Abstract:
Apparatus for cleaning the teeth comprising a flosser portion and an elongated member which extends from the flosser portion is described. A pick which also extends from the elongated member and may be at a variety of angles with respect to the elongated portion.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention relates to apparatus and methods for flossing teeth and the removing of dental debris. 
       CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0003]    Not applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Today, there are wide variety of products on the market for dental care. These include brushes, plaque washes, and flossing devices, as well as traditional products such as toothpaste, spools of floss, mouth wash, and so forth. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with the invention, a device is provided for effectively flossing and removing interdental debris from the teeth, particularly debris deposited on or most accessible from the lingual side of interdental gaps. 
         [0006]    The device is comprised of a flosser portion with an elongated member extending from a flosser portion. A pick extends from the elongated member. The pick is inserted between two adjacent teeth and the point of the pick is moved up and down between the teeth in order to remove the accumulated debris. 
         [0007]    The inventive apparatus may further comprise a pick which is on an angle to the elongated member. This inventive device has the advantage of being manufactured with different angles thus meeting the preference of different users. 
         [0008]    The pick angle can be between 15 and 36° and is roughly perpendicular to the vertical elongated member. The pick lies in a plane defined by the flosser member and the elongated member. 
         [0009]    The flosser may be of a stirrup configuration. Alternatively it may be substantially U-shaped and the bottom of the U-shape roughly aligns with the elongated member. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The operation of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a plan view of the inventive interdental hygienic device; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the interdental hygienic device illustrated in  FIG. 1  along lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a view of the interdental hygienic device illustrated in  FIG. 1  along lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the inventive interdental hygienic device; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of embodiment of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates the use of the embodiment in  FIG. 4 , where the device is inserted into the mouth between the upper and lower jaws, inserted between two teeth in order to remove accumulated debris. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  illustrates that the angle of the embodiment in  FIG. 4  makes it well-suited to deal with debris on both sides of the mouth; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of yet another alternative embodiment; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  illustrates the embodiment of  FIG. 8  as used in a fashion similar to that employed in the use of embodiments of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a plan view of yet another alternative embodiment of the invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a plan view of yet another alternative embodiment of the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  illustrates a perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of the invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  is a plan view of yet another alternative embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 14  is a plan view of yet another alternative embodiment of the invention; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the inventive interdental hygienic device  10  is illustrated in plan view. Device  10  comprises a handle portion  12 , a flosser portion  14 , and a pick portion  16 . Pick portion  16  may be seen most clearly in  FIG. 2 , which is a view of the device  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1  along lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0026]    Handle portion  12  comprises a simple elongated member  18  extending between flosser portion  14  and pick portion  16 . Pick  20  is a simple elongated member Point  22  is small enough to enter into the gap between adjacent teeth in the manner of a conventional toothpick. Pick  20  extends at a substantially right angle with respect to the plane defined by handle portion  12  and flosser portion  14 . 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , which is a view along lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 , pick  20  is joined to elongated member  18  at joint portion  24 , which may be reinforced for added strength if desired. 
         [0028]    Flosser portion  14  comprises an outer support arm  26  and an inner support arm  28 . Inner support arm  28  is, optionally, more securely mounted by reinforcement portions  30  at its juncture with elongated member  18 . 
         [0029]    As can be seen in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a length of floss  32  extends between outer support arm  26  and inner support arm  28 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , an alternative embodiment of the inventive device  110  is illustrated. Device  110  includes a flosser portion  114 , and a pick portion  116 . The embodiment of  FIG. 4  differs from the embodiment of  FIG. 1  insofar as pick portion  116  is oriented at an angle of 22½° with respect to a vertical to elongated member  118 . In other words, pick  120  extends at an angle of approximately 77½° with respect to the plane defined by flosser portion  114 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the use of the inventive device  110  is illustrated. Generally, device  110  is inserted into the mouth between the upper and lower jaws, and the point  122  is inserted between two adjacent teeth  134  and  136  in jaw  138 . The user holds device  110  and moves the point  122  up and down between the teeth  134  and  136  to remove accumulated debris. The inventive device has the advantage of being manufactured with the desired angle between the elongated portion  118 . Accordingly, it is possible to build in any desired degree of strength into joint portion  124 . 
         [0032]    It is noted that the orientation of flosser portion  114  is such that when held in the hand, it allows the application of force to the pick  120 . 
         [0033]    Referring back to  FIGS. 1-3 , it is noted that the right angle that pick  20  makes with elongated member  18  enables device  10  to be used in a manner similar to that in which the device of  FIGS. 4 and 5  are used, except that the inventive device  10 , instead of being obliquely positioned with respect to the axis of symmetry of the jaw, will be more parallel to the axis of the jaw in the case of teeth in the rear of the mouth. 
         [0034]    In the case of teeth which are not at the rear of the mouth but more toward the front, the position of the toothpick will be increasingly oblique, in order to achieve a right angle between a tangent to the jaw line and the pick portion. In this respect, it is believed that the embodiment of  FIG. 1  will be more acceptable to most users, although some users will have a preference for the embodiment of  FIG. 4  or  5 . 
         [0035]    Referring back to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , and in particular  FIG. 7 , it is seen that the angle of the pick makes it well-suited to deal with debris on both sides of the mouth. 
         [0036]    Turning to  FIG. 8 , still yet another embodiment of the invention is illustrated. In this case, the inventive device  210  includes a pick  220  which is oriented at an angle substantially contained within the plane defined by flosser portion  214 . It is noted that this angle is at approximately 22.5° to the normal to the elongated support member  218 . 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , the use of the device  210  of  FIG. 8  is illustrated in connection with the cleaning of debris accumulated in the gap between a pair of teeth  234  and  236  in jaw  238 . 
         [0038]    The device  210  illustrated in  FIG. 8  is used in a fashion similar to that employed in the use of the embodiments of  FIGS. 1 and 4 . However, the construction of this device is particularly advantageous to the application of force in the up-and-down direction to dislodge debris which has been caught in the interdental gap between the teeth. It is noted that certain users may find the design of  FIG. 1-3 ,  4 - 5  or  8  preferable, due to the configuration of their teeth or the nature of the debris which periodically is caught in the gaps between their teeth. Factors may involve eating habits, interdental gap configuration and so forth. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , yet another embodiment of the inventive device  310  is illustrated. Device  310  is substantially identical to the device illustrated in  FIG. 8 , except that pick portion  320  extends at a right angle to elongated handle  318 . This embodiment also optionally includes a reinforced portion  340  which strengthens the joint between pick portion  320  and elongated handle portion  318 . 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIG. 11 , yet another alternative embodiment of the inventive device  410  is illustrated. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 11 , a flosser portion  414  takes a conventional stirrup shaped and supports a length of floss  432 . Pick  420  extends at a right angle to elongated portion  418 . 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 12 , yet another alternative embodiment of the present device  510  substantially similar to that illustrated in  FIG. 12 , is illustrated. The only difference is the orientation of pick  520  is at an oblique angle. 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 13 , yet another alternative embodiment of the inventive device  610  in which an obliquely oriented pick  620  is contained within the plane defined by elongated  618  and flosser portion  614 . 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 14 , another alternative of the present device  710  is substantially identical to that shown in  FIG. 13 , except that pick  720  is oriented at a substantially right angle to elongated member  718 , and the joint between pick  720  and elongated member  718  is reinforced with additional material  740 .