Patent Description:
In order to prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease, it has conventionally been known in oral cleaning to use a toothbrush for cleaning of the tooth surface, a dental floss or an interdental brush for cleaning between the teeth, and a tongue-dedicated soft rubbery cleaning tool for the tongue surface. Such oral care is important in terms of preventive medicine, but in many cases, the oral care performed each time by each person is entirely focused on cleaning the tooth surface with the toothbrush. Despite the fact that the dental floss and the interdental brush are effective in the prevention of tooth decay and periodontal disease, their widespread use tends to be hindered by circumstances where, for example, the use of the dental floss is difficult and troublesome.

Here, currently commercially available dental floss is mainly of a type that is used by being wound around one's own fingers, a disposable type in which a floss thread and a floss holder are integrally formed, etc..

Patent Document <NUM> discloses a dental floss holder that can be adjusted according to the length of the teeth so as not to damage the gums and clean between the teeth. In the dental floss holder, grooves are provided on each top of a bifurcated portion at a distal end of a handle and on an outer surface of the bifurcated portion, and a floss thread is wound around the grooves on the outer surface of the bifurcated portion. Then, the floss thread comes into contact with the distal end of the tooth, which prevents a situation in which the gums are damaged by the floss thread for interdental cleaning stretched between the tops of the bifurcated portion. Patent Document <NUM> discloses a dental floss pick for interdental cleaning configured so that a thread can be replaced. In this art, a replacement thread is tightly wound around a notch portion of a main body, thereby allowing for the interdental cleaning without slack in the thread, and the thread of the dental floss pick for interdental cleaning is made replaceable, so that the dental floss pick can be used repeatedly.

The disposable dental floss in which the floss thread and the floss holder are integrally formed is not economical considering that it is discarded after each use in oral cleaning. Further, during interdental cleaning, the tension of the floss thread attached to the floss holder cannot be finely adjusted, so that forcibly inserting the floss thread into the interdental portion may lead to breakage or damage the gums. Here, according to the art described in Patent Document <NUM>, the floss thread wound around the grooves on the outer surface of the bifurcated portion prevents a situation in which the gums are damaged, but the tension of the floss thread cannot be finely adjusted during interdental cleaning. Further, according to the art described in Patent Document <NUM>, although the floss thread is configured to be replaceable, it is still not possible to finely adjust the tension of the floss thread during interdental cleaning, and the workability of the user in interdental cleaning may be impaired.

On the other hand, the dental floss of the type that is used by being wound around one's own fingers allows for easily changing the type of floss thread for interdental cleaning and the degree of tension thereof, but this is not hygienic because fingers need to be put into the oral cavity. Further, finger pain due to the winding of the floss thread around one's own fingers and taking time to become proficient may be problems. Furthermore, in such a type of dental floss, the user needs to open the mouth wide for interdental cleaning over a relatively long period of time, so that jaw fatigue may be a problem.

An object of the present invention is to provide a dental floss holder in which the type of floss thread and the degree of tension thereof can be easily changed and the workability of the user is good.

In order to achieve the foregoing object, a dental floss holder of the present invention includes a rod-like handle portion for a user to grip, a head portion to which a dental floss is locked, and a constricted portion connecting a distal end of the handle portion and the head portion, the constricted portion formed so as to be reduced with respect to a connection part of the handle portion and the head portion adjacent to the constricted portion in a width direction and/or a thickness direction of the connection part. In this dental floss holder, a recessed portion extending in a thickness direction of the head portion is formed on a distal end surface of the head portion, and a notch portion is formed in a longitudinal direction from the recessed portion, and the notch portion extends to the constricted portion.

Here, by the constricted portion connecting the distal end of the handle portion and the head portion, the constricted portion formed so as to be reduced with respect to the connection part of the handle portion and the head portion adjacent to the constricted portion in the width direction and/or the thickness direction of the connection part, the recessed portion formed on the distal end surface of the head portion so as to extend in the thickness direction of the head portion, and the notch portion formed in the longitudinal direction from the recessed portion, one end portion of the dental floss can be locked to the head portion and the other end portion of the dental floss can be a free end.

That is, for example, the dental floss can be locked to the head portion by passing the dental floss through the notch portion, winding the dental floss passed through the notch portion around the constricted portion, and further passing the dental floss through the notch portion.

Further, the constricted portion allows the dental floss once passed through the notch portion to be wound around the constricted portion, which serves as a fixed position.

Further, the dental floss wound so as to be concentrated at the constricted portion tightens the notch portion in the constricted portion, and the dental floss passed through the notch portion can be firmly fixed to the dental floss holder.

At this time, the tensile force of the wound dental floss is concentrated on the constricted portion.

As a result, even if the user is a child or an elderly person, the dental floss can be easily fixed to the dental floss holder of the present invention.

Further, the dental floss can be firmly fixed to the dental floss holder, so that the workability of the user when cleaning between the teeth using the dental floss holder is improved.

Further, one end portion of the dental floss can be locked to the head portion and the other end portion of the dental floss can be a free end, so that the user can pinch the other end portion to clean between the teeth and is not required to use the dental floss by winding it around his/her own fingers, and as a result does not cause pain to the user's fingers.

Further, the user can clean between the teeth by pinching the other end portion of the dental floss, so that the user can clean between the teeth while easily changing the degree of tension of the dental floss.

Further, although it took time to become proficient with the interdental cleaning of the type that the dental floss is wound around the user's own fingers, the use of the dental floss holder of the present invention eliminates the need for the dental floss to be wound around the user's own fingers for use, so that it does not take time to become proficient with the interdental cleaning.

As a result, there is no need to keep the mouth wide open for interdental cleaning over a relatively long period of time, and the jaw of the user is less likely to become fatigued.

The interdental cleaning performed by locking one end portion of the dental floss to the head portion and pinching the other end portion as in the interdental cleaning using the dental floss holder of the present invention is hygienic because the interdental cleaning can be performed by putting the head portion of the dental floss holder of the present invention into the oral cavity and pulling the other end portion, which is the free end, of the dental floss with fingers from the outside of the oral cavity and there is no need to put fingers into the oral cavity.

Further, in the dental floss holder of the present invention, the head portion can have a stopper portion.

Here, the stopper portion is provided so as to partially cover the notch portion.

Further, the stopper portion prevents the dental floss from entering the notch portion on the constricted portion side further than the stopper portion.

With such a stopper portion, one end portion of the dental floss can be easily locked to the constricted portion.

Further, the notch portion may have an edge portion folded back on the recessed portion side at a predetermined acute angle on its way extending from the recessed portion toward the constricted portion. At this time, the notch portion may be formed to have a predetermined angle with respect to an imaginary line extending in a longitudinal direction from the recessed portion in a section from the recessed portion to the edge portion.

Further, in the dental floss holder of the present invention, the handle portion may be provided with a thread winding portion configured to allow the dental floss to be wound therearound in the above configuration.

According to the present invention, there can be provided a dental floss holder in which the type of floss thread and the degree of tension thereof can be easily changed and the workability of the user is good.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments.

An overview of a dental floss holder in a first embodiment will be described with reference to <FIG> is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the dental floss holder in the present embodiment. The dental floss holder <NUM> according to the present embodiment includes a rod-like handle portion <NUM> for a user to grip, a head portion <NUM> to which a dental floss <NUM> is locked, and a constricted portion <NUM> connecting a distal end of the handle portion <NUM> and the head portion <NUM>.

Here, the handle portion <NUM>, the head portion <NUM>, and the constricted portion <NUM> are integrally formed in the dental floss holder <NUM> of the present embodiment. They can be formed of a material such as synthetic resin or silicon and the surface thereof may be subjected to an antimicrobial treatment.

The handle portion <NUM> is a portion that is gripped by a user when the user cleans between the teeth using the dental floss holder <NUM> and the dental floss <NUM> locked to the holder. In the present embodiment, a finger support portion <NUM> is provided on the handle portion <NUM>.

The finger support portion <NUM> is designed so that the user can easily hold down one end portion of the dental floss <NUM> with a finger in a procedure for locking the dental floss <NUM> to the dental floss holder <NUM> described later, and is formed in a rounded protruding shape.

Further, the handle portion <NUM> may be provided with a thread winding portion <NUM> described later.

The head portion <NUM> is a portion to which the dental floss <NUM> is locked in the dental floss holder <NUM>, and a recessed portion <NUM> extending in a thickness direction C of the head portion <NUM> is formed on a distal end surface of the head portion <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, the head portion <NUM> is formed in a heart shape by forming the recessed portion <NUM> at the top of a substantially circular shape. Further, a notch portion <NUM> is formed in the head portion <NUM> in a longitudinal direction A from the recessed portion <NUM>.

The constricted portion <NUM> is formed so as to be reduced with respect to a connection part of the handle portion <NUM> and the head portion <NUM> adjacent to the constricted portion <NUM> in a width direction B and/or a thickness direction C of the connection part. In the present embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, the constricted portion <NUM> is formed to be reduced in the width direction B.

However, with no intention to be limited thereto, the constricted portion <NUM> may be formed so as to be reduced in the thickness direction C or the constricted portion <NUM> may be formed so as to be reduced in the width direction B and the thickness direction C as long as the constricted portion <NUM> has a shape that allows the dental floss <NUM> passed through the notch portion <NUM> of the head portion <NUM> to be wound around a fixed position, which will be described later.

The user then can lock the dental floss <NUM> to the head portion <NUM> of the dental floss holder <NUM> by passing the dental floss <NUM> through the notch portion <NUM> formed in the head portion <NUM> of the dental floss holder <NUM>, winding the dental floss <NUM> once passed through the notch portion <NUM> around the constricted portion <NUM> several times, and further passing the dental floss <NUM> through the notch portion <NUM>.

Here, <FIG> is a diagram for explaining a use state of the dental floss holder <NUM> in the present embodiment.

With the dental floss <NUM> locked to the dental floss holder <NUM> as described above, the user can clean between the teeth by pinching one end portion, which is a free end <NUM>, of the dental floss <NUM> with fingers to apply tensile force to the dental floss <NUM>. A procedure for locking the dental floss <NUM> to the dental floss holder <NUM> as described above will be described in detail in <FIG> described later.

In such interdental cleaning using the dental floss holder <NUM> of the present embodiment, for example, the head portion <NUM> of the dental floss holder <NUM> is put into the oral cavity, the free end <NUM> of the dental floss <NUM> is pulled by fingers from the outside of the oral cavity, and the interdental cleaning can be performed.

In this case, there is no need to put fingers into the oral cavity, which is hygienic (more hygienic when the surface of the dental floss holder <NUM> is subjected to an antimicrobial treatment).

Furthermore, the head portion <NUM> is heart-shaped, that is, formed to be rounded in the dental floss holder <NUM> of the present embodiment, so that a situation in which the oral cavity is damaged by the head portion <NUM> is prevented as much as possible even if the dental floss holder <NUM> is put into the oral cavity.

Furthermore, with such a shape of the head portion <NUM>, even if the user is a child or an elderly person, the dental floss <NUM> can be easily introduced into the notch portion <NUM>, and also even in a situation where the user's visibility is poor (for example, use in a bathroom), the dental floss <NUM> can be easily introduced into the notch portion <NUM>.

Unlike the dental floss <NUM> of the conventional type that is used by being wound around one's own fingers, the user can lock one end portion of the dental floss <NUM> to the dental floss holder <NUM> and pinch the other end portion to clean between the teeth. That is, since there is no need to wind the dental floss <NUM> around one's own fingers for use, the situation of causing pain to the user's fingers is prevented as much as possible.

Further, since there is no need to open the mouth wide for interdental cleaning over a relatively long period of time, the situation of causing jaw fatigue to the user is prevented as much as possible. In such interdental cleaning, it is a matter of course that the degree of tension of the dental floss <NUM> can be easily changed.

With the dental floss holder of the present invention, the dental floss <NUM> is passed through the notch portion <NUM> formed in the head portion <NUM>, and the dental floss <NUM> once passed through the notch portion <NUM> is wound around the constricted portion <NUM> several times, and the dental floss <NUM> is further passed through the notch portion <NUM>, whereby the dental floss <NUM> is locked to the head portion <NUM> of the dental floss holder <NUM>.

By providing such a constricted portion <NUM>, the dental floss <NUM> once passed through the notch portion <NUM> can be wound around a fixed position.

According to this, the notch portion <NUM> in the constricted portion <NUM> is tightened by the dental floss <NUM> wound so as to be concentrated at the constricted portion <NUM>, and the dental floss <NUM> passed through the notch portion <NUM> is firmly fixed to the dental floss holder <NUM>.

At this time, the tensile force of the wound dental floss <NUM> is concentrated on the constricted portion <NUM>. Therefore, the dental floss <NUM> is stably fixed to the dental floss holder <NUM>, and the workability of the user when cleaning between the teeth using the dental floss holder <NUM> is improved.

Then, even if the user is a child or an elderly person, the dental floss <NUM> can be easily fixed to the dental floss holder <NUM>.

Here, a stopper portion <NUM> is provided on the head portion <NUM> in the dental floss holder <NUM> of the present embodiment. This will be described based on <FIG>.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining details of the stopper portion <NUM> in the dental floss holder <NUM> in the present embodiment.

As shown in <FIG>, the stopper portion <NUM> is provided so as to partially cover the notch portion <NUM>. The stopper portion <NUM> prevents the dental floss <NUM> from entering the notch portion <NUM> on the constricted portion <NUM> side further than the stopper portion <NUM>. Specifically, when the user passes the dental floss <NUM> in the longitudinal direction A along the notch portion <NUM> from the recessed portion <NUM> side, the entering of the dental floss <NUM> into the notch portion <NUM> is prevented by the stopper portion <NUM>, and the user can no longer pass the dental floss <NUM> in the longitudinal direction A.

According to this, the dental floss <NUM> can be fixed to the dental floss holder <NUM> at a position suitable for interdental cleaning (a position where the head portion <NUM> does not interfere during interdental cleaning), and thus the workability of the user is improved.

In particular, even if the user is a child or an elderly person, the use of the dental floss holder <NUM> provided with such a stopper portion <NUM> allows for interdental cleaning with good workability. Such a stopper portion <NUM> is formed, for example, at a position <NUM> to <NUM> from the recessed portion <NUM>.

Further, such a stopper portion <NUM> facilitates locking one end portion of the dental floss <NUM> to the constricted portion <NUM>.

That is, when one end portion of the dental floss <NUM> is locked to the constricted portion <NUM>, for example, the other part of the dental floss <NUM> is wound around a place where a part of a predetermined length from one end portion of the dental floss <NUM> and the constricted portion <NUM> are overlapped. The other part of the dental floss <NUM> only needs to be wound about the notch portion <NUM> with the part of a predetermined length extended in the same direction as the longitudinal direction A by the stopper portion <NUM>. Thus, the other part of the dental floss <NUM> is easily wound around the place where the part of a predetermined length and the constricted portion <NUM> are overlapped.

Next, a procedure for locking the dental floss <NUM> to the dental floss holder <NUM> will be described.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining the procedure for locking the dental floss <NUM> to the dental floss holder <NUM>.

First, as shown in <FIG>, the dental floss <NUM> is passed through the notch portion <NUM> formed in the head portion <NUM> of the dental floss holder <NUM>. Here, when the dental floss <NUM> is passed through the notch portion <NUM> from the recessed portion <NUM> side by the user, the formation of the recessed portion <NUM> facilitates the introduction of the dental floss <NUM> into the notch portion <NUM>, as described above. At this time, the user can hold down one end portion of the dental floss <NUM> using the finger support portion <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, then, the dental floss <NUM> once passed through the notch portion <NUM> is wound around the constricted portion <NUM> several times.

As shown in <FIG>, then, the dental floss <NUM> wound around the constricted portion <NUM> several times is passed through the notch portion <NUM> again, whereby the dental floss <NUM> is locked to the head portion <NUM> of the dental floss holder <NUM>.

According to this, as described above, the notch portion <NUM> in the constricted portion <NUM> is tightened by the dental floss <NUM> wound so as to be concentrated at the constricted portion <NUM>, and the dental floss <NUM> passed through the notch portion <NUM> is firmly fixed to the dental floss holder <NUM>.

With the dental floss holder of the present invention, the dental floss <NUM> can be easily replaced. This will be described based on <FIG>.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining removal of the dental floss <NUM> from the dental floss holder <NUM>.

In the dental floss holder <NUM> of the present embodiment, when the free end <NUM> of the dental floss <NUM> is pulled in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction A, the dental floss <NUM> is firmly fixed to the dental floss holder <NUM>. On the contrary, as shown in <FIG>, when the free end <NUM> of the dental floss <NUM> is pulled in the longitudinal direction A, the restraint on the dental floss <NUM> by the notch portion <NUM> is released, so that the dental floss <NUM> can be removed from the dental floss holder <NUM> very easily.

