Abstract:
The present invention contemplates to combine a popular manual flosser into a motorized flosser to minimize the learning time required for manipulating automatic dental flossing and to optimize the effectiveness of dental flossing. The present invention also contemplates to combine the motorized flosser with a motorized toothbrush by sharing a specially designed common driving handle. The present invention further contemplates to combine a low cost motorized toothbrush with a disposable manual flosser so as to make the motorized flosser available to users with substantially no additional cost to the low cost motorized toothbrush.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional applications No. 60/422,184 filed on Oct. 29, 2002, and No. 60/431,466 filed on Dec. 5, 2002. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a motorized device and method for dental flossing and tooth-brushing. In particularly, the present invention relates to a combined unit of motorized dental flosser and motorized toothbrush, of which the motorized flosser adapts and drives a manual flosser.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    The clinic benefit of dental flossing is well known. Traditional manual flossing with two hands is difficult to manipulate for many of us. In the recent years, a variety of manual flossers or dental floss holders have been introduced into the market. These manual flossers typically consist of two tines secured a piece of dental floss and a shaft for the user to grasp and thus enable the users to manipulate dental flossing with one hand. Some of these manual flossers are getting popular in the market place. However, dental flossing with such a manually operated floss holder is still time consuming and less effective in general.  
           [0004]    Motorized flosser, i.e. motorized dental flossing device, has been the subject of hundreds of US patents; some of them are listed as references in this application. Many of these prior art designs may have good performance, in term of effectiveness and efficiency. However, motorized flossers have so far very limited success in the market place.  
           [0005]    There are two obvious obstacles for broad market acceptance of motorized flossers. First, substantial learning time is usually required for one to become familiar with manipulating a motorized flosser before seeing its benefit. Actually, dental flossing is never an easy job for most of us. Any new flosser or new flossing procedure will take time and practice for one to learn.  
           [0006]    Second, commercially available motorized flossers are typically sold for $30 to $80 per unit in the US market. These prices are some 10 to 50 times of what one may spend for dental floss or manual flossers. Because the usefulness and benefit of a new motorized flosser are usually not obvious, not many customers are likely to pay $30 to $80 to try something new but uncertain.  
           [0007]    In comparison, motorized toothbrushes have found their way to gain popularity in the past several years. Motorized toothbrushes were used to sell for some $30 to $80 per unit in the US market and had rather limited popularity. The market of motorized toothbrushes has become flourishing since Crest of Ohio introduced its SpinBrush sold for about $5 each.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0008]    The present invention contemplates a new and improved motorized flosser to overcome the above-identified obstacles. The present invention contemplates to combine a popular manual flosser into a motorized flosser to minimize the learning time required for manipulating automatic dental flossing and to optimize the effectiveness of dental flossing. The present invention also contemplates to combine the motorized flosser with a motorized toothbrush by sharing a specially designed common driving handle. The present invention further contemplates to combine a low cost motorized toothbrush with a disposable manual flosser so as to make the motorized flosser available to users with substantially no additional cost to the low cost motorized toothbrush.  
           [0009]    The combined unit of the motorized flosser and toothbrush consists of a disposable or manual flosser, a detachable toothbrush head, and a common driving handle. This combined unit is intended to pack and sell at a price of a low-cost motorized toothbrush. Package of multiple disposable or manual flossers can be sold separately. This way, customers are encouraged to buy the motorized toothbrush with a free disposable or manual flosser and the motorized flossers become readily available for a free trial to those customers.  
           [0010]    One embodiment of the common driving handle employs a simple design with de-centered pin and slide slot. The sophistication level of this driving handle is thus similar to those found in some popular motorized toothbrushes, such as SpinBrush from Crest of Ohio, ActiBrush from Colgate of New York, and CrossAction from Oral-B of Germany. The disposable or manual flosser can be modified from a product of Johnson&amp;Johnson of New Jersey and can be made from a single piece of plastic through a mold injection process. Therefore, the combined unit of the motorized flosser and toothbrush can be made and sold at substantially the same price as those of popular motorized toothbrushes, i.e. about $5 in the US market.  
           [0011]    Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved motorized dental flosser employing a floss holder with its shape and movement familiar among users of manual flossers.  
           [0012]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved motorized dental flosser employing a driving handle that requires minimal learning time for users to manipulate flossing.  
           [0013]    A further objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved motorized dental flosser employing a manual flosser that can be made into a disposable item.  
           [0014]    Another further objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved motorized dental flosser made available to users with substantially no additional cost to a low cost motorized toothbrush.  
           [0015]    The above and other objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent in the following drawings, detailed description, and claims.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 shows schematically a first powered dental flosser, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 shows a disposable floss holder for the first powered dental flosser.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 shows a first detachable toothbrush head.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 shows a first driving handle of the powered dental flosser.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 shows a first powered toothbrush sharing the same driving handle with the first powered flosser.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 shows schematically a second powered dental flosser, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 shows a manual floss holder for the second powered dental flosser.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 shows a second detachable toothbrush head.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 9 shows a second driving handle of the second powered dental flosser.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 10 shows a second powered toothbrush sharing the same driving handle with the second powered flosser.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 11 shows a first driving mechanism for a driving handle.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 12 shows a second driving mechanism for a driving handle.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0028]    [0028]FIG. 1 shows schematically a first powered dental flosser  100 , in accordance with the present invention. The powered dental flosser  100  is shown in front, side, and top views. The powered dental flosser  100  consists of a disposable floss holder  200  and a driving handle  400 . The disposable floss holder  200  affixes a piece of dental floss  210  between two tines  220  and  230 . A driving shaft  411  extended outward from the driving handle  400  engages with the disposable floss holder  200  and drives the disposable floss holder  200  to oscillate around the axis of the driving shaft  411 . As shown in a top view A-A of the powered dental floss  100 , the dental floss  210  oscillates side to side for dental flossing.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 2 shows a disposable floss holder  200 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The disposable floss holder  200  is shown in a front view and a side view. The disposable floss holder  200  has two tines  220  and  230  on its first end and a mounting hole  240  on its second end  202 . A piece of dental floss  210  is affixed in between the tips of the two tines  220  and  230 .  
         [0030]    As shown in a bottom view B-B of the disposable floss holder  200 , the mounting hole  240  has a rectangular shape and is centered with the second end  202  of the disposable floss holder  200 . This mounting hole  240  is made to receive the driving shafting  411  and to secure the disposable floss holder  200  onto the driving shaft  411  of the driving handle  400 .  
         [0031]    As shown in the side view, the mounting hole  240  has a symmetric axis  245  and this symmetric axis defines a rotation axis of the disposable floss holder  200 . The two tines  220  and  230  of the disposable floss holder  200  are bent away from the rotation axis  245  such that the dental floss  210  stretches approximately perpendicular to the axis  245  and has a distance about 10 to 20 mm from the axis  245 . When the disposable floss holder  200  is driven to oscillate around this rotation axis  245 , the dental floss  210  moves side to side as shown in the top view A-A of FIG. 1.  
         [0032]    The disposable floss holder  200  as designed can be made from a single piece of plastic and can be manufactured through an injection modeling process. Such a design simplifies the production process and reduces the production cost. As a result, the floss holder  200  can justify to be a disposable item.  
         [0033]    The disposable floss holder  200  has adapted a familiar appearance of some manual floss holders, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,296 to Dolan et al. Therefore, the disposable floss holder  200  itself can be a manual flosser. By adapting the appearance of a popular manual floss holder, the powered flosser  100  shall give the users an attempt to try, at least to those users who are familiar with the manual floss holder.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 3 shows a first detachable toothbrush head  300 , in a front view and a side view. The detachable toothbrush head  300  has toothbrush bristles  330  mounted on its first end and a mounting hole  340  on its second end  302 .  
         [0035]    As shown in a bottom view C-C of the detachable toothbrush head  300 , the mounting hole  340  has a rectangular shape and is identical to the mounting hole  240  of the disposable floss holder  200 . This mounting hole  340  is made to receive the driving shafting  411  and to secure the detachable toothbrush head  300  onto the driving shaft  411  of the driving handle  400 .  
         [0036]    As shown in the side view, the mounting hole  340  has a symmetric axis  345  and this symmetric axis defines a rotation axis of the detachable toothbrush head  300 . The distance from the very tip of the bristles  330  to the rotation axis shall be about 10 to 20 mm. This distance enables the bristles  330  to move side to side for tooth brushing when the detachable toothbrush head  300  is driven to oscillate around its rotation axis  345 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 4 shows a first driving handle  400  of the first powered dental flosser  100 . The driving handle  400  consists of a handle body  440  and a driving shaft  411 . The handle body  440  is such shaped to allow the user to grasp comfortably for dental flossing and tooth brushing.  
         [0038]    A preferred embodiment of driving mechanism of the driving handle  400  is described in FIG. 12. The driving shaft  411  is driven mechanically to oscillate back and forth around its rotation axis  445 . The driving shaft  411  has a rectangular shape on its cross section  412 , as shown in the top view D-D. The driving shaft  411  is sized to fit tightly into the mounting hole  240  of the disposable floss holder  200  such that it can transfer the oscillation motion to the disposable floss holder  200 .  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 5 shows schematically a first powered toothbrush  500  sharing the same driving handle  400  with the first powered dental flosser  100 . The powered toothbrush  500  is shown in a front view and a side view. The powered toothbrush  500  consists of a detachable toothbrush head  300  and a driving handle  400 . The driving shaft  411  of the driving handle  400  is inserted into the mounting hole  340  of the detachable toothbrush head  300 . In operation, the driving shaft  411  oscillates back and forth to drive the detachable toothbrush head  300  to swing from side to side for tooth brushing, as shown in a top view E-E.  
         [0040]    Preferably, the driving handle  400  can be such designed that the oscillation frequency and amplitude of the driving shaft  411  are, respectively, approximately 50 to 100 Hz and 15 to 25 degrees. The driving handle  400  is preferably powered by batteries and is as short and light as possible. It is found experimentally, short and light powered handle  400  is tended to be easier to manipulate. The disposable floss holder  200  can be such designed that the distance between the dental floss  210  and the rotation axis  245  is about 10 to 20 mm and that the dental floss has a side-to-side oscillation of about 3-8 mm. The detachable toothbrush head  300  can be such designed that the distance between the tips of the bristles  330  and the rotation axis  345  is about 10 to 20 mm and that the tips of the bristles has a side-to-side oscillation of about 3-8 mm.  
         [0041]    Alternatively, the coupling between driving handle  400  and disposable floss holder  200  or detachable toothbrush head  300  can be reversed. That is, the second end of the disposable floss holder  200  and the detachable toothbrush head  300  is shaped to have a rectangular cross section and the driving element of the driving handle  400  is equipped with a rectangular hole to receive and to secure the rectangular cross section.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 6 shows schematically a second powered dental flosser  600 , in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. The powered dental flosser  600  is shown in front and side views. The powered dental flosser  600  consists of a manual floss holder  700  and a driving handle  900  with a coupler  910 . The manual floss holder  700  affixes a piece of dental floss  710  between two tines. The coupler  910  extends from the driving handle  900  and engages with the manual floss holder  600 . The driving handle  900  drives the coupler  910  and thus the manual floss holder  600  to oscillate from side to side with respect to the driving handle  900 .  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 7 shows a manual floss holder  700 , in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The manual floss holder  700  is shown in a front view and a side view. The manual floss holder  700  has two tines  720  and  730  on its first end and a shaft  740  on its second end. A piece of dental floss  710  is affixed in between the tips of the two tines  720  and  730 .  
