Visual and radar emergency detection balloon

A kit containing an inflatable balloon, a length of tethering cord attached to a balloon harness and a container of gas for inflating the balloon. The harness is formed of four shaped flat cards, each joined by a flat elastic band to a cross-piece bracket, with a cord extending from each card to the tethering cord. When the balloon is inflated, with the cross-piece bracket externally mounted about the top of the balloon, each elastic band extends to a card mounted about a lower quadrant of the balloon, with each card held in a plane substantially perpendicular to the two adjacent cards. The balloon and cards are externally covered with a coating that reflects both light and radar waves. The elasticity of the bands enables the balloon to uniformly expand as it rises, and the cards serve to extend the plane of visual and radar reflection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
My invention is a kit containing an inflatable balloon, a length of 
tethering cord attached to a ballon harness and a container of gas for 
inflating the balloon. The harness is formed of four shaped flat cards, 
each joined by a flat elastic hand to a cross-piece bracket, with a cord 
extending from each card to the tethering cord. When the balloon is 
inflated, with the cross-piece bracket externally mounted about the top of 
the balloon, each elastic band extends to a card mounted about a lower 
quadrant of the balloon, with each card held in a plane substantially 
perpendicular to the two adjacent cards. The balloon and cards aer 
externally covered with a coating that reflects both light and radar 
waves. The elasticity of the band enables the balloon to uniformly expand 
as it rises, and the cards serve to extend the plane of visual and radar 
reflection.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference 
characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1-2 
illustrate the Emergency balloon 10 which may be tethered by a flexible 
cord 11 to provide a visual and radar target to signal an emergency 
situation at the site 12 from which the balloon is tethered by cord 11 to 
a stake 13. 
Balloon 10 is of a conventional inflatable spherical shape and the outer 
surface 45 of the balloon and the external surface 46 of the attached 
target cards 20, are coated with a light and radar reflecting material. 
Target cards 20 are each mounted to a lower quadrant of the balloon by a 
flexible strap 21, with each card 20 oriented along a radial plane of the 
balloon, with each strap 21 extending from the top corner section 23 of a 
card 20 to a cross-piece 24 mounted on the top of the balloon. Straps 21 
are of elastic material to permit the circumference of the balloon to 
expand as the balloon is inflated as the balloon expands in flight. 
Cards 20 are made of light weight sheet material and increase the area of 
reflectivity of the assembly to light and radar rays. 
A cord 26 is fastened through a hole 28 in the lower external corner 
section 29 of each card 20, with the cords 26 joined together and to the 
tether cord 11. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the deflated balloon may be carried in a compartment 31 
of a container 30, with a tank of helium gas 32, a quantity of tether cord 
11 and the set of the detached target cards 20 each stored in individual 
compartments 34-36 respectively. Instruction information may be fixed on 
cards 39 mounted to the inside face 41 of the hinged cover 40 of the 
container 30. 
Since obvious changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the 
invention described herein, such modifications being within the spirit and 
scope of the invention claimed, it is indicated that all matter contained 
herein is intended as illustrative and not as limiting in scope.