US3978872A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Toothpick
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-03-12
•
Granted: 1976-09-07
•
Expires: 1995-03-12
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed a toothpick in which one end thereof is provided with a pair of hollow-ground surfaces terminating in a thin bladed end. The bladed end is sufficiently thin to pass between adjacent teeth in the mouth of the user.
Inventors
- 👤 Jesse H. Bond
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 22:35
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C15/00; A61C15/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A unipartite toothpick comprising an elongate element of an abradable material providing a handle portion having a longitudinal axis, one end of the element being provided with a pair of arcuately converging surfaces of hollow-ground shape, each surface defining a radius about an axis, the last mentioned axes being on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis and being spaced apart a distance in the range of 3-8 inches, the element terminating in a bladed end sufficiently thin to extend between human teeth throughout a distance from the front thereof to the rear thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
A unipartite toothpick comprising an elongate element of an abradable material providing a handle portion having a longitudinal axis, one end of the element being provided with a pair of arcuately converging surfaces of hollow-ground shape, each surface defining a radius about an axis, the last mentioned axes being on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis and being spaced apart a distance in the range of 3-8 inches, the element terminating in a bladed end sufficiently thin to extend between human teeth throughout a distance from the front thereof to the rear thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The toothpick of claim 1 wherein the bladed end is of the same width as the element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The toothpick of claim wherein the bladed end is of lesser width than the element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The toothpick of claim 1 wherein the element is of substantially uniform width and substantially uniform thickness, the end surfaces converging from the width dimension to the thin bladed end.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The toothpick of claim 1 wherein the opposite end of the element is formed with surfaces arcuately converging toward the longitudinal axis and terminating in a thin bladed end.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The toothpick of claim 1 wherein the opposite end of the element is formed with a disparate element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The toothpick of claim 1 wherein the element is wood and the bladed end is unitary with the remainder of the element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The toothpick of claim 1 wherein the element is of organic resin and the bladed end is unitary with the remainder of the element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
10 words
The toothpick of claim 1 wherein the surfaces are mirror-images.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The toothpick of claim 1 wherein the axes are spaced apart a distance in the range of 3-8 inches.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The toothpick of claim 1 wherein the axes are spaced apart a distance in the range of 4-6 inches.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The toothpick of claim 4 wherein the element width and thickness are substantially the same.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The toothpick of claim 5 wherein the opposite bladed ends are parallel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The toothpick of claim 6 wherein the disparate element is a match head.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
52 words
The method of manufacturng a unipartite toothpick from an abradable stock comprising moving the stock into abrading contact with a pair of rotating abrading wheels each having a diameter in the range of 3-8 inches; and abrading the end of the stock into the configuration defined by the nip between the wheels.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
52 words
The method of manufacturng a unipartite toothpick from an abradable stock comprising moving the stock into abrading contact with a pair of rotating abrading wheels each having a diameter in the range of 3-8 inches; and abrading the end of the stock into the configuration defined by the nip between the wheels.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the stock is elongate providing a long dimension and the moving step comprises moving the stock parallel to the long dimension thereof into abrading contact with the abrading wheels.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-09-07 | 1980-03-08 | 1980-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-09-07 | 1984-03-08 | 1984-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-09-07 | 1988-03-08 | 1988-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |