CH701630A2 - Device for use in e.g. back bag to secure and rescue person e.g. amateur of winter sports, grasped in avalanche, has inflatable tubular elements whose ends are connected with each other to form articulation point - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1) has a foldable reinforcement provided with two inflatable tubular elements i.e. arc shaped inflatable tubular elements, where the device is mounted on each strap by a fixing unit i.e. Velcro(RTM: Hook and loop fastener) type fixing unit. Foldable membranes join the inflatable tubular elements by forming an envelope on the foldable reinforcement. A control unit controls an inflation unit. Ends of the inflatable tubular elements are connected with each other to form an articulation point, so that an inflatable structure is placed around a person during inflation. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a back bag, comprising a securing and rescuing device (2) a cloth comprising a fixing unit.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a device for the protection and rescue of a person taken in an avalanche. The present invention also relates to a backpack and a garment comprising such a device.

State of the art

Such a device is well known to winter sports enthusiasts and professionals in the mountains. This is a device comprising, in the current state of the art, a special backpack containing at least one air bag. This device is also known as the anti-avalanche airbag.

The first objective of the anti-avalanche airbag is to reduce the burial depth of an avalanche victim.

[0004] The chances of survival of a buried person are considerably increased when it remains close to the surface, allowing help to locate it and reach it more quickly.

The effectiveness of this device is explained by modeling an avalanche by a granular flow composed of particles of different sizes and densities. Under the effect of gravity, moving particles in this granular flow tend to be separated in such a way as to cause the particles of larger sizes and low densities to be on the surface while the smaller particles and high densities are moving into the deepest areas of the avalanche. This separation phenomenon is known as reverse segregation in a granular flow.

Anti-avalanche airbags rely on this physical phenomenon which depends on the relative size of the particles. Thus, the avalanche airbag confers to its user, who is in itself already a relatively large particle, a larger size and a lower density. The effect of reverse segregation is thus amplified and reduces the depth of landfill of the avalanche user.

The first anti-avalanche airbags appeared on the market in 1985 in the form of "mono airbag". Then, dual airbag versions have been developed that unfold on the sides of the user. They are integrated in special backpacks containing one or more cylinders of gas under pressure and a device, usually manual, triggering inflation. When deployed, the avalanche airbag has a total volume of about 1501.

These anti-avalanche airbags have made it possible to verify the effectiveness of these devices on the ground to increase the survival chances of avalanche victims.

However, these experiences have also brought a lot of teaching on the forces in action in avalanches and the limits of these devices.

The forces within the avalanches are very important. They exert pressures and torsion torques that can cause serious trauma. In particular, sudden changes in torsional forces on the cervical vertebrae are feared and can be fatal.

In addition, the avalanche airbag can also suffer damage due to these forces. Under adverse circumstances, it may not inflate completely or even deflate due to structural failure.

The second objective of the anti-avalanche airbag is to protect against the most serious trauma, those to the head and cervical vertebrae, while being strong enough to ensure proper maintenance of its deployed form and fully allow the effect of reverse segregation.

Such a device is for example described in the patent application EP 0 723 790. It is an anti-avalanche airbag that deploys at the head and neck and then has the shape of a Horseshoe. It protects the victim from trauma to the head and cervical vertebrae. It is formed of a tubular structure which is inflated by an inflation device using a gas under pressure. The inflated tubular structure forms an armature. This frame offers a double advantage: the advantage of a more rigid and resistant airbag to maintain its deployed form and the second advantage of increasing the total volume of the airbag.

Indeed, during inflation of the tubular structure, the armature by deploying causes inflation by the external air intake of a second closed volume enveloping the armature. External air passes through a sock-valve system. This anti-return device traps the sucked air and thus creates a volume greater than the volume of gas initially injected into the tubular structure. This helps increase the effect of reverse segregation while strengthening the structural strength of the anti-avalanche airbag.

However, anti-avalanche airbags still have many disadvantages. First, when a user realizes that he is being carried away by an avalanche, under the effect of stress, he can lose precious seconds in the actuation of the device. Once activated, the airbag deploys in about 3s for current devices, which can be too long. In addition, the actuating device may become blocked or the avalanche airbag be defective and be completely inoperative. Finally, an avalanche airbag requires the purchase of a specific backpack or a harness equipped with the cost is important. In addition, the gas capsules that equip the devices available on the market are not transportable by plane, for security reasons. This forces the user to purchase another airbag on site, or at least one other gas capsule. This may cause some winter sports enthusiasts to run the risk of not wearing an avalanche airbag.

The present invention is intended in particular to solve these problems. It also proposes a particularly advantageous embodiment in its implementation.

Disclosure of the invention

For this purpose, and in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a safety device and rescue of a person taken in an avalanche comprising: an inflatable structure comprising: a foldable frame comprising at least two inflatable tubular elements communicating with each other, defining a first inflatable closed volume, a plurality of foldable membranes arranged to join the inflatable tubular elements by forming a closed envelope on the foldable frame, defining a second inflatable closed volume, first inflating means of the first inflatable closed volume, second inflating means of the second inflatable closed volume, control means for the first inflation means.

According to the invention, the tubular elements are terminated respectively by a first and a second end, said first ends being connected to each other so as to form a first pivot point and said second ends being connected together in such a way that forming a second fulcrum, so that the inflatable structure can be arranged on the person so as to deploy around said person during its swelling by the rotation of the tubular elements around the first and second joints.

Advantageously, the first hinge point can be placed in front of the person and the second hinge point can be placed in the back of the person, so that the inflatable structure can be arranged on the person so as to step over his shoulder and be able to deploy around it.

Also advantageously, the first point of articulation and the second point of articulation can also be placed in the back of the person, so that the inflatable structure can be arranged on the person and deploy in his back.

Thus, in a particularly advantageous manner, the hinged folding frame allows deployment less than 3s of the airbag around the shoulder. Precious time is earned.

Advantageously, the first inflation means may comprise a high pressure gas capsule arranged to inflate the first inflatable volume formed by the foldable frame and controlled by said control means of the first inflation means.

The second inflation means may advantageously comprise at least one anti-return valve mounted on one of the foldable membranes allowing the ambient air to enter the second inflatable closed volume and not leave it. The second inflation means are activated by the deployment of the foldable frame.

The first inflation means can be controlled in a particularly advantageous manner by the control means comprising a striker. The striker may comprise a frame on which the pressurized gas capsule is mounted, a perforating punch mounted on the frame and arranged to pierce the gas capsule and release the gas under pressure in the first inflatable volume, a mounted cam lever rotating on the frame and arranged so that an action on the lever causes the rotation of the cam by pressing the piercing punch into the pressurized gas capsule.

The tubular elements may advantageously have an arc shape.

The present invention also relates to a backpack comprising a bag and two straps, and two separate devices for avalanche safety and rescue as defined above, mounted integral on each strap by fastening means.

The present invention also relates to a garment comprising two separate devices for avalanche safety and rescue as defined above, said garment having fastening means on which are mounted the first two and the second two joints.

Brief description of the drawings

Other features of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the description which follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: <tb> - fig. 1 <sep> represents two avalanche safety and avalanche safety devices. deployed position on the user, <tb> - fig. 2 <sep> represents the detail of the avalanche safety and rescue device in the deployed position, <tb> - fig. 3 <sep> represents the first inflation means with the striker in the rest position and the gas capsule, <tb> - fig. 4 <sep> represents the striker in the active position and the gas capsule, <tb> - fig. <Sep> represents the integration of two safety and rescue devices into a backpack mounting bracket, and <tb> - fig. 6 <sep> represents the backpack mounting bracket mounted on the shoulder straps.

Mode (s) of realization of the invention

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a user whose two safety and rescue devices 1 are deployed around the shoulders. The control means of the inflation means are not shown in the figure.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown the detail of a deployed safety and rescue device 1. In this embodiment, the foldable frame 2 comprises three tubular elements 3 arcuate and inflated forming the arches of the inflatable structure. It is obvious that the number of tubular elements may be different. Similarly, it should be noted that the tubular elements could be constructed in one piece while fulfilling the same function. The tubular elements 3 are terminated respectively by a first and a second ends. The first ends are connected together and form a first hinge point 6 intended to be placed in front of the person. Similarly, the second ends are connected to each other and form a second hinge point 8 to be placed in the back of the person. In this way, the inflatable structure is arranged on the person so as to straddle his shoulder and to unfold around said shoulder during its swelling by the rotation of the tubular elements around the first and second joints. The foldable frame 2 defines a first inflatable closed volume.

Foldable membranes 4 arranged to join the inflatable tubular elements 3 form a closed envelope on the foldable frame 2. This envelope defines a second inflatable closed volume. The inflating means of the first and second inflated closed volumes are not shown in the figure. In particular, the striker and the gas capsule and the non-return valve mounted on one of the membranes 4 are not included in FIG. 2.

The foldable membranes 4 and the foldable frame 2 can be made of high strength polyamide fabric. However, other suitable materials are also conceivable.

Foldable membranes 4 and foldable frame 2 are preferably red or orange color to facilitate the location of the victim of the avalanche.

FIG. 3 represents the first inflating means 30 in the rest position. They include a firing pin 32 on which the gas capsule 34 is mounted integral. The principle of striker 32 is to release the gas contained in the gas capsule 34 under high pressure. Unlike heavy and bulky gas cylinders encountered in commercial anti-avalanche airbags, the gas capsule 34 is of the same type as those used to inflate bicycle tires. Other capsules are possible of similar weight and size. This type of capsule also offers the advantage of being inexpensive, easily available commercially and easy to handle. The striker 32 comprises a perforating punch 36, a frame 38 and a cam lever 40. The perforating punch 36 is slidably mounted in the frame 38 and arranged to pierce the gas capsule 34 by releasing the gas under pressure in the first inflatable volume, not shown in this figure. The gas is released through the valve 42 communicating with the first inflatable volume. The cam lever 40 is rotatably mounted on the frame 38 by an axis 44. It comprises a slot 45 in which a pin 47 integral with the frame 38 circulates to define the stroke of the cam lever 40. The cam lever 40 also comprises a eyelet 46 for receiving for example a cable connected to a handle. The cam lever 40 is arranged so that an action on the cable connected to a handle causes the cam to rotate by pushing the piercing punch 36 into the gas capsule 34. The generally circular geometry of the cam lever minimizes the risks of locking the firing pin 32, which increases the safety when triggering.

FIG. 4 represents the first inflating means 30 in the active position. The cam lever 40 is lowered as indicated by the eyelet 46. The perforating punch 36 is pressed into the gas capsule 34. And, therefore, the gas is released through the valve 42 communicating with the first volume. inflatable.

FIG. 5 represents the integration of two safety and rescue devices according to a non-limiting embodiment. They are integrated in a mounting bracket 10 for backpack which has the shape of a horseshoe. In another variant not shown, the two devices can be arranged respectively on each strap, without being connected by the same mounting bracket. The two devices remain segregated and are folded respectively in the two branches 12 of the horseshoe so as to be able to deploy in accordance with FIG. 1. The control means 18 of the first inflation means are also housed in the branches 12. This is possible due to the small size of the gas capsules and striker. The two cam levers of the control means 18 of the first inflation means are connected by a cable to a trigger handle 16 advantageously intended to be placed at the height of the chest of the user. Thus, the handle is also accessible by the right hand and the left hand of the user. In the event of an avalanche, this position is more favorable to a quick release. In this non-limiting embodiment, the mounting bracket 10 comprises six fastening means 14 for rendering the mounting bracket 10 integral with a backpack. Sub-cut straps (not shown) are provided to secure the devices to the user.

FIG. 6 shows the mounting bracket 10 mounted on a backpack 20. The branches 12 of the support are secured to the shoulder straps by the fixing means 14. These fastening means 14 may be Velcro® type or straps attached. Thus, the mounting bracket 10 makes it possible to adapt these safety and rescue devices to backpacks. This results in greater flexibility of use and lower cost. These advantages are likely to encourage winter sports fans not to run the risk of depriving themselves of this equipment.

Another embodiment not shown incorporates the two avalanche safety and rescue devices to a garment comprising fastening means. The assembly is arranged to allow that the two safety and rescue devices deploy in accordance with FIG. 1.

The device, integrated with a backpack or a garment, is operated by the user when it is carried in an avalanche. In the case of the backpack of FIG. 6, the user then grabs the trigger handle 16 and pulls. Each device disposed on each strap is independently activated. We will describe later the operation of a single device, for the sake of clarity, the other device behaving similarly. Thus, through the cable of the handle connected at its other end to the eyelet 46 of FIG. 4, the cam lever 40 of the firing pin 30 rotates. It causes the perforating punch 36 to penetrate into the gas capsule 34. The gas under pressure is released through the valve 42 communicating with the first inflatable volume constituted by the inflatable tubular members 3 of FIG. 2. The foldable frame 2 rotates about its hinge points 6 and 8 and unfolds around the user's shoulder. By deploying, the foldable frame 2 causes inflating by the external air suction of the second inflatable closed volume which envelops the foldable frame 2. The external air passes through an anti-return valve mounted on one of the foldable membranes 4. This anti-return device traps the air sucked and thus creates a volume greater than the volume of gas initially injected into the foldable frame 2. The device 1 is then deployed around the shoulder of the user such as the shows fig. 1.

