Abstract:
An apparatus for illuminating the interior of a balloon includes a cylindrical plug with an integrally-formed radially extending integral flange insertable within the balloon neck. A light element is affixed to the plug and disposed within the neck. A battery is electrically connected to the light element and is typically mounted next to the light element, or includes the light element in a single assembly. Switching is provided to turn the lighting element on and off which, in the preferred embodiment is effected by inflating the balloon with the apparatus inserted into the balloon neck. The light element may be affixed to the head of the apparatus by magnetic means, by means of a screw-on cap, or by other well-known techniques.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to illuminated toy balloons. It further relates to devices which may be inserted into toy balloons which cause them to be illuminated. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to toy balloons and means for providing light within such balloons either before or after the balloons are inflated, and with the ability to switch the light on or off. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0003]    The use of lights in association with balloons is well known. Examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,390,651 and 5,215,492. Also well known is the use of chemiluminescent materials or light sticks that produce light by chemical reaction which may be inserted into balloons. 
         [0004]    The present invention is an improvement over the prior art in which an inexpensive, self-powered apparatus is inserted into the neck of a balloon, which contains a small, energy-efficient light source powered by a battery, and which has the ability to switch on and off. 
         [0005]    The present invention further includes embodiments in which the apparatus can be inserted in the balloon, and the balloon then filled with a gas such as helium. The apparatus can then be switched on or off as desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which will illuminate the interior of a toy balloon. It is a further object of this invention that the apparatus be disposable. 
         [0007]    In accordance with a first aspect of the invention an apparatus is used for illuminating the interior of a balloon which has a neck portion. The apparatus contains a plug insertable in part within the neck portion, which carries a light element attached to the plug. In use the plug is inserted into the balloon neck until the light element is secured within the neck portion. 
         [0008]    In accordance with a second aspect of the invention the apparatus includes a battery electrically connected to the light element. 
         [0009]    In accordance with a third aspect of the invention the battery is mounted adjacent to the light element. 
         [0010]    In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention switching means are used to turn the lighting element on and off. 
         [0011]    In accordance with a fifth aspect of the invention the plug has a body; and a radially extending integral flange formed at the upper end of the body. In use, the plug is inserted into the body until the flange forms a seal at the lower end of the balloon neck, so as to prevent leakage of gas from the balloon. 
         [0012]    In accordance with a sixth aspect of the invention a magnetic is used to affix the light element to the plug. 
         [0013]    In accordance with a sixth aspect of the invention two or more barbs are disposed so as to affix the light element near or on the plug. 
         [0014]    In accordance with a seventh aspect of the invention a screw-on cap is used to affix the light element near to or on the plug. 
         [0015]    In accordance with an eighth aspect of the invention the switching means are activated into the on state by the pressure of the gas within the balloon. 
         [0016]    In accordance with a ninth aspect of the invention helium gas is used to fill the balloon. 
         [0017]    In accordance with a tenth aspect of the invention a light assembly is included which has a threaded upper housing on which the light element is affixed, and a threaded lower housing which mates with the threads of the upper housing. A battery is contained within the two housings and switching is effected by screwing or unscrewing the upper housing relative to the lower housing. 
         [0018]    In accordance with a final aspect of the invention the light element is one or more LEDs. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    This invention itself, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of a balloon containing the apparatus for illuminating the balloon interior. 
           [0021]      FIG. 1A  depicts a detail perspective view derived from  FIG. 1 , showing the apparatus in greater detail. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2A  depicts a light element assembly containing a battery. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2B  depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the apparatus using magnetic means to affix the light element to the plug. 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  depicts a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2   b , in which the light element assembly is magnetically affixed to the magnet. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4A  depicts an embodiment of the present invention in which the light element is affixed by means of barbs. 
           [0026]      FIG. 4B  depicts an embodiment of the present invention in which the light element is affixed by means of restraint fingers. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4C  depicts an embodiment in which the pressure of gas in the balloon switches on and off the lighting element, in the “off” position. 
           [0028]      FIG. 4D  depicts an embodiment in which the pressure of gas in the balloon switches on and off the lighting element, in the “on” position. 
           [0029]      FIG. 5A  depicts a prior-art balloon inflation device in cross section elevation view. 
           [0030]      FIG. 5A  depicts a prior-art balloon inflation device in top plan view. 
           [0031]      FIG. 6A  depicts a final embodiment of a lighted balloon inflation device in cross section elevation view. 
           [0032]      FIG. 6B  depicts a final embodiment of a lighted balloon inflation device in top plan view. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    The present invention may be understood by first referring to  FIG. 1 . In this figure the device  16  is inserted into the neck of a balloon, with a cord  3  attached to the device restraining the balloon. The balloon is obviously filled with a gas, which may be air, helium, or similarly inert gasses, in the case of balloons used as toys, on account of safety concerns. In other applications, where sufficient safeguards are taken, the gas need not be inert. 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIG. 1A , the details of this device are revealed. The device, in the form of a plug, contains a cylindrical body  3  which has an integrally formed radially extending flange  7  which retains the device within the balloon. When the device is inserted into the neck  14  of the balloon, the flange  7  causes the neck to provide a gas-tight seal just above the neck ring  15  at the lower end of the neck, which provides stability for the balloon with the device inserted. 
         [0035]    Still referring to  FIG. 1A , a light-emitting assembly is shown disposed above the flange  7 . The assembly is made up of the light emitting surface  13 , which is rigidly affixed to a screw-on cap  12 , which attaches to the lower assembly housing  11 . A battery which powers the light-emitting assembly is contained within the lower housing and screw-on cap. The user may turn the light on and off by screwing the cap down, and conversely screwing the cap in the opposite direction, relieving pressure and disconnecting power to the light element. 
         [0036]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1A  the light-emitting assembly is restrained in place by guides  8 . Also contained in this embodiment is a magnet, not shown in this view, which is disposed below the base of the light-emitting assembly. 
         [0037]    The use of the magnet in this embodiment may be further understood by referring next to  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B, and  3 .  FIGS. 2A and 2B  depict the light-emitting assembly separated from the rest of the device. The battery  12 , is clearly displayed in this figure, disposed entirely within the guides  8 , and concentrically disposed directly upon the flange  7 .  FIG. 3  shows the two elements combined to form the device prior to insertion into the balloon. Still referring to these figures, the light-emitting assembly is mounted on the flange between the guides  8 , and restrained in place by the magnet  10 , which attracts the steel body of the light-emitting assembly  9 . The body  4  of the device is in the form of a tube, or cylinder, which is hollow, containing a cylindrical chamber  5  and ending in a tab  6 , which provides a hole to which a cord may be attached. 
         [0038]    In order to use the device, the balloon may first be filled, typically with helium, so that the balloon floats in the air. In one embodiment the balloon is first filled with helium by means well known in the prior art, and which are not a part of this invention. The user pinches off the neck to retain the helium within the balloon, and then quickly inserts the device into the neck of the balloon. Once the insertion has been accomplished, the flange  7  provides a seal so that the helium will not escape from the balloon, except at a very, very slow rate. 
         [0039]    In another variation of this invention, the device may contain a one-way valve, or check valve, permitting the helium to be inserted through the cylindrical chamber  5 , but not allowing the helium to escape back through the chamber. In this embodiment the valve is located in the body of the device. Ports (not shown) are provided between the valve and the head of the device to allow the helium to enter the balloon, but not escape. 
         [0040]    In this embodiment the device is first inserted into the balloon neck, as shown in  FIG. 1 , before filling. The helium gas is then pumped in through the cylindrical channel  5  of the body  4 , which allows the balloon to fill, until the gas is shut off, relieving the pressure in the channel, and causing the check valve to shut off, retaining the pressure within the balloon indefinitely. 
         [0041]    The prior art describes and claims a device such a one-way valve in Zeyra, U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,204. Referring now to  FIGS. 5A and 5B  a basic valve in accordance with said patent is shown. The head  109  of this prior art device contains the radial flange  109 F used for the same purpose as in the present patent. The check-valve effect is accomplished by means of the circular resilient disc  109 A. The gas is introduced by means of the filler element  110  which is inserted into the head  109 , creating pressure which forces the circular resilient disk  109 A outward against the guides  109 F. 
         [0042]    In the present invention a check valve mechanism may be inserted into the body of the apparatus in order to effect the same end. Because such check valves are well known in the art, and because they are not part of the present invention, they will not be further described here. 
         [0043]    A variation of the prior art filler of  FIGS. 5A and 5B  is shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . A seen therein, a magnet  122  is mounted atop the lower cage fingers  109 H, and is restrained in place by upper cage fingers  120 . In this embodiment the magnet does not affect the operation of the check valve in the head, but provides a means for securely retaining the light-emitting assembly. 
         [0044]    When using the filler-type device which also illuminates the inside of the balloon, the device is first inserted into the balloon, and then filled with the helium after insertion. Such a variation has the advantage of minimizing the amount of helium lost when the balloon is first filled and then the device is inserted afterwards. 
         [0045]    In all of these embodiments the lighting element itself may be of various types. The preferring lighting element is a light-emitting diode (hereinafter “LED”) because of the availability of many different types of LEDs, available at very low prices, and further because of the extremely high efficiency and low power drain on the battery caused by the LED. Among the variations commercially available are LEDs which blink, which change color, and combinations of these two effects. 
         [0046]    In addition to the magnetic mounting embodiment, many different approaches to mounting of the LED are proposed herein as further embodiments. Referring first to  FIG. 4A , the assembly holding the light-emitting element  13  is restrained by barbed fingers  25 . The embodiment shown in this figure contains a self-contained light-emitting element having its own battery. It is clear that embodiments in which the battery and LED are separate units may also be used. 
         [0047]    In  FIG. 4B , a retaining ring  20  is force-fit over a mating enclosure  21  which contains the light-emitting element and battery. In a variation of the embodiment of  FIG. 4B  a screw-on retaining ring mates with mating threads on the enclosure  21 . 
         [0048]    Alternative versions are proposed herein for the switching of the light element on and off. In the preferred embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1A  the user must rotate the upper housing  12  relative to the lower housing  11 , as previously stated. 
         [0049]    In a final alternative embodiment, the filling of the balloon with helium is used to switch the light element on. Referring first to  FIG. 4C , this embodiment contains a battery  22  which is in permanent electrical contact with positive terminal of the LED assembly  13 . Ground connection is made by metallic element  23 , which is configured to keep the helium from passing into the balloon. Helium enters the balloon only through the port  24 . In  FIG. 4C  helium has not yet been inserted into the balloon: element  23  blocks the helium from entering the balloon except through port  24 . As the helium is first introduced contact element  23  blocks port  24 . At this stage the helium will force contact element  23  upwards until contact is made with the negative electrode of the battery, thereby completing the electrical circuit and causing the LED to illuminate, as shown in  FIG. 4D . The teeth on mating enclosure  21 , contact element arms  26 , and light-element arms  27  form a ratchet mechanism, so that the contact element will stay in the position of  FIG. 4D  once the balloon is filled with helium, which is facilitated as the contact element rises to clear port  24 , allowing the gas into the balloon through this route. 
         [0050]    While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent that improvements and modifications may be made within the purview of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.