Abstract:
In one embodiment of the present invention, an electric folding flossing apparatus is provided and includes a handle and a power supply contained therein, an arm movably joined to the handle at one end and having a flossing tool disposed at another end, a motor mechanism contained within the arm and operable to move the flossing tool when activated, and includes the ability to supply power to the motor mechanism when the flossing tool is in an outstretched position. The ability to supply power to the motor mechanism is accomplished with a first electrical contact in communication with the power supply and positioned in the handle, and a second electrical contact in communication with the motor mechanism and positioned in the arm such that when the arm and the handle are in the outstretched position the first and second electrical contacts make an electrical connection such that power from the power supply operates the motor mechanism.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation in part of Ser. No. 10/795,752 filed Mar. 8, 2004 and a continuation in part of Ser. No. 10/781,960 filed Feb. 20, 2004. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to flossing tools used to clean between teeth and particularly to an electric flosser that includes a head that vibrates. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Flossers both electric and non-electric are known in the industry and in the prior art. Numerous patents have issued throughout the years to cover various improvements and novel features in the flosser industry. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,809 requires a dental floss to be reciprocated along an axis substantially parallel to the axis of a handle (if the dental floss apparatus is positioned upright, the floss would be moving in an up and down motion), or that the motor mechanism moved a shaft in the handle only along the handle&#39;s longitudinal axis, which would impart the same movement in the dental floss attached to the shaft (again, the motion would be an up and down motion if the apparatus is standing in an upright position). U.S. Pat. RE 35,712 discloses a sonic dental device that includes a flossing head that stores extra dental floss such that a user may exchange used dental floss with new floss. U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,796 is directed to an automated dental flosser that includes a twine of floss held in the body of the device for which a user may dispense unused floss. However, prior art flossing apparatuses seem to lack the ability to provide a compact electric flosser suitable for travel or provide an electric flosser that permits the flossing head to rotate 360° such that the user has the ability to change the angle of the flossing head, especially during use. 
   The present invention overcomes these shortcomings by providing in a first embodiment a folding electric flosser and in a second embodiment an electric flosser that includes a rotatable flossing head. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a folding electric flosser is provided. The flosser contains a handle and an arm movably joined to the handle, which includes a disposable flossing head disposed at one end. The flosser has a power supply contained within the handle and a motor contained within the arm that is operated by the power supply to vibrate the arm with the flossing head attached thereto when the motor is activated. The activation of the motor is obtained when the flosser is in an unfolded position. While the activation may be achieved in many different ways, the preferred manner includes a first electrical contact in communication with the power supply and positioned in the handle, and a second electrical contact in communication with the motor and positioned in the arm such that when the flosser is in the unfolded position the first and second electrical contacts make an electrical connection whereby power from the power supply is able to operate the motor. 
   In another aspect of the invention, when the flosser is in a folded position, the electrical connection between the first and second electrical contacts is broken such that the motor turns off. The manner in which the motor moves the flossing head is defined by having an axle that has a weight secured in an offset position, such that when the offset weight is spun by the motor the end of the arm oscillates causing the flossing head to vibrate. In addition thereto, the flossing head can be removed such that worn floss material may be replaced and the flossing head may be manually rotated by the user such that the arm and flossing head can be stored in a cavity defined by the handle, when the flosser is in a folded position. 
   Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A fuller understanding of the foregoing may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electric folding flosser illustrating the components through the outside cover of the flosser and illustrating the flossing in an unfolded position; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the razor in  FIG. 1  illustrating the flosser in an partially folded position; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view of a mechanism that holds the flosser in an unfolded position; 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view of an ejector mechanism employed to releasably secure the flossing tool to the arm; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross section view of  FIG. 4  when in the assembled position; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the flossing tool being attached to the ejector mechanism; 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the rotation of the flossing tool; 
       FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b  are top and side views respectively, illustrating a cavity that holds the flossing tool attached to the arm when the flosser is in a folded position and holds extra flossing tools; 
       FIG. 9  is a side view of a second electric flosser in accordance with the present invention that includes a fully rotatable flossing tool; 
       FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view of the flossing tool attached to the end of the electric flosser shown in  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the rotatable flossing tool and the end of the electric flosser; and 
       FIGS. 12   a  and  12   b  is a perspective view illustrating the vibration motion of the flossing tool when the flossing tool is rotated to different positions. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
   While the invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein, in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit or scope of the invention and/or claims of the embodiments illustrated. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , in a first embodiment, an electric folding flosser is illustrated and generally referenced to as  100 . The flosser includes a handle section  102  that a user grasps during use of the flosser  100 . An arm section  104  is moveably attached to one end of the handle section  102 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the pivotal region  106  permits the handle section  102  and the arm section  104  to pivot about the region  106  in such a manner that the flosser  100  may move from a substantially folded position to a substantially prone position. 
