Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Filling means with receiver or receiver coacting means – Flexible or collapsible receiver
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-08
2001-10-16
Maust, Timothy L. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Filling means with receiver or receiver coacting means
Flexible or collapsible receiver
C141S313000, C141S329000, C116SDIG009, C446S220000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302171
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to inflatable balloons, and more particularly to a self-triggering inflatable balloon device having an improved puncture stake.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Balloons are commonly used as festive decorations to signify the celebration of some important event or anniversary. Balloons are universally recognized as a sign of happiness and celebration. It is therefore commonplace to purchase one or more balloons to give as a gift when celebrating a significant occasion.
Helium-filled balloons and other balloons inflated with gases that make them buoyant under normal atmospheric conditions are by far the most popular type of balloon. Such balloons are by perceived necessity sold to consumers already inflated with the buoyant gas because most consumers to do not possess means to inflate them. These inflated balloons have a limited life span, owing to the tendency of the balloons to deflate over time as the buoyant gas leaks from the interior of the balloon to the exterior, either through the inflation orifice or through the balloon material itself. Also, inflated balloons are very bulky and fragile, exhibiting explosive decompression if damaged in any way.
Because of the limited life span and the bulky and fragile nature of inflated balloons, it is not practical to send them through the mail. The cost of mailing is prohibitive due to the size of the balloon, and the odds of the balloon arriving at its destination inflated are small, it being likely that the balloon will deflate during transit due to leakage or damage. For the same reasons, it is generally not practical to gift wrap balloons and give them as presents.
Because of these limitations in past balloon technology, it was generally impractical or infeasible to send an inflated balloon to someone through the mail or to give balloons as gift-wrapped presents due to their bulky nature and due to the delay between sending or wrapping and receipt.
In response to this problem, I invented the self-triggering inflatable balloon device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,813, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety. In practice, I found that the operation of a valve by movement of a handle created an undesirably high resistance to the opening of a lid. In response to this problem, I had a valve designed for use in a self-triggering inflatable balloon device as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,013, the disclosure of which is also hereby incorporated in it's entirety. Further experience has shown that it is desirable to control the rate of inflation of the balloon when the stake
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passes through the internal passageway
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and into the internal aperture
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, thereby puncturing the membrane on the end of the cylinder
120
. If the rate of inflation is too great, it may cause the balloon to burst, or to separate from the valve. On the other hand, if the rate is too slow, much of the surprise from the automatic inflation is lost. There is, therefore, a need for a stake that can puncture a membrane in such a way as to release gas at a controlled rate, in order to optimize the visual impact of an automatically inflating balloon. The present invention is directed toward meeting this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a puncture stake for a self-triggering inflatable balloon device. In a preferred embodiment, the device comprises a cylinder of compressed gas having an actuating valve thereon. The other end of the actuating valve is coupled to a deflated balloon. The cylinder, valve, and deflated balloon are secured to the interior of a box having a lid. An actuating member of the valve is coupled to the box lid such that the valve is opened when the box lid is raised. Upon opening of the box lid, therefore, the actuating valve is opened and the balloon is automatically inflated with the gas from the compressed gas cylinder. The device may be given as a gift wrapped present or mailed to a friend, and will produce a surprise when opened.
In one form of the invention, a stake for puncturing a membrane in a valve to permit the controlled release of a gas is disclosed, comprising a head portion adapted to strike the membrane and cut a hole into the membrane; a shaft portion disposed adjacent the head portion; a flute formed into the head portion and adapted to prevent the stake from sealing said hole.
In another form of the invention, a stake for puncturing a membrane in a valve to permit the controlled release of a gas is disclosed, comprising a head portion adapted to strike the membrane and cut a hole into the membrane; a shaft portion disposed adjacent the head portion; a flute formed into the head portion and adapted to prevent the stake from sealing said hole; said flute having bilateral symmetry about a plane including an axis of radial symmetry of said shaft portion; said flute being formed by grinding said flute into a pin with a grinding wheel; said pin having a diameter of about 0.094 inches, a length of about 1.2 inches, and a head-end defining about a 45-degree angle with an axis of said pin; and wherein said grinding wheel has a diameter of about 3 inches in diameter and has two grinding faces each defining about a 45-degree angle with a plane defined by a circumference of said grinding wheel; and wherein said head portion cuts said hole by cutting a “C”-shaped flap which is subsequently bent in a direction of motion of the stake by said head portion to open said hole.
In another form of the invention, a valve for a self-triggering inflatable balloon device is disclosed, comprising a valve casing having an exterior, an interior, and an aperture for coupling a compressed gas container thereto and a nipple for coupling a balloon thereto; a spike contained within the valve casing, the spike comprising a head portion adapted to strike the membrane and cut a bole into the membrane; a shaft portion disposed adjacent the head portion; a flute formed into the head position and adapted to prevent the stake from sealing said hole, the flute being formed by grinding with a grinding wheel; and biasing means disposed between the spike and an interior surface of the valve casing, wherein the biasing means urges the spike toward the aperture; and a trigger extending from the exterior to the interior of the valve casing, wherein the trigger limits movement of the spike toward the aperture; wherein removal of the trigger from the valve casing enables the biasing means to propel the spike into the aperture, thereby allowing compressed gas within the container to escape into an interior of the balloon, thereby inflating the balloon; and wherein the cylindrical slug further comprises an annular recess therearound for mounting the biasing means to the cylindrical slug.
In yet another form of the invention, a valve for a self-triggering inflatable balloon device is disclosed, comprising a valve casing having an exterior, an interior, and an aperture for coupling a compressed gas container thereto and a nipple for coupling a balloon thereto; a spike contained within the valve casing, the spike comprising a head portion adapted to strike the membrane and cut a hole into the membrane; a shaft portion disposed adjacent the head position; a flute formed into the head portion and adapted to prevent the stake from sealing said hole; said flute being formed by grinding into a pin; said pin having a length of about 1.2 inches, a diameter of about 0.094 inches, and a head-end defining about a 45-degree angle with an axis of said pin; said grinding wheel having a diameter of about 3 inches and having two grinding surfaces each defining about a 45-degree angle with a plane defined by a circumference of the grinding wheel, said flute having bilateral symmetry about a plane including an axis of radial symmetry of said shaft portion; and biasing means disposed between the spike and an interior surface of the valve casing, wherein the biasing means urges the spike toward the aperture; and a trigger extending from the exterior to the
Maust Timothy L.
Watts Connie
Woodard Emhardt Naughton Moriarty & McNett
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