Balloon

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A balloon comprising one or more sheets forming a body of the balloon, wherein the or each sheet is formed from only one type of plastic, and the or each sheet comprises a layer of the plastic and a layer of ink printed on the layer of the plastic.

2. A balloon according to claim 1, wherein the or each sheet comprises two layers of plastic, an inner layer and an outer layer.

3. A balloon according to either of claims 1 or 2, wherein the balloon comprises a plurality of sheets.

4. A balloon according to claim 3, wherein sheets of the balloon are heat sealed together.

5. A balloon according to any preceding claim, wherein the body of the balloon is formed from only the one type of plastic.

6. A balloon according to claim 5, wherein the balloon is formed from only the one type of plastic.

7. A balloon according to any preceding claim, wherein the one type of plastic is one of the following: polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl alcohol, polylactic acid, or biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate.

8. A balloon according to any preceding claim, wherein the balloon is a foil style balloon.

9. A balloon according to any preceding claim, wherein the layer of ink covers the entirely of a face of the layer of plastic.

10. A balloon according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each sheet comprises an internal surface and an external surface.

11. A balloon according to claim 10, wherein the internal surface of the or each sheet forms an internal surface of the body.

12. A balloon according to either of claims 10 or 11, wherein the external surface of the or each sheet forms the external surface of the body.

13. A balloon according to any preceding claim, comprising an illumination device operable to illuminate an internal space of the balloon.

14. A balloon according to any preceding claim wherein the or each sheet is formed from only the layer or layers of the one type of plastic and the layer or layers of ink.

15. A balloon according to claim 14 wherein the or each sheet is formed from only one layer of the plastic and the layer or layers of ink.

16. A balloon according to either of claims 14 or 15 wherein the or each sheet is formed from the layer of layers of the plastic and only one layer of ink.

17. A balloon according to any preceding claim comprising a valve.

18. A balloon according to claim 17 wherein the valve is formed from the plastic.

19. A balloon according to claim 18 wherein the valve is formed from only the one type of plastic.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood one or more embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a balloon;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a section of a sheet for the balloon of FIG. 1;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a section of an alternative sheet for the balloon of FIG. 1

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a section of a further alternative sheet for the balloon of FIG. 1.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, the balloon 1 comprises 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.

[0035] An illumination device (not shown) sits within the neck 4 of the balloon 1. A tab 5 extends out of the balloon 1, extending out of the end of the neck 4. In use the tab 5 can be pulled out of the balloon 1 to turn on the illumination device.

[0036] A valve (not shown) also sits within the neck 4 of the balloon. The valve seals the neck 4 such that it is airtight, so that air can only enter the internal space of the balloon 1 through the neck 4 via the valve.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 2, each sheet 2 of the balloon 1 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. One layer of plastic 6 is an outer layer 8, the external surface of which forms the external surface of the balloon 1. The other layer of plastic 6 is an inner layer 9, the internal surface of which forms the internal surface of the balloon 1. The layer of ink 7 is printed upon an internal face of the outer layer 8, such that the layer of ink 7 sits between the outer layer 8 and the inner layer 9. The layer of ink 7 forms one or more images, and the layers of plastic 6 are transparent such that these images are visible when viewing the external surface of the balloon 1. The outer layer 8 is thinner than the inner layer 9. In the particular embodiment, the outer layer 8 has a thickness of 0.016 mm and the inner layer has a thickness of 0.025 mm.

[0038] To form each sheet 2, the layer of ink 7 is first printed on the outer layer 8 via gravure printing. The layer of ink 7 is formed from a white wash in contact with outer layer 8, a layer of black blocking atop the white wash, then one or more layers of colours of ink atop the layer of black blocking. The outer layer 8 is then laminated to the inner layer 9 to seal them together and form the sheet 2, with the ink layer 7 between the outer layer 8 and the inner layer 9.

[0039] The type of plastic of the layers of plastic 6 is polyethylene. In other similar embodiments, the type of plastic can instead be polypropylene or biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate.

[0040] In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, the layer of ink 7 is printed on the outer surface of the outer layer 8. A protective coating 10 is then applied to the layer of ink 7. The protective covering 10 covers the layer of ink 7, and consists of a varnish or a lacquer.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment, wherein each sheet 2 is formed on a single layer of plastic 6 and a layer of ink 7. The layer of ink 7 is printed on the external surface of the layer of plastic 6, and the layer of plastic 6 is heat sealed to the layer of plastic 6 of the other sheet 2 to form the body 3 of the balloon 1. In this embodiment the type of plastic is polyethylene, and the thickness of the sheet 2 is 0.05 mm. In other similar embodiments it can be polyvinyl alcohol, polylactic acid, or biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate.

[0042] The one or more embodiments are described above by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of protection afforded by the appended claims.