WO2026011193A1 - Blasting system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector for connecting a bus wire to a downhole wire which is connected to a detonator assembly, the connector including a transceiver which is configured to communicate with a tagging device in a wireless manner, a processor which is associated with the transceiver and which, upon receipt by the transceiver of a first communication signal from the tagging device, generates a second communication signal for transmission to the detonator assembly or the tagging device, and an energy source for providing energy to the transceiver and to the processor, and to a blasting system including a connector of the aforementioned kind and a method of operating said blasting system.

Description

BLASTING SYSTEM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a blasting system, and more specifically to a connector used in the blasting system. [0002] One form of a wired blasting system includes a master controller, a bus wire extending from the master controller, a plurality of detonator assemblies which have been loaded into respective boreholes at a blast site, a respective down hole wire extending to each detonator assembly, and a plurality of connectors which respectively connect the bus wire to the down hole wires. The master controller is enabled to communicate with the detonator assemblies via the bus wire and the respective down hole wires.

[0003] A connector which is used for the above mentioned purpose is configured to electrically connect the bus wire to a down hole wire to allow bi-directional communication signals to be sent between the master controller and a detonator assembly which is connected to the down hole wire. [0004] Typically, in order for diagnostic equipment, carried for example by a technician at a blast site, to communicate with a detonator assembly which has been connected in the aforementioned manner, the diagnostic equipment requires that physical contact be made between the diagnostic equipment and the connector. This is achieved by either opening up the connector thereby to allow physical contact to be made between contacts on the diagnostic equipment and specified locations inside the connector, or by probing contacts through respective openings in a housing of the connector.

[0005] The sealing integrity of the connector can be broken when the diagnostic equipment is used to make physical contact with the connector. Contaminants can be introduced into the housing of the connector which could compromise the electrical connection between the bus wire and the down hole wire.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to address at least to some extent the aforementioned situation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The invention provides in the first instance a blasting system which includes a controller, a bus wire extending from the controller, a plurality of detonator assemblies located in respective boreholes at a blast site, a respective down hole wire extending to each detonator assembly, and a plurality of connectors which respectively connect the bus wire to the down hole wires thereby to allow communication between the controller and the detonator assemblies, characterized in that each connector includes a respective transceiver which is enabled to communicate with a tagging device in a wireless manner, a respective processor which is associated with the transceiver, and which upon receipt by the transceiver of a first communication signal from the tagging device, generates a second communication signal which is transmitted to at least one of the tagging device and the detonator assembly, and a respective energy source for providing energy to the transceiver and to the processor. [0008] The term “transceiver” as used herein includes a receiver, a transmitter, a receiver and transmitter combination, or the like. The transceiver, as defined, is capable of receiving wireless signals or other energy signals of an electromagnetic kind which may or may not carry information, and/or is capable of transmitting wireless or energy signals which may or may not have been modulated to contain information of a predetermined kind.

[0009] The communication between the transceiver and the tagging device may be performed through the use of any suitable communication technique and, in one embodiment which is preferred, communication is achieved by means of a near field communication (NFC) technique.

[0010] Each detonator assembly may include a respective memory module on which is stored a unique identifier (ID) of the detonator assembly. The unique ID may be provided for each detonator assembly during manufacture of the detonator assembly.

[0011] In one form of the invention, each connector includes a respective memory module on which is stored a unique ID of a detonator assembly which is associated with the connector i.e. the detonator assembly which the connector electronically connects to the controller. The unique ID may be duplicated on the memory module of the connector from the memory module of the detonator assembly when the connector is connected to the down hole wire of the detonator assembly.

[0012] The processor may be configured, upon receipt of the first communication signal, to modulate the second communication signal with information pertaining to the unique ID from the memory module of the connector or the memory module of the detonator assembly, and to operate the transceiver to send the second communication signal to the tagging device. [0013] The respective memory module of each connector preferably comprises a temporary storage device which is configured to only temporarily store tagging or testing data e.g. the unique ID of the respective detonator assembly which is associated with the connector when processing takes place. [0014] A blasting plan is preferably stored on the tagging device, the blasting plan including information relating to respective time delays, and respective positional values of all the detonator assemblies at the blast site.

[0015] The tagging device may be configured, in response to receiving the respective second communication signal from each transceiver, to associate the information pertaining to the unique IDs with the information contained in the blasting plan for each detonator assembly. In order to do this the tagging device includes a GPS receiver which is used by the tagging device to determine a respective positional value of each connector and thus of each detonator assembly when the tagging device tags, i.e. communicates with the transceiver, to thereby allow the tagging device to associate the unique ID of each detonator assembly with the respective time delay, and respective positional value, of that detonator assembly.

[0016] The association process is done according to principles which are known in the art, so that the blasting plan includes information relating to the respective time delay, the respective positional value, and the respective unique ID of each detonator assembly of the blasting system, to allow the controller to implement a predetermined blasting pattern. [0017] The tagging device is preferably enabled to communicate with the controller thereby to transfer the blasting plan from the tagging device to the controller to allow the controller to implement the blasting plan.

[0018] The energy source preferably comprises a NFC energy converter i.e. an antenna for producing energy from a magnetic field produced by the tagging device which is used to power the transceiver and the processor.

[0019] In another embodiment of the invention, a blasting plan is stored on the tagging device, the blasting plan including information relating to at least one of the following: a respective time delay, a respective positional value, and a unique ID of each detonator assembly.

[0020] The first communication signal may be modulated to include at least some of the information of the blasting plan. For example when a connector is tagged by the tagging device, and the tagging device determines, through the use of a GPS receiver, that the connector (and thus the corresponding detonator) is located at the blast site with a certain positional value, the tagging device associates the tagged connector (and thus the corresponding detonator) with the time delay and the unique ID associated with that positional value. The first communication signal is then modulated to include information relating to the time delay and/or the unique ID associated with the tagged connector.

[0021] The processor is preferably configured, upon receipt of the first communication signal, to generate the second communication signal including the information of the first communication signal, and to send the second communication signal to the detonator assembly. [0022] The detonator assembly may include a memory module, and may be configured, upon receipt of the second communication signal, to store the information contained in the second communication signal on the memory module of the detonator assembly.

[0023] The tagging device may be enabled to communicate the information of the blasting plan to the controller, thereby to allow the controller to implement the blasting plan according to principles which are known in the art.

[0024] The detonator assembly may produce a first status signal in response to receiving the second communication signal, and to transmit the first status signal to the processor, the first status signal including information relating to a status of the detonator which is chosen from at least one of the following: a status of the integrity of connections e.g. whether the bus wire and the down hole wire are properly connected with the connector and the detonator, and statuses of operational parameters of the detonator e.g. whether the detonator is properly tagged and is receiving power from an energy source.

[0025] The processor may, upon receipt of the first status signal, operate the transceiver to transmit a second status signal to the tagging device which uses the second status signal to validate the operation of the detonator assembly.

[0026] The invention also extends to a connector, of the aforementioned kind, which includes a transceiver which is configured to communicate with a tagging device in a wireless manner, a processor which is associated with the transceiver and which, upon receipt by the transceiver of a first communication signal from the tagging device, generates a second communication signal for transmission to the detonator assembly or the tagging device, and an energy source for providing energy to the transceiver and to the processor.

[0027] Each connector may include a respective set of visual status indicators e.g. one or more LEDs, and the processor is configured, upon receipt of the first communication signal to operate the set of visual status indicators thereby to provide a respective indication of a status of at least one of the connector, the bus wire, the down hole wire and the detonator assembly.

[0028] The invention further provides a method of operating a blasting system which includes a controller, a bus wire extending from the controller, a plurality of detonator assemblies located in respective boreholes at a blast site, a respective down hole wire extending to each detonator assembly, and a plurality of connectors which respectively connect the bus wire to the down hole wires thereby to allow communication between the controller and the detonator assemblies, wherein the method includes the steps of using a tagging device to transmit a first communication signal to a transceiver of one of the connectors in a wireless manner, operating a processor which is associated with the transceiver to generate a second communication signal which is transmitted to at least one of the detonator assembly and the tagging device and using an energy source of the connector to provide energy to the transceiver and to the processor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The invention is further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates, from one side, and in cross section, a blast site which includes a plurality of connectors according to the principles of the invention;

[0030] Figure 2 is a plan view, in more detail, of one of the connectors shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 2A shows from one side, and in cross section, a portion of the connector which is encircled in dotted outline marked “A” in Figure 2; and

Figure 3 schematically depicts, in plan, the connector of Figure 2 showing different components of a printed circuit board (pcb) located within the connector.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0031] Figure 1 illustrates, from one side, and in cross section, a blasting system 10 which has been prepared for blasting at a blast site 12 according to the principles of the invention.

