Patent ID: 7270129

Claim:
A flossing apparatus comprising: a handle; an arm movably joined to said handle and having a flossing tool disposed at one end thereof; a cavity provided in said handle sized to receive the arm and said flossing tool when the arm and handle are moved towards each other to a folded position; and a means to rotate said flossing tool with respect to said arm, wherein the means to rotate includes: an ejector mechanism that includes a head movably secured to the arm in a traverse direction, the head includes a pin extending outwardly; first and second ratchets that interlock to provide interlocking positions with respect to each other, the first ratchet secured to the arm below said head and the second ratchet rotatably secured to the first ratchet, both the first and second ratchets include a bore positioned to receive said pin, said bore in the second ratchet sized to frictionally receive a knob positioned on a top portion of the flossing tool, such that a flossing tool may be secured to the ejector mechanism; a spring positioned between the head and the first and second ratchets to bias the head away from the first and second ratchets; wherein when a flossing tool is secured to the second ratchet and the head is pushed downwardly the pin travels through the bore in the first and second ratchets and pushes the knob on the flossing tool out of engagement with the second ratchet such that the flossing tool is released.