Claims
- 1. The method of forming a balloon sculpture simulating a tree from a plurality of balloons of the type having a constricted neck portion terminating at one end in an inflation aperture and at the other end in an imperforate inflatable sidewall, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a plurality of basic balloon building blocks each including:
- (i) a rigid rod-like balloon former having a first end, a second end, and means defining at least one (1) axially extending diametric slot formed in at least one (1) of the first and second former ends; and,
- (ii) at least one (1) partially inflated first balloon having its(their) constricted neck portion(s) extending through the slot defining means in the former with at least one (1) of the inflation aperture and/or constricted neck portion of each first balloon being secured to the former, and having the inflated imperforate sidewall of each partially inflated first balloon stretched along the unslotted length of the former and a portion thereof stretched over and about the other of the first and second former ends so as to create a basic balloon building block wherein the former defines a lineal barrier precluding distension of the balloon sidewall juxtaposed therewith in the direction of the former so that each partially inflated balloon has a flat surface abutting the former, tapered pointed upper and lower extremities, and an at least partially ovate configuration in all other planes bisecting the balloon and the former;
- (b) establish a vertically upstanding support simulating a tree trunk and having a plurality of radial bores formed therein at diverse axial locations on, and uniformly disposed about, the support with each radial bore being angled downwardly towards the axis of the support; and,
- (c) inserting the slotted end of the former in each of the plurality of basic balloon building blocks formed in Step (a) in respective different ones of the radial bores in the upstanding support to simulate the branches of a tree.
- 2. The method of forming a balloon sculpture as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least certain of the basic balloon building blocks formed in Step (a) include a plurality of partially inflated first balloons.
- 3. The method of forming a balloon sculpture as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least two (2) basic balloon building blocks are coupled together in end-to-end relation to simulate the longer lower branches of the tree-like sculpture.
- 4. The tree-like balloon sculpture formed by the method set forth in claims 1, 2 or 3.
- 5. The method of forming a balloon sculpture as set forth in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein a plurality of partially inflated second balloons having generally spherical shapes are sealed and their constricted neck portions are inserted between diverse ones of the plurality of partially inflated first balloons and the formers to which they are attached so as to frictionally retain the plurality of second balloons in place and simulate a plurality of ball-like ornaments on the tree-like balloon sculpture.
- 6. The tree-like balloon sculpture formed by the method set forth in claim 5.
Parent Case Info
The present application is a division of Applicant's copending U.S. application Ser. No. 183,720 filed Apr. 19, 1988, entitled "Balloon Sculpturing Methods, Apparatus and Products", now U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,926.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
183720 |
Apr 1988 |
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