EP0970725A2

EP0970725A2 - Life-saving device

Info

Publication number: EP0970725A2
Application number: EP99850115A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Stellan Holmer
Original assignee: HARALD ALMGREN AB
Current assignee: HARALD ALMGREN AB
Priority date: 1998-07-08
Filing date: 1999-07-02
Publication date: 2000-01-12
Also published as: SE9802452D0; EP0970725A3; SE510985C2; SE9802452L

Abstract

A life-saving device (1) for enabling gripping ice when a user is to pull himself out of a hole in the ice, which in one end exhibits an engagement part (3) comprising a point-shaped means (4) for engaging with the ice, as well as a handle part (2). The engagement part (3) exhibits a tubular cross-section with a circumferential wall and with a centre axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the device (1). Furthermore, the engagement part (3) exhibits a plurality of point-forming means (4) which are formed in the circumferential wall and distributed along the periphery of the same.

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a life-saving device in accordance with the preamble to claim 1.

Background of the Invention

Life-saving devices intended to be used when a person has fallen into a hole in the ice are available in many designs. The most common variant of a life-saving device for a person in distress is the so-called ice prod. Most ice prods have essentially the same structure, viz. a handle part and an engagement part in the form of a sharp prod. In an emergency situation, the person in distress grasps the handle and drives the engagement part into the ice. With the ice prod forced into the ice, the person in distress is then meant to pull himself out of the hole. However, this is not always easy, especially since the person in distress is unable to survive for very long in the cold water. Existing ice prods invite the person to strike hard at the ice and a great deal of force is required on the part of the user in order to drive the prod sufficiently deeply into the ice, which may be difficult for several reasons. The user is on a low level compared with the ice surface and, moreover, he is floating in the water, which may make it difficult for him to use his feet for support and to strike or stab with sufficient force at the ice. This makes it difficult to achieve a good grip in connection with the alternating stabs at the ice and, consequently, the user may need to stab at the ice repeatedly which is very taxing. However, the rapid cooling down of the body means that the user does not have the strength to struggle for very long in the water and is finally unable to get out by his own efforts. In addition, the user may be in such a state of panic that it makes him weaker.
Another drawback associated with traditional ice prods is that when they are driven into hard ice, chips may come loose from the ice, which results in the formation of a funnel-shaped hole, a crater, which the ice prod may slide out of. A further drawback associated with ice prods is that they should be aligned at an angle so that the point is facing the user in order for the user to be able to pull himself out of the hole in the next step. If the point is facing away from the user, the ice prod may easily become disengaged from the ice. The need for the point to be in the above-mentioned position in combination with the low position of the user in the water and the need for a great deal of downward-driving force makes it complicated to quickly achieve a good grip in the ice.
If the ice is covered with a layer of frozen snow it may sometimes be sufficient to drive the ice prod only into the snow to achieve a good grip. However, the narrow point of conventional ice prods easily passes through the snow, which may force the user to repeatedly attempt to make the ice prod engage with the snow.
Various types of ice prod designs are shown in, for example, the Swedish Published Applications 453,069 and 458,597, as well as in the Norwegian patent specification 42,777.

Description of the Invention

The object of the present invention is to obviate the above-mentioned drawbacks and provide a life-saving device which is less sensitive to the angle at which the device is aligned in relation to the user and which quickly and easily provides good engagement with the ice without requiring great downward-driving force and thus a great deal of effort on the part of the user. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a life-saving device which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture. At least these objects are achieved by means of a live-saving device according to claim 1.
The invention is thus based on the insight that by designing the engagement part in the shape of a tube and by arranging, in the free end of this tube, a plurality of point-forming means around the periphery of the circumferential wall of the tube, a life-saving device is obtained which when being driven into the ice provides several engagements with the ice which coact along the entire circumference or parts of the circumference of the tube. The engagement, which can be likened to friction, is thus distributed across a greater surface. Consequently, the device invites the user to press, rather than hammer, it into the ice. As a result, there is no need to drive the device as deeply into the ice as is the case with conventional ice prods, thus reducing the amount force required on the part of the user in order to achieve satisfactory engagement. Instead of wasting energy on hammering the device into the ice, the user is thus able to save his strength for pulling himself out of the hole. At the actual moment of pulling, i.e. when the user is to pull himself out of the hole, the user is not required to press the device onto the ice with the same amount of force as is necessary in the case of conventional ice prods in order to maintain the engagement. Moreover, the angle at which the device is aligned in relation to the user is not as critical, since by virtue of not being driven deep into the ice, the point-forming means do not cause large craters to be formed in the ice from which the points may slide out. A further advantage of the invention is that the tubular shape of the device means that a relatively small amount of material is used and, consequently, the device is easy to carry and inexpensive to manufacture. Moreover, since the device according to the invention does not have the small, sharp prod of conventional ice prods, the risk of injury is reduced, for example in connection with a fall.
In a preferred embodiment, the handle part has an opening in its upper free end, which communicates with the inner bore of the engagement part which is formed as a result of the tubular shape of the engagement part. Consequently, if there is mushy, loose ice or snow on top of the ice surface, it can easily be discharged from the device through the opening in the handle part.
In a preferred embodiment, one or several holes are arranged in the circumferential wall of the engagement part, through which ice or snow can be discharged from the device in order to avoid compaction in the tube. These holes serve either as a complement to the hole in the free end of the handle part in order to discharge snow or ice or as an alternative to the hole in the free end of the handle part if this should happen to be blocked for some reason, for example if the user is blocking it with his thumb or if the device is made with a closed free end of the handle part.
The number of point-forming means in the circumferential wall may vary from at least 3 to an optional number. However, preferably they are at least 4 in number, more preferably at least 6, even more preferably at least 12, and most preferably at least 16. In practice, the number could vary between preferably 3-30, more preferably 6-25, and most preferably 14-18 which has been found to produce good results in practical trials.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the point-forming means are saw-tooth-shaped having an essentially triangular shape and an acute top angle. The point-forming means can have different saw tooth shapes and in a preferred embodiment the top angle is 20°-65°, more preferably 25°-60°, even more preferably 30°-55°, and most preferably 35°-50°. The point-forming means can be said to have different orientations, i.e. each means defines a main plane which is essentially parallel to the tangent of the circumferential wall at the position of the respective means along the circumferential wall and which preferably extends parallel to the centre axis of the device in the longitudinal direction. Good engagement is thus obtained by virtue also of the large number of point-forming means and their different orientations, ensuring that the means engage with the ice with almost friction-like action.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cross-section of the engagement part is circular cylindrical. However, the engagement part may have a different shape, for example a triangular, star-shaped, or square cross-section.
In a preferred embodiment, the engagement part is closed around its circumference. However, it is possible for it to exhibit one or more tracks in the longitudinal extent of the device. For example, it could be made of an elongate, flexible strip with formed point-forming, possibly saw-tooth-shaped means, which is divided into smaller parts and is subsequently bent and fixed in the desired shape.
In a preferred embodiment, in order to ensure that the life-saving device floats in water, the handle part comprises a material which has a lower density than water. In a preferred embodiment, the engagement part comprises a metal.
A further advantage of the life-saving device according to the invention is that it provides better engagement than traditional ice prods when the ice is covered with a layer of frozen snow, since the device according to the invention works with a larger surface compared with the narrow point of the ice prods. Moreover, the snow which ends up in the inner bore of the engagement part can be discharged.
US 4,064,665 shows a device intended to be anchored in ice in connection with mountain climbing on glaciers or frozen waterfalls. The device is an "ice hammer" with a shaft and a holder part in one end of the shaft arranged at right angles to the shaft. The part which is to be anchored in the ice is a tubular part which is attached to one end of the holder part. On its circumferential surface, the tubular part has an opening with teeth arranged along the edges of the opening. In one embodiment, the shaft is eliminated and the user holds the device in the holder part. However, this device is especially designed to be usable in connection with anchoring in a perpendicular ice wall. In order for a user to be able to take advantage of the additional anchoring action of the teeth he must drive the device so deep into the ice that a considerable amount of force is required, which would be difficult for a person who is lying in a hole in the ice and who is rapidly cooling down. Moreover, the device does not seem to be buoyant and seems to be too heavy and cumbersome to be used in an emergency situation in a hole in the ice. Furthermore, on the basis of this patent specification it is not obvious for the skilled person to arrange point-forming means along the circumference of the engagement part instead of in an opening in the circumferential wall.

Brief Description of the Drawing

In the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the life-saving device according to the invention.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment

Fig. 1 shows a life-saving device generally designated 1. The life-saving device 1 exhibits a handle part 2 and an engagement part 3 in the form of a tube with a circular cross-section. Along the periphery of its circumferential wall, the engagement part 3 exhibits point-forming means 4 which are formed directly in the tube material and exhibit a saw-tooth shape with an essentially triangular shape and an acute top angle. The tube is throughgoing and the handle part is pulled over the tube like a sleeve. In an emergency situation, the user grabs hold of the handle part 1 and subsequently presses the life-saving device onto the ice, the point-forming means 4 engaging with the ice. Subsequently, by holding a device according to the invention in each hand, the user can alternatingly hammer them into the ice and pull himself out of the hole.

Claims

A life-saving device (1) for enabling gripping ice when a user is to pull himself out of a hole in the ice, which in one end exhibits an engagement part (3) comprising a point-shaped means (4) for engaging with the ice, as well as a handle part (2), characterised in that the engagement part (3) exhibits a tubular cross-section with a circumferential wall and with a centre axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the device (1), and that a plurality of point-forming means (4) are formed in the circumferential wall and distributed along the periphery of the same.
A life-saving device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the circumferential wall comprises 3-30 point-forming means (4), more preferably 6-25 point-forming means (4), and most preferably 14-18 point-forming means (4).
A life-saving device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the circumferential wall comprises at least 3 point-forming means (4), preferably at least 4 point-forming means (4), more preferably at least 6 point-forming means (4), even more preferably at least 12 point-forming means (4), and most preferably at least 16 point-forming means (4).
A life-saving device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the point-forming means (4) exhibit an acute top angle.
A life-saving device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cross-section of the engagement part (3) is circular cylindrical.
A life-saving device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the circumferential wall of the engagement part (3) comprises at least one hole.
A life-saving device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the point-forming means (4) are saw-tooth-shaped with an essentially triangular shape.
A life-saving device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the engagement part (3) comprises a metal, and that the handle part (2) comprises a material having a lower density than water.