SAFETY DEVICES FOR LED BALLOONS

Abstract

A safety feature for an LED Balloon, wherein the LED balloon comprises an LED light source secured to a housing inside the balloon, and the housing engages a locking element on the exterior of the balloon. The safety feature comprising a flexible sheet adhered to the exterior of the balloon adjacent said locking element.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to various safety devices for a balloon with a Light Emitting Diode (LED) secured to the inside of the balloon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Balloons are used as festive decorations at parties, meetings and ceremonies. They can be of different sizes, shapes and colors and can have prints on their surfaces. However, balloons are typically visible in environments with sufficient lighting.

To expand usage of balloons, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,204,740; 7,320,529 and 7,850,328 B2 describe certain LED balloons that have LED devices mounted outside the mouth (openings) of the balloons to achieve certain illumination effects that are different from regular unlit balloons. U.S. Pat. No. 8,297,778 improves upon the prior devices by securing a small LED held within a housing to the interior of the balloon with a clip or O-shaped band held to the housing on the exterior of the balloon, and pending U.S. Pat. No. 9,199,180 filed Oct. 4, 2013 describes an LED device with locking device for the housing placed inside the balloon.

As a safety feature should the balloon rupture, U.S. Pat. No. 8,297,778 describes use of a parachute material attached to the housing. When such balloons rupture, they may separate into pieces, and the elements of the balloon held to the housing for the LEDs may be propelled into the air.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present application describes an alternate feature, of adhering a flexible sheet to the exterior of the balloon, for preventing the housing holding the LEDs in a balloon from flying about should the balloon rupture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the preferred embodiments of the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1, a balloon 10 includes LEDs 8 powered by batteries 9 secured by elements 5 and 6 in a housing 3 secured by element 11 to the inside of the balloon 10 by halves 4-1 and 4-2 of the housing that can be snapped together.

In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1, a flexible attachment 20 has an adhesive undercoating to enable the attachment to be secured to the exterior of the top of the balloon adjacent the locking element 11. In the event the balloon 10 should rupture, the attachment 20 will add sufficient mass to reduce the ability of the housing 3 to be propelled with enough force to pose a danger.

In the preferred embodiment, flexible attachment (20) is made of material with enough flexibility to allow it to be secured to the curved surface of an inflated balloon. In such an embodiment, flexible attachment (20) is secured to the balloon after inflation.

In an alternate embodiment flexible attachment (20) is made of an elastic material, and can be adhered to the balloon prior to inflation, either by the user or by the manufacturer prior to packing. The elastic material enables the flexible attachment (20) to expand as the balloon inflates, remaining secured to the balloon adjacent the LED locking element.

Claims

1. A safety feature for an LED Balloon, said LED balloon having an LED light source secured to a housing inside a balloon; said housing engaging a locking element on the exterior of said balloon; and said safety feature comprising a flexible sheet adhered to the exterior of the balloon adjacent said locking element.

2. A safety feature for an LED Balloon of claim 1, wherein said flexible sheet is made of an elastic material such that said flexible sheet can be secured to the balloon before inflation and said flexible sheet will stretch as the balloon is inflated.

3. A method of providing a safety feature for an LED Balloon; said method comprising: providing an LED balloon having an LED light source secured to a housing inside a balloon; said housing engaging a locking element on the exterior of said balloon;providing a safety feature comprising a flexible sheet with an adhesive undercoating; andproviding instruction to adhere the flexible sheet to the balloon adjacent said locking element after inflation.