Multi-Port Transmission Line Connector

Abstract

A multi-port transmission line connector (10) having a body (11) which has at least four ports and channels (12, 14, 16, 17) therein for connecting one signal transmission line (20) with multiple signal transmission lines (20) in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals, the at least four ports (24, 26, 27, 28) having a bore therethrough in which is located an inner sleeve (30) of deformable material and located between the inner sleeve (30) and the body (11) a crimpable secondary sleeve (32) such that, in use, when a shock tube (20) has been inserted into the port (24, 26, 27, 28) and passes through the inner sleeve (30), a portion of the secondary sleeve (32) is crimped thereby to deform the inner sleeve (30) and to seal against the shock tube (20) thereby retaining the shock tube (20) in position and inhibiting the ingress of water into the connector (10) through said port (24, 26, 27, 28). The connector (10) may have 5 ports (24, 26, 27, 28). The invention extends to a system and method using the connector (10).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a multi-port transmission line connector.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a multi-port transmission line connector having a body which has at least four ports and channels therein for connecting one signal transmission line with multiple signal transmission lines in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals, the at least four ports having a bore there through, wherein in at least one of the ports is located an inner sleeve of deformable material and located between the inner sleeve and the body a crimpable secondary sleeve such that, in use, when a shock tube has been inserted into the port and passes through the inner sleeve, a portion of the secondary sleeve is crimped thereby to deform the inner sleeve and to seal against the shock tube thereby retaining the shock tube in position and inhibiting the ingress of water into the connector through said port.

Three of the ports may have the inner and secondary sleeves.

One of the ports may include a clip for retaining a detonator and/or shock tube therein and permits insertion thereof on site.

The inner sleeve may be made of a resiliently deformable material, for example, a rubber or rubber like product.

The secondary sleeve may be made of a metal, for example, aluminium.

One of the channels may be taken as the input end of signal transmission and one or more of the others, as the output end, wherein each channel is opened to a center cavity, thus enabling the input end and output end of transmission line to transfer the blasting signal through center cavity.

In a four port connector, three of the ports are preassembled with the shock tube crimped in position, with a fourth port available for assembly and/or crimping on site.

One of the pre-assembled ports may include a delay igniter in accordance with UN 1.4S so that the transmission of the shockwave to a further connector block or to a detonator or igniter may be delayed.

The size and shape of channel may match the signal transmission line.

When the signal transmission line is secured in position by crimping, it will be retained in the port and the blasting signals are transferred through the center cavity.

The shock wave of one transmission line may be safely transferred to the other transmission lines.

The body may include channels which transit from the center cavity to the ends of all channels including their transition sections, or from the small diameter sections at the center part to the large diameter sections at the ends of all channels which form the ports.

The connector may be made of a plastics material.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a transmission line system for connecting several detonators distributed over several boreholes and transmitting a shock wave from one transmission line to other connected transmission lines, said system including:

• • a multi-port transmission line connector having a body which has at least four ports and channels therein for connecting one signal transmission line with multiple signal transmission lines in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals, one or more of the four ports having a bore there through in which is located an inner sleeve of deformable material and located between the inner sleeve and the body a crimpable secondary sleeve such that, in use, when a shock tube has been inserted into the port and passes through the inner sleeve, a portion of the secondary sleeve is crimped thereby to deform the inner sleeve and to seal against the shock tube thereby retaining the shock tube in position and inhibiting the ingress of water into the connector through said port; and
  • a complementary but one number of transmission lines crimped in position prior to bringing of the connector on site, and an additional free signal transmission line for assembling and/or crimping into an open port of the connector on site.

The system may include a crimping tool sized and dimensioned to crimp the secondary sleeve of the open port when the signal transmission line has been inserted therein thereby to secure the signal transmission line in position and to inhibit the ingress of water into the connector block.

The system may include one or more detonators located at remote ends of one or more of the transmission lines.

