Dental floss device and applicator assembly

• US 5,564,446 A
• Filed: 03/27/1995
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Curtis B. Wiltshire
• Original Assignee: Curtis B. Wiltshire
• Inventors: Wiltshire, Curtis B.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Cary E.
• Application Number:
  US08/411,503
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 132/321, 132/323, 132/324, 132/325, 132/326, 132/329, 132/309, 132/328
• US Class Current: 132/323
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/18 Receptacles for hair brushes or tooth brushes as travelling equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0095 Brushes with a feature for storage after use
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 17/00 Accessories for brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 1/09 Holders for drinking glasses, tooth brushes, hair brushes, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/043 Containers, dispensers, or the like, e.g. with cutting means A61C15/046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/046 Flossing tools

Abstract

A dental floss device and applicator assembly comprising a pair of separate, substantially elongate members with each member having spaced apart top and bottom end portions with a gripping section located between the top and bottom end portions, a plurality of dental floss segments, and a slot formed in the top end portion of each member that has a prong protruding from the slot for releasably holding one of the dental floss segments (STRAND) within the slot. An alignment channel or groove can also be formed in the top end portion and located adjacent to the slot to hold and guide the STRAND within the alignment channel or groove without requiring a user to manipulate the STRAND with the user'"'"'s fingers as the prong engages and holds the STRAND under the prong. The members are of sufficient length to allow a user to insert the members into a person'"'"'s mouth with the STRAND attached to the top end portion of the members to clean all surfaces of the person'"'"'s teeth without requiring the user to insert the user'"'"'s fingers into the person'"'"'s mouth. Further, the user does not have to manipulate the STRAND with the user'"'"'s fingers when cleaning the person'"'"'s teeth. The dental floss device and applicator assembly can also include a kit for storing the members and a container of dental floss segments.

Claims

1. A dental floss device and applicator assembly comprising:

(a) a pair of separate, substantially elongate members, each of said members having spaced apart top and bottom end portions with a gripping section located between said top and bottom end portions;

(b) a plurality of dental floss segments;

(c) attachment means on each of said top end portion for releasably holding one of said dental floss segments (STRAND) without requiring a user to manipulate with said user'"'"'s fingers said STRAND to attach said STRAND to said attachment means, said attachment means comprising a slot formed in said top end portion and a groove formed in said top end portion and located adjacent to said slot, said groove having means for releasably holding said STRAND within said groove and guiding said STRAND to said slot, said slot having a first prong protruding from said slot for releasably holding said STRAND within said slot;

(d) a container for storing said dental floss segments and comprising spaced apart opposite sides having a plurality of spaced apart support means attached to said spaced apart opposite sides for releasably holding said dental floss segments, said support means releasing said STRAND from said container when said user presses said top end portion of said members against said STRAND whereby said attachment means releasably holds said STRAND; and

(e) said members being of sufficient length to allow said user to insert said members into a person'"'"'s mouth with said STRAND attached to said top end portion of said members to clean all surfaces of said person'"'"'s teeth without requiring said user to insert said user'"'"'s fingers into said person'"'"'s mouth, said user not having to manipulate said STRAND with said user'"'"'s fingers when cleaning said person'"'"'s teeth.

2. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said dental floss segments are continuous, circular pieces of dental floss.

3. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said dental floss segments each have spaced apart end portions, with each of said spaced apart end portions having a stationary member.

4. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said dental floss device and applicator assembly includes a storage receptacle for storing said members and said container when not in use.

5. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said members are formed of a synthetic plastic material.

6. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said container has a prong protruding from one of said spaced apart opposite sides for cutting said dental floss segments.

7. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said container has means for stacking said container on top of a second container, said means for stacking includes a plurality of second prongs extending from said spaced apart opposite sites.

8. A dental floss device and applicator assembly comprising:

(a) a pair of separate, substantially elongate members, each of said members having spaced apart top and bottom end portions with a gripping section located between said top and bottom end portions;

(b) a plurality of dental floss segments, each of said dental floss segments having a continuous, circular configuration;

(c) attachment means on each of said top end portion for releasably holding one of said dental floss segments (STRAND) without requiring a user to manipulate with said user'"'"'s fingers said STRAND to attach said STRAND to said attachment means, said attachment means comprising a slot formed in said top end portion, a first prong protruding from said slot for releasably holding said STRAND, and an alignment channel means formed in said top end portion and located adjacent to said slot, said alignment channel means for guiding said STRAND under said first prong;

(d) a container for storing said dental floss segments and comprising spaced apart opposite sides having a plurality of spaced apart support means protruding from said spaced apart opposite sides for releasably holding said dental floss segments, said support means releasing said STRAND from said container when said user presses said top end portion of said members against said STRAND whereby said attachment means releasably holds said STRAND; and

(e) said members being of sufficient length to allow said user to insert said members into a person'"'"'s mouth with said STRAND attached to said top end portion of said members to clean all surfaces of said person'"'"'s teeth without requiring said user to insert said user'"'"'s fingers into said person'"'"'s mouth, said user not having to manipulate said STRAND with said user'"'"'s fingers when cleaning said person'"'"'s teeth.

9. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said dental floss device and applicator assembly includes a storage receptacle for storing said members and said container when not in use, said storage receptacle having a means for cutting said dental floss segments.

10. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said members are formed of a synthetic plastic material.

11. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said container has a second prong protruding from one of said spaced apart opposite sides for cutting said dental floss segments.

12. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said container has means for stacking said container on top of a second container, said means for stacking includes a plurality of third prongs extending from said spaced apart opposite sites.

13. A dental floss device and applicator assembly comprising:

(a) a pair of separate, substantially elongate members, each of said members having spaced apart top and bottom end portions with a gripping section located between said top and bottom end portions;

(b) a plurality of dental floss segments, each of said dental floss segments having spaced apart end portions, each of said spaced apart end portions having a stationary member;

(c) attachment means on each of said top end portion for releasably holding one of said dental floss segments (STRAND) without requiring a user to manipulate with said user'"'"'s fingers said STRAND to attach said STRAND to said attachment means, said attachment means comprising a slot formed in said top end portion and a groove formed in said top end portion and located adjacent to said slot, said groove having means for releasably holding said stationary member within said groove and guiding said STRAND to said slot, said slot having a first prong protruding from said slot for releasably holding said STRAND within said slot;

(d) said bottom end portion having a second prong protruding from bottom end portion for releasing said STRAND from said top end portion of said members;

(e) a container for storing said dental floss segments and comprising spaced apart opposite sides having a plurality of spaced apart support means attached to said spaced apart opposite sides for releasably holding said dental floss segments, said support means releasing said STRAND from said container when said user presses said top end portion of said members against said STRAND and said stationary member enters said groove and said first prong releasably holds said STRAND within said slot whereby said user not having to manipulate said STRAND with said user'"'"'s fingers when attaching said STRAND to said members; and

(f) said members being of sufficient length to allow said user to insert said members into a person'"'"'s mouth with said STRAND attached to said top end portion of said members to clean all surfaces of said person'"'"'s teeth without requiring said user to insert said user'"'"'s fingers into said person'"'"'s mouth, said user not having to manipulate said STRAND with said user'"'"'s fingers when cleaning said person'"'"'s teeth.

14. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said dental floss device and applicator assembly includes a storage receptacle for storing said members and said container when not in use, said storage receptacle having a means for cutting said dental floss segments.

15. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said members are formed of a synthetic plastic material.

16. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said container has a second prong protruding from one of said spaced apart opposite sides for cutting said dental floss segments.

17. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said container has means for stacking said container on top of a second container, said means for stacking includes a plurality of third prongs extending from said spaced apart opposite sites.

18. A dental floss device and applicator assembly comprising:

(a) a pair of separate, substantially elongate members, each of said members having spaced apart top and bottom end portions with a gripping section located between said top and bottom end portions;

(b) a plurality of dental floss segments, each of said dental floss segments having a continuous, circular configuration;

(c) attachment means on each of said top end portion for releasably holding one of said dental floss segments (STRAND) without requiring a user to manipulate with said user'"'"'s fingers said STRAND to attach said STRAND to said attachment means;

(d) a container for storing said dental floss segments and comprising spaced apart opposite sides having a plurality of spaced apart support means attached to said spaced apart opposite sides for releasably holding said dental floss segments, said support means releasing said STRAND from said container when said user presses said top end portion of said members against said STRAND whereby said attachment means releasably holds said STRAND; and

(e) said members being of sufficient length to allow said user to insert said members into a person'"'"'s mouth with said STRAND attached to said top end portion of said members to clean all surfaces of said person'"'"'s teeth without requiring said user to insert said user'"'"'s fingers into said person'"'"'s mouth, said user not having to manipulate said STRAND with said user'"'"'s fingers when cleaning said person'"'"'s teeth.

19. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said dental floss device and applicator assembly includes a storage receptacle for storing said members and said container when not in use.

20. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said members are formed of a synthetic plastic material.

21. A dental floss device and applicator assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said container has a prong protruding from one of said spaced apart opposite sides for cutting said dental floss segments and a means for stacking said container on top of a second container, said means for stacking includes a plurality of second prongs extending from said spaced apart opposite sites.