JPH04211799A - Gas-operated balloon expander - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a self power feeding type balloon inflating machine. CONSTITUTION: This gas operated balloon inflating machine for inflating balloons 11 of the kind having a body and a filling neck terminated in a beaded edge 13. The inflating machine is provided with a gas operated releasable clamping device to secure the beaded edge of the balloon between a support surface and a sealing surface 16 thereby providing for inflation of the balloon 11 from an aperture in the sealing surface 16. A gas operated control valve selectively supplies gas to the aperture from a tank and a gas operated sealing device is used to seal the neck of the balloons 11 after inflation. A logic controller selectively supplies pressurized gas from a high pressure source to the clamping device, a control valve, and a sealing means to sequentially clamp, inflate, seal, and release balloons 11. The exhaust gas from each of these devices is directed to the tank for inflation of the balloons 11. The size to which the balloons are inflated is preferably controlled by the size of the inflating tank and regulation of the pressure in the tank.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the inflation of balloons of the type having a body and a filling neck terminating in a beaded edge.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Bulk releases of balloons filled with lighter-than-air gas mixtures are commonly used to facilitate major public events. Many balloons are also used for display and decoration in indoor applications. These applications require filling thousands of balloons in a relatively short period of time because the balloons remain properly inflated for only a limited amount of time. Traditionally, balloons were filled manually by groups of people, each using hand-operated filling equipment. Typically, manual filling devices have a nozzle over which the neck of the balloon is pulled before being inflated with gas from a pressure source. Gas flow is controlled by a manually operated valve,
The degree of expansion is determined visually by the operator. After inflation, the balloon is removed from the nozzle and the neck of the balloon is sealed with a tying device used by the operator. This method of inflating balloons has several inherent drawbacks:

(a) The method is labor intensive and time consuming. Inflating more than about 175 balloons per hour is difficult for skilled operators. Therefore, due to the relatively short lifespan of an inflated balloon, many workers are required to inflate the thousands of balloons required for a mass release.

(b) Manual pulling of the balloon onto the filler nozzle of the prior art can lead to damage to the filler neck and breakage of the balloon.

(c) Visual determination of the degree of inflation results in uneven dimensions of the balloon and, in case of overinflation, breakage of the balloon.

(d) Removal of balloons from prior art filling nozzles and manual consequences can result in loss of gas and/or damage to the balloons.

[0007]

One proposed solution to this problem is described in patent application no. PJ5785, filed by the assignee of this patent, which is incorporated herein by reference. be done. The machine disclosed in PJ5785 is electrically and pneumatically operated and therefore requires an external power source for operation. There also exists a need for an automatic or semi-automatic balloon inflation machine that is completely self-powered.

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a balloon inflator which overcomes or at least ameliorates one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a gas-operated balloon inflation machine for inflating a balloon of the type having a body and a filling neck terminating in a beaded edge, the machine comprising: a gas-operated releasable tightening device securing the beaded edge of the balloon between a support surface and the sealing surface to establish fluid communication from the hole in the sealing surface to the balloon; a gas-operated control valve for selectively providing a flow of pressurized gas to the balloon; a gas-operated sealing device for sealing the neck of the balloon after inflation; a source of high-pressure gas; and a source of high-pressure gas to the tightening device;
a control valve and a logic device for selectively supplying an operating supply of pressurized gas to the sealing device to continuously tighten, expand, seal, and release said tightening device, control valve, and sealing device; Exhaust gas from is directed into said tank for balloon inflation.

Preferably, a device is provided for controlling the size to which the balloon is inflated. In a preferred embodiment,
This is accomplished by adjusting the pressure of the tank and selecting the dimensions of the tank so that venting the tank's gas into the balloon produces the desired degree of expansion. Adjustment of the pressure in the tank is preferably accomplished by "refilling" the tank prior to balloon inflation after exhaust gases from a previous operation have been discharged into the tank. this is,
Preferably this is achieved by a control valve controlling the flow of gas from the high pressure source to the regulator.

Preferably, the logic device also includes a plurality of gas-operated valves connected to form a "cascade" control system.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a schematic perspective view of a semi-automatic balloon inflation machine, generally designated 1, having three rotating rings, generally designated 17, housed in a cabinet 3. A high pressure gas source in the form of a helium cylinder 4 and an intermediate pressure tank in the form of a storage cylinder 5 are coupled to the cabinet 3 .

With particular reference to FIGS. 2-6, each of the filling stations 2 includes a balloon clamping device 6 and a balloon filling nozzle 7. As shown in FIGS. Each tightening device 6 comprises a balloon support plate 8 having a slot 9 configured to receive and hold a neck 10 of a balloon 11. The balloon is oriented such that its beaded edge 13 seats against the support surface 12 of the support plate 8. The filling nozzle 7 has a clamping piston 14 connected to the storage cylinder 5 by means of a device not shown.
This is the form of the hole provided in the hole. The tightening piston 14 is
Beaded edges 13 of the balloon to provide an airtight bond.
The piston 14 is biased toward the support surface 12 by a helical compression spring 15 that biases the sealing surface 16 of the piston 14 toward the support surface 12 . Gas discharged from the centrally located filling nozzle 7 is thus directed into the balloon 11 so as to inflate the balloon. The clamping piston 14 is powered by a gas-operated cylinder (not shown), hereinafter referred to as C1.

A rotatable ring 17 is attached to each tightening device 6.
are arranged concentrically. Ring 17 is cabinet 3
while the tightening device 6 passes through the ring along its axis between an advanced position for loading the balloon and a retracted position for pulling the neck of the balloon, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively. It is movable in a reciprocating manner. The reciprocating movement of the tightening device 6 is performed by a pulley device, as shown in FIG. 6, which is driven by a gas-operated cylinder, hereinafter referred to as C2.

The basic sequence of operations is as follows. Balloon 11 is placed in slot 9 as shown in FIG. The clamping piston 14 is brought into sealing contact with the beaded edge 13 of the balloon 11 by a compression spring 15 associated with the gas operating cylinder C1. Helium gas is then applied from the storage cylinder 5 to the bore 7 by the valve V5 and the balloon is inflated. After inflation, the balloon is sealed by pulling and twisting the neck 10 of the balloon 11 before sealing with adhesive tape. To do this, cylinder C2 is actuated to retract the filling head 2, thereby pulling the neck 10 of the inflated balloon through the ring 17, as shown in FIG. During this time, ring 17 is rotated by gas-operated motor 18 so that the neck of balloon 11 is simultaneously pulled and twisted as shown. At this stage, a conventional bag sealer dispensing adhesive tape (not shown) is used to seal and bundle the inflated balloons. The bag sealer is actuated by a separate gas operated cylinder C3. The clamping piston 14 is then released, the clamping device 6 is returned to the forward position by retraction of the cylinder C2, and then the inflated balloon is released.

Referring to FIG. 7, a schematic circuit diagram of the operation of balloon inflator 1 is shown. To accomplish the above sequence of operations without the need for an external power source, the balloon 11
The gas used to inflate the balloon is also used to power the equipment used to tighten and seal the balloon. This is accomplished through the use of a plurality of five-port two-way valves configured to provide a cascaded configuration of logic controls.

The cascade logic sequence has four stages, indicated by lines IB to IV in the circuit diagram of FIG. Each stage must be completed before the next stage begins. The procedure will now be described in detail with respect to the control hardware. All cylinders, valves and gas motors are operated by high pressure helium gas from cylinder 4.

At the start of operation, the tightening device 6 is operated as shown in FIG.
4, in the forward position for loading. The balloons 11 are manually placed on each support plate 8, and the starting valves 20 are operated. This activates all components coupled to line I as shown. At the end of the previous cycle, replenishment valve V6 was
The gas was opened from the helium cylinder 4 to the storage cylinder 5 via the regulator 21 until a predetermined pressure was reached. At the start of a new cycle, valve V6 is closed. At the same time, the clamping cylinder C1 is actuated to drive the clamping piston 14 to abut the beaded edge of the balloon 11. When the tightening operation is completed, the position sensor 2
2, which then activates balloon inflation valve V5.

Opening of valve V5 allows gas from storage cylinder 5 to inflate balloon 11. A low pressure sensor 23 is provided to detect when the contents of the storage cylinder 5 are empty and thereby simultaneously signal that the inflation of the balloon is complete, and a logic valve switches to phase II of the sequence. do.

At this stage, three operations occur simultaneously. Balloon inflation valve V5 is closed, while cylinder C2 is actuated to slidably retract tightening device 6 to tension balloon neck portion 10. At the same time, valve V4 is actuated, which causes air motor 18 to rotate ring 17 and thereby simultaneously twist the neck of the balloon as it is pulled.
start. When the cylinder C2 has completely retracted the tightening device 6, the position sensor 25 is activated in phase I of the sequence.
Signaling the end of I, the logic control valve enters phase II of operation.
It is operated to convert to I. During stage III, valve 4 is closed to stop air motor 18. At the same time, the sealer cylinder C3 is actuated to engage the sealing device with the stretched twisted neck 10 of the balloon 11. Sealing is accomplished by a conventional bag sealer by applying a piece of adhesive tape to the twisted neck in a known manner. When the forward stroke of cylinder C3 is completed, another position sensor 26 is actuated which signals the clamping cylinder C1 to release the clamping piston 14 from each balloon 11. When cylinder C1 is fully retracted, position sensor 27 is activated and the logic valve switches to stage IV.

In stage IV, sealer cylinder C3 is retracted until position sensor 28 is activated and the balloon is released. This causes cylinder C2 to return the tightening device 6 to the starting position. During the sequence, exhaust gases from the cylinders, valves and motors are directed back to the storage cylinder 5. When cylinder C2 is completely reversed, position sensor 29 is activated which signals the opening of replenishment valve V6 in order to replenish storage cylinder 5 to a predetermined pressure in preparation for repeating the filling cycle.

A park valve 29 is also provided in the circuit to enable the sequence to be placed on hold at any given time. An emergency stop valve 30 provided in the main line from the helium cylinder 4 facilitates complete shutdown of the machine if required. The above-described embodiments of the invention provide a compact portable balloon inflator about the size of a suitcase.

[0024] If desired, a Riboon dispensing device may be incorporated into each inflation station for attachment to the balloon during the sealing process. Similarly, although this embodiment of the machine utilizes a cylinder of high pressure compressed helium, in other embodiments the machine is coupled directly to a compressor.

[0025]

Apart from the advantage of being self-powered, the present invention has several additional advantages over the prior art.

The use of an intermediate tank in the form of a storage cylinder 5 facilitates precise inflation of the balloon by regulating the pressure and volume of the gas within the cylinder. Previous methods utilized limit switches to detect the inflated dimension of the balloon. This was unsatisfactory because the balloons did not necessarily inflate evenly and, moreover, the switch had to be adjusted according to the various shapes and sizes of the balloons to be inflated. Current inflation methods not only result in uniformly sized balloons, but also significantly reduce losses due to balloon bursting and overfilling.

Although the invention has been described with respect to specific examples, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be embodied in many other forms.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a balloon inflator according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a balloon filling station forming part of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic end view of the filling station shown in FIG. 2;

[
4 is a schematic side view of the filling station of FIG. 2 in an advanced loading position; FIG.

5 is a schematic side view of the filling station of FIG. 4 shown in a retracted configuration to facilitate sealing of the balloon by twist sealing the balloon neck; FIG.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the filling head advancement and retraction device forming part of the balloon inflator and used for twisting and sealing the neck of the balloon;

FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a diagram of the sequence scheme of the "cascade" logic system that controls the sequence of the balloon inflator.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Semi-automatic balloon inflator 4 Helium cylinder (high pressure gas source) 5 Storage cylinder 6 Balloon tightening device 7 Filling nozzle (hole) 10 Neck 11 Balloon 12 Support surface 13 Beaded edge 16 Seal surface V5 Balloon inflation valve V6 Replenishment valve 21 Adjustment device 22 position sensor 23 low pressure sensor 25 position sensor 26 position sensor 27 position sensor 28 position sensor 29 position sensor

Claims (6)

[Claims] Claim: 1. In a gas-operated balloon inflator for inflating a balloon of the type having a body and a filling neck terminating in a beaded edge, for establishing fluid communication from a hole in a sealing surface to the balloon. a gas-operated releasable clamping device securing said beaded edge of said balloon between a support surface and said sealing surface, and a gas-operated releasable clamping device selectively providing flow of pressurized gas from a tank to said hole. a control valve, a gas-operated sealing device for sealing the neck of the balloon after inflation, a high-pressure gas source, and selecting an operating amount of pressurized gas from the high-pressure source to the tightening device, the control valve, and the sealing device. a logic device for sequentially tightening, inflating, sealing, and releasing the balloon, wherein the exhaust gases from the tightening device, control valve, and sealing device are supplied to the tank for inflation of the balloon. Inflator directed to. 2. The expansion machine according to claim 1, further comprising a device for controlling the size to which the balloon is inflated. 3. The expansion machine according to claim 2, wherein the size to which the balloon is inflated is controlled by discharging gas from the expansion tank to the balloon or each balloon to a desired degree. An expansion machine achieved by adjusting the dimensions of the tank and the pressure of the tank to produce expansion. 4. The expansion machine according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment of the pressure of the tank comprises:
The inflator is accomplished by adding gas to the tank prior to inflation of the balloon after venting the exhaust gases from a previous operation into the tank. 5. The expander of claim 4, wherein gas is added to the tank by a control valve that controls the flow of gas from the high pressure source to a regulator. 6. An expander according to claim 1, wherein the logic device includes a plurality of gas-operated valves connected in a sequential manner.