Mountain Tool Holster
A system or device for securely holding mountain tools, such as ice axes/ice tools and hiking, skiing or avalanche probe poles (and other such tools), on a backpack in a manner that allows the user to easily and conveniently acquire the tool when needed without first removing the backpack. This is applicable in emergency situations such as a crevasse fall where an ice axe in needed for preparing a rescue anchor or in the event of an avalanche where a probe pole is needed for a victim search. The system also allows for easy and convenient stowing of mountain tools without removal of the backpack as the situation dictates in non-emergency situations, such as after using the probe pole to probe for crevasses when crossing a glacier or after needing an ice tool for security when a repelling (abseiling) onto an icy stance or when stashing hiking poles when switching from hiking to scrambling.
This application claims priority to US Patent Publication Number US-2010-0193558-A1 entitled “Mountain Tool Holster” published Aug. 5, 2010, U.S. Non-Provisional patent application No. 12/658,108 entitled “Mountain Tool Holster” filed on Feb. 3, 2010, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/206,822 entitled “Mountain Tool Holster” filed on Feb. 5, 2009 the subject matter which is herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of InventionThe invention relates generally to devices and systems used to attach equipment, such as climbing, hiking or other tools/implements, to backpacks and the like. In particular the invention relates to a holster type device used to firmly and safely secure an ice axe, avalanche probe pole, ski pole or other tool/implement to a backpack in a manner that is both novel and clearly demonstrates improvement over the prior art.
In climbing, hiking, skiing, snowboarding and other pursuits it is common for participants to carry tools on the outside of a backpack that has some means for the attachment of tools. An example is seen in the device patented by Anscher (U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,045). Typically most attachment mechanisms are located on the front of the backpack (opposite the side of the backpack that is against the user's back), thus placing the tools out of reach as long as the backpack is being worn. It is also common for users to be required to perform tasks in sub-freezing temperatures and participants often wear additional warm layers, gloves (or mittens) and head gear (hats, goggles) that can hamper the fine motor movements and unobstructed vision required to operate current state-of-the-art systems.
Travel in the mountains often requires the use of safety tools such as ice axes, ice tools and snow probes that typically have sharp points that can present a hazard to the user. These tools are usually transported attached to a backpack well away from the user until they are needed. In an emergency situation, such as a crevasse fall or avalanche, these tools must be deployed quickly, yet the current state-of-the-art and standard practice does not allow the tool to be quickly and easily deployed as the backpack it is being transported upon must first be removed to gain access to the tool. This slows down any emergency response and can be awkward, difficult and potentially dangerous. Conversely there are times when a user no longer needs a tool and may wish to stow it upon the backpack. Again the pack must first be removed to perform this operation. In many circumstances this is difficult and time consuming and is therefore less than optimal.
Other attachment devices exist that place the tools closer to the user on the side of the pack, but due to the nature of these attachment systems the tools are not easily removed (such as with one gloved hand) while the backpack is still being worn by the user. Likewise, re-attaching the tool to the backpack requires an amount of dexterity that necessitates that the backpack be removed.
Regardless of where the tool is attached to the backpack in current state-of-the-art systems (the front of the pack or the side of the pack) the tool is at a distance from the body and in the event of a fall the tool is not well positioned to help protect the user from ground impact forces. In fact the tool may be dislodged (or ripped) from the pack thus becoming a projectile that could result in injury to the user.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an attachment system that holds the tool safely and securing to the backpack, that allows the user access to tools while wearing the backpack in sub-freezing conditions and is positioned to help protect the user in the event of a fall. Further, it would be desirable to be able to re-attach a tool to the backpack while wearing cold weather gear (extra layers, gloves, head gear, etc) without first removing the backpack.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe general idea of the invention is to provide a mechanism to safely and securely fasten a mountain tool (ice axe, ice tool, probe pole, skiing/hiking pole, fishing rod, etc) to any backpack (a generic backpack or a new backpack design that integrates the invention into the backpack) in a way that allows the wearer of the backpack to quickly and easily retrieve the tool for immediate use, without first removing the backpack. Conversely, the general idea of the invention is to allow the user to easily (one handed while wearing gloves) safely and securely re-attach a tool to any backpack without first removing the backpack.
It is also the general idea of the invention to not only reduce the potential danger inherent to many of the mountain tools, but to use the strong and rigid nature of these tool to help protect the user from the impact of a fall by strategically placing the tools on the body. Holding the tool close to the hip and along the back means that not only can the tool directly protect the user in the event of a fall by physically taking the brunt of an impact, but this placement on the body also means that there is little room for acceleration forces to develop between the user and the tool if the tool is ripped from the backpack.