The system may include several multi-port transmission line connectors.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a multi-port transmission line connector having a body which has at least four ports and channels therein for connecting one signal transmission line with three or more signal transmission lines in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals, the at least four ports having one or more recess or slot for securing a complementary plug having two or more lateral protrusions which engage the recess or slot to secure a plug to a port.

The plug and port may be securable bayonet fitting fashion.

The plug may have a passage therethrough for securing the transmission line within the passage thereby securing the transmission line to the plug.

The transmission line may be secure to the plug by sonic welding, chemical bonding, heat bonding, and the like.

The plug may have a finger engageable portion which facilitates rotating the plug in the port thereby to secure the plug in the port.

The plug may have a groove for an o-ring which, in use, is fitted with an o-ring which engages with the inner walls of the port thereby to form a seal.

One of the channels may be taken as the input end of signal transmission and one or more of the others, as the output end, wherein each channel is opened to a center cavity, thus enabling the input end and output end of transmission line to transfer the blasting signal through center cavity.

The size and shape of channel may match the signal transmission line.

When the plug into which the signal transmission line is secured is inserted into a port from one end, it will be received and retained in the port and the blasting signals are transferred through the center cavity.

The shock wave of one transmission line may be safely transferred to the other transmission lines.

The body may include channels which transit from the center cavity to the ends of all channels including their transition sections, or from the small diameter sections at the center part to the large diameter sections at the ends of all channels which form the ports, the slot or recess being made at the end of each channel in the port, the outside diameter of the plug having substantially the same inside diameter as the port.

The connector may be made of a plastics material.

The plug may be made of a plastics material.

The plug may be made of a sonic welding compatible plastics material for sonicly welding to the transmission lines, typically the same or similar plastics material to that of the transmission lines.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a transmission line system for connecting several detonators distributed over several boreholes and transmitting a shock wave from one transmission line to other connected transmission lines, said system including:

• • a multi-port transmission line connector having a body which has at least four ports and channels therein for connecting one signal transmission line with three or more signal transmission lines in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals, the at least four ports having one or more recess or slot for securing a complementary plug having two or more lateral protrusions which engage the recess or slot to secure a plug to a port; and
  • a complementary number of plugs to the number of ports, each plug having two or more lateral protrusions which engage the recess or slot to secure a plug to a port and a passage therethrough for securing the transmission line within the passage thereby securing the transmission line to the plug.

The system may include one or more detonators located at remote ends of one or more of the transmission lines.

One of the ports may have a transmission line clipped into it, on which transmission line is provided a delay element, a delay igniter, and/or a delay detonator.

The plug may have a finger engageable portion which facilitates rotating the plug in the port thereby to secure the plug in the port.

The plug may have a groove for an o-ring which, in use, is fitted with an o-ring which engages with the inner walls of the port thereby to form a seal.

The system may include several multi-port transmission line connectors and a commensurate number of plugs.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a transmission line connector having a body which has at least five channels defined therein for connecting one signal transmission line to at least 4 signal transmission lines in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals from the one signal transmission line to the 4 or more signal transmission lines.

The connector may have one port for securing an incoming signal transmission line and 4 or more ports for securing the 4 or more outgoing signal transmission lines.

The ports are typically located at open ends of the channels in the body.

The ports may include securing means for securing the signal transmission lines relative to the channels.

The securing means may sealingly secure the signal transmission means to the connector or the connector body.

The securing means may be in the form of a frictionally engaging clip, a clamping socket, or one or more recess or slot for securing a complementary plug having two or more lateral protrusions which engage the recess or slot to secure a plug to a port.

The plug and port may be a securable bayonet fitting fashion.

The plug may have a passage therethrough for securing the transmission line within the passage thereby securing the transmission line to the plug.

The transmission line may be securable to the plug by sonic welding, chemical bonding, heat bonding, and the like.

The plug may have a finger engageable portion which facilitates for rotation of the plug in the port thereby securing the plug.

