Edge-stiffened sheet material probe

Abstract

An edge-stiffened sheet material probe is provided. The probe is useful for probing and cleaning of small, constricted or confined spaces. For example, the probe may be suitably used as a dental probe for cleaning interdental spaces. The probe formed from at least one fibrous web material that is cut and sealed to form an edge and terminates at a first point. In addition, the probe may be formed from or as a laminate of two or more fibrous web material layers that are cut and sealed, or may be formed from or as a laminate of the at least one sheet or material may be folded or two or more sheets may be cut and sealed to form. A pack of connected probes is also provided.

1 . A probe for probing and cleaning spaces, the probe comprising at least a first fibrous web material comprising thermoplastic polymeric fibers, wherein the probe comprises at least one cut and sealed edge that terminates at a first point at a first end of the probe.  
   
   
       2 . The probe of  claim 1 , wherein the probe terminates at a second point at a second end of the probe.  
   
   
       3 . The probe of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first fibrous web material comprises a woven material or nonwoven material comprising thermoplastic fibers.  
   
   
       4 . The probe of  claim 3 , wherein the thermoplastic fibers comprise a polyolefin polymer.  
   
   
       5 . The probe of  claim 3 , wherein the thermoplastic fibers comprise polypropylene polymer.  
   
   
       6 . The probe of  claim 1  further comprising a second fibrous web material in face-to-face relation with the first fibrous web material, the second fibrous web material comprising thermoplastic polymeric fibers, wherein the first fibrous web material and second fibrous web material are cut and sealed together to form the sealed edge.  
   
   
       7 . The probe of  claim 1 , wherein the first fibrous web material is folded in face-to-face relation with itself and cut and sealed to form the sealed edge.  
   
   
       8 . The probe of  claim 7 , wherein the folded web forms an elongate tubular member.  
   
   
       9 . The probe of  claim 6 , the first fibrous web material and second fibrous web material form an elongate tubular member.  
   
   
       10 . The probe of  claim 6  further comprising a second sealed edge that is substantially parallel to the first sealed edge.  
   
   
       11 . The probe of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous web material comprises a texturized surface.  
   
   
       12 . The probe of  claim 11 , wherein the texturized surface is selected from the group consisting of looped bristles, crimped fibers, and point unbonded materials having a plurality of raised tufts surrounded by bonded regions.  
   
   
       13 . The probe of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous web material comprises a web material selected from the group consisting of woven materials, spunbond webs, meltblown webs, spunbond-meltblown webs, spunbond-meltblown-spunbond webs, through air bonded webs and combinations and laminates thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The probe of  claim 1  further comprising a second fibrous web material and an additional material layer, wherein the additional material layer is disposed in face-to-face relation between the first fibrous web material and the second fibrous web material.  
   
   
       15 . The probe of  claim 14  wherein the additional material layer is selected from fibrous web materials and foam materials.  
   
   
       16 . The probe of  claim 1  further comprising an additional material layer, wherein the first fibrous web material is folded upon itself to form a bilayer, with the additional material layer disposed between the folded bilayer.  
   
   
       17 . The probe of  claim 16  wherein the additional material layer disposed between the folded bilayer is selected from fibrous web materials and foam materials.  
   
   
       18 . The probe of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one active substance.  
   
   
       19 . A pack comprising a plurality of probes, the plurality of probes comprising: 
 a first probe comprising an elongate body member that terminates at a point at one end of the body member, and    at least a second probe comprising an elongate body member that terminates at a point at one end of the body member at least partially connected to the first probe.    
   
   
       20 . The pack of  claim 19 , wherein the first probe and second probe comprise a first fibrous web material and a second fibrous web material that are cut and sealed to form a first long edge of the elongate body member.  
   
   
       21 . The pack of  claim 20 , wherein the first probe and second probe each comprise a second long edge that is substantially parallel to the first long edge.