EP3370834B1 - Avalanche protection device - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to the technical field of avalanche protection equipment. Specifically, the present invention relates to an avalanche protection device comprising an avalanche backpack having an inflatable buoyancy airbag and an improved breathing system for buoyancy, protection and air supply of avalanche victims.

State of the art

The chance to save an avalanche victim alive is about 90% in the first quarter of an hour after the spill. However, mortality increases so significantly in the critical phase of the following 20 minutes, so that after 35 minutes, only those 35% of those buried who have free airways survive. It is particularly noteworthy that those avalanche victims who have a cave in front of the mouth have significantly increased chances of survival. If there is no airway in front of the mouth, the terrible death is threatened by suffocation or asphyxia. The reason for this is usually closed or blocked airways and the lack of oxygen. In asphyxiation, there is also the fundamental problem that re-breathing the CO ₂ -enriched breathing air rapidly increases the CO ₂ content in the blood, causing the respiration and thus the circulation to creep to a halt. If there is no immediate companionship rescue and an organized rescue arrives at the scene of the accident, an average of about 20 to 45 minutes will pass, which can be too late for many avalanche victims.

Since the pioneering days of avalanche airbags in the 1980's, backpacks exist, such as in the patent AT 24407 T disclosed with inflatable lift airbags, which avalanche victims, thanks to the additional volume, in an avalanche lift up.

In the past five years, various new approaches for avalanche airbag systems have come onto the market, such as in the typefaces CH 701 630 A2 . EP 2 485 810 A2 . US 2013/146175 A1 and US Pat. No. 6,270,386 B1 disclosed. These promise their users, in the event of avalanche, thanks to their additional buoyancy volume, to be able to prevent complete burial, with the head after the avalanche is to be located above the snowpack.

The winter sports industry and the inventor scene existing around this industry therefore places the main focus on preventing the burial of avalanche victims' headspace rather than holistically considering the problem: Recent studies on the effectiveness of avalanche airbags clearly show that the effect of avalanche airbags on mortality is significant have less influence than previously thought and survival is not guaranteed only by additional buoyancy.

The conclusion of an international study on the effectiveness of the avalanche airbag from 2014 makes it clear that the inflated avalanche airbags only prevent about half of all avalanche airbag fatalities (from 22% to 11%). The study identifies relevant factors that determine avalanche survival chances and these are versatile; Avalanche size, location of the victim in avalanche release, property of avalanche leakage and the associated critical burial depth, risk of injury, risk compensation, destruction of the airbags, malfunction of the airbags, increased violence in avalanche rescue, training and familiarity with avalanche safety equipment are included. In particular, the danger of a trough-shaped avalanche runoff (so-called terrain traps), the avalanche size and the potential danger of after avalanches at all times form the parameters for the risk of a complete burial of the avalanche victims despite buoyancy airbags. It should also be noted that the majority of the avalanche airbag systems on the market in the released state affect the field of view of their users in a dangerous way: especially for those snowboarders who "backside" with their back to the slope reverberate sideways and thereby one Trigger slab. The airbags that inflate over the head of the user make it impossible to have a clear view back to the slab. Thus, the intuitive escape of the snowboarder (at least "backside") before the avalanche is impossible.

Compared to the current avalanche buoyancy systems are the avalanche breathing systems. The only solutions on the market that solve the problem of breathing under the snow cover are, on the one hand, revealed in the scriptures EP 1 790 386 A2 such as EP 2 620 181 A1 , Both approaches prevent the CO ₂ increase in the blood of the avalanche victim. With these systems, ambient air is drawn from the snowpack and the exhaled air is blown off with a one-way valve at a location other than the intake of ambient air.

However, the major practical weakness of both these systems is that the person in an avalanche situation must be able to put the proboscis-like mouthpiece in his mouth and keep it in his mouth throughout the spill. However, an avalanche victim gets into a life-threatening situation when an avalanche is triggered, and suddenly the person is in a state of shock. It is known that norepinephrine is released, which can affect the cognitive abilities of this person, whereby situation-appropriate action becomes difficult. Avalanche victims report that everything is intuitively tried to keep their mouths open. There are also reports of avalanche victims saying that they deliberately took the mouthpiece out of the mouth during the avalanche. Also in view of the force of nature, which acts on the buried victims during the avalanche departure and thus can tear away the trunk, therefore, the practicality of these systems seems rather doubtful.

