Abstract:
An apparatus and method is provided for sealing a balloon. The apparatus includes a body for placing in the balloon that is buoyant in water and which has an outer surface that can form a water-tight seal with the inside surface of the balloon. When the balloon is filled with water, the body floats to the top of the water and, if the balloon is filled sufficiently, seals against the opening of the balloon.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to balloons, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for sealing a balloon. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of the Background 
         [0004]    Sealing a balloon is typically done by tying a knot on the open end of a filled balloon. This operation may be difficult and time consuming. When the balloon is filled with a liquid, the balloon may be slippery, adding to the difficulty in tying it off. 
         [0005]    What is needed is an apparatus that allows for the sealing a balloon. The apparatus should be easy to use and should be compatible for use with prior art balloons. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of prior art by automatically sealing a balloon when it is filled. 
         [0007]    It is one aspect of the present invention to provide a device for sealing a balloon filled with a pressurized fluid, where the balloon has an interior volume and has an opening with a first size when the balloon is not pressurized. The device includes a body adapted to be placed within the interior volume, where the body is sized to not fit through the first size of the opening. When the fluid is provided into the opening of the balloon with the body adjacent to the opening, the device seals with the interior surface of the balloon. In another embodiment, the fluid is a liquid, the device has a density less than the liquid, and the device floats towards the opening. 
         [0008]    It is another aspect of the present invention to provide an apparatus comprising a balloon having an interior volume and an opening with a first size when the balloon is not pressurized, and a body within the interior volume, where the body is sized to not fit through the first size of the opening. When a fluid is provided into the opening of the balloon with the body adjacent the opening, the body seals with the interior surface. In another embodiment, the fluid is a liquid and the body has a density less than that of the fluid, such that when the fluid is provided into the opening of the balloon, the body floats towards the opening. 
         [0009]    It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a method of sealing a balloon, where the balloon has an interior surface and an opening with a first size when the balloon is not pressurized. The method includes: providing a sealing device to the interior of the balloon, where the sealing device is movable within the interior of the balloon; attaching the opening of the balloon to a source of fluid; filling the balloon with fluid; and detaching the opening of the balloon from the source of fluid. The filling of the balloon with fluid forces said sealing device against the opening of the balloon, and the detaching the opening results in the sealing device forming a fluid-tight seal for the balloon. 
         [0010]    These features together with the various ancillary provisions and features which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, are attained by the balloon sealing apparatus of the present invention, preferred embodiments thereof being shown with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side, cut-away view of an unfilled balloon; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side, cut-away view of a liquid filled and sealed balloon of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1  illustrating the sealed portion of the balloon; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a side, cut-away view of a gas filled and sealed balloon of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Reference symbols are used in the Figures to indicate certain components, aspects or features shown therein, with reference symbols common to more than one Figure indicating like components, aspects or features shown therein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a side, cut away view of an apparatus  100  comprising a balloon  110  and a sealing device  120 . Balloon  110  includes a skin  111  with an interior surface  113  defining an interior volume  117  and an opening  115 . Opening  115  is shown, without limitation, as having a circular diameter, n. In one embodiment, balloon  110  is a prior art balloon with an elastic skin  111  formed, for example and without limitation, from latex. Apparatus  110  contains sealing device  120 , with an outer surface  121 , within interior volume  117 . 
         [0017]    The present invention provides a device and method to provide a fluid-tight seal for a balloon. In certain embodiments, sealing device  120  is spherical or spheroid shape with a smooth surface  121 . Thus outer surface  121  of sealing device  120  is adapted to seat against interior surface  113 . In one embodiment, sealing device  120  is placed near opening  115  when balloon  110  is filled, and the pressure within the balloon and/or the compression of skin  111  maintains the seal. 
         [0018]    Thus, for example and without limitation, balloon  110  may be filled by stretching opening  115  over a spout of a faucet or nozzle (not shown) that is the source of a fluid, such as a gas or a liquid, as is well known. As balloon  110  is filled, volume  117  increases. If sealing device  120  is near opening  115  when the balloon is removed from the spout, then the pressure of the filling fluid with force the sealing device into opening  115 , effectively sealing the balloon and preventing the escape of more gas. 
         [0019]    In certain other embodiments, sealing device  120  has a density less than that of the filling fluid. This is particularly useful when filling balloon  110  with a liquid, such as water. In such embodiments: 1) sealing device  120  is buoyant and will float on the liquid provided to volume  117 , and 2) the filling liquid, being heavier than the surrounding air, will seek a lower elevation and naturally position opening  117  above the majority of the filling liquid. As balloon  110  is filled, volume  117  increases, and sealing device  120  will float toward the top. When balloon  110  is filled with opening  115  at or near an extreme highest point, sealing device  120  will eventually rise towards opening  115 . When opening  115  is pulled away from the faucet or nozzle, opening  115  closes about sealing device  120 , 
         [0020]    Thus certain embodiments include sealing device  120  with an average density less than a filling liquid, such as water, and may be formed from: a) a single material having a density less than the liquid, b) a combination of materials each being less dense than the liquid; c) material having internal sealed volumes of air or some other gas; or d) a combination of materials, including some of which are denser than liquid, but where the average density is less than liquid. Thus for example, when filling a standard balloon with water, the diameter d is approximately ⅜″ and sealing device  120  is formed from wood beads coated in vinyl. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a side, cut-away view of apparatus  100 , where balloon  110  is liquid filled and is sealed by sealing device  120 , and  FIG. 3  is a sectional view  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  shows sealing device  120  near opening  115 , with water W in the interior volume  117 .  FIGS. 2 and 3  show that sealing device  120  blocks opening  115  and, more specifically inner surface  113  of the balloon is sealed about the outer surface  121  of sealing device  120 . The interior pressure of balloon  110  provides a pressure to keep sealing device  120  in place, as in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the liquid-filled balloon is heavier than the surrounding air, so the balloon arranges itself with opening  115  above the balloon, and sealing device  120  is sized to stay within opening. Thus, for example and without limitation,  FIG. 1  shows sealing device  120  as floating towards opening  115 , and being spherical with a diameter d that is less than diameter n of opening  115 . 
         [0023]    In most cases, the internal pressure of water W in interior volume  117  is sufficient to create a liquid-tight seal. Alternatively, balloon  110  may be pinched near the location of sealing device  120  to pull sealing device  120  closer to opening  115 , such as into the neck of the balloon. This can create a better seal by increasing the surface area of contact between outer surface  121  and inner surface  113 , and/or by providing greater tension in surface  111 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a side, cut-away view of a gas filled and sealed balloon of  FIG. 1 , with the same sectional view 3-3. For a gas-filled balloon, sealing device  120  is denser that the filling gas, and the balloon is arranged with opening  115  at the bottom to allow the sealing device to move into the opening. 
         [0025]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments. 
         [0026]    Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention. 
         [0027]    Thus, while there has been described what is believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention. For example, the sealing device may be made of other materials or have other shapes that seal the interior of the balloon.