Lighted balloon and floral arch

• US 9,957,707 B1
• Filed: 12/17/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leroy Cooper Jr
• Original Assignee: Leroy Cooper Jr
• Inventors: Cooper, Jr., Leroy
• Primary Examiner(s): Canfield, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gitlin, Matthew J
• Application Number:
  US15/382,624
• Time in Patent Office: 500 Days
• Field of Search: 52 28, 52 86, 40212, 40217, 4031093, 362219, 36224901, 362278, 362320, 362806, 362808, 285 7, 285303, 285305, 285317, 285399
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 5/04 Mountings for wreaths, or the like; Racks or holders for flowers
• 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: E04C 3/46 of materials not covered by groups E04C3/40 - E04C3/44; of a combination of two or more materials
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/086 by means of latching members pushed radially by spring-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 1/00 Cardboard or like show-cards of foldable or flexible material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32483 Spring biased
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7075 including discrete retainer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7079 Transverse pin

Abstract

A balloon and floral arch adapted for receiving balloons and floral arrangements thereon. The arch is made up of a plurality of light weight, clear plastic, outer tubes, typically in 5 feet sections. The outer tubes are joined together end to end and formed into an arch. The arch can be 25 feet, 35 feet and greater. The outer tubes are used to receive a light weight, clear plastic inner tube with a string of LED lights. Opposite ends of the arch are attached to a pair of heavy, metal base plates for holding the arch upright on a floor surface. The string of lights can be powered by a 12 volt DC battery or a 110 AC electrical outlet. The arch can also include a remote control switch box for turning the lights on and off and starting blinking lights, fast or slow.

Claims

1. A balloon and floral arch adapted for receiving balloons, floral arrangements, and decorative additions thereon, the arch comprising:

a plurality of clear plastic, outer tubes, the outer tubes joined together forming an arch configuration adapted for receipt on a floor surface;

a plurality of circular spring clips with buttons, each clip attached to an inside of a male end of each outer tube and concentric with an inner diameter of the outer tube, the male end received inside a female end of an adjacent outer tube, the buttons received inside button holes in a side of a female end of the outer tube for securing the male end to the female end, a plurality of the buttons on the clips aligned with each other on a periphery of the outer tubes for stability and prevent tipping of the arch;

a clear plastic, inner tube with a string of lights received therein, the inner tube and the string of light received inside the joined together outer tubes, the circular spring clips allowing the inner tube to pass unobstructed through the joined together outer tubes;

a pair of metal base plates, the base plates having a tube holder therein for receiving opposite ends of the outer tubes joined together, the base plates and tube holders holding the arch configuration upright on the floor surface; and

a power supply connected to the string of lights for providing electrical power to the lights.

2. The arch as described in claim 1 wherein the outer tubes are 5 feet in length.

3. The arch as described in claim 1 wherein a length of the arch is in a range of 25 feet to 35 feet.

4. The arch as described in claim 1 wherein the electrical power supply is a 12 volt DC battery or a 110 AC electrical outlet.

5. The arch as described in claim 1 wherein opposite ends of the joined together outer tubes are attached to the base plate using an inverted “

U”

shaped spring operated metal clip.

6. The arch as described in claim 1 further including a switch box, with remote control, attached to the power supply and to the string of lights for turning the lights on and off.

7. The arch as described in claim 1 wherein the female ends of the outer tubes are swedged for receiving the male ends of adjacent outer tubes.

8. A balloon and floral arch adapted for receiving balloons, floral arrangements, and decorative additions thereon, the arch comprising:

a plurality of, clear plastic, outer tubes, in 5 feet sections, the outer tubes joined together forming an arch configuration adapted for receipt on a floor surface, the outer tubes having a diameter in a range of ¾

to 1 inch;

a plurality of circular spring clips with buttons, each clip attached to an inside of a male end of each outer tube and concentric with an inner diameter of the outer tube, the male end received inside a female end of an adjacent outer tube, the buttons received inside button holes in a side of a female end of the outer tube for securing the male end to the female end, a plurality of the buttons on the clips aligned with each other on a periphery of the outer tubes for stability and prevent tipping of the arch;

a clear plastic, inner tube with a string of lights received therein, the inner tube and the string of light received inside the joined together outer tubes, the circular spring clips allowing the inner tube to pass unobstructed through the joined together outer tubes, the inner tube having a diameter in a range of ⅜

to ½

inch;

a pair of metal base plates, the base plates having a tube holder therein for receiving opposite ends of the outer tubes joined together, the base plates and tube holders used for holding the arch configuration upright on the floor surface; and

a power supply connected to the string of lights for providing electrical power to the lights.

9. The arch as described in claim 8 wherein a length of the arch is in a range of 25 feet to 35 feet.

10. The arch as described in claim 8 wherein the electrical power supply is a 12 volt DC battery or a 110 AC electrical outlet.

11. The arch as described in claim 8 wherein opposite ends of the joined together outer tubes are attached to the base plate using a inverted “

U”

shaped spring operated metal clip.

12. The arch as described in claim 8 further including a switch box, with remote control, attached to the power supply and to the string of lights for turning the lights on and off.

13. The arch as described in claim 8 wherein the female ends of the outer tubes are swedged for receiving the male ends of adjacent outer tubes.