Filling a balloon with a volume of material, the balloon having an adhesive staging segment formed about a peripheral surface of the moldable adhesive cross sectioned profile of the moldable adhesive ring. Retaining the volume of material within an expansion cavity of the balloon by applying a tensile force in a longitudinal direction between ends of the tubular balloon neck segment to expose the moldable adhesive ring from the adhesive staging segment and compressing the exposed moldable adhesive ring to form a seal. The material can be a gas, air, Helium, etc. A tether can be inserted into the balloon neck prior to filling and sealing, where the sealing step secures the tether to the balloon.

A formable biaxially-oriented film includes a first layer. The first layer includes from about 10 to about 90 wt. % crystalline polyester and from about 10 to about 90 wt. % of a formability enhancer to assist in increasing the polymeric chain flexibility. The formability enhancer has a melting point less than about 230° C. The film has a MD and a TD Young's Modulus of at least 10% lower than a crystalline polyester film in the absence of the formability enhancer. The film may further include a second layer, which includes an amorphous copolyester. The second layer may be adjacent to or attached to the first layer.

A room installation is provided having at least three walls, a ceiling and floor, all of which are covered in a mirrored surface. At least one transparent window allows ambient light into the room installation. A plurality of mirrored balloons are arranged within the room installation, and filled with helium, but otherwise weighted, to float substantially within a middle height of the room installation.

A balloon 1 comprising two sheets 2. The sheets 2 form the body 3 of the balloon 1. The sheets 2 are heat sealed together in a continuous line adjacent to the edges of the sheets 2, leaving a gap forming the neck 4 of the balloon 1. Each sheet 2 of the balloon is formed from two layers of plastic 6 and a layer of ink 7. The layers of plastic 6 are the same type of plastic, such that the sheets are formed from one type of plastic. The layer of ink 7 is printed upon the internal surface of an outer layer 8, such that the layer of ink 7 sits between the outer layer 8 and an inner layer 9.

A room installation is provided having at least three walls, a ceiling and floor, all of which are covered in a mirrored surface. At least one transparent window allows ambient light into the room installation. A plurality of mirrored balloons are arranged within the room installation, and filled with helium, but otherwise weighted, to float substantially within a middle height of the room installation.

Non-conductive films for constructing lighter than air balloons are provided. A non-conductive film may comprise multiple layers of gas barrier polymers. An outer surface printable layer and an interior heat or ultrasonically sealable layer may also be included. Each gas barrier film may comprise multiple (e.g., from 3 to approximately 75) barrier layers. A gas barrier core has a nano-layer structure. A gas barrier core may also comprise a biodegradable film or a bio-based film. A non-conductive film may comprise a metal layer for enhancing gas barrier properties. The metal layer may be discontinuous. The metal layer may be conductive and coated with an insulating top coat.

A celebratory balloon fabricated from polymeric films have a deposited insularly array of metal which may be further enhanced by polymer encapsulation of the metal. When the balloon is inflated with an admixture of helium and an electronegative gas, the balloon demonstrates to have high breakdown strength across the balloon surface and within the balloon through the inflation gas. The gas mixture further enhances the breakdown strength of the inflation gas by increasing the onset voltage of corona, streamers and spark breakdown. The admixture gas also enhances the breakdown strength of metal-free galloons such as non-metalized balloons, clear balloons, and latex balloons.

A method for installing a universal air handler for a building air conditioning system includes installing a compact outdoor cabinet having a blower and separate intake and outlet chambers separated by an evaporator core. Cool and return air ducts from the building couple to each chamber. Return air drawn by the blower into the return air chamber passes across the evaporator, then through the blower and out through the cool air duct. Coolant lines couple the evaporator to a nearby stand-alone condenser/compressor unit. In one embodiment, an adapter enables stacking the condenser/compressor unit atop the cabinet to reduce the footprint of the combination. In another embodiment, a manifold couples permanently to the building air ducts and releasably couples to the cabinet. The universal air handler easily decouples from the manifold for transportation and maintenance. The manifold may be installed in various locations around the building, including on the roof.

A universal air handler unit includes a blower and evaporator juxtaposed one another within a compact, weather resistant cabinet adapted for outdoor installation. Ports for cool and return air ducts disposed on one side of the cabinet couple directly to the blower and evaporator respectively. Return air drawn by the blower into the cabinet passes across the evaporator core, then through the blower and back out through the adjacent cool air duct. Coolant lines couple to a stand-alone condenser/compressor unit. In a particular embodiment, an adapter enables stacking the condenser/compressor unit atop the cabinet to reduce the overall footprint of the combination. In another embodiment, a manifold adapted to couple to the cool and return air ducts may be installed in various locations, the air handler unit slideably coupling to the manifold during installation, and easily decoupling and reecoupling for transportation and maintenance.

A balloon (10) extending generally axially from an opening (14) at a first end. The balloon comprises an elastomeric film (11) having a first thickness and a plurality of intersecting ribs (12) of a second, greater thickness formed on the film. The ribs are adapted so as to be angled with respect to the axis (13) of the balloon and any axis perpendicular thereto. Such a balloon has increased tear resistance, and can be manufactured with conventional dipping techniques without compromising the integrity of the film. The ribs may comprise a plurality of helices. There is also a former for making such a balloon and a method of using such a former to make such a balloon.