Land vehicles – Ski or skate appliance or attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-15
2001-11-06
Vanaman, Frank (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Ski or skate appliance or attachment
C280S014220
Reexamination Certificate
active
06312016
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the field of safety devices for snow recreational equipment and more specifically to safety devices that are integral or attachable to snow recreational equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hundreds of people are killed every year due to hazardous snow conditions, avalanches and blizzards around the world. Often these people are using commonly available snow recreational equipment (e.g., snowboards, skis, snow shoes, snow mobiles, cold weather camping equipment) and are not adequately prepared to detect and/or survive the hazardous snow conditions. There exists, therefore, a need for a safety device that can be utilized by a user of snow recreational equipment to detect and survive hazardous snow conditions.
One source of risk is the fact that the average user of available snow recreational equipment can not or will not bear the burden of carrying safety-related equipment other than standard recreational equipment and clothing for protection against the elements. For example, an Alpine- or Nordic-style skier will often only carry ski clothing, ski equipment, and some currency when the skier is heading out for a day on the slopes. Similarly, a snowboarder will only carry snowboard clothing, snowboard equipment, and some currency when the snowboarder is heading out for a day on a mountain—even if the snowboarder (or skier) intends to ski in “out of bounds” areas not normally patrolled by rescue or policing agencies. Despite the existence of such risks (some known and others not) most users of snow recreational equipment are unlikely to carry a safety device that provides any carrying burden in addition to the snow recreational equipment. There exists, therefore, a need for a safety device that is integral with or attachable to snow recreational equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a first advantage of the invention to address the shortcomings of the available art by providing a safety apparatus compatible with snow recreational equipment providing, integral therewith or attached thereto, one or more safety devices selected from a group including, but not limited to, a compass, a chronometer or sundial, a location signaling device, a thermometer, a barometer, an altimeter, a light reflector, or written instructions, preferably positioned on the equipment to provide the user easily-accessible, safety-related information. The inventive safety apparatus may be permanently or removeably attached to a piece of snow recreational equipment, and preferably provides some utility to the equipment user during normal use of the equipment.
It is a second advantage of the invention to provide a method of self-rescue from a snow-related emergency situation using an inventively enabled piece of snow recreational equipment, the method comprising observing a need for a safety or rescue related apparatus, retrieving the needed apparatus from a piece of recreational equipment, and utilizing the needed apparatus in a manner displayed by the piece of equipment.
It is a third advantage of the invention to provide a removeably attachable apparatus for improving the safety of a snow-related recreational device, the apparatus comprising attachment means for removeably attaching the apparatus to the device, determining means for determining the location of the apparatus when attached to the device, and instructional information, comprising text and/or graphics, explaining to a user the proper method of use of the determining means, wherein the determining means comprises at least one member of the group consisting of a compass, a chronometer or sundial, a location signaling device, a thermometer, a barometer, an altimeter, or a light reflector.
It is a fourth advantage of the invention to provide an apparatus and method improving the safety of a snow-related recreational device. The apparatus is attachable to the equipment and preferably provides a function compatible with normal use of the equipment as well, such as functioning as a stomp pad for a snow board during snow board use. The apparatus preferably includes some means for determining the location of the equipment user should a risky situation, such as an avalanche or white-out develop. An instructional graphical display, explaining to a user the proper method of use of the location determining means, is preferably integral to the apparatus. The apparatus may be removeably attachable to the equipment to enable a user of multiple pieces of equipment, such as multiple snow boards, to move the apparatus from one piece to another.
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Crosby, Heafey Roach & May
Vanaman Frank
LandOfFree
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