Deployment unit for an avalanche rescue system, use of an actuating handle, and deployment device

Abstract

A deployment unit for an avalanche rescue system with an actuating handle has a coupling piece and a a coupling element that can be connected to a function unit of the avalanche rescue system. The coupling piece and the coupling element are displaceable in a coupling channel in a handle holder of the deployment unit and are held in coupling connection by the coupling channel. The coupling connection is releasable when the coupling piece, the coupling element or both exit(s) from the coupling channel.

Claims

1. A deployment unit for an avalanche rescue system configured with function unit, the deployment unit comprising: an actuating handle comprising a coupling piece; a coupling element that can be connected to the function unit of the avalanche rescue system; and a handle holder; wherein the coupling piece and the coupling element are displaceable in a coupling channel in the handle holder and are held in a coupling connection by the coupling channel; and wherein the coupling connection is releasable when the coupling piece, the coupling element or both exit from the coupling channel.

2. The deployment unit according to claim 1, wherein the coupling connection is form-fitting, force-locking or both.

3. The deployment unit according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element, the coupling piece or both are arranged in a rotationally fixed manner in the coupling channel.

4. The deployment unit according to claim 1, wherein the handle holder is assembled from at least two handle holder elements, and wherein the coupling channel is formed by at least two of the handle holder elements.

5. The deployment unit according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element, the coupling piece or both are displaceable by a predefinable deployment distance (d) in the coupling channel.

6. The deployment unit according to claim 1, wherein the handle holder has an assembly aid borehole or opening that opens into the coupling channel.

7. The deployment unit according to claim 1, wherein the handle holder has a fixation section for fastening the handle holder on a carrier system of the avalanche rescue system.

8. The deployment unit according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element, the coupling piece or both has/have a bevel in a coupling connecting area.

9. The deployment unit according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element, the coupling piece or both has/have a catch section for establishing the coupling connection.

10. The deployment unit according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element, the coupling piece or both are connected to a cable pull.

11. The deployment unit according to claim 1, wherein the actuating handle has a mouthpiece.

12. A method of using a deployment unit for an avalanche rescue system configured with function unit, the deployment unit comprising an actuating handle with a coupling piece, a coupling element that is connectable to the function unit of the avalanche rescue system and a handle holder, wherein the coupling piece and the coupling element are displaceable in a coupling channel in the handle holder and are held in a coupling connection by the coupling channel, wherein the coupling connection is releasable when the coupling piece, the coupling element or both exit from the coupling channel, the method comprising the steps of: displacing the coupling piece and the coupling element in the coupling channel (6) of the handle holder, and releasing the coupling connection that couples the coupling piece and coupling element in the coupling channel when the coupling piece, the coupling element or both are removed from the coupling channel.

13. A deployment device having a deployment unit, a function unit and a resetting element, wherein the deployment unit comprises an actuating handle with a coupling piece, a coupling element that can be connected to the function unit and a handle holder, wherein the coupling piece and the coupling element are displaceable in a coupling channel in the handle holder and are held in a coupling connection by the coupling channel that is releasable when the coupling piece, the coupling element or both exit from the coupling channel; and wherein the resetting element resets the coupling element.

Description

[0030] In the drawings:

[0031] FIGS. 1a to 1c show one exemplary embodiment of a deployment unit according to the invention in different positions of the coupling element and/or coupling piece;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a deployment device in an alternative embodiment of the deployment unit.

[0033] FIG. 1a shows a deployment unit 1 for an avalanche rescue system. FIG. 1a shows two handle holder elements 3a, 3b with complementary shapes. These can be connected to one another by means of handle holder connections 3c arranged on them, namely plug connections in this embodiment, which are plugged together in this embodiment. In the connected state, they form a handle holder 3 of the deployment unit 1.

[0034] The internal structure of the handle holder 3 as well as components of the deployment unit 1 contained in the handle holder 3 are described in greater detail below. To this end, the handle holder 3 is shown as open in FIG. 1a, i.e., handle holder elements 3a, 3b that are not attached to one another are shown.

[0035] This shows first a schematically illustrated actuating handle 2 of the deployment unit 1. A coupling piece 4, which engages with a coupling element 5 in a form-fitting manner, is arranged on the actuating handle 2. The coupling piece 4 and the coupling element 5 are arranged in a coupling channel 6 formed by opposing recesses in the two handle holder elements 3a, 3b. The coupling channel 6 is designed to have a rectangular cross section, so that the coupling element 5 and the coupling piece 4 are arranged in a rotationally fixed position in the coupling channel 6.

[0036] The handle holder 3 is secured by means of a fixation section 8 on a carrier system 9, in particular on a shoulder belt of a backpack, which serves as a carrier system 9, by using a strap.

[0037] FIG. 1a additionally shows that the coupling element 5 is connected to a cable pull nipple 17 of a cable pull 13. The cable pull 13 therefore leads through a section of the coupling element 5 and is secured by the cable pull nipple 17 in that the cable pull nipple 17 is supported on the coupling element 5. The coupling piece 4 and the coupling element 5 are arranged displaceably in the coupling channel 6. The cable pull nipple 17 and the cable pull 13 are therefore entrained by the coupling element 5 when the latter is displaced in the coupling channel 6.

[0038] The cable pull 13 may be connected to a function unit of the avalanche rescue system. Due to the downward displacement of the coupling element 55 coupled to the cable pull 13—in the diagram shown in FIG. 1a—the function unit can be triggered and/or activated.

