Apparatus for holding dental floss containers and spools

• US 5,246,022 A
• Filed: 05/16/1991
• Issued: 09/21/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bonnie S. Larussa, Gina Israel
• Original Assignee: Bonnie S. Larussa, Gina Israel
• Inventors: LaRussa, Bonnie S., Israel, Gina
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAVIOLA JR, FRANK
• Application Number:
  US07/701,204
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 132/321, 132/323, 132/324, 132/325, 132/326, 132/327, 132/328, 132/329, 206/63.5, 206/409, 220/410, 221/31, 221/64, 221/66, 221/197, 221/198, 221/287, 221/307, 221/309, 221/310, 221/312 C, 211/65
• US Class Current: 132/324
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/043 Containers, dispensers, or the like, e.g. with cutting means A61C15/046 takes precedence

Abstract

A dental floss container holder and floss dispenser having a housing with a front and back portion. A contoured resilient holding device made of closed or open cell foam or neoprene for retaining various shaped dental floss containers and spools. A retaining device may be affixed to the interior of the housing for releasably holding the floss containers within the housing. A guide directs floss from the retained container to the exterior of the housing. A cutter is positioned on the exterior of the housing. The housing may be wall mountable.

Claims

1. A dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, comprising:

a polygonal shaped housing, said housing having an interior and an exterior;

means for access within said polygonal shaped housing;

retaining means configured to accommodate variously shaped and sized dental floss containers, said retaining means positioned within housing, said retaining means comprised of a hook and loop fastener, said fastener comprised of a housing member fixedly secured to said interior of said housing and adapted to cooperatively associate with a container member which is fixedly secured to said dental floss container, whereby said members releasable engage for retaining said container within the interior upon being pressed together;

guide means for directing floss from the container retained within said retaining means from the interior of said housing to the exterior of said housing; and

cutting means for detaching the floss from the dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, said cutting means positioned on the exterior of said housing.

14. The invention of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 11, wherein said housing is wall mountable.

2. A dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, comprising:

a polygonal shaped housing, said housing having an interior and an exterior;

means for access within said polygonal shaped housing;

retaining means configured to accommodate variously shaped and sized dental floss containers, said retaining means positioned within housing, wherein said retaining means is tacky and placed between said housing and said container for releasably affixing said dental floss container to said interior of said housing;

guide means for directing floss from the container retained within said retaining means from the interior of said housing to the exterior of said housing; and

cutting means for detaching the floss from the dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, said cutting means positioned on the exterior of said housing.

3. A dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, comprising:

a polygonal shaped housing, said housing having an interior and an exterior;

means for access within said polygonal shaped housing;

retaining means configured to accommodate variously shaped and sized dental floss containers, said retaining means positioned within housing, wherein said retaining means is comprised of a lock fit unit, having a female member fixedly secured to said interior of the housing, said female member having a recess, and a male member fixedly secured to said dental floss container, said male member having a flange portion adapted to cooperatively associate in releasable interlocking fit with said female member upon insertion of said flange within said recess;

guide means for directing floss from the container retained within said retaining means from the interior of said housing to the exterior of said housing; and

cutting means for detaching the floss from the dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, said cutting means positioned on the exterior of said housing.

4. A dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, comprising:

a polygonal shaped housing, said housing having an interior and an exterior;

means for access within said polygonal shaped housing;

retaining means configured to accommodate variously shaped and sized dental floss containers, said retaining means positioned within housing, wherein said retaining means is comprised of a fastener strap having two end portions and a midsection, said midsection being affixed to said interior of said housing, said end portions having closure means whereby said fastener strap is wrapped around a dental floss container placed within said interior over said midsection, said end positions being releasably connected by operation of said closure means to retain said container within said interior of said inventions;

guide means for directing floss from the container retained within said retaining means from the interior of said housing to the exterior of said housing; and

cutting means for detaching the floss from the dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, said cutting means positioned on the exterior of said housing.

5. A dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, comprising:

a polygonal shaped housing, said housing having an interior and an exterior;

means for access within said polygonal shaped housing;

retaining means configured to accommodate variously shaped and sized dental floss containers, said retaining means positioned within housing, wherein said retaining means is comprised of a set of magnets having a first magnet being fixedly secured to said container, and a second magnet having reverse polarity relative to said first magnet and being fixedly secured to said interior of said housing, whereby said container is releasably adhered to said interior by placing said first magnet in cooperative magnet association with said second magnet;

guide means for directing floss from the container retained within said retaining means from the interior of said housing to the exterior of said housing; and

cutting means for detaching the floss from the dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, said cutting means positioned on the exterior of said housing.

6. A dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, comprising:

a polygonal shaped housing, said housing having an interior and an exterior;

means for access within said polygonal shaped housing;

retaining means configured to accommodate variously shaped and sized dental floss containers, said retaining means positioned within housing;

guide means for directing floss from the container retained within said retaining means from the interior of said housing to the exterior of said housing;

cutting means for detaching the floss from the dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, said cutting means positioned on the exterior of said housing; and

support means for receiving said housing, said support means consisting essentially of a rigid vertical planar member having a cavity of like polygonal shape and size to said housing, whereby said housing is inserted into said cavity for support of said dispenser within said rigid vertical planar member.

7. The invention recited in claim 6, wherein said rigid vertical planar member is a wall.

8. The invention recited in claim 6, wherein said rigid vertical planar member is an article of furniture.

10. The invention of claim 6, wherein said retaining means is configured to retain an elongated axial spool of dental floss.

11. The invention of claim 10, wherein said retaining means is a resilient strap.

9. A dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, comprising:

a polygonal shaped housing, said housing having an interior and an exterior, and within said housing a dental floss container is housed;

means for accessing dental floss stored within said polygonal shaped housing;

guide means for directing floss from the container stored within said interior of said housing to said exterior of said housing; and

cutting means for detaching the floss from the dental floss container holder and floss dispenser, said cutting means positioned on the exterior of said housing;

said container resting freely within said housing and bobbing up to bear against said guide means from within said interior of said housing when floss is pulled out of said dispenser, said container then dropping down to resume a resting position within said housing after the floss is detached using said cutting means.

12. A dental floss container holder and single-use floss packet dispenser, comprising:

a housing, said housing having a front and back portion, said front and back portions each having an interior and exterior;

retaining plunger means affixed to the interior of said portion of said housing, said plunger means is biased away from said housing such that when said front and back portions of said housing are complementary fastened together, said plunger means forces the container against the single-use floss packets;

releasable fastening means for fastening said front and back portions of said housing together.

13. The invention of claim 12, wherein said housing is wall mountable.