Balloon Holder Base With Inclined Cavities For Compact Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing balloon holders and bases are difficult to assemble, prone to breaking, and lack a compact, space-saving design, with prior art not providing a solution for a lightweight yet heavy enough base to support multiple detachable balloon attachments.
Innovation Solution
A balloon holder with a securing element featuring flexible biased projections and an elongate member that secures the balloon, combined with a balloon holder base having inclined cavities for easy insertion and support of multiple holders, allowing for compact packaging and mass production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a door-type fastener with hinged connection is used to secure the balloon, then the balloon can be held in place, but the fastener is prone to breaking due to wear over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the hinged connection from the fastening mechanism entirely. Instead of a door-type fastener with a hinge, the invention uses a simple elongated channel opening with flexible biased opposing projections that bind the balloon tail directly, eliminating the complex hinged structure that was prone to breaking.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening function is segmented into multiple flexible biased opposing projections within the channel opening, each capable of independently binding the balloon tail. This segmentation allows the fastener to be simple yet effective, avoiding the need for a single complex hinged door structure.
2Ease of operation
If traditional balloon holders are designed for easy assembly, then they are simple to operate, but they cannot be shipped in a compact, space-saving package
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon holder components are designed to nest within each other during storage and shipping. The support element, securing element, and elongate member can be positioned one inside another or in a compact arrangement, significantly reducing the volume required for shipping while maintaining ease of assembly through simple insertion movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from a compact nested state during shipping to an expanded functional state during use. The flexible biased projections and movable support element allow the structure to dynamically adjust from a space-saving configuration to a balloon-holding configuration through simple user actions.
3Weight of moving object
If the base is made of thin material, then it is lightweight and space-efficient, but it is not heavy enough to support multiple detachable balloon attachments
Solution Approach 1:
The base incorporates an internal cavity designed to hold weighting material such as water or sand. This counterweights the lightweight thin material construction, providing sufficient mass to support multiple detachable balloon attachments while maintaining the overall lightweight and space-efficient design of the base structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The base uses thin material for the outer structure to minimize weight and shipping volume, but incorporates a localized heavy weighting material within the internal cavity. This local quality differentiation allows the base to be lightweight overall while having sufficient weight in the critical support area to hold multiple balloons.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a durable, easy-to-assemble balloon holder system that can be shipped compactly and supports multiple balloons without the need for helium, offering a cost-effective and space-efficient solution for holding air-filled balloons upright.
Implementation Method 1
a securing element having flexible biased opposing projections bounding an elongated channel opening
Implementation Method 2
each elongate member held in place by a lever force applied to each elongate member by the inclined portions of the associated holding cavity
Data Source
AI summary
A balloon holder and balloon holder base for holding a balloon having a tail, including a securing element having flexible biased opposing projections bounding an elongated channel opening, an elongate member insertable into an opening in the tail of the balloon such that a first portion of said elongate member abuts a tapered self-closing bladder, creating an overlapping elongate member and balloon tail section, and a support element configured to be in contact with and support the inflated balloon, wherein the balloon is secured to the elongate member by transversely passing the overlapping elongate member and balloon tail section through the elongated channel opening and held in place by the projections.