Expanded PTFE floss material and method of making same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A dental floss having a length, width, and thickness, comprising:
- a single expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fiber having a density of 1.0 to 1.9 g/cc and uniform dimensions of width and thickness along its length and having an outer surface of essentially rectangular to oblong cross-sectional dimension, the single fiber being without folds so that its outer surface is fully exposed;
wherein the floss has essentially parallel exposed edges and the edges are resistant to fibrillation during use.
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Abstract
The present invention is an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) floss with improved handling properties. Unlike previous expanded PTFE flosses, the floss of the present invention employs a fiber of increased thickness so that the floss is maintained in an unfolded orientation. The improved processing steps of the present invention create a floss that has a number of improved properties, including more uniform dimensions along its length, improved compressibility and handling, and automatic visual indication of those segments of the floss that have been used.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A dental floss having a length, width, and thickness, comprising:
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a single expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fiber having a density of 1.0 to 1.9 g/cc and uniform dimensions of width and thickness along its length and having an outer surface of essentially rectangular to oblong cross-sectional dimension, the single fiber being without folds so that its outer surface is fully exposed; wherein the floss has essentially parallel exposed edges and the edges are resistant to fibrillation during use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A dental floss comprising
a single strand of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fiber, the PTFE fiber having a density of 1.0 to 1.9 g/cc and being of uniform dimensions in width along its entire length; -
wherein the single fiber in an unfolded orientation comprises a width of at least 0.5 mm and a thickness of at least 50 μ
m; andwherein the fiber is maintained in an unfolded orientation for use as a floss. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for producing an improved floss that comprises
providing a sheet of expanded porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), the sheet having a thickness of at least 50 μ - m;
slitting the PTFE sheet into multiple strands of PTFE fibers, each strand comprising a single fiber of at least 0.5 mm in width and 50 μ
m in thickness and having a density of 1.0 to 1.9 g/cc and substantially uniform dimensions along its length;winding the PTFE fibers onto a spool, substantially maintaining the strands in a flat, unfolded orientation. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A dental floss having a length, width, and thickness, comprising:
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an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fiber having uniform dimensions of width and thickness along its length and having an outer surface of essentially rectangular to oblong cross-sectional dimension, the fiber being without folds so that its outer surface is fully exposed; wherein the floss has essentially parallel exposed edges and the edges are resistant to fibrillation during use; wherein the floss has sufficient porosity to allow the fiber to compress to at least 40% of its original thickness; and wherein the floss undergoes a color change between an uncompressed state and a compressed state, providing indication of segments of floss that have been used. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A dental floss comprising
a strand of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fiber, the PTFE fiber being of uniform dimensions in width along its entire length; -
wherein the fiber in an unfolded orientation comprises a width of at least 0.5 mm and a thickness of at least 50 μ
m;wherein the fiber is maintained in an unfolded orientation for use as a floss; and wherein the dental floss is porous and compressible, the floss undergoing a change in color from white to translucent upon compression.
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Specification