Sunstar Americas, Inc.

Leedtech Resources Company, LLC

Motorola Solutions, Inc.

The Autoflosser LLC

Sunstar Suisse S.a.

Russell G Kalbfeld

Leoncio Angel Gonzalez

Chad Edward Misner

David L Barcus

Erik Weinberg

Hidekuni Takano

Kevin G Yost

Randy Brian Soibel

Larry Fenske

Thomas F Jackson

Yuet Ping Yao

John Miller

Richard S Demke

Tom Studney

Kristin Noelle Vitek

H Allen Achepohl

Evan Sparks

Chad Misner

Packaging for individual strands of dental floss. The packaging may include a container defining a chamber having a dispensing portion. An insert is positioned in the chamber and includes a first panel defining a first edge and a second panel. The second panel defines a passage extending between its sides. The second panel also defines a second edge positioned on an opposite side of the passage as the first edge. The package also includes a serpentine floss guide path defined by the container, the first panel, and the second panel. The serpentine floss guide path extends from the dispensing portion, along one side of the first panel, around and over the first edge to one side of the second panel, through the passage, and around and over the second edge. Strands of floss extend along the serpentine floss path and may be removed from the container one at a time by grasping and pulling the end positioned at the dispensing portion.

Packaging for lengths of dental floss

Interdental brush

A dental hygiene device such as an interdental brush includes a handle, a brush head having bristles extending therefrom, and a neck portion extending between the brush head and the handle. The neck portion of the dental hygiene device is configured to provide two modes of operation, a first cleaning mode of operation wherein the brush head contacts the teeth at a first pressure for a given application pressure, and a second cleaning mode of operation wherein the brush head contacts the teeth at a second pressure, greater than the first pressure, for the same given application pressure.

Dental hygiene device

A prophylaxis angle that is configured to be attached to and operated by a powered dental handpiece. The prophylaxis angle includes a cup having a first end and a second end. The first end is couplable to the dental handpiece and at least one projection is at the second end of the cup.

Dental accessory

Prophy cup

A dental hygiene device such as an interdental brush includes a handle, a brush head having bristles extending therefrom, and a neck portion extending between the brush head and the handle. At least some of the bristles may have a substantially triangular cross section. The neck portion defines a longitudinal axis and has a first bending stiffness when subject to loading in a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axis, and a second bending stiffness when subjected to loading in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axis. The first bending stiffness is less than the second bending stiffness such that the dental hygiene device can be reoriented during use to provide a more gentle or a more robust cleaning to interdental spaces.

Dental hygiene device handle

A dental floss dispensing unit includes a housing, a supply spool, and a metering element. The supply spool is coupled to the housing and has a length of floss wound thereabout. The length of floss has a free end extending from the housing and a plurality of alternating and distinct first and second floss segments. The metering element engages the length of floss and provides resistance to removal of the length of floss from the housing. A magnitude of the resistance changes as each floss segment moves into engagement with the metering element, thereby providing a tactilely detectable indication to the user that one of the first or second segments is emerging from the housing. The dispensing unit is configured to allow the supply spool to be manually rotated without manipulation (e.g., disassembly) of the housing for rewinding floss onto the spool.

Dispenser for multi-texture floss

A method of making interdental cleaners includes forming a slug by extruding material in a direction of extrusion to form a first slug portion having a generally rectangular first cross-section and a second slug portion having a tapering second cross-section that extends away from the rectangular first cross-section. The method also includes stamping the slug substantially perpendicular to the direction of extrusion to form a plurality of cleaner blanks. The stamping forms the first slug portions into handle portions of the cleaner blanks, and the second slug portions into shaft portions of the cleaner blanks. The shaft portions include two pairs of converging surfaces that taper toward each other to define a point. The method also includes attaching cleaning members to the ends of the shaft portions.

Interdental cleaners and methods for making same

A multi-texture dental floss includes distinct and alternating segments having varying textures, including smooth segments and textured segments. The smooth segments are more easily inserted into the spaces between teeth, while the textured segments more effectively remove plaque and other debris therefrom. Methods of making the multi-texture floss are also disclosed, including methods that allow the floss to be made as a continuous thread having a plurality of alternating segments, such that the floss can be wound onto a spool for storage and dispensing.

Multi-texture floss and methods of manufacturing multi-texture floss

An oral care device having a handle, a neck, and a pair of curved arms. The handle includes an enlarged distal end and a reduced proximal end, and a pair of downwardly-extending handle walls. The handle walls are spaced at their upper ends and converge with and join one another at their lower ends to define a substantially V-shaped cross-section and an upwardly-opening blind cavity. A neck extends distally from the handle and defines a tongue portion that is recessed relative to a top surface. A pair of curved arms extend distally and downwardly from the neck. When substantially identical oral care devices are stacked one upon the other, the upwardly-opening blind cavity of one oral care device nestingly receives the downwardly-extending handle walls of another oral care device.

Dental flosser

A dental floss dispensing unit comprising a housing and a supply spool coupled to the housing and having a length of floss wound thereabout. The supply spool being adjustable between a locked position, where the supply spool is fixed with respect to the housing, and an unlocked position, where the supply spool is free to rotate with respect to the housing.

Growing community of inventors

Naperville, IL, United States of America

Russell G Kalbfeld