Illuminated balloon with an externally mounted, rear projector

• US 7,611,396 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Schnuckle, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stanczak; Matthew B
• Application Number:
  US11/679,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20080207083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 446/220, 348/744
• US Class Current: 446/220
• 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: A63H 33/22 Optical, colour, or shadow toys puzzles with optical elements A63F9/0613; kaleidoscopes G02B27/08
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/023 Chinese lanterns; Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0025 display surface tensioning means

Abstract

An illuminated balloon assembly. The assembly includes a balloon having a front wall and a transparent rear wall or a rear wall including a transparent area. A projector is mounted on an exterior surface of the rear wall. The projector has a housing with an outlet proximate to the transparent area of the rear wall and a light source directing light toward the housing outlet. A light filter element is positioned within the housing such that light is selectively filtered to cause a display image to project on the balloon front wall. The housing has upper and lower shells, with the upper shell rigidly attached to the rear wall and supporting the light source. The lower shell is pivotally mounted on the upper shell. The filter is a two piece construction with portions provided on the upper and lower shells to cause the display to animated by projector movement.

Claims

1. An illuminated inflatable display apparatus, comprising:

an inflatable balloon comprising a front wall and a rear wall, wherein the rear wall includes an area that is at least partially transparent to light; and

a projector positioned exterior to and adjacent the rear wall of the balloon, the projector comprising a housing with an outlet proximate the transparent area of the rear wall, a light source directing light toward the housing outlet, and a light filter element positioned in the housing, wherein the light from the light source passes selectively through the light filter element to project a display image defined by the light filter element on an inner surface of the front wall of the balloon,

wherein the housing comprises a first shell supporting the light source and a second shell that is pivotally mounted onto the first shell, the first and second shells defining the outlet of the housing and the first shell abutting an exterior surface of the rear wall, whereby the first shell is immobile relative to the rear wall and the second shell moves relative to the first shell,

wherein the light filter element comprises a first component attached to the first shell and a second component attached to the second shell, the first component defining a stationary portion of the display image and second component defining a mobile portion of the display image,

wherein the second shell is mounted to move generally vertically toward and away from the first shell with the second shell being supported on the first shell with a pin passing through mounting guides on the second shell.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light filter element comprises an animated portion mounted to the housing to move independently relative to the housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the animated portion is mounted upon a flexible member attached to the housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first shell has a frustoconical sidewall formed of a substantially opaque material that includes a slot sized to receive the second shell as the second shell pivots about its mounting to the first shell.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the front wall is colored white and the rear wall is substantially transparent to light.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mounting assembly attaching the projector the rear wall comprising a guide on the rear wall, a guide on the project housing, a strap passing through the rear wall guide and the projector housing guide, and a forward guide on the front wall of the balloon at an offset distance from the center of the balloon through which a power cord from the light source may be extended, whereby the power cord acts as an attachment strap and also as a tether for the balloon.

7. An illuminated balloon assembly, comprising:

a balloon; and

a projector mounted on an exterior surface of the balloon, wherein the projector comprises a stationary shroud contacting the exterior surface of the balloon, a light source supported by the stationary shroud, and a mobile shroud mounted on the stationary shroud to move relative to the stationary shroud, wherein inner surfaces of the shrouds direct light from the light source through a portion of the balloon that is substantially transparent to light onto an inner surface of the balloon,

wherein the mobile shroud is pivotally mounted onto the stationary shroud, and

wherein the projector further comprises an artwork pattern at least partially opaque to light, the pattern comprising a first portion attached to the stationary shroud and a second portion attached to the mobile shroud, wherein the first and second portions are in a path of the light from the light source to filter portions of the light from the light source with the second portion moving vertically toward and away from the first portion with movement of the balloon.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the stationary shroud includes a substantially opaque sidewall with a slot through which the mobile shroud travels as it pivots on the stationary shroud.

9. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode powered from a power source external to the shrouds.

10. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the balloon comprises a front wall comprising the inner surface upon which the light from the light source is directed, the front wall being at least partially opaque to light.

11. The assembly of claim 7, further comprising a mounting assembly attaching the projector to the exterior surface of the balloon comprising a guide on the exterior surface, a guide on the projector housing, a strap passing through the rear wall guide and the projector housing guide, and a forward guide on the exterior surface of the balloon through which a power cord from the light source may be extended, whereby the power cord acts as an attachment strap and also as a tether for the balloon.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the light source is mounted on the inner surface of the upper shell and comprises a light emitting diode.

13. An apparatus for forming a balloon with a wall with a transparent portion into an illuminated balloon display device, comprising:

an upper shell with an inner surface supporting an upper display pattern and adapted for mounting upon an exterior surface of the balloon wall adjacent the transparent portion;

a light source positioned to direct light onto the upper display pattern on the inner surface of the upper shell; and

a lower shell with an inner surface supporting a lower display pattern, wherein the lower shell is pivotally mounted to the upper shell to move the lower display pattern toward and away from the inner surface of the upper shell and wherein the upper and lower display patterns are at least partially opaque to light, wherein the inner surface of the upper shell has an arcuate cross section with a gap sized to receive the lower shell as it moves toward the inner surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a mounting assembly for attaching the upper shell to the exterior surface of the balloon comprising a guide on an outer surface of the upper shell, a strap for passing through the upper shell guide and through a guide on the exterior surface of the balloon, and a power cord from the light source extending out of the upper shell to a power source for the light source housed in a handle, whereby the power cord acts as an attachment strap as it passes through one or more guides on the exterior surface of the balloon.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the lower shell has an outer edge that is recessed from a plane passing through an outer edge of the upper shell, whereby the lower shell does not contact the exterior surface of the balloon when the upper shell is mounted on the exterior surface.

16. An illuminated inflatable display apparatus, comprising:

an inflatable balloon comprising a front wall and a rear wall, wherein the rear wall includes an area that is at least partially transparent to light; and

a projector positioned exterior to and adjacent the rear wall of the balloon, the projector comprising a housing with an outlet proximate the transparent area of the rear wall, a light source directing light toward the housing outlet, and a light filter element positioned in the housing, wherein the light from the light source passes selectively through the light filter element to project a display image defined by the light filter element on an inner surface of the front wall of the balloon, the light filter comprising a first portion and a second portion mounted to move toward and away from the first portion during movement of the projector to create a vertically moving portion in the display image.

17. The display apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a mounting assembly attaching the projector the rear wall comprising a guide on the rear wall, a guide on the project housing, a strap passing through the rear wall guide and the projector housing guide, and a forward guide on the front wall of the balloon at an offset distance from the center of the balloon through which a power cord from the light source may be extended, whereby the power cord acts as an attachment strap and as a balancing tether for the balloon.