Automated dental flosser
First Claim
1. An automated flosser comprising:
- a housing;
a pair of spaced tines supported on the housing, the tines having guide means for guiding the transfer of dental floss from one tine to the other tine to form a longitudinally movable floss span between the tines;
a double-acting capstan having two subcapstans for connecting to each end, respectively, of the floss span in order to drive the span to move longitudinally, the subcapstans being supported to rotate relative to each other;
capstan drive means for driving the subcapstans to rotate in alternating directions to reciprocate the span; and
floss changing means for replacing the floss span, the changing means having means for supporting a replaceable floss dispensing spool for being floss-connected to the capstan thereby drawing floss from the spool and replacing the span.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automated dental flosser (10) comprises a pair of pivotally supported tines (18) which support a movable floss span (17). A pair of rotatably supported subcapstans (38, 40) are floss-connected to each end of the floss span, respectively, and are alternately driven to reciprocate the span longitudinally. A floss dispensing spool (50) and a floss take-up spool (56), floss-connected to respective subcapstans, dispense and take up floss. A floss-engaging portion of each subcapstan differs from the other in diameter to result in a net transfer of the floss from one spool to the other. Means for reciprocating the tines moves the span up and down. A pair of stationary shield tines (16) shield the user'"'"'s teeth from the reciprocating tines. A second embodiment (90) includes an astable pulse generator (106) that generates a train of pulses of alternately reversing electric charge. Pulses of one charge are of longer duration than those of the other charge. A reversible DC motor (104) is drivingly connected to floss dispensing and take-up spools (98, 100) which are floss-connected to each end, respectively, of a tine supported floss span (96). The motor, energized by the alternating pulses, alternately reverses direction to reciprocate the floss span. A net transfer of floss from one spool to the other results from the longer pulses. A third embodiment (116) includes two ultrasonic transducers (127, 128) connected to floss-supporting tines (118). The transducers are mounted at right angles to each other for reciprocating the tines and floss span up and down and side to side.
80 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An automated flosser comprising:
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a housing; a pair of spaced tines supported on the housing, the tines having guide means for guiding the transfer of dental floss from one tine to the other tine to form a longitudinally movable floss span between the tines; a double-acting capstan having two subcapstans for connecting to each end, respectively, of the floss span in order to drive the span to move longitudinally, the subcapstans being supported to rotate relative to each other; capstan drive means for driving the subcapstans to rotate in alternating directions to reciprocate the span; and floss changing means for replacing the floss span, the changing means having means for supporting a replaceable floss dispensing spool for being floss-connected to the capstan thereby drawing floss from the spool and replacing the span. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An automated flosser comprising:
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a housing; a pair of spaced tines supported on the housing, the tines having guide means for guiding the transfer of dental floss from one tine to the other tine to form a longitudinally movable floss span between the tines; first and second subcapstans for connecting to each end, respectively, of the floss span in order to drive the span to move longitudinally, the subcapstans being supported to rotate relative to each other; subcapstan drive means for driving the subcapstans alternately in order to reciprocate the span; and floss changing means for replacing the floss span, the changing means having means for supporting a replaceable floss dispensing spool for being floss-connected to the subcapstans thereby drawing floss from the spool and replacing the span. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An automated flosser comprising:
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a housing; a pair of tines supported on the housing, the tines being spaced for receiving teeth to be cleaned therebetween, the tines having guide means for guiding the transfer of dental floss from one tine to the other tine to form a longitudinally movable floss span between the tines; means for rotatably supporting first and second floss spools for being floss-connected to respective ends of the floss span; a reversible motor connected for driving the spools to rotate thereby moving the span; and an alternating pulse generator electrically connected to the motor, the generator for generating pulses alternating in electrical charge so that the motor alternates rotational directions thereby reciprocating the floss span. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An automated flosser comprising:
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a housing; a fork movably supported on the housing, the fork having a pair of tines spaced for receiving teeth to be cleaned therebetween, the tines having means for supporting a floss span between the tines; and a transducer connected to the fork for oscillating the floss span in order to clean teeth, the transducer being directed to vibrate the fork in an essentially laterally side-to-side direction thereby oscillating the floss span longitudinally. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. An automated flosser comprising:
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a housing; a pair of spaced tines supported on the housing, the tines having means for supporting a floss span between the tines; a first transducer connected to the tines for oscillating the floss span in order to clean teeth; and a second transducer positioned transversely relative to the first transducer for oscillating the floss span in another direction.
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Specification