Basically, it can be stated that the avalanche breathing systems do not increase the chance of survival of an avalanche victim to the same extent as the buoyancy systems. The buoyancy systems lead to a highly significant reduction in mortality, as the Burial depth with buoyancy airbags in most cases is so low that the buoyancy airbags of the avalanche backpacks are visible on the surface of the avalanche cone, which also significantly facilitates the rescue of comrades. But depending on the shape of the terrain and the size of an avalanche and the potential danger of subsequent avalanches, there is still the risk that an avalanche victim can be buried with a buoyancy system.

In newer buoyancy systems such as in EP 2 604 318 A2 discloses, fills and deflates a buoyancy airbag over a strong battery-powered nozzle fan with ambient air. The process of filling the airbag balloon can be repeated several times. This prior art has created a basis for sucking ambient air from the snowpack and then conveniently forwarding it. Unfortunately, in this solution, too, the focus is again placed only on preventing the spill and it is overlooked the problem of an all-time possible complete burial, which is why the problem of breathing in the event of an all-possible complete burial is not resolved.

A practice-relevant disadvantage, which all previously disclosed avalanche backpack systems, must be brought into the light at this point. Namely, if a person is buried in an avalanche and a second person must provide comrade help, the rescuer is in danger of a subsequent avalanche. However, this rescuer has to pull off the avalanche backpack and thus the buoyant and possibly breathable protection system when it most needed, just to get to the probe and the bucket.

Presentation of the invention

The present invention has for its object to overcome these and other disadvantages of the existing prior art solutions. Specifically, it is an object of the present invention to maximize the likelihood of an avalanche victim survival, thus allowing avalanche rescue more time to salvage avalanche victims alive.

This object is achieved by the features formulated in the independent claims. The particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims as well as in the description or in the drawings.

The advantage of the present invention over the existing state of the art is manifold: On the one hand, the problem of asphyxiation is taken into account in the present invention, because despite the use of one or more buoyancy airbags to a not inconsiderable probability complete burial can still take place. A respiratory system serves as a remedy whose mouthpiece can be automatically tightened to the mouth of the avalanche victim with the help of a face airbag. A rapid and vigorous pull on the trigger handle initiates the replenishment of the face airbag and buoyancy airbag (s). The filling of the face airbag can position the mouthpiece in front of the mouth of the avalanche victim, optional can also serve a prestressed spring, which jump up. When the mouthpiece is positioned, full inflation of the face airbag will cause the mouthpiece to be tightened to the avalanche victim's mouth and under no circumstances be able to escape from the mouth during avalanche departure and avalanche burial as it is tightly positioned in front of the mouth.

The buoyancy volume generated by the at least one buoyancy airbag contained in the avalanche protection bag makes it possible to stay above the snow cover during the avalanche departure or at least be carried along in the upper part of the snow mass. If, however, the avalanche victim is nevertheless completely buried (ie head and thus respiratory tracts are under the snow cover), for example because of a trough-shaped escape area of the avalanche or, for example, because of a subsequent avalanche, the present invention offers thanks to the automatically tightenable additionally provided to the at least one buoyancy airbag Mouthpiece gives his user the opportunity to breathe under the snow cover of an avalanche. In this case, ambient air can be sucked from the snowpack, and absorbed by the respiration CO _{2 are} absorbed. This purpose is a mouthpiece, which is connected to the breathing apparatus. in the Respiratory cases distinguish two valves between the air that is inhaled and the air that is exhaled. The inhalation one-way valve draws the ambient air through the inhalation tube and uses an intake manifold at the ambient air intake zone for ambient air contained in the snow. The exhalation one-way valve leaves the O ₂ low and CO ₂ -rich exhaled air in a safe place.

The so-called face airbag offers various advantages to survive: Its pattern is arranged so that its filling (either with compressed air or with the ambient air intake fan possible) on the one hand tightens the mouthpiece on the head and especially on the mouth of the avalanche victim and holds in position while also protecting the airways In addition, snow also provides trauma protection in the head and neck area of the avalanche victim. The facial airbag can be used with its numerous advantages in avalanche protection backpack according to the invention. In this case, the facial airbag may be separate from or from the buoyancy airbags or may be connected to the buoyancy airbag (s) as a chamber. Thus, for example, a single airbag thanks to its convenient cutting pattern the functions of buoyancy, tightening the mouthpiece on the mouth of the avalanche victim, protection of the respiratory tract and trauma protection purposes. But it is also conceivable that the face airbag and the buoyancy airbags are formed separately from each other.

