Illuminating balloon with an inflatable envelope and integrated control unit

• US 6,012,826 A
• Filed: 09/19/1997
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airstar Of Zone Artisanale De Champ Fila
• Original Assignee: Airstar Of Zone Artisanale De Champ Fila
• Inventors: Chabert, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): HONEYMAN, MARSHALL S
• Application Number:
  US08/934,048
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 362/267, 362/470, 362/276, 362/96, 362/431, 362/363, 362/278, 362/253, 362/376, 244/31, 244/33, 244/98, 244/99
• US Class Current: 362/363
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2027/1058 associated with light or sound
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/08 with a standard F21S6/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/02 Cages
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/026 being inflatable

Abstract

An illuminating balloon with an inflatable envelope and a control unit integrated in the envelope includes an electropneumatic blowing device having an intake orifice to suck air in from the outside, and a discharge orifice to send the air into the internal space of the balloon, an electronic circuit for power supply of the electropneumatic device and of the bulb, and a cover for support of the bulb and of a protective grid preventing the envelope from coming into contact with the bulb, said grid being extended up to near the top of the envelope from coming into contact with the bulb, said grid being extended up to near the top of the envelope to give the balloon rigidity.

Claims

1. An illuminating balloon, comprising:

an inflatable envelope made of flexible material;

an illuminating device including an electric bulb;

first means for supporting and supplying power to the bulb;

second means for filling the envelope with a fluid to inflate the balloon;

wherein the first and second means are arranged in a control unit integrated in a base of the envelope and include;

an electropneumatic blowing device having an intake orifice to suck air in from outside of the envelope, and a discharge orifice to send the air into an internal space of the envelope;

an electronic circuit for power supply of the electropneumatic blowing device and of the bulb; and

a cover for support of the bulb and a protective grid preventing the envelope from coming into contact with the bulb, said grid extending to the top of the envelope.

2. The illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is mounted on a support plate which fits onto a fixing flange of the envelope, said flange defining a first orifice for insertion of the illuminating device and control unit into the internal space of the envelope.

3. The illuminating balloon according to claim 2, wherein the support plate includes a holding leg extending outwards from the envelope in a direction coaxial to the grid, and able to be fitted to a support element.

4. The illuminating balloon according to claim 3, wherein the holding leg includes securing means for clipping into an upper end piece of the support element.

5. The illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein the envelope is made of a cloth or film in an elliptical shape in the inflated state, the cover and grid extending along the minor axis of the envelope.

6. The illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein the protective grid includes a plurality of rigid metallic wires extending at regular angular intervals along the generating lines of a cylinder, the wires being curved at the top part in order to constitute an armature in the form of a spherical cap, affixedly secured to a central washer, which is provided with a centering pin designed to be positioned in a second orifice of the envelope, the end of the pin being threaded to cooperate with a tightening nut.

7. The illuminating balloon according to claim 2, wherein the cover is shaped as a bell fixed onto the support plate to form a dielectric and thermal shield between the illuminating device and the control unit.

8. The illuminating balloon according to claim 7, wherein the base of the bulb is housed in a sleeve supported by an insulating spacer bearing on the cover, the current input from the electronic circuit to the bulb by wires passing through a bore of the spacer.

9. The illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein the electropneumatic device is formed by a suction device or a fan driven by an electric motor put into operation as soon as the electronic circuit is powered on.

10. The illuminating balloon according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is connected by an external cable to the main power supply constituting the normal power supply source, and is in addition supplied by a backup source arranged inside the cover.