Gillette Canada Inc

Kobe Steel, Ltd.

Harnischfeger Corporation

Larry J Oliphant

Patrick J Hanley

Sean G Gilligan

Dermot T Freeman

Jeffrey S Meessmann

Gerald S Szczech

John A Kaminski

Adrian Hart

Jeffrey S Messmann

A process for manufacturing a continuous dental floss brush comprising alternating portions of thread sections which do not stretch significantly under tension and brush sections which stretch under slight tension, includes the step of coating at least the thread sections of a reverse twisted high tenacity nylon yarn with a solution of polymer in a volatile solvent, the polymer being selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyurethane and mixtures thereof. The thread sections of the yarn are thereafter heated to vaporize solvent therefrom while the yarn is maintained under a tension of from 0.15 to 1N. In the humidifier assembly, having a housing which defines a humidifier zone, the brush sections of the yarn are exposed to a mixture of steam and gas, the steam and gas mixture having a temperature of from 130.degree. C. and a water vapor content of 65% (v/v), while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero until the brush sections of the yarn have regained at least 100 percent of the diameter of the uncoated, relaxed yarn. Finally the brush sections of the yarn are heated to remove solvent therefrom while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero to form a floss brush product. As the yarn passes through the humidifier zone, the tension on the yarn is controlled to take account of changes in its length.

Floss yarn bulking assembly and method

A process for manufacturing a continuous dental floss brush comprising alternating portions of thread sections which do not stretch significantly under tension and brush sections which stretch under slight tension, includes the step of coating at least the thread sections of a reverse twisted high tenacity nylon yarn with a solution of polymer in a volatile solvent, the polymer being selected from nylon, polyurethane and mixtures thereof. The thread sections of the yarn are thereafter heated to vaporize solvent therefrom while the yarn is maintained under a tension of from 0.15 to 1N. In the humidifier assembly, having a housing which defines a humidifier zone, the brush sections of the yarn are exposed to a mixture of steam and gas, the steam and gas mixture having a temperature of from 130.degree. C. and a water vapor content of 65%(v/v), while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero until the brush sections of the yarn have regained at least 100 percent of the diameter of the uncoated, relaxed yarn. Finally the brush sections of the yarn are heated to remove solvent therefrom while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero to form a floss brush product. As the yarn passes through the humidifier zone, the tension on the yarn is controlled to take account of changes in its length.

A continuous process for manufacturing a continuous floss brush comprises steps of first applying a polymer solution at a repeated preselected distance interval to a continuous length of floss yarn under tension and solidifying the polymer while the floss yarn is under tension to produce a continuous floss product of yarn sections which stretch under slight tension separated by thread sections which do not significantly stretch under tension. The floss yarn is treated to expand the yarn sections to form brush sections. The passage of a predetermined number of segments comprising thread and brush portions is determined while the continuous floss brush is under substantially zero tension using a optical detector. Finally, a length of the continuous floss segments containing the predetermined number of segments comprising thread and brush portions is cut for packaging. Preferably, a dye marker is applied to at least a portion of the thread portion, whereby the accuracy of the optical detection of the thread portions of the continuous floss brush is increased. The yarn is a nylon yarn, and the yarn sections are expanded by treatment with heat and water vapor when under zero tension to yield a product with a highly expanded brush portion which is stretched under slight tension. The floss brush product comprises a continuous length of floss having segments comprising alternating portions of yarn sections which stretch under slight tension separated by thread sections which do not significantly stretch under tension, at least a portion of each thread section being preferably marked with a dye.

Dental floss manufacturing process and product

A dental floss brush made from a reverse twisted, high tenacity nylon yarn comprising at least two thread sections having diameters, in their relaxed state, of at least 2.5 min. The thread sections are separated by a floss brush section integral therewith having a diameter of from up to 4 mm in its relaxed state and a diameter of from 1.7 to 3.0 mm under a tension of 0.05N. The brush floss has a breaking strength of at least 5N. The floss brush section can be coated with a low melting wax composition, optimally a polyethylene glycol ester of beeswax alone or in combination with a flavoring oil, silicone oil lubricant or mixtures thereof. This product is made by coating a reverse twisted, high tenacity nylon yarn with a solution of polymer in a volatile solvent, the polymer being selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyurethane and mixtures thereof. Then the solvent is selectively vaporized from thread portions of the yarn while preventing significant vaporization of solvent from brush portions of the yarn, while the yarn is maintained under a tension of from 0.15 to 1N. The brush portions of the yarn are steam treated while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero until the brush portions of the yarn have regained at least 100 percent of the diameter of the uncoated, relaxed yarn. Residual solvent is then removed from the brush portions of the yarn while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero.

Thin floss brush

An apparatus and method for applying coatings to yarns, particularly yarns to be utilized as dental floss. In a preferred arrangement, an array of parallel spaced yarns are continuously fed while being intermittently deflected by a cam or deflector. As the yarns are deflected, they enter a grooved liquid applicator, with the grooves maintaining a predetermined amount of liquid therein by capillary action. A predetermined amount of liquid is thus applied at intermittent or spaced locations along the length of the yarn. The method and apparatus is particularly suitable for providing dye at spaced locations along a continuous length of floss, thereby demarcating lengths suitable for individual use. Various aspects are also applicable to a variety of yarn coating and/or dyeing applications.

