Self-Sealing Balloon With Adhesive Ring For Gas Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for sealing balloons, such as tying a knot or using adhesive tape, are inefficient, time-consuming, and prevent the balloons from being deflated and reused due to imperfections in the seal.
Innovation Solution
A self-sealing balloon design featuring a moldable adhesive ring within the neck segment, which is exposed and compressed to form a seal when a tensile force is applied, allowing for quick and reliable sealing and deflation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a knot is tied in the balloon neck segment to seal pressurized gas, then the balloon can retain gas, but the process is tedious and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sealing function from the manual knot-tying process and replaces it with an integrated adhesive ring system. The adhesive ring is pre-applied to the interior surface of the neck segment, allowing automatic sealing when the balloon is inflated and the neck is pinched, eliminating the need for manual knot-tying operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive ring system enables self-sealing functionality. When the balloon is inflated and the neck segment is pinched, the adhesive ring automatically activates to seal the gas, without requiring external manual intervention for knot-tying. The system serves itself by using the inflation process to trigger the sealing action.
2Reliability
If a knot is tied in the balloon neck segment to seal pressurized gas, then the balloon can retain gas, but it is nearly impossible to untie the knot for deflation and reuse
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing mechanism transitions from a static permanent knot to a dynamic reversible adhesive bond. The adhesive ring maintains a strong seal during inflation but can be easily deactivated by pinching the neck segment, allowing the balloon to be deflated and reused multiple times without damage or difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables recovery and reuse of the balloon by replacing the permanent knot with a reversible adhesive seal. After use, the adhesive ring can be deactivated and the balloon deflated, allowing the same balloon to be recovered and reused, eliminating the need to discard single-use knotted balloons.
3Productivity
If adhesive tape is placed on the interior surface of the balloon neck to seal gas, then the sealing process is simplified, but the adhesive tape cannot be separated eliminating potential for deflation and reuse
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive ring is applied locally to specific regions of the neck segment interior surface rather than covering the entire surface. This localized application maintains simplicity and speed of sealing while allowing the unadhered portions of the neck to be pinched and manipulated for easy deflation and reuse.
4Reliability
If two planar sheets of adhesive are drawn together to create a gaseous seal, then sealing can be achieved, but any wrinkle or gap would create a gas leak
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the planar sheet adhesive configuration with a molded ring configuration that conforms to the curved interior surface of the balloon neck. This curved ring shape naturally accommodates the cylindrical geometry of the neck, eliminating wrinkles and gaps that would occur with flat sheets, and ensuring a reliable gas-tight seal.
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
Enables rapid and reliable sealing of balloons, allowing for efficient production and the ability to deflate and re-inflate the balloons without gas leaks, improving manufacturing efficiency and user convenience.
Implementation Method 1
the moldable adhesive ring is exposed and compressed to form a seal
Implementation Method 2
a moldable adhesive ring carried by an interior of the tubular balloon neck segment
Implementation Method 3
Latex balloons are formed by applying latex, in a liquid form, onto a balloon form and curing the latex
Implementation Method 4
The elasticity of the latex enables removal of the formed and cured balloon from the balloon form
Data Source
AI summary
A self-sealing balloon comprising a tubular balloon neck segment extending from an opening of a balloon gas retaining expansion cavity. A bead of adhesive material is applied in a loop about an interior circumference of a neck portion of the balloon forming a dispensed adhesive roll. The dispensed adhesive roll is at least partially encapsulated within an adhesive staging segment. The adhesive staging segment is shaped into a loop by at least one roller. The roller extends the balloon neck material and pulls the ring downward, drawing the ring into the adhesive staging segment. The ring aids in forming the loop. In use, the balloon would be inflated. The neck would be stretched, exposing the adhesive ring. The ring would be compressed forming a seal, entrapping pressurized air within the balloon gas retaining expansion cavity. This provides a low cost, simple self-sealing solution for a balloon.