Helium free balloon assembly

• US 9,679,504 B1
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Balloon Innovations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Balloon Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Wicken, Gregg A., Wicken, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US14/743,839
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 446220, 446222, 446224, 446225, 446226, 2483091, 2483465
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/00 Furniture or installations specially adapted to particular types of service systems, not otherwise provided for conveyor aspects B65G; building aspects E04H; coin-freed apparatus G07F
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2027/1008 Anchoring means or weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2027/1041 Holding or sealing means, e.g. handling rods, clamps or plugs
• 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: F16B 9/02 Detachable connections F16B9/05 – F16B9/09 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/08 around a vertical axis , e.g. panoramic heads F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/06 by aeroplanes, airships, balloons, or kites

Abstract

The inventive technology disclosed herein includes methods and apparatus for novel and unique helium-free balloon support assemblies as well as complementary support systems that may be used to display one or more helium-free balloons.

Claims

1. A helium-free balloon assembly comprising:

at least one coupler configured to be coupled with a balloon support;

at least one rod coupler configured to be secured with said coupler and at least one rod;

a helium-free balloon configured to be supported by said balloon support; and

at least one helium-free balloon handle configured to be secured with said helium-free balloon through at least one balloon latch on said rod coupler.

2. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 1 wherein said coupler comprises a coupler selected from the group consisting of:

a threaded coupler;

a fitted coupler;

a twist lock coupler;

a snap lock coupler;

a flexible coupler; and

a quick release coupler.

3. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 1 wherein said coupler comprises a valve.

4. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 1 wherein said coupler comprises a coupler configured to be secured in a secured coupler channel on said balloon support.

5. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 1 wherein said rod coupler comprises a rod coupler having at least one fastener configured to be secured with said coupler.

6. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 1 wherein said rod coupler comprises a rod coupler secured to said rod through an overmold.

7. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 1 wherein said rod comprises a rod selected from the group consisting of:

a flexible rod;

a stationary rod;

a pole;

a jointed rod;

a support plate;

a ground stake; and

a support stand.

8. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 1 wherein said balloon support comprises a balloon support selected from the group consisting of:

a planar balloon support cup;

a substantially circular balloon support cup; and

a scalloped balloon support cup;

a rigid balloon support cup; and

a flexible balloon support cup.

9. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 1 wherein said helium-free balloon handle comprises at least one integral helium-free balloon handle configured to be secured with said helium-free balloon through at least one balloon latch on said rod coupler.

10. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 1 and further comprising at least one rod handle configured to be coupled with said rod.

11. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 10 wherein said rod handle comprises a rod handle configured to be coupled with a support pole.

12. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 10 wherein said rod handle comprises a rod handle coupled with said rod through an overmold.

13. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 1 and further comprising a vertical rod support configured to secure one or more helium-free balloon assemblies.

14. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 13 wherein said vertical rod support configured to secure one or more helium-free balloon assemblies comprises a vertical rod support having one or more rod apertures configured to secure one or more helium-free balloon assemblies.

15. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 14 wherein said vertical rod support comprises a vertical rod support having at least one support attachment position.

16. A helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 14 wherein said vertical rod support comprises a vertical rod support having at least one adhesive attachment position.

17. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly comprising:

at least one coupler configured to be coupled with a balloon support and a seamless helium-free balloon wherein said seamless helium-free balloon is configured to be supported by said balloon support;

at least one rod coupler configured to be secured with said coupler and at least one rod; and

at least one helium-free balloon handle configured to be secured with said helium-free balloon with at least one balloon latch on said rod coupler.

18. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 17 wherein said coupler comprises a coupler selected from the group consisting of:

a threaded coupler;

a fitted coupler;

a twist lock coupler;

a snap lock coupler;

a flexible coupler; and

a quick release coupler.

19. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 17 wherein said coupler comprises a valve.

20. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 17 wherein said coupler comprises a coupler configured to be secured in a secured coupler channel on said balloon support.

21. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 17 wherein said rod coupler comprises a rod coupler having at least one fastener configured to be secured with said coupler.

22. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 17 wherein said rod coupler comprises a rod coupler secured to said rod through an overmold.

23. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 17 wherein said rod comprises a rod selected from the group consisting of:

a flexible rod;

a stationary rod;

a pole;

a jointed rod;

a support plate;

a ground stake; and

a support stand.

24. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 17 wherein said balloon support comprises a balloon support selected from the group consisting of:

a planar balloon support cup;

a substantially circular balloon support cup; and

a scalloped balloon support cup;

a rigid balloon support cup; and

a flexible balloon support cup.

25. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 17 and further comprising at least one rod handle configured to be coupled with said rod.

26. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 25 wherein said rod handle comprises a rod handle configured to be coupled with a pole.

27. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 17 wherein said rod handle comprises a rod handle coupled with said rod through an overmold.

28. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 17 wherein said seamless helium-free balloon comprises at least one seamless helium-free balloon inflation port.

29. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 17 wherein said seamless helium-free balloon comprises at least one seamless helium-free balloon plug.

30. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 17 and further comprising a vertical rod support configured to secure one or more helium-free balloon assemblies.

31. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 30 wherein said vertical rod support configured to secure one or more helium-free balloon assemblies comprises a vertical rod support having one or more rod apertures configured to secure one or more helium-free balloon assemblies.

32. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 31 wherein said vertical rod support comprises a vertical rod support having at least one support attachment position.

33. An integrated seamless helium-free balloon assembly as described in claim 31 wherein said vertical rod support comprises a vertical rod support having at least one adhesive attachment position.

34. A helium-free balloon valve assembly comprising:

at least one helium-free balloon having at least one internal fitting;

at least one balloon support having at least one support extension configured to be coupled with said internal fitting;

at least one rod coupler configured to be coupled with said balloon support and at least one rod; and

at least one inflation valve configured to be secured by said balloon support so as to allow said helium-free balloon to be inflated when coupled to said balloon support.

35. A helium-free balloon valve assembly as described in claim 34 wherein said internal fitting comprises an internal fitting selected from the group consisting of:

a threaded internal fitting;

a slide lock internal fitting;

a snap lock internal fitting;

a flanged internal fitting; and

an integral internal fitting.

36. A helium-free balloon valve assembly as described in claim 34 wherein said balloon support comprises a balloon support having a balloon support coupler.

37. A helium-free balloon valve assembly as described in claim 36 wherein said balloon support coupler comprises a balloon support coupler selected from the group consisting of:

a threaded balloon support coupler;

a fitted balloon support coupler;

a twist lock balloon support coupler;

a snap lock balloon support coupler;

a flexible balloon support coupler; and

a quick release balloon support coupler; and

integral balloon support coupler;

a valved balloon support coupler; and

a valve.

38. A helium-free balloon valve assembly as described in claim 34 wherein said balloon support comprises a balloon support selected from the group consisting of:

a planar balloon support cup;

a substantially circular balloon support cup; and

a scalloped balloon support cup;

a rigid balloon support cup; and

a flexible balloon support cup.

39. A helium-free balloon valve assembly as described in claim 34 wherein said balloon support comprises a balloon support coupler wherein said support extension and said rod coupler are a single integral component.

40. A helium-free balloon valve assembly as described in claim 34 wherein said rod comprises a rod selected from the group consisting of:

a flexible rod;

a stationary rod;

a pole;

a jointed rod;

a support plate;

a ground stake; and

a support stand.

41. A helium-free balloon valve assembly as described in claim 34 and further comprising at least one rod handle configured to be coupled with said rod.

42. A helium-free balloon valve assembly as described in claim 41 wherein said rod handle comprises a rod handle configured to be coupled with a pole.

43. A helium-free balloon valve assembly as described in claim 34 and further comprising a vertical rod support configured to secure one or more helium-free balloon assemblies.

44. A helium-free balloon valve assembly as described in claim 43 wherein said vertical rod support configured to secure one or more helium-free balloon assemblies comprises a vertical rod support having one or more rod apertures configured to secure one or more helium-free balloon assemblies.

45. A helium-free balloon valve assembly as described in claim 44 wherein said vertical rod support comprises a vertical rod support having at least one support attachment position.

46. A helium-free balloon valve assembly as described in claim 44 wherein said vertical rod support comprises a vertical rod support having at least one adhesive attachment position.