Patent ID: 6161556
Filing Date: 2000-12-19
Classification: A61C

Abstract:
A dental floss holder comprising, in combination:a double-ended, elongated first holder element including a floss-holding end and a manually graspable end;a pivot post attached to said first holder element between the floss holding end and manually graspable end thereof, said pivot post projecting away from said first holder element and having a distal end and having screw threads formed thereon along at least a portion of the length thereof;a double-ended, elongated second holder element including a floss-holding end and a manually graspable end and defining an opening between the floss-holding end thereof and the manually graspable end thereof, said pivot post passing through said opening and said second holder element having a floss clamping surface adjacent to said opening; anda clamp member threadedly engaged with said pivot post at said screw threads and having a floss clamping surface, said clamp member movable relative to said second holder element and said pivot post when manually rotated about said pivot post to move axially along said pivot post between a clamping position wherein the floss clamping surface of said second holder element and the floss clamping surface of said clamp member clampingly engage dental floss disposed about said pivot post and a non-clamping position wherein the floss clamping surface of said second holder element and the floss clamping surface of said clamp member do not clampingly engage said floss, said second holder element being pivotal about said pivot post relative to said first holder element to selectively tighten or loosen a floss portion extending between the floss-holding ends of said first and second holder elements when the floss is clampingly engaged by said floss clamping surfaces, said clamp member having an outer peripheral clamp member surface diminishing in size in the direction of the floss clamping surface of said clamp member, said outer peripheral clamp member surface terminating at the floss clamping surface of said clamp member, said second holder element including a projection about said opening, the floss clamping surface of said second holder element located on said projection, said projection having an outer peripheral projection surface and a free end, the floss clamping surface of said second holder element located at said free end, and said outer peripheral projection surface diminishing in size in the direction of the floss clamping surface of the second holder element, said outer peripheral clamp member surface and said outer peripheral projection surface cooperable to guide floss being wound about said pivot post between the floss clamping surfaces.