The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 29, 1980
Filed:
Oct. 13, 1978
Lawrence L Lee, , US;
Other;
Abstract
A dental floss applicator for use in dispensing and supporting a strand of dental floss under tension for cleaning the teeth comprises an elongated supporting frame having on one end two spaced furcations laterally extending therefrom. Tips on the furcations are provided with floss-guiding portions by means of which a floss strand may be tensioned therebetween. A capstan device is frictionally mounted for rotation on said frame and further is provided with supply and take-up capstan portions axially spaced apart. A supply of floss strand is carried by the frame. The take-up capstan portion is of slightly larger circumference than is the supply capstan portion. Means are provided for guiding the floss strand from the supply, around the supply capstan portion in one circumferential direction when viewing the latter capstan directly, to and between said floss-guiding portions on the furcations, back to and around the take-up portion in the opposite circumferential direction when viewing the latter capstan directly, whereby rotation of the capstan device in a direction to withdraw floss strand from the supply causes advancement of the floss between said floss-guiding portions, the difference in circumference of the supply and take-up capstan portions tensioning the floss strand between said tips.