IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,950,817
Granted Patent B2
US 9,950,817 · App. 15/613,037 · Granted Apr 24, 2018

System and method for filling containers with fluids

Inventor: Joshua Malone (Plano, TX)
Assignee: TINNUS ENTERPRISES, LLC
B65B3/17A61B5/1427A61B5/15A61B5/15003A61B5/155A61B5/150221A61B5/150366A61B5/150992A61B10/007A61B10/0045A61J1/10A63H27/10B65B3/003B65B3/04B65B3/26B65B3/28B65B7/02B65B7/025B65B51/04A61M25/1018A61M27/00A63H2027/1033A63H2027/1041A63H2027/1083
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,950,817
App. No.
15/613,037
Granted
Apr 24, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An example embodiment of an apparatus includes a fitting configured to couple to a pressurized supply of fluid. At least three branch assemblies extend from the fitting. Each branch assembly includes a tube coupled to the fitting at a first end, a balloon comprising a neck portion having a second end of the tube inserted therethrough, and a fastener removably coupling the balloon to the tube. The fastener is configured to permit fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid to pass through the tube and into the balloon and to automatically restrict the fluid from exiting the balloon through the neck portion upon decoupling the balloon and fastener from the tube.

Claims (33)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a fitting configured to couple to a pressurized supply of fluid; and

at least three branch assemblies extending from the fitting, each branch assembly comprising:

a tube coupled to the fitting at a first end;

a balloon comprising a neck portion having a second end of the tube inserted therethrough; and

a fastener removably coupling the balloon to the tube, the fastener configured to permit fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid to pass through the tube and into the balloon and to automatically restrict the fluid from exiting the balloon through the neck portion upon decoupling the balloon and fastener from the tube.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the balloon, upon being filled with a sufficient mass of fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid, is detachable from the tube by gravity in combination with an upward acceleration of the tube.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the balloon k automatically detachable from the tube in response to being filled with a sufficient mass of fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein for the at least three branch assemblies, each balloon presses against at least one other balloon in response to the balloons being sufficiently pressurized with fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein for the at least three branch assemblies, each of the balloons is in contact with at least another respective one of the balloons.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fitting comprises a female garden hose thread.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fastener is an elastic ring.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a fitting configured to couple to a pressurized supply of fluid; and

at least four branch assemblies extending from the fitting, each branch assembly comprising:

a tube coupled to the fitting at a first end;

a balloon comprising a neck portion having a second end of the tube inserted therethrough; and

a fastener removably coupling the balloon to the tube, the fastener configured to permit fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid to pass through the tube and into the balloon and to automatically restrict the fluid from exiting the balloon through the neck portion upon decoupling the balloon and fastener from the tube.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the balloon, upon being filled with a sufficient mass of fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid, is detachable from the tube by gravity in combination with an upward acceleration of the tube.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the balloon is automatically detachable from the tube in response to being filled with a sufficient mass of fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein for the at least four branch assemblies, each balloon presses against at least one other balloon in response to the balloons being sufficiently pressurized with fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein for the at least three branch assemblies, each of the balloons is in contact with at least another respective one of the balloons.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the fitting comprises a female garden hose thread.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a fitting configured to couple to a pressurized supply of fluid; and

at least three branch assemblies extending from the fitting, each branch assembly comprising:

a tube coupled to the fitting at a first end;

a balloon comprising a neck portion having a second end of the tube inserted therethrough; and

a fastener removably coupling the balloon to the tube, the fastener configured to permit fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid to pass through the tube and into the balloon and to automatically restrict the fluid from exiting the balloon through the neck portion upon decoupling the balloon and fastener from the tube;

wherein the at least three branch assemblies are configured to simultaneously channel fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid to each balloon of the at least three branch assemblies and wherein each balloon of the at least three branch assemblies is automatically detachable from its tube in response to being filled with a sufficient mass of fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the balloon, upon being filled with a sufficient mass of fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid, is detachable from the tube by gravity in combination with an upward acceleration of the tube.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the balloon is automatically detachable from the tube in response to being filled with a sufficient mass of fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein for the at least four branch assemblies, each balloon presses against at least one other balloon in response to the balloons being sufficiently pressurized with fluid from the pressurized supply of fluid.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2023
From: JOSHUA MALONE
To: TINNUS ENTERPRISES, LLC
Reel/Frame 064670/0252 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 14713146 · May 15, 2015
Continuation 14492487 · Sep 22, 2014
Provisional Application 61942193 · Feb 20, 2014
Provisional Application 61937083 · Feb 7, 2014
Related Publication 20170267381A1 · Sep 21, 2017