초록 ▼

A balloon stuffing system (25, 25′, 25″, 25′″) including a tubular member (26) open at one end (28) thereof and defining a chamber (31) capable of receiving the object (49) to be stuffed into a balloon (50); an ejector rod (29) passing through the opposite end (30) of the tubular member (26); a flex

A balloon stuffing system (25, 25′, 25″, 25′″) including a tubular member (26) open at one end (28) thereof and defining a chamber (31) capable of receiving the object (49) to be stuffed into a balloon (50); an ejector rod (29) passing through the opposite end (30) of the tubular member (26); a flexible, bellows-like, fluid impervious element (34) surrounding the ejector rod (29) and sealed at one end to the end (30) of the tubular member (26) and at its opposite end to the ejector rod (29); a fluid inlet aperture (56, 81, 85) formed in the tubular member (26) for permitting coupling of the interior of the tubular member (26) to any suitable source of pressurizing fluid; and, a balloon (50) having its inlet aperture (55) and constricted neck portion (58) mounted in surrounding sealed relation to the open end (28) of the tubular member (26) so that upon pressurization of the interior of the tubular member (26), the balloon (50) is inflated, and upon axial movement of the ejector rod (29) towards the open end (28) of the tubular member (26) the object (49) located within the tubular member (26) is ejected from the tubular member (26) and projected into the inflated balloon (50) which can then be removed from the tubular member (26) and its constricted neck portion (58) knotted or otherwise tied off to seal the balloon (50) in its inflated state with the object (49) being retained captive therein. The balloon stuffing system (25, 25′, 25″, 25′″) may include a balloon stretching mechanism (68) for facilitating placement of balloons (50) on the end (28) of the tubular member (26).

대표청구항 ▼

The method of stuffing a conventional balloon having an inlet aperture and constricted neck portion with an object such as a stuffed toy or animal, a gift, a flower, or a similar favor, said method comprising the steps of: (a) positioning the object to be stuffed in a tubular member having: (i) a fl

The method of stuffing a conventional balloon having an inlet aperture and constricted neck portion with an object such as a stuffed toy or animal, a gift, a flower, or a similar favor, said method comprising the steps of: (a) positioning the object to be stuffed in a tubular member having: (i) a fluid impervious sidewall; (ii) a first open end through which the object to be stuffed can be inserted and ejected; (iii) a second closed and sealed end; (iv) an ejector mechanism movable axially through the tubular member and extending through and projecting beyond the second closed and sealed end thereof; and, (v) means for coupling the interior of the tubular member to a source of suitable inflation medium; (b) stretching the inflation aperture and constricted neck portion of a conventional uninflated balloon over, around and about the first open end of the tubular member so as to enclose and seal the interior of the tubular member; (c) coupling the coupling means on the tubular member to a source of inflation medium for pressurizing the interior of the tubular member and simultaneously inflating the balloon; (d) shifting the ejector mechanism axially relative to the tubular member so as to eject the object to be stuffed into the balloon from the first open end of the tubular member and project the object into the interior of the inflated balloon; (e) removing the inflated balloon from the tubular member; and, (f) knotting or otherwise tying off the constricted neck portion of the inflated balloon so as to seal the inflated balloon with the object stuffed therein being retained captive therein.