Self-sealing balloons and related components and methods of manufacturing

Abstract

Balloons and related components and manufacturing methods. Various embodiments provide balloons which define elastomeric balloon bodies and necks. The balloon bodies define body thicknesses and filled and unfilled internal volumes. Tension in the balloon bodies gives rise to internal pressures when the balloons are filled. The necks couple with the bodies and define neck thickness which differ from the body thicknesses. Various embodiments provide check valve for use with the balloons and/or various liquids. These check valves can comprise a ball that further comprises a generally spherical substrate of fine particles of a biodegradable material and a coating on the substrate. The coating can be made of another biodegradable material. Combined, the coating and the generally spherical substrate form the check valve ball and possess a density differing from the water density

1 . A self-sealing water balloon comprising:
 an elastomeric balloon body defining a body thickness, an unfilled internal volume, and a filled internal volume whereby the balloon body is configured to be expandable between the unfilled internal volume and the filled internal volume and to contain water in the filled internal volume under an internal pressure arising from a tension in the elastomeric balloon body;   an elastomeric balloon neck coupled to the balloon body wherein the balloon neck defines a meniscus region and a defines neck thickness which is greater than the body thickness; and   a ball which is buoyant with respect to the water and is located within the balloon body, the balloon being configured such that a combination of the internal pressure and the buoyancy of the ball to urge the buoyant ball toward the neck when the balloon is partially filled with water and oriented vertically.   
     
     
         2 . A balloon comprising:
 an elastomeric balloon body defining a body thickness, an unfilled internal volume, and a filled internal volume whereby the balloon body is configured to be expandable between the unfilled internal volume and the filled internal volume to contain a fluid in the filled internal volume and under an internal pressure arising from a tension in the elastomeric balloon body; and   an elastomeric balloon neck coupled to the balloon body and defining a neck thickness wherein the body thickness differs from the neck thickness.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the neck thickness is greater than the body thickness. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the difference between the thicknesses defines a rib. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the rib defines a generally concave surface as viewed from a longitudinal axis of the balloon passing through the balloon neck. 
     
     
         6 . The balloon of  claim 2  further comprising a ball which is buoyant with respect to the liquid and is located within the balloon body, the balloon being configured such that a combination of the internal pressure and the buoyancy of the ball to urge the buoyant ball toward the neck when the balloon is partially filled with the liquid. 
     
     
         7 . The balloon of  claim 2  wherein the balloon defines an overall thickness which varies continuously with a distance along a longitudinal axis of the balloon wherein the variable overall thickness defines the body thickness and the neck thickness. 
     
     
         8 . The balloon of  claim 2  wherein the balloon neck defines a meniscus region. 
     
     
         9 . The balloon of  claim 2  wherein the balloon body defines an overall body diameter, wherein the balloon neck defines an overall neck diameter, and wherein the body diameter exceeds the neck diameter whereby the balloon neck and balloon body define a meniscus region. 
     
     
         10 . The balloon of  claim 2  wherein the balloon further comprises a balloon lip coupled to the balloon neck wherein the balloon lip defines an overall lip diameter, the neck body defines an overall neck diameter, and the lip diameter exceeds the neck diameter whereby the balloon lip and neck define a meniscus region. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 at least partially immersing a mold in a liquid elastomer, the mold comprising a balloon body portion, a balloon lip portion, and a balloon neck portion between the body and lip portions, the portions each having a circumference, the circumference of the neck portion being less than at least one of the body and lip portions;   drawing the mold from the liquid elastomer at a rate sufficient to coat the mold with the liquid elastomer whereby a thickness of the coating on the neck portion is different than a thickness of the coating on at least one of the body or lip portions; and   forming the balloon lip from the elastomer on the lip portion.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the mold includes a flat region proximal to or on the neck portion. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising varying the rate of withdrawing the stem from the liquid elastomer whereby a thickness of the coating on the stem varies with a distance along the mold. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising inserting a check valve ball into the balloon. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising using compressed air to insert the check valve ball into the balloon. 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing a check valve for use in water wherein the water possesses a density, the method of manufacturing comprising:
 molding a first biodegradable material comprised of fine particles into a generally spherical ball-shaped substrate; and   coating the spherical substrate a with second biodegradable material wherein the coated spherical ball possesses a density which differs from the density of the water and wherein the coated spherical ball possesses a total mass of no more than about 480 mg whereby if the coated spherical ball is thoroughly wetted with water and traveling at about 70 feet per second and contacts a human, it does not injure the human.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising deburring the generally spherical ball to form the spherical ball. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising dividing a bulk material into the fine particles. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising drying the coating. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the biodegradable substrate material is wood. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein an oil of the wood binds the fine particles together in the generally spherical ball. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising inserting the spherical ball into a balloon. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising mixing a binder with the biodegradable substrate material. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the coating material is beeswax. 
     
     
         25 . A balloon to be filled with a fluid, the balloon comprising:
 an elastomeric balloon body defining a fill aperture and an interior volume, the balloon being configured to possess an internal pressure when filled; and   a check valve positioned in the interior volume of the elastomeric balloon body and being shaped and dimensioned to seal the fill aperture,   the check valve comprising at least a stopper whereby the internal pressure urges the check valve to seal the fill aperture.   
     
     
         26 . The balloon of  FIG. 25  wherein the check valve further comprises a cartridge wherein the stopper is trapped in the cartridge. 
     
     
         27 . A check valve for use with water possessing a density, the check valve comprising:
 an at least generally spherical substrate further comprising fine particles of a biodegradable material; and   a coating of another biodegradable material on the generally spherical substrate wherein the coating and the generally spherical substrate form a check valve ball possessing density differing from the water density and wherein the check valve ball possesses a total mass of no more than about 480 mg whereby if the coated spherical ball is thoroughly wetted with the water and traveling at about 70 feet per second and contacts a human, it does not injure the human.   
     
     
         28 . The check valve of  claim 27  wherein the biodegradable substrate material is wood. 
     
     
         29 . The check valve of  claim 28  wherein an oil of the wood binds the fine particles together. 
     
     
         30 . The check valve of  claim 27  further comprising a neck of a balloon configured to receive the check valve ball whereby the balloon neck and the check valve ball form a self-sealing water balloon. 
     
     
         31 . The check valve of  claim 27  wherein the check valve ball further comprises a binder binding the fine particles together. 
     
     
         32 . A mold for a self-sealing balloon, the mold comprising:
 a balloon body portion defining a mold body circumference;   a balloon lip portion defining a mold lip circumference;   a balloon neck portion between the body and lip portions and defining a mold neck circumference wherein the neck circumference is less than at least one of the body or neck circumference or both;   the mold being made of a selected material with a wetting property;   a fillet located between the neck portion and at least one of the body or lip portions or both and having a characteristic dimension suitable tor drawing a selected liquid elastomer into a region adjacent the fillet working in conjunction with the wetting property of the mold material.   
     
     
         33 . A balloon comprising:
 an elastomeric balloon body defining a body thickness, an unfilled internal volume, and a filled internal volume whereby the balloon body is configured to be expandable between the unfilled internal volume and the filled internal volume to contain a fluid in the filled internal volume and under an internal pressure arising from a tension in the elastomeric balloon body;   an elastomeric balloon neck coupled to the balloon body; and   a device associated with the balloon neck and being configured to stop fluid in the balloon from leaking out of the balloon.   
     
     
         34 . The balloon of  claim 33  wherein the device is configured to be held open during a filling of the balloon. 
     
     
         35 . The balloon of  claim 33  wherein the device is configured to seal an internal surface of the balloon neck.