DE202015007466U1 - Modular device for synchronous filling of water balloons - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for the synchronous filling of water balloons, comprising at least one filling adapter and a closing element, characterized in that the filling adapter has a first end and a second end and an outer wall extending therebetween, from which extend filling tubes, are attached to the water balloons and wherein the at least one filling adapter has at its first end and at its second end in each case via a fastening means in order to enable a positive connection with further filling adapters and / or the closing element.

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a modular device for synchronously filling a plurality of water balloons.

Especially in summer, water bombs are very popular as children's toys. The prevailing mode of use has traditionally involved filling thin balloons with water at a faucet or garden hose, sealing these balloons by a knot, and then tossing other game participants. Especially annoying is the game preparation, because the filling and closing of the balloons always takes a longer time frame than the actual game.

background

For this purpose, solutions are known from the prior art that should simplify and accelerate the filling process via branches and / or special closure mechanisms. Noteworthy here are first self-closing techniques for balloons, which can be omitted knot the balloon after filling and thus significantly contribute to saving time. Such a water balloon is in US2013118640 disclosed. Here, a water balloon seals itself by an inner flap in the balloon. A corresponding applicable but easier to implement technology also reveals the WO0032280 in which a balloon shaft is held together and sealed by means of an O-ring.

Furthermore, there are numerous versions of stations or adapters for the domestic water connection, which allow a parallel filling of multiple balloons. For this purpose solutions are offered consisting of Rohrverzeigungen, such as in the US2008121309 revealed, down to one in the WO2015118518 described implementation of means of a screw adapter for a faucet. The latter disclosure combines in itself the advantages of the known branching and the O-ring closure technique, but taken in isolation but not further combinable and not adaptable to deviating water pressure.

Summary of the invention

The present disclosure has therefore set itself the task of describing a system for filling water balloons, which is modular. This allows adaptation to regionally differing water pressure, maximizes the number of water balloons that can be filled simultaneously, and can reduce production costs by using fundamentally identical components.

This object is achieved by a Fülladaptersystem, in which the leads to the water balloons not lying on a plane and frontally (the water inlet opposite), but are mounted radially on an outer wall, which allows to attach several adapters serially in series by a suitable fastening system ,

One component of this system are modular filling adapters. Each filling adapter is characterized by a first end A and a second end B. Between the two ends extends an outer wall, which is preferably designed substantially cylindrical, but may also have other shapes. At the two ends A and B are fasteners to attach more filling adapters together. Here, the attachment means at the end A corresponds to the attachment means at the second end B such that they form mechanically or otherwise coupled a sufficiently strong and cohesive connection. Preferably, the first end A can be designed as an internal thread and the second end B as a corresponding external thread. But there are also click mechanisms using spring tension or bayonet locks conceivable. For sealing the connection point, it may also be advantageous to provide at one or both ends a sealing means, preferably a sealing ring, which effects a sufficient leakage safety against fluids.

Water balloons require sufficient space for unfolding. On the other hand, a hanging filling is advantageous in which the balloons hang with the balloon body to the ground and with the opening shaft are substantially upwards. So it is favored that the balloons can fall off when reaching a certain weight of the filling adapter and not burst due to overfilling. Therefore, it has proven to be advantageous not to attach the balloons directly to the outer wall, but aufzustecken on flexible filling tubes. These filling tubes in turn have a first end C and a second end D and a substantially cylindrical outer skin, wherein on the first end C a water balloon can be plugged and the second end D can be secured in an opening in the outer wall of the filling adapter, so that the the interior of the balloon is in fluid communication with the interior of the filling adapter.

It has proven to be advantageous to use filling tubes with a length of 10 cm to 30 cm, more preferably 15 cm to 25 cm, more preferably 19 cm to 21 cm, around the balloons leave enough space for the expansion process, but at the same time the extent of the filling adapter with regard to the goods transport and shipping not too much to expand. The filling tubes preferably have an inner diameter of 0.5 mm to 3 mm, more preferably 0.75 mm to 2 mm, more preferably 0.9 to 1.5 mm. The adjusted inner diameter ensures a uniform filling of the attached water balloon and reduces the risk that it bursts due to too fast water filling and at the same time maintains the pressure, even if several filling adapters are coupled to each other and not all filling tubes should be equipped with water balloons. The outer diameter of the filling tubes depends on the type of material selected to ensure sufficient buckling strength. In any case, when using plastic, preferably PE, a wall thickness of preferably 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, more preferably 0.75 mm to 1.2 mm has been proven. The flexibility favors the process, alternative embodiments with rigid and in this case advantageously obliquely projecting and in operation to the ground facing filling tubes are also conceivable.

The basic shape of the filling adapter may correspond to, but is not limited to, a cylindrical tube. Thus, the outer wall can also be designed with an outer curvature to increase the maximum outer diameter, which increases the number of possible filling tubes. Here, a maximum outer diameter of preferably 30 mm to 60 mm, more preferably 40 mm to 50 mm, more preferably 44 mm to 47 mm has proven to be advantageous.