   Secured to the other end of the arm is a flossing tool  108  that is rotatably attached to the arm  104 , such that the flossing tool  108  can be aligned along the same plane as the arm  104 . As such, when the flosser  100  is in a folded position, the rotated flossing tool  108  and arm  104  are received within a cavity  110  defined by the handle  102 . 
   The flosser includes a mechanical means to move the flossing tool  108 . The mechanical means is preferably a motor  120  contained within the arm that rotates an axle  122  that includes a weight  124  that is secured to the axle  122  in an offset position. When the motor  120  is activated the offset weight  124  spins causing the arm  104  to vibrate and thus the flossing tool  108  will move as it is attached thereto. Other means for moving the flossing tool contemplated by this invention and covered by the aforementioned claims include having a motor that drives a gear train, which rotates or oscillates the flossing tool, such means are well known in the electric toothbrush industry. 
   To operate the present invention, a set of motor contacts  126  in electrical communication  127  with the motor will make an electrical connection with a set of power contacts  128  that are in electrical communication  129  with a power supply  130  or a battery. The flosser  100  houses the set of motor contacts  126  in the arm  104  about the pivotal region  106  and houses the set of power contacts  128  in the handle  102  about the pivotal region  106 . The two sets of contacts  126  and  128  are exposed such that when the flosser  100  is in a substantially prone position, the two sets of contacts  126  and  128  will make an electrical connection, which provides power to the motor  120  ( FIG. 2 ). In addition, to deactivate the motor  120  or break the electrical connection, the flosser  100  is moved from the substantially prone position to a folded position ( FIG. 1 ). 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the flosser  100  also includes a means to maintain the flosser  100  in an unfolded and folded position. The means to maintain the flosser  100  in a specific position is achieved by providing a pair of opposing detents  134  on the inside portion of the handle section  102  about the pivoting region  106 . The detents  134  slide into recesses, defined between a plurality of ribs  135 , on the arm section  104 . When the flosser  100  is in an unfolded position and electrical contact is made between the two sets of contacts  126  and  128 , the detents  134  are positioned in the first recess  136   a . This helps to maintain the electrical connection during use of the flosser  100 . When the flosser  100  is moved from the unfolded position, by pivoting the handle section  102  and arm section  104  towards each other, the detents  134  move out of the first recess  136   a  and into the secondary recesses  136   b . While in this position, the detents  134  help prevent the flosser  100  from accidentally moving into the unfolded position, and thus inadvertently activating the flosser  100 . 
   Also illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  the handle  102  preferably includes an end with a pair of opposing sides to define a gap there between. The arm  104  is movably joined between the opposing sides of the end of the handle  102 , to define a moveable junction there between. 
   In addition, one end of the flosser  100  may also include a key ring  112  or other external attachment means for attaching the flosser  100  to the user&#39;s keys or for attaching the flosser to a zipper defined on a travel bag. This would help prevent the user from misplacing or forgetting the flosser  100 . 
   As mentioned above, the flossing tool  108  is rotatably and removably attached to the arm  104 . This is accomplished by attaching the flossing tool  108  to the arm  104  via a rotatable ejector mechanism  170 . Referring to the exploded view of  FIG. 4  and the cross-section view of  FIG. 5 , the flossing tool  108  may be described as having a section of flossing material  140  stretched over a cavity that is created between two opposable arms  142 , which extend in an arc from a support region  144 . The support region  144  includes a knob  146  extended upwardly from the support region that frictionally fits into the bottom of ejector mechanism  170  (discussed in greater detail below) such that the flossing tool  108  may be held securely in place but also may be removed by the user. 
   The ejector mechanism  170  has a head  172  that is secured to the arm  104  by positioning the head  172  in a circular cavity  160  that is created between two opposable arms  162  that extend in an arc from the end  164  of the arm  104 . The head  172  includes a body  174  that receives an upper lip  166  defined on the interior wall  168  of the cavity  160 . The head  172  also includes a pin  176  that extends downwardly from the bottom portion of the head  172 . The ejector mechanism  170  includes a pair of interlocking face ratchets, a first face ratchet  178  and a second face ratchet  180 . The first face ratchet  178  includes a pair of first face flanges  182  and has a C-shaped body  184 . The first face flanges  182  are capable of flexing towards each other such that C-shaped flanges engages a bottom lip  167  defined on the interior wall  168  of the cavity  160 . The first face ratchet  178  also includes a centered bore  186 . The second face ratchet  180  includes a pair of second face flanges  188  with lips  190 . The second face flanges  188  are positioned through the centered bore  186  of the first face ratchet  178  such that the lips  190  of the second face flanges  188  engage the top portion  183  of the first face flanges  182 . The second face ratchet  180  further includes a groove  194  and a center bore  196  to receive the knob  146  of the flossing tool  108 . A spring  192  is positioned between the head  172  and the lips  190  of the second face flanges  188  to bias the two away from each other. When the head  172  is pushed downwardly, the pin  176  on the head  172  moves through the center bore in the first and second face ratchets  178  and  180 , respectively. The pin  176  will push against the knob  146  on the flossing tool  108  such that the knob  146  pushes out of the center bore  196  of the second face ratchet  180  and the flossing tool  108  is released. To insert the flossing tool  108 , a user simply aligns the support region  144  with the groove  194  and pushes the knob  146  on the flossing tool  108  into the center bore  196  of the second face ratchet  180  ( FIG. 6 ). 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the flossing tool  108  may be rotated with respect to the arm, by rotating the second face ratchet  180  with respect to the first face ratchet  178 . The interconnecting teeth on the first and second face ratchets permit the flossing tool  108  to be locked into various angles in relation to the arm  104 . 
   As mentioned above, when the flosser  100  is in a folded position and the flossing tool  108  is pivoted to align crosswise with the arm, the arm  104  and the flossing tool  108  are received in a cavity  110 . Moreover, the cavity  110  is capable of holding extra flossing tools such that a user can store replacement flossing tools  210 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b , the cavity  110  includes an enlarged section  200  that has multiple slotted channels  205  sized to frictionally receive the ends of the two opposable arms  142  of the flossing tool. A centered channel  207  is positioned to receive the flossing tool  108  that is attached to the arm  104  of the flosser  100 , when the flossing tool  108  is aligned such that the flossing member  140  is crosswise with the arm  104 . 
   The first embodiment of the present invention may also simply provide for a folding flosser with the aforementioned ejector mechanism without a means to vibrate the flossing tool. Such a folding flosser with a cavity to provide for the flosser and extra disposable flossing tool is contemplated by the present invention. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 9-11 , an electric flosser  250  in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The electric flosser  250  includes a handle  252  that houses a power supply, such as a battery  254 . The power supply is electrically connected to a power controller, or one or more buttons  256 , that controls the power to a motor  258 . The motor  258  when turned on drives a shaft  260  that rotates a weight  262  that is offset from an axis β in the electric flosser  250 . When the weight  262  is rotating about the axis β an end  264  defined by the handle  252  oscillates or vibrates about the axis β. Attached to the end  264  is a rotatable flossing tool  270 . 
   As best seen in  FIG. 11 , the flossing tool  270  has a section of flossing material  272  stretched over a cavity  274  that is created between two opposable arms  276 , which extend in an arc from a support region  278 . The support region  278  includes a circular ratchet face  280  with a knob  282  extending outwardly from the face  280 . The end  264  of the flosser  250  includes a circular ratchet face  283  with an aperture  284  defined in the center thereof. The support region  278  mates with the end  264  of the flosser  250  by inserting the knob  282  into the aperture  284  wherein the circular ratchet face  280  of the support region mates with the circular ratchet face  283  of the end  264  to form an interlocking ratchet  286  that allows the flossing tool  270  to fully rotate 360°. The user simply rotates the flossing tool  270  to a desired angle (illustrated in  FIGS. 12   a  and  12   b ) for use. Moreover, the interlocking ratchet  286  temporarily locks the flossing tool  270  in a desired position during use, thereby preventing the flossing tool  270  from rotating on its own. 
   Unlike the prior art, the flosser  250  in accordance with the second embodiment does not reciprocate the flossing material along an axis substantially parallel to the axis of a handle nor does the motor move a shaft in the handle along the handle&#39;s longitudinal axis. 
   From the foregoing and as mentioned above, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.