Gas injection device and balloon

Abstract

Provided are a gas injection device 100 and a balloon with which adverse events are unlikely to occur depending on the manner in which the balloon is installed on the device. A gas injection device 100 that injects gas into a balloon body from a balloon valve connected to a gas injection cylinder of the balloon body, the gas injection device 100 comprising: a nozzle that is inserted into the balloon valve and that injects gas into the balloon body; a valve mechanism that opens and closes a gas flow passage leading to the nozzle; a drive mechanism that causes the nozzle to advance and retract; a balloon case mounting part 120 that has a flat bottom surface and has mounted thereon a balloon case to which the balloon valve is fixed and in which the balloon body is accommodated, whereby the open end of the balloon valve can be fixed in an orientation opposing the advancing of the nozzle; and a control unit that controls the drive mechanism and the valve mechanism, the control unit receiving a start instruction, causing the nozzle to advance, causing the nozzle to be inserted into and bonded to the balloon valve, and causing gas to be injected into the balloon body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention mainly relates to a gas injection device installed in facilities such as theme parks, amusement parks, shopping malls, and game centers, for injecting gas into balloons, and to a balloon.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, an automatic balloon vending machine that is installed in places where many children go to play and sells balloons has been proposed (Patent Document 1). In the automatic balloon vending machine described in Patent Document 1, a purchaser can observe the process in which a purchased balloon is gradually inflated as helium gas or the like is injected into it.

[0003] In the automatic balloon vending machine described in Patent Document 1, an inverted T-shaped balloon case insertion opening is formed through the table plate of the automatic balloon vending machine, and a user inserts a balloon into the opening. Then, a nozzle is inserted into the fixed balloon valve, and helium gas or the like is injected into the balloon from a gas cylinder built in the automatic balloon vending machine. The user can see the process of the balloon gradually inflating.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, whether the balloon is reliably inserted and fixed depends on how the user performs the insertion. In some cases, problems may occur due to insufficient fixation of the balloon or the incorrect orientation of the open end of the balloon valve.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and provides a gas injection device and balloons that are less prone to malfunctions depending on how the balloons are installed in the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a gas injection device for injecting gas into a balloon body from a balloon valve connected to a gas injection cylinder of the balloon body, comprising: a nozzle inserted into the balloon valve and injecting gas into the balloon body; a valve mechanism for opening and closing the gas flow path to the nozzle; a drive mechanism for moving the nozzle forward and backward; a balloon case mounting section having a flat bottom surface on which a balloon case containing the balloon body is placed while fixing the balloon valve, thereby fixing the open end of the balloon valve in a direction opposite to the forward movement of the nozzle; and a control unit for controlling the drive mechanism and the valve mechanism, wherein the control unit, upon receiving a start command, moves the nozzle forward, inserts the nozzle into the balloon valve and makes a tight seal, and injects gas into the balloon body. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the overall appearance of the gas injection device. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a gas injection device. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the gas injection mechanism. [Figure 4] This is a front view of a balloon being injected with gas by a gas injection device. [Figure 5] This is a net diagram of a balloon case. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the gas injection device. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing a balloon placed on a gas injection device. [Figure 8] (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views showing the wedge-shaped body moving toward the balloon case and the balloon case unfolded after the wedge-shaped body has been inserted, respectively. [Figure 9] (a) to (c) are cross-sectional views showing the state in which the nozzle is moving toward the balloon, the state in which the nozzle is inserted into the balloon valve, and the state in which gas has been injected into the balloon body, respectively. [Figure 10] (a) and (b) are schematic diagrams showing the balloon case removed after the balloon body has been inflated and the balloon case with its gripping portion being held, respectively. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] (Appearance of the gas injection device) Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the overall appearance of the gas injection device 100. The gas injection device 100 injects gas into the balloon body from a balloon valve connected to the gas injection cylinder of the balloon body. As shown in Figure 1, the housing 110 of the gas injection device 100 comprises a base 111, a mechanism housing 112, and a gas injection chamber 113.

[0011] The base 111 supports the mechanism housing 112 and the gas injection chamber 113, and their orientation relative to the floor can be adjusted. The mechanism housing 112 houses the entire gas flow path and the drive mechanism. The gas injection chamber 113 consists of a door 114 and walls 116 that are parallel to the vertical, and the ceiling is open, separating the inside where gas is injected into the balloon from the outside. A display monitor may be provided on the back wall 116. The display monitor can show instructions on how to set up the balloon, etc.

