Surgery – Respiratory method or device – Means for supplying respiratory gas under positive pressure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-24
2002-07-02
Weiss, John G. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Respiratory method or device
Means for supplying respiratory gas under positive pressure
C128S200240, C128S205120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06412482
ABSTRACT:
PRIOR ART
The inventor has conducted a patent search on the above identified invention and has located the following United States patents:
U.S. Pat. No.
Invention
Inventor
4,114,561
AVALANCHE RESCUE
Vito F. Asaro
MARKER SYSTEM
4,365,628
AVALANCHE SURVIVAL
Carl F. Hodel
VEST
4,850,031
AVALANCHE VICTIM
Allsop et al.
LOCATING APPARATUS
The Asaro patent discloses an avalanche rescue marker system which utilizes a balloon attached by a brightly colored tether to a jacket worn by an avalanche victim. The balloon is operable to be filled with lighter-than-air material, such as helium, so, hopefully, it will float above avalanche snow and debris to clearly locate the victim buried by the subject avalanche.
The Hodel patent discloses an avalanche survival vest to be worn around the chest by skiers and mountaineers and operable to provide oxygen to breathe and to serve as a flotation device to help victims survive if caught in an avalanche. The Hodel patent also discloses that the vest has a CO2 absorber chamber, a mouthpiece breathing hose, and a compressed oxygen cartridge which can be released instantly by biting hard on the mouthpiece hose or pushing a button on the mouthpiece hose.
The Allsop et al patent discloses an avalanche victim locating apparatus and is mainly a special type of transmitter beacon signal plus an alarm device to be heard by avalanche rescuers. There are numerous types of transmitter beacons known in the prior art as will be discussed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are some 2000 reported avalanches in the State of Colorado each season (many times they are not reported).
In Switzerland alone, an average of 100 persons die in avalanches each year. As many as 150 to 200 per year for the entire Alpine Region. In the United States, an average of 20 persons per year die in avalanches (approximately 12 per year in Colorado).
Persons killed by avalanches, as reported to one organization, the CSAC, for the year 1995 through Jan. 19, 1999.
USA/Canada
Other Countries
Total
1998-1999
21 (3 mo. period)
38
57
1997-1998
50
254
304
1996-1997
46
156
202
1995-1996
34
43
77
TOTAL
151
491
642
AVERAGE
38/Year
123/Year
160/Year
These statistics DO NOT include the countries of Austria, Italy, Germany, or Japan (and a few other minor countries).
If we include the fatality estimates for these countries, as stated in “The Avalanche Book”, a respected and authoritative work on the subject of avalanches, then the world-wide total would go to 742 fatalities for that period.
These fatalities occurred in just the last 4 seasons with today's best available technology.
By far, most victims who are equipped with radio beacons are found and rescued. Many are not, or are found too late. By far, most avalanches victims die of suffocation from snow burial within the first 30 minutes or less.
The applicant's concept is to provide a compact, lightweight chest pack which is small enough and lightweight enough that it will not restrict, in any way, free movement of a skier or other user, and will contain everything necessary for avalanche survival (assuming there are no serious physical injuries).
In the event of an avalanche, an avalanche survival pack assembly of this invention would be instantly activated within just a few seconds. All of the components of this invention are fully automatic and actuated by one simple action on the part of the skier or other user by simply opening a closure flap assembly on a main support chest pack assembly.
The key elements of a successful rescue of an avalanche victim consist of 1) locating the avalanche victim quickly; and 2) enabling the avalanche victim buried under avalanche snow and debris to breathe for a longer period of time, up to 60 minutes, greatly enhancing chances of survival.
The avalanche survival pack assembly provides two ways to aid in the avalanche victim being located as follows:
1) providing a radio beacon with “Receive” and “Transmit” modes and the beacon is automatically switched to “Transmit” mode in case the avalanche victim forgot to do so ahead of time which can be accomplished mechanically or electronically; and
2) having a 50 foot long×1″ wide brightly colored nylon ribbon member which is coiled up and attached to the main support chest pack assembly on one end and falls out by gravity upon the avalanche victim opening the closure flap assembly.
The ribbon, which may be of fluorescent orange color, is allowed to “float free” as the avalanche victim is being carried down the slope. Portions of the orange ribbon member should be visible above the surface of the snow, enabling rescuers to locate the avalanche victim.
The avalanche survival pack assembly provides three ways to keep victims alive until rescued, as follows:
1) a mask assembly covers a nose, mouth and chin area of the avalanche victim which keeps the air passages open and free from snow while allowing the avalanche victim to breathe;
2) an automatic, oxygen breathing system comprised of a pair of small, lightweight, high pressure mini-oxygen cylinders connected to a pressure regulator assembly which reduces the pressure down to 20 PSI; and low pressure oxygen is connected to an automatic oxygen conserving assembly which releases small, metered bursts of 95% pure oxygen to the avalanche victim through the nose/mouth mask assembly; and
3) the avalanche survival pack assembly contains a ½″ thick foam padded area, next to the user's chest area, which will a) provide for chest cavity expansion; and b) contain a material that will absorb CO2.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
In one preferred embodiment of this invention, an avalanche survival pack assembly is operable to be supported on the waist, shoulder, and chest area of a skier or other user who is normally in a ski area having a great possibility of avalanche danger due to unstable snow conditions. The skier normally is traversing the snow on skis and having ski poles to aid in movement.
The avalanche survival pack assembly is operable to provide means to increase a chance of survival when the skier or other user suddenly becomes an avalanche victim and may be covered with several inches or feet of snow. A rescue effort needs to be convened immediately as the possibility of survival of the avalanche victim decreases rapidly in a short period of time.
The avalanche survival pack assembly includes 1) a main support chest pack assembly or means; 2) an oxygen supply assembly or means mounted within the main support chest pack assembly; 3) an auxiliary power supply assembly mounted within the main support chest pack assembly; 4) a radio signal transmit beacon assembly mounted within the main support chest pack assembly and operable to transmit an emergency radio signal; 5) a visual location indicator assembly mounted within the main support chest pack assembly and operable to dispense and trail a visual ribbon member when automatically released from the main support chest pack assembly; and 6) a control circuit assembly operably connected from an auxiliary power supply assembly, to the radio signal transmit beacon assembly, and the oxygen supply assembly to provide a sufficient auxiliary power supply.
The main support chest pack assembly includes 1) a main pack assembly; 2) an accessory pocket assembly; 3) a battery pack pocket assembly; 4) a filler valve pocket assembly; 5) a radio beacon pocket assembly; 6) a waist support assembly for securing about a waist area of a user thereof; and 7) a shoulder harness assembly adapted to be placed about a shoulder area of the user thereof for vertical support.
The main pack assembly includes 1) a main pack member; and 2) a closure flap assembly. The main pack member has a pack container cavity defined by a back wall, an intermediate wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, opposed side walls, and a top wall.
Further, the main pack member includes 1) a bottom support member; 2) a CO2 absorbing foam member; 3) Velcro connector hook members for attachment to the closure flap assembly; and 4) a ribbon support strap.
The closu
Erezo Darwin P.
Rein Phillip A.
Weiss John G.
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