GB2237203A

GB2237203A - Dental floss appliance

Info

Publication number: GB2237203A
Application number: GB8923974A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Anthony Ridley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-10-25
Filing date: 1989-10-25
Publication date: 1991-05-01
Also published as: GB8923974D0

Abstract

A dental floss appliance has a projecting arm 10 carrying a yoke (12) with guides through which floss is passed to bridge the yoke to be held under tension. An anchorage for the floss (eg clamping pads 24) is incorporated in a handle 20 of the appliance whereby the floss passing to and/or from the yoke can be held under tension when the handle is gripped by a user. <IMAGE>

Description

DENTAL FLOSS APPLIANCE The invention relates to an appliance for using dental floss.

Dental floss is often difficult to insert between the teeth since a user must hold one end of a length of floss within his mouth while holding the other end taught. Dental floss appliances are known but these are usually throw-away items comprising a plastic arm having at one end two fingers between which a short length of dental floss is permanently secured. Once the floss becomes soiled the appliance is useless.

According to the present invention, I propose an appliance preferably incorporating a dental floss dispenser, and comprising a floss guide on a projecting arm for insertion in the mouth and an anchorage for releasably securing the floss upstream of the guide so enabling the floss to be held under tension from the free end thereof.

In a preferred embodiment, the end of the arm is in the form of a yoke each branch of which has a guide such as an eye, through which the floss passes to bridge the yoke.

The anchorage is in the form of a releasable clamp forming part of the handle and through which the floss passes from the dispenser to the guide.When the handle is gripped by the user the clamp is closed enabling the length of floss passing through the guides to be held under tension. Clean floss can be withdrawn from the dispenser when required by releasing the clamp.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of an appliance for using dental floss; and Figure 2 is a side view of the appliance shown in Figure 1.

The appliance shown in the Figures is moulded in a single piece from plastics material and includes a projecting arm 10 which branches at its free end to form a yoke 12. Each branch 14 of the yoke is formed with an eye through which dental floss 16 is threaded to bridge the yoke as illustraed.

The floss is dispensed from the reel 18 mounted in the handle 20 of the appliance and passes through a clamp 22 formed by two clamping pads 24, one of which is fixed to a hinged portion 26 of the handle 20. In use, when the handle is gripped by the user, the clamping pads are pressed together so securing the floss. Each pad 24 has a serrated (as shown), undulating or otherwise uneven or roughened surface to avoid slip when the free end 26 of the floss is held tight.

In the illustrated embodiment it is intended that the free end 26 is held in the user's other hand, outside the mouth but, it may, if desired, be passed back through the clamp 22 or to another clamp or other suitable restraint provided for the purpose.

The appliance of the present invention hence facilitates insertion of the floss between the teeth and enables ready replacement of soiled lengths of floss. If desired, a floss cutter 28 may be provided on the arm.

Instead of the two clamping pads 24 used in the illustrated embodiment, the anchorage may comprise a single uneven or roughened surface conveniently positioned such that the floss may be held thereon by the thumb or finger

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. An appliance for using dental floss comprising floss guide means on a projecting arm for insertion in the mouth and an anchorage for releasably securing the floss so enabling the floss to be held under tension.
2. An appliance according to claim 1 incorporating as adapted to receive a dental floss dispenser.
3. An appliance according to claim 1 or claim 2 and comprising a yoke on the arm, each arm of the yoke having a guide through which, in use, floss is passed to bridge the yoke.
4. An appliance according to any preceding claim wherein the anchorage comprises a releasable floss clamp.
5. An appliance according to any preceding claim wherein a handle for the appliance comprises a releasable clamp arranged such that the clamp is gripped when the handle is gripped by a user.
6. An appliance according to claim 5 wherein the clamp comprises two relatively movable pads one pad being carried by a hinged portion of the handle whereby the pads are pressed together to secure floss passing therebetween when the handle is gripped.
7. An appliance for using dental floss constructed and arranged substantially as herein before described with reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings