Illuminating balloon with improved self-inflatable envelope

• US 20050207168A1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airstar SA
• Original Assignee: Airstar SA
• Inventors: Chabert, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 7,252,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/373
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2027/1033 Inflation devices or methods for inflating balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2027/1058 associated with light or sound
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/10 Balloons connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00; other than toy aspects B64B1/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/004 with a lamp housing in direct contact with the floor or ground
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/005 with a lamp housing maintained at a distance from the floor or ground via a support, e.g. standing lamp for ambient lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/08 with a standard F21S6/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 25/10 coming into action when lighting device is overloaded, e.g. thermal switch
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/023 Chinese lanterns; Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/026 being inflatable

Abstract

An illuminating balloon with an inflatable envelope contains an illumination system having at least one electric light bulb, and inflating means equipped with an integrated fan designed to suck air in from the outside and to inject it into the envelope while keeping the latter in the inflated state. The assembly formed by the bulb and fan is covered by a bowl made of transparent or translucent plastic material, forming an explosion-proof isolating shield and a deflector of the discharge air for inflation of the envelope via passage apertures provided in the bowl.

Claims

1. Illuminating balloon with an inflatable envelope containing an illumination system having at least one electric light bulb, inflating means equipped with an integrated fan designed to suck air in from the outside and to inject it into the envelope while keeping the latter in the inflated state, a support means of the assembly formed by the bulb and fan, and electric power supply means,

wherein the assembly formed by the bulb and fan is covered by a bowl made of transparent or translucent plastic material, forming an explosion-proof isolating shield and a deflector of the discharge air enabling both cooling of the bulb and inflation of the envelope, the bowl having passage apertures for air to flow to the internal volume of the envelope to perform said inflation.

2. Illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein the passage apertures are arranged in the upper part of the bowl to perform inflation of the envelope via the top.

3. Illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein the bowl comprises at its base an open end bounded by an annular rim coming into engagement with a bearing surface of the support means.

4. Illuminating balloon according to claim 3, wherein the top part of the bowl is attached to the envelope by means of a removable fixing means.

5. Illuminating balloon according to claim 3, wherein the envelope is placed around the bowl and comprises a circular opening bearing on the annular rim of the bowl due to the action of said internal pressure, the edge of the bowl comprising a frustum-shaped profile operating in conjunction with the circular opening of the envelope to enhance the air-tightness when inflation is performed.

6. Illuminating balloon according to claim 3, characterized in that the envelope is placed around the bowl, and comprises a circular opening secured fixed onto the annular edge of the bowl by fixing means.

7. Illuminating balloon according to claim 5, wherein the support means of the assembly formed by the bulb and fan comprise a plate having a larger diameter than that of the opening of the envelope and provided with holes to enable air to be sucked in from the outside and for the power supply conductors to pass through.

8. Illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein the plastic material of the bowl is polycarbonate-based.

9. Illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein the bowl has a revolution shape extending over the whole height of the balloon.

10. Illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein a safety thermostat is housed in the envelope to interrupt the power supply of the bulb automatically in case of stoppage of the fan.