US3939853A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dental flosser
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-09-04
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Granted: 1976-02-24
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Expires: 1994-09-04
Abstract
Abstract A Dental Flosser is described wherein an elongated handle is provided at one end with a bifurcated flosser head including a pair of downwardly extending, spaced and curved arms having concaved and notched extremities to receive a length of dental floss and at the opposite end with the usual tufts of teeth brushing bristles, whereby the one end of the device can be provided with a length of dental floss for use in cleaning food particles and dental plaque from the opposed faces of adjacent teeth, below the free gum margin, and along the margins of dental restorations, and detecting incipient decay of the teeth, and whereby the opposite end can be used for brushing and cleaning the teeth in the usual manner. At the base of the bifurcated head, the device includes a unique floss anchoring button on the top surface and a bulbed fulcrum portion on the bottom surface. The interior tip surface portions of the spaced arms are flared outwardly for safety purposes and protect the gums from injury while the length of floss bridging the bifurcations is engaged between adjacent teeth during the cleaning operation. The spaced arms are further provided with a reduced cross-section adjacent to the base of the bifurcated head to provide more flexibility of the arms and thus, allow a more efficient and complete cleaning of the teeth. Diagonal grooves are provided on the exterior surface of the spaced arms to guide and support the dental floss when it is threaded through the Dental Flosser.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael E. Spanondis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 19:07
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C15/00; A61C15/04; A61C15/046
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
287 words
A dental flosser for cleaning and removing debris and dental plaque from the opposed surfaces of adjacent teeth comprising in combination an elongated handle having a longitudinal axis, a bifurcated head provided integrally at one end of said handle, and including a pair of downwardly, extending spaced and curved arms having concaved and notched extremities for receiving a length of dental floss, and floss anchoring means comprising a button affixed to the top surface and at the base of the elongated handle, said floss anchoring means having an undersurface which is tapered outward from its center, and a bulbed fulcrum portion being formed as an integral protrusion on the bottom surface of the elongated handle, said fulcrum portion being directly disposed on the opposite face of the elongated handle from the floss anchoring button, whereby during the cleaning operation the bulbed fulcrum portion may be seated upon an adjacent tooth and allowed to rock in an up and down or rotational fashion on the tooth such that a length of floss bridging the spaced arms may project onto the backside of the next back molar to clean the entire surface above and below the gum margin, and wherein said floss anchoring means is capable of positively securing a length of dental floss between the spaced arms by virtue of the ends being wrapped around one side of the floss anchoring means and pulled tightly transverse to the longitudinal axis of the dental flosser, said spaced arms having interior tip surface portions which are flared outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the dental flosser to protect the gums from injury when a length of floss bridging the spaced arms is engaged between adjacent teeth during the cleaning operation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
287 words
A dental flosser for cleaning and removing debris and dental plaque from the opposed surfaces of adjacent teeth comprising in combination an elongated handle having a longitudinal axis, a bifurcated head provided integrally at one end of said handle, and including a pair of downwardly, extending spaced and curved arms having concaved and notched extremities for receiving a length of dental floss, and floss anchoring means comprising a button affixed to the top surface and at the base of the elongated handle, said floss anchoring means having an undersurface which is tapered outward from its center, and a bulbed fulcrum portion being formed as an integral protrusion on the bottom surface of the elongated handle, said fulcrum portion being directly disposed on the opposite face of the elongated handle from the floss anchoring button, whereby during the cleaning operation the bulbed fulcrum portion may be seated upon an adjacent tooth and allowed to rock in an up and down or rotational fashion on the tooth such that a length of floss bridging the spaced arms may project onto the backside of the next back molar to clean the entire surface above and below the gum margin, and wherein said floss anchoring means is capable of positively securing a length of dental floss between the spaced arms by virtue of the ends being wrapped around one side of the floss anchoring means and pulled tightly transverse to the longitudinal axis of the dental flosser, said spaced arms having interior tip surface portions which are flared outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the dental flosser to protect the gums from injury when a length of floss bridging the spaced arms is engaged between adjacent teeth during the cleaning operation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
88 words
A dental flosser as defined in claim 1, wherein the notched extremities comprise an improved slit configuration at the outer front end of each spaced arm, said slit configuration comprising a slit at the outer front end of the spaced arms which terminates at its inner end in an enlargement, and further wherein a pair of diagonal grooves are provided on the exterior surface of the respective spaced arms adjacent to the base of the elongated handle to guide and support a length of floss when in use.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A dental flosser as defined in claim 1, wherein the other end of the elongated handle includes an integral toothbrush portion, and wherein the elongated handle is provided with a centrally located cavity having indentations formed at the opposite ends of the cavity for receiving a removable floss spool assembly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
87 words
A dental flosser as defined in claim 1, wherein an interior cavity is provided along the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle to form a fluid line for hydraulic pressure, said cavity extending from the other end to the bifurcated head of the dental flosser, said bifurcated head having an opening directly above the notched extremities, said fluid line being adapted for connection to a fluid source and providing a more effective cleaning of the teeth by simultaneous and combined action of the flosser and hydraulic pressure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A dental flosser as defined in claim 1, wherein the spaced arms are provided with recessed indentations on the outer side peripheral areas, and further wherein a mechanical scrubbing element is securely held between the spaced arms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
A dental flosser as defined in claim 4, wherein the removable floss spool assembly comprises a detachable lid portion to which a bobbin of floss may be secured on the under-surface of the detachable lid, said detachable lid having securing means on the respective ends thereof so as to cooperate with the indentations at the respective ends of the centrally located cavity to securely position the removable floss spool assembly therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
A dental flosser as defined in claim 5, wherein the scrubbing element is provided with triangular end portions, and wherein the recessed indentations of the spaced arms are triangular so as to cooperate with and securely receive the triangular end portions of the scrubbing element in a coupling arrangement.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
A dental flosser as defined in claim 7, wherein the spaced arms are provided with a reduced cross-section adjacent to their attachment to the base of the elongated handle, so as to enable the spaced arms to be biased together during the installation of the scrubbing element, so that when the bifurcated ends are released, the bifurcated ends resume their original position and the scrubbing element is stretched tightly and secured between the bifurcated ends.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
236 words
A dental flosser for cleaning and removing debris and dental plaque from the opposed surfaces of adjacent teeth comprising in combination an elongated handle having a longitudinal axis, a bifurcated head provided integrally at one end of said handle, and including a pair of downwardly, extending spaced and grooved arms having concaved and notched extremities that are adapted to receive a length of dental floss, and floss anchoring means comprising a button affixed to the top surface and at the base of the elongated handle, said floss anchoring means having an undersurface which is tapered from its center outwardly and having an underscored surface, and a bulbed fulcrum portion being integrally formed at the base of the elongated handle on the bottom surface of the handle, said spaced arms having interior tip surface portions which are flared outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the dental flosser, said spaced arms being provided with a reduced cross-section adjacent to this attachment to the base of the elongated handle to provide more flexibility of the spaced arms, diagonal grooves being provided on opposite exterior surface of the respective space arms to guide and support dental floss when it is threaded through the outer extremities of the spaced arms and both ends of which are secured around the same side of the floss anchoring means, and said floss being pulled tightly transverse to the longitudinal axis of the dental flosser.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
236 words
A dental flosser for cleaning and removing debris and dental plaque from the opposed surfaces of adjacent teeth comprising in combination an elongated handle having a longitudinal axis, a bifurcated head provided integrally at one end of said handle, and including a pair of downwardly, extending spaced and grooved arms having concaved and notched extremities that are adapted to receive a length of dental floss, and floss anchoring means comprising a button affixed to the top surface and at the base of the elongated handle, said floss anchoring means having an undersurface which is tapered from its center outwardly and having an underscored surface, and a bulbed fulcrum portion being integrally formed at the base of the elongated handle on the bottom surface of the handle, said spaced arms having interior tip surface portions which are flared outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the dental flosser, said spaced arms being provided with a reduced cross-section adjacent to this attachment to the base of the elongated handle to provide more flexibility of the spaced arms, diagonal grooves being provided on opposite exterior surface of the respective space arms to guide and support dental floss when it is threaded through the outer extremities of the spaced arms and both ends of which are secured around the same side of the floss anchoring means, and said floss being pulled tightly transverse to the longitudinal axis of the dental flosser.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-02-23 | 1979-08-25 | 1980-02-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-02-23 | 1983-08-25 | 1984-02-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-02-23 | 1987-08-25 | 1988-02-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |