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US 2018/0279764 A1Published application
Combination toothbrush and dental floss dispenser
OwnerGerald Hillinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dental hygiene device includes a toothbrush and a dental floss dispenser. The dental floss is stored in the handle of the dental hygiene device and is wound without a spool to decrease the diameter of the handle and allow the handle to fit within a conventional toothbrush holder. The dental hygiene device can also be used to aid in flossing, eliminating the need to use insert two fingers into a user's mouth in order to floss. After flossing, the floss can be severed by using a floss cutter disposed on the handle of the device.
Claims17
A dental hygiene device comprising:
- (a) a brush head portion comprising a proximal brush head end and a distal brush head end including a brush head having bristles;
- (b) a floss dispenser portion comprising a proximal floss dispenser end and a distal floss dispenser end disposed adjacent to the proximal brush head end;
- (c) a hollow section disposed within the floss dispenser portion that extends essentially the entire length of the floss dispenser portion;
- (d) a wound coil of floss disposed within the hollow section;
- (e) an end cap portion attached to the proximal floss dispenser end, the end cap portion including an end cap shaped, positioned, and oriented to cover the hollow section;
- (f) a circumferential groove extending at least partially around the outer diameter of the end cap portion;
- (g) a longitudinal groove extending at least partially through a proximal end of the end cap portion;
- and
- (h) an aperture extending through the proximal end of the end cap portion, the aperture being in communication with the hollow section.
- wherein the communication between the aperture and the hollow section creates a passage through which a length of dental floss may extend.
7 more elements
A method of providing oral care, comprising:
- (a) providing an dental hygiene device, comprising:
- (i) a brush head portion comprising a proximal brush end and a distal brush head end including bristles;
- (ii) a floss dispenser portion comprising a proximal floss dispenser end and a distal floss dispenser end disposed adjacent to the proximal brush head end;
- (iii) a hollow section disposed within the floss dispenser portion that extends the entire length of the floss dispenser portion;
- (iv) a wound coil of floss disposed within the hollow section;
- (v) an end cap portion attached to the proximal floss dispenser end shaped, positioned, and oriented to cover the hollow section;
- (vi) a circumferential groove extending at least partially through the outer diameter of the end cap portion;
- (vii) a longitudinal groove extending at least partially through a proximate end of the end cap portion;
- and
- (viii) an aperture extending through the proximal end of the end cap portion;
- (b) pulling a floss payout end of the wound coil of floss, the floss payout end extending through the aperture until a length of floss reaches a length suitable to permit access to floss;
- (c) securing the floss payout end to the end cap portion by guiding the length of floss proximal to the floss payout end through the longitudinal groove and the circumferential groove to create a secured end of the length of floss;
- (d) pulling the floss payout end to create tension in the secured length of floss;
- and
- (e) inserting the secured length of floss between two teeth to clean a space between the two teeth.
12 more elements
A dental hygiene device comprising:
- (a) a brush head portion comprising a proximal brush head end and a distal brush head end including a brush head having bristles;
- (b) a floss dispenser portion comprising a proximal floss dispenser end and a distal floss dispenser end disposed adjacent to the proximal brush head end;
- (c) a hollow section disposed within the floss dispenser portion that extends essentially the entire length of the floss dispenser portion;
- (d) a wound coil of floss disposed within the hollow section;
- (e) an end cap portion attached to the proximal floss dispenser end, the end cap portion including an end cap shaped, positioned, and oriented to cover the hollow section;
- (f) a circumferential groove extending at least partially around the outer diameter of the end cap portion;
- and
- (g) an aperture extending through the circumferential groove, the aperture being in communication with the hollow section;
- wherein the communication between the aperture and the hollow section creates a passage through which a length of dental floss may extend.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.