IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,315,282
Granted Patent B2
US 9,315,282 · App. 14/921,212 · Granted Apr 19, 2016

System and method for filling containers with fluids

Inventor: Joshua Malone (Plano, TX)
Assignee: TINNUS ENTERPRISES, LLC
B65B3/17A61B5/1427A61B5/15A61B5/15003A61B5/155A61B5/150221A61B5/150366A61B5/150992A61B10/007A61B10/0045A63H27/10B65B3/003B65B3/04B65B3/26B65B3/28B65B7/02B65B7/025B65B51/04A61M25/1018A61M27/00A63H2027/1033A63H2027/1041A63H2027/1083
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,315,282
App. No.
14/921,212
Granted
Apr 19, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An example embodiment of an apparatus includes a housing with an opening at a first end and a plurality of holes at a second end, a plurality of hollow tubes attached to the plurality of holes, a plurality of containers removably attached to the hollow tubes, and a plurality of elastic fasteners, each elastic fastener clamping each container to a corresponding hollow tube, such that when the containers are filled with fluid and detached from the corresponding hollow tubes, each elastic fastener seals each container with the fluid inside.

Claims (9)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing comprising an inlet and a plurality of outlets;

a plurality of hollow tubes, each hollow tube attached to the housing at a respective one of the outlets;

a plurality of containers, each container removably attached to a respective one of the hollow tubes; and

a plurality of elastic fasteners, each elastic fastener clamping a respective one of the plurality of containers to a respective tube, and each elastic fastener configured to restrict detachment of its respective container from its respective tube and to automatically seal its respective container upon detachment of the container from its respective tube, the restriction of each elastic fastener being sufficiently limited to permit its respective container to detach from its respective tube upon one or more of (1) at least partially filling the container with fluid and (2) shaking the housing;

wherein the apparatus is configured to fill the containers substantially simultaneously with fluid; and

wherein at least first and second ones of the plurality of containers are disposed sufficiently close to each other such that they press against each other, regardless whether the first and second ones of the plurality of containers are in a filled state or an unfilled state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is sufficiently compact to be operated while being held by hand of a single operator.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each container is a water balloon.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INADVERTENT INCLUSION OF APPL. 15/188,702 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 038988 FRAME: 0822. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 24, 2016
From: MALONE, JOSHUA
To: TINNUS ENTERPRISES, LLC
Reel/Frame 039153/0154 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2016
From: MALONE, JOSHUA
To: TINNUS ENTERPRISES, LLC
Reel/Frame 038988/0822 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 14723953 · May 28, 2015
Continuation 14492487 · Sep 22, 2014
Provisional Application 61942193 · Feb 20, 2014
Provisional Application 61937083 · Feb 7, 2014
Related Publication 20160039547A1 · Feb 11, 2016