US 5,174,314 AGranted

Oral hygiene device

OwnerNorman Charataninventor

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Abstract

An oral hygiene device employs a hollow plastic tube sealed at both ends. At least one area along the length of the tube is weakened and has its diameter in the weakened area reduced, but not reduced to zero diameter. A length of fiber, such as conventional dental floss well known as a tooth cleaning material is stored within the length of the tube comprising the housing and has each of the free ends secured to a bulk of rigid material whose size does not permit the fibrous material from being able to escape the narrow diameter area. In use, a user bends the unbroken tubing housing to a point that the tubing breaks into at least two pieces, allowing the fibrous flossing material to be positioned intermediate the separated portions of the tubing, which are now free to act as handles. After its use, the fibrous material and the two handles may be discarded. In its use the fibrous material is kept clean until it is used and virtually an unlimited force may be placed on the handles and the fibrous material in its cleaning use without separation or breakage.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A tooth cleaning device comprising:

a housing having at least one section including a first hollow interior cavity of a predetermined diameter and a first orifice with a predetermined diameter less than said diameter of said first interior cavity, said first orifice communicating with said first interior cavity;
a length of floss material extending through said first orifice and having at least a first and a second, movable free end, said first, movable free end located inside said first interior cavity;
a first stop means connected to said first, movable free end and having a diameter larger than the diameter of said first orifice;
a second section of said housing having a second hollow interior cavity therein of a predetermined diameter and a second orifice with a predetermined diameter less than said diameter of said second hollow interior cavity, said second orifice communicating with said second interior cavity;
and,
a second stop means connected to said second, movable free end and having a diameter larger than the diameter of said second orifice, said second stop means and said second, movable free end located within said second hollow interior cavity,
wherein said first stop means prevents said floss material from being completely withdrawn from said first interior cavity through said first orifice and said second stop means prevents said floss material from being completely withdrawn from said second interior cavity through said second orifice.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.