Patent Publication Number: US-2005115854-A1

Title: Packaging system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to packaging for dental floss, and more particularly, individualized packets containing a pre-selected length of dental floss.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Dental floss has commonly been manufactured and distributed as a spool, housed in a plastic dispensing container. The user withdraws a length of thread from the container and then severs the length of thread from the spool. An individual who seeks to employ flossing as a hygienic dental practice, commonly carries such a container on her person so that it can be easily accessed throughout the day. However, although such containers may be relatively compact, they nonetheless present undesirable bulk in a person&#39;s pockets.  
      Some attempts have been made in the past to provide smaller packaging for dental floss and smaller lengths of dental floss in each package. When the amount of dental floss in each package is adequate only for a single use, the associated packaging can also be smaller and more convenient to carry about one&#39;s person. Such packaging, however, has typically included small, flat packets, which must be torn in order to access the dental floss. Consequently, one is left not only with used dental floss after flossing, but also torn packet pieces. In some instances, such as when one is in a car, it becomes difficult to appropriately and discretely manage the dental floss and packaging remains. Consequently, a compact packaging device for dental floss which may be used not only for storing dental floss before use but also for retaining used dental floss until it can be properly discarded is desirable.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,221, issued Apr. 1, 1986 to A. P. Corella discloses a peripherally sealed package containing a bunched up portion of dental floss or other filament with the outer ends of the floss or filament being disposed within and secured by sealed ends of the package. A notch whose cut enables the package to be opened, uses a segment of the package as a handle to draw the filament untangled and unknotted from the package.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,572, issued Dec. 15, 1987 to W. G. Hovel discloses a dental floss packet consisting of a first water resistant sheet of material, a length of dental floss having one end thereof secured to a portion of a left periphery of the material and having another end thereof secured to a portion of a right periphery thereof, a second water resistant sheet of material, a die stamped seal extending entirely along the periphery between the sheets of the material and enclosing the dental floss therewithin.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,728, issued Aug. 1, 1989 to J. R. Court discloses a disposable single use package comprised of a short length of dental floss integrated in a sanitary packet. The packet is formed by first and second members releasably attached to one another to form a sanitary interior compartment for accommodating the length of dental floss.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,289, issued Jan. 22, 1991 to C. E. McWhorter discloses a dental hygiene product in the form of a packet having a front panel and a back panel containing a pre-cut length of dental floss thread stored as a coil. The packet is severable into first and second packet portions, and opposite ends of the thread are affixed to respective packet portions which, after being severed, form grip tabs to facilitate withdrawal and use of the floss thread.  
      Other patents relating to dental floss packaging include U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,433, issued Mar. 29, 1977 to R. J. Cerwin (package for moisture sensitive sutures and method for making same); U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,330, issued Jul. 8, 1980 to A. E. Strock (oral health and hygiene kit); U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,227, issued Jun. 6, 1989 to N. Charatan (oral hygiene device); U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,324, issued Jun. 18, 1991 to D. Whittaker (single use dental floss spindle and method); U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,077, issued Jun. 21, 1994 to A. P. Corella (dental hygiene apparatus); U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,201, issued Aug. 27, 1996 to L. S. Bruade (package for dental floss); U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,776, issued Aug. 18, 1998 to A. P. Corella (instrumentation, system, method, and package for packaging flaccid filaments); U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,418, issued Jun. 22, 1999 to P. Singh (packaged dental floss with manual pressure dispensing); U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,051, issued Aug. 15, 2000 to P. S. Neves (flossing kit); and International Patent No. WO 98/52492, published Nov. 26, 1998.  
      None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a packaging system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The packaging system includes a thin, flexible bag that is generally small in size, and a pre-cut portion of dental floss disposed within the bag. The bag has a front wall and a rear wall, sealed together at opposite longitudinal side seams and at a closed lower end. A mouth is formed by the front and rear walls, between the side seams. A slidable sealer is affixed to an upper end of the bag to facilitate repeatable opening and closing of the mouth. The upper end of the bag further includes an aperture defined therein to facilitate display of the packaging system on a wire dispenser.  
      The packaging system of the present invention is particularly adapted for individual sale, as the hole at the upper end of the bag allows for display of the packaging system on a wire dispenser. Because of its small size, the packaging system may also be readily carried in wallets, billfolds, and the like. Additionally, the packaging system may be used as a replacement for complimentary toothpicks provided at restaurants. Since the integrity of the bag is not destroyed once the dental floss is removed, the used dental floss may be placed in the bag and sealed therein until the packaging system may be conveniently disposed.  
      Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a packaging system wherein select lengths of dental floss can be stored in a useful and sanitary manner.  
      It is another object of the invention to provide a packaging system that eliminates the bulk of a conventional dental floss container so that dental floss may be easily carried on one&#39;s person.  
      It is a further object of the invention to provide a packaging system in the form of a bag, which can be repeatedly opened and closed for storing used and unused portions of dental floss.  
      Still another object of the invention is to provide a packaging system individually sold and distributed on wire dispensers.  
      It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.  
      These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a packaging system according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a packaging system according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a packaging system according to the present invention drawn along lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
    
    
      Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      The present invention relates to a packaging system, generally designated as  10  in the drawings. As depicted in  FIG. 1 , the packaging system  10  includes a thin, flexible bag  12  and a pre-cut portion of dental floss  14  disposed within the bag  12 . The bag  12  is relatively small in size, preferably having a width of about 1.5 inches and a length of about 2.0 inches. The bag  12  can be formed from a flexible material, such as paper or plastic. The dental floss  16  is preferably of a length which is determined to be sufficient for only one use.  
      As can be seen more clearly in  FIG. 2 , the bag  12  has a front wall  12   a  and a rear wall  12   b.  Each of the front and rear walls  12   a  and  12   b  are fixedly attached together at opposite longitudinally extending side seams  14  and at a closed lower end  16 . A top end  15  of the bag  12  includes an aperture  20  for facilitating display of the packaging system  10  on a wire dispenser, and a slidable sealer  22  for releasably sealing the bag  12 . The slidable sealer is preferably a ziplock sealer commonly found in Ziploc® bags. When the bag  12  is unsealed, a mouth  18  is formed by the front and rear walls,  12   a  and  12   b,  between the side seams  14 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , it can be seen that the sealer  22  includes a tongue element  22   a  on the front wall  12   a  and a groove element  22   b  on the rear wall  12   b,  with both elements  22   a  and  22   b  being flexible so the tongue element  22   a  can slidably engage the groove element  22   b  in a “zip-locking” type fashion.  
      It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.