Abstract:
An illuminated inflator for inserting into the neck of a balloon includes a gas-tight flange having a periphery, a center, and upper and lower surfaces. A filler tube has upper and lower ends and extends through the flange, with the lower end of the filler tube extending below the lower surface the flange and the upper end of the filler tube extending above the upper surface of the flange. A one-way valve is in flow communication with the filler tube. A light assembly includes a power source and at least one light element electrically connected to the power source. The light assembly is operably mounted to the flange at the upper surface thereof. A switch is operably connected to the power source and the at least one light element for providing power to and isolating power from the at least one light element. The inflator is inserted into the balloon with the flange in the neck of the balloon defining a pressure region boundary. The bottom of the filler tube extends outside of the pressure region boundary for filling the balloon with a gas, such that the one-way valve prevents gas from escaping from the pressure region boundary through the filler tube. The switch is mounted to the inflator outside of the pressure region boundary to allow actuation/access to the switch without access to the pressure boundary and without contacting the balloon.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION DATA 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/032,876, filed Feb. 18, 2008, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/904,486, filed Nov. 12, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,344,267. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to illuminated toy balloons. More particularly, the present invention relates to improved switch arrangements for illuminated balloon inflators. 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. 
         [0003]    The present invention is an improvement over the known illuminated balloons 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 includes a switch in the interior of the balloon to turn the light on and off. 
         [0004]    While such illuminated balloons are known and function well, actuation of the switch can be difficult when it is located within the interior of the balloon. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, there is a need for an illuminated balloon inflator in which the illuminated inflator apparatus is inserted in the balloon, the balloon then filled with a gas such as helium or air, and the light is easily switched on or off as desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An illuminated inflator for inserting into the neck of a balloon includes a gas-tight flange having a periphery, a center, and upper and lower surfaces. A filler tube has upper and lower ends and extends through the flange, with the lower end of the filler tube extending below the lower surface the flange and the upper end of the filler tube extending above the upper surface of the flange. A one-way valve is in flow communication with the filler tube. 
         [0007]    A light assembly includes a power source and at least one light element electrically connected to the power source. The light assembly is operably mounted to the flange at the upper surface thereof. 
         [0008]    A switch is operably connected to the power source and the at least one light element for providing power to and isolating power from the at least one light element. The inflator is inserted into the balloon with the flange in the neck of the balloon defining a pressure region boundary. The bottom of the filler tube extends outside of the pressure region boundary for filling the balloon with a gas, such that the one-way valve prevents gas from escaping from the pressure region boundary through the filler tube. The switch is mounted to the inflator outside of the pressure region boundary to allow actuation/access to the switch without access to the pressure boundary and without contacting the balloon. The inflator includes an electrical connector extending between the switch and light assembly. 
         [0009]    The light assembly is mounted to and spaced from the gas-tight flange. In a present embodiment, three legs extend between the gas-tight flange and the light assembly to elevate the light assembly into the balloon. A present light element is an LED, preferably multiple (three) LEDs. Circuitry is used to provide steady illumination, blinking illumination and flashing (e.g., a variety of illumination operating modes) of the LEDs. 
         [0010]    The switch, which is external to the pressure boundary, can be mounted to the filler tube or to a lower surface of the flange to allow access to the switch without access to the pressure boundary and without contacting the balloon. 
         [0011]    An opening in the lower flange accommodates the connectors (wires) and is sealed after placement/penetration of the connectors to assure the integrity of the pressure boundary. 
         [0012]    These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The benefits and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of a balloon containing the apparatus for illuminating the balloon interior. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1A  depicts a detail perspective view derived from  FIG. 1 , showing the apparatus in greater detail. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2A  depicts a light element assembly containing a battery. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2B  depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the apparatus using magnetic means to affix the light element to the plug. 
           [0018]      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. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4A  depicts an embodiment of the present invention in which the light element is affixed by means of barbs. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4B  depicts an embodiment of the present invention in which the light element is affixed by means of restraint fingers. 
           [0021]      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. 
           [0022]      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. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5A  depicts a prior-art balloon inflation device in cross section elevation view. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5B  depicts a prior-art balloon inflation device in top plan view. 
           [0025]      FIG. 6A  depicts an embodiment of a lighted balloon inflation device in cross section elevation view. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6B  depicts the embodiment of  FIG. 6A  in top plan view. 
           [0027]      FIGS. 7A-7C  illustrates alternate embodiments of the illuminated inflator device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated. 
         [0029]    It should be further understood that the title of this section of this specification, namely, “Detailed Description Of The Invention”, relates to a requirement of the United States Patent Office, and does not imply, nor should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the present 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. 
         [0031]    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. 
         [0032]    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. 
         [0033]    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. 
         [0034]    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. 
         [0035]    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. 
         [0036]    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. 
         [0037]    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. 
         [0038]    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. 
         [0039]    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. 
         [0040]    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. 
         [0041]    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. 
         [0042]    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. 
         [0043]    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. 
         [0044]    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 . 
         [0045]    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. 
         [0046]    In another 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. 
         [0047]    Alternate embodiments of the illuminating device are shown in  FIGS. 7A-C . As seen in  FIG. 7A , upper and lower flanges  212 ,  214  are spaced from one another by legs  216 . The upper flange  212  includes circuitry  218 , batteries  220 , and one or more LEDs  222  for illuminating the balloon B. The upper flange  212  can be formed as a circuit board (IC board) with the batteries  220  and LED(s)  222  mounted directly thereto, or the circuitry  218  (board), batteries  220  and LED(s)  222  can be mounted to a separate flange element (not shown). In a present embodiment, the flange  212  is formed as the board and three legs  216  mount the board  212  to the device  210 . A present embodiment of the device  210  includes three (3) LEDs  222 , however, it will be appreciated that any number of LEDs can be mounted to the device  210 . 
         [0048]    The lower flange  214  provides a seal between the device  210  and the neck N of the balloon B, at the periphery  230  of the flange  214 . The legs  216  extend upwardly from the lower flange  214  to support the upper flange  212  (or board). In a present embodiment, the device  210  is formed with upwardly extending gussets  224  formed radially on the upper surface  226  of the lower flange  214  to provide additional support (e.g., stiffness) for the flange  214 . 
         [0049]    A fill stem  228  extends downwardly (relative to the legs  216 ) from the lower flange  214  inside of the periphery  230  of the flange  214 . In a present embodiment, the stem  228  is concentrically disposed with the flange  214 . The fill stem  228  is a hollow tubular element. A one-way or check valve  232  is positioned in flow communication with the fill stem  228 . The valve  232  permits the one-way flow of gas from a source (such as tank or fill nipple) into the balloon B. In a present device  210 , the top or end  234  of the stem  228  is closed such as by a plug  236 , and an opening  238  is formed in a side wall  240  of the stem  228 , near the end  234 , below the plug  236 . The valve  232  is formed as a flexible sleeve  242  that is fitted over the upper end  234  of the stem  228 , covering the opening  238 . In a present embodiment, the opening  238  is formed near the stem end  234 , and the sleeve  242  is sufficiently thick and extends only slightly beyond the stem opening  238 . As pressurized gas is introduced into the stem  228 , the gas pressure overcomes over the force of the resilient sleeve, and the sleeve slightly deforms (opens outwardly) to allow the gas to “escape” from the opening  238 , past the edge  244  of the sleeve  242 , and into the balloon B. When the inlet (feed) pressure of the introduced gas drops off (e.g., removing the inflator from the fill nipple), the resilience of the sleeve  242  closes the sleeve  242  over the opening  238  to seal the inflator  210 . The sleeve  242  is fitted sufficiently tightly to the stem  228  so that even a high fill pressure and/or rate will not dislodge the sleeve  242  from the stem  228 . Rather, the sleeve  242  will be forced outwardly at about the opening  238  to allow the gas to move from the high pressure region (inside the stem  228 ) to the lower pressure region (inside the balloon B). In a present embodiment, the sleeve  242  has a thickened ring portion  246 , at the bottom of the sleeve  242  to further assure that the sleeve  242  remains on stem  228  as the balloon B is filled. 
         [0050]    Radial gussets  248  can also be formed extending downwardly from the lower surface  250  of the lower flange  214  to provide additional support (e.g., stiffness) for the flange  214 . 
         [0051]    As set forth above, one of the drawbacks with known inflators is that the switch to illuminate the lights (LEDs) is located on the upper flange, in the interior of the balloon. While this has made fabrication of the inflators easier, because the balloons are translucent (at best) it requires that a user poke his or her finger around the balloon to locate and activate the switch. Hunting for the switch is even more exaggerated given that the circuitry may be such that different operating modes (e.g., flashing, pulsating, steady on) may be achieved by multiple pressings of the switch. 
         [0052]    The present illumination device  210  overcomes all of these problems by locating the switch  252  outside of the balloon B or outside of the pressurized region. In one embodiment, the switch  252  is located on the lower surface  250  of the lower flange  214 . An opening  254  in the lower flange  214  accommodates the electrical connectors (wires)  256  that extend between the switch  252  and the circuitry  218 , circuit board, batteries  220  or other component to which the connectors  256  are terminated. The opening  254  can be formed having a taper  258 , and an air-tight filler  260  is applied to the opening  254  around the connectors  256 . The filler  260  can be an adhesive, a liquefied polymer, hot-melt (adhesive), a mechanical plug or the like, and is applied after placement or penetration to the connectors  256  to assure integrity of the pressure boundary. 
         [0053]    The switch  252  can be affixed to the lower flange  214  in any of a number of ways. For example, the switch  252  can be glued/adhered to the flange  214 , or, alternately, the switch  252  can have mounting posts  262  that extend from the base of the switch  252  through mount openings  264  in the lower flange  214 . The posts  262  can then be glued/adhered, or melted, to secure the switch  252  to the flange  214 . The post openings can also be sealed with an adhesive  260  or the like to prevent the escape of gas from the balloon. 
         [0054]    The electrical connectors  256  extend from the switch  252 , through the opening  254 , to the circuitry  218  or other termination location. In a present embodiment, the connectors  256  extend through the space  266  between the flanges  212 ,  214 . The connectors  256  can be fitted in one jacket  268 , and/or tied to one of the legs  216 , as by a wire tie  270 , a clip or the like to maintain the connectors  256  restrained and protected. Alternately, as seen in  FIG. 7B , one of the legs  316   a  can be formed as a hollow tube or conduit and the connectors  356  can be passed through the tube  316   a  to restrain and protect the connectors  356 . 
         [0055]    Alternately still, the illuminator  410  can be configured with the switch  452  mounted on the stem  428 , below the lower flange  414 . An opening  454  in the lower flange  414  accommodates the connectors  456  which extend to the circuitry  481  (or board  412 ). The switch  452  can be mounted to the stem  428  by an adhesive, such as a hot melt adhesive. Flanges  472  can be formed on or mounted to the stem  428  to support and secure the switch  452 . The opening  454  in the flange  414  can be sealed with an air-tight filler  460  applied to the opening  454  around the connectors  456 . The filler  460  can be an adhesive, a liquefied polymer, hot-melt (adhesive), a mechanical plug or the like. 
         [0056]    All patents referred to herein, are hereby incorporated herein by reference, whether or not specifically done so within the text of this disclosure. 
         [0057]    In the present disclosure, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to plural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular. 
         [0058]    From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred.