Abstract:
A motorized flosser comprising an elongated body and a replaceable flossing head secured to an end portion of the elongated body is provided. The flossing head oscillates in a rotary or arcuate manner a length of flossing material across the surface of a user&#39;s teeth. A battery powered motor drives a drive mechanism which reciprocates in an oscillatory manner. The drive mechanism is coupled to a disk which oscillates in a arcuate or rotary motion. The disk oscillates in an arc of approximately sixty degrees. A removable and replaceable flossing head having a length of floss extending between two tines is removably coupled to the disk. Preferably, a toothpaste holder also forms a part of the flossing head.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to dental hygiene and more particularly to a power driven instrument for flossing teeth.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The importance of practicing proper dental hygiene has been well documented. In this regard, it is extremely advantageous to frequently and systematically remove plaque and debris from around and between an individual&#39;s teeth. Failure to religiously remove debris and plaque from between and around teeth is likely to lead to dental disease including tooth decay, gingivitis and the like.  
         [0003]     Conventional flossing often requires one to put his or her hands in his or her mouth. This may lead to illness due to the increased potential of the spread of bacteria. Another drawback with conventional flossing is that the used dental floss must be properly discarded in a trash receptacle or other appropriate location. Due to the flexible nature of used dental floss it is often difficult to discard the used piece of dental floss in the location the user wishes to discard it. The conventional manual method of flossing one&#39;s teeth is cumbersome due to the difficulty in maneuvering a piece of dental floss to the desired position in one&#39;s mouth. Individuals with small mouths have a particularly difficult time of flossing using the manual method. Another difficulty with conventional flossing is that it is difficult to fit the floss between teeth which are tightly squeezed together. It often requires a great deal of time, force and effort to properly locate the piece of dental floss for it to fit between two adjacent teeth. Another drawback with conventional flossing is that the gingival sulcus, the area on the gum line between teeth, commonly does not get cleaned or rubbed free of debris.  
         [0004]     Therefore, there is a need for a flossing apparatus which is easy to use while keeping one&#39;s hands out of one&#39;s mouth, which is able to more easily fit a piece of floss between adjacent tight teeth, and which is able to clean the gingival sulcus.  
         [0005]     Motorized toothbrushes are known. The commercial market has seen the introduction of many different types of motorized toothbrushes over the last several years. The tendency in the technology is towards more complex, expensive and non-commercially feasible methods of achieving motorized motions in the bristles and heads of toothbrushes. Related U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,000,083; 6,178,579; 6,189,693 and 6,360,395 disclose motorized toothbrushes in which batteries in the handle of the toothbrush power a motor in the handle to oscillate or rotate an elongated shaft which is connected to a circular portion of bristles in the toothbrush head. Each of these U.S. patents is fully incorporated by reference herein. The oscillation of the elongated shaft causes a circular portion of the head to which a plurality of bristles are attached to oscillate.  
         [0006]     Motorized flossing devices are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,041 discloses a motorized flosser for removing debris from between teeth and around teeth. The motorized flosser has a flossing implement detachably connected to the main body of the instrument. The flossing implement has a pair of tines between which extends a piece of floss. When activated, a motor reciprocates an output shaft which causes the flossing instrument to reciprocate. One drawback to such apparatus is that this straight reciprocal movement of the piece of dental floss does not adequately clean debris such as food particles from teeth. The piece or length of floss does not sweep across the teeth but instead only rubs against a very small area of the teeth.  
         [0007]     It is further well known to convert a power driven toothbrush into a power driven flossing device by changing the heads on the end of a battery powered hand held instrument. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,078 discloses a detachable flosser head for a motorized toothbrush. A drive shaft in the handle assembly reciprocates causing the flosser head to reciprocate. Again this straight reciprocal movement of the piece of dental floss does not adequately clean debris such as food particles from teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,711 discloses another power driven toothbrush which may be converted to a power driven flossing device.  
         [0008]     Another inherent drawback with known motorized flossers is that they do not adequately remove biofilm from the surface of teeth. Biofilm is a well organized community of cooperating microorganisms. One commonly known biofilm which forms on tooth surfaces is called plaque. Biofilms may be easily destroyed simply by wiping them with a brush or other mechanically abrasive material, disrupting attachment to their substrate.  
         [0009]     Therefore, there is a need for a powered flossing apparatus which adequately removes biofilm from the surface of teeth, promotes regular flossing and is easy to use.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The present invention comprises a motorized flosser having an elongated body having opposed first and second ends. A replaceable flosser head is removably secured to the first end of the body with a locking mechanism. A power supply is located in a hollow portion of the elongated body. The power supply energizes the flosser head when a user moves a switch located on the exterior of the body. Activation of the power supply causes a drive mechanism to oscillate the flosser head in a rotary or arcuate motion at a predetermined frequency. The frequency is preferably 2800 cycles per minute but may be any other desired frequency. This rotary oscillation of the flosser head causes a length of flossing material to rotate in an oscillatory manner through an arc. In one preferred embodiment, this arc is between 30 and 90 degrees and preferably 60 degrees.  
         [0011]     The elongated body has a handle portion having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough and a front portion including the flosser head, the front portion being removable from the handle portion. The front portion includes a neck portion having a longitudinal axis and an end portion to which the flosser head is removably secured. The power supply includes a motor and batteries within the handle portion of the elongated body. The motor is operably connected or coupled to the flosser head for oscillating a flexible length or piece of flossing material extending between two spaced tines on the flosser head. The motor has a longitudinal axis which is coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the handle portion of the elongated body.  
         [0012]     The handle portion further includes a simplified gear assembly. The gear assembly includes a pinion gear driven by the output shaft of the motor and a crown gear operatively coupled to the pinion gear. The output shaft of the motor rotates the pinion gear which rotates the crown gear. A link assembly including a pair of links is operatively coupled to the gear assembly in the interior of the handle portion of the body. The link assembly includes a pair of links coupled together which oscillate in an linear direction at a predetermined frequency due to the rotation of the crown gear.  
         [0013]     The body further includes a switch to allow operation of the unit. The switch includes an actuator button and a metal contact. The switch is manually depressed by pressing a molded actuator button down and/or sliding it forwardly, from an “off” position to an “on” position. A metal contact plate is secured to the molded actuator button and once moved forward to the “on” position contacts the motor housing, completing the circuit, as in a conventional momentary switch. The motorized flosser then continuously operates until the button is slid back into an off position toward the rear end of the body and the metal contact of the switch disengages the metal motor housing, thereby interrupting the circuit.  
         [0014]     A bite pad is secured to the first end of the elongated body. The bite pad allows a user to comfortably bite down on the end portion of the motorized flosser to more effectively force the length of flossing material between adjacent teeth.  
         [0015]     The replaceable flosser head has a base removably connected to the first or front end of the elongated body. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the base includes a circular disc which is located generally in a first plane. However, other configurations of bases may be utilized in accordance with the present invention. Extending upwardly from the base of the flosser head is a yoke comprising a pair of spaced tines between which extends a piece or length of flexible flossing material, such as is known in the art.  
         [0016]     Upon activation, the power supply of the motorized flosser oscillates a drive disk in the end portion of the body of the flosser. The drive disk rotates in an oscillatory manner about an axis which is generally perpendicular to the end portion of the body of the motorized flosser.  
         [0017]     In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flosser head further comprises a flexible toothpaste holder, generally in a truncated conical shape and located between the tines of the yoke. Other configurations of toothpaste holders may be used and incorporated into the flosser head if desired. The present invention also may be used without a toothpaste holder if desired.  
         [0018]     The tines of the yoke of the flosser head extend upwardly from the base of the flosser head and are located in a second plane. In one preferred embodiment, this second plane intersects the first plane defined by the base of the flosser head at an angle of other than 90 degrees and preferably at 77 degrees. The placement and configuration of the tines of the replaceable flosser head causes the length of flossing material extending between the tines to translate back and forth across a tooth in addition to oscillating, thereby resulting in a better cleaning action on the surface of the teeth.  
         [0019]     In use, once the motorized flosser of the present invention is activated via the switch, the motor, gear assembly, link assembly and drive member cause the drive disk to oscillate in an arcuate or rotary manner and thereby oscillate the flossing head in the same manner. A user presses the length of flossing material between two teeth while the flossing head continues to arcuately oscillate. The rotary oscillation of the flossing head makes it easier to fit the length of flossing material between teeth which are close together or tightly fit. Once the length of flossing material is located between the teeth, the oscillation of the flossing head causes the length of flossing material to wrap around a front part of a first tooth and a rear part of a second tooth and then about the rear part of the first tooth and front part of the second tooth during each oscillation cycle. This rotary oscillation of the length of flossing material causes better cleaning of the teeth surfaces than has heretofore been possible.  
         [0020]     If desired, one may insert toothpaste into the toothpaste holder secured to the flosser head prior to activating the motorized flosser, such that the teeth are cleaned by the toothpaste and the flossing material while simultaneously being flossed of plaque and biofilm by the oscillating flossing material.  
         [0021]     One advantage of the present invention is that the rotary oscillating motion of the flossing head causes a length of flossing material to more easily fit between tight teeth.  
         [0022]     Another advantage of the present invention is that toothpaste may be used to help ease the insertion of the flossing material between tight teeth. Another advantage of the present invention is that the flosser head may be quickly and easily replaced and the used flosser head discarded.  
         [0023]     Still another advantage of the present invention is that both the front and back of adjacent teeth may be thoroughly cleaned and flossed of plaque and biofilm due to the arcuate oscillating motion of the flossing head. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the motorized flosser of the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a disassembled view of the motorized flosser of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view in cross section of the motorized flosser of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is top elevational view in partial cross section of the motorized flosser of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is top elevational view of the flossing head of the motorized flosser of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of the flossing head located in a first end position;  
         [0030]      FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of the flossing head located in a second end position;  
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of the flossing head locked in position and located in the second position; and  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the flossing head being secured to the body of the motorized flosser. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0033]     Referring to the drawings and particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a motorized flosser  10  which encourages and simplifies flossing. The motorized flosser  10  comprises an elongated body  12  having a first end  14  and a second end  16  and a removable/replaceable disposable flossing head  18  which is removably secured to the first end  14  of the body  12  with a locking mechanism  20 . Although one configuration of body  12  is illustrated and described, the motorized flosser  10  may be used with many different configurations or styles of bodies.  
         [0034]     As best illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the body  12  comprises a handle portion  22  and a front portion  24  removable from the handle portion  22 . The front portion  24  comprises an end portion  25  and an intermediate or neck portion  26  extending between the handle portion  22  and the end portion  25 . Any of the portions  22 ,  24 ,  25  and/or  26  may have a hollow interior. The handle portion  22  is removably connected to the neck portion  26  via engagement of a connector  28  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) secured to the handle portion  22  with at least one projection (not shown) on the inner surface  29  of collar  31  secured to the front portion  24  of the body  12 . See  FIG. 2 . The connector  28  is adapted to mate with and lock together with the collar  31  secured to the front portion  24  of the body  12 . The front portion  24  may be removed from the handle portion  22  by a user by grasping the front portion  24  and twisting while pulling, as is known in the art. However, the handle portion  22  may be integral with the front portion  24 , if desired. As best illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the handle portion  22  has a longitudinal axis  30  and similarly, the neck portion  26  has a longitudinal axis  32 . The longitudinal axes  30  and  32  are preferably co-linear but may be offset if desired. In accordance with the present invention, any other means of coupling the handle portion  22  and front portion  24  may be used.  
         [0035]     As best illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the handle portion  22  comprises a housing  33  comprising a front housing piece  34 , a rear housing piece  36 , a cap or battery door  38  which together with the connector  28 , define a hollow interior  40  of the handle portion  22 . See  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Although one configuration of handle portion  22  is illustrated and described, other configurations of handle portion may be utilized without departing from the present invention. For example, the handle portion may comprise additional pieces at different locations.  
         [0036]     As seen in  FIGS. 2, 3  and  4 , inside the hollow interior  40  of the handle portion  22  is a pair of batteries  42  which are mounted between front battery terminals or contacts  44   a ,  44   b  and a common rear battery terminal or contact  46  in a known manner. The front battery terminals or contacts  44   a ,  44   b  are secured to one of the housing pieces  34 ,  36  of the handle portion  22  and the rear battery terminal or contact  46  is secured to the cap  38 . The batteries are preferably size AA batteries, but may be any size batteries or single battery. Similarly, any other device may be used to secure at least one battery in place. To install new batteries, the battery door or cap  38  is squeezed or depressed and slid off the end of the handle portion  22 . The new battery or batteries is/are then inserted and then the cap  38  is snapped back into place. The terminal ends of the batteries are then in contact with the front and rear battery terminals or contacts.  
         [0037]     The hollow interior  40  of the handle portion  22  of the body  12  also houses a motor  48  mounted in a fixed location as shown. The motor  48  has a housing  49  and an output shaft  50  which rotates about an axis  52  when the motor  48  is activated.  
         [0038]     As best illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the motor  48  is activated by the user manually moving a switch  51  including a molded button  54  and a metallic contact plate  55  secured together forwardly from an “off” position to an “on” position. When the switch  51  is in its forward “on” position, the contact plate  55  of the switch  51  presses against or contacts the metal motor housing  49  thereby completing a circuit formed by wire  5  extending between battery contact  44   b  and the motor housing  49  and wire  6  extending between battery contact  44   a  and the metallic contact plate  55 . The motorized flosser  10  then operates until the switch  51  is moved rearwardly into its “off” position towards the first end of the body  12  and the metallic contact plate  55  disengages from the motor housing  49 .  
         [0039]     As best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , rotation of the output shaft  50  of the motor  48  is operatively coupled to a gear assembly  59  including a pinion gear  60  and a crown gear  62 . The pinion gear  60  is attached to the output shaft  50  of the motor  48  and is engaged with the crown gear  62 . Rotation of the output shaft  50  of the motor  48  causes the pinion gear  60  to rotate about axis  52 . See  FIG. 3 . Rotation of the pinion gear  60  causes the crown gear  62  to rotate about an axis  64  which is generally perpendicular to the axis  52  about which the pinion gear  60  rotates.  
         [0040]     A link assembly  65  is operatively coupled or connected to the gear assembly  59 . The link assembly  65  includes a first link  66  and a second link  70 . The first link  66  is secured to the crown gear  62  with a fastener  68  and is offset from the axis  64  such that rotation of the crown gear  62  causes a linear oscillatory motion of the first link  66 . The second link  70  is secured to link  66  with fastener  72 . Link  70  passes through the connector  28  as best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . As best illustrated in  FIG. 2 , second link  70  has a catch  74  at a forward end  76  thereof. The catch  74  is adapted to engage a receptacle  78  in drive member  80  when the front portion  24  of the body  12  is secured to the handle portion  22  of the body  12 . This engagement of the drive member  80  located in the front portion  24  of the body  12  with the link assembly  65  of the handle portion  22  of the body  12  imparts a linear oscillatory movement from the link assembly  65  to the drive member  80 , which in turns oscillates the flosser head  18  in a rotary or arcuate manner as described below.  
