Patent Description:
Exemplary levitating objects filled with levitation gases to levitate include hot air balloons, balloons, advertising balloons and the like, for which the size of gas containers and the type of levitation gases are set different in accordance with the purpose of each levitating object. Among other levitating objects, balloons are filled with levitation gases and tied to a pulling cord not to allow the balloons to fly away into the sky.

Since a balloon filled with a levitation gas generally levitates, a pulling cord is tied to the balloon and fixed to enable the balloon not to fly away into the sky and to be positioned around its user. Since such conventional balloons described above are just aloft in the air, children are soon tired of them, and often release the pulling cord to see the balloons fly high in the sky.

<CIT> relates generally to aerostat amusement devices and a method of operation, and more particularly to a ballast device adapted to be secured to a toy balloon filled with a buoyant gas, the ballast device being in the form of a deformable squeeze container having a small opening defined therein and adapted to meter a liquid through the opening in precise quantities to afford careful adjustment of the ballast in the container to, in turn, precisely counter the buoyant force of the balloon.

<CIT> relates to a buoyancy body filled with a gas having a specific gravity smaller than that of air to generate buoyancy, wherein a storage body for storing small items is connected to the buoyancy body, and a pulling-down cord is suspended from the bottom of the storage body.

<CIT> relates to a stabilized lighter-than-air or neutral buoyancy device and method of forming, using or controlling movement of the device in the form of a toy, decoration, play thing, amusement or the like which is able to float or be suspended in air, particularly at a predetermined or intermediate height particularly at a height intermediate ceiling or roof height and floor or ground level.

Therefore, the present disclosure addressing the aforementioned conventional problems provides a levitation height-adjustable levitating amusement object configured to implement balance between the levitation force of a gas container shaped as pets, characters, airplanes, flying saucers and the like and the weight of a balance weight to enable the levitating object to levitate and be positioned at the height of user's eye level to result in continued inducement of entertainment, and keep a levitation position constant although the pulling cord is released. Furthermore, the present disclosure provides a levitation height-adjustable levitating object configured to be formed with a storage unit to place something beneath the gas container.

The invention provides a levitating amusement amusement object according to claim <NUM>.

Moreover, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the storage unit comprises a pocket of which the edge is attached to the gas container to allow one side to be open, and a switch unit of which the one side is attached to the gas container to open or close the open side of the pocket.

Furthermore, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the levitating object comprises a body of sealed structure, a partition wall melt and fixed to the inner side of the body and separating the gas container and the storage, and an opening formed in the body corresponding to the storage.

Moreover, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, a balance weight is placed in the storage.

Moreover, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the balance weight is structured to be a thin plate, and at least one plate is placed in the storage.

Moreover, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the gas container is formed with a gas inlet for introducing the levitation gas.

Furthermore, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, a pulling cord is fixed to the gas container.

As described above, the levitation height of the levitation height-adjustable levitating object in accordance with the present disclosure can be adjusted by means of a balance weight so that the levitating object shaped as pets, characters, airplanes, flying saucers and the like can be positioned at the height of children's eye level. Therefore, pets, characters, airplanes, flying saucers and the like are positioned beside the children to enable them to have a feeling the levitating object follow them, and the children do not feel tired of seeing it, happily playing with the levitating object.

Meanwhile, since the levitation height-adjustable levitating object in accordance with the present disclosure is configured to be formed with a storage unit in the lower part to place something therein, it is easy to inspect and place the contents of storage unit readily.

The present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings showing preferred embodiments of the levitating object with a storage unit in accordance with the present disclosure.

In the drawings, <FIG> shows a levitating object while used in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and configured to be formed with a gas container shaped as a pet dog. <FIG> is a conceptual view showing the storage unit shown in <FIG>, and <FIG> is a conceptual view showing height adjustment of the gas container depending on changes in the weight of the balance weight placed in the storage unit shown in <FIG>.

As shown in <FIG>, the levitating object <NUM> is divided into a gas container <NUM> of sealed structure for storing a levitation gas and a storage unit <NUM> formed beneath the gas container <NUM>.

The configuration of the gas container <NUM> and the storage unit <NUM> of the levitating object <NUM> will be described in more detail.

