TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a safety device for a mountain pole, in particular for a ski, ski touring, or trekking pole.

BACKGROUND ART

As is known, mountain poles, hereinafter referred to simply as poles, are commonly used in numerous sports, from leisurely mountain walks to more arduous trekking, mountain climbing, skiing and ski touring.

A pole comprises at least one supporting portion used as a handgrip; a tube or rod, preferably made of metal of carbon fibre; and a tip portion by which to rest the pole on the ground. Telescopic poles are also known and widely used, in which the tube comprises two or more portions and can be extended to the desired length.

Poles are now also commonly used over the most rugged terrain, where greater safety precautions should be taken, such as mountain regions with patches of ice- covered terrain, particularly at high altitude; glaciers; and hard-packed-snow-covered slopes.

In other words, they are frequently used improperly instead of the right equipment, i.e. crampons and ice- axes, thus seriously endangering the user.

Over terrain of the types referred to, in fact, at least an ice-axe should normally be used, the blade of the axe being driven into the ground when ascending or descending to prevent falling in the event of the user slipping.

Nowadays, however, poles are more commonly used by providing four supporting points, as opposed to only the legs, thus making up- and downhill climbing easier. On the other hand, having no blade for penetrating ice or hard-packed snow, they afford no protection in the event of the user slipping. By way of a solution to the problem, poles have been proposed comprising an ice-axe blade at one end, above the grip. Though affording greater safety, such poles are fairly dangerous, especially in the event of a fall.

That is, should the user slip, e.g. when descending, while holding the pole normally by the grip, the blade may easily come into contact with the back of the hand or other parts of the body, thus resulting in injury.

This is particularly so in the case of ski touring descents, in which falls are not infrequent, and the fairly high speed at which the descent is often made make the open blade on the pole a serious safety hazard. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is a first object of the present invention,

therefore, to provide a mountain sport pole, which may be used over rugged terrain with patches of ice or hard- packed snow, thus ensuring the safety of the user, but which at the same time safeguards against injury in the event of a fall.

It is a second object of the present invention to provide a safety device for mountain sport poles, which is easy to produce and can be fitted easily to any type of mountain sport pole rod. According to the present invention, there is provided a safety device for a mountain sport pole, as claimed in Claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A number of non-limiting embodiments of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a view in perspective of a first embodiment of a safety device for a mountain sport pole in accordance with the present invention and in a first position with the blade closed;

Figure 2 shows a view in perspective of a first embodiment of a safety device for a mountain sport pole in accordance with the present invention and in a second position with the blade open; Figure 3 shows a side view of a second embodiment of a safety device for a mountain sport pole in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 shows a view in perspective of a second

embodiment of a safety device for a mountain sport pole in accordance with the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to Figures 1 and 3, numbers 1, 101 indicate as a whole mountain sport poles comprising respective safety devices 2, 102 in accordance with the present invention and in a first embodiment in Figure 1 and a second embodiment in Figure 3.

Safety device 2, 102 is fitted to a rod 3, 103 of the mountain sport pole, which preferably forms part of a telescopic pole.

The safety device comprises a C-shaped hand-guard portion 4, 104 made of thermoplastic material and defining a closed seat - indicated 5 in Figure 1 and 105 in Figure 4 - into which the hand is inserted when gripping the pole in use, and which is preferably substantially in the form of a right-angle triangle, with the hypotenuse defined by rod 3, 103 for easy insertion of the hand. Safety device 2, 102 also comprises a metal blade 6, 106 similar to the blade of an ice-axe and therefore suitable for driving into hard-packed snow or ice to provide grip and prevent the user of pole 1, 101 from slipping. Blade 6, 106 is located outside seat 5, 105 defined by C-shaped portion 4, 104, and is hinged to the C-shaped portion, substantially to the vertex of the right-angle of said triangle, to rotate between a first open position (shown in Figures 2 and 4) in which it can

be driven, and a second closed position in which it is collapsed and housed at least partly inside a recess - indicated 107 in Figure 3 - formed on the outer edge of C-shaped portion 104. In the first open position, blade 6, 106 is aligned with a first straight portion 2a, 102a of C-shaped portion 4, 104, which first straight portion defines the top side of the safety device in use, so as to be functionally similar to an ice-axe, and forms a preferably 60° to 90° angle with rod 3, 103, i.e. an angle making the blade easy to drive into a slope. In the second closed position, blade 6, 106 is aligned with a second straight portion 2b, substantially perpendicular to first portion 2a, 102a, of the C-shaped portion. Blade 6, 106 is divided into a first hinge portion 12, 112; and a second portion 13, 113, which comprises the portion for driving into ice or hard-packed snow, and a serrated edge 11, 111 for assisting penetration into ice or hard-packed snow. The first and second portion 12, 112 and 13, 113 are joined by a shoulder, which rests against an edge of recess 107 when blade 6, 106 is in the first open position.

Blade 6, 106 is locked in the first open position by a pin housed inside straight portion 2a, 102a. The pin is therefore invisible from the outside, but is aligned with blade 6, 106 in the first open position to increase the strength of safety device 2, 102 when driving blade 6, 106.

A knob 15, 115 is screwed to the pin, is located at the opposite end of straight portion 2a, 102a of the C- shaped portion with respect to blade 6, 106, and is rotated to rotate and jam the pin beneath hinge portion 12, 112 of blade 6, 106, so as to lock blade 6, 106 in the open position and safeguard against blade 6, 106 collapsing accidentally.

When knob 15, 115 is rotated in the opposite direction, blade 6, 106 is released and can be collapsed inside recess 107.

In a first preferred embodiment of safety device 2 shown in Figures 1 and 2, C-shaped portion 4 is fitted directly to rod 3, and the ends 16, 17 of C-shaped portion 4 each comprise a hole 18, 19 for passage of rod 3, and a clamping portion 20, 21 comprising a hole 22, 23 by which to fasten C-shaped portion 4 to the rod by means of a nut and bolt system.

The first embodiment is preferable by providing a safety device 2 which can be fitted to any type of mountain sport pole, and can be sold separately from the rod, i.e. as a separate kit.

Moreover, it can also be fitted to poles of slightly different diameters, and of shapes differing slightly from cylindrical, e.g. oval. Finally, mountain sport poles in accordance with the first embodiment can be assembled easily when traversing rugged terrain, and disassembled, for example, when skiing down ski tracks, as required by the user.

Alternatively, as in the second embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, safety device 102 comprises a grip portion 118, also made of thermoplastic material, and which extends between the ends of C-shaped portion 104 to define a continuous closed loop with C-shaped portion 104.

In this embodiment, grip portion 118 forms part of the fastening means for fastening the safety device to rod 103, and in fact comprises a straight hole 119 extending along at least part of the length of grip portion 118 and forming a seat for an end portion of rod 103. Safety device 2, 102 is preferably fitted permanently to rod 3, 103.

The mountain sport pole is used by inserting the hand inside seat 5, 105, with blade 6, 106 in the closed position, when traversing normal terrain, whereas, over potentially hazardous terrain, blade 6, 106 is extracted from recess 107 and locked by the pin in the open position by rotating knob 15, 115, so that the blade can be driven into the ground, and pole 1, 101 used as an ice-axe for greater safety.

The advantages of the safety device for mountain sport poles according to the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description. In particular, it provides for safely traversing hard-packed snow or ice, and for eliminating the drawbacks of known safety devices described above; it is easy to produce; and the first embodiment in particular can be fitted and removed to and

from rods of all types of mountain sport poles, even of different shapes.

Clearly, changes may be made to device 2, 102 as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.

In particular, changes may be made to the shape of hand seat 5, to the shape and length of blade 6, and possibly to the mechanism locking the blade in the open position. Changes may obviously also be made to the means by which to fasten the safety device to the rod of the mountain sport pole.