Balloon weight and tether assembly including hinged tab with locking arms

Abstract

A balloon weight and tether assembly includes a balloon weight; a securement tab including a first locking arm providing a male member having an outer periphery and a second locking arm providing a female member having an inner periphery; and a tether having a first end coupled with the balloon weight and a second end coupled with the securement tab; where the male member and the female member are adapted to mate to thereby grip a neck or a tail of an inflated balloon between the outer periphery of the male member and the inner periphery of the female member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A balloon weight and tether assembly comprising
 a balloon weight;   a securement tab including:
 a support body having a slot therein, 
 a first locking arm secured to the support body by a first hinge, the first locking arm providing a male member having an outer periphery and 
 a second locking arm secured to the support body by a second hinge opposed to the first hinge, the second locking arm providing a female member having an inner periphery; and 
   a tether having
 a first end coupled with the balloon weight and 
 a second end coupled with the securement tab at the slot in the support body; 
   wherein the male member and the female member are adapted to mate by pivoting the first locking arm at the first hinge and the second locking arm at the second hinge, thereby moving the male member to extend through the female member to thereby grip a neck or a tail of an inflated balloon between the outer periphery of the male member and the inner periphery of the female member.   
     
     
         2 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the slot is centrally located in the support body, and the male member of the first locking arm is equidistant from the first hinge as compared to the distance of the female member of the second locking arm from the second hinge such that pivoting the first and second locking arms respectively about the first and second hinges serves to bring the male member and female member into alignment to mate the male member with the female member. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the balloon weight and the securement tab are separated from each other. (Original) The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the balloon weight and the securement tab are coupled by a score line to thereby allow the selective detachability of the securement tab from the balloon weight. 
     
     
         8 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of claim  7 , wherein the score line is positioned between the balloon weight and the support body. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the balloon weight is a spring clip including a first clip member and a second clip member biased by a spring. 
     
     
         11 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 1 , the balloon weight including a locking hole, wherein the support body includes a barbed locking member extending therefrom, wherein the barbed locking member is adapted to fit within the locking hole to thereby couple the balloon weight and the securement tab, wherein the barbed locking member is adapted to be removed from the locking hole without compromising the barbs. 
     
     
         12 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the barbed locking member includes a plurality of barbed locking arms, each of the plurality of barbed locking arms including a sidewall extending to a barb. 
     
     
         13 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the balloon weight includes a spool-shaped body portion. 
     
     
         14 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the spool-shaped body portion includes a bottom ring spaced below and parallel with a top disk, a cylindrical wall interposed between the top disk and the bottom ring, wherein the cylindrical wall, the top disk, and the bottom ring define an annular cavity capable of receiving a tether. 
     
     
         15 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the bottom ring includes a plurality of ribbon retaining projections spaced around the perimeter thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the balloon weight includes a body portion carrying a separate spool. 
     
     
         17 . A balloon weight and tether assembly comprising
 a balloon weight   a securement tab including:
 a first locking arm providing a male member having an outer periphery and 
 a second locking arm providing a female member within the second locking arm, the female member having an inner periphery; and 
   a tether having
 a first end coupled with the balloon weight and 
 a second end coupled with the securement tab; 
   wherein the male member and the female member are adapted to mate wherein the male member extends through the female member to thereby grip a neck or a tail of an inflated balloon between the outer periphery of the male member and the inner periphery of the female member, wherein the male member includes a plurality of crush ribs adapted to deform into a neck or a tail of an inflated balloon when the male member and the female member are mated, to thereby further secure the neck or the tail of the inflated balloon against the inner periphery of the female member.   
     
     
         18 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 17 , wherein above each of the crush ribs is a barb adapted to extend beyond the perimeter of the female member after mating of the male member and female member to prevent reverse travel of the male member out from the female member without compromising the barbs 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 1 , the male member having a length, wherein the male member includes a tapered distal end adapted to ease in locating the male member with the female member, wherein the second locking arm includes a cylindrical boss extending therefrom, the cylindrical boss having a depth that is at least as deep as the length of the male member. 
     
     
         21 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, in the mated position in which the male member extends through the female member, the support body, the first locking arm, and the second locking arm form a generally triangular position. 
     
     
         22 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the securement tab includes a support body having a slot therein, the second end of the tether being secured at the slot, and wherein, in the mated position in which the male member extends through the female member, the support body, the first locking arm, and the second locking arm form a generally triangular position. 
     
     
         23 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the first locking arm and the second locking arm are not as wide as the neck or the tail of the inflated balloon. 
     
     
         24 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer periphery of the male member and the inner periphery of the female member are sized to have a clearance of from about 0.001 to about 0.007 inches. 
     
     
         25 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the outer periphery of the male member and the inner periphery of the female member are sized to have a clearance of from about 0.001 to about 0.007 inches. 
     
     
         26 . The balloon weight and tether assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the barbs extend beyond the inner periphery of the female member at a length of from about 0.010 to about 0.015 inches.