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 ).

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; 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.   
     
     
         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.