Apparatus and methods for forming dilatation balloons and catheters including same are provided. The balloons are fabricated of a biaxially orientable material such as a nylon or a polyamide material, and they have an inflated, non-distended working profile as well as a stretched inflated profile which is achieved by applying pressure through a dilatation catheter or the like that is in excess of that needed to achieve the inflated, non-distended profile and which is adequate to effect dilatatio...

The present invention relates to a holder for balloons, flowers or the like on sticks, comprising a holder element having a mounting surface adapted to be securely attached to a support structure by attachment element located on the mounting surface. At least one receptacle of predetermined depth is adapted to tightly hold a lower portion of the stick by a secure elements located within the receptacle, wherein the secure means adapted to securely hold a stick of various diameters. The mounting s...

The oxidation resistance of elastomeric balloons made from natural rubber is greatly improved by coating the exterior of the balloon with a film of uncured elastomer, preferably neoprene. The uncured elastomer coating maintains the clarity of the inflated balloons. These balloons are particularly useful as containers for gifts or in balloon sculpture.

A versatile multiple spout balloon network is provided with thin walled resilient, single or multiple spout balloons which may be interconnected to other balloons or a pole using plugs. Plugs provide for resilient and airtight engagement of balloons at their spouts. Plugs may include an air channel for passage of air between balloons and the network. The network may include one or more poles, each pole having several branches. Balloons may make an airtight and resilient engagement with the poles...

Dilatation balloons and catheters including same are provided. The balloons are fabricated of a biaxially orientable material such as a nylon or a polyamide material, and they have an inflated, non-distended working profile as well as a stretched inflated profile which is achieved by applying pressure through a dilatation catheter or the like that is in excess of that needed to achieve the inflated, non-distended profile and which is adequate to effect dilatation or the like up to a maximum pre-...

A method for tying balloons and the like, having apertured ends and necks, comprising the steps of: looping the neck of the balloon around a pair of movable jaws resiliently urged toward one another and defining a channel therebetween perpendicular to their plane of movement; moving the end of the balloon over the loop and through the jaws, so as to extend through the channel; and, rolling the loop over the end of the balloon, continuing toward and off the ends of the jaws, whereby the loop resi...

A glass balloon that floats in air. An assembly of glass balloons that form a slab of foam that floats in air. A process for making glass balloons employing: two nested furnaces, pre-heated helium, a moving furnace, and a refrigerated seal-off chamber.

Balloons for medical devices, particularly balloon angioplasty catheters, are made from particular block copolymer thermoplastic elastomers in which the block copolymer is made up of hard segments of a polyester or polyamide and soft segments of polyether; the polyester hard segments are polyesters of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid and a C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 diol; the polyamide hard segments are polyamides of C.sub.6 or higher carboxylic acids and C.sub.6 or higher organic diamines or of C.sub.6 or h...

A stent delivery device having a pair of balloons at a proximal end of a catheter and having separate lumens for selectively inflating the respective balloons. The outer balloon is relatively compliant and the inner balloon is relatively non-compliant. A central lumen is provided for a guide wire. A stent is carried by the delivery device within an axially retractable sheath at the distal end of the catheter and is deployed by retraction of the sheath and inflation of the compliant balloon, and ...

A toy game apparatus and playing pieces including an opaque box with an open bottom and with the top thereof providing a playing surface having precut nail-receiving perforations. The game progresses with balloons being placed within the confines of the opaque box and each child in turn, attempting to drive one or more nails through the playing surface without bursting a balloon. The precut perforations are shaped and formed in a construction making the playing surface and the perforations indef...