Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
FLOSS ING IMPLEMENT
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to implements for
dental hygiene and more specifically to dental flossing
implements.
Dental flossing is a well known technique for
promoting dental hygiene and for preventing tooth decay and gum
disease. Commonly, dental floss is held in two hands between
the thumbs and forefingers and moved in a reciprocating motion
over opposing surfaces between a pair of teeth. Often,
effective cleaning by the floss of the opposing surfaces
between the teeth is made difficult because of the difficulty
in placing the floss between the teeth. For example, it may be
difficult with the dental floss in both hands to reach into the
back of the mouth to place the strand of dental floss between a
pair of molars. Also, it is difficult to insert the floss
between teeth that are tightly ~paced, i.e. have very little
space therebetween. Because of the difficulty in placing the
floss between the teeth, it may also be difficult to properly
move the floss to effectively clean between the teeth.
In the prior art, it is known to support a strand of
floss on a flossing implement to aid in locating the floss
between teeth in the back of the mouth. It is also known in
the prior art to provide means associated with the implement
for imparting a reciprocating motion to the floss itself, or
for imparting a reciprocating motion to a portion of the
flossing implement. Reciprocating motion, in the prior art,
consisted of moving the length of floss in the direction of its
longitudinal extension in a back and forth manner.Such prior
art flossing implements have relatively complex designs and can
present difficulty because of the bulk of the implement itself.
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It is therefore an object of this invention to provide
a flossing implement which aids in the cleaning of surfaces
between the teeth.
It is another object of this invention to provide a
flossing implement which aids in the placement of a strand of
floss between a pair of teeth.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a
flossing implement having a simple design for holding a strand
of dental floss and for vibrating the strand of dental floss.
Sl~MMARY OF Tl~E INVENTION
In order to accomplish these and other objects, this
invention provides a flossing implement adapted to support a
strand of dental floss. The implement includes a handle which
can be easily held in one hand and which is formed to aid .in
the proper u~e of the floss. The flossing implement includes a
pair of fingers extending from one end of the handle to hold a
strand of dental floss extending, in tension, between the
fingers. The fingers are grooved and adapted to securely
retain the strand of floss so that the strand of floss extends
between the fingers and is substantially taut. Preferably, the
pair of fingers extend from a gently curved neck portion of the
handle and are formed, with the neck portion, so as to
facilitate the positioning of the relatively taut strand of
floss between a pair of teeth. Due to the curvature of the
neck and the clearance provided between the pair of fingers,
the flossing implement allows the user to easily position the
strand of floss in the space between a pair of molars in the
back of the mouth, as well as between teeth in the front of the
mouth.
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In order to aid in the effective cleaning between the
teeth, the flossing implement includes means to vibrate through
the handle to the fingers and the strand of floss. As a result
of imparting a vibratory motion to the strand of floss, the
floss can be easily slipped between even tightly spaced teeth.
Preferably, operation of a thumb actuable switch allows the
user of the flossing implement to activate a battery-powered
electric motor which is housed in the handle and which, when
turned on, rotates an eccentric weight supported on the motor
shaft inside the handle. Rotation of the eccentric weight
causes vibration of the handle and, through it, vibration of
the strand of floss. The flossing implement thus allows the
user to properly position the strand of floss, with one hand,
at or between a pair of teeth anywhere in the mouth. Further,
once the strand of floss is po8itioned as desired, the user can
slip the floss between the selected teeth and impart a
vibratory motion to the ~trand of floss for cleaning between
the pair of teeth. If the teeth are tightly spaced the
vibratory motion can be imparted to the floss strand to assist
in sliding it between the teeth.
The flossing implement also provides a storage
compartment for a supply of floss. Preferably, the storage
compartment is in the handle and is adapted to house a spool of
floss for ready access. When a new length of floss is needed,
floss is unwound from the storage compartment and a desired
length of floss is cut using a suitàble cutting surface
preferably included as part of the flossing implement. The
length of floss is then secured across the outer ends of the
fingers.
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The invention thus provides a flossing implement which
has a relatively narrow construction to facilitate placement of
a strand of dental floss between a pair of teeth. The flossing
implement uses a simple design having a minimum of moving parts
to impart vibratory motion to the floss. The implement is
compact, yet self-contained as it houses the electric motor, a
source of operating power for the motor, and a supply of dental
floss.
