The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 03, 2019
Filed:
Jun. 21, 2016
Tinnus Enterprises, Llc, Plano, TX (US);
Joshua Malone, Plano, TX (US);
Tinnus Enterprises, LLC, Plano, TX (US);
Abstract
In one embodiment, an apparatus for simultaneously filling balloons with water generally includes a fitting and at least three branch assemblies coupled to the fitting. The fitting includes an inlet and at least three outlets. Each branch assembly includes a tube, a balloon, an elastic ring, and a plurality of colloid particles disposed within the balloon. For each branch assembly, the tube extends from its respective fitting at a respective one of the at least three outlets; the balloon has a neck defining an opening through which an end of the tube is inserted; and the elastic ring. Each elastic ring compresses the neck of the balloon around the end of the tube. The elastic ring is configured to restrict detachment of the balloon from the tube and to automatically seal the opening of the balloon upon detachment of the balloon from the tube. The restriction of the elastic ring is limited such that the balloon, if filled with a sufficient amount of water, is detachable by gravity or by gravity combined with a manually applied acceleration of the tube. The plurality of colloid particles, if suspended within water, are capable of plugging a hole 500 microns wide or less that would otherwise permit water to leak from the balloon.