The distribution of the filling tubes on the outer wall of the filling adapter is preferably carried out on a horizontal plane, preferably radially in uniform spacing. But there are also other arrangement patterns possible.

The modular system may preferably be such that it consists of at least one filling adapter and a closing element. The first end A of the filling adapter is preferably configured as an internal thread in such a way that it can be screwed directly onto connecting threads of taps. The second end B of the filling adapter would then be designed as a corresponding external thread. An end element could in this case be designed as a cap which is screwed onto the second end B of the last filling adapter. By the final element a mere passage through the impinged water is avoided and generates the required water pressure on the filling tubes.

Further preferably, it is possible to add to the system a connection adapter which can be attached to the first end A of the filling adapter and which allows connection to alternative water connection systems, such as a garden hose connector system.

However, it is also possible to provide a filling system in which a filling adapter fixedly connected at its first end A includes a connection piece for connection to a water supply and another filling adapter at its second end B has no opening, but is closed. In operation, the system would then be able to be modularly expanded by attaching additional centerpieces between the two aforementioned start and end pieces.

The water balloon itself is finally attached to the tube with its shaft and secured with an O-ring. The diameter and elasticity of the O-ring should be chosen so that the balloon sits firmly on the tube, but upon reaching a certain water pressure (by reaching a specific filling level and the associated weight) slips from the filling tube and sealed by the O-ring becomes.

Brief description of the figures

An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Show in it

1 : a filling adapter;

2 : a mounted device consisting of two filling adapters, connection adapter and end element;

3 a vertical section through a filling adapter;

Detailed description of the embodiments

1 shows an embodiment of a filling adapter ( 10 ) with a first end A, a second end B and the outer shell ( 11 ), in which at regular intervals a plurality of filling tubes ( 12 ), which in turn have a first end C and a second end D. The fastening means is designed here as a screw thread, wherein the first end A is applied as an internal thread and the second end B as external thread.

2 gives a ready-to-use device ( 20 ) again. In this embodiment, two filling adapters ( 10 ' and 10 '' ) screwed together via the thread, so that the first end A of the lower adapter ( 10 '' ) conclusively with the lower end B of the upper adapter ( 10 ' ) connected is. To allow for easy connection, is in the first end of the A upper filling adapter ( 10 ' ) screwed a connection adapter for a German garden hose connector system, on the second end B of the lower Fülladapters ( 10 '' ) is a cap screwed. Not shown are the water balloons described as prior art, which with their shank on the first ends C of the filling tubes ( 12 ) and fixed there with an O-ring or rubber band.

3 gives a vertical cross section through a filling adapter ( 10 ) again. Visible here are next to the thread of the fasteners at the respective ends A and B and the filling tubes ( 12 ) and in particular the anchoring in the outer shell at the second end D.

This embodiment variant represents only one possible variant of the embodiment, but other variants with differently shaped outer walls and fastening means (for example with a rectangular base) are as it were possible.

In the present embodiment, the filling adapter can be made of two elements, which can be connected horizontally at the point where the second ends D of the filling tubes are anchored. This facilitates the assembly of the filling tubes, which, for example, can only be glued on one side, in order then to be fixed with the large area glued second portion.

This has proved to be particularly advantageous in that it allows a construction that allows thickening of the outer shell, which would not be possible with one-piece casting technique. The bulbous design is also essential to provide on the horizontally larger circumference (the equator of the filling adapter) a larger number of filling tubes, which must have enough distance from each other to allow an expansion of the water balloons. In the dimensions of the embodiment, this type of construction allows the accommodation of 22 filling tubes with a diameter of the two ends, which is designed for standard threads of water connections.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• US 2013118640 [0003]
• WO 0032280 [0003]
• US 2008121309 [0004]
• WO 2015118518 [0004]

Claims (10)

Apparatus for the synchronous filling of water balloons, comprising at least one filling adapter and a closing element, characterized in that the filling adapter has a first end and a second end and an outer wall extending therebetween, from which extend filling tubes, are attached to the water balloons and wherein the at least one filling adapter has at its first end and at its second end in each case via a fastening means in order to enable a positive connection with further filling adapters and / or the closing element. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening means consists of corresponding screw threads. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the screw thread at the first end of the filling adapter is an internal thread and at the second end a corresponding external thread. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening means consists of a bayonet closure. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a connection element for connection to the water supply to the first end of a filling adapter can be fastened. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one of the filling adapter of the device is designed so that its first end does not comprise a fastener corresponding to the second end, but is designed as a connection piece for one for a water supply. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closing element for the pressure-tight closing of the second end of a filling adapter at the second end of a filling adapter can be fastened. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one of the filling adapter of the device is designed so that its second end does not comprise a fastening means, but is flow sealed. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filling adapters are designed identically. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filling adapters in addition to the filling tubes consist of two components which are joined together around the connection points of the filling tubes.

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