[0012] The door 114 is a transparent plate-like body and is pivotably connected to the end of the wall 116 by a hinge. The door 114 covers the front of the gas injection device 100, allowing the user to see the inside of the device from the outside. The door 114 can be made of, for example, acrylic or glass. The door 114 may be electrically or manually operated.

[0013] Inside the gas injection chamber 113, a balloon case mounting section 120 is provided on the outer surface of the mechanism housing section 112. The balloon case mounting section 120 has a flat bottom surface 123 and is configured to allow a balloon case to be placed on the bottom surface 123. When the balloon case is placed, the outer main surface of the balloon case comes into contact with the bottom surface 123, and the opening end of the balloon valve can be fixed facing the direction opposite to the forward movement of the nozzle. As a result, variations in the balloon placement by the user can be reduced, and the occurrence rate of malfunctions during gas injection can be reduced.

[0014] The balloon case placement section 120 has an inclined stage 129 facing the user, and its bottom surface 123 is formed as a recess from the inclined stage 129. The recess from the inclined stage 129 forms a recess for fitting the balloon case. The inclined stage 129 and the bottom surface 123 are preferably inclined at an angle of 10° to 45° with respect to the horizontal plane, and more preferably at an angle of 15° to 25°. This makes it easy to place balloons and allows the drive mechanism and the like to be sufficiently housed in the mechanism housing section 112, enabling efficient use of space. User guidance or a touch panel start button may be displayed on the inclined stage 129. The start button may be a physical push switch.

[0015] The bottom surface 123 of the balloon case mounting section 120 is preferably parallel to the direction of nozzle movement. This makes it easier to align the nozzle insertion position with the center of the balloon valve. The balloon case on which the balloon is mounted contains the balloon body while fixing the balloon valve in place. The mounted balloon case is fixed with the open end of the balloon valve facing in the direction opposite to the forward movement of the nozzle.

[0016] The balloon case placement part 120 has a protruding part 125 that fits into the finger insertion part of the balloon case. The protruding part 125 is formed in an elongated columnar shape, and is inserted into the hole of the finger insertion part to fix the placed balloon case. The protruding part 125 preferably has a cross section of the same shape as the hole of the finger insertion part, and is formed, for example, as a rounded rectangular column. Since the balloon case is fixed, the balloon valve can be secured against the force applied toward the balloon body by the nozzle inserted into the balloon valve. That is, positional displacement can be prevented when the nozzle is inserted into the balloon valve. The user can open the door 114, place a balloon inside the gas injection chamber 113, and take out the balloon after the balloon body is inflated.

[0017] (Functional configuration of the gas injection device) Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the gas injection device 100. The gas injection device 100 includes a power plug 130, a control unit 140, a gas injection mechanism 150, and a gas flow path mechanism 160. The power plug 130 is connected to an AC power supply, and supplies current from the AC power supply to the control unit 140.

[0018] The control unit 140 includes a DC converter 141, a control board 145, and an input / output interface 147. The DC converter 141 converts AC current into DC current. The control board 145 has a CPU, a memory, and a peripheral connection unit, and controls each part according to the on / off state of each switch, user operations, and the like. The control unit 140 controls the drive mechanism and the valve mechanism.

[0019] For example, the control board 145 controls the movement of the nozzle 156 and the injection of gas into the balloon body. Upon receiving a start instruction, the control board 145 advances the nozzle 156 toward the balloon valve, and when detecting that the moving body has moved to a predetermined position, stops the movement and starts injecting gas into the balloon body. The advancing direction of the nozzle 156 is a direction parallel to the gas passage direction of the balloon valve. In this way, the nozzle is inserted into and brought into close contact with the balloon valve, so that gas is injected into the balloon body.

[0020] The control board 145 also controls the injection of gas into the balloon. For example, it switches the gas path after a predetermined time has elapsed, and terminates gas injection when the gas pressure becomes constant. By opening and closing the first and second valves, it is preferable to inject the first gas into the balloon body for a predetermined time, and then inject the second gas into the balloon body until a predetermined pressure is reached after the injection of the first gas. This allows for efficient gas injection by injecting the first gas at a high pressure for a predetermined time, and then gradually injecting the second gas until the predetermined pressure is reached.

[0021] Furthermore, the control board 145 controls the LED board 153. The control board 145 performs input and output such as receiving the press of the gas injection start button and displaying guidance to the user via the input / output interface 147.

[0022] The gas injection mechanism 150 includes balloon case detection units 151 and 152, an LED board 153, a motor 154, a moving body 155, a nozzle 156, a wedge-shaped body 157, a wedge-shaped body detection unit 159a, a nozzle set detection unit 159b, and a nozzle retraction detection unit 159c.

[0023] The balloon case detection unit 151 detects the placed balloon case using a photoreflector. The balloon case detection unit 152 is a switch-type detection unit that detects the balloon case when it is placed and the switch is physically activated. Both the balloon case detection unit 151 and the balloon case detection unit 152 can detect whether the balloon case 210 is in close contact with the bottom surface 123 of the mounting unit. The LED board 153 turns the LEDs on and off for visual effects.

[0024] Motor 154 moves the mobile body 155 forward and backward in a specific direction using a sliding mechanism or the like that which transmits driving force using a rotating shaft. For example, a rotating shaft with a screw formed along the nozzle movement direction is provided, and the mobile body 155 is movably attached to the rotating shaft. When the rotation of motor 154 is transmitted to the rotating shaft, the mobile body 155 moves toward the balloon valve when the rotating shaft rotates in the forward direction, and moves toward the balloon gas inlet when the rotating shaft rotates in the reverse direction. The mobile body 155 is provided with a nozzle 156 and a pair of wedge-shaped bodies 157, and the nozzle 156 and wedge-shaped bodies 157 move in conjunction with the movement of the mobile body 155.

[0025] The nozzle 156 is inserted into the balloon valve and injects gas into the balloon body. The wedge-shaped bodies 157 are preferably provided in pairs at equal intervals and are inserted into the opening of the balloon case to unfold the balloon case. The detailed configuration of the nozzle 156 and the wedge-shaped bodies 157 will be described later.

[0026] The wedge-shaped body detection unit 159a detects the wedge-shaped body 157 when it has advanced to a predetermined position. This allows confirmation that the wedge-shaped body 157 has reached the position where it can reliably open the balloon case 210. The nozzle set detection unit 159b detects the nozzle 156 when it has advanced to the position where it has been inserted into the balloon valve. The nozzle retraction detection unit 159c detects the nozzle 156 when it has finished gas injection and has retracted to a predetermined position (a home position for standby). It is preferable that the wedge-shaped body detection unit 159a, the nozzle set detection unit 159b, and the nozzle retraction detection unit 159c all use optical sensors that detect changes in the amount of light being blocked by a light receiving unit and obtain an output signal.

[0027] The gas flow mechanism 160 includes a first gas source 161, a first valve 162, a second gas source 163, a second valve 164, a total flow meter 166, a relief valve 167, and a relief flow meter 168.

[0028] The first gas source 161 is a gas source that supplies the first gas at a predetermined pressure and consists of, for example, a gas cylinder 161a and a regulator 161b. The gas cylinder 161a is filled with a gas lighter than air, such as helium. The first valve 162 is controlled by the control unit 140 and opens and closes the flow path of the first gas up to the flow path integration unit 165 connected to the nozzle 156.

[0029] The second gas source 163 is a gas source that supplies the second gas at a predetermined pressure, and is an air compressor that draws in air and sends it into the flow path at a constant pressure. The second valve 164 is controlled by the control unit 140 and opens and closes the flow path of the second gas up to the flow path integration unit 165 connected to the nozzle 156.

[0030] The second gas is preferably at a lower pressure than the first gas. This allows for efficient adjustment of the total amount of gas injected into the balloon body by controlling the injection of the second gas after the injection of the first gas. The first valve 162 and the second valve 164 constitute a valve mechanism.

[0031] The total flow meter 166 detects the total flow rate of gas that has flowed from the flow path integration unit 165 to the nozzle 156. The relief valve 167 is set to open when the gas pressure exceeds a threshold that is greater than the pressure of the inflated balloon body. The relief flow meter 168 detects the flow rate of leakage from the relief valve 167. The control unit 140 determines whether the balloon body has inflated based on the detected flow rate of leakage. Although the above mechanism ensures that the amount of gas injected into the balloon body is appropriate, the control unit 140 may further monitor the total flow rate and the internal pressure of the balloon body to perform control to avoid insufficient or excessive gas injection.

[0032] (Balloon case mounting section and drive mechanism) Figure 3 is a perspective view of the gas injection mechanism 150. The bottom surface 123 of the balloon case mounting section is fixed on the mounting base 127 and is surrounded by side walls 123a and a front wall 123b. The front wall 123b is in contact with the deployment opening and valve insertion section when the balloon case is placed on it. A circular hole 123c is formed in the center of the front wall 123b.

[0033] A guide wall 123d is provided further forward of the front wall portion 123b, and a hole 123e is formed in the guide wall 123d. When the nozzle 156 moves forward, the nozzle tip portion 156a passes through holes 123e and 123c, and is inserted into the balloon valve without shifting position.

[0034] The mobile body 155 is slidably fixed on the mobile body base 158. The mobile body 155 slides forward and backward toward the balloon case mounting section by a drive mechanism consisting of a motor 154 and a rotating shaft. A nozzle 156 and a pair of wedge-shaped bodies 157 are fixed to the mobile body 155.

[0035] The wedge-shaped body 157 is provided so as to be movable in conjunction with the nozzle 156 by a drive mechanism. As described later, when the balloon case is closed, an opening for deployment is formed by grooves provided at opposing positions on the first case piece and the second case piece.

[0036] The tip 157a of the wedge-shaped body is provided with an inclined surface that conforms to the position and shape of the deployment opening. When the balloon case is closed, the wedge-shaped body 157 is inserted into the deployment opening formed by grooves provided at opposing positions on each of the pair of case pieces. The inclined surface of the tip 157a of the wedge-shaped body separates the first case piece from the second case piece, and the balloon case is deployed. This allows the balloon case to be opened before gas injection, reducing problems during gas injection and enabling stable gas injection.

[0037] The nozzle 156 comprises a nozzle tip 156a, a spring 156d, and a straight pipe 156e. The straight pipe 156e is connected to the gas flow path from the flow path integration section 165. The straight pipe 156e is preferably made of metal. The nozzle tip 156a, which maintains airtightness, is slidably connected to one end of the straight pipe 156e.

[0038] Preferably, the sliding of the nozzle tip 156a toward the balloon valve is restrained by the spring 156d. This allows the spring 156d to apply pressure to the nozzle tip 156a inserted into the balloon valve, while simultaneously mitigating this pressure with a sliding structure and limiting it to a certain level or lower. Note that the spring 156d can be replaced with another elastic member that provides elastic force.

[0039] Preferably, the end of the nozzle tip 156a is formed of a rubber-like material having a tapered inclined surface 156b. This allows the nozzle tip 156a, when inserted into the opening of the cylindrical balloon valve made of resin, to tightly seal the gas flow path. The rubber-like material is, for example, a material such as silicone rubber. This tight seal prevents gas leakage. Preferably, the nozzle tip 156a is formed in a tapered frustoconical shape relative to the opening of the cylindrical balloon valve.

[0040] A gas hose 169 is connected to the other end of the straight pipe 156e. The gas hose 169 branches at the flow path integration section 165, with one branch connected to the first valve 162 and the other to the second valve 164.

[0041] (Balloon vending machine) Furthermore, the gas injection device 100 may be equipped with a balloon stock section for storing the balloons 200 to be sold, and may be used as an automatic balloon vending machine. For example, a balloon discharge port can be formed at the lower front of the balloon stock section, and a payment slot can be formed at the front of the main body of the device. The automatic balloon vending machine can be configured so that when the balloon purchase fee is inserted into the payment slot and the selection / confirmation button is pressed, the balloons stored in the balloon stock section are discharged into the balloon discharge port.

[0042] (Balloon composition) A balloon into which gas is injected by the gas injection device 100 configured as described above will now be explained. Figure 4 is a front view of the balloon 200 into which gas is injected by the gas injection device 100. Figure 5 is an unfolded view of the balloon case 210. The balloon 200 comprises the balloon case 210, a string 220, a balloon valve 230, and a balloon body 240.

[0043] The balloon case 210 is made of a transparent blister case. The balloon case 210 has a body housing section 211, a finger insertion section 212, a gripping section 213, a valve insertion section 214, a cylindrical body insertion section 216, a case side locking section 219, and an opening for deployment 217 integrally formed within it.

[0044] The folded balloon body 240 is housed in the main body storage section 211. The finger insertion section 212 is for inserting a finger. The gripping section 213 is used for holding in the palm. The valve insertion section 214 is for inserting the balloon valve 230. The cylinder insertion section 216 is for inserting the gas injection cylinder 242. A step 215 is formed at the boundary between the valve insertion section 214 and the cylinder insertion section 216.

[0045] The balloon case 210 has a first case piece 210a and a second case piece 210b. The balloon case 210 can accommodate the balloon body 240 by closing the first case piece 210a and the second case piece 210b together. A deployment opening 217 is formed by a first deployment opposing groove 217a and a second deployment opposing groove 217b. The first deployment opposing groove 217a and the second deployment opposing groove 217b are provided at opposing positions on the first case piece 210a and the second case piece 210b when the balloon case 210 is closed. The deployment opposing grooves 217a and 217b each have inclined surfaces 218a and 218b, respectively, which widen the opening towards the opening end.

[0046] The balloon case 210 opens when the wedge-shaped body 157 is inserted into the deployment opening 217. This allows the balloon case to be opened before gas injection, reducing problems during gas injection and enabling stable gas injection. The valve insertion part 214 fixes the balloon valve 230 in place when the balloon case 210 is closed.

[0047] The balloon case 210 has a first case piece 210a and a second case piece 210b that are foldably connected via a central fold line 210c. The first case piece 210a has a first gripping portion 213a, a first finger insertion hole 212a, a first body housing portion 211a, a first valve insertion portion 214a, a first stepped portion 215a, a first cylindrical body insertion portion 216a, a concave locking portion 1 219a, and a first opposing groove 217a for deployment. The first opposing groove 217a for deployment has a first inclined surface 218a. The first inclined surface 218a is formed with an inclination angle that widens the opening towards the end.

[0048] Furthermore, the second case piece 210b has a second gripping portion 213b, a second finger insertion hole 212b, a second body housing portion 211b, a second valve insertion portion 214b, a second cylindrical body insertion portion 216b, a convex second locking portion 219b, and a second opposing groove 217b for deployment. The second opposing groove 217b for deployment has a second inclined surface 218b. The second inclined surface 218b is formed with an inclination angle that widens the opening towards the end.

[0049] When the first case piece 210a and the second case piece 210b are joined together and closed, the corresponding parts of each case piece come together to form the respective parts as follows: The first main body housing part forming part 211a and the second main body housing part forming part 211b form the main body housing part 211. The first finger insertion hole part 212a and the second finger insertion hole part 212b form the finger insertion part 212. The first gripping part forming part 213a and the second gripping part forming part 213b form the gripping part 213.

[0050] Furthermore, the first valve insertion portion forming portion 214a and the second valve insertion portion forming portion 214b form the valve insertion portion 214. The first step forming portion 215a and the second step forming portion 215b form the step 215. The first cylindrical body insertion portion 216a and the second cylindrical body insertion portion 216b form the cylindrical body insertion portion 216. The first opposing groove for deployment 217a and the second opposing groove for deployment 217b form the deployment opening 217. The first inclined surface 218a and the second inclined surface 218b form the inclined surface 218. The first locking portion 219a and the second locking portion 219b form the case piece locking portion 219.

[0051] As described above, the balloon case 210 has a valve insertion portion 214 that, when closed, allows the balloon valve 230 to be inserted and locks in place with the hole of the balloon valve 230 exposed. A step 215 is formed at the connection position between the valve insertion portion 214 and the cylindrical insertion portion 216, and the cylindrical insertion portion 216 is sized to allow the cylindrical body to pass through but not the balloon valve 230. The balloon valve 230, pressed by the contact of the nozzle 156, is fixed by the step 215, and the nozzle 156 makes tight contact with the hole of the balloon valve 230.

[0052] The string 220 connects the balloon case 210 and the balloon body 240, and when the balloon body 240 is housed in the balloon case 210, the string 220 is housed in the balloon case 210 together with the balloon body 240. One end of the string 220 is connected to the balloon body 240 of the balloon 200, and the other end of the string 220 is connected to the inner surface of the main housing section 211 of the balloon case 210 that houses the balloon body 240.

[0053] The balloon valve 230 is preferably made of synthetic resin, for example, from the viewpoint of good adhesion with the nozzle tip 156a and light weight, and is preferably made of polyoxymethylene (POM), for example, from the viewpoint of availability and moldability. The balloon valve 230 is fitted into and connected to the gas injection cylinder 242 of the balloon body 240. A check valve is provided inside the balloon valve 230 to prevent the injected helium gas from leaking from the balloon body 240. The check valve may also be provided in the gas injection cylinder 242. It is preferable that a tapered nozzle insertion portion 230a is formed at the tip of the balloon valve 230.

[0054] The balloon body 240 is made of, for example, nylon film and includes a gas injection cylinder 242 and an inflation section 245. The inflation section 245 is folded when housed in the balloon case 210, but inflates when gas is injected.

[0055] Furthermore, the balloon case 210 is not limited to a blister case. Also, the balloon body 240 is not limited to nylon film, but may be made of other materials such as aluminum-coated film, vinyl, or latex. In addition, the gas used to fill the balloon body 240 for a predetermined time is not limited to helium gas. It is preferable to use a gas lighter than air, but depending on the application, a gas heavier than air may also be used.

[0056] (Operation of the gas injection device and balloon) Next, the overall operation of the gas injection device 100 will be described. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the gas injection device.

[0057] First, when the door 114 is opened by the user, the gas injection device 100 displays a guidance message to the user via the display monitor on the back wall 116 or the inclined stage 129 (step S1). The door may also be configured to open by the drive of a door opening / closing motor. If the user places a balloon 200, the gas injection device 100 detects the placement of the balloon 200 (step S2).

[0058] When the user presses the start button, the gas injection device 100 receives the start instruction (step S3). Placing the balloon 200 may also be considered as pressing the start button. The motor 154 is driven in response to the start instruction, and the mobile body 155 begins to move forward (step S4).

[0059] Step S5 determines whether or not the nozzle 156 has made contact with the balloon valve 230. If contact is not detected, the forward movement of the mobile body 155 is maintained. During this time, the wedge-shaped body 157 comes into contact with the deployment opening 217, and the balloon case 210 deploys. The wedge-shaped body detection unit 159a confirms that the wedge-shaped body 157 has moved to a position sufficient for the deployment of the balloon case 210 and that there are no abnormalities.

[0060] On the other hand, if the nozzle set detection unit 159b confirms that the nozzle 156 is in close contact with the balloon valve 230, the moving body 155 is stopped (step S6). Then, the first valve 162 is opened (step S7), and the time elapsed count begins.

[0061] Step S8 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the first valve 162 remains open. The predetermined time is, for example, 40 seconds. The predetermined time may be changed depending on the type of balloon. For example, an RFID tag can be embedded in the balloon case, allowing the gas injection device 100 to detect the type of balloon. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the valve is switched (Step S9). The valve is switched by closing the first valve 162 and opening the second valve 164.

[0062] Next, the internal pressure of the balloon body 240 is detected, and it is determined whether or not a predetermined pressure has been reached (step S10). The predetermined pressure is the pressure when the balloon is fully inflated, and may be set in advance or may be the saturation pressure.

[0063] If the predetermined pressure has not been reached, the second valve 164 is kept open. When the predetermined pressure is reached, the second valve 164 is closed (step S11). Then, the movable body 155 is retracted to its original position (step S12), and the series of processes is completed.

[0064] The user can remove the balloon case 210 from the balloon case mounting section 120, close the unfolded balloon case 210, and remove the balloon 200 from the gas injection device 100 by holding the gripping section 213.

[0065] Through these actions, users can experience the joy of making balloons by watching the process of gas being injected into them, giving them a sense of participation in the balloon manufacturing process. Next, we will explain each action in detail.

[0066] (Placement of balloons) Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a balloon placed on the gas injection device. As shown in Figure 7, the user can insert the projection 125 into the finger insertion portion 212 of the balloon case and fit the balloon 200 into the recess of the balloon case mounting portion 120. As a result, one side of the balloon 200 can be placed in close contact with the bottom surface of the balloon case mounting portion 120.

[0067] (Unfolding the balloon case) Figures 8(a) and 8(b) are cross-sectional views showing the wedge-shaped body 157 moving toward the balloon case 210 and the balloon case 210 unfolded after the wedge-shaped body 157 has been inserted, respectively. Both cross-sectional views show the vertical cross-section of the center of the wedge-shaped body 157 and the unfolding opening 217.

[0068] As shown in Figure 8(a), when the movable body 155 is driven, the wedge-shaped body 157 moves forward toward the deployment opening 217. The inclined surface of the tip portion 157a of the wedge-shaped body then contacts the inclined surface 218 of the deployment opening 217, pressing the first case piece 210a and the second case piece 210b apart. The first locking portion 219a then disengages from the second locking portion 219b, releasing the locking of the case piece locking portion 219. As a result, the first case piece 210a and the second case piece 210b of the balloon case 210 open up, splitting around the central fold line 210c.

[0069] As a result, as shown in Figure 8(b), the balloon case unfolds, exposing the balloon body 240, and the inflation of the balloon body 240 by gas injection is no longer hindered. In this way, the balloon case will always open regardless of how the balloon 200 is placed or the gas pressure. This reduces problems during gas injection.

[0070] (Nozzle insertion and gas injection) Figures 9(a) to 9(c) are cross-sectional views showing the nozzle moving toward the balloon, the nozzle inserted into the balloon valve, and the balloon body being injected with gas, respectively. All of these cross-sectional views show the central vertical cross-section of the nozzle 156 and the valve insertion portion 214.

[0071] As shown in Figure 9(a), when the moving body 155 is driven, the nozzle 156 moves forward toward the balloon valve 230. Then, as shown in Figure 9(b), the tapered inclined surface 156b of the nozzle tip 156a comes into contact with the inner wall of the resin cylinder of the balloon valve 230. At this point, the balloon case 210 has already been deployed by the wedge-shaped body 157.

[0072] Since the nozzle tip 156a is made of a rubber-like material, the nozzle tip 156a and the balloon valve 230 are in close contact, eliminating any gaps in the connection and sealing the gas injection passage. At this time, the nozzle tip 156a receives pressure from the spring 156d, but the force can be relieved by the sliding mechanism, so that no force exceeding a certain limit is applied to the balloon valve 230.

[0073] In this state, the nozzle set detection unit 159b detects that the nozzle 156 has reached a predetermined position. As a result, the forward rotation of the rotating shaft stops and the moving body 155 stops. In this way, the nozzle set detection unit 159b confirms that the nozzle 156 is in close contact with the balloon valve 230, and gas injection begins. Then, as shown in Figure 9(c), helium gas is injected into the balloon body 240 from the nozzle 156, and the balloon body 240 gradually expands.

[0074] Once a predetermined amount of helium gas has been injected into the balloon body 240 and a predetermined time has elapsed, the first valve 162 closes and the second valve 164 opens, switching the gas inlet path. Then, air is drawn in by an air compressor and injected into the balloon body 240. When the balloon body 240 expands into a spherical shape, a pressure sensor detects a predetermined pressure and stops the injection of air. The gas inside the balloon body 240 is a mixture of mostly helium gas with a small amount of air added, which gives the balloon body 240 buoyancy in the atmosphere.

[0075] The inflated balloon body 240 begins to fly away from the balloon case 210. The user can witness the novel and impactful spectacle of the balloon case 210 dramatically bursting, the balloon body 240 inflating, and flying away from the balloon case 210.

[0076] Once gas injection is complete, the rotating shaft rotates in the reverse direction, causing the nozzle 156 to move away from the balloon case 210. As a result, the balloon valve 230 comes into contact with the front wall 123b, preventing it from moving, and the nozzle 156 detaches from the balloon valve 230.

[0077] The projection 125 fits into the second finger-insertion hole 212b of the second case piece 210b, allowing the user to quickly grasp the balloon case 210. The balloon body 240 rises due to the helium gas, but is prevented from rising too high by the string 220 connected to the balloon case 210. Furthermore, when the nozzle retraction detection unit 159c detects that the nozzle has moved back to its original retracted position, the rotation of the rotating shaft stops, and the moving body 155 also stops.

[0078] (After injection is completed) Figures 10(a) and (b) are schematic diagrams showing the state in which the balloon case 210 has been removed after the balloon body 240 has been inflated, and the state in which the gripping portion 213 of the balloon case 210 is being gripped, respectively. As shown in Figure 10(a), the removed balloon case 210 remains unfolded, and the user can close the balloon case 210 by closing the opened first case piece 210a and second case piece 210b and fitting the first locking portion 219a and the second locking portion 219b.

[0079] The user can reuse the balloon case 210 as a gripping member. This prevents the balloon case 210 from being discarded as waste. Furthermore, it reduces the effort and cost of installing a trash can for disposing of the balloon case 210 around the gas injection device 100.

[0080] As shown in Figure 10(b), a finger can be inserted through the finger insertion section 212 of the closed balloon case 210 and the gripping section 213 can be grasped. When the user removes the balloon 200 from the gas injection device 100, the door motor rotates in reverse and the door 114 closes. In this way, a gas injection device 100 and balloon 200 are provided that are less prone to malfunctions depending on how the balloon is installed in the device. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0081] 100 Gas injection device 110 cabinets 111 Base 112 Mechanism housing 113 Gas injection chamber 114 Doors 116 Wall 120 Balloon case mounting section 123 Bottom 123a Side wall part 123b Front wall 123c hole (front wall) 123d Guide wall 123e Hole (guide wall) 125 Protrusion 127 Base for mounting section 129 Inclined Stage 130 Power plug 140 Control Unit 141 DC Converter 145 Control board 147 Input / Output Interfaces 150 Gas injection mechanism 151 Balloon case detection unit 151, 152 Balloon case detection unit 152 Balloon case detection unit 153 LED boards 154 Motor 155 Mobile Unit 156 nozzles 156a Nozzle tip 156b Slope 156d Spring 156e Straight pipe 157 Wedge-shaped body 157a Tip of the wedge-shaped body 158 Base for mobile objects 159a Wedge-shaped object detection unit 159b Nozzle set detection unit 159c Nozzle retraction detection unit 160 Gas flow mechanism 161a Gas cylinder 161b Regulator 165 Flow channel integration section 166 Total flow meter 167 Relief Valve 168 Relief Flow Meter 169 Gas hose 200 balloons 210 Balloon Case 210a Case 1 210b Case 2 210c Center fold curve 211 Main body housing 211a Main body housing section first forming section 211b Main body housing section second forming section 212 Finger insertion section 212a First finger insertion hole 212b Second finger insertion hole 213 Gripping part 213a Grip part first forming part 213b Grip part second forming part 214 Valve insertion section 214a Valve insertion portion first forming portion 214b Second valve insertion portion 215 steps 215a Step-level first forming section 215b Second step-forming section 216 Cylinder insertion part 216a First cylindrical body insertion part 216b Second cylindrical body insertion part 217 Deployment opening 217a First opposing groove for deployment 217b Second opposing groove for deployment 218 Slope 218a 1st slope 218b 2nd slope 219 Case locking part 219a Locking part 1 219b Locking part 2 220 string 230 balloon valves 230a Nozzle insertion section 240 balloon body 242 Gas injection cylinder 245 Expansion section

Claims

1. A gas injection device that injects gas into the balloon body from a balloon valve connected to the gas injection tube portion of the balloon body, A nozzle that is inserted into the balloon valve and injects gas into the balloon body, A valve mechanism for opening and closing the gas flow path to the nozzle, A drive mechanism for moving the nozzle forward and backward, A balloon case mounting section having a flat bottom surface, on which a balloon case containing the balloon body is placed while fixing the balloon valve, thereby fixing the open end of the balloon valve in a direction opposite to the forward movement of the nozzle, The system comprises a control unit that controls the drive mechanism and the valve mechanism, The gas injection device is characterized in that the control unit, upon receiving a start command, advances the nozzle, inserts the nozzle into the balloon valve and makes a tight seal, and injects gas into the balloon body.

2. The balloon case mounting portion has a projection that fits into the finger insertion portion of the balloon case, The gas injection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the projection secures the balloon case on which it is placed.

3. The opening of the balloon valve is formed in a cylindrical shape using resin. The gas injection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tip of the nozzle is formed of a rubber-like material having a tapered inclined surface.

4. The gas injection device according to claim 3, characterized in that the sliding of the tip of the nozzle is restrained by an elastic member.

5. The drive mechanism further includes a wedge-shaped body that can be moved in conjunction with the nozzle, The balloon case is constructed by connecting a first case piece and a second case piece in a foldable manner, and when closed, an opening for deployment is formed by grooves provided at opposing positions of the first case piece and the second case piece. The gas injection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the balloon case is opened by inserting the wedge-shaped body into the deployment opening when the pair of case pieces constituting the balloon case are closed.

6. The valve mechanism includes a first valve that opens and closes the flow path of a first gas, and a second valve that opens and closes the flow path of a second gas having a lower pressure than the first gas. The gas injection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the control unit injects the first gas into the balloon body for a predetermined time by opening and closing the first valve and the second valve, and after the injection of the first gas, injects the second gas into the balloon body until it reaches a predetermined pressure.

7. The balloon body inflates when gas is injected, A balloon case having a first case piece and a second case piece, the balloon body can be housed by closing the first case piece and the second case piece together, and when closed, an opening for deployment is formed by grooves provided at opposing positions of the first case piece and the second case piece, The balloon is equipped with a balloon valve connected to the gas injection cylinder portion of the balloon body, The balloon case has a valve insertion portion that, when closed, secures the balloon valve in an inserted state. The balloon case is characterized by opening when a wedge-shaped body is inserted into the opening for deployment.

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