[0039] FIG. 1a also shows that the handle holder 3 and/or the handle holder elements 3a, 3b have an assembly aid borehole 7, which opens into the coupling channel 6. An assembly aid pin through which the coupling element 5 can be shifted out of the coupling channel 6, for example, to establish a coupling connection between the coupling piece 4 and the coupling element 5, can be inserted through the assembly aid borehole 7. In this exemplary embodiment, the coupling element 5 additionally has a catch section 12. The catch section 12 is designed so that the coupling piece 4 can be pushed onto the coupling element 5 and then engages with it in a coupling connection. There are therefore various possibilities for establishing a coupling connection between the coupling piece 4 and the coupling element 5.

[0040] In alternative embodiments of the invention, it is provided that either an assembly aid channel 7 or a catch section 12 is formed in a deployment unit.

[0041] FIG. 1b and FIG. 1c now show the same deployment unit 1, but the handle holder element 3b is not illustrated in either figure for reasons of simplicity.

[0042] In particular FIGS. 1b and 1c show two snapshots of the deployment unit 1 while with the help of the actuating handle 2 the coupling piece 4 and the coupling piece 5 are pulled out of the handle holder 3. FIG. 1b therefore shows a position in which the coupling piece 4 and the coupling element 5 are still in the coupling channel 6. However, FIG. 1c illustrates a position, in which the coupling piece 4 has already exited from the coupling channel 6.

[0043] It can be seen here that, in the position shown in FIG. 1c, the coupling channel 6 no longer holds the coupling connection between the coupling element 5 and the coupling piece 4, in contrast with the positions illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1b. In the position in FIG. 1c, the coupling piece 4 can be released from the coupling element 5 easily, reliably and with the least possible application of force, in particular being released automatically by further pulling on the actuating handle 2. In order to further facilitate the release of the connection, the coupling piece 4 and the coupling element 5 each have a bevel 11 in a coupling connection area 10. The bevel 11 is oriented in such a way that when the coupling piece 4 is extracted and/or the coupling element 5 is pulled out of the coupling channel 6, the coupling piece 4 slides away from the coupling element 5 laterally and thus the coupling connection is released automatically.

[0044] After releasing the coupling connection, the actuating handle 2 is thus freely movable.

[0045] Furthermore, FIG. 1c in combination with FIG. 1a shows that the coupling element 5 is displaced by a preselectable deployment distance d. The length of the coupling channel 6 is therefore selected so that the coupling element 5 can be displaced at least by the deployment distance d within the coupling channel 6 without having to release the coupling connection between the coupling piece 4 and the coupling element 5. The coupling element 5 is therefore shifted at least by the deployment distance d before the coupling piece 4 and/or the actuating handle 2 is/are uncoupled and/or enter(s) the corresponding position shown in FIG. 1c. This ensures that the cable pull 13 can also be displaced at least by the deployment distance d.

[0046] FIG. 2 now shows a deployment device 30 with a deployment unit 20. The deployment unit 20 in this exemplary embodiment corresponds to the deployment unit 1. It differs only in the design of an alternative actuating handle 21. This actuating handle 21 has a mouthpiece 14 in particular. Therefore, after releasing the actuating handle 21, the mouthpiece 14 can be brought to the user's mouth and/or to the mouth of a person to be protected by the avalanche rescue system, and the person can be supplied with air, for example. To this end, the actuating handle 21 is connected to a respiratory function unit by means of a tube (not shown).

[0047] This additionally shows that a resetting element 15, which puts the cable pull 13 under a prestress, is attached to the cable pull 13. The resetting element 15 is therefore embodied as a spring element. The deployment distance d (FIG. 1c) and the minimum required force for deployment are predefined by the choice of the spring hardness and the spring distance of the resetting element 15.

[0048] In addition, it can be seen that a function unit 16 is connected to the cable pull 13. The function unit 16 in this exemplary embodiment is designed as an avalanche balloon 16b, which is connected to a pressurized gas cartridge 16a. The function unit 16 here is equipped, so that the pressurized gas cartridge 16a is opened and displacement of the cable pull 13 by the deployment distance d and the avalanche balloon 16b is inflated. In other words, the function unit 16 is deployed when the cable pull 13 is moved by the deployment distance d.

[0049] The present invention therefore makes it possible to pull the actuating handle 2 and/or the actuating handle 21 away from the deployment unit 1 and/or the deployment unit 20 and thus to reliably deploy the function unit 16.

[0050] Since the coupling connection in particular does not require any demanding mechanisms or the like, interference with the deployment unit, in particular failure of the function unit 16 to deploy can be effectively prevented even under the most adverse temperature conditions, etc.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0051] 1, 20 deployment unit [0052] 2, 21 actuating handle [0053] 3 handle holder [0054] 3a, 3b handle holder elements [0055] 3c handle holder connection [0056] 4 coupling piece [0057] 5 coupling element [0058] 6 coupling channel [0059] 7 assembly aid bore [0060] 8 fixation section [0061] 9 carrier system [0062] 10 coupling connection area [0063] 11 bevel [0064] 12 catch section [0065] 13 cable pull [0066] 14 mouthpiece [0067] 15 resetting element [0068] 16 function unit [0069] 16a pressurized gas cartridge [0070] 16b avalanche balloon [0071] 17 cable pull nipple [0072] 30 deployment device [0073] d deployment distance