Modular illuminating balloon

• US 20050207142A1
• Filed: 03/16/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Airstar SA
• Original Assignee: Airstar SA
• Inventors: Chabert, Pierre
• Application Number:
  US11/080,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20050207142A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/101
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/023 Chinese lanterns; Balloons

Abstract

The illuminating balloon comprises at least one standard module having an inflatable envelope housing an illuminating device. The envelope of each standard module comprises external connecting means designed to co-operate, by juxtaposition according to a predefined shape, with the complementary external connecting means of a predetermined number of identical standard modules to adjust the global volume of the illuminating balloon. Each standard module is formed by two adjacent flat side faces and by a transverse surface. The external connecting means of each standard module comprise lateral connecting means fixed onto the contour of the flat side faces, and transverse connecting means fixed onto the transverse surface. The two flat side faces are substantially in the shape of an ellipse and the transverse surface is a curved revolution surface.

Claims

1. Illuminating balloon comprising at least one standard module having an inflatable envelope made of flexible material of small thickness, housing an illuminating device, means for support and power supply of the illuminating device and means for filling the envelope with a fluid, illuminating balloon wherein the envelope of each standard module comprises external connecting means designed to co-operate, by juxtaposition, with the complementary external connecting means of at least one identical standard module to form an illuminating balloon having a volume and a lighting power proportional to the number of juxtaposed standard modules, said external connecting means enabling the standard modules to be juxtaposed in a plurality of assemblies of different shapes.

2. Illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein each standard module is formed by two adjacent flat side faces defining a first assembly angle, and by a transverse surface joining the two flat side faces over the whole of their contour and defining second and third assembly angles therewith.

3. Illuminating balloon according to claim 2, wherein the first assembly angle of each standard module comprises a chamfer so as to form a flat surface at the level of the first assembly angle.

4. Illuminating balloon according to claim 2, wherein the external connecting means of each standard module comprise lateral connecting means fixed onto the contour of the flat side faces, and transverse connecting means fixed onto the transverse surface.

5. Illuminating balloon according to claim 2, wherein the two flat side faces are substantially in the form of an ellipse, the transverse surface being a curved revolution surface.

6. Illuminating balloon according to claim 5, wherein the length of the small axis of the ellipse is about 2.2 m and the length of the large axis of the ellipse is about 2.5 m.

7. Illuminating balloon according to claim 6, wherein the transverse connecting means are fixed onto the curved surface of each standard module, at the level of the small axis and of the large axis of the flat side faces.

8. Illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein the external connecting means are composed of chains of zips.

9. Illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein each standard module comprises fluid outlet means.