In this embodiment, each device 1 has a volume of about 1001. The total volume of 2001 is greater than the 1501 traditionally encountered in the anti-avalanche airbags market, this thanks to the advantageous embodiment of the present invention. The effect of reverse segregation based on the total volume and density of particles in the avalanche is therefore greater. The burial depth of the victim will be less. The first object of the invention is achieved. Moreover, thanks to the position of the two safety and rescue devices 1 surrounding the user's head, the most dangerous traumas to the head and cervical vertebrae are reduced. The second object of the invention is also achieved. Moreover, this positioning is also favorable to keep the head and the airways out of the snow mass.

The first inflatable volume is lower than that of commercial anti-avalanche airbags, so it is faster to inflate. This characteristic associated with the points of articulation of the frame makes it possible to obtain a time of opening of the device faster than the commercial anti-avalanche airbags.

With the frame comprising the arcuate tubular elements and the overall hemispherically deployed form, the device opposes a high resistance to crushing and ensures a good maintenance of its shape.

This feature is further enhanced by connecting the tubular elements by a webbing structure increasing the resistance of the device to deformation and absorbing shocks.

Thanks to the frame, the deployed form is also maintained in case of small tears foldable membranes while a traditional anti-avalanche airbag immediately loses its effectiveness in case of puncture.

In the case of integration with a backpack or a garment, the use of two independent and autonomous devices is an advantage for security. In case of failure of the device on one shoulder, the probability that the device on the other shoulder is also failing is low. This functional segregation increases the availability of the system by giving a degraded operating mode in case of failure.

In addition, the bike gas capsule is robust and simple to use. It does not require valves, manometer or opening system. Associated with the firing pin and its cam lever preventing any blockage during its release, there is therefore no risk of leakage or freezing of the device. The simplicity of the striker and the gas capsule also guarantees greater reliability.

Claims (10)

1. Device (1) for the safety and rescue of a person caught in an avalanche comprising: an inflatable structure comprising: - A foldable frame (2) comprising at least two inflatable tubular elements (3) and communicating with each other, defining a first inflatable closed volume, a plurality of foldable membranes (4) arranged to join the inflatable tubular elements (3) forming a closed envelope on the foldable frame (2), defining a second inflatable closed volume, first inflating means (30) of the first inflatable closed volume, second inflating means of the second inflatable closed volume, - Control means of the first inflation means, characterized in that the inflatable tubular elements (3) are terminated respectively by a first and a second ends, said first ends being connected together so as to form a first point of articulation (6) and said second ends being connected to each other so as to form a second articulation point (8), so that the inflatable structure can be arranged on the person so as to deploy around said person during his swelling by rotation of the inflatable tubular elements (3) around the first and second joints (6, 8). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first hinge point (6) is intended to be placed in front of the person and the second hinge point (8) is intended to be placed in the back of the person, so that the inflatable structure can be arranged on the person so as to straddle his shoulder and to unfold around said shoulder. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first point of articulation (6) and the second point of articulation (8) are intended to be placed in the back of the person, so that the inflatable structure can be arranged on the person so as to deploy in the back of said person. 4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first inflation means comprises a high pressure gas capsule (34) arranged to inflate the first inflatable volume and controlled by said control means of the first inflation means. 5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the second inflation means comprise at least one anti-return valve mounted on one of the foldable membranes (4) allowing the ambient air to enter the second closed inflatable volume and not out and in that the second inflation means are activated by the deployment of the foldable frame (2). 6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control means of the first inflation means comprise a striker (32). 7. Device according to claims 4 and 6, characterized in that the striker (32) comprises a frame (38) on which the gas capsule (34) is integral, a perforating punch (36) mounted on the frame (38). ) and arranged to pierce the gas capsule (34) and release the gas under pressure in the first inflatable volume, a cam lever (40) rotatably mounted on the frame (38) and arranged for an action on the lever generates rotating the cam by pressing the piercing punch (36) into the gas capsule (34). 8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tubular elements (3) have an arcuate shape. 9. Backpack (20) comprising a bag and two shoulder straps, characterized in that it comprises two separate devices for avalanche safety and avalanche rescue according to claims 1 to 8, mounted integral on each strap by fastening means (14). 10. Garment comprising two separate devices for avalanche safety and rescue according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the garment has fastening means on which are mounted the first two and the second two joints.