Motor-driven apparatus for the mechanical cleaning of the interdental spaces by dental floss

• US 6,526,994 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Giovanni Santoro
• Original Assignee: Giovanni Santoro
• Inventors: Santoro, Giovanni
• Primary Examiner(s): WEHNER, CARY ELLEN
• Application Number:
  US09/889,622
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 132/322, 132/324, 132/325
• US Class Current: 132/322
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/047 power-driven

Abstract

An apparatus for the mechanical cleaning of the interdental spaces by dental floss comprising an outer holder containing a delivery reel of the fresh dental floss and a take-up reel of the worn-out dental floss, a drive mechanism for reciprocating the operating length of the dental floss between the arms of a fork to be positioned within the mouth in the interdental spaces, and a mechanism provided with friction device for rotating the delivery and take-up reels as well as the driving wheels transmitting the movement of the drive mechanism to the delivery and take-up reels, an outside case including the drive mechanism for the above-mentioned reciprocation and the power supply battery, a support base for two holders and a drive case carrying an induction coil for recharging the battery and including two sockets for holders.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the mechanical cleaning of the interdental spaces by dental floss comprising an outer holder containing a delivery reel of the fresh dental floss and a take-up reel of the worn-out dental floss, drive means for reciprocating the operating length of the dental floss between the arms of a fork to be positioned within the mouth in the interdental spaces, and means provided with friction device and including a bevel gear pair for rotating the delivery and take-up reels as well as driving gear wheels for transmitting the movement of the drive means to the delivery and take-up reels, an outside case including the drive means for the above-mentioned reciprocation and a power supply battery, a support base for the rest and battery recharge positions of the holder and the drive case, respectively, also including one or more sockets for spare holders, said drive means including a connecting rod reciprocated by said bevel gear pair, characterized in that the apparatus includes two small wheels for the reciprocation of the operating length of the dental floss operating together with similar small wheels located in said case, the two smaller wheels being disposed side by side on said connecting rod in order to avoid any possible contact of bacterial contamination between the length of fresh dental floss and the length of worn-out dental floss which are kept separated.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the difference of angular speed between said delivery reel of fresh dental floss and said take-up reel of worn-out dental floss causes a traction ensuring the requested slow, continuous replacement of the operating length of the dental floss while it is used.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said take-up reel of the worn-out dental floss, supported by a double-toothed gear wheel and rotating at an angular speed greater than that of the gear wheel driving the delivery reel of the fresh dental floss, is rotated through a friction device slipping by friction.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said friction device includes a shaft with polygonal end which is integral with said double-toothed gear wheel so as to rotate at the same speed, a sleeve forming the body of said reel and having a lower flange and an upper flange, and a circular cap provided with a central opening having a shape complementary to said end of the shaft so that it is keyed thereon, and with several arms having a sunburst arrangement and such a shape as to surround said flange and to hold it tightly by a sufficient force to allow a relative rotation by friction and to produce a slow motion by friction.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a felt pad is placed within each said arm of said fork through which the dental floss slides tightly like a “

sandwich”

at the entrance and at the output of the apparatus upstream and downstream of said operating length of the dental floss in order to prevent liquids from entering the apparatus.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said battery inside said case is charged by induction through a plate beneath the portion of the base to surface free of corners or recesses bearing said case under rest condition, the corresponding wall of the outside shell of said case bearing on said portion of the base surface, the battery being charged by an electronic card through said induction plate.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dental floss includes head and tail length, said head and tail lengths of the dental floss in the delivery reel having different colours in order to ensure that it has not still been used and to warn that it is about to finish, respectively.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said dental floss, upon entering the apparatus, crosses a chamber containing a bactericidal, antifermentative gel.