Patent ID: 8910643

Claim:
An automated floss dispenser system, comprising: a housing extending along a longitudinal axis and having a proximal handle portion at one axial end of said housing and a distal portion including a fork-shaped end comprising two projecting arms having free distal ends; dispensing and take-up reels mounted within said housing; floss extends from said dispensing reel across said free distal ends of said projecting arms to said take-up reel where an operative portion of said floss is the portion of floss between said free distal ends of said projecting arms; an eccentric motor within said distal portion of said housing, said eccentric motor provides ultrasonic energy to said fork-shaped distal end and said operative portion of floss; a floss-dispensing drive system comprising a drive motor provided in said housing and being operative to reciprocally rotate said dispensing and take-up reels to net transfer said floss from said dispensing reel to said take-up reel; a controller including a process control chip and memory programmed to control the floss-dispensing drive; a tension sensor operatively coupled to the controller where said tension sensor continuously senses the tension in said floss during displacement thereof and generates a signal to the controller indicating the detected tension; wherein the controller compares the detected tension to a stored reference value or range and if the detected tension value does not correspond with said stored reference value or range, the controller generates a control signal to either stop rotation of the reels or change the rotational direction of said reels until the detected tension is restored to said stored reference value or range; a creep pause lock switch provided on said proximal handle portion of said housing; said creep pause lock switch being in operative communication with said controller and temporarily locks said drive motor and pauses creeping of said floss when actuated; wherein said controller is provided with software that monitors the actual time the floss advances so that when a total unwound length of floss corresponds to a reference value, the controller provides a signal to said floss-dispensing drive system to cease rotation of said reels, where time necessary for restoring tension to said stored reference value or range is not included in said actual time monitored by said software.