The plug may have a groove for an o-ring which, in use, is fitted with an o-ring which engages with the inner walls of the port thereby to form a seal, however, there are many other methods for forming a seal which are included in the scope and spirit of this invention.

One of the channels may be taken as the input end of signal transmission and one or more of the others, as the output end, wherein each channel is opened to a center cavity, thus enabling the input end and output end of transmission line to transfer the blasting signal through the centre cavity.

The size and shape of channel may match the signal transmission line.

When the plug into which the signal transmission line is secured and inserted into a port from one end, it may be received and retained in the port and the blasting signals is thus transferred through the centre cavity.

Likewise, a signal transmission line may be secured and sealed directly into a port without a plug and the blasting signals thus transferred through the centre cavity.

The shock wave of one transmission line may be safely transferred to the other transmission lines.

The body may include channels which transit from the centre cavity to the ends of all channels including their transition sections.

The body may include channel sections which connect small diameter sections at a centre zone of the body to larger diameter sections at the ends of the channels which form the ports or to which the signal transmission lines are secured.

The connector may be manufactured from a plastics material.

The plug may be made of a plastics material.

The plug may be made of a sonic welding compatible plastics material for sonically welding to the transmission lines, typically plastic material similar to that of the transmission lines.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a transmission line system for connecting 5 or more detonators at least three of which are distributed over several boreholes and transmitting a shock wave from one transmission line to 4 or more other connected transmission lines, said system including a transmission line connector having a body which has at least five channels therein for connecting one signal transmission line with 4 or more signal transmission lines in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals, the channels having securing means for securing the transmission lines thereto.

Ports may be provided at a free end of each of the channels so that the signal transmission lines are secured to the connector by means of the ports.

The signal transmission lines may be sealingly secured to the ports.

One or more of the ports of the system may have one or more recess or slot for securing a complementary plug having two or more lateral protrusions which engage the recess or slot to secure a plug to a port, and a complementary number of plugs to the number of ports, each plug having two or more lateral protrusions which engage the recess or slot to secure a plug to a port and a passage therethrough for securing the transmission line within the passage thereby securing the transmission line to the plug.

The system may include one or more detonators located at remote ends of one or more of the transmission lines.

The plug may have a finger engageable portion which facilitates rotating the plug in the port thereby to secure the plug in the port.

The plug may have a groove for an o-ring which, in use, is fitted with an o-ring which engages with the inner walls of the port thereby to form a seal.

The system may include several transmission line connectors connected together by signal transmission means for connecting detonators placed in boreholes in a configuration which requires at least one set of five detonators to be in detonation signal communication whereby one of the detonators transmits a detonation signal to four or more other detonators in the system.

The invention extends to a method of connecting a plurality of detonators in boreholes whereby the detonation sequence requires one or more detonators to each transmit a detonation signal to 4 or more detonators for the propagation of a blast, said transmission of the detonation signal being by means of a transmission line connector of the invention.

The method may provide for propagating a blast signal for detonating three detonators in boreholes as well as a fourth detonator which further propagates the signal directly from a single blast signal.

The method may include the use of delay elements to delay the propagation of the detonation signal.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described, by way of non limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings,

FIG. 1 shows a four port connector block of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the use of a four port connector block of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a five port connector block of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows the use of a five port connector block of the invention; and

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the four port connector block

In FIG. 1 of the drawings, a four-port transmission line connector 10 has four channels 12, 14, 16, 17 therein for connecting a first signal transmission line with three signal transmission lines 20 in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals. The four channels 12, 14, 16, 17 have at their open ends ports 24, 26, 27, 28.

The ports 24, 26, 27, 28 and channels 12, 14, 16, 17 have located therein an inner sleeve 30 of deformable material, such as rubber, and located between the inner sleeve 30 and the body 11 a crimpable secondary sleeve 32 such that, in use, when a shock tube or signal transmission tube 18 has been inserted into a port 24, 26, 27, 28 and passes through the inner sleeve 30, a portion of the secondary sleeve 32 is crimped thereby to deform the inner sleeve 30 and to seal against the shock tube 20 thereby retaining the shock tube 20 in position and inhibiting the ingress of water into the connector 10 through said port.

One of the channels 17 is the input end of signal transmission and 14, 16, 12 are the output ends, wherein each channel is opened to a center cavity, thus enabling the input end 12 and output ends 14, 16, 17 of transmission line 18 to transfer the blasting signal through the center cavity.

One of the ports and channels has inserted therein a delay igniter which complies with UN 1,4 S thereby to delay the transmission of the signal as desired.

When the signal transmission lines are secured into the ports 24, 26, 27, 28 from one end, they will be received and retained in the ports and the blasting signals are transferred through the center cavity. Thus, the shock wave of one transmission line 18 is safely transferred to the other transmission lines.

In FIG. 2, for ease of description, the ports have been assigned ordinates 1, 2, 3, and 4.

In use, a detonation signal is transmitted into port 4 and then propagates via the centre cavity to ports 1 and 2 where the shock tube signal transmission lines transmit the signal further, for example, to detonators or igniters. The signal is also propagated to port 3 which includes a delay igniter, as described above, which delays further propagation of the signal to the next multi-port connector in a series.

The signal then propagates to port 4 of the next multi-port connector and the propagation proceeds as before.

The advantage of the present invention includes the ease of assembly underground.

In FIG. 3 of the drawings, a five-port transmission line connector 10 has five channels 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 defined therein for connecting a first signal transmission line 18 with four signal transmission lines 20, 21, 22, 23 in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals. The five channels 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 have at their open ends ports 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.

The ports 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 each are provided with means, whether conventional or novel, for sealingly securing the signal transmission lines 18, 20 to 23 in the ports 24 to 28. The sealingly securing may be by way of provision of plugs at the ends of the signal transmission lines 18, 20 to 23

The one or more of the transmission lines 18, 20 to 23 are secured to their ports 24 to 28 by sonic welding, chemical bonding, heat bonding, and the like.

The invention extends to a method of connecting a plurality of detonators in boreholes whereby the detonation sequence requires one or more detonators to each transmit a detonation signal to 4 or more detonators for the propagation of a blast, said transmission of the detonation signal being by means of a transmission line connector of the invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 5 is shown a four port connector block wherein three of the ports are preassembled with signal transmission tubes crimped in place and the fourth port has a clip for assembly on site by clipping in signal transmission system into the port. The clip may be a frictionally engaging clip or a barb and socket type clip and may be applicable to other embodiments of the invention. The barb and socket type clip relies on a shoulder portion of the inserted element at the end of the signal transmission line being retained in the port by one or more barbs provided in the port, which barbs may be resiliently deformable to permit the element to pass into the port.

It is believed that one of the advantages of the present invention includes the ease of assembly underground.

Claims

1-27. (canceled)

28. A multi-port transmission line connector having a body which has at least four ports and channels therein for connecting one signal transmission line with multiple signal transmission lines in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals, the at least four ports having a bore there through, wherein each bore is opened to a center cavity, thus enabling the input end and output end of the transmission lines to transfer the blasting signal through the center cavity and wherein in at least one of the ports is located an inner sleeve of deformable material and located between the inner sleeve and the body a crimpable secondary sleeve such that, in use, when a shock tube has been inserted into the port and passes through the inner sleeve, a portion of the secondary sleeve is crimped thereby to deform the inner sleeve and to seal against the shock tube thereby retaining the shock tube in position and inhibiting the ingress of water into the connector through said port.

29. The connector as claimed in claim 28, wherein the inner sleeve is made of a resiliently deformable material.

30. The connector as claimed in claim 28, wherein the secondary sleeve is made of a metal.

31. The connector as claimed in claim 28, wherein one of the channels is the input end a signal transmission line and one or more of the others, the output end.

