Signal balloon device

A signal device comprising:

• a housing;
• an inflatable balloon having a deflated stowed position inside the housing;
• said balloon, when inflated, having a horizontally elongated configuration with opposite tapered ends and being shaped and dimensioned to cause the balloon to ascend in response to an increase in wind speed;
• and said balloon having first and second opposite sidewalls each of which has a light transmitting portion and a reflective portion, said light transmitting portion of each sidewall being substantially opposite the reflective portion of the opposite sidewall;
• a tether having opposite ends attached to the housing and the balloon, respectively;
• means carried by the housing for inflating the balloon and allowing it to ascend out of the housing;
• and
• light means positioned between said sidewalls to be visible through said light transmitting portions;
• said device comprising a fiber optic conductor having a main portion that forms the tether;
• said light means comprising an end portion of said conductor;
• and said device further comprising a light source positioned in the housing and connected to said conductor for transmitting light from said source to said light means.

A signal device comprising:

• a housing;
• an inflatable balloon having a deflated stowed position inside the housing;
• said balloon, when inflated, having a horizontally elongated configuration with opposite tapered ends and being shaped and dimensioned to cause the balloon to ascend in response to an increase in wind speed;
• and said balloon havingf sidewall portions capable of transmitting light;
• a tether having opposite ends attached to the housing and the balloon, respectively;
• means carried by the housing for inflating the balloon and allowing it to ascend out of the housing;
• and
• light means positioned in an interior portion of the balloon to be visible through said sidewall portions;
• said device comprising a fiber optic conductor having a main portion that forms the tether;
• said light means comprising an end portion of said conductor;
• and said device further comprising a light source positioned in the housing and connected to said conductor for transmitting light from said source to said light means.

A signal device comprising:

• a housing;
• an inflatable balloon having a deflated stowed position inside the housing;
• said balloon, when inflated, having a horizontally elongated configuration with opposite tapered ends and being shaped and dimensioned to cause the balloon to ascend in response to an increase in wind speed;
• a tether having opposite ends attached to the housing and the balloon, respectively;
• means carried by the housing for inflating the balloon and allowing it to ascend out of the housing;
• and
• lift surface means pivotably attached to the balloon;
• said lift surface means being connected to the tether to maintain a substantially horizontal position when the tether is substantially vertical and to pivot into a downwardly and rearwardly sloping position when the tether is inclined away from a vertical position, to provide increased lift when the tether is so inclined and cause the balloon to ascend;
• and said lift surface means comprising a lower member pivotably attached to a lower surface of the balloon and connected to the tether, and an upper member pivotably attached to an upper surface of the balloon rearwardly of the lower member;
• said upper and lower members being connected to each other to pivot together in response to changes in orientation of the tether.

A signal device comprising:

• a housing having a main portion and a cover portion;
• an inflatable balloon having a deflated stowed position inside the housing;
• said balloon, when inflated, having a horizontally elongated configuration with opposite tapered ends and being shaped and dimensioned to cause the balloon to ascend in response to an increase in wind speed;
• a tether having opposite ends attached to the housing and the balloon, respectively;
• and
• means carried by the housing for inflating the balloon and allowing it to ascend out of the housing;
• said means for inflating the balloon including a lever having a first end attached to said cover portion and a second end pivotably attached to said main portion, puncture needle means for puncturing a sealed end of a gas cylinder, a movable plate, and a cam carried out by said second end of the lever and positioned to engage the plate and move the plate toward the puncture needle means when said cover portion is pivoted away from said main portion.

An improved location signal device of the type having an inflatable signal balloon and means for deploying the balloon, wherein the improvement comprises:

• an inflatable balloon having, when inflated, a horizontally elongated configuration with opposite tapered ends;
• said balloon being shaped and dimensioned to cause the balloon to ascend in response to an increase in wind speed;
• and said balloon having first and second laterally opposite sidewalls each of which has a light transmitting portion and a reflective portion, said light transmitting portion of each sidewall being substantially laterally opposite the reflective portion of the opposite sidewall;
• and
• light means positioned between said sidewalls to be visible through said light transmitting portions;
• said reflective portions being positioned to reflect light from the light means through the light transmitting portions.

An improved location signal device of the type having an inflatable signal balloon and means for deploying the balloon, wherein the improvement comprises:

• an inflatable balloon having, when inflated, a horizontally elongated configuration with opposite tapered ends;
• said balloon being shaped and dimensioned to cause the balloon to ascend in response to an increase in wind speed;
• a tether attached to the balloon for securing the balloon to an object on the ground;
• and
• lift surface means pivotably attached to the balloon;
• said lift surface means being connected to the tether to maintain a substantially horizontal position when the tether is substantially vertical and to pivot into a downwardly and rearwardly sloping position when the tether is inclined away from a vertical position, to provide increased lift when the tether is so inclined and cause the balloon to ascend;
• and said lift surface means comprising a lower member pivotably attached to a lower surface of the balloon and connected to the tether, and an upper member pivotably attached to an upper surface of the balloon rearwardly of the lower member;
• said upper and lower members being connected to each other to pivot together in response to changes in orientation of the tether.

A signal device comprising:

• a housing;
• an inflatable balloon having a deflated stowed position inside the housing, and including sidewall portions capable of transmitting light;
• light means positioned inside the balloon to be visible through said sidewall portions;
• a fiber optic conductor attached to the housing and the balloon to tether the balloon to the housing;
• said conductor having an end portion which forms part of said light means;
• a light source positioned in the housing and connected to said conductor for transmitting light form said source to said light means;
• and
• means carried by the housing for inflating the balloon and allowing it to ascend out of the housing.