Patent ID: 6062236
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: A61C

Abstract:
A single use disposable dental floss holder system, comprising:a substantially planar holder having a pair of substantially planar faces and an outer perimeter comprising a pair of end edges and a pair of side edges, said holder comprising a plastic cardstock material;an elongate flexible element being wrapped around said holder in a coil about said side edges of said holders, said coil having at least ten turns around said holder;said planar holder having a generally rectangular configuration, said end edges of said holder being extended substantially parallel to each other, said side edges of said holder being extended substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to said end edges of said holder;each of said sides edges of said holder having a spaced apart pair of tabs outwardly extending therefrom, said tabs providing locations for a user to grasp the holder with fingertips so that the user is only touching the holder around the outer perimeter of the holder to thereby reduce contamination by the user's fingertips of an elongate flexible element wrapped about said holder, said tabs providing stops for helping prevent the elongate flexible element from sliding off of the ends of the holder;said tabs each having a generally semi-circular rounded outer perimeter with a convexity facing outwards from the adjacent side edge;said tabs having substantially equal radii;one tab of each side edge being positioned adjacent one of said end edges of said holder, the other tab of each side edge being positioned adjacent the other of said end edges of said holder;each of said end edges of said holder being extended tangentially to the outer perimeters of the adjacent tabs;said holder having a length defined between said end edges and a width defined between said side edges;said length of said holder between about 3/4 inch and about 2 inches and said width of said holder is between about 3/8 inch and about 1 inch:wherein said width of said holder is about one-half said length of said holder;said flexible element having a pair of opposite ends defining a length, wherein the length of said flexible element is about 24 inches which is sufficient for a single flossing of all of the user's teeth;one of said ends of said flexible element being positioned towards one of said end edges of said holder and the other of said ends of said flexible element being positioned adjacent the other end edge of said holder;each of said side edges of said holder having a notch therein;said notch of one of said side edges being positioned towards one end edge of said holder, said notch of the other of said side edges being positioned towards the other end edge of said holder;said notches of said side edges being positioned between said tabs of the adjacent side edges of said holder;each end of said flexible element being extended through the notch of the side edge located adjacent to the respective end of said flexible element, said notches holding end portions of said flexible element adjacent said ends of said flexible element to holder;each notch being generally V-shaped and having a pair of peripheral edges extending at an acute angle to one another;a packet substantially enclosing said holder and flexible element therein;said packet comprising a tearable sheet material:said packet comprising a translucent material; andsaid packet having a pair of heat sealed ends, each of said ends of said packet having a serrated edge comprising a plurality of generally triangular serrations, said serrations being adapted for providing loci for a user to more easily initiate a tear in the packet to open the packet.