U.S. patent application number 11/651209 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-10 for coupling apparatus for inflating members.
Invention is credited to I Lee Hou.
Application Number | 20080166942 11/651209 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39594712 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080166942 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hou; I Lee |
July 10, 2008 |
Coupling apparatus for inflating members
Abstract
An inflating member coupling apparatus includes a number of
inflating members each having an air valve, and a number of
coupling devices each having a base member which includes one or
more apertures for engaging with the air valves of the inflating
members and for coupling the coupling devices to the inflating
members easily and quickly without additional tools or fasteners.
The coupling device includes one or more flaps extended from the
base member and having the apertures formed in the flaps, and a
slit communicating with the aperture for allowing the aperture of
the base member to be selectively opened and for allowing the air
valve to be detachably engaged into the aperture of the base
member.
Inventors: |
Hou; I Lee; (Taichung,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHARLES E. BAXLEY, ESQ.
90 JOHN STREET, THIRD FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10038
US
|
Family ID: |
39594712 |
Appl. No.: |
11/651209 |
Filed: |
January 9, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/86 ;
446/221 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 2027/1041 20130101;
A63H 27/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/86 ;
446/221 |
International
Class: |
A63H 33/08 20060101
A63H033/08 |
Claims
1. An inflating member coupling apparatus comprising: an inflating
member including an air valve for filling air or gas into said
inflating member, and a coupling device including a base member
having at least one aperture formed therein for engaging with said
air valve of said inflating member and for coupling said coupling
device to said inflating member easily and quickly.
2. The coupling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
coupling device includes at least one flap extended from said base
member and having said at least one aperture formed in said at
least one flap for engaging with said air valve of said inflating
member.
3. The coupling apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said at
least one flap is perpendicular to said base member.
4. The coupling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
coupling device includes a slit formed therein and communicating
with said at least one aperture thereof for allowing said at least
one aperture of said base member to be selectively opened and for
allowing said air valve of said inflating member to be detachably
engaged into said at least one aperture of said base member.
5. The coupling apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said
inflating member includes at least one ring member each having an
orifice formed therein for engaging with said at least one aperture
of said coupling device.
6. The coupling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
coupling device includes a passage formed therein for engaging with
a wire.
7. The coupling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
inflating member is made of polyvinyl chloride materials.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a coupling apparatus, and
more particularly to an inflating member coupling apparatus for
coupling one or more balloons or gas inflating members and for
allowing the balloons or gas inflating members to be coupled
together in various suitable or selected shapes or patterns or
configurations easily and quickly without additional tools or
fasteners.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Typical balloons comprise an inflatable or inflating
envelope body including a diameter reduced neck portion for forming
or acting as an air port and for filling air or gas into the
inflating envelope body. The air port or the diameter reduced neck
portion of the inflating envelope body will then be twisted or tied
into a knot for preventing the air or gas from flowing out of the
inflating envelope body.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,347 to Ikemoto discloses one of the
typical balloon neck fittings including a check valve section
attached or coupled to the air port or the diameter reduced neck
portion of an inflating envelope body or balloon, and a guide
section coupled to the check valve section with a string for
allowing the balloon or inflating member to be coupled and retained
or positioned in place.
[0006] However, the typical balloon neck fittings may be used for
coupling one inflating envelope body or balloon to the guide
section only, but may not be used for coupling two or more
inflating envelope bodies or balloons together.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,568 to Nakamura et al discloses another
typical gas inflatable toy or covered balloon including a rubber
balloon to be fitted into an outer cover which includes an inlet
for engaging the rubber balloon into the outer cover.
[0008] However, similarly, after the typical gas inflatable toys
have been inflated with the air or gas, the typical gas inflatable
toys are also required to be twisted or tied into a knot for
preventing the air or gas from flowing out of the inflating
envelope body. The outer covers will then be coupled or secured to
an attaching member with such as a stick or may be coupled together
to form various shapes or patterns or configurations.
[0009] For example, in the wedding ceremonies or the like, a number
of balloons or gas inflating members are required to be coupled
together into various suitable or selected shapes or patterns or
configurations.
[0010] However, the outer covers are normally coupled together to
form various shapes or patterns or configurations with a number of
strings, and it will take a long time to tie the strings to the
outer covers and then to tie the strings together into the suitable
or selected shapes or patterns or configurations.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,961 to Ishiwa discloses a further
typical gas inflatable toy including a bag toy unit accommodated in
a folded manner before swelling. However, after the typical gas
inflatable toys have been inflated with the air or gas, the typical
gas inflatable toys may not be easily coupled together into various
suitable or selected shapes or patterns or configurations.
[0012] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional coupling
devices for coupling balloons or gas inflating members
together.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a coupling apparatus for coupling one or more balloons or inflating
members and for allowing the balloons or inflating members to be
coupled together in various suitable or selected shapes or patterns
or configurations easily and quickly without additional tools or
fasteners.
[0014] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is
provided an inflating member coupling apparatus comprising an
inflating member including an air valve for filling air or gas into
the inflating member, and a coupling device including a base member
having at least one aperture formed therein for engaging with the
air valve of the inflating member and for coupling the coupling
device to the inflating member easily and quickly without
additional tools or fasteners.
[0015] The coupling device includes at least one flap extended from
the base member and having the aperture formed in the flap for
engaging with the air valve of the inflating member. The flap is
preferably perpendicular to the base member.
[0016] The coupling device includes a slit formed therein and
communicating with the aperture thereof for allowing the aperture
of the base member to be selectively opened and for allowing the
air valve of the inflating member to be detachably engaged into the
aperture of the base member.
