Air propelled party streamer device

Abstract

A device for launching a plurality of party streamers using an air inflated envelope which is manually compressed to expel the streamers which are randomly disposed in a pocket in the envelope, the streamers being spirally wound with a weighted inner end and an unrolled outer end.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0001] The invention relates generally to a device for providing multiple streamers of the type used at celebrations such as New Years Eve, birthday parties and wedding receptions, and specifically relates to hand held devices for expelling a plurality of plastic streamers simultaneously high into the air. [0002] The use of rolled paper streamers at celebrations such as New Year's Eve and weddings is old and well known. Each streamer is a rolled paper strip, the roll being a few inches in diameter. These streamers are typically hurled into the air while holding one end of the streamer so that it unrolls as it arcs away from the thrower. The unrolled streamer creates an exciting visual effect as it drops across those participating in the celebration. The proper throwing of the streamer to achieve complete unrolling requires a level of skill often not acquired until after many attempts. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide streamers that may be consist...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] The invention is directed to a device for discharging simultaneously a plurality of small streamers using a plastic envelope which is inflated by the blowing into an inflation tube and then squeezing with hand pressure the envelope to fracture a closure member allowing the enclosed air pressure to throw the streamers high into the air. For a device of this type to be considered an effective alternative to the individually thrown paper streamers, it is important that the device function to cause the streamers to fully deploy or unroll and that they are projected well away from the user and to a reasonable elevation on the order of eight to fifteen feet. In the present invention this objective is accomplished by controlling the length and width of the streamers and by having the ends of the streamers formed in a particular manner. This is accomplished by weighting the inner end of the rolled streamer with a very small weight and providing an unrolled portion at the outer end of the roll. The effectiveness of the air pressure in the envelope in discharging the streamers from the pocket in the envelope is enhanced by having the envelope small enough to be enclosed in the hand grip. This arrangement results in the squeezing action of the hand producing a maximum percent reduction in the pressurized volume in the envelope and results in more pressure to reverse the position of the enclosed pocket which improves the upward force expelling the streamers.

[0007] The unrolling of the streamers in the desired manner is made possible through the use of a light weight plastic material that is loosely rolled and on the order of 40 inches in length. Shorter lengths tend to tangle together and longer lengths will not completely unroll or deploy. A streamer width of {fraction (3 / 16)}″ provides the desired visual effect while deploying satisfactorily and being compact enough to maximize the number of streamers that may be contained in the envelope pocket.

[0008] An aspect of the invention facilitating the manufacture of the subject streamer device is the lack of any need to orient the individual streamers in any particular position or relative orientation within the containment envelope. The streamers are disposed in a completely random orientation within the envelope. This random orientation of the streamers results in improved separation as they are explosively expelled into the air from the envelope. This better separation and distribution eliminates any clumping together of the streamers and provides a desirable visual effect appearing as a large mass of streamers floating down from the level of eight to fifteen feet.

[0010] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved party streamer delivery device that will propel multiple streamers high into the air while causing the streamers to assume a completely unrolled condition as they float down.

[0012] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved device for expelling multiple streamers into the air by means of a inflatable envelope having a reversible pocket enclosing a plurality of small plastic rolled streamers each of which includes a weighted inner end at the axis of each roll and an unrolled outer end at the periphery of the roll causing the streamers to unroll completely as they are propelled in an arch shaped trajectory.

Problems solved by technology

These devices have not found widespread commercial acceptance because of safety concerns and the poor distribution and incomplete unrolling of the streamers.

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