Patents by Inventor Christopher Malcolm Birkin

Christopher Malcolm Birkin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method of validating a shock tube event
    Patent number: 11879716
    Abstract: A detonator which is responsive to a shock tube event which is validated if a link is fused at a predetermined time interval after a light signal produced by the event is detected and if, at the end of a subsequent time interval, the link is still fused and the light signal is absent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Richard Joseph Michna, Daniel Auguste Maurissens, Andre Louis Koekemoer
  • Method of assembling a detonator
    Patent number: 11852450
    Abstract: A detonator assembly method wherein a base charge is placed into a tube to abut a closed end of the tube, an electronic module is positioned inside the tube, a displacement member with a stop formation is used to move the module, against a frictional restraining force, to a location at which the stop formation abuts a rim of the tube and wherein the module is held in position by deforming the tube into engagement with the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Richard Joseph Michna, Andre Louis Koekemoer
  • Detonator sensing arrangement
    Patent number: 11725920
    Abstract: A detonator which includes a housing which has a passage with an inlet and an outlet and which is of reducing cross sectional area from the inlet to the outlet and wherein the inlet is configured to be exposed to an end of a shock tube, and a fusible link is located at the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Richard Joseph Michna, Daniel Auguste Maurissens, Andre Louis Koekemoer
  • Detonator construction
    Patent number: 11604055
    Abstract: A detonator which includes a tube with an open end, a shock tube, secured to a plug which is fixed to an open end of the tube, an electronic module inside the tube, the module including a substrate which carries electronic components, and sensing structure mounted to the substrate spaced from an opposing end of the shock tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Richard Joseph Michna, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Mark Ivan Jurras, III
  • METHOD OF ASSEMBLING A DETONATOR
    Publication number: 20220099416
    Abstract: A detonator assembly method wherein a base charge is placed into a tube to abut a closed end of the tube, an electronic module is positioned inside the tube, a displacement member with a stop formation is used to move the module, against a frictional restraining force, to a location at which the stop formation abuts a rim of the tube and wherein the module is held in position by deforming the tube into engagement with the module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Richard Joseph Michna, Andre Louis Koekemoer
  • DETONATOR SENSING ARRANGEMENT
    Publication number: 20220090898
    Abstract: A detonator which includes a housing which has a passage with an inlet and an outlet and which is of reducing cross sectional area from the inlet to the outlet and wherein the inlet is configured to be exposed to an end of a shock tube, and a fusible link is located at the outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Richard Joseph Michna, Daniel Auguste Maurissens, Andre Louis Koekemoer
  • DETONATOR CONSTRUCTION
    Publication number: 20220090899
    Abstract: A detonator which includes a tube with an open end, a shock tube, secured to a plug which is fixed to an open end of the tube, an electronic module inside the tube, the module including a substrate which carries electronic components, and sensing structure mounted to the substrate spaced from an opposing end of the shock tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Richard Joseph Michna, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Mark Ivan Jurras, III
  • METHOD OF VALIDATING A SHOCK TUBE EVENT
    Publication number: 20220082362
    Abstract: A detonator which is responsive to a shock tube event which is validated if a link is fused at a predetermined time interval after a light signal produced by the event is detected and if, at the end of a subsequent time interval, the link is still fused and the light signal is absent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Richard Joseph Michna, Daniel Auguste Maurissens, Andre Louis Koekemoer
  • Detonator
    Patent number: 10890426
    Abstract: A detonator for use in a detonating system, which detonator includes discriminating and validating arrangements which sense and validate at least one characteristic of at least one parameter produced by at least one of a light, acoustic, vibratory, magnetic or electrical signal event, and an electronic timer which executes a timing interval in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Albertus Abraham Labuschagne, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Craig Charles Schlenter, Elmar Lennox Muller
  • Detonator
    Patent number: 10527395
    Abstract: A detonator for use in a detonating system, which detonator includes discriminating and validating arrangements which sense and validate at least one characteristic of at least one parameter produced by at least one of a light, acoustic, vibratory, magnetic or electrical signal event, and an electronic timer which executes a timing interval in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Albertus Abraham Labuschagne, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Craig Charles Schlenter, Elmar Lennox Muller
  • DETONATOR
    Publication number: 20190195605
    Abstract: A detonator for use in a detonating system, which detonator includes discriminating and validating arrangements which sense and validate at least one characteristic of at least one parameter produced by at least one of a light, acoustic, vibratory, magnetic or electrical signal event, and an electronic timer which executes a timing interval in response thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Albertus Abraham Labuschagne, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Craig Charles Schlenter, Elmar Lennox Muller
  • Blasting system control
    Patent number: 10006750
    Abstract: A method of implementing a blasting system wherein positional information relating to a blast site is generated by a device which inputs the information to a processor which generates information pertaining to the location of each potential borehole at the site and that information is used by the device to indicate the location of each borehole to an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD (ZA)
    Inventors: Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Riaan Van Wyk, Andre Koekemoer, Trevor Watt
  • Detonator module with an overmould formation
    Patent number: D907162
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Richard Joseph Michna, Daniel Auguste Maurlssens
  • Detonator module with a friction lock structure
    Patent number: D907163
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Richard Joseph Michna, Daniel Auguste Maurissens
  • Detonator module with retention formations
    Patent number: D907164
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Richard Joseph Michna, Daniel Auguste Maurissens
  • Detonator
    Patent number: D907165
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Richard Joseph Michna, Daniel Auguste Maurissens
  • Detonator module with a clip formation
    Patent number: D907166
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Richard Joseph Michna, Daniel Auguste Maurissens
  • Detonator module
    Patent number: D907739
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD
    Inventors: Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Richard Joseph Michna, Daniel Auguste Maurissens
  • Detonator structure
    Patent number: D913402
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
    Inventors: Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Richard Joseph Michna, Daniel Auguste Maurissens
  • Clip for a detonator
    Patent number: D923133
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: DETNET SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
    Inventors: Michiel Jacobus Kruger, Christopher Malcolm Birkin, Andre Louis Koekemoer, Richard Joseph Michna, Daniel Auguste Maurissens