US-20260124552-A1 - Balloon Banner

US20260124552A1US 20260124552 A1US20260124552 A1US 20260124552A1US-20260124552-A1

Abstract

The balloon banner of the present disclosure and related inventions provides a convenient and fun decoration for a special event. The banner can be folded into a stacked arrangement for easy storage or for mailing. When needed, the banner can be unfolded, hung and paired with balloons to create a cheerful, celebratory atmosphere. The banner includes backer panels, pop-up elements in the form of alphabet letters, numbers or symbols, several balloon-backing discs, hanger ribbon 16 , attachment ribbon and latex balloons.

Inventors

Joseph Bucco
Keith Allen

Assignees

AMERICAN GREETINGS CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241107

Claims (20)

1 . A balloon banner comprising: a plurality of backer panels, one or more backer panels having a ribbon extending from a bottom edge therefrom; a plurality of pop-up elements, each one of the plurality of pop-up elements attached to one of the plurality of backer panels; a plurality of balloon backer discs having a plurality of slits thereon forming an aperture in the shape of a star, each one of the plurality of balloon backer discs attached to the ribbon extending from the bottom edge of the one or more backer panels; and a plurality of tied, inflated, latex balloons, a portion of each of the plurality of tied, inflated, latex balloons inserted into one of the apertures located on one of the plurality of balloon backer discs; wherein the plurality of backer panels are connected to at least one other of the plurality of backer panels at a pivot point to create a horizontal chain; wherein a first or leftmost backer panel of the chain and a last or rightmost backer panel of the chain each contain a loop attached thereto; wherein the balloon banner can move between a first or folded position, wherein it is in a substantially flat and stacked arrangement and a second or unfolded position, wherein it is unfurled into an elongate decoration that can be suspended from a hook or other hanger hardware via the loops on the first and last backer panels.
2 . The balloon banner of claim 1 , wherein the pop-up elements are in the shape of a letter of the alphabet, a number, or a symbol.
3 . The balloon banner of claim 1 , wherein the plurality pop-up elements can move between a first position wherein they are flat against one of the plurality of backer panels and a second position, wherein they are pushed forward away from one of the plurality of backer panels.
4 . The balloon banner of claim 1 , every other backer panel in the chain has a ribbon suspended from a bottom edge thereof.
5 . The balloon banner of claim 1 , wherein a tied neck portion of the plurality of latex balloons is inserted into the aperture on the plurality of balloon backer panels.
6 . The balloon banner of claim 1 , wherein each balloon backing disc is circular shaped.
7 . The balloon banner of claim 1 , wherein each backer panel is substantially rectangular shaped.
8 . A balloon banner comprising; a plurality of backer panels attached in a horizontal chain, each of the plurality of backer panels having a pop-up element attached thereto; a plurality of balloon backer discs suspended from one or more of the plurality of backer panels, each of the plurality of balloon backer discs having an aperture at a center thereof; and a plurality of inflated balloons, a portion of each of the plurality of balloons inserted into one of the plurality of balloon backer discs; wherein the banner can move from a first position, wherein it is folded into a substantially stacked arrangement, and a second position, wherein it is unfolded into banner that is operative to hang from a hook or hanger hardware via a ribbon attached to each distal end thereof.
9 . The balloon banner of claim 8 , wherein the pop-up elements are in the shape of a letter of the alphabet, a number, or a symbol.
10 . The balloon banner of claim 8 , wherein the plurality pop-up elements can move between a first position wherein they are flat against a front surface of one of the plurality of backer panels and a second position, wherein they are set forward from the front surface of one of the plurality of backer panels.
11 . The balloon banner of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of backer panels is pivotable about at least one other of the plurality of backer panels.
12 . The balloon banner of claim 8 , wherein the balloon backer discs are attached to a ribbon which is attached to one of the plurality of backer panels.
13 . The balloon banner of claim 8 , wherein every other backer disc in the chain has one or more balloon backer discs suspended therefrom.
14 . The balloon banner of claim 9 , wherein the pop-up elements spell out a word.
15 . The balloon banner of claim 9 , wherein the pop-up elements spell out a phrase.
16 . A balloon banner comprising: a plurality of backer panels arranged in a horizontal chain, wherein each of the backer panels is attached to and pivotable about at least one other pop-up element; a pop-up letter, number, or symbol attached to each of the plurality of backer panels; a plurality of ribbons, one ribbon attached to the first or leftmost backer panel in the chain, and one ribbon attached to every other odd-numbered backer panel in the chain; a plurality of balloon backer discs attached to each of the plurality of ribbons; and one or more balloons attached to one or more of the plurality of balloon backer discs; wherein the banner can be folded into a flat, stacked configuration.
