Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a plastic connector of non-electrical detonators
used for the insertion and fastening of an initial detonator as well as the fastening
of the eye of a detonating cord, also known as a bundler, to which detonating tubes
are fixed, and which is also used for the fastening of detonating tubes of non-electrical
detonators.
State of the Art
[0002] When driving tunnels, shafts, underground reservoirs and performing underground rehabilitation
work, delay firing circuits are installed for blasting operations. They make use of
initial detonators connected to the detonating tube, which is a plastic tube filled
with an explosive mixture intended for the firing of individual detonators. The network
of detonating tubes must be created firmly and precisely and individual detonating
tubes must not be loose or move in the plane or space, etc. The precise distribution
of the initial detonators and the creation of the network of detonation tubes is enabled
by connectors with a hollow where the initial detonator is inserted and fitted by
means of several well-known methods. Usually, the connector also has a head used for
the attachment of the detonating tubes in a required position. The head is also used
for the attachment of the detonating cord, also known as a bundler, which initiates
the inserted detonating tube. In one of the known designs of the connector base for
the attachment of the detonating tube the base is fitted with a plastic lid with an
axial opening for the detonating tube. The tube is fitted at its end below the initial
detonator with an elastic ring usually made of rubber material. When the lid is snapped
in the connector base, the ring is arrested by flexible clamps of the base and the
initial detonator with the diameter bigger than that of the detonating tube is arrested
inside by means of the lid and the base. Various fastening pins are also used for
this purpose inserted into the connector base opening(s), following the insertion
of the initial detonator, so that the initial detonator cannot slip out. Such bases
arresting the initial detonator have several disadvantages. Firstly, they do not provide
sufficient installation stability, secondly, they comprise a number of parts which
is disadvantageous both as regards manufacture and handling. The detonating tubes
are fastened using the connector head. Known simple solutions usually make use of
the elasticity of a plastic material. There is a clamp bearing between the central
part of the head and the lateral flap, into which the detonating tubes are inserted
perpendicular to the connector axis. The lateral flap is used either on one side only
or symmetrically on both sides of the central part. Usually, the flap has a fitting
stud in its bottom interior section. When inserting the detonating tube(s), the spring
resistance of the material and the stud must be overcome. The detonating tubes are
then arrested in the bearing by the compressive force of the flaps and the stud prevents
them from slipping out. A disadvantage of the known solutions is that the arresting
of the detonating tubes in the clamp bearing is usually difficult, but what is more
problematic is the insufficient clamp force of the bearing. The detonating tubes are
not clamped sufficiently, they are loose, and their undesirable displacement or tension
can occur during the preparatory operations. In another form, the detonating cords
make the bundler in the form of a loop, which is created by crossing over the detonating
cord and running the free end through the loop created in this way. The free end is
locked in the connector head slot and when the detonation tubes are inserted in the
bundler, the free end of the bundler is firmly tightened around the detonating tubes
pulling at the free end of the detonating cord. The detonating cord in the slot is
prevented against displacement by means of the material elasticity. As the firmness
of the grip is very important, there are several types of the head design. They differ
in shape and design of the clamps creating the clamping slot. A disadvantage of these
known solutions is usually difficult arresting of the detonating cord in the clamping
slot, but what is more problematic is the insufficient clamping of the detonating
cord end. The bundlers often get loose, the detonating tubes move and their undesirable
displacement or tension can occur during the preparatory operations. The state of
the art is described in several US patents.
US D443,331S descloses a head with two lateral flaps and a locking bill situated inwards. There
is a clamp base equipped with a closing lid with a stud inside the detonator body.
US D424,155S features a base of a similar design, however, the head comprises clamp flaps with
a guide face.
US 6,425,332B1 describes a base with a snap-on lid and a head with a pair of parallel retaining
flaps. The published US application
US 2002/073870A1 (
US 6,425,332B1) describes a base and a head designed in a similar way, making use of the material
elasticity, mainly as the head is concerned.
[0003] The present invention aims at designing a connector for non-electrical detonators
which would meet two fundamental requirements. The first requirement is simple but
at the same time firm and permanent fastening of the initial detonator in the connector
body, while maintaining simple production conditions and simple handling. The second
requirement is the fastening of the detonating tubes enabling fast and simple handling,
which, on the other hand, would ensure high fastening strength so that the tubes cannot
move or get loose from the head.
Nature of the Invention
[0004] This goal was achieved by the connector with the application of three independent
solutions realizing a single inventive idea. Two of the solutions relate to the design
of the connector head and the third one concerns the design of the connector base.
Although these inventions are mutually independent and can be applied separately,
the intended effect and the solution of the given task are only achieved by their
mutual connection. Therefore, the application should be considered as a whole, even
though it comprises three individual solutions.
[0005] The nature of the invention applied on the connector of non-electrical detonators
made of elastically flexible plastic material, consisting of a head for the fastening
of detonating tubes, a hollow body for the insertion of an initial detonator and a
base for the initial detonator fixation, where the head is made of a flat axial part
and at least one lateral flap connected to the axial part in the upper part of the
head by a connecting bridge, is that the lateral flap is in its lower part fitted
with an elastic flat plate which has a locking catch on the inside that together with
an anchor in the lower head part make a snap-on lock.
[0006] It is also essential that a spring back rib can be made in the bottom part of the
clamp bearing created between the lateral flap and the flat axial part of the head.
It can be made on the inside of the lateral flap or on the axial part of the head.
[0007] The nature of the second invention realizing the same inventive idea is a connector
of non-electrical detonators made of elastically flexible plastic material comprising
a head for the fastening of detonating tubes by means of a bundler, a hollow body
for the insertion of an initial detonator and a base for the initial detonator fixation,
the nature of which, according to the invention, rests in that the head is made of
a fixed lower clamp in the upper part of the connector body and a swivel upper clamp
firmly connected to the lower clamp by a flexible bridge on one side, while on the
other side it is connected to it detachably by means of a two-stage lock. Its fixed
part made on the lateral side of the lower clamp comprises a pair of horizontal anchors
situated one above the other having the form of oblong blocks with the axes parallel
with the axis of the bridge and with an irregular cover which makes a sloping guide
face on the outer top side and a support anchor face on the outer bottom side. The
movable part of the two-stage lock made on the lateral side of the upper clamp comprises
a pair of horizontal catches situated one above the other having the form of oblong
blocks with the axes parallel with the axis of the bridge and with irregular section,
which makes a sloping leading face on the inner bottom side and a locking face on
the outer top side.
[0008] It is essential for the present invention that the lower clamp on the top side and
the upper clamp on the bottom side have two grooves practically parallel with the
bridge axis, where the detonating cord - free bundler end is placed. The grooves in
the locked condition make a clamp casing for the detonating cord.
[0009] The upper clamp may be fitted on the upper side with an additional reinforcing layer
to achieve sufficient head stiffness.
[0010] The nature of the third independent invention intended to be applied simultaneously
with one of the aforementioned inventions rests in that the connector for non-electrical
detonators made from elastically flexible plastic material with a head for the fastening
of detonating tubes, hollow body for the insertion of an initial detonator and a base
for the initial detonator fixation has the base made in the form of a practically
cylindrical casing separated vertically along the axis plane into two parts, of which
the fixed one is attached firmly to the bottom part of the connector body and the
swivel part is rotationally connected to the fixed part along the outside vertical
surface line on one side of the casing by means of a part of the flexible plastic
material that the connector is made of. On the other side of the casing there is a
double lock comprising a pair of flexible vertical catches with anchoring tongues
in one part of the casing and a recess with vertical anchors in the other part of
the casing. The swivel part has guide stop pieces in its inside upper part while the
fixed part has a guide stop face corresponding to the guide stop pieces.
[0011] The upper part of the swivel part and the bottom part of the connector body can feature
an anchoring ring and an anchoring flange.
[0012] To increase the lock reliability, the base casing swivel part and fixed part can
be equipped with a simple lock on the side along the connection surface line consisting
of a flexible hook on one part of the casing and a recess with a fixation face on
the other part of the casing.
