Self-dispensing dental floss applicator

Abstract

A self-dispensing dental floss applicator has a U-shaped elongated housing with two hollow prongs set perpendicularly to the body at one end and a larger opposite end to contain a locking mechanism, a dispensing mechanism, a spool of fresh floss and a spool of used floss.

1 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator comprising:
 a generally u-shaped housing  1  having a space for a spool  3  of floss at its one end and two hollow prongs  4   a ,  4   b  at its other end, the floss being spanned between the free ends of the two prongs  4   a ,  4   b  and passed from the spool through a locking mechanism, a guiding section  10 , the hollow prongs  4   a ,  4   b  back through the guiding section  10  and the locking section, wherein the housing  1  contains a second spool  18 ,  21  and that the first spool  3  contains the fresh floss and that the second spool  18 ,  21  is for accumulating the used floss, wherein the second spool  18 ,  21  contains a gear wheel to drivingly connecting the gear wheel with a drive unit.   
   
   
       2 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the gear wheel meshes a rack with gear teeth slidingly accommodated in a cavity of the housing. 
   
   
       3 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 2 , wherein the rack  23  is in connection with a shaft  22 , which can easily operated with a lever  6 . 
   
   
       4 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 2 , wherein the rack  23  is biased by a spring  24  such that the spring exercises a longitudinal force along its axis pushing the rack  23  forward. 
   
   
       5 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 2 , wherein the shaft and the rack are connected by a spring element. 
   
   
       6 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing contains an opening in the rear end of the housing allowing a driving gear wheel to be introduced through the opening to mesh the gear wheel within the housing. 
   
   
       7 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the driving gear wheel is part of a base element. 
   
   
       8 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 7 , wherein the base element contains an electric motor, at least one battery and a switching element  32  to start or stop the electric motor. 
   
   
       9 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 8 , wherein the switching element is a micro switch to be operated by introducing the rear end of the applicator in a recess of the base. 
   
   
       10 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 8 , wherein the base comprises a guiding element like a positioning groove which is in operational connection with an element  38  of the housing  1  of the applicator. 
   
   
       11 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 1 , characterised in that a tighter floss is achievable by unscrewing the screw  20  located in a pin  19  which will receive downward pressure from the lever  6  when it is in a final locked position, therefore an extra pressure will be exercised on the used floss string  16  from pin  19  as it passes through it. 
   
   
       12 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 1 , characterised in that a locking mechanism  5 ,  6 ,  7   a ,  7   b ,  8   a ,  8   b ,  9 ,  17   a ,  17   b  is provided such that the locking mechanism consists of a casing  5  rotatably mounting a double eccentric lever  6  acting on two grip pads  7   a ,  7   b  and locking the floss on the two grip pads  17   a ,  17   b  under upward pressure of at lest one spring  8   a ,  8   b.    
   
   
       13 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the floss spools of fresh and used floss are located in two separate compartments located in the housing  1  closed by covers  2 ,  14 . 
   
   
       14 . Self-dispensing dental floss applicator according to  claim 13 , characterised in that the floss spools are not in direct contact with any part of the human body while the self-dispensing floss applicator is in normal use for flossing.