Flosser head for a toothbrush driver
First Claim
1. A dental cleaner comprising:
- a handle having a drive shaft axially reciprocable relative to the handle;
a fork connected to the drive shaft and movably supported thereon, the fork having a pair of spaced tines for movably supporting a floss span therebetween, the span being longitudinally aligned with the handle; and
a floss span replacing system for automatically replacing the floss span while flossing teeth.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention comprises a flosser head (16), detachably connectable to a motorized toothbrush driver (12). A fork portion (20) of the head includes a pair of spaced tines (24) for supporting a movable floss span (22) therebetween. Floss supply and take-up spools (30, 32) are rotatably mounted to the head for replacing the span. A ratchet (42) is arranged to drive the take-up spool by translation of relative motion between the driver and head or the driver and fork, thereby progressively advancing the span. When actuated, the driver reciprocates the fork, or the entire head, for flossing teeth and for continuously replacing the span. The flosser head is interchangeable with a toothbrush head on the driver, so the combination is a comprehensive dental cleaner.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A dental cleaner comprising:
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a handle having a drive shaft axially reciprocable relative to the handle; a fork connected to the drive shaft and movably supported thereon, the fork having a pair of spaced tines for movably supporting a floss span therebetween, the span being longitudinally aligned with the handle; and a floss span replacing system for automatically replacing the floss span while flossing teeth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A dental cleaner comprising:
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a handle; a fork connected to the handle, the fork having a pair of spaced tines for movably supporting a floss span therebetween, the span being longitudinally aligned with the handle; and a floss span replacing system comprising a rotatably supported spool for holding floss and a spring connected to the spool for urging rotation of the spool in a floss winding direction to create tension across the floss span, for automatically replacing the floss span while flossing teeth. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A dental cleaner comprising:
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a handle; a fork connected to the handle, the fork having a pair of spaced tines for movably supporting a floss span therebetween; and floss span replacing system connected to the handle and having a ratchet driven by relative motion between the fork and handle for automatically progressively advancing the floss span while flossing teeth to replace the span. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A dental cleaner comprising:
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a motorized toothbrush handle; and a flosser head detachably connectable to the handle, the flosser head having a pair of spaced tines for movably supporting a floss span therebetween and a floss span replacing system for automatically replacing the floss span while flossing teeth, wherein the floss span replacing system includes a ratchet and a rotatably supported floss take-up spool, the ratchet driving the floss take-up spool. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A flosser head for use with a motorized toothbrush driver comprising:
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a fork having a pair of spaced tines for supporting a span of floss therebetween, the fork being capable of coupling to the toothbrush driver, and a floss replacing system for automatically replacing the span of floss with fresh floss, wherein the fork and the floss replacing system are driven by the toothbrush driver.
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18. A method of providing an automated dental flosser comprising the steps of:
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coupling a flosser head to a motorized toothbrush driver, the flosser head having a fork with a pair of spaced tines for supporting a span of floss therebetween, the fork being driven in a reciprocating motion by the toothbrush driver; and providing a floss replacing system within the flosser head for automatically replacing the span of floss with fresh floss, the floss replacing system being driven by the toothbrush driver. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification