Tuomas Vohlonen

A surveyor by trade, his patents cover a wide area of devices and activities including compasses, skis, surveying, engines and farming.

He founded the company Suunto Oy which is still active producing compasses according to his patented method as well as dive computers, sport watches and heart-rate monitors.

In April 1933, after experimentation with various designs, Vohlonen applied for a patent from the Finnish Patent and Registration Office for a compact liquid-filled field compass, in which the magnetic needle and damping fluid were completely sealed into a unitary fused celluloid capsule.

Vohlonen incorporated his new liquid-filled capsule into a lightweight wrist-mounted design, the Suunto M-311, suitable for use by soldiers, surveyors, hikers, and others navigating while afoot.

Later they had four more children, sons Kelpo Hyvä (surveyor, wrestler) and Oiva Lahja (officer) and daughters Sievä Maria a.k.a.

Tuomas was attracted by wilderness, distant districts, snow fields and open waters.

[2] Oldest of Vohlonen’s innovations was to turn the compass needle into vertical position.

After many decades Vohlonen returned developing the compass and invented a method of fabricating the needle chamber.

He also invented a starting assistant for magneto, which gave out a full spark even with slow revolutions.

[4] In November 1932 a Swedish company Nya Instrumentfabriks Aktiebolaget Lyth had applied for a patent also in Finland for "vätskekompass", a liquid filled compass.

[5] This is one of the reasons why Vohlonen had to supplement his application: he knew the original formulation wouldn't succeed.

[7] Physica sued Vohlonen, because, according to them, the supplements described a totally different product, the original application didn’t mention anything about a manufacturing method and, in addition, the method was elsewhere used long before the patent application, thus, the patent should be cancelled.

On a first trial, Physica sued Vohlonen on a basis that the device already existed and was well known before the date of patent application.

[8] On 18 November 1935, because of the demand of Tuomas Vohlonen, the court gave an order to confiscate the tools of Physica, which were used for making compasses.

Suunto Oy and Vohlonen family won most of these long-lasting trials and the patents remained effective.

Soon after these times, Physica gradually quit the manufacture of compasses as unprofitable and the whole company vanished.