[0032] The blasting system 10 includes a controller 14, a bus wire 16 extending from the controller 14, a plurality of detonator assemblies 18 which have been loaded into respective boreholes 20, a respective down hole wire 22 extending to each detonator assembly 18, and a plurality of connectors 24 which respectively connect the bus wire 16 to the down hole wires 22. Wired communication between the controller 14 and the detonator assemblies 18 is established via the bus wire 16 and the respective down hole wires 22. The setup, as described above, is conventional in nature, and is therefore not described in more detail.

[0033] Figure 2 is a plan view, in more detail, of one of the connectors 24 shown in Figure 1. All of the connectors 24 are similar, in that each connector 24 includes a body 26 which has a first part 28 and a second part 30 which together define a volume 32. The first part 28 is pivotable about an axis 34, which is located between the first part 28 and the second part 30, between ah open position at which there is access to the volume 32, as shown in Figure 2, and a closed position, at which access to the volume 32 is inhibited.

[0034] An insulation displacement member 36 is located within the volume 32. The insulation displacement member 36 includes a first U-shaped conductive member 38 and a second U- shaped conductive member 40 which are spaced from one another. Each U-shaped conductive member 38, 40 includes three respective insulation displacement contacts (IDCs) 42. The bus wire 16 comprises a first pair 44 of insulated wires, which respectively make electrical contact with IDCs 42 which are formed on respective bases 46 of the first and second U-shaped conductive members 38, 40. The down hole wire 22 extends from a first end 48 of the connector 24 and includes a second pair 50 of insulated wires, which respectively make electrical contact with two of the IDCs 42 which are formed on respective legs 52 extending from the bases 46. The insulation displacement member 36 enables communication between the controller 14 and a detonator assembly 18 to which the down hole wire 22 extends, when the pairs 44, 50 of insulated wires are connected in a manner as described hereinbefore.

[0035] Figure 2A shows from one side, and in cross section, a portion of the connector 24 which is encircled in dotted outline marked “A” in Figure 2. A printed circuit board (pcb) 54 is located below the insulation displacement member 36 and is electrically connected with the U- shaped conductive members 38, 40 to enable communication between the pcb 54 and the detonator assembly 18. [0036] Figure 3 schematically depicts, in plan, the connector 24 of Figure 2. A transceiver 56, a processor 58, and an energy source 60 are located on the pcb 54. The energy source 60 provides power to the components on the pcb 54. The transceiver 56 is enabled to communicate with a tagging device 62 by means of a near field communication (NFC) technique. The energy source 60 comprises an antenna for receiving a NFC magnetic signal from the tagging device 62, and converting energy contained in the magnetic signal into energy which can be used by the components located on the pcb 54.

[0037] The detonator assembly 18 includes a memory module 64 on which is stored a unique identifier (ID) 66 of the detonator assembly 18. All of the detonator assemblies 18 used in the blasting system 10 are similar in that each detonator assembly 18 has a respective memory module 64 on which is stored an ID 66 which is unique to it. The ID 66 is stored on the memory module 64 during manufacture of the detonator assembly 18. A memory module 68 is located on the pcb 54, and is in electrical communication with the processor 58. The ID 66 of the detonator assembly 18 which is associated with the connector 24 is stored/duplicated on the memory module 68 of the connector 24 from the memory module 64 of the detonator assembly 18 when the connector 24 is connected to the down hole wire 22.

[0038] In one form of the invention, the processor 58, upon receipt by the transceiver 56 of a first communication signal 72A from the tagging device 62, generates a second communication signal 74A. The tagging device 62 is operated by a user, not shown, who moves from blast hole 20 to blast hole 20. At each blast hole 20, the user uses the tagging device 62 to communicate with a respective connector 24 thereby to produce and transmit the respective first communication signal 72A to the respective transceiver 56. The processor 58, upon receipt of the first communication signal 72A, produces the second communication signal 74A and modulates the second communication signal 74A to contain information pertaining to the ID 66 of the detonator assembly 18 which is associated with the connector 24 i.e. the detonator assembly 18 which the connector 24 electrically connects with the bus wire 16. The processor 58 obtains the information pertaining to the ID 66 by either loading it from the memory module 68 of the connector 24 or the memory module 64 of the detonator assembly 18. The processor 58 then operates the transceiver 56 to send the second communication signal 74A to the tagging device 62.

[0039] A blasting plan 76 is stored on the tagging device 62, the blasting plan 76 including information relating to respective time delays 78, and respective positional values 80 of all the detonator assemblies 18 at the blast site 12. When the tagging device 62 receives the respective second communication signal 74A from each transceiver 56, the tagging device associates the information pertaining to the ID 66 with the information contained in the blasting plan 76 for each detonator assembly 18. In order to achieve this, the tagging device 62 includes a GPS receiver 82. When the user operates the tagging device 62 to tag the connector 24 i.e. to communicate with the transceiver 56 of the connector 24, the GPS receiver 82 produces a tagged positional value for the connector 24 being tagged. The information pertaining to the ID 66 is then associated and stored with the information relating to the respective time delay 78, and respective positional value 80 of the detonator assembly 18 (which is associated with the connector 24) which is stored in the blast plan 76 and which has the closest positional value 80 to the tagged positional value. The user moves successively from borehole 20 to borehole 20, and at each borehole 20 tags the respective connector 24 thereby updating the blast plan 76 to contain all the information relating to the respective time delay 78, the respective positional value 80, and the respective unique ID 66 of each detonator assembly 18. It falls within the scope of the invention to use a robotic means e.g. an unmanned vehicle which includes a tagging device 62 as described to implement the tagging process.

[0040] Once all the connectors 24, and thus all the detonator assemblies 18 have been tagged and accounted for, the user moves to a location where the controller 14 is situated.

[0041] The tagging device 62 is enabled to wirelessly communicate with the controller 14 through the use of a NFC technique to thereby transfer the updated blasting plan 76 to the controller 14. The controller 14 can then implement the blasting plan 76 by transmitting command signals to the detonator assemblies 18 via the bus wire 16 and the respective down hole wires 22.

[0042] In another form of the invention, the blasting plan 76 includes information relating to a respective time delay 78, a respective positional value 80, and a respective unique ID 66 for each detonator assembly 18. The tagging device 62 is operated by a user, not shown, to tag a connector 24 i.e. to communicate with the transceiver 56 of the connector 24. This is done by using the tagging device 62 to produce a first communication signal 72B and to modulate the first communication signal 72B to contain the information stored in the blasting plan 76 which is associated with the connector 24 which is being tagged. This is achieved in a similar manner as described above, i.e. by using the GPS receiver 82 to determine a tagged positional value, and modulating the first communication signal 72B with the information relating to the respective time delay 78, the respective positional value 80, and the respective unique ID 60 of the detonator assembly 18 which is stored on the blasting plan 76 of the detonator assembly 18 which has the closest positional value 80 to the tagged positional value. The processor 58, upon receipt of the first communication signal 72B, generates a second communication signal 74B including the information which is transmitted in the first communication signal 72B, and transmits the second communication signal 74B to the detonator assembly 18 which is associated with the connector 24. The information transmitted by the second communication signal 74B is stored in the memory module 64.

[0043] The detonator assembly 18 upon receipt of the second communication signal 74B produces a first status signal 84 which includes information relating to a status of the detonator assembly 18 including: a status of the integrity of connections e.g. whether the bus wire 16 and the down hole wire 22 are properly connected with the connector 24 and the detonator 18, and statuses of operational parameters of the detonator 18 e.g. whether the detonator 18 is properly tagged and is receiving power from the energy source 60. The status signal is transmitted to the processor 58 which operates the transceiver 56 to thereby transmit a second status signal 86 to the tagging device 62. The tagging device 62 uses this information to validate the status of the detonator assembly 18.

[0044] The user moves successively from borehole 20 to borehole 20 tagging each connector 24, until all of the information stored in the blasting plan 76 has been transferred to the detonator assemblies 18, and until the operation of all the detonator assemblies 18 has been validated. The tagging device 18 is then used to communicate the information of the blasting plan 76 to the controller 14, which uses such information to implement the blasting plan 76 in a manner as known in the art. [0045] By introducing the capability for a connector 24 to wirelessly transfer tagging and testing or status data to a tagging device 62, the requirement of making a physical connection is by passed. The sealing integrity of the connector 24 is thus retained which reduces the likelihood of communication failure between the controller 14 and a detonator assembly 18 when command signals are being sent from the controller to the detonator assemblies 18. In addition, a connector 24 according to the invention allows the integration of conventional wired blasting systems with wireless blasting system and provides the capability of automating the tagging process of a blasting system.