Furthermore, a small ejectable additional backpack is provided on the avalanche protection backpack: the so-called drop-down "belt-reduced backpack" allows the rescue of comrades in the avalanche trap the small safety backpack to come at least to the avalanche probe and the avalanche shovel, without sacrificing the protective effect of breathable and auftriebsfähigen avalanche protection backpack system to have to deduct, since especially in the rescue of comrades the risk of avalanches is very high.

Furthermore, with the present invention, the possibility exists the avalanche protection device with the avalanche protection backpack and his to use the entire interior volume, or parts of it, as a gigantic intake manifold for the respiratory system to cope with breathing in this life threatening situation of an avalanche outlet.

According to a further embodiment, the use of a so-called ambient air intake fan is provided. It is a battery-powered blower, which can suck in ambient air from the snowpack and expediently blow out into the at least one buoyancy airbag and the face airbag. In this case, the internal volume of the ambient air intake fan can serve as an intake for the respiratory system, wherein the inhalation hose can be connected directly to the ambient air intake fan housing or its air flow trunk. The advantage here is that the ambient air in the buoyancy airbag can also be used for breathing.

Accordingly, the present invention offers a variety of advantages over existing approaches to both respiratory systems and buoyancy systems; Since the mouthpiece is automatically tightened to the mouth of the avalanche victim so as to ensure the physical connection of the life-saving apparatus to the airway of the avalanche victim, on the one hand the entry of snow into the airways and, on the other hand, the loss of the mouthpiece in the avalanche are impossible.

The present invention, in each of its described embodiments, offers a higher probability of survival than all previous avalanche and avalanche respiratory systems, and thus may be considered by many alpinists, variant riders, freeriders and tourers to be an essential survival enhancement of their equipment. The present invention thus provides a desirable new state of the art.

Brief description of the figures

• Fig. 1A zeigt schematisch ein Lawinenopfer mit Grundkomponenten des Atemsystems der erfindungsgemässen Lawinenschutzvorrichtung in einer Halbseitenansicht von hinten;
• Fig. 1B zeigt schematisch das Lawinenopfer mit Grundkomponenten des Atemsystems der erfindungsgemässen Lawinenschutzeinrichtung in einer Halbseitenansicht von vorne;
• Fig. 1C zeigt schematisch den Anziehmechanismus des Atemsystems der erfindungsgemässen Lawinenschutzeinrichtung mit dem Gesichtsairbag in einer Halbseitenansicht von vorne;
• Fig. 2A zeigt schematisch den trageriemenreduzierten Rucksack der erfindungsgemässen Lawinenschutzeinrichtung in einer Frontansicht;
• Fig. 2B zeigt schematisch den trageriemenreduzierten Rucksack der erfindungsgemässen Lawinenschutzruckeinrichtung in einer Rückansicht;
• Fig. 3A zeigt schematisch eine weitere Ausführungsform des trageriemenreduzierten Rucksacks der erfindungsgemässen Lawinenschutzeinrichtung in einer Seitenansicht;
• Fig. 3B zeigt schematisch eine weitere Ausführungsform des trageriemenreduzierten Rucksacks der erfindungsgemässen Lawinenschutzeinrichtung in einer Seitenansicht; und
• Fig. 4A bis 4I zeigen schematisch verschiedene Detailzeichnungen eines Umgebungsluftansauggebläses der erfindungsgemässen Lawinenschutzeinrichtung.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of examples. The examples of the embodiments are illustrated by the following attached figures:

• Fig. 1A shows schematically an avalanche victim with basic components of the respiratory system of the avalanche protection device according to the invention in a half-side view from behind;
• Fig. 1B shows schematically the avalanche victim with basic components of the respiratory system of the avalanche protection device according to the invention in a half-side view from the front;
• Fig. 1C shows schematically the tightening mechanism of the respiratory system of the avalanche protection device according to the invention with the face airbag in a half-side view from the front;
• Fig. 2A shows schematically the belt-reduced backpack of the avalanche protection device according to the invention in a front view;
• Fig. 2B schematically shows the belt-reduced backpack of the avalanche protection pressure device according to the invention in a rear view;
• Fig. 3A schematically shows a further embodiment of the belt-reduced backpack of the avalanche protection device according to the invention in a side view;
• Fig. 3B schematically shows a further embodiment of the belt-reduced backpack of the avalanche protection device according to the invention in a side view; and
• Fig. 4A to 4I schematically show various detailed drawings of an ambient air intake of the avalanche protection device according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

Fig. 1A shows a possible embodiment of the basic elements of the respiratory system 70 of the avalanche protection device according to the invention. The avalanche protection device according to the invention comprises, in addition to this respiratory system, thanks to which breathing is also possible after an undesirable spillage, also an avalanche protective backpack with at least one inflatable buoyancy airbag. However, the breathing system can also be advantageously accommodated in the avalanche protection backpack and, if necessary, taken out of it.

The avalanche victim 24 may inhale via the mouthpiece 12 and the associated breathing housing 11, by means of the inhalation one-way valve 13, via a breathing tube 31 and by means of at least one intake manifold 28 from the ambient air intake zone 30, the ambient air contained in the snow cover between the snow crystals, and then again via the mouthpiece 12 and the breathing housing 11, by means of the exhalation one-way valve 14 (s. Fig. 1B ) and the exhalation tube 15 connected to the CO ₂ exhalation region 16. Thus, fresh ambient air can always be sucked in via the mouthpiece 12 and the breathing housing 11 and the O ₂ -arm and CO ₂ -enriched exhaled air in turn via the mouthpiece 12 and the breathing housing 11 by means of the exhalation one-way valve 14 to the CO ₂ exhalation region 16 in the Snow cover blown off. In this case, the CO ₂ exhalation region 16 is ideally located as far away as possible from the ambient air intake zone 30 (as in FIG Fig. 1A ).

Another embodiment of the invention provides, in addition to the mouthpiece 12 also a silicone lip (not shown) to provide, which also covers the nose of the avalanche victim 24 and thus can be tightened using the face airbag 36 automatically to the mouth and nose. This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments of this invention.

Fig. 1B again shows possible embodiments of the basic elements of the breathing system 70 of the inventive Avalanche Protection backpack. The avalanche victim 24 has the mouthpiece 12 in his mouth and breathes, as in Fig. 1A described, the ambient air through the breathing housing 11 and blast the exhaled air by means of the exhalation one-way valve 14 and the exhalation tube 15 connected to the CO ₂ exhalation region 16 from.

One possible embodiment provides that the avalanche protection backpack 1 with its entire internal volume, or parts of its internal volume can serve as a gigantic intake manifold 28, for which at least at an appropriate point of the avalanche protection backpack 1 a permeable layer would have to be built in order to protect the avalanche protection backpack 1 lying snow mass to use as ambient air intake 30. Furthermore, there is the possibility of the so-called ambient air intake fan 26 (will be explained later) form as intake 28, which can actively support the breathing and the housing 27 can serve as a gigantic intake manifold 28 the breathing system 70.

In Fig. 1C an important integral part of the respiratory system 70 is seen: the facial airbag 36 allows the mouthpiece 12 of the respiratory system 70 to be automatically tightened to the mouth of the avalanche victim 24: when the trigger handle 58 is actuated, optionally a biased spring 37 (not shown) may relax , which is latched to a spring detent portion 59 (not shown) prior to actuation, pops up by this operation, thereby bringing the mouthpiece 12 into position in front of the mouth of the avalanche victim 24. Then, the face airbag 36, which unfolds from the upper part of the avalanche backpack 1 and its carrying strap, completely inflate and thereby position the mouthpiece 12 the avalanche victim 24 automatically at the mouth and tighten. The pattern of the facial airbag 36 is advantageously made so that unfolds by its complete filling such a strong pressure on the face airbag 36 around the head and in the neck area this is shaped so that he pulls on the one hand around the head but also from the top Head area down to the mouthpiece 12 attracts. The pattern of the face airbag 36 is advantageously made so that there is no It plays a role whether the avalanche victim 24 wears a helmet or not. According to another embodiment, it is possible for the facial airbag (36) to have one, two or more chambers. In either case, the mouthpiece 12 is automatically tightened to the avalanche victim 24 at the mouth by the inflation of the face airbag 36. This provides the avalanche victim 24 in the head and neck area a vital survival protection. By the actuation of the trigger handle 58 unfolds not only the face airbag 36, but also the buoyancy airbag 96, which serves the avalanche victim 24 as a buoyancy body in the avalanche. This may be formed on the one hand as the same chamber as the face airbag 36 or may also be formed as a separate chamber. One possible Ausfürungsform provides that the buoyancy airbag 96 by at least one biased spring (not shown) jumps out of the avalanche protection backpack 1, thereby facilitating the filling and accelerated. This embodiment is possible in use with compressed air and in particular also advantageous in use with the ambient air intake fan 26 can be formed.

