Multifunctional emergency kit and associated method

A multifunctional emergency kit for notifying bystanders of an emergency event during travel, said multifunctional emergency kit comprising:

• a portable canister having an open top end;
• a lid pivotally connected directly to said open top end for shielding an interior of said canister from foreign debris and fluids during non-operating conditions;
• a helium cartridge anchored within said canister, said helium cartridge having a control valve coupled thereto, said helium cartridge being maintained at a vertically upright position within said canister;
• a balloon having a spout directly coupled to said helium cartridge;
• a flexible and elongated cord having opposed ends tethered to said balloon and to an interior surface of said canister respectively;
• means for automatically initiating an inflation process of said balloon while said lid is initially disposed at a closed position such that said balloon articulates said lid to an open position when filled to a predetermined volume;
• wherein said canister has a single continuous cavity formed therein, said single continuous cavity extending from said lid to a bottom most surface of said canister, said helium cartridge and said balloon and said cord and said automatic inflation initiating process means are situated within said single continuous cavity;
• wherein said automatic inflation initiating process means comprises:
• a user interface disposed along an exterior surface of said canister and protruding outwardly therefrom;
• a controller electrically coupled to said user interface and being seated within said canister;
• and
• a sensor electrically coupled to said control valve and said controller respectively;
• wherein said controller is electrically coupled to said control valve, said controller generating and transmitting an output signal to said control valve based upon receipt of an input signal from said user interface when the user depresses said user interface such that said helium cartridge releases air into said balloon;
• wherein said sensor generates and transmits an air pressure level indication signal to said controller when an internal air pressure level of said balloon reaches a predetermined air pressure threshold level such that said controller automatically toggles said control valve to a closed position.

A method for notifying bystanders of an emergency event during travel, said method comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a portable canister having an open top end;
• b. pivotally connecting a lid directly to said open top end for shielding an interior of said canister from foreign debris and fluids during non-operating conditions;
• c. anchoring a helium cartridge within said canister by maintaining said helium cartridge at a vertically upright position within said canister, said helium cartridge having a control valve coupled thereto;
• d. directly coupling a spout of a balloon to said helium cartridge;
• e. tethering opposed ends of a flexible and elongated cord to said balloon and to an interior surface of said canister respectively;
• f. automatically initiating an inflation process of said balloon while said lid is initially disposed at a closed position such that said balloon articulates said lid to an open position when filled to a predetermined volume;
• g. manually detaching said balloon spout from said helium cartridge to thereby allow said balloon to freely float above said canister while being tethered to said canister by said cord;
• wherein said canister has a single continuous cavity formed therein, said single continuous cavity extending from said lid to a bottom most surface of said canister, said helium cartridge and said balloon and said cord and said automatic inflation initiating process means are situated within said single continuous cavity;
• wherein step f. comprises the steps of:
• providing a user interface disposed along an exterior surface of said canister and protruding outwardly therefrom;
• providing a controller electrically coupled to said user interface and said control valve and further being seated within said canister;
• providing a sensor electrically coupled to said control valve and said controller respectively;
• said controller generating and transmitting an output signal to said control valve based upon receipt of an input signal from said user interface when the user depresses said user interface such that said helium cartridge releases air into said balloon;
• and
• said sensor generating and transmitting an air pressure level indication signal to said controller when an internal air pressure level of said balloon reaches a predetermined air pressure threshold level such that said controller automatically toggles said control valve to a closed position.