         [0041]     The front portion  24  of the body  12  comprises a housing  79  having an upper housing piece  81  and a lower housing piece  82  which are coupled together to define a hollow interior  84  in which is located the drive member  80  and a link  86 . The drive member  80  has a first end  88  towards which the receptacle  78  is located and a second end  90 . The link  86  is secured to the drive member  80  and extends forwardly from the drive member  80 . The link  86  is not linear and curved to one side. The link  86  has a forward end  94  which has a hole  96  therein through which passes a pin  98 . The pin  98  secures the link  86  to a drive disk  100  which oscillates in an arcuate or rotary manner about a vertical axis  102  due to the offset position of the pin  98  relative to the axis  102 .  
         [0042]     The oscillating drive disk  100  has a receptacle  104  in the center thereof which is adapted to receive a portion of the flossing head  18  in a manner described below. Although the receptacle  104  is square in shape, it may be other configurations, if desired. A guide pin  106  is secured to the lower housing piece  82  and extends upwardly therefrom. The guide pin  106  functions to properly locate the flossing head. As best illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the upper housing piece  81  of the neck portion has an opening  108  therein through which the guide pin  106  extends. The guide pin  106  extends upwardly from the lower housing piece  82  of the neck portion through the receptacle  104  in the drive disk  100  and through the opening  108  in the upper housing piece  80  of the neck portion of the body. The guide pin  106  is operatively connected or coupled to the flossing head  18  in a manner described below.  
         [0043]     As best illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the flossing head  18  comprises a base  110  including a circular disk  111  and a projection  112  having a square cross sectional configuration. The projection  112  is adapted to fit snugly or tightly in the receptacle  104  of the drive disk  100 . This projection  112  has a guide  114  therethrough which receives the guide pin  106 . This mating/coupling between the guide pin  106  and guide  114  of the base  110  of the flossing head  18  and between the projection  112  of the base  110  of the flossing head  18  and the receptacle  104  in the drive disk  100  ensures that the flossing head  18  is correctly seated when the locking mechanism  20  is used to lock the flossing head  18  in a locked position. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the circular disk  111  of the base  110  of the flossing head  18  has an upwardly extending rim  116  around the periphery of the disk  111 .  
         [0044]     The locking mechanism  20  is used to lock the flossing head  18  in a locked position in which the motorized flosser  10  may be used and to unlock the flossing head  18  so that it may be separated from the body  12  of the motorized flosser  10  and replaced. The locking mechanism  20  includes a slidable locking member  120  which slides in a slot  122  in the end portion  24  of the body  12  of the flosser  10  and more particularly in the upper housing piece  91  of the neck housing  79 . The locking member  120  has a locking lip  124  along the forward edge of the locking member  120 , as best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 7 . The locking member  120  slides between a forward position (shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 7 ) in which the locking lip  124  engages the rim of the circular disk  11  of the base  110  of the flossing head  18  and a rear position (shown in solid lines in  FIG. 7 ) in which the locking lip  124  is behind the circular disk  11  of the base  110  of the flossing head  18 . When in its forward, locking position, the locking member  120  prevents the flossing head  18  from being removed or separated from the elongated body  12  of the motorized flosser  10 . When in its rear, unlocking position, the locking member  120  allows the flossing head  18  to be removed or separated from the elongated body  12  of the motorized flosser  10 . Although one configuration of locking mechanism  20  is illustrated and described, other configurations of locking mechanisms may be utilized to secure the flossing head  18  to the body  22  of the motorized flosser  10  without departing from the present invention.  
