..1. A device for cleaning teeth comprising
- a handle containing a motor which rotates an eccentric counterweight thereby producing vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 Hertz, and
- a floss-holding member comprising a pair of tines for holding a strand of floss therebetween, the floss-holding member being attached to the handle to allow the vibrational energy produced by the motor to be transmitted to the floss-holding member to cause the floss-holding member to move and thereby the strand of floss to move..!...2. The device of claim 1 wherein the frequency of the vibrational energy is between 8,000 and 17,000
- Hertz..!.3. ..The device of claim 1.!. A device for cleaning teeth comprising
- a handle containing a motor which rotates an eccentric counterweight thereby producing vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 cpm, and
- a floss-holding member comprising a pair of tines for holding a strand of floss therebetween, the floss-holding member being attached to the handle to allow the vibrational energy produced by the motor to be transmitted to the floss-holding member to cause the floss-holding member to move and thereby the strand of floss to move, wherein the frequency of the vibrational energy induces a resonance action in the floss-holding member to cause the floss to move. ..4. The device of claim 1 wherein the floss-holding member is detachable from the handle and wherein the device includes a different dental cleaning tool which is attachable to the handle in place of the floss-holding member..!...5. The device of claim 4 wherein the different dental cleaning tool comprises a
- toothbrush..!.6. The device of claim ..5.!. 3 wherein the floss-holding member is detachable from the handle and wherein the device includes a toothbrush which is attachable to the handle in place of the floss-holding member and wherein the frequency of the vibrational energy induces a resonance action in the toothbrush to cause the toothbrush to move. ..7. The device of claim 4 wherein the different dental cleaning tool comprises a toothpick-like instrument..!...8. The device of claim 7 wherein the frequency of the vibrational energy induces a resonance action in the toothpick-like instrument to cause the toothpick-like instrument to move..!...9. A method of cleaning tooth surfaces comprising the steps of
- (a) attaching dental floss to a floss-holding member,
- (b) inserting the dental floss between two teeth, and
- (c) inducing movement in the floss-holding member through rotating an eccentric counterweight thereby producing vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 Hertz for directly causing the dental floss to move between the two teeth..!...10. The method of claim 9 comprising the further steps of
- (a) removing the floss holding member,
- (b) attaching a toothbrush member, and
- (c) inducing movement in the toothbrush member through rotating an eccentric counterweight thereby producing vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 Hertz for directly causing the toothbrush member to move..!...11. The method of claim 9 comprising the further steps of
- (a) removing the floss holding member,
- (b) attaching a toothbrush member, and
- (c) inducing movement in the toothpick member through rotating an eccentric counterweight thereby producing vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 Hertz for directly causing the toothbrush member to move..!...12. A device for cleaning teeth comprising
- a handle containing an eccentric counterweight attached to a motor for rotating the counterweight and producing vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 Hertz, and
- a floss-holding member comprising a pair of tines for holding a strand of floss therebetween, the floss-holding member being detachably attached to the handle for allowing the vibrational energy produced by the counterweight to induce a resonance action in the floss-holding member for moving the strand of floss..!...13. The device of claim 12 wherein a different dental cleaning tool may be attached to the handle in place of the floss-holding member..!...14. The device of claim 12 wherein a different dental cleaning tool comprises a toothbrush member..!...15. The device of claim 14 wherein the frequency of the vibrational energy induces a resonance action in the toothbrush member to cause the toothbrush member to move..!...16. The device of claim 13 wherein the different dental cleaning tool comprises a toothpick member..!...17. The device of claim 16 wherein the frequency of the vibrational energy induces a resonance action in the toothpick member to cause the toothpick member to move..!...18. A device for cleaning teeth comprising
- a handle containing an eccentric counterweight attached to a motor for rotating the counterweight and producing vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 Hertz,
- a power supply for energizing the motor, and
- a floss-holding member comprising a pair of tines for holding a strand of floss therebetween, the floss-holding member being detachably attached to the handle for allowing the vibrational energy produced by the motor to be transmitted to the floss-holding member to cause the floss-holding member to move and thereby the strands of floss to move..!...19. The device of claim 18 further including a different dental cleaning tool which is attachable to the handle in place of the floss-holding member..!...20. The device of claim 19 wherein the different dental cleaning tool
- comprises a toothbrush member..!.21. ..The device of claim 20.!. A device for cleaning teeth comprising
- a handle containing an eccentric counterweight attached to a motor for rotating the counterweight and producing vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 cpm,
- a power supply for energizing the motor, and
- a floss-holding member comprising a pair of tines for holding a strand of floss therebetween, the floss-holding member being detachably attached to the handle for allowing the vibrational energy produced by the motor to be transmitted to the floss-holding member to cause the floss-holding member to move and thereby the strand of floss to move,
- further including a different dental cleaning tool which is attachable to the handle in place of the floss-holding member,
- wherein the different dental cleaning tool comprises a toothbrush member,
- wherein the frequency of the vibrational energy induces a resonance action in the toothbrush member to cause the toothbrush member to move, wherein the frequency of the vibrational energy induces a resonance action in the toothbrush member to cause the toothbrush member to move. ..22. The device of claim 19 wherein the different dental cleaning tool comprises a toothpick member..!...23. The device of claim 22 wherein the frequency of the vibrational energy induces a resonance action in the toothpick member to cause the toothpick member to move..!...24. A method of cleaning tooth surfaces comprising the steps of
- (a) removably attaching a floss-holding member to a handle containing an eccentric counterweight attached to a motor for rotating the counterweight,
- (b) attaching dental floss to the floss-holding member,
- (c) inserting the dental floss between the teeth,
- (d) inducing movement in the floss-holding member through rotating the eccentric counterweight thereby producing vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 Hertz for directly causing the dental floss to move between the teeth, and
- (e) attaching a different dental cleaning tool to the handle in place of
- the floss-holding member..!...25. A method of cleaning tooth surfaces comprising the steps of
- (a) removably attaching a floss-holding member to a handle containing an eccentric counterweight attached to a motor for rotating the counterweight,
- (b) attaching dental floss to the floss-holding member,
- (c) inserting the dental floss between teeth,
- (d) inducing movement in the floss-holding member through rotating the eccentric counterweight thereby producing vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 Hertz for inducing resonance action in the floss-holding member for causing the dental floss to move between the teeth, and
- (e) attaching a different dental cleaning tool to the handle in place of
- the floss-holding member..!.26. A method of cleaning tooth surfaces comprising the steps of
- (a) attaching dental floss to a floss-holding member,
- (b) inserting the dental floss between two teeth, and
- (c) inducing movement in the floss-holding member thereby producing vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 ..Hertz.!. cpm for inducing resonance action in the floss-holding
- member which causes the dental floss to move between the two teeth. 27. The method of claim 26 comprising the further steps of
- (a) removing the floss holding member,
- (b) attaching a toothbrush member, and
- (c) inducing movement in the toothbrush member through rotating an eccentric counterweight thereby producing vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 ..Hertz.!. cpm for inducing resonance action in the toothbrush member for causing the
- toothbrush member to move. 28. The method of claim 26 comprising the further steps of
- (a) removing the floss holding member,
- (b) attaching a toothpick member, and
- (c) inducing movement in the toothpick member through rotating an eccentric counterweight thereby producing a vibrational energy in frequencies between 2,000 and 20,000 ..Hertz.!. cpm for inducing resonance action in the toothpick member for causing the toothpick member to move.