The present application generally relates to devices, apparatus, systems and methods for filling containers with a fluid. Specifically, the present application relates to automatically filling multiple balloons with a fluid mixture.
Some containers, particularly fluid-inflatable containers such as balloons, can be difficult to fill with a fluid, especially when there is a need to fill multiple containers simultaneously and/or quickly. To make the filling of these containers easier and more efficient, various products are currently available that facilitate the filling of fluid-inflatable containers. These fluid-inflatable containers may be filled or inflated using various fluids, such as, e.g., liquids such as water, gases such as helium, or medications. Examples of fluid-inflatable containers include those used for recreational purposes, such as balloons.
Additionally, there may be times where it may be desirable to be able to introduce an additive, such as a dye or other soluble or insoluble material, to the fluid used to fill the fluid-inflatable containers. Nevertheless, it may be difficult, impossible, inefficient, or undesirable to first mix the fluid with the additive and subsequently fill the containers with the mixture. Further, many of the existing products may connect directly to a fluid source, such as a hose or faucet, thereby making it impracticable to pour a mixture to fill fluid-inflatable containers using such products.
Embodiments of the present invention can provide an apparatus for filling a plurality of containers with a fluid. The apparatus can include a connector configured to removably couple the apparatus to a fluid source, a flow path providing fluid communication between the fluid source and a plurality of containers coupled to the apparatus, a sealing element disposed within each of the plurality of containers, the sealing element configured to couple the container to the apparatus and automatically seal the container when the container is decoupled from the apparatus, a retaining mechanism including an adhesive disposed on each of the plurality of containers to position the sealing element in a neck of each of the plurality of containers.
According to some embodiments, the sealing element can include valves. The valve can include a channel and a sealing member. The sealing member can include a flap and/or a first wall of a slit and a second wall of the slit. The valve can include at least one of a reed valve, a duckbill valve, and a bullet valve. According to certain exemplary embodiments, the plurality of containers can include balloons and/or the apparatus can be reusable.
Another embodiment of the present invention can provide an apparatus for filling a plurality of containers with a fluid. The apparatus can include a connector configured to removably couple the apparatus to a fluid source, flow path providing fluid communication between the fluid source and a plurality of containers coupled to the apparatus, a plurality of conduits, a valve within each of the plurality of containers, the valve including sealing members and a channel through which one of the plurality of conduits is received, the sealing members being configured to be maintained in an open position by the conduit received in the channel while coupled to the apparatus and to automatically seal the container when the container is decoupled from the apparatus, and an adhesive disposed on a surface of the valve, the adhesive configured to substantially prevent radial expansion of the container and position the valve within the neck of the container.
Another embodiment of the present invention can provide an apparatus for filling a plurality of containers with a fluid. The apparatus can include a connector configured to removably couple the apparatus to a fluid source, a flow path providing fluid communication between the fluid source and a plurality of containers coupled to the apparatus, and a sealing element configured to couple the container to the apparatus and automatically seal the container when the container is decoupled from the apparatus, wherein the sealing element is adhered within a neck of each of the plurality of containers using an adhesive.
Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to devices, apparatus, systems, and methods for filling containers with a fluid. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for filling multiple balloons at substantially the same time. Certain embodiments of the present invention facilitate introducing an additive to a fluid source to enable automatic filling of multiple containers in a substantially simultaneously manner with a fluid mixture. Although the embodiments of the present invention are primarily described with respect to dyes and fluid-inflatable containers, it is not limited thereto, and it should be noted that the apparatus and systems described herein may be used to fill any type of containers with any type of fluid and/or fluid mixture.
In accordance with embodiments of the present invention,
According to embodiments of the present invention, sealing elements 140 may be self-sealing. For example, sealing elements 140 may automatically seal containers 150 when containers 150 are decoupled from fluid filling apparatus 100. This may be accomplished when the force that each sealing element 140 exerts in coupling each respective container 150 to fluid filling apparatus 100 is overcome. This may be accomplished, for example, by the weight and/or pressure each container 150 exceeding a certain threshold thereby causing the container to become detached from the conduits 130, manual removal of the containers 150, or some other action, such as shaking fluid filling apparatus 100, to remove containers 150 from fluid filling apparatus 100. As this force is overcome, the respective container is detached from fluid filling apparatus 100, and sealing elements 140 automatically seal the end of respective container 150 that was attached to fluid filling apparatus 100. According to certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention, containers 150 may include balloons.
According to certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention, sealing elements 140 may include a mechanism by which the containers are automatically sealed when they are detached from fluid filling apparatus 100. For example, sealing elements 140 can include rubber bands or clamps, which simply clamp and/or seal the containers by exerting a compressive force around a neck of containers 150. Alternatively, sealing elements 140 can include other mechanisms to seal containers 150. For example, sealing elements 140 can include a liquid-activated material positioned in the neck of containers 150 that are configured to expand and seal the neck of containers 150 when a fluid such as water is introduced to containers 150. Alternatively, sealing elements 140 can include a self-healing membrane positioned in the neck of containers 150, such as a closed-cell foam, that allow conduits 130 to be inserted there-through, and self-heals when conduit 130 is removed so as to seal container 150. According to certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention, sealing elements 140 can also include a valve as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Although valve 2000 shown in
According to certain embodiments of the present invention, sealing elements 140 including valve 2000 can facilitate fluid filling apparatus 100 to be reusable. For example, containers 150, including sealing elements 140 having valve 2000 already inserted in the neck of containers 150, can be provided separate and apart from fluid filling apparatus 100, which can be installed onto fluid filling apparatus 100 by a user. For example, fluid filling apparatus 100 can be provided preassembled with a certain number of containers 150. After a user has used all containers 150 that were initial coupled to fluid filling apparatus 100, replacement containers 150, including sealing elements 140 including valve 2000 already inserted in the neck of containers 150, can be provided, and a user can install containers 150 onto conduits 130 of fluid filling apparatus 100. Accordingly, a user or consumer would not need to purchase the entire fluid filling apparatus 100 again.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In use, connector 110 may be coupled to a fluid source via coupling element 122. When the fluid source is activated, the fluid flows through flow path 124 of connector 110. The fluid then chamber 206 of connector 110 and interacts with additive 200. As the fluid mixes with additive 200, the mixture exits chamber 206 and enters exits chamber 206 through openings/channels 126. From there, the mixture flows through openings/channels 126 to conduits 130. The mixture then passes through conduits 130 to containers 150, thereby automatically filling containers 150 with a mixture of the fluid and additive 200 in a substantially simultaneous manner.
The embodiments and examples shown above are illustrative, and many variations can be introduced to them without departing from the spirit of the disclosure or from the scope of the appended claims. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative and exemplary embodiments herein may be combined with each other and/or substituted with each other within the scope of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the disclosure, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
The present application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/722,930, filed on Oct. 2, 2017, which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/407,985, filed on Jan. 17, 2017, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/359,134, filed on Nov. 22, 2016, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/123,434, filed on Sep. 2, 2016, which is a U.S. National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/US16/18912, filed on Feb. 22, 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/182,122, filed on Jun. 19, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/254,487, filed on Nov. 12, 2015, and U.S. application Ser. No. 14/997,230, filed on Jan. 15, 2016. U.S. application Ser. No. 15/359,134, filed on Nov. 22, 2016, is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/123,453, filed on Sep. 2, 2016, which is a U.S. National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/US16/18922, filed on Feb. 22, 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/182,122, filed on Jun. 19, 2015, and U.S. application Ser. No. 14/978,839, filed on Dec. 22, 2015. These applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
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20180079535 A1 | Mar 2018 | US |
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