Decorative balloon structure

A balloon structure is comprised of two heat-sealingly connected polymeric sheets forming a gas encompassing chamber and a connected inflation stem and is characterized by a separable integral tether-defining border strip surrounding at least a portion of the chamber, whereby the tether may be separated from the body of the balloon at all but an anchor point to provide a means for restraining the balloon. Optionally, the tether defining strip portions of the sheets may themselves be heat-sealingly connected, selectively to provide a double width tether or a tubular inflatable tether.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention is in the field of decorative balloons. 
2. The Prior Art 
The use of decorative polymeric balloons and particularly polymeric 
balloons adapted to be filled with helium is well known. Typically such 
balloons are comprised of a pair of Mylar films heat-sealingly connected 
along a continuous line defining the balloon body and inflation stem. The 
stem includes a filling aperture enabling insertion of the stem over the 
nozzle of a helium dispenser. Typically the exterior of the balloon is 
coated with a reflective decorative metallic film. A multiplicity of the 
balloons are shipped flatwise. 
For use, the balloon is inflated through the stem and a transverse heat 
seal formed across the stem to contain the helium filling. Thereafter a 
string or ribbon is tied to the stem to form a tether. 
The operation of tying individual strings or ribbons to the stem represents 
a time consuming element of the preparation of filled balloons. Since it 
is not unusual to require a multiplicity of balloons to be filled and 
supplied in short periods of time, the operation of manually applying 
tethers has heretofore represented a bottleneck in the procedure, the 
problem being exacerbated by the fact that filling is often accomplished 
in gift shops or like small establishments utilizing unskilled labor. 
Moreover, the tying operation is rendered more difficult by the tendency 
of the filled balloons to rise, requiring the operator to stabilize the 
balloons with one hand and knot the tether with the other. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention may be summarized as directed to a novel balloon 
structure including an integral tether. 
The invention is further directed to a structure of the type described 
wherein portions of the polymeric materials forming the balloons may be 
readily separated, either before or after inflation, to define an integral 
tether. 
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention the tether 
defining components of the balloon may themselves form an inflatable 
compartment so as to define, when filled with air, a three dimensional 
tether. 
The structure may be rapidly fabricated in a single operation which 
simultaneously die cuts the sheet material, forms the seal defining the 
gas encasing compartment, stem, and tether, and defines a weakened 
perforation line separating the tether from the balloon body. 
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a decorative 
inflatable balloon structure which may be shipped flatwise and having an 
integral tether.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
There is shown in FIG. 1 a plan view of a balloon structure 10 in 
accordance with the invention, the structure including a superposed pair 
of polymeric heat sealable sheets, by way of example Mylar sheets, 
including upper sheet 11 and lower sheet 12. 
As is well knoWn in the art, the structure 10 may preferably be formed to 
the configuration hereinafter described by a simultaneous die cutting, 
heat sealing and perforating operation. More specifically, the sheets 
11,12 are die cut to define an external margin 13 defining a balloon body 
portion 14 and an inflation stem 15. 
In the fabricating operation there is formed a gas impervious seal line 16 
defined by a heat seal connection between the sheets which outlines the 
inflatable components of the balloon, namely chamber 14 and stem 15. 
Externally of the seal line 16 there is formed the circumferential margin 
17 (the width of the margin having been exaggerated for purposes of 
illustration), the margin surrounding the chamber defining portions 14 of 
the structure. 
Within the margin 17 there is formed through the sheets a weakened 
perforation line 18, enabling all portions of the sheets externally of the 
perforation line to be readily disconnected from the remainder of the 
structure. The perforation line 18 preferably surrounds the entirety of 
the chamber 14. 
At one end 19 the perforation line extends transversely across the entirety 
of the sheets externally of the perforation line 18. 
The perforation line 18 ends at an anchor point 20, whereat there is 
preferably formed a heat seal 21 firmly bonding the portions of the sheets 
externally of the perforation line to the stem 15. 
As will be apparent from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2, either before or 
after inflation of the balloon, i.e. through orifice 22 in the upper sheet 
11 defining the stem, the portions of the sheets radially outward of the 
weakened line 18 may be pulled away from the remainder of the sheets to 
define a tether 23 fixedly bonded to the stem 15 at anchor seal 21. 
The balloon, after filling, is conventionally sealed as by a heat seal 24 
across the stem 15. 
It will thus be apparent that the structure as thus far described will 
provide a permanently affixed tether 23 comprised of two discreet strips 
of the Mylar material. 
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a further seal line 25 
may be formed at the outermost margin of the sheets, whereby the tether 23 
will be comprised of unitary tether of double width defined by portions of 
the upper and lower sheets 11, 12. 
In accordance with a further preferred modification, a still further heat 
seal 26 may be formed immediately outwardly of the perforation line 18 
whereby the tether 23 will be comprised of a tubular elongate structure 
open at its lower end 27 and sealed at its upper end by the anchor seal 
21. 
In the last mentioned structure, the tubular tether may itself be inflated 
by the final user and knotted so as to provide a three dimensional tether 
structure. 
As will be apparent from the preceding description there is provided in 
accordance with the invention a balloon structure having an integral 
tether whereby the laborious procedure of knottingly connecting a string 
or ribbon is obviated. 
In accordance with known practice, the tether defining components of the 
structure may be imprinted with a decorative (normally metallic) coloring 
the same as or contrasting with the remainder of the balloon device. 
The options available through minor modifications of the manufacturing 
process include eliminating longitudinal connections throughout the length 
of the tether whereby two tether strands are provided; connecting the 
tether defining components of the sheets along a marginal edge to provide 
a unitary tether of double width; or forming the tether of two spaced seal 
lines to define a tubular tether which optionally may be filled to provide 
a three dimensional tether structure. 
Numerous variations in details of construction will occur to those skilled 
in the art and familiarized with the instant disclosure. Accordingly, the 
invention is to be broadly construed within the scope of the appended 
claims.