There are differences in the present invention, to those in the patents EP 1 790 386 A2 . EP 2 620 181 A1 . US Pat. No. 5,490,501 such as EP 0 998 959 A1 revealed solutions, clearly:
On the one hand, in the present invention in the breathing housing 11 with its inhalation one-way valve 13 and the exhalation one-way valve 14 closer to the mouth of the avalanche victim 24 made the distinction between inhaled and exhaled air, which offers the clear advantage that less enriched to hardly self-enriched CO ₂ is inhaled again, which is not the case with the mentioned approaches. Furthermore, the approaches are different in that in the present invention, the mouthpiece 12 is automatically guided to the mouth of the avalanche victim 24 and tightened and the avalanche victim 24 does not have to manually take it in the mouth and must hold with the mouth during avalanche burial since the facial airbag 36 of the present invention automatically tightens and holds the mouthpiece 12 in place, thus ensuring not only the physical connection with the respiratory tract and the life-sustaining apparatus and thus allowing breathing under the snow cover, and additionally Protects the airway from the ingress of snow and, thanks to the facial airbag 36, also provides vital trauma protection in the head and neck area. Furthermore, the approaches differ in that in the present invention is possible with a pulling movement of the trigger handle 58 on the one hand, the filling of the buoyancy airbag 96 can be initiated, and the breathing system 70 can be tightened with his mouthpiece 12 automatically at the mouth of the avalanche victim 24. This has a very important practical advantage since avalanche victims have very limited cognitive abilities in the shock situation. For this there are often statements of avalanche victims, which report they have manually put the mouthpiece in the mouth but have pulled it out again, and how do not know why they took it out. This limited cognitive ability is attributed to an increased proportion of (nor) adrenaline, whereby the so-called prefrontal cortex is eliminated in the brain of the avalanche victim and situation-appropriate and rational action becomes almost impossible in the life-threatening situation of avalanche departure. The present invention takes into account the limited capabilities of avalanche victims 24, since buoyancy and the ability to breathe are allowed by pulling motion on the trigger handle 58, and therefore, desirably enhances the prior art.

One possible embodiment of the breathing system 70 provides for the interior volume of the avalanche protection backpack 1 or parts of the interior volume to be used as a gigantic intake manifold 28 (not shown). This offers the avalanche victim 24 the opportunity to provide sufficient breathing air, especially during the avalanche burial, since the avalanche victim 24 may be in a state of shock and has (Nor) adrenaline and panic over a greatly increased respiratory volume. This problem is not solved satisfactorily in the aforementioned approaches in theoretical and practical terms.

It is conceivable to combine the breathing system 70 according to the invention with its face airbag 36 and the shoulder strap-reduced backpack 21 (explained below) with conventional buoyancy systems. Furthermore, it is also conceivable that the facial airbag 36 is also used to position and tighten a conventional respiratory system at the mouth of the avalanche victim. Furthermore, an embodiment is possible wherein the facial airbag 36 with the inventive breathing system 70 also in the form of an avalanche protective clothing such as a vest or jacket to make the facial airbag 36 may be incorporated into the collar construction and may be formed so that it by his Filling the mouthpiece 12 at the mouth of the avalanche victim 24 can position and tighten which in turn the airways of the avalanche victim 24 are protected and wherein the facial airbag 36 trauma protection in the head and neck area offers. All of the elements and subelements mentioned in the present invention may also be formed in the form of an avalanche protective clothing and may also be operated via conventional compressed air and / or in use with the ambient air intake fan 26.