According to this, the type of dental floss <NUM> can be changed with good workability, and only the dental floss <NUM> needs to be replaced each time it is used, which is hygienic and economical.

The handle portion <NUM> may be provided with a thread winding portion <NUM> configured to allow the dental floss <NUM> to be wound therearound. Here, <FIG> is a diagram for explaining storage of the free end <NUM> of the dental floss <NUM> locked to the dental floss holder <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, the dental floss <NUM> may be stored by winding the free end <NUM> of the dental floss <NUM> around the thread winding portion <NUM>.

According to this, the free end <NUM> of the dental floss <NUM> is stored in the thread winding portion <NUM> and the dental floss <NUM> can be kept hygienic in such a case that the dental floss <NUM> is attached to the dental floss holder <NUM> in advance in preparation for the next use, for example.

With the dental floss holder <NUM> described above, the type of floss thread and the degree of tension thereof can be easily changed, and the workability of the user can be improved.

In a dental floss holder <NUM> of a second embodiment, a notch portion <NUM> has an edge portion <NUM> folded back on a recessed portion <NUM> side at a predetermined acute angle on its way extending from the recessed portion <NUM> toward a constricted portion <NUM>.

In such a configuration, the notch portion <NUM> may be formed to have a predetermined angle with respect to an imaginary line extending in a longitudinal direction A from the recessed portion <NUM> in a section from the recessed portion <NUM> to the edge portion <NUM>. This will be described based on <FIG>.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining details of the notch portion <NUM> in the dental floss holder <NUM> in the present embodiment.

As shown in <FIG>, the edge portion <NUM> is folded back on the recessed portion <NUM> side at an acute angle α with respect to the notch portion <NUM> extending from the recessed portion <NUM>. Then, when a dental floss is passed through the notch portion <NUM> from the recessed portion <NUM> side by the user, the dental floss <NUM> is stopped by the edge portion <NUM>.

Specifically, when the user passes the dental floss <NUM> in the longitudinal direction A along the notch portion <NUM> from the recessed portion <NUM> side, it becomes difficult for the user to pass the dental floss <NUM> in the longitudinal direction A any further since the notch portion <NUM> is folded back on the recessed portion <NUM> side by the edge portion <NUM>.

According to this, the dental floss <NUM> can be fixed to the dental floss holder <NUM> at a position suitable for interdental cleaning, and thus, the workability of the user is improved. Such an edge portion <NUM> is formed, for example, at a position <NUM> to <NUM> from the recessed portion <NUM>.

Further, as shown in <FIG>, the notch portion <NUM> has an angle β with respect to an imaginary line L extending in the longitudinal direction A from the recessed portion <NUM> in a section from the recessed portion <NUM> to the edge portion <NUM>. According to this, it becomes easier to block the dental floss <NUM> passed through the notch portion <NUM> by the edge portion <NUM>.

Also with the dental floss holder <NUM> described above, the type of floss thread and the degree of tension thereof can be easily changed, and the workability of the user can be improved.

For example, the dental floss holder <NUM> described in the above embodiments may be formed in a size similar to that of a toothbrush. According to this, the dental floss holder <NUM> can be placed and stored in a well-known toothbrush case.

Claim 1:
A dental floss holder (<NUM>) comprising:
a rod-like handle portion (<NUM>) for a user to grip;
a head portion (<NUM>) to which a dental floss (<NUM>) is locked; and
a constricted portion (<NUM>) connecting a distal end of the handle portion and the head portion, the constricted portion formed so as to be reduced with respect to a connection part of the handle portion and the head portion adjacent to the constricted portion in a width direction and/or a thickness direction of the connection part; wherein
a recessed portion (<NUM>) extending in a thickness direction of the head portion is formed on a distal end surface of the head portion,
a notch portion (<NUM>) is formed in a longitudinal direction from the recessed portion, and
the notch portion extends to the constricted portion, the dental floss holder characterized in that
the head portion (<NUM>) has a stopper portion provided so as to partially cover the notch portion (<NUM>), the stopper portion preventing the dental floss from entering the notch portion (<NUM>) on the constricted portion (<NUM>) side further than the stopper portion.