Yarn coating assembly and applicator

A dental floss brush made from a reverse twisted, high tenacity nylon yarn comprising at least two thread sections having diameters, in their relaxed state, of at least 2.5 mm. The thread sections are separated by a floss brush section integral therewith having a diameter of from up to 4 mm in its relaxed state and a diameter of from 1.7 to 3.0 mm under a tension of 0.05 N. The brush floss has a breaking strength of at least 5 N. The floss brush section can be coated with a low melting wax composition, optimally a polyethylene glycol ester of beeswax alone or in combination with a flavoring oil, silicone oil lubricant or mixtures thereof. This product is made by coating a reverse twisted, high tenacity nylon yarn with a solution of polymer in a volatile solvent, the polymer being selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyurethane and mixtures thereof. Then the solvent is selectively vaporized from thread portions of the yarn while preventing significant vaporization of solvent from brush portions of the yarn, while the yarn is maintained under a tension of from 0.15 to 1 N. The brush portions of the yarn are steam treated while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero until the brush portions of the yarn have regained at least 100 percent of the diameter of the uncoated, relaxed yarn. Residual solvent is then removed from the brush portions of the yarn while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero.

Method of producing a thin brush dental floss

A compact retrieval winch and a control therefor are mounted on a recovery vehicle for pulling an immobilized heavy vehicle, such as a military tank, back onto suitable terrain. The winch comprises a support structure, a rotatable hollow cable drum with a cable wrapped thereon, a reversible variable displacement hydraulic motor for driving the drum through a multi-stage power transmission mechanism located within the drum, and a drum brake. The winch control comprises a sensing mechanism for sensing the number of layers of winch cable wrapped on the drum while the drum is operating in the pulling mode and the cable is connected to the tank. The winch control further comprises a hydraulic control circuit, including a constant line pull valve assembly responsive to movement of the sensing mechanism, for controlling the displacement of the hydraulic motor so as to maintain constant maximum cable pulling force regardless of the number of layers of cable on the cable drum.

Vehicle-mounted retrieval winch and control means therefor

A rough terrain vehicle comprises a vehicle chassis, wheel assemblies enabling vertical and angular deflection of the chassis relative to the terrain during vehicle movement, a telescopic crane boom pivotally mounted on the chassis and capable of limited reciprocable angular deflection relative to the chassis as the vehicle moves a hydraulic boom hoist cylinder to raise and lower the boom when the vehicle is stationary, and a deflection reduction system connected between the chassis and the boom to reduce or eliminate bouncing and porpoising of the chassis relative to the terrain as the vehicle moves. The deflection reduction system includes a resilient spring and a damping system in the form of a piston/cylinder for compressed gas to reduce the speed of spring motion as rapidly as possible. A control system including various valves is provided to supply hydraulic fluid to operate the boom hoist cylinder in a conventional manner when the vehicle is stationary or to establish fluid-flow connection between the boom hoist cylinder and the deflection reduction system when the vehicle is in motion and the deflection reduction system is to be activated.

Control for deflection reduction means

A mobile crane comprises a vehicle chassis mounted on balloon tires, a crane boom pivotally mounted on the chassis, and a double-acting boom hoist cylinder connected between the chassis and the boom for raising and lowering the boom. As the mobile crane traverses rough terrain or accelerates or decelerates, its mass causes the chassis to deflect (bounce or porpoise) relative to the terrain. A deflection reduction system, which presupposes that the boom is unrestrained and free to pivot (deflect) relative to the chassis, comprises a deflection reduction module mechanically mounted on the outside of the boom hoist cylinder and selectively operable valves for hydraulically connecting the module thereto. The module comprises a gas barrel containing compressed gas, a gas piston slidably mounted therein, a hydraulic fluid barrel axially aligned with the gas barrel, a hydraulic fluid piston (of smaller area than the gas piston) slidably mounted therein and connected to the gas piston, and a helical compression spring in the gas barrel for biasing the pistons in the same direction as the compressed gas. Operation of a first solenoid valve mounted on the outside of the boom hoist cylinder isolates the double-acting boom hoist cylinder and interconnects its opposite ends in a closed circuit. Simultaneous operation of a second solenoid valve mounted on the outside of the module connects the closed circuit to a fluid inlet/outlet port in the hydraulic fluid barrel. As a result, boom deflection causes hydraulic fluid flow into and out of the hydraulic fluid barrel. The resulting reaction of the spring and the compressed gas reduces deflection of the chassis.

Deflection reduction module for boom hoist cylinder of mobile crane

A rough terrain vehicle comprises a vehicle chassis, resilient terrain-engaging wheel assemblies connected to the chassis and enabling vertical and angular deflection of the chassis relative to the terrain during vehicle movement, a telescopic crane boom carried by the chassis, a pivot pin for connecting the boom to the chassis and enabling limited reciprocable angular deflection of the boom relative to the chassis as the vehicle moves across supporting terrain and a hydraulic boom hoist cylinder to raise and lower the boom. A deflection reduction system is connected between the chassis and the boom to reduce or eliminate vertical and angular deflection (bouncing and porpoising) of the chassis relative to the terrain which tends to occur in response to dynamic loads imposed on the vehicle axles by movement across uneven terrain or by acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle. The deflection reduction system includes a resiliently compressible and expandable spring connected between the chassis and the boom and enables limited angular deflection of the boom relative to the chassis. The deflection reduction system further comprises a damping system connected between the chassis and the boom and to the spring to reduce the speed of spring motion as rapidly as possible to thereby dissipate the dynamic load. Preferably, the deflection reduction system is embodied in the boom hoist cylinder.

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Swisher, IA, United States of America

Larry J Oliphant