Interdental cleaning and polishing tool
First Claim
1. An interdental cleaning tool comprising:
- a housing;
a pair of reciprocating tines pivotally supported on the housing wherein the tines receive teeth to be cleaned therebetween, each tine having guides for guiding the transfer of dental floss from one tine to the other tine wherein the floss forms a movable span therebetween;
a dispensing spool having wound dental floss, the spool rotatably supported on the housing for dispensing the dental floss which passes to a reciprocating tine for supplying the span;
a take-up spool rotatably supported on the housing for retrieving used dental floss passing from a reciprocating tine;
means for reciprocating the tines up and down relative to the teeth;
means for producing continuous slow rotation of the take-up spool in order to produce continuous slow longitudinal movement of the floss span; and
means for separately enclosing each reciprocating tine for shielding the same from contact with oral tissues.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interdental cleaning and polishing tool comprising a housing and a pair of tines pivotally supported on the housing wherein the tines receive teeth to be cleaned therebetween. Each tine having guides for guiding the transfer of dental floss from one tine to the other tine wherein the floss forms a movable span therebetween. A dispensing spool dispenses floss to one tine while a take-up spool retrieves floss from the other tine. Means are provided for oscillating the tines up and down relative to the teeth and for simultaneously producing continuous slow rotation of the take-up spool. Stationary shield tines individually enclose the oscillating tines to prevent the latter from contacting oral tissues. Means are provided for locking and unlocking the floss span so that when locked the span is immovably taut so that the same can be forced through tight spaces between adjacent teeth. Means are also provided to allow the span to yieldingly slacken if applied to oral tissues with greater than a predetermined amount of force, thereby protecting soft tissues. The tool is loaded with a covered floss dispensing spool which inhibits floss contamination. Used floss is level-wound on the take-up spool. The oral portion of the instrument is designed so that the shield tines, as well as the movable tines, can be cleaned by rinsing under hot running tap water without having to remove parts.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An interdental cleaning tool comprising:
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a housing; a pair of reciprocating tines pivotally supported on the housing wherein the tines receive teeth to be cleaned therebetween, each tine having guides for guiding the transfer of dental floss from one tine to the other tine wherein the floss forms a movable span therebetween; a dispensing spool having wound dental floss, the spool rotatably supported on the housing for dispensing the dental floss which passes to a reciprocating tine for supplying the span; a take-up spool rotatably supported on the housing for retrieving used dental floss passing from a reciprocating tine; means for reciprocating the tines up and down relative to the teeth; means for producing continuous slow rotation of the take-up spool in order to produce continuous slow longitudinal movement of the floss span; and means for separately enclosing each reciprocating tine for shielding the same from contact with oral tissues. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An interdental cleaning tool comprising:
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a housing; a pair of reciprocating tines pivotally supported on the housing wherein the tines receive teeth to be cleaned therebetween, each tine having guides for guiding the transfer of dental floss from one tine to the other tine wherein the floss forms a movable span therebetween; a dispensing spool having wound dental floss, the spool rotatably supported on the housing for dispensing the dental floss which passes to a reciprocating tine for supplying the span; a take-up spool rotatably supported on the housing for retrieving used dental floss passing from a reciprocating tine; means for reciprocating the tines up and down relative to the teeth; means for producing rotation of the take-up spool in order to move the floss span longitudinally; and means for locking and unlocking the floss span such that when locked the span is immovably taut so that the same can be forced through tight spaces between adjacent teeth. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. An interdental cleaning tool comprising:
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a housing; a pair of reciprocating tines pivotally supported on the housing wherein the tines receive teeth to be cleaned therebetween, each tine having guides for guiding the transfer of dental floss from one tine to the other tine wherein the floss forms a movable span therebetween; a dispensing spool having wound dental floss, the spool rotatably supported on the housing for dispensing the dental floss which passes to a reciprocating tine for supplying the span; means for reciprocating the tines up and down relative to the teeth; and means for drawing floss from the spool if the span is applied to oral tissues with greater than a predetermined amount of force in order to allow the floss span to yieldingly slacken thereby protecting soft tissues. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. An interdental cleaning tool comprising:
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a housing; a pair of reciprocating tines pivotally supported on the housing wherein the tines receive teeth to be cleaned therebetween, each tine having guides for guiding the transfer of dental floss from one tine to the other tine wherein the floss forms a movable span therebetween; a dispensing spool having wound dental floss, the spool rotatably supported on the housing for dispensing the dental floss which passes to a reciprocating tine for supplying the span; a take-up spool rotatably supported on the housing for retrieving used dental floss passing from a reciprocating tine; means for reciprocating the tines up and down relative to the teeth; and means for producing continuous slow rotation of the take-up spool in order to produce continuous slow longitudinal movement of the floss span. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An interdental cleaning tool comprising:
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a housing; a pair of reciprocating tines supported on the housing wherein the tines receive teeth to be cleaned therebetween; means for providing a span of dental floss between distal end portions of the tines; means for reciprocating the tines up and down relative to the teeth; and means for enclosing each reciprocating tine on its inner side in order to prevent the tine from contacting the teeth between the tines during operation of the tool. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An interdental cleaning tool comprising:
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a housing; a pair of reciprocating tines supported on the housing wherein the tines receive teeth to be cleaned therebetween, each tine having guides for guiding the transfer of dental floss from one tine to the other tine wherein the floss forms a span therebetween; a dispensing spool having wound dental floss, the spool being rotatably supported on the housing for dispensing the dental floss which passes to a reciprocating tine for supplying the span; a screw supported by the housing such that the position of the screw in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the screw is selectively adjustable by rotation of the same; and resilient means connected to the spool for imposing drag resistance against rotation of the spool, the resilient means being further connected with the screw such that adjustment of the screw results in a change in the amount of drag resistance imposed against rotation of the spool thereby allowing the floss span to slacken if applied with greater than a predetermined amount of force wherein the required amount of force is selectively predetermined by the user.
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Specification