Emergency signal balloon apparatus

• US 4,872,414 A
• Filed: 06/08/1988
• Issued: 10/10/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bonnie G. Connor, Janet L. Asquith
• Original Assignee: Bonnie G. Connor, Janet L. Asquith
• Inventors: Connor, Bonnie G., Asquith, Janet L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WORTH, WILLIE M
• Application Number:
  US07/203,902
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 40/214, 40/215, 116/210, 116/DIG. 8, 116/DIG. 9, 141/10, 141/19, 141/313, 141/330, 206/573, 206/803, 222/5, 244/31, 244/33, 244/153, 446/220, 446/222
• US Class Current: 116/210
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/50 Captive balloons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 116/09 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/803 Emergency, e.g. flare, first aid, survival pack

Abstract

An emergency signal balloon apparatus having a helium canister, an emergency signal balloon, a predetermined length of tether line, a valve assembly and a two part canister housing within which all of the components can be carried. The balloon is constructed of ultra-light, high-strength material, such as Mylar, and most of it would have an iridescent color, such as hunter'"'"'s orange, with the upper portion having large wedged shaped sections of a highly reflective silver material. The balloon would further have large black letters, "CALL 911" which is the universal distress telephone number. Each of the letters of the message is bordered with highly reflective material so that when light strikes the material at night the message is clearly reflected and is highly visible.

Claims

1. An emergency signal balloon apparatus comprising:

a canister housing having a balloon receptacle portion and an upper receptacle lid portion, a carrying handle attached to said upper receptacle lid portion;

a helium canister having an externally threaded neck having an external diameter D2, said helium canister being removably received in the balloon receptacle portion of said canister housing, said helium canister having a Teflon coating on its inner walls to prevent leakage of helium, a puncture seal closes the neck of the helium canister;

an emergency signal balloon capable of being folded in its deflated state and removably packed in the upper receptacle lid portion of said canister housing, said signal balloon having an externally threaded neck adapter unit connected to its gas inflation port, said externally threaded neck adapter unit having and external diameter D1;

said signal balloon having means thereon for providing a visual signal for help;

valve assembly means for detachably engaging the threaded neck adapter of said emergency signal balloon and the externally threaded neck of said helium canisters to thereby form a fluid passage between said emergency signal balloon and said helium canister, said valve assembly means consisting entirely of an interiorly threaded tubular upper female coupling unit having an internal diameter D1 and an interiorly threaded tubular lower female coupling unit having an internal diameter D2, said units being connected by horizontal wall structure and a needle valve centrally mounted in a passage through said wall structure for piercing the puncture seal of said helium canister, said valve assembly means having no moving parts; and

a predetermined length of tether line having one end connected to attachment means on said emergency signal balloon, said tether line being removably stored in said canister housing prior to inflation of said emergency signal balloon.