Various other features and advantages of the invention
will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon review of
the following detailed description, drawings, and claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a flossing implement
embodying various features of the invention.
Figure 2 is an elevation view of a portion of the
flossing implement shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 i~ an elevation view of a portion of the
flossing implement shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled
flossing implement taken along line 4-4 in Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled
: flossing implement taken along line 5-5 in Figure 3.
: Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the flossing
implement shown in Figure 1 and taken along line 6-6.
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled
flossing implement and taken along line 7-7 in Figure 3.
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled
flossing implement taken along line 8-8 in Figure 3.
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Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled
flossing implement and taken along 9-9 in Figure 3.
Figure 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of the
flossing implement shown in Figure 1.
Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in
detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not
limited in its application to the details of construction and
the arrangements of components set forth in the following
description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is
capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried
out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the
phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of
description and should not be regarded as limiting.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Pigure 1 illustrates a flossing implement 10 adapted
for use with a standard filament or s~rand of dental floss 12.
The flo~sing implement 10 includes an elongated handle 14
having opposite ends 16, 18 and a longitudinal axis 20
extending between the opposite ends 16, 18. The handle 14 is
substantially hollow and defines therein (Fig. 10) a cavity, or
interior space 21 extending substantially from end 16 of the
handle to the other opposite end 18. The handle 14 is
generally cylindrical and is sized to fit comfortably in the
hand of the user.
For ease of assembly, the flossing implement 14
includes (Fig. 2) a first semi-cylindrical shell 22 and (Fig.
3) a second semi-cylindrical shell 24. As shown in Figure 8,
the second shell 24 has a plurality of tabs 26 which extend
from the edges of the second shell 24 and which, when assembled
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with the first shell 22, engage and interlock with a plurality
of corresponding grooves 28 in the edges of the first shell 22
to align the first and second shells for assembly.
The flossing implement also includes means 30 for
selectively fastening the first and second shells 22, 24
together. In the preferred embodiment (Fig. 4)l the selective
fastening means 30 includes a screw 32 or some similar fastener
which extends through a portion 33 of the second shell 24 and
threads into a corresponding portion 35 of the first shell 22.
As described below, it is contemplated that the user will not
be required to disassemble the shells 22, 24 on a regular basis
as other means to allow access to the cavity 21 are provided.
The handle 14 includes means 34 extending from one
opposite end 16 for supporting a strand of dental floss.
Preferably, the means 34 is capable of holding the dental floss
12 in tension, that maintains the floss taut to facilitate
positioning the floss between a pair of teeth for cleaning the
teeth. The means 34 for supporting the dental floss includes a
neck portion 36 which extends from the one end 16 of the handle
14 generally parallel to or in the direction of the axis 20 of
the handle. The neck portion 36 is relatively slender and
generally cylindrical, and has a diameter which tapers from a
diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the cylindrical
handle 14 at the one end 16 to a smaller diameter at the end 38
of the neck portion 36. The neck portion 36 extends generally
parallel to the axis along a major portion of its length but
the tapered end 38 bends away, or diverges from the axis 20.
Structurally, the tapered end 38 terminates in a pair of
spaced-apart fingers 40 which diverge from the neck portion 36,
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and axis 20, to define therebetween a generally V-shaped space
42 and which extends generally transverse to or substantially
perpendicularly to the axis 20. The combination of a slender
neck portion and a diverging pair of fingers provides an end
portion which extends laterally of the general body of the
implement to allow the user to reach into the mouth and move
the floss upwardly or downwardly into position between a pair
of teeth.
Each of the spaced-apart fingers 40 includes a groove
44 (Eig. 6) which extends around the outside of each finger and
which is adapted to receive the strand of floss. The neck
portion 36 also supports a knob 46 located adjacent the end 38
and adjacent the inner ends of the pair of fingers 40. The
knob is adapted to secure the strand of floss 12 by winding the
strand of floss 12 around the knob 46. In the preferred
embodiment, it iB contemplated that one end of the strand of
f 10BS 12 i.5 wrapped around the knob 46 to secure the strand of
floss to the handle. I'he strand 12 iS seated in the groove 44
in a finger 40 and wraps around the finger, extends across the
space 42 between the two fingers, and wraps around the other of
the fingers 40 in the groove 44 of the other finger. The other
end of the strand 12 is wound around the knob 46 to securely
fasten the strand of floss in tension across the V-shaped space
42.
The fingers 40 are sufficiently spaced-apart to
provide clearance on either side of a row of teeth when the
floss is placed between the teeth, but are sufficiently close
together to facilitate positioning of the neck portion 36 and
the fingers 40 into the mouth and to position the strand of
floss 12 between a pair of teeth. Preferably, the space
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between the fingers 40 is about 3/4 inch and the dimension from
the outer surface of one of the fingers to the outer surface of
the other finger is about 1 inch. Provision of the
easily-held, cylindrical handle 14, a curved and tapered neck
portion 46 terminating in the spaced-apart fingers 40, and
means 34 for holding the floss in a relatively taut position,
allows the user of the flossing implement 10 to position the
strand of floss 12 between a pair of teeth using only one hand,
and thus facilitates the positioning of the strand of floss
between a pair of teeth; for example, a pair of molars in the
back of the mouth. Holding the floss at the outer ends of
fingers that extend laterally from the general longitudinal
exterior of the handle facilitating easy positioning of floss
between teeth including rear molars.
The handle 14 also includes means 48 for storing a
supply of floss. The means 48 for storing a supply of floss
includes a storage compartment 50 in the cavity 21 of the
handle. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the handle 14 includes a
pair of inwardly extending walls 51 which partition a portion
of the cavity 21 into a storage compartment 50 adapted to
support therein a spool 52 of floss.
As mentioned above, the handle 14 also includes means
54 providing access to the cavity 21. This includes a first
opening 56 extending radially around the circumference of the
assembled handle and communicating with the storage compartment
50 and providing access to the spool of floss 52. In the
illustrated embodiment (Fig. 1) the first opening 56 extends
around the assembled handle 14 to include a portion of the
first shell 22 and a portion of the second shell 24. As shown
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in Fig. 7, the first opening 56 extends less than one-half of
the circumference of the handle 14 for reasons explained below.
A slidable door 58 is provided to open and close the
first opening 56. The slidable door 58 is disposed in a groove
59 which extends radially around the circumference of the
handle. The door 58 is slideable to open and close the first
opening 56, but is limited in its travel to less than half of
the circumference of the handle, as shown in Figure 7. Because
the first opening 56 is less than the diameter of the spool,
the restricted opening of the door 58 prevents the spool of
floss 52 from falling out of the storage compartment 50 when
the door 58 is completely open. In order to periodically
replace an empty spool of floss in the storage compartment, it
is contemplated that the user will disassemble the handle 14 by
removing the fastener 32 and separating the first and second
shells 22, 24.
The means 54 for affording access to the cavity 21 in
the handle 14 also includes a removable end cap 60 which is
supported on the other opposite end 18 of the handle 14. The
end cap 60 closes a second opening 62 to the cavity 21 and
provides, as fully described below, access to the cavity 21 for
placing a battery in the interior of the handle. The end cap
60 can be threaded or snapped on to end 18 of the handle 14.
In the illustrated embodiment, the end cap 60 is slipped onto
end 18 of the handle 14 and held in place by a friction fit.
As shown in Figure 9, and for reasons fully discussed below,
the inner wall of the cap 60 has a pair of keys 63 which engage
slots 64 in the outer wall of the handle so as to assure proper
orientation of the end cap 60 on the handle 14.
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The flossing implement 10 also includes means
including a metal shearing element 65 supported on the outside
of the handle 14 adjacent the first opening 56 for cutting the
floss. After a strand of floss has been unwound from the spool
52 by pulling the strand of floss through the door 58, the
strand can be cut to length by using the shearing element 65.
The flossing implement 10 thus allows the user to unwind a
strand of floss from the spool 52 and cut the floss to length
whenever a new strand of floss is required.
In order to aid in the effective cleaning of the
teeth, the flossing implement 10 also includes eccentric
oscillating means 66 in the cavity 21 for vibrating the handle
14. The eccentric oscillating means 66 includes an electric
motor 68 housed in the cavity 21 and securely held in position
by a plurality of inwardly extending projections 70 which
engage the casing 72 of the electric motor 68. The electric
motor 68 has a rotatable spindle 74 which extends along the
axis 20 of the handle 14 and which carries an eccentric weight
76 for rotation of the weight 76 about the axis 20. In the
illustrated embodiment, a bearing support 78 projects inwardly
from the walls of the handle 14 to provide bearing support for
the spindle 74 and additional support to secure the motor 68 in
position. As shown in Figure 8, the spindle 74 supports the
weight 76 so that the center of mass of the weight 76 is spaced
from the axis 20 of the handle, which is also the axis of
rotation. Eccentric rotation of the weight 76 around the axis
20 causes vibration of the handle 14, through it vibration of
spaced-apart fingers 40 and through the fingers vibration of
the floss 12 held thereby. The fact the floss is supported at
the end of an elongated handle accentuates the vibratory motion
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of the floss. That is, since the fingers supporting the floss
are at the end of an elongated handle the vibrating motion
imparted by the rotating eccentric weight increases as it
progresses out to the free end of the handle.
The electric motor 68 is operably connected to a
source of current 80 by user actuable switch means 82 for
controlling operation of the motor 68 and for selectively
connecting the motor 68 with the source of current 80. In the
preferred embodiment, the source of current 80 is a battery 84
housed by the handle 14. Preferably, the battery 84 can be
placed into the interior of the handle in a space adjacent the
electric motor 68 by means of the second opening 62. In the
preferred embodiment of the flossing implement 10, a single, AA
size battery serves as the source of current for the electric
motor 68.
The user actuable ~witch means 82 completes a circuit
from one pole 86 of the battery 84 to a motor lead 88 and from
the other pole 90 of the battery 84 to a second lead 92 of the
motor 68. In the illustrated embodiment, the motor casing 72
is made of metallic conductor and serves as the first lead 88
for the motor 68. The switch means 82 includes a metallic
strip 94 which is supported on the interior of the first shell
22 and extends from a point adjacent the metal casing 72 to the
end 18 of the handle 14 adjacent the second opening 62. The
strip 94 includes a detent 96 (Fig. 5) at the end of the strip
94 adjacent the metal ca~ing 72 which can ~e biased into
contact with the casing 72.
The switch means 82 also includes a user actuable
thumb switch 98 which is supported by the first shell 22 and
which extends outwardly from the outer surface of the first
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shell 22, and which includes (Fig. 5) an inwardly extending
projection 100. The thumb switch 98 is selectively movable
between an ~-on- position and an off position. In the 'off'
position, as shown in Figure 5, the inwardly extending
projection 100 engages the detent 96 in the metal strip 94 and
allows the metal strip 94 to move to a position spaced away
from the motor casing 72. When in the 'on" position, the
inwardly extending projection 100 moves out of engagement with
the detent 96 and moves the end of the strip 94 inwardly of the
cavity 21 and into contact with the motor casing 72.
The switch means 82 also includes a contact spring 102
disposed on the inside the end cap 60 and extending into
contact with the first pole 86 of the battery 84. The spring
102 can be in the form of a flexing metal strip (Fig. 3). The
spring 102 extends along the inner wall of the end cap (Fig. 9)
in the form of a contact 104 to èngage the end of the metal
strip 94. As best shown in Figure 5, and as mentioned above,
the contact 104 in the end cap 60 engages the end of the metal
strip 94 to complete one half of the circuit between the casing
72 of the electrical motor 68 and a pole 86 of the battery.
Because of the keyed relationship between the handle 14 and the
end cap 60 described above, the proper orientation between the
contact 104 and the metal strip 94 is assured and maintained.
The switch means 82 also includes a second lead 92
(Fig. 3), extending from the electrical motor 68 to a contact
plate 108. The contact plate 108 is supported by a contact
plate support 110 which extends inwardly from the second shell
24 to support the contact plate 108 between the electrical
motor 68 and the other pole 90 of the battery 84. The contact
spring 102 supported by the end cap 60 biases the battery 84
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into engagement with the contact plate 108, thus closing the
second half of the circuit between the other pole 90 of the
battery 84 and the second lead 92 of the electrical motor 68.
In operation, the user of the flossing implement 10
can, once the floss held by the implement is positioned between
a pair of teeth for cleaning, activate the electrical motor 68
by using the thumb switch 98. Operation of the electrical
motor 68 rotates the weight 76 inside the handle 14
eccentrically about the axis 20 and vibrates the strand of
floss held by the spaced-apart fingers 40. The flossing
implement 10 thus allows the user to properly position the
strand of floss between a pair of teeth with one hand and to
impart a vibratory motion to the strand of floss for cleaning
the teeth.
Various features of the invention are set forth in the
following claim~.
