Exploding bridge wire detonation wave shaper

Abstract

A jet cutter apparatus and method for using a single bridge wire or a plurality of bridge wires to uniformly detonate a booster and thereby cause a uniform detonation of the explosives adjacent to the liners, thereby causing a uniform compression of the liners to form a uniform plasma jet that is substantially radially perpendicular to the jet cutter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shaped charge tubing cutter comprising:
 a substantially cylindrical housing;   a shaped charge explosive having an explosive and a liner;   a detonation wave shaper comprising an explosive pellet and an exploding bridge wire contained within the explosive pellet; and   wherein the detonation wave shaper fits in a cavity in the center of the shaped charge explosive.   
     
     
         2 . The shaped charge tubing cutter of  claim 1  wherein the detonation wave shaper further comprises a substantially cylindrical shell encasing the explosive pellet, wherein the exploding bridge wire is substantially coaxial with the explosive pellet. 
     
     
         3 . A detonation wave shaper comprising:
 an explosive pellet; and   a plurality of exploding bridge wire segments within the explosive pellet.   
     
     
         4 . The detonation wave shaper of  claim 3  wherein the explosive pellet is substantially cylindrical in shape. 
     
     
         5 . The detonation wave shaper of  claim 3  wherein the exploding bridge wire segments are mounted on a printed circuit board. 
     
     
         6 . The detonation wave shaper of  claim 5  wherein the explosive pellet is substantially cylindrical in shape. 
     
     
         7 . The detonation wave shaper of  claim 6  wherein the exploding bridge wire segments are substantially coaxial with the explosive pellet cylinder. 
     
     
         8 . The detonation wave shaper of  claim 3  wherein the exploding bridge wire segments are arranged substantially end-to-end and extend through most of the length of the explosive pellet cylinder.