17 . The balloon banner of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of pop-up letters, numbers, or symbols can be manually moved from a first position, wherein it is flat against one of the plurality of backer panels, and a second position, wherein it is popped forward away from the backer panel.
18 . The balloon banner of claim 16 , wherein the first or leftmost backer panel in the chain and the last or rightmost backer panel in the chain has a loop attached thereto.
19 . The balloon banner of claim 16 , wherein the one or more balloons are attached to one or more of the plurality of balloon backing discs by inserting the tied neck of the balloon into a star-shaped aperture at the center thereof.
20 . The balloon banner of claim 16 , wherein the pop-up elements spell out a word or a phrase.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS There are no applications related to this application. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure describes a balloon banner having a plurality of backer panels, one or more backer panels having a ribbon extending from a bottom edge thereof, a plurality of pop-up elements, each one of the plurality of pop-up elements attached to one of the plurality of backer panels, a plurality of balloon backer discs having a plurality of slits thereon forming an aperture in the shape of a star, each one of the plurality of balloon backer discs attached to the ribbon extending from the bottom edge of the one or more backer panels, and a plurality of tied, inflated, latex balloons, a portion of each of the plurality of tied, inflated, latex balloons inserted into one of the apertures located on one of the plurality of balloon backer discs. The plurality of backer panels are connected to at least one other of the plurality of backer panels at a pivot point to create a horizontal chain. The first or leftmost backer panel of the chain and a last or rightmost backer panel of the chain each contain a loop attached thereto, and the balloon banner can move between a first or folded position, wherein it is in a substantially flat and stacked arrangement and a second or unfolded position, wherein it is unfurled into an elongate decoration that can be suspended from a hook or other hanger hardware via the loops on the first and last backer panels. In another embodiment, the balloon banner contains a plurality of backer panels attached in a horizontal chain, each of the plurality of backer panels having a pop-up element attached thereto, a plurality of balloon backer discs suspended from one or more of the plurality of backer panels, each of the plurality of balloon backer discs having an aperture at a center thereof, and a plurality of inflated balloons, a portion of each of the plurality of balloons inserted into one of the plurality of balloon backer discs. The banner can move from a first position, wherein it is folded into a substantially stacked arrangement, and a second position, wherein it is unfolded into banner that is operative to hang from a hook or hanger hardware via a ribbon attached to each distal end thereof. In still another embodiment, the balloon banner contains a plurality of backer panels arranged in a horizontal chain, wherein each of the backer panels is attached to and pivotable about at least one other pop-up element, a pop-up letter, number, or symbol attached to each of the plurality of backer panels, a plurality of ribbons, one ribbon attached to the first or leftmost backer panel in the chain, and one ribbon attached to every other odd-numbered backer panel in the chain, a plurality of balloon backer discs attached to each of the plurality of ribbons, and one or more balloons attached to one or more of the plurality of balloon backer discs. The banner can be folded into a flat, stacked configuration. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the balloon banner of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 2 from the perspective of arrows 3-3. FIG. 4 is a left side view of FIG. 2 from the perspective of arrows 4-4. FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a first portion of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a second portion of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a side view of a balloon attached to a balloon backing disc. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of FIG. 5, in an unfolded position. FIG. 9 is a left-side view of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a front view of FIG. 8. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of FIG. 8, in a folded position. FIG. 12 is a front view of FIG. 11. FIG. 13 is a left-side view of FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a front view of the pop-up elements. FIG. 15 is a front view of the back side of the backer panels. FIG. 16 is a front view of the balloon backing discs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The subject matter of the present disclosure and related inventions is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways. Use of articles or terms, such as “a” or “any”, that might otherwise seem to refer to items in the singular refer to items in the plural herein, such as “one or more.” The balloon banner (the “banner”) 100 of the present disclosure and related inventions provides a convenient and fun decoration for a special event. The banner 100 can be folded into a stacked arrangement for easy storage or for mailing. When needed, the banner 100 can be unfolded, hung and paired with balloons B to create a cheerful, celebratory atmosphere. The banner includes backer panels 10, pop-up elements in the form of alphabet letters, numbers or symbols 12, several balloon-backing discs 14, hanger ribbon 16, attachment ribbon 18 and latex