To Latex Balloon Neck Lengths

Abstract

A latex balloon includes a body defining an inflatable interior and having a top, the body having an inflated state and an uninflated state and, when in the inflated state, having a largest transverse dimension of approximately 18 inches or less. A neck provides fluid communication from an inflation opening of the neck to the inflatable interior, the neck having an axis. The body transitions to the neck at a body-neck transition. The balloons are improved by having one or both of the following: (1) in the uninflated state, the height of the neck is greater than the height of the body, and (2) in the inflated state, and when the neck is tied in a knot proximate the body-neck transition thereby defining a remaining neck portion, the remaining neck portion from the inflation opening to the knot in a fully stretched state is at least 7 inches.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A latex balloon comprising:
 a body defining an inflatable interior and having a top, the body having an inflated state and an uninflated state and, when in the inflated state, having a largest transverse dimension of approximately 16 inches or less;   a neck providing fluid communication from an inflation opening of the neck to the inflatable interior; and   a body-neck transition where the body transitions to the neck, wherein:
 in the uninflated state, the height of the neck is greater than the height of the body, the height of the neck being measured as the vertical distance from the inflation opening to the body-neck transition, and the height of the body being measured as the vertical distance from the body-neck transition to the top of the body, and 
 in the inflated state, and when the neck is tied in a knot proximate the body-neck transition thereby defining a remaining neck portion, the remaining neck portion from the inflation opening to the knot in a fully stretched state is at least 7 inches. 
   
     
     
         2 . The latex balloon of  claim 1 , wherein the latex balloon is a round balloon. 
     
     
         3 . The latex balloon of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a largest transverse dimension of approximately 12 inches or less. 
     
     
         4 . The latex balloon of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a largest transverse dimension of approximately 7 inches or less. 
     
     
         5 . The latex balloon of  claim 1 , wherein, in the uninflated state, the height of the neck is at least 1.2 times greater than the height of the body. 
     
     
         6 . The latex balloon of  claim 1 , wherein, in the uninflated state, the height of the neck is at least 1.5 times greater than the height of the body. 
     
     
         7 . The latex balloon of  claim 1 , wherein, in the inflated state, and when the neck is tied in a knot proximate the body-neck transition thereby defining a remaining neck portion, the remaining neck portion from the inflation opening to the knot in a fully stretched state is at least 8 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The latex balloon of  claim 1 , wherein, in the inflated state, and when the neck is tied in a knot proximate the body-neck transition thereby defining a remaining neck portion, the remaining neck portion from the inflation opening to the knot in a fully stretched state is at least 9 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The latex balloon of  claim 1 , wherein the latex balloon is a 5-inch round balloon wherein the height of the neck in the uninflated state is at least 1.5 inches and the remaining neck portion from the inflation opening to the knot in a fully stretched state is at least 7 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The latex balloon of  claim 1 , wherein the latex balloon is an 11-inch round balloon wherein the height of the neck in the uninflated state is at least 2.3 inches, and the remaining neck portion from the inflation opening to the knot in a fully stretched state is at least 8 inches. 
     
     
         11 . A latex balloon comprising:
 a body defining an inflatable interior and having a top, the body having an inflated state and an uninflated state and, when in the inflated state, having a largest transverse dimension of approximately 16 inches or less;   a neck providing fluid communication from an inflation opening of the neck to the inflatable interior; and   a body-neck transition where the body transitions to the neck, wherein:
 in the uninflated state, the height of the neck is greater than the height of the body, the height of the neck being measured as the vertical distance from the inflation opening to the body-neck transition, and the height of the body being measured as the vertical distance from the body-neck transition to the top of the body. 
   
     
     
         12 . The latex balloon of  claim 11 , wherein the latex balloon is a round balloon. 
     
     
         13 . The latex balloon of  claim 11 , wherein the body has a largest transverse dimension of approximately 12 inches or less. 
     
     
         14 . The latex balloon of  claim 11 , wherein the latex balloon is a 5-inch round balloon wherein the height of the neck in the uninflated state is at least 1.5 inches. 
     
     
         15 . The latex balloon of  claim 11 , wherein the latex balloon is an 11-inch round balloon wherein the height of the neck in the uninflated state is at least 2.3 inches. 
     
     
         16 . A latex balloon comprising:
 a body defining an inflatable interior and having a top, the body having an inflated state and an uninflated state and, when in the inflated state, having a largest transverse dimension of approximately 16 inches or less;   a neck providing fluid communication from an inflation opening of the neck to the inflatable interior; and   a body-neck transition where the body transitions to the neck, wherein:
 in the inflated state, and when the neck is tied in a knot proximate the body-neck transition thereby defining a remaining neck portion, the remaining neck portion from the inflation opening to the knot in a fully stretched state is at least 7 inches. 
   
     
     
         17 . The latex balloon of  claim 16 , wherein the latex balloon is a round balloon. 
     
     
         18 . The latex balloon of  claim 16 , wherein the body has a largest transverse dimension of approximately 12 inches or less. 
     
     
         19 . The latex balloon of  claim 16 , wherein the latex balloon is a 5-inch round balloon. 
     
     
         20 . The latex balloon of  claim 16 , wherein the latex balloon is an 11-inch round balloon, and the remaining neck portion from the inflation opening to the knot in a fully stretched state is at least 8 inches.