Dental flossing device and method therefor
DCFirst Claim
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1. Apparatus for cleaning the surfaces of teeth underlying the inter-dental papilla portion of the gums in a human mouth by effecting a flossing action, comprising:
- a flexible, resilient, non-abrasive elongated member;
said elongated member including a base portion, an elongated intermediate portion of predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and a tip;
said intermediate portion and said tip being capable of being received between adjacent teeth without traversing any contact areas between the teeth from at least the front of the mouth and being capable of effecting the flossing action therebetween; and
at least the intermediate portion being capable of being received in the sulcus between a tooth and the adjacent inter-dental papilla portion of the gum for effecting the flossing action therein; and
a motive source; and
a coupling connecting the base portion of the elongated member to the motive source to effect motion of the elongated member.
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Abstract
An electro-mechanical dental flossing device is disclosed for flossing the area between a portion of the tooth and the gum tissue. The device comprises an elongated member coupled to a motor source to effect oscillation of the elongated member. The elongated member includes an intermediate portion and a tip which are capable of being received between the tooth and the gum tissue.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. Apparatus for cleaning the surfaces of teeth underlying the inter-dental papilla portion of the gums in a human mouth by effecting a flossing action, comprising:
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a flexible, resilient, non-abrasive elongated member; said elongated member including a base portion, an elongated intermediate portion of predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and a tip; said intermediate portion and said tip being capable of being received between adjacent teeth without traversing any contact areas between the teeth from at least the front of the mouth and being capable of effecting the flossing action therebetween; and at least the intermediate portion being capable of being received in the sulcus between a tooth and the adjacent inter-dental papilla portion of the gum for effecting the flossing action therein; and a motive source; and a coupling connecting the base portion of the elongated member to the motive source to effect motion of the elongated member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Apparatus for cleaning the surfaces of teeth underlying the inter-dental papilla portion of the gums in a human mouth by effecting a flossing action, comprising:
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a flexible, resilient elongated member; said elongated member including a base portion, an elongated intermediate portion of predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and a tip; said intermediate portion and said tip being capable of being received between adjacent teeth without traversing any contact areas between the teeth from at least the front of the mouth and being capable of effecting the flossing action therebetween; and at least the intermediate portion being capable of being received in the sulcus between a tooth and the adjacent inter-dental papilla portion of the gum for effecting the flossing action therein; and a motive source; and a coupling connecting the base portion of the elongated member to the motive source to effect motion of the elongated member; said coupling comprising means for effecting a motion of the elongated member having a rotational component.
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18. Apparatus for cleaning the surfaces of teeth underlying the inter-dental papilla portion of the gums in a human mouth by effecting a flossing action, comprising:
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a flexible, resilient elongated member; said elongated member including a base portion, an elongated intermediate portion of predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and a tip; said intermediate portion and said tip being capable of being received between adjacent teeth without traversing any contact areas between the teeth from at least the front of the mouth and being capable of effecting the flossing action therebetween; and at least the intermediate portion being capable of being received in the sulcus between a tooth and the adjacent inter-dental papilla portion of the gum for effecting the flossing action therein; and a motor, said motor including a shaft with an eccentric member mounted thereon; a coupling connecting the base portion of the elongated member to the motor to effect motion of the elongated member; said coupling comprising a translation member connected at a first end to said elongated member, and an aperture in the vicinity of the opposing end; the translation member being pivotally mounted and disposed to receive the eccentric member in said aperture, such that rotation of said eccentric member causes repetitive translation of said first end to effect oscillation of said elongated member. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. Apparatus for cleaning the surfaces of teeth underlying the interdental papilla portion of the gums in a human mouth, comprising:
a flexible, resilient elongated member having a conduit; said elongated member including a base portion, an elongated intermediate portion of predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and a tip; said intermediate portion and said tip being capable of being received between adjacent teeth without traversing any contact areas between the teeth from at least the front of the mouth; and at least the intermediate portion being capable of being received in the sulcus between a tooth and the adjacent interdental papilla portion of the gum; a motive source; a coupling connecting the base portion of the elongated member to the motive source to effect motion of the elongated member; a fluid reservoir communicating with said elongated member conduit; and a pump disposed to propel fluid from said reservoir through said conduit. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. Apparatus for interacting with the surfaces of teeth underlying the inter-dental papilla portion of the gums in a human mouth to effect a flossing action, comprising:
