PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CARRIER SHIPPING AND LONGER STORAGE OF HELIUM PARTY BALLOONS

Abstract

A method that protects helium balloons, which are shipped via shipping routes that expose the balloons to elevated temperatures that cause the balloons to lose helium gas at increased rates, from such effects includes providing a shipping box; lining the shipping box with a metalized sheet that provides insulation against heat conduction; placing at least one balloon in the lined shipping box; surrounding the at least one balloon with the metalized sheet from all sides thereof; closing the box; and shipping the box to a customer, whereby the balloons are rendered less susceptible to the elevated temperatures or reduced ambient pressures while travelling over the shipping routes.

Claims

1. A method of shipping helium balloons via shipping routes that expose the balloons to elevated temperatures that cause the balloons to lose helium gas at increased rates, the method comprising: providing at least one shipping box; lining the at least one shipping box with a metalized sheet that provides insulation against heat conduction; placing at least one balloon in the at least one lined shipping box; surrounding the at least one balloon with the metalized sheet from all sides thereof; closing the box; and shipping the at least one shipping box to a customer, whereby the at least one balloon is rendered less susceptible to the elevated temperatures while travelling on the shipping routes; wherein the metalized sheet comprises heat-insulative foil material.

2. (canceled)

3. The helium balloons shipping method of claim 1, wherein the metalized sheet comprises aluminum foil.

4. The helium balloons shipping method of claim 1, wherein the at least one balloon comprises more than two balloons.

5. A method of shipping helium balloons via shipping routes that expose the balloons to elevated temperatures or reduced ambient pressures that cause the balloons to lose helium gas at increased rates, the method comprising: providing a shipping box; providing an outer bag and inserting a balloon that is filled with helium gas at a given pressure into the outer bag; filling an intermediate space between the outer bag and the at least one balloon with air at a pressure higher than said given pressure, with the intermediate space being sealed off from the atmosphere outside the bag; placing the outer bag with the balloon therein into the shipping box; closing the shipping box; and shipping the box to a customer, whereby the helium balloon is shielded from leaking gas or exploding due to being exposed to the elevated temperatures or reduced ambient pressures while travelling over the shipping routes.

6. The helium balloon shipping method of claim 5, including preparing a plurality of said balloon, each individually inserted into its respective outer bag and each bag inflated with air to pressure higher than said given pressure; and inserting and shipping said plurality of balloons in said shipping box to an intended recipient thereof.

7. The helium balloon shipping method of claim 5, wherein said outer bag is provided with an inflating port for injecting said air into said intermediate space.

8. The helium balloon shipping method of claim 5, wherein said bag has a zippered opening that can be opened to insert the balloon into the outer bag.

9. The helium balloon shipping method of claim 8, including a sealing lip inside the outer bag that seals the zippered opening when the intermediate space is pressurized.

10. A method of shipping helium balloons via shipping routes that expose the balloons to elevated temperatures or reduced ambient pressures that cause the balloons to lose helium gas at increased rates, the method comprising: providing a shipping box; tightly wrapping a balloon that is filled with helium gas at a given pressure with a thin surface-clinging material sheet that prevents walls that define the shape of the balloon from expanding and thereby either leaking or bursting when the balloon is exposed to said elevated temperatures or reduced ambient pressure during its transit over said shipping routes; placing the wrapped balloon into the shipping box; closing the shipping box; and shipping the box to a customer, whereby the helium balloon is shielded from leaking gas or bursting due to being exposed to the elevated temperatures or reduced ambient pressures while travelling over the shipping routes.

11. The helium balloon shipping method of claim 10, wherein the surface-clinging material sheet is made of polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC).

12. The helium balloon shipping method of claim 10, wherein the surface-clinging material sheet is made of polyethylene.

13. The helium balloon shipping method of claim 10, wherein the surface-clinging material sheet is made of a non-stretching woven yarn that is netted.

14. The helium balloons shipping method of claim 1, wherein the metalized sheet is adhered to the interior walls of the box.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] FIG. 1 depicts prior art helium filled balloons.

[0028] FIG. 2 depicts a prior art metalized foil sheet

[0029] FIG. 3 depicts an ordinary packaging box lined with the metalized foil sheet, surrounding a number of helium filled balloons.

[0030] FIG. 4 depicts a first alternate embodiment in which a number of balloons are stored in a pressurized outer bag for shipment.

[0031] FIG. 5 depicts a variation on the embodiment of FIG. 4, showing a square/rectangular outer box with a zippered opening.

[0032] FIG. 6 shows conventional cloth or plastic, non-stretchable netting sheet material for use to tightly wrap filled balloons so they do not leak or burst during shipment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0033] According the present invention, the inexplicable occasional loss of helium in prior art balloons that are shipped via land and air carriers is solved by one or the other of the several expedients described below. The expedients described below perceive that the deflation problem that has been observed when shipping via land and air carrier is somehow associated with the fact that shippers store the goods being shipped in either warehouses or very large shipping containers that experience steep temperature increases. Foil balloons are typically constructed of two or more foil sections that are attached to each other at connection seams that use heating methods to fuse the sections to each other. Further, metalized foil is a material that does not and is not intended to be subjected to stretching forces. Yet, the temporarily elevated temperatures to which the balloons are subjected during shipping stress the foil gas containers owing to the high sensitivity of the helium gas to temperature gradients pursuant to the ideal gas formula: pV=nKT, where p=pressure; V=volume; nK relate to the Boltzman constant and T=temperature. In foil balloons, the V parameter is invariable. Hence, any temperature elevation translates immediately into a corresponding rise in pressure, which causes the more vigorously colliding and extremely small sized helium molecules to escape from the foil container, through sub-micron cracks in the seam lines and similarly sized pores in the foil surfaces.

[0034] Hence, upon arrival, the balloons will have suffered a helium gas loss during transit, causing the balloon walls to unseemly sag and lose their buoyancy despite the normal temperatures and ambient atmospheric conditions.

[0035] In similar manner, even without being subjected to elevated temperatures, air shipped balloons might be subjected to reduced pressure conditions in non-pressurized or under-pressurized cargo airliner compartments. Here too, the pressure gradient between the outer environment and the interiors of the balloons causes the helium molecules to energetically strive to leave the confines of the balloons which over time results in helium gas leakage and the same undesirable balloon effects.

[0036] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, shipping of the subject helium filled balloons to customers comprises lining the shipping box with a metalized foil sheet, placing a number of these balloons therein and then covering the entire balloon assemblage with the metalized foil sheet. Thereafter, the box is closed and forwarded to the shipping company to be delivered to the various customers.

[0037] To the present inventor's understanding, the foil style sheet has the property, similar the widely used kitchen style aluminum foil, that it is a poor heat conductor, i.e., a good heat insulator. Therefore, during temporary elevated heat conditions encountered during shipping, the metal foil in which the balloons are wrapped acts as heat transfer barrier that stops or greatly slows heating of the helium gas. The deleterious gas loss effects described above are thereby avoided or at the least so reduced as to be adequate for shipping inflated balloons to customers.

[0038] As simply depicted in FIGS. 1 through 3, the inflated helium balloons 10 are prepared for being shipped by being placed inside and ordinary box 12 that has been pre-lined with foil sheet 20 that has selvages 22 sufficient to tightly wrap the balloons from all sides. Thereafter, the box 12 is closed with tape and the like, shipping address labeled and entrusted to the shipping carrier for the delivery to the intended customer. Of course, the foil sheet 20 may be loosely placed against the interior walls of the box 12.

[0039] In accordance with a more elaborate variant of the invention, the balloons are protected from losing their internal helium gas by being shipped enclosed in an outer flexible walled container 50 that is internally pressurized, just slightly above the pressure inside the balloons 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the outer container or bag 50 has a large mouth 52 through with the balloons are inserted. The internal volume of the outer bag 50 is slightly smaller than that of the shipping outer box 12. With the balloons 10 within, the mouth 52 is hermetically closed off, e.g., by heat sealing, a clamp 53 or the like. Thereafter, an ordinary air pump 54, e.g., a small portable pump running on 12 volts, is used to inflate the interior of the container 50 with air, via a one-way inflating port or nipple 56 (into which a needle 57 of the pump 54 is inserted). For example, if the pressure inside the balloons is say about 15-16 PSI (pounds per square inch), then the interior container air is set to be about 16-17 PSI (observable at the gauge 59), it being noted that atmospheric pressure at sea level is 1 ATM (which is about 14.6 PSI).

[0040] The wall 58 of the container 50 can be make of stretchable latex, or plastic or any flexible material, or even non-stretching material, it being noted that unlike the balloons which need to buoyant and therefore have very thin walls, the wall 58 can be heavier gauged to assure that the pressurized air within will not leak out, even when its temperature has been materially elevated (as during shipping). Of importance here is that the air in the container 50 surrounds the balloons from all sides and causes the helium gas to assume that pressure, the balloon walls and seam points or lines will not leak owing to the pressure on both sides being approximately equal at all temperatures, even elevated temperatures. Similarly, below atmospheric pressures that may prevail inside an air plane's cargo bins will have no effect on the balloons that our surrounded by their own atmosphere established inside the outer container 50. The net result is that balloons will arrive at their ultimate destinations without any loss of internal helium gas, allowing them to be enjoyed for longer periods. All one need do is open the shipping box 12, pierce the container 50 to release its pressure and then cut it to remove the balloons 10.

[0041] In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the modified outer container 60 has a shape that is substantially square or rectangular and conformed to that of the shipping box 12, and also includes a zippered opening 62 that is opened to insert the balloons 10. Inside, just under and covering the zipper 64 a dangling sealing flap 65 that adheres underneath the zipper 64 and seals it against leakage when the inside pressure is increased as described above. This sealing container is similarly inflated via its inflation nipple 66 as previously described.

[0042] In accordance with another variant of the invention, the balloons 12 are tightly wrapped in clingy sheets of polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), also known as Saran Wrap, to prevent the balloons 12 walls from expanding when exposed to elevated temperatures during shipping, thereby encasing the balloons individually. This should help reduce stress on the balloon seams and prevents any stretching and increasing the pore sizes in these walls. Again, helium gas loss which is the culprit during shipping is arrested. Nowadays, sheets with properties similar to Saran Wrap can be made from polyethylene.

[0043] The present invention also contemplates using the above described expedients to increases the storage life of balloons. That is, rather than waiting for order for specific balloons to arrive and then inflating the balloons only shortly before shipping, a large number of balloons filled with helium can be inventoried without fear of loss of gas by storing them in the pressurized air containers described above while awaiting to be ordered. Thereby, large balloon supplier can inflated balloons long prior to any orders and thus avoid the challenge and expenses that might arise when quickly needing to inflate many hundreds of balloon on a very short notice. These in-store containers can be very large sized holding dozens of balloons and used and reused as needed.

[0044] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, the inflated balloons are each individually tightly wrapped in non-stretchable netting material 70 cut from a roll 72. This expedient is designed to prevent the heated helium within from stretching and tearing the Mylar walls during shipping, regardless of whether the gas pressure from within is caused by elevated temperatures or reduced ambient pressures encountered during high altitude flying. The material 70 is tightly wrapped ensuring to cover all the seam lines in the balloon and the free edge maybe taped down conventionally.

[0045] Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claim.