[0017] The inflating member includes at least one ring member each
having an orifice formed therein for engaging with the aperture of
the coupling device. The coupling device includes a passage formed
therein for engaging with a wire. The inflating member is
preferably made of polyvinyl chloride materials.
[0018] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed
description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coupling apparatus in
accordance with the present invention for coupling balloons or gas
inflating members together.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating
the other arrangement of the coupling apparatus;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the coupling
apparatus;
[0022] FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the
coupling apparatus;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a partial exploded view of the coupling
apparatus;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a further enlarged partial perspective view of the
coupling apparatus illustrating the coupling device of the coupling
apparatus;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the coupling apparatus
taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 2;
[0026] FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view similar to FIG. 3,
illustrating the other arrangement of the coupling apparatus;
[0027] FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the
coupling apparatus as shown in FIG. 8;
[0028] FIG. 10 is a plan schematic view of the coupling apparatus
as shown in FIG. 8;
[0029] FIG. 11 is a partial exploded view of the coupling apparatus
as shown in FIGS. 8-10;
[0030] FIGS. 12, 13 are enlarged partial perspective views of the
coupling apparatus as shown in FIGS. 8-11;
[0031] FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view illustrating the
further arrangement of the coupling apparatus;
[0032] FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of the coupling apparatus
taken along lines 15-15 of FIG. 14; and
[0033] FIG. 16 is a partial exploded view of the coupling apparatus
as shown in FIGS. 14-15.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0034] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-2, an
inflating member coupling apparatus 1 in accordance with the
present invention comprises one or more balloons or gas inflating
members 10 made of such as polyvinyl chloride materials and formed
by such as hot-pressing processes and to be coupled together into
various suitable or selected shapes or patterns or configurations
with one or more coupling devices 3. The inflating members 10 each
include an air port or air valve 11 for filling air or gas into the
inflating members 10 respectively.
[0035] The inflating members 10 each further include one or more
(such as two) orifices 12 formed therein, such as formed by one or
more (such as two) ring members 13 respectively, or the inflating
members 10 each include one or more (such as two) ring members 13
for hooking or coupling to the coupling device 3 respectively and
thus for allowing the inflating members 10 to be coupled or secured
together to form the predetermined or selected shapes or patterns
or configurations, such as a P shape as shown in FIG. 1, or an arc
shape as shown in FIG. 2. Certainly, the inflating members 10 may
also be coupled or secured together to form the other suitable or
selected shapes or patterns or configurations.
[0036] As shown in FIGS. 3-7, the coupling devices 3 each include a
planar base member 30 having one or more apertures 31 formed
therein, for example, the base member 30 includes one or more flaps
32, 33 extended therefrom and perpendicular thereto, such as two
flaps 32 extended upwardly therefrom and located opposite to each
other, and two further flaps 33 extended downwardly therefrom and
located opposite to each other, and the apertures 31 are preferably
formed in the flaps 32, 33 respectively. Alternatively, as shown in
FIGS. 8-13, the base member 30 may include one or more ears 34
laterally and radially extended outwardly therefrom and each having
one of the apertures 31 formed therein.
[0037] It is preferable that the base member 30 includes a slit 35
formed in each of the flaps 32, 33 (FIGS. 3-7) or in each of the
ears 34 (FIGS. 8-13) and communicating with the respective aperture
31 thereof for allowing the apertures 31 of the base member 30 to
be selectively opened and for allowing the air valves 11 of the
inflating members 10 to be detachably hooked or coupled or engaged
into the apertures 31 of the base member 30 respectively, best
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and thus for allowing the inflating members
10 to be easily and quickly coupled or attached or secured to the
base member 30 and for preventing the inflating members 10 from
being disengaged from the base member 30 inadvertently.
[0038] The coupling devices 3 each may further include a passage 36
formed in the base member 30 for receiving or engaging with a frame
or wire 40 which may be wound or folded into a P shape as shown in
FIG. 1, or an arc shape as shown in FIG. 2, or the other suitable
or selected shapes, and thus for allowing the inflating members 10
to be easily and quickly coupled or secured together to form any
suitable or selected shape easily and quickly without additional
tools or fasteners. The formation or the provision of the slits 35
in the flaps 32, 33 (FIGS. 3-7) or in the ears 34 (FIGS. 8-13)
allows the apertures 31 of the base member 30 to be selectively
opened and allows the air valves 11 of the inflating members 10 to
be selectively disengaged from the apertures 31 of the base member
30 respectively.
[0039] Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 14-16, the coupling devices
3 each may include a spherical base member 37 having one or more
apertures 38 formed therein for detachably coupling the inflating
members to the spherical base member 37 of the coupling devices 3
easily and quickly without additional tools or fasteners or
strings. The coupling devices 3 each may include a cable or string
39 coupled to the spherical base member 37 for allowing the
spherical base members 37 of the coupling devices 3 and thus the
inflating members 10 to be easily and quickly coupled or secured
together to form any suitable or selected shape easily and quickly
without additional tools or fasteners.
[0040] In operation, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7, the frame or
wire 40 may be wound or folded into any suitable or selected
shapes, and/or the frame or wire 40 may first be engaged through
the passages 36 of the base members 30 and then wound or folded
into any suitable or selected shapes, for allowing the inflating
members 10 to be coupled or secured together to form the
predetermined or selected shapes or patterns or configurations
easily and quickly without additional tools or fasteners.
[0041] Accordingly, the inflating member coupling apparatus in
accordance with the present invention may be provided for coupling
one or more balloons or inflating members and for allowing the
balloons or inflating members to be coupled together in various
suitable or selected shapes or patterns or configurations easily
and quickly without additional tools or fasteners.
[0042] Although this invention has been described with a certain
degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present
disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous
changes in the detailed construction and the combination and
arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *