Abstract: A flying balloon toy (10) having an inflatable balloon (14) frictionally engaged with an aerodynamic body (12) formed of lightweight material that gives additional drag without increasing the weight to yield increased flight time while being safe for use indoors. The body (12) has a disk-shaped portion (22) with a central opening (26) formed therein that is aligned with the rotational axis (36). The collar portion (24) includes concave sides (34) to frictionally engage the side wall (16) of the balloon (14).

Abstract: A balloon sculpturing system comprising a sculpturing stand (12) formed of an upright support port (14) and base (16) having a sculpturing ring (18) mounted thereon for holding a plurality of balloons (20) in a decorative arrangement. The sculpturing ring (18) comprises a cylindrical sidewall (40) having an open first end (44) and an open second end (46) communicating through a longitudinal axial bore (42) that is sized to permit mounting of the ring (18) over the support post (14). A plurality of slots (48) are formed in the cylindrical wall (40) to hold the constricted neck portion (22) of each balloon (20) such that the neck portions (22) are stretched across the bore (42) and frictionally engage the upright support post (14) to hold the sculpturing ring (18) in position.

Abstract: An expandable balloon wrapped media display system including: a transparent balloon (30); an accordion pleated sheet (11, 11a, 11b) having formed thereon a message, picture, graphic display, graphic design, or combination thereof; a first attachment member (15) fixedly secured to a first edge (21) of the sheet (11, 11a); the sheet (11, 11a, 11b) being folded up on itself at its midpoint (28) so as to present the left and right halves (26L, 26R) of a second edge (26) thereof in generally face-to-face relation; a second attachment member (22) having a tubular portion (24) and an axially extending flange (25) fixedly secured to a second edge (26) of the sheet (11, 11b); the folded accordion pleated sheet (11, 11a, 11b) being inserted into a balloon (30) with the first attachment member (15) engaging the polar extremity (34) of the balloon (30) most remote from the balloon's inflation aperture (31) and the second attachment member (22) having its tubular portion (24) disposed within the constricted neck portion (

Abstract: An expandable balloon wrapped media display system including: a transparent balloon; an accordion pleated paper-like sheet having formed thereon a message, picture, graphic display, graphic design, or combination thereof; a first attachment member fixedly secured to a first edge of the sheet; the sheet being folded up on itself at its midpoint so as to present the left and right halves of a second edge thereof in generally face-to-face relation; a second attachment member having a tubular portion and an axially extending flange fixedly secured to a second edge of the sheet; the folded accordion pleated sheet being inserted into a balloon with the first attachment member engaging the polar extremity of the balloon most remote from the balloon's inflation aperture and the second attachment member having its tubular portion disposed within the constricted neck portion of the balloon; first attachment means securing the first polar extremity of the balloon to the first attachment member; and, second attachment me

Abstract: Balloon decorative devices (10,26) consisting of a light-weight plate-like support element (14), a plurality of flexible ribbon-like streamers (15a-15f) fixedly secured at spaced peripheral points about the support element (14) by means of adhesive and/or staples (21), a light-weight stiffener (22) fixedly secured to the free outboard ends of each of the streamers (15e-15f) by means of adhesive and/or staples (21), a plurality of helium-inflated balloons (12a-12f) separably attached to the stiffeners (22) on the free ends of respective different ones of the streamers (15a-15f) so as to form a hanging basket (26) for one or more stuffed animals (28) or similar novelty items, and a central helium-inflated balloon (11) separably attachable to the support element (14) at about the midpoint thereof so as to convert the hanging basket (26) to a balloon simulation of a chandelier (10).

Abstract: Three-dimensional balloon sculptures (50, 56, 66, 86, 88, 89, 90, 99, 125, 136, 137, 159, 160, 169, 178, 186) and methods of forming same from one or more basic balloon building blocks (106, 106', 106", 126, 159) each including at least one rigid lineal rod-like balloon former (100, 100', 138a, 138b, 149, 162, 174, 181, 182, 184) defining one or more lineal barrier(s) precluding distension of a portion of the sidewall of a conventional balloon of the type having a constricted neck portion (111) terminating at one end in an inflation aperture (112) and at the other end in an imperforate inflatable sidewall (108).

Abstract: Three-dimensional balloon sculptures (50, 56, 66, 86, 88, 89, 90, 99, 125, 136, 137, 159, 160, 169, 178, 186) and methods of forming same from one or more basic balloon building blocks (106, 106', 106", 126, 159) each including at least one rigid lineal rod-like balloon former (100, 100', 138a, 138b, 149, 162, 174, 181, 182, 184) defining one or more lineal barrier(s) precluding distension of a portion of the sidewall of a conventional balloon of the type having a constricted neck portion (111) terminating at one end in an inflation aperture (112) and at the other end in an imperforate inflatable sidewall (108).

Abstract: Three-dimensional balloon sculptures (50, 56, 66, 86, 88, 89, 90, 99, 125, 136, 137, 159, 160, 169, 178, 186) and methods of forming same from one or more basic balloon building blocks (106, 106', 106", 126, 159) each including at least one rigid lineal rod-like balloon former (100, 100', 138a, 138b, 149, 162, 174, 181, 182, 184) defining one or more lineal barriers(s) precluding distension of a portion of the sidewall of a conventional balloon of the type having a constricted neck portion (111) terminating at one end in an inflation aperture (112) and at the other end in an imperforate inflatable sidewall (108).

Abstract: Three-dimensional balloon sculptures (50, 56, 66, 86, 88, 89, 90, 99, 125, 136, 137, 159, 160, 178, 186) and methods of forming same from one or more basic balloon building blocks (106, 106', 106", 126, 159) each including at least one rigid lineal rod-like balloon former (100, 100',138a, 138b, 149, 162, 174, 181, 182, 184) defining one or more lineal barrier(s) precluding distension of a portion of the sidewall of a conventional balloon of the type having a constricted neck portion (111) terminating at one end in an inflation aperture (112) and at the other end in an imperforate inflatable sidewall (108).

Abstract: Three-dimensional balloon sculptures (50, 56, 66, 86, 88, 89, 90, 99, 125, 136, 137, 159, 160, 169, 178, 186) and methods of forming same from one or more basic balloon building blocks (106, 106', 106", 126, 159) each including at least one rigid lineal rod-like balloon former (100, 100', 138a, 138b, 149, 162, 174, 181, 182, 184) defining one or more lineal barrier(s) precluding distension of a portion of the sidewall of a conventional balloon of the type having a constricted neck portion (111) terminating at one end in an inflation aperture (112) and at the other end in an imperforate inflatable sidewall (108).

Abstract: Three-dimensional balloon sculptures (50, 56, 66, 86, 88, 89, 90, 99, 125, 136, 137, 159, 160, 169, 178, 186) and methods of forming same from one or more basic balloon building blocks (106, 106', 106", 126, 159) each including at least one rigid lineal rod-like balloon former (100, 100', 138a, 138b, 149, 162, 174, 181, 182, 184) defining one or more lineal barrier(s) precluding distension of a portion of the sidewall of a conventional balloon of the type having a constricted neck portion (111) terminating at one end in an inflation aperture (112) and at the other end in an imperforate inflatable sidewall (108).

Abstract: Luminescent balloons (18', 18") and methods of manufacture thereof wherein one or more balloon forms (11) are respectively moved through discrete sequential processing stations (12/16, 14/21 and, optionally, 15/22) for the purpose of applying successive laminations (19, 20 and, optionally, 24) on the balloon forms (11), which laminations are dryed, set and cured in drying stations (16, 21, 22) so as to form a balloon (18', 18") having: (i) an outer lamination (19) formed essentially of pure latex and providing structural integrity for the balloon; (ii) an inner lamination (20) bonded to the inner surface of the outer lamination (19), in which inner lamination (20) the luminescent dry solid particles are maintained in a latex carrier and constitute at least FIFTY PERCENT (50%), and preferably from SIXTY-FIVE PERCENT (65%) to SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT (75%), of the total dry solids in the inner lamination (20) for imparting the luminescent qualities to the balloon; and (iii), optionally, a third essentially pure lat

Abstract: Three-dimensional balloon sculptures (50, 56, 66, 86, 88, 89, 90, 99, 125, 136, 137, 159, 160, 169, 178, 186) and methods of forming same from one or more basic balloon building blocks (106, 106', 106", 126, 159) each including at least one rigid lineal rod-like balloon former (100, 100', 138a, 138b, 149, 162, 174, 181, 182, 184) defining one or more lineal barrier(s) precluding distension of a portion of the sidewall of a conventional balloon of the type having a constricted neck portion (111) terminating at one end in an inflation aperture (112) and at the other end in an imperforate inflatable sidewall (108).

Abstract: A balloon game (20, 55, 64, 72), and methods of playing and assembling the same, employing: (a) a conventional balloon (21); (b) a relatively small, soft projectile such as a simulated basketball (25), a simulated football (62), a simulated clown's nose (71), or other projectile (79) adapted to be retained loosely captive within the balloon (21); and (c), a target such as a basketball hoop (23), football goal posts (61), clown's face (65), or other targets (74, 75, 76, 77) adapted to be inserted into the uninflated balloon (21) and fixedly secured to the inner surface of the sidewall (22) thereof in such a manner that when the balloon (21) is inflated and its constricted neck portion (26) is sealed by tying and/or knotting (28), the particular projectile (25, 62, 71, 79) can be propelled at and/or through selected target (23, 61, 66, 74, 75, 76, 77) by the simple expedient of: (i) grasping the balloon (21) and holding the same in a fixed position in space; (ii) stretching the lower extremity (26) of the ballo

Abstract: A balloon stuffing system (25, 25', 25", 25'") including a tubular member (26) open at one end (28) thereof and defining a chamber (31) capable of receiving the object (49) to be stuffed into a balloon (50); an ejector rod (29) passing through the opposite end (30) of the tubular member (26); a flexible, bellows-like, fluid impervious element (34) surrounding the ejector rod (29) and sealed at one end to the end (30) of the tubular member (26) and at its opposite end to the ejector rod (29); a fluid inlet aperture (56, 81, 85) formed in the tubular member (26) for permitting coupling of the interior of the tubular member (26) to any suitable source of pressurizing fluid; and, a balloon (50) having its inlet aperture (55) and constricted neck portion (58) mounted in surrounding sealed relation to the open end (28) of the tubular member (26) so that upon pressurization of the interior of the tubular member (26), the balloon (50) is inflated, and upon axial movement of the ejector rod (29) towards the open end (

Abstract: A balloon stuffing system (25, 25') including a tubular member (26) open at one end (28) thereof and defining a chamber (31) capable of receiving the object (34) to be stuffed into a balloon (35); a hollow, tubular, piston-like ejector rod (29) passing through the opposite end (30) of the tubular member (26); and, wherein provision is made for coupling the axial bore (58) extending through the hollow, tubular, piston-like ejector rod (29), and therefore the chamber (31) in the tubular member (26) and the balloon (35) secured thereto, to a source of inflation medium by either: (i) attaching a mouthpiece (84) to the projecting end of the ejector rod (29) so as to permit pressurization of the chamber (31) and the interior of the balloon (35) by blowing through the mouthpiece (84); or (ii), coupling the hollow, tubular, piston-like ejector rod (29) to a conventional hand-held, hand-operated air inflation pump (41, 41'); and, wherein the ejector rod (29) may be selectively: (a) unlatched from the pump housing (42)