An example embodiment of an apparatus includes a fitting configured to couple to a pressurized supply of fluid. At least three branch assemblies extend from the fitting. Each branch assembly includes a tube coupled to the fitting at a first end, a balloon comprising a neck portion having a second end of the tube inserted therethrough, and a fastener removably coupling the balloon to the tube. The fastener is configured to permit fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid to pass through the tube and into the balloon and to automatically restrict the fluid from exiting the balloon through the neck portion upon decoupling the balloon and fastener from the tube.

An inflatable toy plane assembly is provided. The plane assembly includes inflatable wings, an inflatable fuselage, an inflatable empennage (tail area stabilizers), and/or other inflatable elements. Not all elements of the inflatable plane assembly are required to be inflatable, e.g., the wings may be inflatable, and the fuselage may not. The plane assembly preferably includes one or more valves to facilitate the inflating and deflating of the plane's inflatable elements. In use, the inflatable plane assembly is deflated for compact storage (e.g., rolled up) and subsequently inflated when preparing the assembly for flight. The plane includes detachable wings and/or detachable tail stabilizers that are detached for storage, and subsequently reattached to the plane's fuselage and inflated for use.

Balloons and related components and manufacturing methods. Various embodiments provide balloons which define elastomeric balloon bodies and necks. The balloon bodies define body thicknesses and filled and unfilled internal volumes. Tension in the balloon bodies gives rise to internal pressures when the balloons are filled. The necks couple with the bodies and define neck thickness which differ from the body thicknesses. Various embodiments provide check valve for use with the balloons and/or various liquids. These check valves can comprise a ball that further comprises a generall) spherical substrate of fine particles of a biodegradable material and a coating on the substrate. The coating can be made of another biodegradable material. Combined, the coating and the generally spherical substrate form the check valve ball mid possess a density differing from the water density.

Provided are a balloon vending machine that can provide an impactful state where the balloon purchaser can participate in a production process of a balloon and the balloon body expands to break and open the balloon case, and further that can reuse the balloon case as a handle, and a balloon to be sold by the balloon vending machine. Below the gas injection part 26 of the balloon vending machine 10, a gas injection device is disposed that expands the balloon body 24 stored in a folded state in the balloon case. The gas injection device is mounted with a gas injection nozzle. Further, a valve lock plate is disposed in the nozzle mover. The balloon includes a balloon body, a balloon case storing the balloon body, a balloon valve, and a string connecting the balloon body with the balloon case.

A device configured to form a temporary seal for a flexible container may include a housing comprising two panels, the housing comprising, a taping implement and a sealing system, the taping implement configured to provide a portion of a tape roll to the sealing system, the sealing system comprising: one or more tape supports configured to position a dispensed portion of the tape roll proximal a sealing pathway, a wheel with one or more protrusions configured to seal the flexible container as it passes through the sealing pathway. A cutting implement positioned to be at least partially within the sealing pathway can cut excess tape such that the flexible container can be removed from the device once a seal is formed. A device may include a positioning tool designed to assist with the positioning of the flexible container to advantageously reduce pain typically associated with repeated sealing of flexible containers.

In a method embodiment, an example method includes attaching a balloon-filling apparatus to a water supply. The apparatus includes a fitting comprising an inlet and at least four outlets. The apparatus further includes at least four branch assemblies coupled to the fitting. Each branch assembly includes: a tube extending from the fitting at a respective one of the at least four outlets; a balloon comprising a neck disposed around an end of the tube; and a fastener attaching the neck of the balloon to the end of the tube and configured to automatically seal the balloon upon detachment of the balloon from the tube. The method further includes simultaneously providing water from the attached water supply to the balloons of the balloon-filling apparatus. The method also includes detaching one or more of the balloons of the balloon-filling apparatus using a force. The force is generated at least in part by one or more of: gravity of the balloons and the water contained therein; and an upward acceleration manually applied to the balloon-filling apparatus.

An example embodiment of an apparatus includes a fitting configured to couple to a pressurized supply of fluid. At least three branch assemblies extend from the fitting. Each branch assembly includes a tube coupled to the fitting at a first end, a balloon comprising a neck portion having a second end of the tube inserted therethrough, and a fastener removably coupling the balloon to the tube. The fastener is configured to permit fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid to pass through the tube and into the balloon and to automatically restrict the fluid from exiting the balloon through the neck portion upon decoupling the balloon and fastener from the tube.

An example embodiment of an apparatus includes a housing with an opening at a first end and a plurality of holes at a second end, a plurality of hollow tubes attached to the plurality of holes, a plurality of containers removably attached to the hollow tubes, and a plurality of elastic fasteners, each elastic fastener clamping each container to a corresponding hollow tube, such that when the containers are filled with fluid and detached from the corresponding hollow tubes, each elastic fastener seals each container with the fluid inside.

The invention generally relates to a modular balloon support system that may be used to generate customizable geometric balloon clusters and displays that may be used for marketing, promotional, advertising, and decorative displays among others.

A filling device may be used to fill a ball or other inflatable item from a water source such as a hose. A filling device may include an adapter having a cylindrical body with a hollow threaded interior, one closed end and one open end. A filling coupler is coupled to the one closed end of the cylindrical body. The one closed end of the cylindrical body has an opening formed therethrough and the filling coupler is coupled to the one closed end covering the opening. The filling coupler has a hollow threaded interior in fluid communication with the opening. A tip may be removably coupled to the filling coupler. The tip may be a ball inflation needle, a water balloon filling tip or the like.