Dental floss holder

An elongated arched support member is provided including an elevated midportion an oppositely downwardly and endwise outwardly directed inclined end portions. A section of dental floss is provided and the lower ends of the end portions include structure which anchor opposite end portions of the section of dental floss relative thereto with said dental floss section in a tensioned state. The inner surfaces of the elongated member may engage and ride over the inner and outer side upper portions of adjacent teeth between which the section of floss is received as the arched member is oscillated lengthwise back and forth transversely of the associated gum ridge. The spacing between corresponding midportions of the floss support member and the floss section is at least generally equal to the vertical spacing between the crown surface of a tooth and the associated gum tissue. As the support member is oscillated back and forth, the inner surfaces of the inclined end portions thereof act as cam surfaces for upwardly displacing the support member, and thus the section of floss supported therefrom, at the end of each lengthwise stroke of the support member. In this manner, food debris as well as plaque may be scraped from between adjacent teeth.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In the recent past, it has become well known that dental hygiene may be 
greatly facilitated as a result of the proper "flossing" of teeth at least 
twice daily. However, when proper flossing is carried out either manually 
without the aid of a floss holder or with the aid of a floss holder 
adjacent abrasive surfaces of adjacent teeth as well as plaque surfaces 
thereon can effect a tearing or eroding action on a length of floss with 
the result that two or three movements of floss along adjacent surfaces of 
teeth is sufficient to sever the floss section being used. This involves 
not only wastage of dental floss but requires the use of a new section of 
floss, and perhaps several more, before a flossing operation can be 
completed. If the flossing operation is being performed manually without 
the use of a holder or with the use of a holder, the flossing operation is 
greatly lengthened in duration as each new section of floss is prepared 
for use. Accordingly, a need exists for a dental floss holder which may 
automatically provide two longitudinally spaced wear zones thereof for 
engaging abrasive tooth and plaque surfaces. By providing two discrete 
areas of usage of a single length of floss, the "life" of that length of 
floss is at least doubled. 
Examples of various different forms of floss holders including some of the 
general structural and operational features of the instant invention are 
disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 380,739, 542,782, 728,121, 918,281, 2,443,415, 
4,002,183 and 4,051,857. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The dental floss holder of the instant invention comprises an elongated 
arched floss holding member including an elevated midportion and 
oppositely downwardly and outwardly directed inclined end portions. In a 
first form of dental floss holder disclosed, the holder is constructed so 
as to include a substantially constant radius of curvature, but in a 
second form of floss holder the arched portion thereof includes a 
substantially straight midportion and oppositely and outwardly inclined 
and substantially straight opposite end portions. Both disclosed forms of 
the dental floss holder are constructed in a manner whereby the holder 
need be only longitudinally reciprocated transversely of a gum ridge while 
either downward or upward pressure is applied to the holder. The inner 
surfaces of the holder, at least at the opposite ends thereof, include 
oppositely downwardly and outwardly inclined inner surfaces comprising cam 
surfaces which engage and ride upon the inner and outer crown portions of 
adjacent teeth between which the associated section of floss is received. 
When the crown portions of adjacent teeth are engaged by the inner 
surfaces of the midportion of the holder, the midportion of the length of 
floss supported from the holder is disposed at or below the gum line and 
as the holder is lengthwise displaced to shift either end thereof toward 
the area of adjacent teeth between which the floss is received, the inner 
surfaces of that end portion of the holder ride on the adjacent side crown 
portions of the teeth between which the floss extends. This causes the 
floss to move from the gum line toward the crown of the teeth in order to 
perform the correct flossing operation. 
The main object of this invention is to provide a dental floss holder which 
will greatly facilitate proper flossing of teeth and thereby promote good 
dental hygiene. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a dental floss holder 
constructed in a manner whereby each section of dental floss being used 
during a flossing operation will have its life expectancy at least 
doubled. 
Still another object of this invention is to provide a dental floss holder 
which may be constructed of different sizes so as to perform proper 
flossing operations on teeth of varying lengths. 
A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to 
provide a dental floss holder in accordance with the preceding objects and 
which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple 
construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be 
economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in 
operation. 
These together with other objects and advantages which will become 
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation 
as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals 
refer to like parts throughout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally 
designates a first form of dental floss hold constructed in accordance 
with the present invention. The holder 10 includes an elongated arched 
floss holding member 12 consisting of an elevated midportion 14 and 
downwardly curving opposite end portions 16 and 18. The end portion 16 is 
longitudinally slotted as at 20 for receiving the knotted end 22 of a 
section 24 of dental floss therethrough and the end portion 18 includes 
opposite side notches 26 whereby a looped end portion 28 of the section 24 
may be anchored relative to the end portion 18. Further, the holding 
member 12 includes an elongated outwardly projecting integral handle 30 
which projects tangentially outwardly from one end of the midportion 14. 
In operation, the section 24 of dental floss is secured between the end 
portions 16 and 18 in a tensioned state, the end portions 16 and 18 being 
somewhat resilient, and the holder 10 is positioned with the section 24 
received between adjacent teeth and the inner surface 32 of the holding 
member 12 abutted against the adjacent crown surfaces of the 
aforementioned adjacent teeth. The distance between the inner surface 
portion of the midportion 14 and the section 24 may be slightly greater 
than the height of a tooth from the crown to the adjacent gum area that 
when the inner surface of the midportion rests upon the crown of teeth 34 
in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings drawings, the section 
24 will be disposed at or below the adjacent gum tissue 36. Then, the 
handle 30 of the holder 10 is reciprocated back and forth while applying 
lateral pressure to maintain the inner surface 32 of the holding member 12 
in contact with the adjacent teeth crowns. As the handle 30 is shifted in 
the direction of the arrow 40 in FIG. 4 from the position thereof 
illustrated in FIG. 2, the section 24 is displaced lengthwise and upwardly 
between the adjacent teeth 34. Then, as the handle 30 is shifted in a 
direction opposite to the arrow 40 in FIG. 4, the section 24 is shifted to 
the left and in a downward direction until the section 24 reaches or moves 
below the gum tissue 36 as the inner surface of the midportion 14 moves 
into contact with the top of the adjacent teeth 34. Then, further movement 
of the holder 10 to the left causes the inner surface of the end portion 
16 to ride upwardly over the opposing upper crown surface portions of the 
adjacent teeth 34 and the section 24 to again ride upwardly between the 
adjacent teeth 34. Accordingly, with alternating horizontal lateral 
pressure applied to the handle 30, the adjacent sides of the adjacent 
teeth 34 may be properly flossed with a minimum of effort. Further, 
inasmuch as the section 24 is being longitudinally displaced as it is 
being raised or lowered along the adjacent sides of the adjacent teeth 34, 
wear upon the section 24 is distributed throughout substantially the 
entire length thereof with the result that the section 24 may be used for 
considerably longer periods of time before being severed by rough adjacent 
tooth or plaque surfaces. 
With attention now invited more specifically to FIG. 5 of the drawings, a 
modified form of dental floss holder is referred to in general by the 
reference numeral 50. The holder 50 is generally structurally similar to 
the holder 10 in that it includes a holding member 52 corresponding to the 
holding member 12 and consisting of an upper midportion 54 and oppositely 
downwardly and outwardly inclined end portions 56 and 58 between whose 
lower ends a section 64 of dental floss is supported. The main difference 
between the holders 10 and 50 is that the end portions 56 and 58 of the 
holder 50 are inclined, but are longitudinally straight whereas the end 
portions 16 and 18 are curved and coextensive with the curved midportion 
14 of the holder 10. However, the inner surfaces of the holding members 12 
and 52 are of substantially the same mirror image contour on opposite 
sides of a plane disposed normal to the corresponding floss section and 
centrally intermediate the lower ends of the corresponding holding member, 
see FIGS. 4 and 5. 
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the 
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily 
occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the 
invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and 
accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted 
to, falling within the scope of the invention.