2. Description of Related Art [00002] Inflatable articles such as decorative items, beds, air mattresses, pool flotation devices, toys, and the like, are well known. Such inflatable articles are typically made of foldable vinyl panels that are heat sealed, glued or otherwise joined to form substantially airtight envelopes that can be inflated with air. Air is generally introduced into these inflatable articles orally or through use of high displacement, low pressure air pumps such as hand-held piston pumps, bellows-type foot pumps and electrically powered blowers. Such items are inexpensive to fabricate, can comprise various colors, and can be printed, painted or embossed with desired indicia.

A significant disadvantage of conventional inflatable decorative articles made of vinyl or other translucent polymeric materials, and particularly articles that are intended for decorative outdoor use, is that they cannot be lighted internally. When inflatable holiday yard decorations are to be displayed at night, floodlights are needed to make such articles visible.

[00003] Blow molded or vacuum formed plastic decorative articles are also well known and are especially useful as outdoor holiday decorations.

Such articles are typically made of semi-rigid, opaque or translucent plastic shells that are flexible but not foldable. Some blow molded articles in the form of figures or objects such as snowmen, Santas, candles, animals and the like are made with a cut-out on the back side through which a light can be inserted to provide internal illumination. Internal illumination is often considered to be aesthetically preferable to external illumination but has not previously been a viable option for use with inflatable vinyl decorative articles due the need for airtight construction and the need to avoid direct contact between soft vinyl and the light source to avoid damaging the vinyl. Even when conventional, translucent, molded decorative articles are internally lighted, the light source is typically a single point light source such as an incandescent bulb that does not produce evenly distributed light throughout the article.

[00004] Inflatable decorative articles are therefore needed that are made of foldable vinyl and that can be illuminated internally to produce a balanced and distributed light source while remaining airtight and without risk of damage to the vinyl from the light source.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [00005] Inflatable figures and other decorative articles are disclosed herein that are made primarily of a foldable, translucent, polymeric material and are provided with a detachable lighting assembly that illuminates the interior cavity of a figure or article with a multiple point light source.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an article comprising an inflatable, airtight vinyl body is provided with a plurality of substantially transparent, airtight light wells extending into the interior cavity. Each light well is preferably configured to receive and support a decorative bulb and socket assembly that is connected to an external electrical power source.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of decorative bulb and socket assemblies are linked together in a decorative light string having the same number of bulbs as the number of light wells in the article. The spacing between the decorative bulb and socket assemblies is desirably such that one assembly is cooperatively alignable with each light well. Each bulb and socket assembly is preferably releasably attachable to a retainer ring disposed inside each light well. Each light well is preferably vented to control heat buildup that could otherwise damage the article or reduce bulb life. The exterior of each inflatable figure or other decorative article of the invention can be printed, painted or marked with other indicia as needed to convey a message, portray a character, or otherwise provide a pleasing aesthetic effect. The portions of the body bearing such indicia can be translucent, transparent or opaque.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [00006] The apparatus of the invention is further described and explained in relation to the following figures of the drawings wherein: FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of one preferred embodiment of the article of the invention; FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the article of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a left side elevation view of the article of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a right side elevation view of article of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view of the article of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is an enlarged, exploded detail view of one light well, vented retainer ring, and decorative bulb and socket assembly as used in the article of the invention; and FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6, illustrating the structure of the light well and retainer ring as mounted inside the article of the invention.

Like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in all figures of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [00007] The inflatable articles of the invention are particularly preferred for use as outdoor yard decorations for seasonal or holiday events. Articles such as snowmen, Santas, candles, pumpkins, animals, mascots, and the like are merely examples of possible uses for the subject invention. Articles and figures made in accordance with the invention can also be attractively displayed indoors and will be less susceptible to displacement or damage due to wind and other weather conditions when used indoors. Use of the structures disclosed herein to make eye-catching display items for conventions, tradeshows and general advertising purposes will also be appreciated upon reading this disclosure.

[00008] A principal advantage of the inflatable articles of the invention is that they can be quite large when inflated and yet occupy very small volumes when deflated and packaged for shipment, storage and sale. Another principal advantage of the articles-disclosed herein is that they are illuminated internally by electrical light sources inserted into substantially transparent light wells that are easily accessible from outside the inflated article but cooperate to provide a balanced and dispersed lighting effect that causes the entire article to glow in low light conditions. This is particularly true when the body of an inflatable article of the invention is made of translucent vinyl material. The light wells can have many different configurations and are preferably made of a substantially transparent polymer that is molded into a shape similar to that of a plastic drinking cup, with the closed end extending into the body cavity of the article and an annular flange surrounding the open end to facilitate attachment of the flange to the edges of an aligned opening in the vinyl body by heat sealing, welding, gluing, or another similarly effective means. The seal between the vinyl body and the light well is desirably tight enough to prevent escape of the gas used to inflate the article. In most cases the preferred gas is air, although it will be appreciated that other gasses, most preferably inert gasses, can also be used if desired.

[00009] Any of many different commercially available gas inlet ports can be incorporated into the body for use in inflating and deflating the articles of the invention. Many of these are provided with check valves to reduce unintended leakage during inflation and many have dual ports disposed in concentrically aligned apertures with different diameters, one for inflating and one for rapidly deflating the inflatable articles. Each port is desirably provided with a cover or other closure mechanism that will prevent unintended loss or leakage of gas from inside the inflated article during use.

Snap-on or screw-on covers that are relatively inexpensive but satisfactory for this purpose are preferred. Many inlet ports are constructed so as to permit inflation by any of several means, ranging from oral inflation to hand or foot pumps, or electrically powered blowers.

[0010] Preferred light sources for insertion into the light wells of large articles made according to the present invention are decorative bulb and socket assemblies such as C-7 lights typically used in decorative light strings for seasonal decorating. Decorative bulb and socket assemblies with smaller light sources, such as C-9 mini-lights, can be used for illuminating smaller articles. Such bulb and socket assemblies can be easily modified to permit releasable attachment to the light wells and can be strung together with appropriate spacing along an electrical cord with a plug or other connector that is connectable to a conventional electrical power source as desired.

The use of detachable light strings that can be secured to the inflatable articles after inflation to provide internal illumination to the inflated article from multiple light sources is a great benefit and advantage of the present invention. Manufacture of the vinyl body is simplified by avoiding the need for internal wiring, and bulb replacement is easily accomplished without deflation.

[0011] Retainer members are preferably disposed inside each light well to provide a structure to which the sockets of the decorative bulb and socket assemblies can be releasably attached. The retainer member will desirably not completely occlude the outwardly facing, open end of the light well, and will permit convective air flow through the light well to dissipate heat from the light source during use. This will prevent heat buildup and possible resultant damage to the light wells or the surrounding body portions of the inflatable article.

[0012] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, inflatable article 10 of the invention preferably comprises a body 12 and a light source assembly 14.

Body 12 preferably further comprises walls 16 made of a foldable, translucent vinyl polymer, at least one inflation/deflation port 18, and a plurality of spaced-apart light wells 20 adapted to receive and retain light sources of light source assembly 14. Body 12 can optionally comprise different colored sections and other decorative indicia 22. Circumferentially spaced anchor attachment members 24 can be attached to body 12 to provide attachment points for anchor lines 26 extending to anchor stakes 28 (for outdoor use on an earthen support surface) or other similarly effective devices for securing the relatively lightweight inflatable articles in a desired display position. If desired, a ballast pocket (not shown) can optionally be provided in the bottom of body 12 to weight the base of inflatable article 10.

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 3 through 7, light wells 20 are preferably positioned as needed to provide internal illumination to inflatable article 10.

The number and positioning of light wells 20 will therefore depend upon the size and physical configuration of body 12. Body 12 preferably comprises an opening, most preferably circular, at each location where a light well 20 is positioned. Each light well 20 preferably further comprises substantially transparent walls 30 extending into internal body cavity 32 of body 12 and an open end 34 that is preferably substantially coplanar with the surface of body 12 around light well 20. An annular flange 36 attached to walls 30 around open end 34 is desirably provided for use in attaching light well 20 in sealing engagement with edge 38 around the associated opening in body 12. Walls 30 of light wells 20 are shown in the drawings as having a truncated conical shape with a tapered tubular sidewall 40 and a substantially flat transverse end wall 42, but it will be appreciated that spherical or other configurations can likewise be used within the scope of the invention. Light wells 20 are preferably molded or thermoformed from a substantially transparent polymeric resin that has a melting point higher than the service temperature that will be reached when a light source is activated within the light well for an extended period. Many such polymeric resins are commercially available and well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0014] Light source assembly 14 preferably further comprises a plurality of C-7 bulb and socket assemblies 44 attached to an electrical conductor 46 and plug 48 or other similarly effective means for attaching conductor 46 to an electrical power source such as a wall outlet. The spacing between bulb and socket assemblies 44 on conductor 46 is desirably such that a bulb and socket assembly 44 is cooperatively alignable with each light well 20 of body 12. Each socket desirably further comprises a clip member 50 or other similarly effective means for biasing decorative bulb and socket assembly 44 into releasable engagement with light well 20. Clip member 50 is preferably made of any suitable polymeric resin, and comprises resilient wings 52 that are engageable with a retainer member in light well 20. Bulb 53 will desirably not be in direct contact with walls 30 when installed in light well 20.

[0015] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, each light well 20 further comprises a retainer member such as retainer ring 54 attached to walls 30. As best shown in FIG. 6, retainer ring 54 further comprises a centrally disposed aperture 56 adapted to receive and retain clip member 50 of decorative bulb and socket assembly 44, and a plurality of vent holes 58 that facilitate convective air flow through light well 20 to dissipate heat from light well 20 whenever the bulb is energized.

[0016] Other alterations and modifications of the invention will likewise become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure, and it is intended that the scope of the invention disclosed herein be limited only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims to which the inventors are legally entitled.