[0013] The increased effect of the invention is the possibility of locking the initial detonator
inside the connector, so that the initial detonator cannot be removed from the connector
intentionally or incidentally. In this way, total reliability of the initial detonator
installation is insured, even if further work in the firing circuit is performed.
Due to the head design, the detonating tube can be inserted easily into the opened
head and secured against its dislocation. As this position is very stable, incidental
displacement cannot occur, however, the head can be released or opened using the appropriate
tool, if necessary, in order to adjust the position or add or take away other detonating
tubes, etc.
Figures in Drawings
[0014] The inventions are described using the drawings attached, where Fig. 1 is a general
view of the connector with unlocked head plates and with the base opened. Fig. 2 is
an auxiliary view of the head in opened-unlocked position, while Fig. 3 is an auxiliary
view of the head locked.
[0015] Fig. 4 to Fig. 8 depict the second head design. Fig. 4 is a general view of the connector
with the head clamps and the base opened, Fig. 5 representing an axonometric view.
Fig. 6 shows the head in opened position, Fig. 7 shows the first locking stage of
the head, i.e. the installation position, and Fig. 8 shows the second locking stage
of the head, i.e. the fixation position.
[0016] Fig. 9 is an auxiliary view of the base in opened position and Fig. 10 is a broken-out
section of the base in opened position where the locks can be seen in detail.
Example of the Inventions
[0017] The connector of non-electrical detonators is made of an elastically flexible plastic
material, whose physical properties are made use of in the design to achieve clamping
effect and movement of some parts in mutual interactivity. The connector has three
elementary parts.
[0018] A head
1 for the fastening of the detonating tubes, a hollow body
2 where the initial detonators are inserted, and the third part, a base
3, locking the initial detonator in the body
2 of the connector.
[0019] The head
1 comprises a flat axial part
11 and a pair of lateral flaps
12 , that are in the upper part of the head
1 connected to the axial part
11 by the connecting bridge
16, creating in the central part of the head
1 below the connecting bridge
16 an aperture of the clamp bearing
13 for the detonating tubes by their inside faces and the axial part
11 of the head 1. In the lower part of the clamp bearing
13, a spring back rib
14 is created on the lateral flaps
12. Each of the lateral flaps
12 has on its lower end part a flexible flat plate
15, which is fitted on the inside by a lockable catch
41 making together with an anchor
42 a snap-on lock
4 on the bottom part of the head 1.
[0020] Alternatively, the back rib
14 on the lower part of the clamp bearing
13 can be made on the axial part
11 of the head
1.
[0021] The second independent solution of the connector of non-electrical detonators also
makes use of the elastically flexible plastic material, whose properties are utilized
in the design to achieve clamping effect and movement of some parts in mutual interactivity.
The connector has again three elementary parts.
[0022] A head
1 for the fastening of the detonating tubes by the bundler eye, a hollow body
2 where the initial detonators are inserted, and the third part, a base 3, locking
the initial detonator in the body
2 of the connector.
The head
1 comprises the lower clamp
11 created on the top part of the connector body
2 and the swivel upper clamp
12. It is connected with the lower clamp
11 on one side of the head
1 firmly by means of the elastic bridge
13 made of a thin piece of the connector material, while on the other side, it is connected
to it detachably by means of the two-stage lock
4 . The fixed part, i.e. immobile during handling, of the two-stage lock
4 is made on the lateral side of the lower clamp
11 and comprises a pair of horizontal anchors
41 situated one above the other and having the form of oblong blocks with the axes parallel
with the axis of the bridge
13 and with an irregular cover which makes an inclined guide face
42 on the outer top side and a support anchor face
43 on the outer bottom side. The movable part of the two-stage lock
4 made on the lateral side of the upper clamp (12) comprises a pair of horizontal catches
44 situated one above the other and having the form of oblong blocks with the axes parallel
with the axis of the bridge
13 and with irregular section, which makes a sloping leading face
45 on the inner bottom side and a locking face
46 on the outer top side. In the top face of the lower clamp
11 and on the bottom face of the upper clamp 12, there are two grooves
14 situated parallel with the axis of the bridge
13 which are used for the installation of the detonating cord, i.e. of the free end
of the bundler. The grooves
14 in the locked condition make a clamp casing for the detonating cord. The upper clamp
12 is fitted on the upper side with an additional reinforcing layer
15 to achieve optimum stiffness.
[0023] The base
3 comprises a practically cylindrical casing separated vertically along the axis plane
into two parts
31,
32, of which the fixed one
31 is attached firmly to the bottom part of the connector body
2 and the swivel part
32 is rotationally connected to the fixed part
31 along the outside vertical surface line
33 on one side of the casing by means of a part of the flexible plastic material that
the connector is made of. The surface line
33 thus makes the turning axis of the swivel part
32 . On the other side of the casing there is a double lock
5 comprising a pair of flexible vertical catches
51 with anchoring tongues
52 on one of the parts
31,
32 of the casing, on the swivel part
32 in the depicted form, and a recess
53 with vertical anchors
54 on the other of the parts
31,
32 of the casing, on the fixed part
31 in the depicted form. The swivel part
32 also has guide stop pieces
34 in its inside upper part while the fixed part
31 has a guide stop face
35 corresponding to the guide stop pieces
34. The upper part of the swivel part
32 and the bottom part of the connector body
2 feature an anchoring ring
35 and an anchoring flange 36 for correct mutual connection. To increase the connection
safety and the lock strength, the base
3 casing swivel part
32 and fixed part
31 are also equipped with a simple lock
6 on the side along the connection surface line
33 consisting of a flexible hook
61 on one of the casing parts
31, 32, on the swivel part
32 in the depicted form, and a recess
62 with a fixation face
63 on the other of the casing parts,
31,
32, on the fixed part
31 in the depicted form.
[0024] Alternatively, the detonating cord with the bundler eye is inserted in the opened
head
3. The two-stage lock
4 gets snapped into the first, installation position by pressure exerted on the reinforcing
layer
15. A respective number of detonating tubes are inserted through the bundler eye and
the bundler eye is then tightened pulling by the detonating cord. Exerting pressure
on the reinforcing layer 15 the two-stage lock
4 gets snapped into the second, fixation position. The twin detonating cord is clamped
in the pair of grooves
14 and it cannot be released without unlocking the head
3 using a simple tool. The initial detonator is inserted from below into the hollow
of the connector body
2, the swivel part
32 of the base
3 is turned around the surface line
33 and pressed against the fixed part
31 . The guide stop pieces
34 will guide and push the initial detonator into the hollow of the body
2 and both locks 5,6 will snap in firmly.
[0025] The detonating tube, or a number of tubes, are inserted under the lateral flap
12 and by pulling towards the connecting bridge
16 the resistance of the back rib
14 is overcome. Thus the tube is positioned in the clamp bearing
13. Following the insertion of the respective number of tubes, the locking catch
41 is snapped in under the anchor
42 in the bottom part of the head
1 by pressure exercised on the outer side of the lateral flap
12. This will result in the locking of the lock
4, which can now only be opened by applying much higher strength or a simple tool. Also,
the clamp bearing
13 is clamped more tightly, so that the movement of the detonating tube is prevented.
[0026] The initial detonator is inserted from below into the hollow of the connector body
2, the swivel part
32 of the base
3 is turned around the surface line
33 and pressed against the fixed part
31. The guide stop pieces
34 will guide and push the initial detonator into the hollow of the body
2 and both locks
5,6 will snap in firmly.
[0027] The inventions applied in the connector are mutually connected which results in the
desired effect, i.e. accomplishment of a single inventive idea. Thus, the application
unity is preserved.
Industrial Application
[0028] The connector according to the inventions disclosed above can be produced industrially
and used for delay firing circuits with non-electrical detonators.