In FIGS. 2A and 2B the advantage of the strap-reduced backpack 21 is clear: On the one hand, this allows in the avalanche drop the belt-reduced backpack 21 avalanche backpack 1 and thereby allows the emergence of at least avalanche probe and avalanche without losing the ability to lift the system in case of danger to be able to trigger and tighten the respiratory system at the mouth. The strap-reduced backpack 21 is therefore designed as a unit which can be fastened and dropped by the avalanche protection backpack 1 without having to deduct the avalanche protection backpack 1 and its protective effect. All previously known avalanche lift systems and avalanche breathing systems have not yet offered this option. The practical relevance is eminent; If, for example, a tour partner in an open area is in an avalanche and there is a risk of a subsequent avalanche, you can still afford the comrade-aid backpack 21 Kameradenhilfe, while the probe and shovel come out of the backpack-reduced backpack 21, without the buoyant and breathable protection system to have to deduct (as is not the case with all previous solutions). The well-known avalanche breathing systems have hitherto been worn over the backpack and the jacket, or are partly as a solution integrated in a backpack available, in all previous solutions had to be deducted in comrades rescue. Therefore, the inventive neck strap reduced backpack 21 for carrying the avalanche probe and avalanche shovel better than previously solved. Furthermore, the advantage of the strap-reduced backpack 21 is clear and also why this has reduced shoulder strap; The strap-reduced backpack 21 can be dropped without having to deduct the avalanche backpack 1 itself. Thus, the strap-reduced backpack 21 is removable, without having to pull the arms through the straps of the avalanche backpack 1 and thus the protective effect of the buoyant and breathable avalanche backpack 1 on the body of the person who has to provide comrades rescue remains.

The shoulder strap reduced backpack 21 may be attachable by means of two upper backpack fasteners 22, two lower backpack fasteners 23, or by only one attachment (not shown) surrounding the abdominal area which is closable in the navel area. For example, buckles or other convenient attachment options can be attached to the avalanche protection backpack 1.

In Fig. 3A schematically is another possible embodiment of the strap-reduced backpack 21 to see which has no belts at all. It may be designed as a detachable backpack unit for the carrying and dropping of at least avalanche probe and avalanche shovel and can be fastened by means of remotely releasable (pull) latch, pawls, quick release buckles, quick release pins, quick release bracket or quick release hooks on avalanche protection backpack. It is clear to a person skilled in the art that any suitable fastening and (remote) release option can be used here to drop the throw-off element shoulder strap-reduced backpack 21 even without a shoulder strap. For example, it may be affected by the pulling motion of a remote release handle (95) as in FIG FIGS. 3A and 3B can be discarded, which can be located at any convenient position on avalanche protection backpack. Furthermore, this embodiment is also possible in the embodiment of an avalanche protective clothing be formed.

FIGS. 4A to 4G show a possible embodiment of the ambient air intake scrub, which can be used for filling the buoyancy airbag 96 and the face airbag 36 and also as a respiratory actively assisting intake manifold 28 for breathing system 70.

A major advantage of the ambient air induction fan 26 embodiment is that the air in the buoyancy airbag 96 can also be used for breathing and breathing can be actively assisted by the ambient air induction fan 26.

