FLEXIBLE GUARD FOR A STREAMER LAUNCHER

Technical Field

The technical field of the invention is in the dynamics of plastic articles or hard rubber. The invention is a new piece employed in a party item already known. The party item contains chemicals which provide the dynamic energy to the invention.

Prior Art

Confetti and streamer launchers using pyrotechnical mixtures are well known. In some countries they are known by the name "Party Poppers".

All the varieties known until now have a body with the shape of a cone or a bottle. From the narrow part of the body appears a string. This string penetrates into the body of the launcher. In the interior of the body a minuscule quantity of pyrotechnic mixture is stuck to the string and all of this is covered in rolled papers. Usually the quantity of pyrotechnic mixture does not exceed 14 mg.

In the interior, cardboard is inserted, on this cardboard streamers or confetti are placed. At the base of the bottle another cardboard top keeps the confetti or streamers firmly inside.

When the pyrotechnical mixture is activated by pulling the string the gases generated evacuate all the contents of the body.

Much of the material ejected by the launcher are secondary products consisting of pyrotechnical detritus, bits of paper and the cardboard used in the interior.

If delicate streamers are used they often emerge broken from the artefact since the cardboard that pushes and protects them does not provide total insulation between the streamers and the pyrotechnical charge. What is more all the residual smoke produced by the activation is free to escape producing an unpleasant smell.

Disclosure of the Invention

The flexible barrier for a confetti or streamer launcher is made of one piece. It replaces the circular cardboard that separates the streamers from the pyrotechnical mixture in the interior of the launcher.

The invention has a bowl shape. It is characterised by having a base resistant to rupture but flexible and capable of deformation and a ring that forms the rim of the bowl. The ring is more rigid and has zones for incorporating a thread and or an adhesive in order to provide a strong and hermetic fix with the body of the launcher. The body of the launcher has a thread or corresponding zone to facilitate the coupling.

It is foreseen that the invention may work using an interior or exterior zone of the body for its coupling. To couple the invention on the interior of the body; the thread would be situated on the exterior of the ring. To couple the invention from the exterior of the body; the ring would have a shapelike the rim of a hat that would be wider in diameter than the body giving this surface access to the exterior of the body for fixing.

Inside the bowl the material to be launched is placed. A cardboard top covers the aperture of the bowl and maintains the material in the bowl but does not impede its ejection during activation. It is foreseen that it may be fixed by a strap so that it is not ejected during activation.

In the interior of the launcher, between the neck of the bottle where the pyrotechnical mixture is situated and the base of the bowl, a sealed and resistant chamber is thus formed. When within this chamber the pyrotechnical mixture is activated, by pulling the string, the gases produced cannot escape and deform the base of the bowl. The deformation ejects the contents of the bowl.

The smoke and the gases are contained in the chamber by the body of the bottle and the flexible barrier forming the base of the bowl. The residual solids of the pyrotechnics are contained in their entirety. The invention does not eject cardboard plugs since it replaces the loose cardboard in the interior and it is easy to impede the ejection of the cardboard that forms the top by using a strap.

If delicate paper streamers are used problems of breakages do not occur since they are not exposed to any direct contact with the effects of activation.

Brief description of the drawings

To better understand what is described in this document it is accompanied by some drawings, which only serving as examples, represent a practical and preferred manner of fixing the invention to the party item.

Fig 1 Shows a view of the body with a bottle shape and an internal thread and the invention, separate, with a corresponding exterior thread.

Fig 2 Shows the invention coupled to the body.

Fig 3 Shows a longitudinal section of the artefact and invention coupled before activation of the pyrotechnical mixture with streamers as the material to be launched.

Fig 4 Shows a longitudinal section of the artefact and invention after the activation of the pyrotechnical mixture.

Fig 5 Shows a longitudinal section of the article object of this invention.

Description of a preferred embodiment

The body with a bottle shape (1) contains the pyrotechnical mixture rolled in paper (2) and in contact with the activation string (3). The string passes through the body via a narrow hole that penetrates the body (1) at its end. Up until now already known aspects of a streamer launcher have been described. The body (1) has an internal coupling zone (4) which corresponds with the zone of rigid coupling (5) of the invention (6). The contact and fixing, resitent to rupture, permits a hermetic barrier. The invention has a piece (6) with the form of a bowl. It can be composed of common plastic with characteristics that when it is thick it forms rigid structures but on diminishing its thickness it displays flexibility. The invention is (6) is thicker in the more rigid zones used for coupling and is less thick at its flexible base (7).

The exterior top (8) is placed over the opening of the invention in such a manner that it does not offer resistance when it is subjected to pressure from the interior of the artefact; connecting the top (8) and the invention (6) there is a small strap (10). Streamers (9) are placed in the interior of the invention (6).

When the activation string (3) is pulled, 10mg of pyrotechnical mixture (2) are set off. The production and sudden expansion of the gases deform the flexible base (11) of the invention, that way ejecting the streamers (9) passing the exterior top (8). The residues of the pyrotechnical mixture and paper rolls (12) are trapped between the body (1) and the deformed flexible base (11).