Electronic flossing device comprising disposable flossing cartridge
OwnerMary C. Marcellainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dental flossing device that allows for simplifying the process of flossing by providing a removable flossing cartridge that includes a distribution reel containing clean, unused, flossing material, and a take-up reel which will eventually contain used flossing material, such that a clean flossing material may be used to clean teeth while preventing used flossing material from being repeatedly used. In addition, the collection of the used flossing material within the cartridge prevents the user from coming into contact with bacteria that may be collected on the used flossing material.
Claims16
A dental flossing device comprising:
- a housing;
- a cartridge space;
- and
- a power source;
- a neck assembly extending from said housing,
- a flossing cartridge removably insertable into said cartridge space, said flossing cartridge comprising:
- a cartridge housing comprising:
- a distribution reel configured to:
- contain a length of flossing material,
- a take-up reel configured to:
- collect said flossing material;
- and
- a cartridge neck assembly extending from said cartridge housing, said cartridge neck assembly comprising:
- a first tine;
- and
- a second tine spaced apart a known distance, wherein said flossing material extends through said cartridge neck assembly from said distribution reel toward said first tine and extends from said second tine toward said take-up reel;
- a motor assembly configured to:
- receive power from said power source;
- and
- cause movement of said distribution reel to distribute said flossing material and of said take-up reel to collect said flossing material.
A dental flossing device comprising:
- a housing comprising:
- a cartridge space,
- a power source;
- a flossing cartridge comprising:
- a cartridge housing comprising:
- a distribution reel containing a known length of flossing material, said distribution reel configured to:
- distribute said flossing material;
- a take-up reel configured to collect said flossing material,
- a tine assembly comprising:
- a first tine;
- and
- a second tine, wherein said flossing material is held between said first tine and said second tine;
- and
- a motor assembly contained within said cartridge housing, said motor assembly configured to:
- receive power from said power source;
- extend said tine assembly;
- and
- cause movement of said distribution reel to distribute said flossing material and of said take-up reel to collect said flossing material;
- and wherein a spacing between said first tine and said second tine decreases as said tine assembly contracts into said cartridge housing.
A dental flossing cartridge comprising:
- a housing containing therein:
- a distribution reel including a known length of flossing material, wherein said distribution reel is configured to:
- distribute said flossing material;
- a take-up reel configured to:
- collect said flossing material, wherein said distribution reel and said take-up reel operate in the same or opposite directions;
- a retaining assembly configured to:
- retain at least one of said distribution reel and said take-up reel in a desired position;
- and
- a tine assembly comprising:
- a first tine;
- and
- a second tine, wherein said flossing material is slidably attachable to said first tine and said second tine;
- wherein said tine assembly is extendable from said housing and contractable into said housing;
- and
- a motor assembly contained within said housing, said motor assembly configured to:
- cause movement of said distribution reel and said take-up reel;
- and
- extend said tine assembly from said housing and contract said tine assembly into said housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.