Modular breaching device and kit

Abstract

A kit for forming a modular breaching device for breaching a surface. The kit includes a base including a bore, and a plurality of walls. The plurality of walls and the base are attached, or adapted to attach, to form a housing. The housing forms a hollow adapted to receive an explosive material therein. The kit further includes a cover, adapted to attach to the walls of the housing at an end thereof distal to the base. The kit further includes a detonator, including a portion defining an igniting tip. The detonator is adapted to engage the housing by insertion of the igniting tip into the bore in the base. The igniting tip is adapted, upon activation of the detonator, to cause the explosive material within the housing to explode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A kit for forming a modular breaching device for breaching a surface, the kit comprising:
 a base including a bore;   a plurality of walls, attached or adapted to attach to each other, and attached or adapted to attach to the base, thereby to form a housing, the housing forming a hollow adapted to receive an explosive material therein;   a cover, adapted to attach to the walls of the housing at an end thereof distal to the base; and   a detonator, including a portion defining an igniting tip, the detonator adapted to engage the housing by insertion of the igniting tip into the bore in the base, the igniting tip adapted, upon activation of the detonator, to cause the explosive material within the housing to explode.   
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the base and the plurality of walls are attached to each other within the kit, such that the kit includes the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the explosive material is disposed within the housing and the cover is attached to the walls, enclosing the explosive material within the housing, and wherein, within the kit, the detonator is physically separated from the housing including the explosive material. 
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising an explosive brick, including the explosive material to be placed within the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising an anchoring element, attachable or attached to the cover, the anchoring element adapted to enable anchoring of the cover to the surface to be breached. 
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one detonating cord, the detonating cord adapted to functionally attach the housing to another said housing of another said kit. 
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the ends of the walls, distal to the base, are adapted to assist in cutting the explosive material from an explosive brick. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein a volume of the hollow within the housing functions as a measuring receptacle for measurement of a quantity of the explosive material to be placed within the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of walls includes at least one slot and at least one flange, the flange of a first wall of the plurality of walls being adapted to slide into the slot of a second wall of the plurality of walls, thereby to attach the first wall to the second wall. 
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein walls of the plurality of walls are attached to each other, or are adapted to be attached to each other, to form a frame, and wherein the frame is attached to the base, or is adapted to be attached to the base, by snap fit engagement. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the detonator comprises:
 an electric detonator, adapted to generate an electric spark at the igniting tip, thereby to cause the plastic explosive to detonate; and   a safety tab, such that the detonator can only generate the electric spark when the safety tab is removed from the detonator.   
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein the detonator is adapted to generate the electric spark in response to receipt of a wireless signal received from a remote-control unit, disposed remotely from the detonator, the kit further comprising the remote-control unit. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 12 , wherein the remote-control unit includes an interface configured to engage the safety tab following removal of the safety tab from the detonator, such that the remote-control unit can provide the wireless signal to the detonator when the safety tab engages the interface of the remote-control unit. 
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein, when the cover is disposed on the housing, gaps are formed in the cover, such that when the plastic explosive detonates, the force of the detonation is directed to the cover and toward the surface to be breached. 
     
     
         15 . A method of breaching a surface using the kit of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 (a) placing the explosive within the housing;   (b) subsequently to (a), attaching the cover to the walls of the housing, at the end of the walls distal to the base;   (c) attaching the detonator to the base, by inserting the igniting tip of the detonator through the bore in the base into the explosive within the housing;   (d) anchoring the housing or the cover to the surface to be breached; and   (e) triggering the igniting tip of the detonator to ignite, thereby to cause detonation of the explosive and breaching of the surface.   
     
     
         16 . A kit for triggering detonation of an explosive, the kit comprising:
 a safety tab;   an electric detonator, including a portion defining an igniting tip and a detonator-interface for reversibly attaching to the safety tab, the igniting tip adapted to engage the explosive and, upon activation of the detonator when the safety tab is detached from the detonator-interface, to generate an electric spark causing detonation of the explosive; and   a remote-control unit, functionally associated with the electric detonator and including an interface for reversibly attaching to the safety tab, adapted, in response to receipt of a user input when the safety tab is attached to the interface, to send a wireless signal to the electric detonator, the wireless signal adapted to activate the detonator to generate the electric spark.   
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the safety tab includes at least one conductive portion;   when the safety tab is attached to the detonator-interface, the conductive portion is adapted to cause a short circuit in an electrical circuit of the detonator, thereby to prevent formation of the electric spark; and   when the safety tab is attached to the interface of the remote-control unit, the conductive portion is adapted to close an opening in an electrical circuit of the remote-control unit, thereby to enable sending of the wireless signal.   
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein the wireless signal is a radio frequency signal having a predetermined frequency, recognizable by the detonator. 
     
     
         19 . A method of triggering an explosion of an explosive using the kit of  claim 16 , the method comprising:
 (a) engaging the igniting tip of the detonator to the explosive;   (b) removing the safety tab from the detonator-interface of the detonator;   (c) attaching the safety tab to the interface of the remote-control unit; and   (d) following (b) and (c), providing the user input to the remote-control unit, thereby to send the wireless signal to the detonator triggering generation of the electric spark and detonation of the explosive.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising, following (b) and prior to (c), ensuring a pre-determined safe distance between a user carrying the remote-control unit and the explosive.