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a housing; a flexible, resilient elongated, non-abrasive member, extending outwardly from one end of said housing; said elongated member including a base portion, an elongated intermediate portion of predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and a tip; said intermediate portion and said tip being capable of being received between adjacent teeth from at least the front of the mouth and being capable of effecting the flossing action therebetween; and at least the intermediate portion being capable of being received in the sulcus between a tooth and the adjacent inter-dental papilla portion of the gum for effecting the flossing action therein; a motor disposed within said housing; and a coupling connecting the elongated member to the motor to effect motion of the elongated member. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. Apparatus for interacting with the surfaces of teeth underlying the interdental papilla portion of the gums in a human mouth, comprising:
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a housing; a flexible, resilient elongated member, extending outwardly from one end of said housing; said elongated member including a base portion, an elongated intermediate portion of predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and a tip; said intermediate portion and said tip being capable of being received between adjacent teeth from at least the front of the mouth; and at least the intermediate portion being capable of being received in the sulcus between a tooth and the adjacently interdental papilla portion of the gum; a motor disposed within said housing, said motor includes a shaft with at least a first eccentric member mounted thereon; and a coupling connecting the elongated member to the motor to effect motion of the elongated member, said coupling comprising; a translation member connected at a first end to said elongated member, and an axial aperture on the opposing end; the translation member being pivotally mounted in said housing and disposed to receive the eccentric member in said aperture, such that rotation of said eccentric member causes repetitive translation of said first end to effect oscillation of said elongated member. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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43. Apparatus for interacting with the surfaces of teeth underlying the interdental papilla portion of the gums in a human mouth, comprising:
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a housing; a flexible, resilient elongated member, extending outwardly from one end of said housing and having a conduit communicating with at least one orifice in the surface of said elongated member; said elongated member including a base portion, an elongated intermediate portion of predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and a tip; said intermediate portion and said tip being capable of being received between adjacent teeth from at least the front of the mouth; and at least the intermediate portion being capable of being received in the sulcus between a tooth and the adjacent interdental papilla portion of the gum; a motor disposed within said housing and having a shaft with at least a first eccentric member mounted thereon; a coupling connecting the elongated member to the motor to effect motion of the elongated member and comprising a translation member connected at a first end to said elongated member, and an axial aperture on the opposing end; the translation member being pivotally mounted in said housing and disposed to receive the eccentric member in said aperture, such that rotation of said eccentric member causes repetitive translation of said first end to effect oscillation of said elongated member; and a fluid reservoir communicating with said elongated member conduit; and a pump disposed to propel fluid from said reservoir through said conduit. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. Apparatus for interacting with the surfaces of teeth underlying the interdental papilla portion of the gums in a human mouth, comprising:
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a housing; a flexible, resilient elongated member, extending outwardly from one end of said housing and having a conduit communicating with at least one orifice in the surface of said elongated member; said elongated member including a base portion, an elongated intermediate portion of predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and a tip; said intermediate portion and said tip being capable of being received between adjacent teeth from at least the front of the mouth; and at least the intermediate portion being capable of being received in the sulcus between a tooth and the adjacent interdental papilla portion of the gum; a motor disposed within said housing; a coupling connecting the elongated member to the motor to effect motion of the elongated member; a fluid reservoir communicating with said elongated member conduit; and a pump disposed to propel fluid from said reservoir through said conduit. - View Dependent Claims (55)
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56. Apparatus for cleaning the surfaces of teeth underlying the inter-dental papilla portion of the gums in a human mouth by effecting a flossing action, comprising:
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a flexible, resilient, non-abrasive elongated member; said elongated member including a base portion, an elongated intermediate portion of predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and a tip; said intermediate portion and said tip being capable of being received between adjacent teeth without traversing any contact areas between the teeth from at least the front of the mouth and being capable of effecting the flossing action therebetween; and at least the intermediate portion being capable of being received in the sulcus between a tooth and the adjacent inter-dental papilla portion of the gum for effecting the flossing action therebetween; a handle; a coupling releasably connecting the base portion of the elongated member to the handle; and a motive source disposed within said handle;
said coupling connecting the base portion of the elongated member to the motive source to effect motion of the elongated member.
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Specification