US3908677A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dental floss holder
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-12-12
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Granted: 1975-09-30
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Expires: 1994-12-12
Abstract
Abstract A strand of dental floss to be worked between interdental surfaces for dental hygiene is held under tension between the ends of a pair of forked prongs on a handle. A supply of dental floss to replenish the worked strand is wound on a spool that is removably attached by a catch pin inserted through a mounting hole in the handle. The point of the catch pin is split, to spread by spring action and catch on the rim of the mounting hole, locking it. In a first position of the catch pin the spool is locked against rotation and serves as anchor point for one end of the strand. In a second position of the catch pin the spool is free to rotate, permitting a fresh length of dental floss to be reeled off the spool. The catch pin is selectively shifted between the first and second positions by endwise forces applied by the thumb and forefinger on the head or point of the pin, respectively. A knife for cutting off spent dental floss is protectively recessed in the heel of the handle. To prepare the dental floss holder for use, the dental floss is strung from the locked spool along the outside of the near prong to and through an eyelet in the end of that prong, across the span between the ends of the prongs to and through an eyelet in the other prong, returning along the outside of that prong to the catch pin where the free end is anchored by winding between the head of the catch pin and the face of the spool. Excess dental floss is cut off by directing the strand across a notch in the heel of the handle, to encounter the blade of the protected knife.
Inventors
- 👤 Delore A Beach
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 16:25
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C15/00; A61C15/04; A61C15/046
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
502 words
A dental floss holder for use in dispensing and supporting a strand of dental floss under tension for cleaning the teeth, comprising the combination of the following elements: a body, being a flat elongate handle with a pair of equal forked prongs projecting longitudinally from one end thereof, with eyelets through the ends of the prongs for threading the strand of dental floss therethrough, the body having a cylindrical mounting hole therethrough at right angles to the plane of the handle and prongs, the location of the mounting hole being nearby the juncture of the prongs, the body having a mortise recessed in the upper surface thereof, the mortise being centered on the mounting hole; a spool, having a cylindrical barrel with equal circular end flanges, to carry a supply of dental floss wound thereon, the spool having a cylindrical axial hole, one flange having a tenon projecting from the outer circular face thereof, the tenon centered on the axial hole and having dimensions to fit receivably into the mortise of the body, with the axial hole aligned with the mounting hole and the tenon inserted in the mortise; a catch pin, for removable attachment of the spool to the body, the catch pin having a cylindrical shank of diameter to frictionally fit through both the axial hole of the spool and the mounting hole of the body when the spool is supermounted upon the body, the catch pin having a head at one end to limit the position of the spool, the head having a blunt conical surface adjacent to the plane surface of the spool flange, affording between the head and the spool a post for tethering the free end of the dental floss, the shank being of a length to protrude substantially beyond the lower surface of the body when fully inserted for attachment of the spool to the body, the point of the catch pin being split longitudinally into two equal legs, the legs being sprung apart to cause them to tend to expand in the mounting hole, the length of shank standing in the lower half of the mounting hole being necked down to the level of the rim of the mounting hole to afford latch shoulders; wherein full insertion of the catch pin through the spool and body results in expansion of the legs and catching of the latch shoulders on the rim of the mounting hole, securing the catch pin agaiNst extraction, maintaining the position of the tenon in the mortise to make the spool secure against rotation, and establishing the spool as an anchor point for the supply end of the dental floss; and wherein the catch pin may be unlatched by pinching and pushing the point into the mounting hole, the spool lifting concertedly on the shank to free the tenon from the mortise and permitting the spool to be rotated on the shank when the free end of the dental floss is pulled, to reel off a length of fresh dental floss.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
502 words
A dental floss holder for use in dispensing and supporting a strand of dental floss under tension for cleaning the teeth, comprising the combination of the following elements: a body, being a flat elongate handle with a pair of equal forked prongs projecting longitudinally from one end thereof, with eyelets through the ends of the prongs for threading the strand of dental floss therethrough, the body having a cylindrical mounting hole therethrough at right angles to the plane of the handle and prongs, the location of the mounting hole being nearby the juncture of the prongs, the body having a mortise recessed in the upper surface thereof, the mortise being centered on the mounting hole; a spool, having a cylindrical barrel with equal circular end flanges, to carry a supply of dental floss wound thereon, the spool having a cylindrical axial hole, one flange having a tenon projecting from the outer circular face thereof, the tenon centered on the axial hole and having dimensions to fit receivably into the mortise of the body, with the axial hole aligned with the mounting hole and the tenon inserted in the mortise; a catch pin, for removable attachment of the spool to the body, the catch pin having a cylindrical shank of diameter to frictionally fit through both the axial hole of the spool and the mounting hole of the body when the spool is supermounted upon the body, the catch pin having a head at one end to limit the position of the spool, the head having a blunt conical surface adjacent to the plane surface of the spool flange, affording between the head and the spool a post for tethering the free end of the dental floss, the shank being of a length to protrude substantially beyond the lower surface of the body when fully inserted for attachment of the spool to the body, the point of the catch pin being split longitudinally into two equal legs, the legs being sprung apart to cause them to tend to expand in the mounting hole, the length of shank standing in the lower half of the mounting hole being necked down to the level of the rim of the mounting hole to afford latch shoulders; wherein full insertion of the catch pin through the spool and body results in expansion of the legs and catching of the latch shoulders on the rim of the mounting hole, securing the catch pin agaiNst extraction, maintaining the position of the tenon in the mortise to make the spool secure against rotation, and establishing the spool as an anchor point for the supply end of the dental floss; and wherein the catch pin may be unlatched by pinching and pushing the point into the mounting hole, the spool lifting concertedly on the shank to free the tenon from the mortise and permitting the spool to be rotated on the shank when the free end of the dental floss is pulled, to reel off a length of fresh dental floss.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
119 words
A dental floss holder as described in claim 1, provided with a dental floss knife, comprising: a knife blade, being a steel rectangle with one cutting edge, the knife blade being completely recessed and fixed in a kerf lying parallel with the flat upper surface of the body, the cutting edge outward of and parallel with the heel end of the handle, and a notch in the end of the handle at mid-line, cut at right angles to the flat surface of the body to give access to a small mid-length of the cutting edge; wherein the used or excess dental floss hanging from the tether post may be led through the notch and severed by the cutting edge.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-29 | 1979-03-31 | 1979-09-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-29 | 1983-03-31 | 1983-09-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-29 | 1987-03-31 | 1987-09-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |