Combination toothbrush and dental floss holder

A hollow handled toothbrush that includes a detachable toothbrush and includes a cavity for receiving a spool of dental floss. A support platform is releasably attached for loading and unloading spools of dental floss into the cavity on spool guides. The platform includes a dental floss opening and supports a cutter for cutting the dental floss. A removable screw cap covers and protects the cutting blade and dental floss.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
It is known to provide a combination toothbrush and dental floss holder. 
The present invention is directed to various improvements in such a 
combination by providing a handle diameter and length designed to provide 
maximum orthopedic gripping action by the user, ease of removal and 
replacement of the brush attachment to provide brush styles as desired by 
the user, ease of storage, dispensing and replacing of dental floss, in 
which the floss spool is easily rotatable without rattling and an end cap 
is provided for maintaining the cleanliness of the floss and floss cutter. 
SUMMARY 
The present invention is directed to a combination toothbrush and dental 
floss holder which includes a body having first, second and third parts. 
The first part is a toothbrush attachment and the second part includes a 
cavity for receiving a spool of dental floss and has a first end 
releasably connected to the toothbrush attachment. The second part 
includes a first dental floss guide adjacent the first end for rotatably 
supporting one end of a spool of dental floss. The third part is a cap for 
attachment to the second end of the second part. A support platform having 
first and second sides is releasably attached to the second end of the 
second part by a first threaded connection and is releasably attached to 
the cap by a second threaded connection. The first side of the platform 
includes a second dental floss guide for rotatably supporting a second end 
of a spool of dental floss. The platform includes a dental floss opening 
for passage of dental floss from the first side of the second side of the 
platform and a cutter is positioned on the second side of the support 
platform for cutting the dental floss. 
Still a further object of the present invention is wherein the first and 
second threaded connections are oppositely directed threads for allowing 
removal of the cap without loosening of the support platform. Preferably 
the first threaded connection is a square thread for ease of makeup and 
release. 
Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of a 
resilient washer positioned on the second dental floss guide for 
supporting the second end of a dental floss spool for preventing rattling 
of the dental floss. Preferably, a low friction washer is positioned on 
the second dental floss guide adjacent the resilient washer for engaging 
the second end of the dental floss spool for allowing ease of rotation of 
the spool. 
Yet a still further object of the present invention is wherein the second 
side of the support platform includes an outwardly directed projection 
supporting the cutter. Preferably the projection includes locking notches 
and the cutter includes a metal base having resilient fingers for engaging 
the notches and holding the cutter on the projection. 
A still further object of the present invention is wherein the support 
platform includes oppositely positioned indentations for engagement for 
threading the platform into and out of the second part. 
Other and further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from 
the following description of a presently preferred embodiment of the 
invention, given for the purpose of disclosure, and taken in conjunction 
with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1-3, the present 
invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and generally 
includes a body having a first part 12, a second part 14, and a third part 
16. The first part 12 is a toothbrush attachment having a brush 18 which 
may be of any desired material and style. The second part 14 is generally 
cylindrically shaped and includes a cavity 20 for receiving a spool of 
dental floss 22 having spool ends 24. The second part 14 has first and 
second ends in which the first end is releasably connected such as by 
threads 26 to the brush attachment 12 whereby various types of brush 
attachments 12 may be attached as desired by the user. The cylindrical 
part 14 also includes a first dental floss guide 28 in the cavity 20 
adjacent the first end of the part 14 for rotatably supporting one end of 
one of the spool ends 24 of the dental floss 22. The part 14 is of a 
diameter and length to provide an orthopedic gripping action giving the 
user maximum control and maneuverability. 
The third part 16 is a cap for attachment to the second part 14 by means of 
a support platform 30. 
Referring now to FIGS. 3-7 and 10, a support platform 30 having first and 
second sides is releasably attached to the second end of the cylindrical 
part 14 by a first threaded connection including threads 32 on the 
platform 30 and threads 34 (FIG. 2) on the part 14. The support platform 
30 is releasably attached to the cap 16 by a second threaded connection 
consisting of a thread 38 on the platform 30 coacting with threads 40 in 
the end cap 16. The first side of the platform 30 includes a second dental 
floss guide 36 for rotatably supporting a second end of the spool end 24 
for rotatably supporting the second end of the spool of dental floss 22. 
The platform 30 includes a dental floss opening 42 for the passage of 
dental floss 44 from the first side to the second side of the platform 30. 
Cutter means 46 are positioned on the second side of the support platform 
30 for cutting the dental floss. 
Preferably the first threaded connection consisting of the threads 32 and 
34 for attaching the platform 30 to the second end of the cylindrical part 
14 are oppositely directed to the second threaded connection consisting of 
the threads 38 and 40 for connecting the cap 16 to the platform 30. That 
is, one of the threaded connections is a righthanded connection and the 
other of the threaded connections is lefthanded threaded connection. Thus, 
the oppositedly directed threaded connections allow removal of the cap 16 
without loosening of the support platform 30. Preferably the first 
threaded connection consisting of the threads 32 and 34 is a square thread 
connection for ease of makeup and release of the platform 30 from the part 
14. It is to be noted that the cap 16 in its closed position, as best seen 
in FIGS. 3 and 10 abuts the second end of the part 14 for protecting the 
dental floss 44 and cutter 46 from contamination when they are not being 
used. 
The spool ends 24 of the dental floss 22 are rotatably supported from the 
floss guides 28 and 36 for ease of rotation to provide smooth, tangle and 
jamming free, dispensing of the dental floss 44. 
In order to provide the dental floss 22 with a cushion so as to prevent any 
rattling noise from occurring while brushing the teeth, a resilient washer 
48, such as rubber, is positioned on the second dental floss guide 36 and 
preferably bonded on the platform 30 such as by glue. In addition, a low 
friction washer 50 may be positioned on the second dental floss guide 36 
between the spool ends 24 and the resilient washer 48 and bonded to washer 
48 for allowing ease of rotation of the dental floss 22. 
Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4, 6-10, a projection 52 is provided extending 
outwardly from the second side of the support platform 30 for supporting 
the cutter 46. Preferably, the projection 52 includes locking notches 54 
and 56. The cutter means 46 includes a metal base 58 having resilient 
fingers 60 and 62 for engaging the notches 54 and 56, respectively, for 
holding the cutter 46 on the projection 52. Preferably, the cutting means 
46 includes dual cutters. 
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, the support platform 30 may include oppositely 
positioned indentations 64 for engagement for threading the platform 30 
into and out of the second part 14. 
In use, the combination toothbrush and dental floss holder 10 of the 
present invention provides for the easy removal and replacement of the 
brush attachment 12 by the threaded connection 26 to provide assorted 
brushes as desired. The parts 14 and 16 provide a handle with an enlarged 
diameter to provide maximum gripping action, control, and comfort for the 
user. Whenever desired, the dental floss 44 may be pulled out to the 
desired length and cut off by the cutter 46 after removing the end cap 16. 
When it is desired to insert or remove the roll of dental floss 22, the 
cap 16 and support platform 30 are removed, the end of the dental flow 44 
is fed through the opening 42 and the device is reassembled. 
The present invention, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objects 
and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as others inherent 
therein. While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been 
given for the purpose of disclosure, numerous changes in the details of 
construction and arrangement of parts will be readily apparent to those 
skilled in the art and which are encompassed within the spirit of the 
invention and the scope of the appended claims.