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US 12,690,956 B2Granted
Dental flosser with floss tensioner
OwnerRichard P. Bushmaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dental flosser includes a handle, a floss support coupled to the handle, a floss dispensing spool coupled to the handle, a floss collecting spool coupled to the handle, a thumbwheel coupled to the handle, and a spool brake coupled to the handle. The spool brake is configured to move between a first position where the spool brake prevents rotation of the floss dispensing spool and/or the floss collecting spool and a second position where the spool brake allows rotation of the floss dispensing spool and/or the floss collecting spool. The spool brake includes a release arm accessible from an exterior of the dental flosser and configured to move the spool brake between the first position and the second position.
Claims23
A dental flosser comprising:
- a handle;
- a floss support coupled to the handle, the floss support including a first projection having a first tip and a second projection having a second tip, the first tip and the second tip being spaced apart in a fixed relationship;
- a floss dispensing spool coupled to the handle;
- a floss collecting spool coupled to the handle;
- a thumbwheel coupled to the handle, the thumbwheel being configured to rotate the floss collecting spool and cause floss to move from the floss dispensing spool, across the first tip and the second tip, and onto the floss collecting spool;
- and
- a spool brake coupled to the handle, the spool brake being configured to move between a first position where the spool brake prevents rotation of the floss dispensing spool and/or the floss collecting spool and a second position where the spool brake allows rotation of the floss dispensing spool and/or the floss collecting spool;
- wherein the spool brake includes a release arm accessible from an exterior of the dental flosser, the release arm being configured to move the spool brake between the first position and the second position;
- and
- wherein the spool brake includes a brake pad structured and positioned to apply a compression force to resist rotation of the floss dispensing spool.
7 more elements
A dental flosser comprising:
- a handle;
- a floss support coupled to the handle, the floss support including a first projection having a first tip and a second projection having a second tip, the first tip and the second tip being spaced apart in a fixed relationship;
- a floss dispensing spindle rotatably coupled to the handle;
- a floss collecting spindle rotatably coupled to the handle;
- a thumbwheel coupled to the floss collecting spindle, the thumbwheel being configured to rotate the floss collecting spindle and cause floss to move from the floss dispensing spindle, across the first tip and the second tip, and to the floss collecting spindle;
- and
- a spool brake coupled to the handle, the spool brake being configured to move between a first position where the spool brake prevents rotation of the floss dispensing spindle and/or the floss collecting spindle and a second position where the spool brake allows rotation of the floss dispensing spindle and/or the floss collecting spindle;
- wherein the spool brake includes a release arm accessible from an exterior of the dental flosser, the release arm being configured to move the spool brake between the first position and the second position.
5 more elements
A dental flosser comprising:
- a handle;
- a floss support coupled to the handle, the floss support including a first projection having a first tip and a second projection having a second tip, the first tip and the second tip being spaced apart in a fixed relationship;
- a floss dispensing spool coupled to the handle;
- a floss collecting spool coupled to the handle;
- a thumbwheel coupled to the handle, the thumbwheel being configured to rotate the floss collecting spool and cause floss to move from the floss dispensing spool, across the first tip and the second tip, and onto the floss collecting spool;
- and
- a spool brake coupled to the handle, the spool brake being configured to move between a first position where the spool brake prevents rotation of the floss dispensing spool and/or the floss collecting spool and a second position where the spool brake allows rotation of the floss dispensing spool and/or the floss collecting spool;
- wherein the spool brake includes a release arm accessible from an exterior of the dental flosser, the release arm being configured to move the spool brake between the first position and the second position;
- and
- wherein the thumbwheel and the release arm extend through a single opening in the handle.
7 more elements
A dental flosser comprising:
- a handle;
- a floss support coupled to the handle, the floss support including a first projection having a first tip and a second projection having a second tip, the first tip and the second tip being spaced apart in a fixed relationship;
- a floss dispensing spool coupled to the handle;
- a dispensing gear coupled to the handle coaxially with the floss dispensing spool;
- a floss collecting spool coupled to the handle;
- a collecting gear coupled to the handle coaxially with the floss collecting spool;
- a thumbwheel coupled to the handle, the thumbwheel being configured to rotate the floss collecting spool and cause floss to move from the floss dispensing spool, across the first tip and the second tip, and onto the floss collecting spool;
- and
- a spool brake coupled to the handle, the spool brake being configured to move between a first position where the spool brake prevents rotation of the floss dispensing spool and/or the floss collecting spool and a second position where the spool brake allows rotation of the floss dispensing spool and/or the floss collecting spool;
- wherein the spool brake includes a release arm accessible from an exterior of the dental flosser, the release arm being configured to move the spool brake between the first position and the second position;
- and
- wherein the spool brake is a single component configured to engage both the dispensing gear and the collecting gear when the spool brake is in the first position.
9 more elements
A dental flosser comprising:
- a handle;
- a floss support coupled to the handle, the floss support including a first projection having a first tip and a second projection having a second tip, the first tip and the second tip being spaced apart in a fixed relationship;
- a floss dispensing spindle rotatably coupled to the handle;
- a floss collecting spindle rotatably coupled to the handle;
- a thumbwheel coupled to the floss collecting spindle, the thumbwheel being configured to rotate the floss collecting spindle and cause floss to move from the floss dispensing spindle, across the first tip and the second tip, and to the floss collecting spindle;
- and
- a spool brake coupled to the handle, the spool brake being configured to move between a first position where the spool brake prevents rotation of the floss dispensing spindle and/or the floss collecting spindle and a second position where the spool brake allows rotation of the floss dispensing spindle and/or the floss collecting spindle;
- wherein the spool brake includes a release arm accessible from an exterior of the dental flosser, the release arm being configured to move the spool brake between the first position and the second position;
- wherein the spool brake includes a brake pad positioned to contact and resist rotation of the floss dispensing spindle;
- and
- wherein the brake pad is configured to apply a compression force to the floss dispensing spindle when the spool brake is in the first position.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.