railgun with an outer cylindrical electrode and a coaxially arranged inner rod-like electrode for generating a plasma discharge and then intensifying it into a narrow conducting region accelerated down the railgun accelerating means toward a configuration of maximum inductance at one end of the coaxial railgun.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
A detonator as in claim 5 wherein said power supply means comprises a capacitor discharge unit for providing a pulse current to the railgun accelerating means to thereby generate said plasma and accelerate said plasma along said electrodes by means of an electromagnetic field generated from said electrodes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A detonator as in claim 3 wherein said rails are constructed for generating a sufficient plasma for being acclerated and employed as an impact mass for initiating detonation of an insensitive explosive or energetic material arranged at one end of the rails.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
A detonator as in claim 7 wherein said electrodes are constructed for generating a sufficient plasma for being accelerated and employed as an impact mass for initiating detonation of an insensitive explosive or energetic material arranged at one end of the electrodes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A detonator as in claim 7 further comprising an insensitive explosive coupled to said rails.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A detonator as in claim 8 further comprising an insensitive explosive coupled to said electrodes.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
51 words
A method of detonating an insensitive explosive or energetic material comprising the steps of coupling the insensitive explosive or energetic material to a railgun accelerator, generating a plasma at one end of the accelerator and accelerating a mass to impact on said insensitive explosive or energetic material thereby causing detonation thereof.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
51 words
A method of detonating an insensitive explosive or energetic material comprising the steps of coupling the insensitive explosive or energetic material to a railgun accelerator, generating a plasma at one end of the accelerator and accelerating a mass to impact on said insensitive explosive or energetic material thereby causing detonation thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 11 wherein said mass is a solid projectile accelerated by the generated plasma.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as in claim 11 wherein said mass accelerated is said plasma.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 12 wherein said projectile is accelerated to velocities greater than those possible with bursting-foil-propelled flying plate detonators.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 13 wherein said plasma is accelerated to velocities greater than those possible with bursting-foil-propelled flying plate detonators.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 11 wherein said plasma is generated with a parallel plate railgun.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-11-10 | 1990-05-12 | 1990-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-11-10 | 1994-05-12 | 1994-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-11-10 | 1998-05-12 | 1998-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |