Electric dental flosser
First Claim
1. A powered dental flossing device comprising:
- a housing;
a power source;
motion translation means operatively connected to the power source for producing a bidirectional pattern of motion having horizontal and vertical components relative to a vertical side surface of the teeth;
cleaning tip means operatively connected to the motion translation means and having filament means that outputs the bidirectional pattern of motion; and
means for producing only the horizontal component at the filament means in a first phase in response to pressure above a predetermined amount on the filament at a contact area between two teeth and for providing both the horizontal and vertical component at the filament means in a second flossing phase in an interproximal area between said two teeth.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A light electric dental flosser with a rechargeable battery compartment includes a motor casing, interchangeably individualized head units, and disposable plastic floss tips that snap mount within the hinged end of the head unit. The floss tips exhibit bidirectional flossing motion provided from a motion translation system including an eccentric cam, a yoke, and an output shaft with a cam follower mechanism that follows a generally Z-shaped tracking surface with a vertical track component and a horizontal track component enabled by the yoke to complete the resulting "Z" movement. The floss tips have a molded-in filament and are molded from a shock absorbing substance which absorbs the vertical component of the "Z" shaped motion upon the application of pressure to the filament thereby outputting horizontal motion until the filament passes through the contact area between two teeth. In an automatic mode, an infrared sensor in the head activates the motor when the line of sight between infrared sensors is broken by the filament approaching a contact area between two teeth.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A powered dental flossing device comprising:
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a housing; a power source; motion translation means operatively connected to the power source for producing a bidirectional pattern of motion having horizontal and vertical components relative to a vertical side surface of the teeth; cleaning tip means operatively connected to the motion translation means and having filament means that outputs the bidirectional pattern of motion; and means for producing only the horizontal component at the filament means in a first phase in response to pressure above a predetermined amount on the filament at a contact area between two teeth and for providing both the horizontal and vertical component at the filament means in a second flossing phase in an interproximal area between said two teeth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A powered dental flossing device comprising:
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a housing means; a power source within the housing means; motion translation means attached to the power source for outputting a bidirectional pattern of motion having a vertical component relative to a vertical side surface of the teeth and a horizontal component; at least one removable head means housing the motion translation means; tip means attached to the motion translation means and having filament means outputting the bidirectional pattern of motion; and means for dampening the vertical component in response to pressure above a predetermined amount on the filament means in a contact area between two teeth. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A dental flossing unit for operative engagement by a low powered device having an output shaft, the flossing unit comprising:
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a housing; motion translation means in the housing and operatively connected to the output shaft for outputting a bidirectional pattern of motion having horizontal and vertical components; cleaning tip means operatively connected to the motion translation means and defining filament means; and means for producing only the horizontal component in response to pressure above a predetermined amount on the filament means encountered at a contact area between two teeth and for producing both the horizontal and vertical components while the filament means is in an interproximal area between said two teeth. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A floss tip made from a resilient plastic material, the floss tip for attachment to a dental flossing device having a tip mounting means, the floss tip comprising:
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a unitary body having a first end and a second end; an attachment means defined in the first end for attaching the floss tip to the tip mounting means; a pair of tines defined in the second end, each tine having at least one notch defined therein; and a floss filament means spanning the pair of tines, the at least one notch in conjunction with the resilient plastic material absorbs a vertical powered motion component of the dental flossing device when sufficient pressure is applied to the floss filament means. - View Dependent Claims (51)
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Specification