1. A connector of non-electrical detonators made of elastically flexible plastic material,
consisting of a head (1) for the fastening of detonating tubes, a hollow body (2)
for the insertion of an initial detonator and a base (3) for the initial detonator
fixation, where the head (1) is made of a flat axial part (11) and at least one lateral
flap (12) connected to the axial part (11) in the upper part of the head (1) by a
connecting bridge (16), characterised in that the lateral flap (12) is in its lower part fitted with an elastic flat plate (15)
which has a locking catch (41) on the inside that together with an anchor (42) in
the lower part of the head (1) make a snap-on lock (4).
2. A connector of non-electrical detonators according to claim 1, characterised in that there is a spring back rib (14) in the lower part of the clamp bearing (13) created
between the lateral flap (12) and the flat axial part (11) of the head (1).
3. A connector of non-electrical detonators according to claim 2, characterised in that the spring back rib (14) is created on the inner side of the lateral flap (12) or
on the axial part (11) of the head (1).
4. A connector of non-electrical detonators made from elastically flexible plastic material
comprising a head (1) for the fastening of detonating tubes by means of a bundler,
a hollow body (2) for the insertion of an initial detonator and a base (3) for the
initial detonator fixation, characterised in that the head (1) is made of a fixed lower clamp (11) in the upper part of the connector
body (3) and a swivel upper clamp (12) firmly connected to the lower clamp (11) by
a flexible bridge (13) on one side, while on the other side it is connected to it
detachably by means of a two-stage lock (4) whose fixed part made on the lateral side
of the lower clamp (11) comprises a pair of horizontal anchors (41) situated one above
the other having the form of oblong blocks with the axes parallel with the axis of
the bridge (13) and with an irregular cover which makes a sloping guide face (42)
on the outer top side and a support anchor face (43) on the outer bottom side, where
the movable part of the two-stage lock (4) made on the lateral side of the upper clamp
(12) comprises a pair of horizontal catches (44) situated one above the other having
the form of oblong blocks with the axes parallel with the axis of the bridge (13)
and with irregular section, which makes a sloping leading face (45) on the inner bottom
side and a locking face (46) on the top side.
5. A connector of non-electrical detonators according to claim 1, characterised in that in the top face of the lower clamp (11) and on the bottom face of the upper clamp
(12), there are two grooves (14) situated parallel with the axis of the bridge (13)
which are used for the installation of the detonating cord, i.e. of the free end of
the bundler, thus making in the locked position the clamp casing for the detonating
cord.
6. A connector of non-electrical detonators according to claim 1, characterised in that the upper clamp (12) is fitted on the top side with an additional reinforcement layer
(15).
7. A connector of non-electrical detonators made from elastically flexible plastic material
comprising a head (1) for the fastening of detonating tubes, a hollow body (2) for
the insertion of an initial detonator and a base (3) for the fixation of the initial
detonator, characterised in that the head (3) comprises a practically cylindrical casing separated vertically along
the axis plane into two parts (31,32), of which the fixed one (31) is attached firmly
to the bottom part of the connector body (2) and the swivel part (32) is rotationally
connected to the fixed part (31) along the outer vertical surface line (33) on one
side of the casing by means of a part of the flexible plastic material that the connector
is made of made of, where on the other side of the casing there is a double lock (5)
comprising a pair of flexible vertical catches (51) with anchoring tongues (52) on
one of the parts (31,32) of the casing and a recess (53) with vertical anchors (54)
on the other of the parts (31,32) of the casing, where swivel part (32) has guide
stop pieces (34) in its inside upper part while the fixed part (31) has a guide stop
face (35) corresponding to the guide stop pieces (34).
8. A connector for non-electrical detonators according to claim 4, characterised in that the upper part of the swivel part (32) and the bottom part of the connector body
(2) are fitted with and anchoring ring (35) and an anchoring flange (36).
9. A connector of non-electrical detonators according to claim 4, characterised in that the swivel part (32) and the fixed part (31) of the base (3) casing are on the side
along the connecting surface line (33) fitted with a simple lock (6) comprising a
flexible hook (61) on one of the two parts (31,32) of the casing and a recess (62)
with a fixation face (63) on the other of the two parts (31,32) of the casing.