초록 ▼

A flossing device (10) having a body (12) comprising a handle portion (26) and a barrel portion (28) terminating in a pair of spaced prongs (16, 18). A spool of floss (24) is mounted on the body (12), and is threaded about the body (12) in a plurality of grooves (70, 72, 74, 76) such that a length o

A flossing device (10) having a body (12) comprising a handle portion (26) and a barrel portion (28) terminating in a pair of spaced prongs (16, 18). A spool of floss (24) is mounted on the body (12), and is threaded about the body (12) in a plurality of grooves (70, 72, 74, 76) such that a length of floss (80) for flossing the teeth extends across the space between the prongs (16, 18). A trigger mechanism (20) operable by the same hand used to grasp the device (10) pinches the floss for tensioning the length (80) in one position and releases the floss for advancement to expose a new, clean length of floss (80) in a second position. The trigger mechanism (20) is moveable to a position wherein all soiled surfaces are fully exposed for cleaning.

대표청구항 ▼

A flossing device comprising: a body having a handle portion dimensioned for grasping by one hand of the user, and a barrel portion having a rear end extending from one end of said handle portion, the free end of said barrel portion comprising a pair of prongs defining a space therebetween; means fo

A flossing device comprising: a body having a handle portion dimensioned for grasping by one hand of the user, and a barrel portion having a rear end extending from one end of said handle portion, the free end of said barrel portion comprising a pair of prongs defining a space therebetween; means for securing a spool of floss to said body for rotation relative thereto; said body defining a path for said floss from said securing means, over a surface portion of said body, across said space between said prongs, and back over said body surface portion, said body having a vertically extending bore therethrough at the rear end of said barrel portion and adjacent said surface portion; a trigger member disposed in said bore, said trigger member including a portion defining a trigger surface, an upper part protruding through the upper end of said bore, and a lower part protruding through the lower end of said bore; and means for securing said trigger member to said body for movement between a first position wherein said trigger surface contacts said body surface portion for securing both lengths of floss passing over said body surface portion against movement thereby tensioning the floss extending across said space between said prongs, and a second position wherein said trigger surface is spaced from said body surface portion for accommodating advancement of said floss for disposing a clean length of floss across said space by pulling on the free floss end with the other hand, said trigger member being movable between said two positions by pushing on the upper and lower parts of said trigger member, the positioning of said bore at the rear end of said barrel acommodating use of the thumb of said user\s one hand for pushing on the upper part of said trigger member and the use of another finger on said user\s one hand for pushing on the lower part of said trigger member, said trigger member thereby being movable between said two positions by the fingers of said user\s one hand while said one hand is simultaneously holding said flossing device by grasping said handle portion.