Patent ID: 8006709
Filing Date: 2011-08-30
Classification: A61C

Abstract:
1. A combined toothpaste container and dental floss cap for selectively dispensing predetermined quantities of toothpaste and dental floss respectively, said combined toothpaste container and dental floss cap comprising: a toothpaste container having a predetermined volume of toothpaste housed therein; a cap removably coupled to said toothpaste container, said cap having a hollow chamber formed therein and further having an outlet orifice formed in fluid communication with said hollow chamber; and means for contemporaneously dispensing dental floss away from said outlet orifice and notifying a user when the dental floss is approaching depletion; wherein said contemporaneous dental floss dispensing and notifying means is visible from an exterior of said cap; wherein said contemporaneous dental floss dispensing and notifying means comprises a rectilinear worm shaft removably seated inside said hollow chamber and having an axially oriented cavity formed therein, said worm shaft further having a threaded outer surface; a rectilinear actuating rod having a primary arm rotatably interfitted within said axially oriented cavity, said actuating rod further having a pair of guide arms extending parallel to said worm shaft, said guide arms being situated apart from said worm shaft and traveling parallel to said primary arm respectively such that said guide arms freely slide along corresponding linear paths defined through said cap respectively; and a spool rotatably affixed about said worm shaft and mated with said guide arms respectively, said spool being suitably sized and shaped for releasably maintaining the dental floss at a helically wound stored position inside said hollow chamber; wherein said spool continuously unwinds the dental floss from the stored position when said primary arm and said guide arms are synchronously rotated about a centrally registered longitudinal axis passing through said worm shaft.