Dental flosser units and method of making same
First Claim
1. A dental flosser unit for flossing teeth including a filament of high tensile strength terminating in thickened end portions at its opposite ends;
- characterized in that each of said thickened end portions includes a metal ferrule crimped to the respective filament end, and a plastic bead enclosing said ferrule and the respective filament end.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A dental flosser unit for flossing teeth includes a filament of high tensile strength terminating in thickened portions at its opposite ends. In the same described embodiments, each thickened end portion includes a ferrule enclosing and crimped to the respective filament end, and a plastic body enclosing the ferrule and the respective filament end. The filament preferably includes a plurality of threads of high tensile strength coated with a low-friction material. In another described embodiment, a plastic material is injection-molded onto each end of the filament at a temperature greater than 280° C. to melt the coating and to bond directly to the threads. A further embodiment is described in which the thickened end portion is constituted of a two-part bead having complementary socket and plug formations for firmly clamping the filament.
178 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A dental flosser unit for flossing teeth including a filament of high tensile strength terminating in thickened end portions at its opposite ends;
- characterized in that each of said thickened end portions includes a metal ferrule crimped to the respective filament end, and a plastic bead enclosing said ferrule and the respective filament end.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A dental flosser unit for flossing teeth, comprising:
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a filament having at least one thread of high tensile strength; a coating of low-friction material on said filament; and a plastic bead at each of the opposite ends of the filament penetrating through said coating of low-friction material and bonded directly to said at least one thread of high tensile strength. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method of making a dental flosser unit, comprising:
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coating at least one thread of high tensile strength with a low-friction coating material having a melting point no higher than 280°
C.;and injection molding a plastic bead at each of the opposite ends of the thread at a temperature of at least 280°
C. to melt the coating of low-friction material and to bond the plastic bead directly to the high-tensile strength thread.
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14. A dental flosser unit for flossing teeth including a filament of high tensile strength terminating in thickened end portions at its opposite ends;
- characterized in that each of said thickened end portions includes a bead made of a first part formed with a socket for receiving the respective filament end, and a second part formed with a plug of complementary configuration as said socket for insertion into the socket of the first part, thereby firmly clamping the respective filament end therein.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification