A balloon inflator for simultaneously filling two balloons to substantially identical sizes includes an air pump having a first air chamber communicating with a first inflation nozzle and second air chamber communicating with a second inflation nozzle. A reciprocating piston causes an alternating increase and decrease in the first and second air chambers to advance air to fill balloons on the first and second inflation nozzles. The volume of inflation gas advanced to the first balloon inflation nozzle is substantially identical to the volume of inflation gas advanced to the second balloon inflation nozzle, thus permitting a virtually identical inflation of a first balloon at said first balloon inflation nozzle and a second balloon at said second balloon inflation nozzle upon repeated reciprocation of the piston.

A method for manufacturing a self-sealing valve for an inflatable body such as a toy balloon is disclosed. The method comprises immersing a mold in an immersion bath of an elastomeric material in liquid form and heating the mold in a heating device until a hollow tube element of an elastomeric material with a proximal end, a distal end, a cylindrical portion at the proximal end, a flat portion at the distal end having two flat sides, and a transition portion between the cylindrical portion and the flat portion is formed. The cylindrical portion is open at the proximal end and the flat portion is closed at the distal end with an opening on at least one of its flat sides. The valve is inserted in an inflatable body with the flat and transition portions of the hollow tube element located inside the inflatable body.

A reusable, ornamental air-filled balloon structure includes a large, elongate, unbalanced upper ornamental chamber. The chamber has a valve on its bottom for inflating for use and deflating for storage of the balloon structure. A lower base ornamental chamber, that is adapted to rest on a flat surface or plane, has a centralized pocket with an aperture for transversely receiving the bottom of the upper chamber. A hidden valve for inflating the lower chamber for use and deflating for storage is provided. The upper chamber air valve is capable of being passed through the aperture and anchored to the lower chamber to secure the two chambers together while the upper chamber stays in an upright condition ideal for display. Common household filled cans are placed in the hidden centralized pocket to weigh the balloon structure down and keep it in place. The height of the upper ornamental chamber is at least three times taller than the height of the lower base chamber.

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.

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.

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 ulien 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 generally spherical substrate of fine particles of a biodegradable material and a coating on the substrate. The coating can tie made of another biodegradable material. Combined, the coating and the generally spherical substrate form the check valve ball and possess a density differing from the water density.

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 method further includes simultaneously providing water from the attached water supply to a plurality of balloons removably attached to the apparatus, such that each balloon contains water. The method further includes simultaneously detaching from the apparatus the plurality of balloons, with each balloon having water from the water supply provided therein and each balloon automatically sealing upon detachment.

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 generally 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.

In a foil balloon dispensing apparatus folded or rolled-up foil balloons are accommodated and are each provided with an adapter part including an attachment section connected to a foil balloon and a guide section which is removably connected to the attachment section and which is disconnected from the attachment section after the foil balloon is inflated but both sections remain attached to one another by a string wound up on the adapter part and connected to the attachment and guide sections for holding and guiding the foil balloon after its removal from the dispensing apparatus.

A method for manufacturing a self-sealing valve for an inflatable body such as a toy balloon is disclosed. The method comprises immersing a mold in an immersion bath of an elastomeric material in liquid form and heating the mold in a heating device until a hollow tube element of an elastomeric material with a proximal end, a distal end, a cylindrical portion at the proximal end, a flat portion at the distal end having two flat sides, and a transition portion between the cylindrical portion and the flat portion is formed. The cylindrical portion is open at the proximal end and the flat portion is closed at the distal end with an opening on at least one of its flat sides. The valve is inserted in an inflatable body with the flat and transition portions of the hollow tube element located inside the inflatable body.