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Dental flossing device

  • US 5,855,216 A
  • Filed: 10/09/1997
  • Issued: 01/05/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for cleaning the surfaces of teeth in a human mouth, comprising:

  • a flexible, resilient central flossing filament including a base portion, a free-end portion, and an elongated intermediate portion located between said central filament base portion and said central filament free-end portion;

    a plurality of flexible side flossing filaments, each having an attachment end portion fixedly attached to said central filament intermediate portion, a free-end portion and an elongated intermediate portion located between said side filament attachment portion and said side filament free-end portion;

    said central filament intermediate and free-end portions, with said side flossing filaments attached thereto, being sized to be received between adjacent teeth without traversing any contact areas between the adjacent teeth from at least the front of the mouth, said central filament intermediate portion being composed of a material having sufficient flexibility and resiliency to effect a first flossing action between the adjacent teeth without damage to the teeth by imparting a first flossing motion to said central filament intermediate portion, said central filament intermediate portion extending along a longitudinal extension line when not moving, said central flossing filament having sufficient stiffness to be self-supporting and support said side flossing filament without significant bending;

    said side flossing filaments being attached at spaced apart locations along said central filament intermediate portion to be at positions between the adjacent teeth and adjacent to at least one of a forward surface and a rearward surface of the adjacent teeth when said central filament intermediate portion is received between the adjacent teeth;

    said side filament intermediate portions being composed of a material having sufficient flexibility to effect a second flossing action between the adjacent teeth and at one of said forward surface and said rearward surface of the adjacent teeth by imparting a second flossing motion to said side flossing filaments;

    a motive source; and

    a coupling connecting said central filament base portion to said motive source and moving said central filament intermediate portion among a plurality of positions substantially out of alignment with said longitudinal line to impart said first flossing motion to said central filament intermediate portion and said second flossing motion to said side flossing filaments.

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