Thanks to its shape, the air flow trunk 33 ensures optimum distribution of the ambient air volume flow generated by the propeller 29 in the ambient air intake fan housing 27. One possible embodiment provides for the use of one, two, or more propellers (not shown), which can suck in and blow out the ambient air either axially or radially. As soon as the propeller 29, optionally also a second propeller 57, blows the ambient air into the air flow nozzle 33, the majority of the ambient air volume flow, due to the shape of the respective channels of the air flow nozzle 33, depending on the embodiment, first via the central air flow channel 55 to the face airbag 36th As soon as it is completely inflated and offers the avalanche victim 24 buoyancy, the majority of the volume flow in the air flow trunk 33 automatically finds its way through the central air flow channel 55, which over has a smaller output than the other channels. As a result, a strong ambient air volume flow escapes via this central air flow channel 55, which on the one hand is used to keep the face airbag 36 fully inflated and to flow into the breathing housing 11 via the inhalation hose 31. In the embodiment with the ambient air intake fan 26 as active support for the respiratory system 70, the inhalation hose 31 may be directly connected at any point either to the ambient air intake fan housing 27 or to the air flow trunk 33. This allows the ambient air intake fan 26 to directly assist in breathing Inner volume serves as a large intake manifold 28, over which even with exhausted battery 51 (not shown) can still be breathed. At least one (sensor-controlled) one-way valve (not shown) can be formed at any point in the ambient air intake fan 26 in such a way that the blown-out air of the buoyancy airbag 96 and the face airbag 36 can not flow back into the ambient air intake fan 26, so that the ambient air is at least in the buoyancy airbag In addition, either two connections (not shown) or a connection (not shown) may be connected to either the central air flow channel 55, which opens or bisects at a particular location (not shown) on the one hand to inflate the facial airbag 36 and to let the excess ambient air flow into the breathing housing 11.

If more air flows into the breathing housing 11 via the inhalation hose 31 than is sucked in via the mouthpiece 12, it flows via the exhalation one-way valve 14 and thus via the exhalation hose 15 to the CO ₂ exhalation area 16 or optionally also back to the ambient air intake fan 26 ,

Immediately after the actuation of the trigger handle 58, 11 much ambient air can be sucked through the mouthpiece 12, which is very useful and necessary especially during the avalanche, as the avalanche victim 24 in a state of shock with much panic and adrenaline a greatly increased air volume for breathing needed. At this point it should be noted that, for example, in the Scriptures EP 1 790 386 A2 Unfortunately, the disclosed solution for breathing with a greatly increased volume of air, for example, during the avalanche, unfortunately provides an insufficient volume of air.

Furthermore, in FIGS. 4A to 4G it can be seen that at least one motor 54 can be located in the housing of the ambient air intake fan 27, wherein, for example, a powerful electric motor can be used, which rotates at least one propeller 29 but also an optional second propeller 57 either radially or axially, which in turn blow ambient air via the intake manifold 28 from the ambient air intake zone 30 through the ambient air intake fan housing 27 into an airflow trunk 33. The arrows in the respective figures show the air flow direction; It should also be noted that thanks to the ambient air intake fan 26, unlike, for example, in EP 2 604 318 A2 Ambient air can be flowed in one direction at a time and these approaches also differ in that, with the help of the inhalation hose 31, which can be connected directly to the ambient air intake fan 26 or its airflow trunk 33, on the one hand the buoyancy and on the other hand the respiration can actively support.

Furthermore, the approaches differ in that in the present invention, the airflow trunk 33 causes the ambient air to flow into three different channels (or optionally one, two, three, four, five, six or more, not shown); such that the left air flow channel 48, the right air flow channel 49 and the central air flow channel 55 make the further allocation of the sucked ambient air. Here, in a possible embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5A, via the air flow nozzle 33 from the left air flow channel 48 and the right air flow channel 49, the ambient air flows into the buoyancy airbag 96 and the central air flow channel 55, as explained above, in the face airbag 36 and thanks direct connection of the inhalation hose 31 on ambient air intake fan 26 in the breathing housing 11, and thus sucked from the mouthpiece 12.

The respective connections of the air flow channels with the respective airbags thereby provide hose-like appropriate connections (not shown). In this case, an embodiment is conceivable in which electronically controlled valves (previously called one-way valves, not shown) provide the pressure (ambient air in the buoyancy airbag) to the avalanche victim 24 after a certain time, for example after 3 minutes. It is clear to a person skilled in the art that at each convenient point, one-way valves (not shown), sensors (not shown) and various valves (not shown) on various appropriate locations of the present invention, for example on the air flow trunk 33 or on the buoyancy airbag may be mounted for the optimal allocation of the air flow generated by the ambient air intake fan 26, so that initially the buoyancy airbag 96 and the face airbag 36 optimally deploy and generate lift, and then after ( still possible complete) burial of the avalanche victim 24, the remaining capacity of the battery 51 can be used to allow the maximum volume of ambient air into the breathing housing 11, and thus suckable from the mouthpiece 12, to flow.

A further embodiment further allows sensor-controlled flaps (not shown) to direct the allocation of the ambient air after complete filling of all buoyancy airbags with ambient air, for example via the central air flow channel 55 into the inhalation hose 31 and the breathing housing 11, and thus sucked in by the mouthpiece 12 becomes.

The support housing 47 protects the ambient air intake fan 26 from impact and pressure. Next, the carrying case 47 serves that the buoyancy airbag 96 can develop optimally, and has the necessary space for it. The airflow trunk 33 may also be connected to the ambient air induction blower housing 27 such that a hinge (not shown) allows for mobility of the ambient air induction blower housing 27 and thus improved ergonomics. It can also be a convenient padding (not shown), which between the in FIGS. 4A to 4I illustrated elements of the ambient air intake fan 26 and the avalanche protection backpack 1 can be incorporated to provide the avalanche victim 24 sufficient protection against shocks and bruises in the back and spine area.

Furthermore, in 4H and 4I another possible embodiment of the ambient air Ansauggebläses 26 is shown, wherein the crankshaft of the motor 54 at the same time rotates two propellers; the propeller 29 and the propeller 57. In this embodiment, two intake ports 28 and two ambient air intake zones 30 are provided.

Claims (11)

1. An avalanche protection device, comprising :

   - an avalanche protection backpack (1) having at least one inflatable uplift air bag (96), and

   - a breathing system (70) having a breathing housing (11), which

   - connects an inhalation one-way valve (13) to an inhalation hose (31) and at least one intake manifold (28) and at least one ambient air intake zone (30), and

   - connects an exhalation one-way valve (14) to an exhalation hose (15) and a CO₂ exhalation zone (16),
   characterized in that
   a mouthpiece (12) is provided at the breathing housing (11), wherein the mouthpiece (12) can be automatically tightened at the mouth of the avalanche victim (24) by actuating a trigger handle (58) by means of a face air bag (36).
2. The avalanche protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one uplift air bag (96) and the at least one face air bag (36) are inflatable by actuating the trigger handle (58), whereby the mouthpiece (12) can be positioned and tightened at the mouth of the avalanche victim (24).
3. The avalanche protection device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the face air bag (36) and the at least one uplift air bag (96) are manufactured such as to be formed together as one inflatable chamber or to be formed as at least two chambers separated from one another.
4. The avalanche protection device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner volume of the avalanche protection backpack (1) or parts of the inner volume of the avalanche protection backpack (1) are formed such that the backpack/the parts are formed as the intake manifold (28) for the breathing system.
5. The avalanche protection device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the face air bag (36) is formed such that snow can be prevented from entering the respiratory tracts of the avalanche victim (24), and is formed as a trauma protection in the head and neck areas of the avalanche victim (24).
6. The avalanche protection device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in addition, a shoulder strap-reduced backpack (21) is provided at least for carrying an avalanche shovel and avalanche probe, wherein the shoulder strap-reduced backpack (21) can be attached to the avalanche protection backpack (1) such that the avalanche shovel and avalanche probe are droppable without losing the protection of the avalanche protection backpack (1).
7. The avalanche protection device according to claim 6, characterized in that the shoulder strap-reduced backpack (21) is formed such that it can be pulled off the avalanche protection backpack (1) without the arms being required to be drawn through the straps (22, 23) of the shoulder strap-reduced backpack (21), and/or that the shoulder strap-reduced backpack (21) is formed such that it is droppable via a remote actuation handle (95).
8. The avalanche protection device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one uplift airbag (96) is formed so that it can be set free from the avalanche protection backpack (1) by means of at least one biased spring.
9. The avalanche protection device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mouthpiece (12) is arranged in a breathing mask encompassing the mouth and nose and/or is formed to have one or more breathing openings.
10. The avalanche protection device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a container including conventional compressed air and/or an ambient air suction blower (26) are provided for filling the face air bag (36) and the at least one uplift air bag (96), wherein the ambient air suction blower (26) is connected at least to the inhalation hose (31) or is formed as the intake manifold (28) for the breathing system (70).
11. A method for using the avalanche protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the mouthpiece (12) can be tightened at the mouth of the avalanche victim (24) by actuating the trigger handle (58) and/or the ambient air suction blower (26) and/or the container including conventional compressed air are activatable and/or the at least one uplift airbag (96) and/or the face air bag (36) are inflatable.

Images