Patent US3766931A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3766931A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dental floss tool
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1972-08-14
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Granted: 1973-10-23
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Expires: 1992-08-14
Abstract
Abstract For use in holding and dispensing dental floss wound on a spool, an improved tool characterized by a body constituting a handle and having forward and rearward ends, side surfaces, and top and bottom longitudinal surfaces. Manually squeezable tines are mounted on project beyond the forward end and have free ends with which a portion of the dental floss is adjustably connected and held taut for use. A recessed pocket in the rear end serves to accommodate an insertable rotatable spool. An adapter clip serves to position and hold the spool in place.
Inventors
- 👤 F Fielder
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:09
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C15/00; A61C15/04; A61C15/046
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
235 words
A dental floss holding and using tool comprising: an elongated body shaped to provide a conveniently grippable and manipulatable handle and having forward and rearward ends, side surfaces, and top and bottom longitudinal surfaces, a pair of tines projecting forwardly beyond said forward end and having rearward end portions embedded and secured in said forward end, said tines being bendably resilient and having terminal free ends, the rearward end of said body having a rearwardly opening recess providing a pocket for reception and retention of an insertable and removable rotatably supported spool of dental floss, said body having a passage for a slidable and withdrawable movement of a freely usable unreelable portion of said dental floss in a manner that an in-use portion of said dental floss can be attached to and tautly stretched across the free ends of said tines, a manually applicable and removable adapter detachably mounted on said rearward end and serving to position and replaceably retain said spool in the pocketing recess which is provided therefor, said adapter comprising a substantially Ushaped clip made of resilient strap material and having a longitudinally bowed bight portion spanning the open mouth of said recess in a manner to abut and hold said spool in a given position, one end portion of said clip being fashioned into and providing a keeper hook and the other end portion being fashioned into and providing a latch.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
235 words
A dental floss holding and using tool comprising: an elongated body shaped to provide a conveniently grippable and manipulatable handle and having forward and rearward ends, side surfaces, and top and bottom longitudinal surfaces, a pair of tines projecting forwardly beyond said forward end and having rearward end portions embedded and secured in said forward end, said tines being bendably resilient and having terminal free ends, the rearward end of said body having a rearwardly opening recess providing a pocket for reception and retention of an insertable and removable rotatably supported spool of dental floss, said body having a passage for a slidable and withdrawable movement of a freely usable unreelable portion of said dental floss in a manner that an in-use portion of said dental floss can be attached to and tautly stretched across the free ends of said tines, a manually applicable and removable adapter detachably mounted on said rearward end and serving to position and replaceably retain said spool in the pocketing recess which is provided therefor, said adapter comprising a substantially Ushaped clip made of resilient strap material and having a longitudinally bowed bight portion spanning the open mouth of said recess in a manner to abut and hold said spool in a given position, one end portion of said clip being fashioned into and providing a keeper hook and the other end portion being fashioned into and providing a latch.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
The floss holding and using tool defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein, a rearward end portion of the bottom longitudinal surface has an indentation providing a seat for said keeper, the rearward end portion of said upper longitudinal surface having a prescribed depression providing a receiver, said latch having a finger-grip which is normally but removably retained in said receiver.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The floss holding and using tool defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein a median area of said upper longitudinal surface is provided with a pair of outstanding L-shaped cleats providing temporarily usable wraparound anchors for temporarily anchorable portions of said dental floss.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The floss holding and using tool defined in and according to claim 3 and wherein a median lower portion of said body is externally provided with an attached clip which, in turn, is provided with an outstanding appropriately angled floss severing blade.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
221 words
A dental floss holding tool comprising a handle having forward and rearward end portions, said rearward end portion having a recess opening through the rearward end portion and constituting a spool pocket, said pocket being adapted for insertable and removable reception of a rotatably mountable spool of floss, the body portion of said handle having a passage leading from said pocket, diagonal through a lengthwise edge of the body portion, said body portion having a forward end provided with forwardly diverging opposed normally spread but manually squeezable tines, said tines having free end portions for slidingly and guidingly receiving a stretchable portion of the dental floss which is being used, a median upper edge portion of said body portion being provided with cleats on which portions of the dental floss may be wound and temporarily anchored, said body portion having a rearward end portion provided in a top surface with a shallow depression, provided in a bottom surface with a kerf providing a keeper seat, and, in combination, a bodily attachable and detachable adapter comprising a resilient clip having a bight portion bridging an open side of said pocket, having a lower arm provided with a keeper hook releasably engageable with said keeper seat and having an upper arm terminating in a latch, said latch being retentively seatable in said depression.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
221 words
A dental floss holding tool comprising a handle having forward and rearward end portions, said rearward end portion having a recess opening through the rearward end portion and constituting a spool pocket, said pocket being adapted for insertable and removable reception of a rotatably mountable spool of floss, the body portion of said handle having a passage leading from said pocket, diagonal through a lengthwise edge of the body portion, said body portion having a forward end provided with forwardly diverging opposed normally spread but manually squeezable tines, said tines having free end portions for slidingly and guidingly receiving a stretchable portion of the dental floss which is being used, a median upper edge portion of said body portion being provided with cleats on which portions of the dental floss may be wound and temporarily anchored, said body portion having a rearward end portion provided in a top surface with a shallow depression, provided in a bottom surface with a kerf providing a keeper seat, and, in combination, a bodily attachable and detachable adapter comprising a resilient clip having a bight portion bridging an open side of said pocket, having a lower arm provided with a keeper hook releasably engageable with said keeper seat and having an upper arm terminating in a latch, said latch being retentively seatable in said depression.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The dental floss holding tool defined in claim 5 and wherein said clip is U-shaped and also wherein said latch is shaped and so seated and normally retained in said depression that it is readily accessible for manually grippable actuation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2554526A
Cited
US3289681A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-22 | 1977-04-23 | 1977-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-22 | 1981-04-23 | 1981-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-22 | 1985-04-23 | 1985-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |