ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 9 -- United States Patent no. 12,270,479, issued on April 8, was assigned to SPIN MASTER INC. (Williamsville, N.Y.).
"Inflatable object and valve therefor" was invented by C. Latham Gaines (Nashville, Tenn.) and Stephen C. Graner (Cranford, N.J.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "In an aspect, an inflatable object includes an object body enclosing a chamber to receive air, and a valve mounted to the inflatable object body, including a valve body defining a passageway between the chamber and an ambient environment. The valve body has a shoulder. The valve body defines an outside end, which opens to the ambient environment, and an inside end, which opens into the chamber. The...