| 摘要 |
<p>The dental flossing device comprises an elongated cylinder, at least a portion of wich is hollow, with an extension (10) having a forked end with curved prongs (13, 13'). A commercially-available spool of floss is located on a spindle in the hollow portion of the cylinder. Two separate floss spools are contained within the disposable portion. One (94) is for supplying fresh floss, the other (95) is a take up spool for used floss. They are both driven by an electric motor (100) in the handle (91). The two spools are in this embodiment, an integral part of the floss locking mechanism. A first locking mechanism holds the floss in a small space between two surfaces with sufficient friction to firmly retain the floss. When relaxed, the floss can be readily pulled through the first locking mechanism. The floss is fed to the exterior where it is stretched across fork prongs. The floss is then threaded through the second locking mechanism similar to the first. The two locking mechanisms are controlled by a single external control (16) and, thus, are both activated or deactivated at the same time. They oppose each other, pulling different points on the floss to create and maintain a strong tension in the floss where it spans the fork, thus facilitating flossing. An alternate embodiment has a removable disposable extension and forks for use by dental professionals.</p> |
