US2004198149A1PendingUtilityA1
Inflatable non-latex balloon
Priority: Jan 14, 2003Filed: Jan 12, 2004Published: Oct 7, 2004
Est. expiryJan 14, 2023(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Gerd Lippens
A63H 2027/1025A63H 27/10
38
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims
Abstract
The balloon comprises at least two balloon sheets ( 1 ) sealed to one another along a peripheral edge ( 2 ) to form an inflatable body ( 4 ) and an inflatable stem ( 5 ) connected by its proximal end to the body. In order to be able to hold the balloon the stem comprises a handle portion ( 17 ) which has, in an uninflated flat state of the balloon, an inner width (w) comprised between 30 and 80 mm and a length of at least 80 mm. The stem ( 5 ) further comprises a proximal portion ( 18 ) which widens in such a manner towards the body ( 4 ) that, when holding the balloon in its inflated state upright by the handle portion ( 17 ), the body ( 4 ) of the balloon returns to one single stable position after having bent the balloon in a transverse direction. Since the balloon can be held by the inflated handle portion, no cups or sticks have to be attached to the balloon.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modified1 . An inflatable non-latex balloon comprising at least two balloon sheets sealed to one another along a peripheral edge to form an inflatable body and an inflatable stem each having an interior, the inflatable stem being in fluid communication with the body and having a proximal end by means of which it is connected to the body, characterised in that the stem comprises a handle portion and a proximal portion, the handle portion showing a longitudinal axis and having, in an uninflated flat state of the balloon, an inner width comprised between 30 and 80 mm and a length of at least 80 mm, and the proximal portion of the stem widening in such a manner towards the body that, when holding the balloon in its inflated state by the handle portion so that said longitudinal axis of the stem extends in a vertical direction, the body of the balloon returns to one single stable position after having bent the balloon in a transverse direction perpendicular to the direction of said longitudinal axis.
2 . A balloon according to claim 1 , characterised in that said proximal portion of the stem overlaps said handle portion at least partially.
3 . A balloon according to claim 1 , characterised in that, in the uninflated flat state of the balloon, the interior of the proximal portion of the stem has two side edges each defining a side edge curve which is situated over at least a part of the proximal portion between two curves which are defined in an orthogonal axe system having an X axis coinciding with said longitudinal axis and an Y axis perpendicular thereto by the formulae:
y
=
1.1
(
a
-
x
2
2
b
2
+
c
)
and
y
=
0.9
(
a
-
x
2
2
b
2
+
c
)
;
wherein:
x is the position on the longitudinal or X axis in mm
y is the position on the Y axis in mm
a≧c
15≦c≦50 and preferably ≦40
0.4 a≦b≦1.4 a,
said part of the proximal portion extending for each edge of this proximal portion at least from x=1.1 b mm to x=2 b mm.
4 . A balloon according to claim 3 , characterised in that the two curves between which said side edge curve is situated over at least said part of the proximal portion of the stem are defined by the formulae:
y
=
1.05
(
a
-
x
2
2
b
2
+
c
)
and
y
=
0.95
(
a
-
x
2
2
b
2
+
c
)
.
5 . A balloon according to claim 3 , characterised in that at least one of said side edge curves is a curve which undulates between said two curves.
6 . A balloon according to claim 3 , characterised in that at least one of said side edge curves defined by one of said side edges is defined over at least said part of the proximal portion of the stem substantially by the following formula:
y
=
a
-
x
2
2
b
2
+
c
.
7 . A balloon according to claim 3 , characterised in that said part of the proximal portion extends from x=0.9b mm to x=2.5b mm.
8 . A balloon according to claim 3 , characterised in that in said formulae a ≧2c.
9 . A balloon according to claim 3 any one of the claims 3 to 8 , characterised in that in said formulae a is smaller than 13c, and preferably smaller than 10c.
10 . A balloon according to claim 1 any one of the claims 1 to 9 , characterised in that the inner width of said handle portion is, in the uninflated flat state of the balloon, larger than or equal to 40 mm.
11 . A balloon according to claim 1 one of the claims 1 to 10 , characterised in that the inner width of said handle portion is, in the uninflated flat state of the balloon, smaller than or equal to 60 mm.
12 . A balloon according to claim 1 , characterised in that the length of the handle portion in the uninflated flat state of the balloon is smaller than 400 mm, preferably smaller than 300 mm.
13 . A balloon according to claim 1 , characterised in that the length of the handle portion in the uninflated flat state of the balloon is larger than 100 mm, preferably larger than 140 mm.
14 . A balloon according to claim 1 , characterised in that the balloon is provided with a self-sealing valve arranged for inflating the balloon, which self-sealing valve is situated within the stem, and has preferably an inflation opening situated at the distal extremity of the stem.
15 . A balloon according to claim 1 , characterised in that the balloon is made entirely of flexible sheet material.
16 . A balloon according to claim 1 , characterised in that the balloon is free of any holding sticks or straws and is further also free of any attachment means for the attachment of a detachable holding stick, cup or straw to the balloon.Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
Track US2004198149A1 — get alerts on status changes and closely related new filings.
We store only your email — no account needed. See our privacy policy.