A support structure for a toy character including a base, an expandable housing, a cap assembly, and at least one appendage is provided. The cap assembly includes at least two straps and a band for securing the cap assembly to the expandable housing. The at least one appendage extends from the cap assembly and includes a puncture surface. A rotation mechanism may be mounted to the base and have a receiving aperture sized to receive a portion of the expandable housing and include a lever to direct rotation of the rotation mechanism. The rotation mechanism may further include a rotation member having one or more hooks located adjacent the receiving aperture for securing the expandable housing thereto. The rotation member may be removeable from the base to provide access to the one or more hooks.

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 container inflator system (100) includes a suction chamber (102) arranged to expand the container within the suction chamber (102) while maintaining at least one opening for accessing the container; an inflation device (104) arranged to further inflate the container when the container is removed from the suction chamber (102); and a delivery valve (302) arranged to seal the container so as to maintain the expanded state of the container when it is removed from the suction chamber (102).

A method of ornamentializing an inflated balloon with a plurality of ribbon strands secured by knotting in the neck of the inflated balloon, and disclosed apparatus for ornamentializing an inflated balloon using a balloon tying station holding a plurality of spools of ribbon for selectively dispensing longitudinally across an extending cantilever to underlie a neck portion of the inflated balloon, which neck portion extends stretchingly around the cantilever and looping over and under for pulling off the cantilever and catching the ribbons to tie the knot and secure the ribbons therein, the ribbons having first and second strands cut to a selected length and secured in the knot. An apparatus for ornamentalizing an inflated balloon for a balloon bouquet is disclosed.

The present invention relates to a kit that provides one or more counterweights, one or more counterweight containers, and a fastener adapted to attach the counterweight and counterweight container to the balloon. The counterweight container could be a plastic pipette, small rubber duck, plastic bottle, or something else. The fastener could be an adhesive, hook, or something else. A balloon could also be included in the kit. The counterweight container can be filled with any weight, such as water, and then attached to the helium balloon to balance the rise of the balloon. The weight can be adjusted by the addition or removal of water from the pipette. This counterweight allows for the balloon to be balanced at the desired height, free-floating, and desirable for many different applications.

In a method embodiment, an example method for simultaneously filling balloons with water, using an apparatus sufficiently compact to be operated while being held by hand, is disclosed. The method includes attaching the apparatus to a water supply. The apparatus includes a fitting comprising an inlet configured to connect to the water supply and a bulkhead joining the at least three branch assemblies. Each branch assembly includes a tube and an automatically-sealing balloon with a neck disposed around and removably attached to the tube. The method further includes simultaneously providing water from the attached water supply to each balloon of the balloon-filling apparatus. The method further includes detaching one or more of the balloons from the balloon-filling apparatus using a force comprising gravity each detached balloon and the water contained therein. Each detached balloon automatically seals upon detachment.

The present disclosure provides a lighting device for use with inflatable products, such as balloons. Specifically, the lighting device may be configured to utilize external audio to produce a pattern of light corresponding with the external audio. The lighting device is able to couple to a balloon to light up the interior of the balloon without the significant loss of gas or other inflating fluid from the balloon.

A play apparatus has a gas filled balloon and an opening through which fluid is squirted or otherwise released. Fluid is delivered to the opening from an adjacent or nearby reservoir which is connected to at least one hollow tube whereby liquid is transferred from the reservoir to the release point on or adjacent to the balloon, such that the buoyancy of the balloon is unimpeded, for the purposes of play and amusement.

A tool to assist with hand-tying of knots in balloons, cords, and the like. The tool has a head consisting of a hollow tube with an opening running the length of the tube. The tube is typically tapered with a flange toward the larger end, and the opening is incorporated at an angle nonparallel to the center line of the tube, forming a notch feature that passively retains material on the head until removed by the user. The head is connected to a handle with two or more functionally independent finger loops. The tool may be retained on the hand without unduly impeding dexterity and provides for greater control of the tool when in use.

In one embodiment, an apparatus for simultaneously filling balloons with water generally includes a fitting and at least three branch assemblies coupled to the fitting. The fitting includes an inlet and at least three outlets. Each branch assembly includes a tube, a balloon, an elastic ring, and a plurality of colloid particles disposed within the balloon. For each branch assembly, the tube extends from its respective fitting at a respective one of the at least three outlets; the balloon has a neck defining an opening through which an end of the tube is inserted; and the elastic ring. Each elastic ring compresses the neck of the balloon around the end of the tube. The elastic ring is configured to restrict detachment of the balloon from the tube and to automatically seal the opening of the balloon upon detachment of the balloon from the tube. The restriction of the elastic ring is limited such that the balloon, if filled with a sufficient amount of water, is detachable by gravity or by gravity combined with a manually applied acceleration of the tube. The plurality of colloid particles, if suspended within water, are capable of plugging a hole 500 microns wide or less that would otherwise permit water to leak from the balloon.