Toray Plastics (america), Inc.

Anagram International, Inc.

Toray Plastics, Inc.

Gianfranco Chicarella

Paul Andrew Ansolabehere

Todd Richard Sarnstrom

Steven J Sargeant

Dean Borchardt

John Fitch

Tracy Paolilli

Nao Yokota

Jeffrey Jacob Cernohous

Douglas James Bower

Robert T Ervolino

Joseph Anthony Bourgeault

Larissa M Boutin

Delaware Hood

Andrew Swanson

Michael Fatica

John Medeiros

Todd Fayne

Described are stretchable and formable lighter than air balloons including a high barrier lamination. The stretchable and formable balloons stretch when overinflated instead of failing. The balloons are formed from a lamination including a polyester film with a total thickness of 4 &#x3bc;m to 12 &#x3bc;m including a biaxially oriented polyester core layer and at least one amorphous copolyester skin layer. The polyester film has an Elongation % in the transverse direction (TD) or machine direction (MD) of greater than 125%.

Stretchable and formable lighter than air balloons made from a biaxially oriented polyester film

A long life balloon formed from a lamination. The lamination includes a polyester film with a total thickness of 4 &#x3bc;m to 12 &#x3bc;m. The polyester film includes a biaxially oriented polyester core layer and at least one amorphous copolyester skin layer. The lamination also includes a sealant layer and a gas barrier layer on an opposite side of the polyester film from the sealant layer. The oxygen transmission rate of the balloon is less than 0.1 cc/100 sqin/day, a bonding strength of the gas barrier layer to the surface of the polyester film is more than 300 g/in at dry conditions, a sealing strength of the balloon is more than 3.5 kg/in, and a floating time of the balloon is more than 20 days.

Lighter than air balloon made from a biaxially oriented polyester film

The present invention relates to articles and methods for producing non-latex balloons with low surface electrical conductivities and an extended product life. In a preferred embodiment, a multilayer composite film having an exposed metallized layer is coated with an elastomeric sealant layer that increases electrical resistivity of the balloon product to greater than 1.0Ohms/sq. The invention relates to articles and methods for producing needed bonds and seal strength required to manufacture non latex balloons. The balloons of this invention have an extended product life because they are more resistant to common defects like pin holing and stress cracks than conventional balloon systems.

Non-conductive balloons and methods of producing same

A process for fabricating a high barrier lamination suitable for the construction of lighter than air materials including providing a thin, two layer thermoplastic film consisting of an amorphous copolyester skin and a high crystalline polyester core; plasma treating the high crystalline polyester core layer to a surface energy of about 50 to about 68 dyne; depositing a metal barrier layer to an optical density of about 2.2 to about 3.2; and extrusion coating a linear low density polyethylene sealant layer on the amorphous copolyester skin layer.

High barrier laminate and process

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North Providence, RI, United States of America

Gianfranco Chicarella