Dental floss holder and applicator

Claim 2

A dental floss dispenser and applicator comprising: a hollow elongated handle, a substantially C-shaped arm extending from and integral with said handle and having a groove for guiding floss in its periphery, a spool for unused floss rotatably mounted in said handle, and a spool for used floss rotatably mounted in said handle and having a portion thereof exposed outside said handle to permit rotation thereof from externally of said handle, said handle having openings therein to permit dental floss to extend from said spool for unused floss in said groove around said arm and across the open area of said arm to said spool for used floss for winding thereon.

Claim 3

The dental floss dispenser and applicator set forth in claim 1 in further combination with a cog means mounted within said handle for engaging with and locking and releasing said spool for unused floss.

Claim 4

The dental floss dispenser and applicator set forth in claim 2 wherein said cog means comprises a manually operable slide extending outwardly from said handle for selectively engaging with said spool for unused floss.

Claim 5

The denlal floss dispenser and applicator set forth in claim 2 in further combination with spring means mounted within said handle for engaging said spool for used floss to permit its rotation in one direction only.

Claim 6

A dental floss dispenser and applicator comprising: a hollow elongated handle, said handle definiNg two cavities isolated from each other, a floss dispensing spool rotatably mounted in one of said cavities, a floss take-up spool mounted in the other of said cavities, a substantially C-shaped arm integral with and extending outwardly of said handle, said arm being provided with a groove in its periphery for providing a track for the passage of dental floss, said handle defining a first passageway for floss from said one of said cavities to one end of said groove in said arm and a second passageway from the open end of said arm to said other of said cavities, means extending through said handle and into said one of said cavities for controlling said floss dispensing spool and an aperture in said handle extending into said other of said cavities for exposing said floss take-up spool for predetermined movement thereof.

Claim 7

A dental floss dispenser and applicator comprising: a hollow elongated handle, said handle definiNg two cavities isolated from each other, a floss dispensing spool rotatably mounted in one of said cavities, a floss take-up spool mounted in the other of said cavities, a substantially C-shaped arm integral with and extending outwardly of said handle, said arm being provided with a groove in its periphery for providing a track for the passage of dental floss, said handle defining a first passageway for floss from said one of said cavities to one end of said groove in said arm and a second passageway from the open end of said arm to said other of said cavities, means extending through said handle and into said one of said cavities for controlling said floss dispensing spool and an aperture in said handle extending into said other of said cavities for exposing said floss take-up spool for predetermined movement thereof.

Claim 8

The dental floss dispenser and applicator set forth in claim 5 wherein: said floss dispersing spool is provided with teeth around its periphery, and a ratchet slidably mounted on said handle for selectively engaging with said teeth in said floss dispensing spool for controlling the dispensing of floss.

Claim 9

The dental floss dispenser and applicator set forth in claim 6 in further combination with a detachably mounted first cover for forming one side of said handle and for covering both of said cavities, and a detachably mounted second cover for fitting over said C-shaped arm to cover it when the dental floss dispenser and applicator is not in use.

Claim 10

The dental floss dispenser and applicator set forth in claim 7 in further combination with spring means mounted within said other of said cavities for biasing said take-up spool in a floss winding direction.

Claim 11

The dental floss dispenser and applicator set forth in claim 6 wherein said floss dispensing spool and said floss take-up spool are identical so that said floss dispensing spool may be used as said floss take-up spool when it is empty.

Claim 12

The dental floss dispenser and applicator set forth in claim 9 in further combination with spring means mounted within said other of said cavities for engaging teeth in said floss take-up spool to bias said floss take-up spool in a floss winding direction.