32. The connector as claimed in claim 28, wherein in a four port connector, three of the ports are preassembled with the shock tube crimped in position, with a fourth port available for assembly and/or crimping on site.

33. The connector as claimed in claim 32, wherein one of the pre-assembled ports includes or is connected to a delay igniter in accordance with UN 1.4S so that, in use, the transmission of the shockwave to a further connector block or to a detonator or igniter is delayed.

34. The connector as claimed in claim 31, wherein the body includes channels which transit from the center cavity to the ends of all channels including their transition sections, or from the small diameter sections at the center part to the large diameter sections at the ends of all channels which form the ports.

35. The connector as claimed in claim 31, which has at least four ports and which has at least five channels defined therein for connecting one signal transmission line to at least 4 signal transmission lines in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals from the one signal transmission line to the 4 or more signal transmission lines.

36. The connector as claimed in claim 35, which has one port for securing an incoming signal transmission line and 4 or more ports for securing the 4 or more outgoing signal transmission lines.

37. The connector as claimed in claim 36, in which the ports include securing means for securing the signal transmission lines relative to the channels.

38. The connector as claimed in claim 37, wherein the securing means sealingly secure the signal transmission means to the connector or the connector body.

39. The connector as claimed in claim 37, wherein the securing means are in the form of a frictionally engaging clip, a clamping socket, or one or more recess or slot for securing a complementary plug having two or more lateral protrusions which engage the recess or slot to secure a plug to a port.

40. The connector as claimed in claim 35, wherein one of the channels is the input port for signal transmission and one or more of the others are the output ports, wherein each channel is opened to a center cavity.

41. A transmission line system for connecting several detonators distributed over several boreholes and transmitting a shock wave from one transmission line to other connected transmission lines, said system including: a multi-port transmission line connector having a body which has at least four ports and channels therein for connecting one signal transmission line with multiple signal transmission lines in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals, one or more of the ports having a bore there through, in which is located an inner sleeve of deformable material and located between the inner sleeve and the body a crimpable secondary sleeve such that, in use, when a shock tube has been inserted into the port and passes through the inner sleeve, a portion of the secondary sleeve is crimped thereby to deform the inner sleeve and to seal against the shock tube thereby retaining the shock tube in position and inhibiting the ingress of water into the connector through said port, wherein each bore is opened to a center cavity, thus enabling the input end and output end of the transmission lines to transfer the blasting signal through the center cavity; anda complementary but one number of transmission lines crimped in position prior to bringing of the connector on site, and an additional free signal transmission line for assembling and/or crimping into an open port of the connector on site.

42. The system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the system includes one or more detonators located at remote ends of one or more of the transmission lines.

43. The system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the system includes several multi-port transmission line connectors.

44. A transmission line system for connecting 5 or more detonators at least three of which are distributed over several boreholes and transmitting a shock wave from one transmission line to 4 or more other connected transmission lines, said system including a multi-port transmission line connector as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13 having a body which has at least five channels therein for connecting one signal transmission line with 4 or more signal transmission lines in a blasting system for transferring blasting signals, the channels having securing means for securing the transmission lines thereto.

45. The system as claimed in claim 44, including several multi-port transmission line connectors as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13 connected together by signal transmission means for connecting detonators placed in boreholes in a configuration which requires at least one set of five detonators to be in detonation signal communication whereby one of the detonators transmits a detonation signal to four or more other detonators in the system.

46. A method of connecting a plurality of detonators in boreholes whereby the detonation sequence requires one or more detonators to each transmit a detonation signal to 4 or more detonators for the propagation of a blast, said transmission of the detonation signal being by means of multi-port transmission line connector as claimed in any one of claims 35 to 40.

47. The method as claimed in claim 46, which provides for propagating a blast signal for detonating three detonators in boreholes as well as a fourth detonator which further propagates the signal directly from a single blast signal.

48. The method as claimed in claim 46, which includes the use of delay elements to delay the propagation of the detonation signal.