INITIATOR
An initiator including a housing adapted to be received in an igniter or rocket motor, at least one charge at a distal end of the housing, an electro-explosive device behind the charge for detonating the charge when subject to a voltage HV, and a pressure bulkhead behind the electro-explosive device. An electronic subsystem in the housing is connected to the electro-explosive device through the bulkhead and includes a lead for providing the voltage HV to the electro-explosive device to initiate it, and a switch in the lead which does not conduct if errant voltages are present on the lead to prevent initiation of the electro-explosive device until the correct voltage HV is present.
1 . An initiator adapted to be received in an igniter or rocket motor, the initiator comprising:
at least one charge;
an electro-explosive device for detonating the charge when subject to a high voltage; and
an electronic subsystem connected to the electro-explosive device and including:
a lead for providing the voltage to the electro-explosive device to initiate it; and
a switch in the voltage lead which does not conduct if an errant voltage less than a breakdown voltage is present on the lead to prevent initiation of the electro-explosive device until the correct high voltage is present.
2 . The initiator of claim 1 , wherein the electronic subsystem further compromises an igniter housing wall between the electro-explosive device and the charge, in which a shock wave travels through igniter housing wall and detonates the charge when the electro-explosive device detonates.
3 . The initiator of claim 1 , in which the electro-explosive device includes an exploding foil initiator and an energetic charge.
4 . The initiator of claim 3 further including a housing having threads configured to be received in an igniter or rocket motor.
5 . The initiator in claim 1 in which the at least one charge includes two charges in the distal end of the initiator.
6 . The initiator of claim 5 in which one charge is a pyrotechnic material and the other charge is a detonating material.
7 . The initiator of claim 6 in which the pyrotechnic material includes BKNO 3 and the detonating material includes HNS-IV.
8 . The initiator of claim 1 in which the electro-explosive device is an exploding foil initiator.
9 . The initiator of claim 1 in which the switch is a spark gap.
10 . The initiator of claim 1 in which the switch is a MOS Controlled Thyristor (MCT).
11 . The initiator of claim 1 , wherein the breakdown voltage is 500 volts.
12 . The initiator of claim 1 , wherein the breakdown voltage is 1000 volts.