WO2005103557A1

WO2005103557A1 - Inflatable balloon containing at least one light emitting device, and greeting card containing an inflatable balloon and means to attach the same

Info

Publication number: WO2005103557A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/005181
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philippe Schoulz
Original assignee: Chen, Richard
Priority date: 2004-04-22
Filing date: 2004-04-22
Publication date: 2005-11-03
Also published as: TW200534908A

Abstract

A balloon according to the invention contains a light emitting device 30, two welded pieces 52, 53 of inelastic plastic, and provided with a self-sealed valve 70. One piece 53 is transparent and the other piece 52 substantially of a sheet of aluminium material forming an internal reflective surface. The emitting device 30 has a base 36 adhering to the transparent piece 53 and is provided with an activation/inactivation switch 36 coupling the light emitted diodes LEDs 32 arranged on a curved disc support 34. The base is made of two parts 36a and 36b to form a switch and a mask 51 on the transparent piece 53 to hide the emitting device. The base 36 is stuck on the internal face of the transparent piece 53 facing the mask 51. Each LED emits a beam of light Be that reflected ondispatched zones of reflection 33 of the surface 52 and the reflected beams Br are reemitted in a large semi-space surrounding the balloon.

Description

INFLATABLE BALLOON CONTAINING AT LEAST ONE LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE, AND GREETING CARD CONTAINING AN INFLATABLE BALLOON AND MEANS TO ATTACH THE SAME The present invention relates generally to the field of inflatable plastic bags such as balloons, and more particularly to such bags able to light its environment. The invention also aims to provide a greeting card containing means to attach such an inflatable bag, for instance to the ceiling. An inelastic inflatable balloon is traditionally obtained, by welding two thin pieces of plastic material, for instance made of mylar®, which material may be printed or made of coloured plastic or metallic material. To perform a manual inflation by introducing air blown by the user, a self-sealing valve is provided on the periphery of the two pieces. In order to enhance the aesthetic aspect of the object, the pieces are moulded or cut according to a suggestive outline, such as a sun, a heart or a flower. To improve the attraction of the public, it is known to incorporate a light emitting bulb or LED inside the balloon. Different solutions have been proposed to implement such equipment, as described in US 6,482,065 or US 5,807,157. However, the arrangement of the light emitting means is complicated and not reliable, considering in particular the trigging and disconnecting means. Besides, those solutions do not provide any surprising or special lighting effect but only the effect of a simple light in a bag. In order to greatly increase the decoration, entertainment or advertisement effect of a lighting balloon, with simple and reliable

