Avalanche Shovel and Tent Pole Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Avalanche shovels and emergency equipment in alpine terrain are often bulky and heavy, making them difficult to transport and deploy quickly in emergency situations, and existing solutions either require disassembly or lack versatility for use as both a shovel and tent pole.
Innovation Solution
An avalanche shovel with a telescopic shaft and integrated avalanche probe, allowing for quick deployment and adjustment of length, which also functions as a tent pole, incorporating a handle section with a grip area and insertion/removal opening for the probe, and additional features like snow anchors and a tarpaulin for setting up a winter-proof tent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If avalanche equipment is made compact and lightweight for easy transport, then portability is improved, but accessibility and quick deployment in emergency situations deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple avalanche rescue components (shovel, probe, transceiver) into a single integrated handle structure. The shovel blade and probe are permanently attached to the handle, eliminating the need to carry separate components. This merging allows the equipment to remain compact and lightweight while ensuring all necessary tools are immediately accessible during an emergency without requiring assembly or searching through separate items.
2Volume of moving object
If avalanche shovel is made telescopic for compact storage, then transportability is improved, but structural complexity and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The shovel is divided into distinct segments (handle, blade, probe) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. The handle itself is segmented to accommodate the integrated transceiver and probe components. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently while maintaining overall simplicity, avoiding the need for complex telescopic mechanisms while still achieving compact storage through intelligent component arrangement and collapsible probe design.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate avalanche equipment components are carried, then functionality and versatility are improved, but total weight and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The handle structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the shovel handle, holds the probe, and houses the transceiver. The probe itself can be used for both avalanche searching and as a tent pole for emergency shelter construction. This multi-functionality eliminates the need to carry separate tools for each function, significantly reducing total equipment weight and bulk while maintaining full rescue capability and emergency shelter functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an avalanche shovel (10) with a shaft (12), wherein a grip portion (16) is formed and/or is arranged at one shaft end (14), and with an avalanche probe (24), which can be arranged in the shaft (12) of the avalanche shovel (10). The grip portion (16) has a grip region (18) for gripping and/or holding the avalanche shovel (10) and/or a grip region (18) of this kind is formed on the grip portion (16). The invention is characterised in that the grip portion (16) has an insertion and/or removal opening (22) for removal and/or for insertion of the avalanche shovel (24) from/into the shaft (12) along an insertion axis (26). The invention further relates to a tent (60) having an avalanche shovel as a tent pole.