The gas container <NUM> is a space of sealed structure filled with the levitation gas therein, and is preferably configured with a synthetic resin to prevent the levitation gas from leaking. A gas inlet <NUM> for introducing the levitation gas is formed beneath the gas container <NUM>.

More preferably, the gas container <NUM> can be shaped as pets, characters, airplanes, flying saucers and the like for inducing children's curiosity.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, where the gas container <NUM> is shaped as a pet dog, the storage unit <NUM> is formed beneath the gas container <NUM>.

The storage unit <NUM> includes a pocket <NUM> of which the edge is attached to the lower part of the gas container <NUM> to allow only one side to be open, and a switch unit <NUM> of which the one side is attached to the lower part of the gas container <NUM> to open or close the open side of the pocket <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, a thin weight plate <NUM> as a balance weight <NUM> is placed in the storage unit <NUM> through the opening of the pocket <NUM>. As used herein, a snap button equipped on the other side of the switch unit <NUM> interlocks with a snap button equipped on the pocket <NUM> to close the open side of the pocket <NUM>, preventing the weight plate <NUM> from being discharged outside the storage unit <NUM>.

For this purpose, the user adjusts the number of weight plates <NUM> placed in the storage unit <NUM> in order to adjust the levitation height of the levitating object <NUM>. In this embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, as the number of weight plates <NUM> placed in the storage unit <NUM> increases, the weight thereof contributes to lowering the height H1, H2 of the levitating object <NUM>, and the levitating object <NUM> which is the gas container <NUM> shaped as a pet dog stops at the point where the levitation by the levitation force gas keeps balance with the load of weight plates <NUM>. As a result, the user adjusts the number of weight plates <NUM> placed in the storage unit <NUM> to adjust the levitating object <NUM> with the gas container <NUM> to be positioned at the height of children's eye level.

The gas container <NUM> is configured to have a pulling cord <NUM> extended thereto so that children can pull the pulling cord <NUM> to move the levitating object <NUM>.

With the levitating object <NUM> configured as described above, where the children hold the pulling cord <NUM> and walk to move, it gives them the feeling of their walking with a real pet dog as the gas container <NUM> shaped as a pet dog moves at the height of children's eye level, and other children close to them can easily see the gas container <NUM> to promote advertising effect by means of the gas container <NUM>.

In <FIG>, although only the levitating object <NUM> with the gas container <NUM> shaped as a pet dog is shown, the shape of gas container can be other pets, characters, airplanes, flying saucers and the like than the pet dog as described above.

Moreover, since the storage unit <NUM> of pocket structure is structured to be in close contact with the lower part of the gas container <NUM> to avoid discontinuity, and the balance weight <NUM> is structured to be a thin plate, it is an advantage that a plurality of the balance weight plates <NUM> are not readily noticeable externally although they are placed in the storage unit <NUM>.

Although the storage unit is described to be a pocket in structure in the first embodiment, the second embodiment is different in terms of configuration in that the user can place something to be used therein instead of the balance weight plates. Therefore, while describing the configuration of the second embodiment, specific description of the same and similar configuration described in the first embodiment will not be further provided.

In the drawings, <FIG> is a perspective view of the levitating object in accordance with the second embodiment of the present disclosure; <FIG> is a cross sectional view of the levitating object shown in <FIG>; and <FIG> is a conceptual view showing the state in which the height of the levitating object shown in <FIG> is positioned to be at user's eye level. <FIG> is a perspective view of an exemplary variant of the levitating object shown in <FIG>; and.

<FIG> is a perspective view of an exemplary variant of the levitating object shown in <FIG>.

As shown in <FIG>, while the levitating object <NUM> is preferably a cylinder in structure and an anti-slip pad <NUM> with embossed patterns is attached to the upper surface of the gas container <NUM>, the gas container <NUM> can be configured, of which the upper surface is embossed in structure instead of the anti-slip pad <NUM>.

The gas container <NUM> configured as described above is filled with incombustible helium gas as a levitation gas. Although not shown in the drawings, the helium gas in a high-pressure tank is introduced into the gas container <NUM> to fill it with the helium gas when the gas injection nozzle extended from the high pressure tank storing the helium gas is placed in the gas inlet <NUM>. When gas container <NUM> is filled with the helium gas, the levitating object <NUM> levitates depending on the amount of helium gas.

