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US 2012/0266904 A1Published application
Ultrasonic manipulator of dental floss and method for operating the same
OwnerRoss E. Aronsoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultrasonic manipulator of dental floss is provided with an ultrasonic mechanism and a floss creep controller mechanism to enable periodic floss creep during use and a reverse of creep upon a tension designation. A process controller controls floss driving and an eccentric mechanism, and a user pause function allows a stop of floss motion and a locking of drive motors to allow floss to resist undue stress and to minimize damage to drive mechanism.
Claims7
A method for operating an ultrasonic manipulator of dental floss, said method comprising the steps of:
- initiating a process controller function for operative interaction of a computerized process controller;
- monitoring a tension of said dental floss operatively coupled between a dispensing reel and a take-up reel;
- verifying said tension is within a predetermined desired tension range;
- operating a creep motor drive in a first direction to dispense said dental floss along a floss path in said first direction;
- operating an eccentric system operatively coupled with said ultra sonic manipulator to provide an ultrasonic manipulation of said dental floss during a use thereof;
- and
- operating said computerized process controller to conduct at least the following steps:
- (a) a creeping said dental floss in said first direction;
- (b) a monitoring said tension;
- and
- (c) an operating said creep motor drive in a second direction opposite to said first direction to retract said dental floss along said floss path in said second direction when said tension exceeds said predetermined desired tension range.
8 more elements
An automated floss dispenser system, comprising:
- a housing extending along a longitudinal axis;
- an eccentric mechanism operative to provide an ultrasonic energy to a portion of said housing proximate a fork-shaped distal end;
- a floss-dispensing drive operative to advance a floss and including respective dispensing and take-up reels mounted in the housing, the floss advancing along a path extending between the reels through spaced ends of the fork-shaped distal end;
- and
- a controller controlling the dispensing drive so that the reels are reciprocally rotated about respective parallel reel axes, which extend transversely to the longitudinal axis, to net transfer the floss from the dispensing reel to the take-up reel during a use thereof.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.