# US 10,974,158 B1 · Portable balloon tying device with reduced fatigue-inducing distal edge > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,974,158 B1 - Document ID: US10974158B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/262,177 - Filed: 2019-01-30 - Granted: 2021-04-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-01 - Applicants: Gerald R. Herren - Inventors: Gerald R. Herren - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10974158B1 ## CPC - A63H 27/10: Balloons (connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00; {other than toy aspects B64B1/40}) - A63H 2027/1041: {Holding or sealing means, e.g. handling rods, clamps or plugs} - A63H 2027/105: {Knotting means} - A63H: TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS ## Abstract A portable balloon tying device having a vertically extending tube with a first end and an opposing second end joined by a transition and an elongated channel extending outwardly as a cantilever from the transition. The first end defines a lower extent of a radiused arcuate surface for being received against a web of a hand between adjacent fingers of a person for using the portable balloon tying device, to cushion a loading and movement of the portable balloon tying device against the web which reduces fatigue and hurting during balloon tying use. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A portable balloon tying device having improved operational fitting to a hand of a person for tying a knot in a neck of an inflated balloon, comprising: a vertically extending tube configured for receiving a support structure, said tube having a first end and an opposing second end joined by a back side transition and an opposing front side transition; an elongated channel extending outwardly as a cantilever from said front side transition; and the first end defining a lower extent as a radiused arcuate surface, whereby the radiused arcuate surface of the first end is configured to be received against a web of the hand between adjacent fingers of the person for using the portable balloon tying device with the back side transition configured to be received outwardly of a back side of the fingers and the front side transition configured to overlie a palm side of the fingers, and configured to cushion a loading and movement of the portable balloon tying device against the web during balloon tying use. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The portable balloon tying device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first end is arcuate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The portable balloon tying device as recited in claim 2, wherein the second end is arcuate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The portable balloon tying device as recited in claim 1, wherein the back side transition defines a lower extent of at least an inwardly radiused surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The portable balloon tying device as recited in claim 4, wherein the lower extent of the back side transition defines an outwardly rounded side edge opposing the inwardly radiused surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The portable balloon tying device as recited in claim 5, further comprising a planar surface between a respective extent of the outwardly rounded edge and the inwardly arcuate radius surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The portable balloon tying device as recited in claim 4, wherein the second end defines a lower extent of opposing rounded side edges. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The portable balloon tying device as recited in claim 7, further comprising a planar surface between a respective extent of the opposing rounded side edges. ### Claim 9 A portable balloon tying device having improved operational fitting to a hand of a person for tying a knot in a neck of an inflated balloon, comprising: a vertically extending tube configured for receiving a support structure, said tube having a first end and an opposing second end joined by a back side transition and an opposing front side transition; the tube defining at a lower extent a radiused arcuate surface therealong of the first end, the back side transition, and the second end; a brace tab extending from the front side transition and terminating at a distal edge for stabilized resting on a portion of a support structure during use of the balloon tying device; a pair of opposing bevels each defined on a surface of the brace tab proximate a respective side edge and the distal end of the brace tab, for bearing contact with a portion of the support structure during use for balloon tying purposes; and an elongated channel extending outwardly as a cantilever from said front side transition; whereby the radiused arcuate surface of the one of the respective first end and second end is configured to be received against a web of the hand between adjacent fingers of the person for using the portable balloon tying device for balloon tying purposes with the back side transition configured to be received outwardly of a back side of the fingers and the front side transition configured to overlie a palm side of the fingers, and configured to cushion a loading and movement of the portable balloon tying device against the web during use for balloon tying purposes.