Claims

1 A blasting system which includes a controller, a bus wire extending from the controller, a plurality of detonator assemblies located in respective boreholes at a blast site, a respective down hole wire extending to each detonator assembly, and a plurality of connectors which respectively connect the bus wire to the down hole wires thereby to allow communication between the controller and the detonator assemblies, characterized in that each connector includes a respective transceiver which is configured to communicate with a tagging device in a wireless manner, a respective processor which is associated with the transceiver and, which upon receipt by the transceiver of a first communication signal from the tagging device, generates a second communication signal, and a respective energy source for providing energy to the transceiver and to the processor.

2 The blasting system according to claim 1 wherein each detonator assembly includes a respective memory module on which is stored a unique identifier (ID) of the detonator assembly.

3 The blasting system according to claim 2 wherein each connector includes a respective memory module on which is stored the unique ID of the detonator assembly which is associated with the connector.

4 The blasting system according to claim 3 wherein the unique ID is duplicated on the memory module of the connector from the memory module of the detonator assembly when the connector is connected to the down hole wire of the detonator assembly. 5 The blasting system according to claim 3 wherein the processor is configured, upon receipt of the first communication signal, to modulate the second communication signal with information pertaining to the unique ID from the memory module of the connector or the memory module of the detonator assembly, and to operate the transceiver to send the second communication signal to the tagging device.

6 The blasting system according to claim 4 wherein a blasting plan is stored on the tagging device, the blasting plan including information relating to respective time delays, and respective positional values of all the detonator assemblies at the blast site and the tagging device is configured, in response to receiving the respective second communication signal from each transceiver, to associate the information pertaining to the unique IDs with the information contained in the blasting plan for each detonator assembly.

7 The blasting system according to claim 1 wherein a blasting plan is stored on the tagging device, the blasting plan including information relating to at least one of the following: a respective time delay, a respective positional value, and a unique ID of each detonator assembly.

8 The blasting system according to claim 7 wherein the first communication signal is modulated to include at least some of the information of the blasting plan.

9 The blasting system according to claim 8 wherein the processor is configured, upon receipt of the first communication signal, to generate the second communication signal including the information of the first communication signal, and to send the second communication signal to the detonator assembly. 10 The blasting system according to claim 9 wherein the detonator assembly includes a memory module, and is configured, upon receipt of the second communication signal, to store the information contained in the second communication signal on the memory module of the detonator assembly.

11 The blasting system according to claim 9 wherein the detonator assembly is configured to produce a first status signal in response to receiving the second communication signal, and to transmit the first status signal to the processor, the first status signal including information relating to a status of the detonator which is chosen from at least one of the following: a status of the integrity of connections and statuses of operational parameters of the detonator, and the processor is configured, upon receipt of the first status signal, to operate the transceiver to transmit a second status signal to the tagging device which uses the second status signal to validate the operation of the detonator assembly.

12 A connector for connecting a bus wire to a downhole wire which is connected to a detonator assembly, the connector including a transceiver which is configured to communicate with a tagging device in a wireless manner, a processor which is associated with the transceiver and which, upon receipt by the transceiver of a first communication signal from the tagging device, generates a second communication signal for transmission to the detonator assembly or the tagging device, and an energy source for providing energy to the transceiver and to the processor.

13 A method of operating a blasting system which includes a controller, a bus wire extending from the controller, a plurality of detonator assemblies located in respective boreholes at a blast site, a respective down hole wire extending to each detonator assembly, and a plurality of connectors which respectively connect the bus wire to the down hole wires thereby to allow communication between the controller and the detonator assemblies, wherein the method includes the steps of using a tagging device to transmit a first communication signal to a transceiver of one of the connectors in a wireless manner, operating a processor which is associated with the transceiver to generate a second communication signal which is transmitted to at least one of the detonator assembly and the tagging device and using an energy source of the connector to provide energy to the transceiver and to the processor.

14 The method of operating a blasting system according to claim 13 which includes the steps of operating the processor to modulate the second communication signal with information pertaining to a unique ID from a memory module of the connector or a memory module of an associated detonator assembly, and using the transceiver to send the second communication signal to the tagging device.

15 The method of operating a blasting system according to claim 13 wherein prior to transmitting the first communication signal, the first communication signal is modulated to include at least some information of a blasting plan which is stored on the tagging device and wherein the method includes the step of operating the processor to generate the second communication signal including the information of the first communication signal, sending the second communication signal to an associated detonator assembly and storing the information on a memory module of the detonator assembly.