The device described consists of three main components that are mechanically attached to any generic backpack (
The first main component of the described device is the “holster” (
The second component of the described device is the “loop” (
The third component of the described device is the “shaft restraining strap” (
The holster (
The third portion of the invention is the shaft-restraining strap (
The holster part (
The loop component (
Alternatively it is also possible to create an extension (not shown) designed to attach to the mountain tools that are essentially straight, such as a probe pole, in order to make them easier to secure in the holster. The extension would act like the pick of an ice axe and be held in the holster by the passive resistance of the shaft restraining strap keeping the straight tool from slipping out of the holster. It is an intention of this patent application to also protect this embodiment of the invention.
USE (
USE (
USE (
USE (
Claims
1. A tool attachment device for generic backpacks (or new backpack designs that features the device) that is comprised of:
- a holster component that is located near the hip of the user and is designed to hold the distal end of certain types of mountain tools (those that have a protuberance such as a pick on a ice axe/tool, or a tool that has an extension attached to it) securely to the backpack;
- a loop component that is attached to the lower portion of the backpack and is also designed to hold the distal end of certain types of mountain tools (those that do not a protuberance such as hiking, skiing and probe poles) securely to the backpack;
- a shaft restraining strap that retains the shaft (or long axis) of a tool vertically along the side of a backpack and is either of fixed length or is adjustable (to quickly and easily adjust to different size tools and for making the loop larger to pass through items with large ends) and may be deformable (have stretch and memory) so as to provides a resistance force that must be overcome keeping the distal end of the tool in the holster until the user requires the tool;
- and a safety strap and strap latch (or a secondary type of safety strap that is attached to tools that do not have a protuberance) that further secures the distal end of the tool at the holster (or loop) for assurance against accidental lose of the tool.
1A. The holster portion of the design according to claim 1 that may be manufactured out of a variety of potential materials (such as but not limited to, injected or molded plastic or resin, formed leather of other robust materials) as long as said material is rugged enough to withstand the abuse of sharp tools being repeatedly inserted removed and resists breaking (so as to protect the user from the sharp end of the mountain tools) and is capable of having the safety latch attached or molded into it.
1B. The loop portion of the design according to claim 1 that may be manufactured out of a variety of potential materials (such as but not limited to injected or molded plastic or resin, formed leather of other robust flexible materials) as long as said material is rugged enough to withstand the abuse of tools being repeatedly inserted and removed and stiff enough to hold its shape and not collapse when the distal end of a tools is forced through it.
1C. The shaft retaining strap according to claim 1 that; is attached to the pack is a variety of ways (such as but not limited to screws, rivets or other such means); manufactured out of a variety of potential robust materials (such as but not limited to, plastic tubing, stretch or shock cord, tension or compression springs, webbing, cord, etc); is either adjustable (by having an adjustment mechanism such as, but limited to, a ladder lock at one or both ends); or is of fixed length and made out of a material with elastic memory (so that it can be stretched to allow the user to get the tool into the holster or loop and to also create a force that keeps the distal end of a tool with a protuberance such as an ice axe or ice tool “pushed” into the holster portion of the device or “gripped” in the loop if the device does not have a protuberance).
1D. The safety strap, (and secondary safety strap that is attached to some mountain tools that do not nave a protuberance), and strap latch according to claim 1 that may be made out of a variety of materials as long as said materials for the safety strap (or secondary safety strap) have elastic memory (such as, but not limited to, elastic/shock cord, stretch tubing, etc) and can be stretched over the loop and tool end (those tools without a protuberance) or looped over the safety latch (for those tools that have a protuberance) that can be made out of a variety of materials (such as but not limited to molded plastic or resin, wood, plastic or light alloy, etc) as long as said materials are capable of being attached to the holster component of the device.
2. A tool attachment device that holds the tool in a manner (vertically along the side of the pack and against the hip-belt) that allows quick and easy one-handed deployment of the tool without removing the backpack and conversely allows the user to stow or attach the tool to the backpack in a safe and secure manner without first removing the backpack.
3. A tool attachment device that holds a mountain tool on a backpack in such a manner as to:
- protect the user from the sharp and dangerous parts of tools (such as ice axes and ice tools) by holding the shaft along the side of the pack while trapping the sharp pick end of the tool against the wearer's hip in a robust protective sheath and;
- protect the user in the event of a fall by holding the tool tightly to the body so that the tool will take the brunt of the impact forces, while also reducing the potential for the tool to be ripped from the backpack to become a projectile that may cause injury.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 25, 2012
Publication Date: Oct 31, 2013
Inventor: Darren Johann Fraser Jakal (Calgary)
Application Number: 13/455,329
International Classification: A45F 5/14 (20060101); A45F 5/00 (20060101);