Patent Publication Number: US-6902212-B1

Title: Hand held balloon tier

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to tying a permanent knot in an elastic party balloon. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   People purchase elastic party balloons for decorating at parties and the like. After purchasing the balloons, the two main steps in forming them are 1. Inflate the balloon and 2. Tie the balloon. The market currently has pumps available to inflate the balloons with ease. But, a device to tie the balloons is not readily available. Today most people who are not able to blow up a balloon can purchase and own a balloon pump. But, people who have trouble tying balloons can not easily purchase a balloon tying device. Balloons are normally tied by wrapping the balloon around your pointer and middle fingers. Then, trying to tuck the end between the two fingers to close the loop and make a permanent knot. The elastic material the balloons are made of makes this very difficult usually resulting in fatigue, sore, even bleeding fingers. People usually end up frustrated and helpless. There is a need for a hand held device to make tying balloons less painful. The present invention is simple and fills the need of the consumer whether young or old to be able to tie a balloon with ease and without damaging the balloon. 
   A noteworthy hand held device patent is U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,950 issued October 1996, which is a Hand Held Balloon Tying Device that is a non-reversible u-shaped device with a single one-sided retaining edge. U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,267 issued April 2003 is Balloon Tie-aiding Device with two parallel finger-like supports with no retaining edge that is clamp mounted. U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,906 issued February 1991 is a Device For Tying An Elastic Balloon that is a tank mountable bracket, which holds the balloon neck while the end is stretched and tied. U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,051 issued March 1999 is a Knot-Tieing Device And Method Of Knotting Therewith that is flat with a trapezoidal shaped opening. This device is held between the thumb and index finger, which could be unsteady when tying the balloon on the opposite end. Some devices to aid in balloon tying that have patents are U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,785 issued July 2000, U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,217 issued May 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,142 issued August 1991, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,578 issued March 1997. All of these patents are hand gripping devices that have a slot at the end. These devices do not easily facilitate tying a balloon. All of the above devices are different from the present invention. The present invention overcomes the above mentioned patents&#39; shortcomings by providing for a balloon knot tying device with two rods that have a continuous retaining edge, reversibility, tapered ends, frictional side surface, and a relief area. The invention is also attached to a handle that is gripped or a ring shaped device, which allows a steady hold when tying a balloon. The present invention also aids in tying a balloon at the normal position it would be tied on the fingers. The rods are now taking the stress load that the fingers normally would take during the balloon tying operation. The base can be used with a ring shaped device that the fingers slip through or can be mounted to a grip handle that is held in the hand for people who cannot slide the device comfortable over their fingers to tie a balloon. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is made of injection-molded plastic or similar materials with all rounded edges to prevent damage to the balloon. The device has two identical rods. Each rod has a top part and a bottom part. The bottom part is larger around than the top part. The top smaller part is tapered as it moves toward the top. The top part of the rods are what the balloon is wrapped around allowing the balloon to rest on the retaining edge formed by the larger part of the rods. The retaining edge keeps the balloon off the base so the balloon can be routed underneath making room for the fingers to tuck the end through the loop to make the knot. The balloon end is then pulled up and off the rods to finish tying the permanent knot. A relief area is also located on the base to allow room for the finger to tuck the end of the balloon into the loop to tie the knot. The process to tie a balloon using the present invention is: 1. Hold the end of the balloon against the side of the device with the thumb to keep the air from going out. 2. Wrap the balloon end around both top parts of the rods. 3. Push the end of the balloon underneath up into the loop hole. 4. Pull the end of the balloon up and off the rods to close and tighten the knot. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a top view of an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 4  is an isometric view of an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIGS. 5-12  show steps used during the knot tying operation; and 
       FIGS. 13-16  show an alternate configuration of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , an embodiment of the invention is shown containing two parallel rods  3 , attached to base  1  and perpendicular to surface  11  of base  1 . Rods  3  being comprised of a first portion  4  proximal to surface  11  of base  1  and second portion  5  distal to surface  11  of base  1  with tapered end  6 . Between first portion  4  and second portion  5  a retaining edge  9  is provided to prevent the balloon from sliding down onto surface  11  and therefore provides an opening to allow room for the finger to insert the balloon end through the balloon loop during the knot tying operation. Base  1  having a ring shaped device  2  which provides an aperture  10  to be used for inserting finger(s) to facilitate holding the device for the balloon knot tying operation. Relief area  7  is provided to further assist balloon knot tying by allowing more room for the finger to sweep through. Textured area  8  is also provided for a friction surface to prevent the balloon from slipping during the knot tying operation. The preferred embodiment of this invention is made of but not limited to injection-molded plastic or similar materials. 
     FIGS. 5-12  show the preferred sequential steps for the balloon knot tying operation. Insert fingers  12  and  13  of hand  22  through aperture  10  of the preferred embodiment of the aforementioned invention  14  as shown in FIG.  5 . After inflating balloon  15 , hold leading end  16  of balloon  15  between thumb  17  and textured area  8  as shown in FIG.  6 . Referring next to  FIG. 7 , pinch balloon opening  18  of leading end  16  between finger  19  and thumb  20  of hand  21 . Stretch leading end  16  perpendicular to rods  3  against second portion  5  and retaining edge  9 .  FIG. 8  shows stretching leading end  16  around rods  3  in a clockwise direction against retaining edge  9 . Continuing in a clockwise direction, stretch leading end  16  around rods  3  and against retaining edge  9  back around to the center position as shown in FIG.  9 . This forms loop  23 .  FIG. 10  shows pressing the balloon opening  18  by relief area  7  with finger  19  under and through loop  23 . With finger  19  and thumb  20  of hand  21 , pinch balloon opening  18  and pull leading edge  16  through loop  23  as shown in FIG.  11 . Finally, as shown in  FIG. 12  continue to pull balloon opening  18  upward along tapered ends  6  and off of rods  3  completing knot  24 . 
     FIGS. 13-16  show an alternate configuration of the above embodiment of the invention. This configuration has base  1  with a handle  25  instead of a ring shape device. Relief area  7  continues throughout a major portion of handle  25  to also provide for material reduction. Textured area  8  is also provided for a friction surface to prevent the balloon from slipping. 
   The preferred embodiment of the aforementioned invention has been described in detail. It would be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications could be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.