         [0044]    The shaft  740  has a shape and length for easy grasp and manipulation with fingers. Typically, a manual floss holder  700  has a total length of about 50 to 80 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the shaft  740  takes a shape as shown in FIG. 7 such that the second end of manual floss holder  700  can serve as a toothpick.  
         [0045]    The shaft  740  may have side curve  745  and a compressible hole  746  as shown. These structure features make it easy for inserting and securing the shaft  740  into a coupler  910  depicted in FIG. 11.  
         [0046]    The manual floss holder  700  as designed can be made from a single piece of plastic and can be manufactured through an injection modeling process. Such a design simplifies the production process and reduces the production cost. As a result, the manual floss holder  700  can justify to be a disposable item.  
         [0047]    Refer back to FIG. 6. The powered flosser  600  has a driving handle  900  attached to the manual floss holder  700  and to drive the manual floss holder  700  to swing side to side, simulating the movement of a manual floss holder. Such a design makes the driving handle  900  a natural extension of the shaft of the manual floss holder  700  and makes it easy for the users to learn how to manipulate flossing, at least to those users who are familiar with the manual floss holders.  
         [0048]    There are two simple schemes to move the floss  710  from side to side as shown in FIG. 6. A first scheme is to swing the manual floss holder  700  around an axis normal to the plane of the holder  700 , as implemented by driving mechanism depicted in FIG. 11. A second scheme is to swing the manual floss holder  700  around an axis along its shaft  740 , as implemented by driving mechanism depicted in FIG. 12. In order to apply the second scheme, the floss  710  is placed some 10 to 20 mm away from an axis  747  of its shaft  740 , as shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 8 shows a second detachable toothbrush head  800 , in a front view and a side view. The detachable toothbrush head  800  has toothbrush bristles  830  implanted on its first end and a shaft  840  on its second end.  
         [0050]    The same two driving mechanisms of FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 can apply to toothbrush head  800 . To employ a driving mechanism of FIG. 12, the length of the bristles  830  shall be about 10 to 20 mm. This length enables the bristles  830  to move side to side for tooth brushing when the detachable toothbrush head  800  is driven to oscillate around an axis of its shaft  840 .  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 9 shows a second driving handle  900  of the second powered dental flosser  600 . The driving handle  900  consists of a handle body  940  and a coupler  910 . The handle body  940  is such shaped to allow the user to grasp comfortably for dental flossing and tooth brushing.  
         [0052]    Two preferred embodiments of driving mechanism of the driving handle  900  are described in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12. The coupler  910  is driven by a motorized driving mechanism to swing side to side with respect to the driving handle  900 . The coupler  910  has a mounting hole  913  on its first end  912 , as shown in the top view F-F. This mounting hole  913  is shaped and sized to fit tightly with the shaft  740  of the manual floss holder  700  such that the coupler  910  can transfer the oscillation motion to the manual floss holder  700 .  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 10 shows schematically a second powered toothbrush  1000  sharing the same driving handle  900  with the second powered dental flosser  600 . The second powered toothbrush  1000  is shown in a front view and a side view. The powered toothbrush  1000  consists of a detachable toothbrush head  800  and a driving handle  900  with a coupler  910 . The shaft  840  of the toothbrush head  800  is inserted into the mounting hole of the coupler  910 . In operation, the coupler  910  swings side to side with the detachable toothbrush head  800  for tooth brushing.  
         [0054]    Preferably, the driving handle  900  can be such designed that the oscillation frequency is approximately 50 to 100 cycles per second. The driving handle  900  is preferably powered by batteries and is as short and light as possible. It is found experimentally, short and light powered handle  900  is tended to be easier to manipulate. In system design, the driving mechanism, the manual floss holder  700 , and the coupler  910  are such defined that the dental floss  910  has preferably a side-to-side oscillation of 3-8 mm. Also, the detachable toothbrush head  800  can be such designed that the tips of the bristles has preferably a side-to-side oscillation of 3-8 mm.  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 11 shows a first driving mechanism for a driving handle  900 , in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention. The first driving mechanism is shown in front and side views, of which the enclosure of driving handle  900  is opened. The first driving mechanism includes a motor  922 , a first cylinder  923  with a de-centered pin  924 , a second cylinder  925  with a slot  926 , a rod  921 , and a pin  927 . In operation, the motor  922  rotates continuously to drive the first cylinder  923 , which is affixed on the shaft of the motor  922 . The de-centered pin  924  is mounted on the first cylinder  923  and thus orbits in a circle. The de-centered pin  924  is engaged with the slot  926  of the second cylinder  925 . The second cylinder  925  is affixed to the coupler  910  through the rod  921 , which is rotational around pin  927 . The de-centered pin  924  slides inside the slot  926  and pushes the second cylinder  925  and thus the coupler  910  to swing back and forth around the pin  927 , which is perpendicular to an axis  942  of the driving handle  900 .  
         [0056]    The first driving mechanism is housed inside an enclosure  941 . Battery or electric charger, which is not shown, is also housed to provide power to the motor  922 . The motor  922  is preferably to rotate at 50 to 100 cycles per second. In one embodiment, the distance of the de-centered pin  924  from the rotation center of the first cylinder  923  is approximately 1 mm and the length of the rod  921  is approximately 40 mm. The overall length from the pin  927  to the floss  710  of the second powered dental flosser  600  is about 80 mm. The floss  710  is thus swung side to side about 4 mm.  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 12 shows a second driving mechanism for a driving handle  900 , in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention. The second driving mechanism is shown in front and side views, of which the enclosure of driving handle  900  is opened. The second driving mechanism includes a motor  932 , a first cylinder  933  with a de-centered pin  934 , a second cylinder  935  with a slot  936 , a rod  931 , and a cylindrical bearing  937 . In operation, the motor  932  rotates continuously to drive the first cylinder  933 , which is affixed on the shaft of the motor  932 . The de-centered pin  934  is mounted on the first cylinder  933  and thus orbits in a circle. The de-centered pin  934  is engaged with the slot  936  of the second cylinder  935 . The second cylinder  935  is connected to the coupler  910  through the rod  931 , which is rotational inside the cylindrical bearing  937 . The axis of the motor  932  is offset from the axis of the bearing  937  as shown in the side view. The de-centered pin  934  slides inside the slot  936  and pushes the second cylinder  935  and thus the coupler  910  to swing back and forth around the axis of the bearing  937 , which is collinear with an axis  942  of the driving handle  900 .  
         [0058]    The second driving mechanism is housed inside an enclosure  941 . Battery or electric charger, which is not shown, is also housed to provide power to the motor  932 . The motor  932  is preferably to rotate at 50 to 100 cycles per second. In one embodiment, the distance of the de-centered pin  934  from the rotation center of the first cylinder  933  is approximately 1 mm and the distance between the axis of the motor  932  and the axis of the bearing  927  is approximately 6 mm. The oscillation angle of the coupler  910  is thus about 20 degree. The distance from the floss  710  to its rotational axis  747 , which is collinear with the axis of the bearing  927 , is approximately 12 mm. The floss  710  is thus swung side to side about 4 mm.  
         [0059]    The coupler  910  in FIG. 11 or FIG. 12 has an mounting hole  913  as depicted to receive and to secure the shaft  740  of the manual floss holder  700 . The driving mechanism illuminated in FIG. 12 can be readily employed to driving handle  400 . To accomplish that, a driving shaft  411  replaces the coupler  910 .  
         [0060]    Although the present disclosure only includes a few embodiments, other modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the following claims.