Meanwhile, the storage unit <NUM> is formed underneath the gas container <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, it is preferred that the gas container <NUM> and the storage unit <NUM> have a sealed cylindrical body <NUM>, and a partition wall <NUM> is melt and fixed to the inner side of the body <NUM> not higher than the middle of the body <NUM> height to form the gas container <NUM> in the upper part and the storage unit <NUM> is formed in the lower part of the partition wall <NUM> which is in the middle. The storage unit <NUM> can be configured to have at least one opening <NUM> formed around its circumference to allow something as a balance weight, glasses in <FIG>, to be placed therein.

While the amount of levitation gas filling the gas container <NUM> determines the weight of the contents placed in the storage unit <NUM>, the weight of contents to be placed also increases as more levitation gas is introduced for a bigger gas container <NUM>.

The relation between using the levitating object with the storage unit configured as described above and placing something to be used therein will be further described below.

As shown in <FIG>, when the gas container <NUM> is filled with a proper amount of the levitation gas to generate a levitation force, the levitating object <NUM> thus levitates. While the levitating object <NUM> levitating indoors touches the ceiling or contacts desks or the lower part of other fixtures arranged there, the embossed patterns <NUM> of the anti-slip pad <NUM> touch the ceiling or the lower part of other fixtures to generate frictional forces. The generated frictional forces support the levitating object <NUM> to prevent it from moving with the indoor air flow. That is to say, where the embossed patterns <NUM> of the anti-slip pad <NUM> or raised patterns formed on top of the gas container not shown in the drawings are not provided, the levitating object <NUM> moves here and there indoors with the indoor air flow, but the frictional forces can prevent the levitating object <NUM> from moving where the embossed patterns <NUM> touch a flat ceiling or the lower surface of fixtures, for example, a table.

Where something to be used is placed in the storage unit <NUM> of the levitating object <NUM> levitating as described above, the weight of the contents contributes to making the levitating object <NUM> move downward. Where the weight of contents placed in the storage is greater than the levitation force generated according to the amount of levitation gas in this case, the levitating object <NUM> goes downward, but levitates towards the ceiling where the weight of contents placed in the storage is smaller than the levitation force, and an optimum balance between the levitation force and the weight of contents placed in the storage makes the levitating object <NUM> levitate to an optimum height in the room as shown in <FIG>.

Where the levitating object <NUM> levitates to the height of user's eye level, the contents placed in the storage unit <NUM> are readily shown and found, and it is easy to know there is nothing placed in the storage unit because it is positioned to touch the ceiling.

Meanwhile, as shown in <FIG>, a suction cup <NUM> can be attached instead of the anti-slip pad <NUM>. For this purpose, the suction cup <NUM> can be attached and fixed to the lower surface of a fixture to fix the levitating object <NUM> to the fixture in order to use the storage unit <NUM> as an ordinary storage.

Meanwhile, while a levitating object with the storage unit in accordance with the present disclosure is shaped as a doll, and the storage unit <NUM> is formed beneath the gas container <NUM>, the storage unit <NUM> is configured to place a plurality of balance weights <NUM>, for example, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, etc., therein as a weight for adjusting the levitation height of the levitating object <NUM> to allow easy adjustment of the levitation height of levitating object <NUM>.

Meanwhile, as shown in <FIG>, the storage unit <NUM> for placing the balance weight <NUM> can be installed into the gas container <NUM> shaped as a pet dog shown in <FIG>. The storage unit <NUM> of pocket structure shown in <FIG> can be replaced by the storage unit <NUM> for placing the balance weight <NUM> described above.

Claim 1:
A levitating amusement object (<NUM>), to be played with, comprising:
a gas container (<NUM>) of sealed structure to be filled with a levitation gas; and
a storage unit (<NUM>) formed underneath the gas container (<NUM>);
wherein embossed patterns (<NUM>) are formed on the upper surface of the gas container (<NUM>), and/or
wherein an anti-slip pad (<NUM>) formed with embossed patterns (<NUM>) is attached to the upper surface of the gas container (<NUM>).