         [0045]     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the flossing head  18  further comprises a yoke  126  having a pair of spaced tines  128   a ,  128   b  extending upwardly from the base and terminating in end portions  130   a ,  130   b , respectively. Each of the end portions  130   a ,  130   b  has a hole (not shown) therein through which passes a length of flexible flossing material  134 . The ends of the length of flossing material  134  are tied or otherwise secured to the tines  128   a ,  128   b  in any known manner. In one preferred embodiment, the ends of the flossing material are molded into the outer end portions  130   a ,  130   b  of the tines. As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , the tines  128   a ,  128   b  are slightly curved to one side so that the length of flossing material  134  does not pass through the axis  102  about which the flosser head  18  oscillates in an arcuate manner. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the flosser head  18  and more particularly, the tines preferably oscillate back and forth in an arc of between 30 and 75 degrees. In one preferred embodiment, the tines preferably oscillate back and forth in an arc of 60 degrees. The offset location of the tines  128   a ,  128   b  enables the length of flossing material  134  to translate back and forth across the teeth as well as oscillate in the manner shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . As best illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the tines of the flosser head define a second plane P 2  which interests with the first plane P 1  at an angle other than 90 degrees and preferably at about 77 degrees. Although one configuration of tine is illustrated and described, the tines of the flosser head may assume other shapes or configurations.  
         [0046]     The speed with which the flosser head  18  rotates in an oscillatory manner may vary as desired. The flosser head  18  preferably oscillates back and forth in an arc at a frequency of between 2000 and 3000 cycles per minute. In one preferred embodiment, the tines oscillate at a frequency of 2800 cycles per minute. A cycle is defined as the movement of the tines between a first end position shown in  FIG. 6A  to a second end position illustrated in  FIG. 6B  and back to the first end position.  
         [0047]     In one preferred embodiment, the flosser head  18  includes a cup-shaped toothpaste holder  136  having a generally truncated conical shape. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the toothpaste holder  136  has a bottom wall  138  and a sidewall  140  having an upper edge  141 . However, other shapes and configurations may be utilized as desired. The toothpaste holder  136  is preferably made of food grade latex or polyurethane or any other soft flexible plastic material. It is also envisioned that the cup-shaped toothpaste holder could have ripple-shaped projections on the outer edge of the holder so as to enhance brushing actions during use of the flossing procedure.  
         [0048]     As shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , in use the length of flossing material  134  is pressed between two adjacent teeth, a first tooth  142  and a second tooth  144 . The first tooth  142  has a front portion  146  and a rear portion  148 . Similarly, the second tooth  144  has a front portion  150  and a rear portion  152 . The length of flossing material  134  wraps around and contacts the front portion  146  of the first tooth  142  and the rear portion  152  of the second tooth  144  when the flossing head  18  is in a first end position illustrated in  FIG. 6A . Similarly, The length of flossing material  134  wraps around and contacts the front portion  150  of the second tooth  144  and the rear portion  148  of the first tooth  142  when the flossing head  18  is in a second end position illustrated in  FIG. 6B .  
         [0049]     In use, an operator grabs the handle portion  22  of the motorized flosser  10  and then pushes the button  54  upwardly towards the flosser head  18 . Movement of the button  54  activates the motor  48 , thereby rotating the flossing head  18  in an oscillatory manner at a predetermined frequency. The user then presses the length of flossing material  134  between adjacent teeth while the flossing head  18  is oscillating arcuately. A bite pad  135  secured to the underside of the end portion  24  and more particularly to the lower housing piece  92  of the neck portion. The user may bite down on the bite pad  135  to leverage the length of flossing material  134  between the teeth. The oscillating motion moving the tines of the flosser head in an arc causes the length of flossing material to wrap around and contact a front part of a first tooth and a rear part of a second tooth adjacent the first tooth. Then as part of the same cycle, the length of flossing material is wraps around and contacts a rear part of the first tooth and a front part of the second tooth.  
         [0050]     If desired a user may insert toothpaste (not shown) into the toothpaste holder  136  prior to using the motorized flosser  10 . The toothpaste (not shown) enables the length of flossing material  134  to more easily pass between adjacent teeth and further provides additional cleaning of the teeth.  
         [0051]     It is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments discussed above without departing from the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the following claims and equivalents thereof.