(dis)connecting means, the invention proposes to provide a self energized emitting device able to cause a multi-reflection of the emitted light on the balloon in order to multiply the light effect, in particular a blinking effect. More specifically, the object of the present invention relates to an inflatable balloon containing at least one light emitting device, and obtained by welding two pieces of inelastic plastic, said pieces having a periphery outline defined around a geometric centre and provided with a self-sealed valve, wherein one of the pieces being transparent or translucent (as frosted glass or sandblasted surface) and the other substantially printed or made of coloured plastic or metallic material forming an internal reflective surface, and wherein each emitting device has a base adhering to one of the inelastic pieces and is provided with an activation/inactivation switch coupling the light emitted diodes (hereafter LEDs) with an electronic circuit energized by a battery. According to preferred embodiments: - the electronic circuit is a blinker circuit that yields voltage pulses to trigger successively the LEDs, preferably disposed according to a circular arrangement on a support, having an outline of any shape with no sharp edge, in particular a disc ; - an emitting device is located substantially on the centre of one of the pieces of inelastic material to allow an isotropic transmission of light; - when an emitting device is on the transparent piece surface, a mask is present on or formed in said piece in order to hide the emitting device from outside; - light beams emitted from the emitting device is multi- reflected by the reflective surface of the inelastic piece arranged in front of the emitting device and then re-emitted to cross the transparent inelastic piece; - the support on which the LEDs are arranged is curved so as to allow a larger emission of the light, in particular when re-emitted by the reflective surface; - a magnet is provided to maintain the balloon onto a metallic surface; - a self inflatable system is provided; - the activation/inactivation switch is of push/pull, screwing or insulate type. According to another aspect, the invention also relates to a greeting card containing means to attach an inflatable balloon, in particular an inflatable balloon as here-above described, and means to sustain said balloon in particular to a ceiling or a metallic surface. The invention is now detailed in the hereafter description of examples of preferred embodiments of the invention, in reference with the enclosed drawings that represent, respectively: Figure 1 , a frontal view of an example of inflatable balloon according to the invention, with a light emitting device attached on the reflective piece; - Figure 2, a lateral view of another example of inflatable balloon with a light emitting device attached on the transparent piece; Figures 3a and 3b, schematic cross views of an example of light emitting device provided with a push/pull switch in, respectively, an inactive and active position; - Figures 4a and 4b, schematic cross views partially scratched of an example of light emitting device provided with a screwing switch in, respectively, an inactive and active position; - Figure 5a and 5b, schematic cross views of an example of light emitting device provided with a contacting switch in, respectively, an inactive and active position, and - Figures 6a to 6f, different steps of using a greeting card containing an inflatable balloon of the invention and means to attach such a balloon to the ceiling. In reference to Figure 1 , an example of inflatable balloon 10 according to the invention has a light emitting device 30 attached approximately in the geometric centre 50 of the internal reflective piece 52 and provided with five LEDs 32, regularly arranged along the circumference of a disc 34. A peripheral transmission of light is then allowed. The reflective piece, disposed at the rear side, is of Mylar® and covered with a silver coloured metallic layer. The transparent piece 53, made of plastic material (for instance polyethylene) covers the reflective piece 52 to be positioned on the front side of the picture. The two pieces of inelastic material are cut and welded along their outlines 11 so as to form a heart. A self sealing valve 70 is positioned at the sharp ends 12 of said heart. Such a valve is made of two thin strips 72 of flexible and transparent plastic material. The strips 72 are welded together along longitudinal sides 73 in order to define a longitudinal channel, across which air can be blown. The strips extend inside and outside the balloon 10, and are bonded to an outside straw 74 ended by a tip 75. The straw is also bonded to the ends 12 of the pieces 52, 53 and maintained in place with the help of a cone 80 stemmed by a cylindrical portion 82. The portion 82 is made flexible by the presence of longitudinal slots 83. The lateral view of Figure 2 differs from the balloon of the Figure 1 in that the emitting device is not fixed to the reflective piece 52 but to the transparent piece 53, so as to cause a larger reflection on said reflective piece 52. Besides the elements already described, Figure 2 shows more particularly the outside structure of the emitting device 30: the disc 34 with a convex curvature, the base 36 made of two parts 36a and 36b, cooperating together to form a switch, and an optional mask 51 on the transparent piece 53 to enhance the central radiation by a double reflection. The base 36 is stuck on the internal face of the transparent piece 53 facing the mask 51. Each LED emits a beam of light Be that is reflected on the silver piece 52. The zones of reflection 33 are dispatched on the surface of the reflective piece 52 in a large semi-space surrounding the balloon completed by the central beams Br that are reflected on the mask 51 and reemitted on the sliver piece 52. Thus, the light can be seen from almost anywhere before the balloon. Light is multi-reflected by the reflective surface of the inelastic piece arranged in front of the emitting device and then re-emitted to cross the transparent inelastic piece. As represented in Figures 3a and 3b of a first example of a light emitting device according to the invention, the switch 36 is a push/pull activation/inactivation switch. The switch couples the light emitted diodes LEDs 32 to an electronic circuit 40, energized by a battery 41 through a coupling circuit comprising an adapted resistance 43 and made of two half- circuits 42a and 42b. The circuit 40 can be controlled by a chip (not represented) in order to vary the type of LEDs emission: multiple blinking schemes (some of the LEDs being alternatively triggered), progressive (from high to low or low to high) light intensity or progressive changing colour (blue - green - yellow - red). This late solution uses a circuit developed in call warning telecommunication area. To trigger a type of light emission, a rear button 46 is provided and is pulled once, twice or several times to reach the desired state of emission. The switch is made of two cylindrical parts, 36a and 36b, which slide one into another. The battery 41 , the electronic blinker 40, the resistance 43 and the half-circuit 42a are housed in a casing 45 integral to the part 36a of the switch 36, the other part 36b being coupled to the disc 34 to connect the half-circuit 42b to the LEDs 32. In Figure 3a, the sliding parts 36a and 36b are in distal position: contact pads 37a and 37b of the respective half-circuits 42a and 42b, maintained by struts 38a and 38b in position, are arranged facing each other. When pushing the disc 34 towards the casing 45 (arrows A1 , Figure 3a), the pads 37a and 37b the parts slide one into the other till the introduction of the protruding end 39a of the part 36a into an annular groove 39b of the second part 36b of the switch. At this moment, the pads 37a and 37b are put in contact (Figure 3b) and the half-circuits are connected so as to form a continuous coupling circuit 42. The blinker circuit 40 then yields voltage pulses to trigger successively the LEDs 32, disposed according to a circular arrangement on the disc 34. Figures 4a and 4b illustrate another example of light emitting device, provided with a screwing switch 66 in, respectively, an inactive and active position. The other elements are identical to the corresponding elements, respectively, of Figures 3a and 3b and are referenced by the same signs. The switch is made of two cylindrical complementary parts

66a and 66b, threaded so as to cooperate. When the disc is rotated (arrows

A2), the second part 66b is screwed into the first part 66a. When the pads 37a and 37b are put in contact (Figure 4b) the circuit 42 allows the blinker circuit

40 to successively trigger the LEDs 32. Figure 5a and 5b show still another example of light emitting device provided with a contacting switch 96 in, respectively, an inactive and active position. The corresponding element of Figures 3a are indicated with the same reference signs. In this example, the switch is inside the casing 45 and the link between the casing and the disc is a continuous tube 106. This switch is made of two contacting pads 96a and 96b separated by an insulating tab 97 introduced through a slot 97s. One of the pads, 96b, is linked to an abutment 98 through a spring 99 that pressures this contacting pad 96b against the other 96a. To stabilise the relationship, the pad 96b and the abutment 98 are also linked by a sliding male/female rod system 100. When the insulating tab 97 is drawn away (Figure 5b, arrow A3), the sliding system expands and the pads 96a and 96b are put and maintained in contact by the pressure exerted by the spring 99. Then, the switch is on and the blinker circuit triggers successively the LEDs. In order to improve the utility of the inflatable balloon, it can be introduced in a greeting card, as the example shown in Figures 6a to 6f. Different steps of using such a greeting card containing also means to attach such a balloon to the ceiling are illustrated: - the greeting card 60 presents two rectangular covers 61 adhered together by the edge 62; a dotted line 63 is perforated along the edge (Figure 6a); - the edge 62 is torn out by drawing the edge along the dotted line (Figure 6b); - the greeting card is completely torn out (Figure 6c) letting the covers 61 to be opened; then the balloon 10 appears, linked by a string 13 to the card (Figure 6d); - the balloon 10 is taken out of the card 60 (arrow A4), the switch of the balloon is set on to trigger the LEDs and the balloon is inflated; a sustain system 14 is linked to the balloon, made of a string 14a and a pad 14b provided with an adhesive surface 14c (Figure 6e) ; as shown on the enlarged picture of Figure 5e, a hook 14d is provided on the pad 14b to catch the string; alternatively or cumulatively, a magnet 16 is provided inside the balloon to maintain it in contact by magnetic attraction to any metallic surface: refrigerator, etc. - a protective strip (not represented) of the adhesive surface 14c is removed and the adhesive surface is stick to the ceiling 110 so as to present the lighting balloon and the greeting card sustained to the ceiling. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described and represented. Various combinations of light emitting devices can be implemented in the scope of the present invention and various types of light triggering circuits, continuous and/or discontinuous. Moreover, different colours can be used so as to implement something like a firework. Furthermore or alternatively, the balloon can be inflated automatically with a self inflatable system. Such a system comprises a bag containing a liquid in pellets and a powder that, when a pressure is exerted, causes a chemical reaction to give off a gas that inflates the balloon. Such a chemical system is described in the document US 5,480,339.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An balloon containing at least one light emitting device, and obtained by welding two pieces (52, 53) inflatable plastic, said pieces having a periphery outline defined around a geometric centre (50) and provided with a self-sealed valve (70), wherein one (53) of the pieces is transparent and the other (52) substantially printed or made of coloured plastic or metallic material forming an internal reflective surface, and wherein each light emitting device (30) has a base (36) adhering to one of the inelastic pieces (52, 53) and is provided with an activation/inactivation switch (36, 66, 96) coupling light emitting diodes LEDs (32) with an electronic circuit (40) energized by a battery (41).

2. Inflatable balloon according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuit (40) is a blinker circuit that yields voltage pulses to trigger successively the LEDs (32), preferably disposed according to a circular arrangement on a support, in particular on a disc (34).

3. Inflatable balloon according to claim 1 , wherein a light emitting device (30) is located substantially at the centre (50) of one of the pieces (52, 53) of inelastic material to allow an isotropic transmission of light.

4. Inflatable balloon according to claim 3, wherein, a light emitting device (30) being on the transparent piece surface (53), a mask (51) is present on or formed in said transparent piece (53) in order to hide the emitting device from outside.

5. Inflatable balloon according to claim 4, wherein light beams (Be) emitted from the emitting device (30) is multi-reflected by the reflective surface of the inelastic piece (52) arranged in front of the emitting device (30) and then re-emitted (Br) to cross the transparent inelastic piece (53).

6. Inflatable balloon according to claim 5, wherein the support (34) on which the LEDs are arranged is curved so as to allow a larger emission of the light (Be, Br), in particular when re-emitted by the reflective surface (52).

7. Inflatable balloon according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one magnet is provided in order to be sustained by magnetic attraction.

8. Inflatable balloon according to any preceding claim, wherein a self inflatable system is provided instead of or cumulatively with the self sealed valve (70).

9. Inflatable balloon according to any preceding claim, wherein the activation/inactivation switch is of push/pull switch (36a, 36b).

10. Inflatable balloon according to anyone of the claims 1 to 8, wherein the switch is a screwing switch (66).

11. Inflatable balloon according to anyone of the claims 1 to 8, wherein the switch is an insulate switch (99).

12. A greeting card containing means (13) to attach an inflatable balloon (10) according to anyone of the claims 1 to 8 or such a balloon without light emitting device, and provided with means (14a, 14b, 14c, 16) to sustain said balloon in particular to a ceiling (110) and/or a metallic surface.