Motorized flosser and method of use

Abstract

A motorized flosser comprising an elongated body and a flossing head secured to an end portion of the elongated body. The flossing head oscillates in an arcuate manner. A battery powered motor drives a drive mechanism which reciprocates an output drive shaft, which drive shaft is in turn connected through a flexible drive rod to a drive disc. The drive disc oscillates in a rotary arcuate motion to impart either pure rotary arcuate oscillatory motion or a combined rotary arcuate motion and translatory motion to flossing material carried by a yoke of the flossing head. The flossing head may incorporate a toothpaste holder mounted upon the flossing head or toothbrush bristles mounted upon tines of the yoke of the flossing head.

1 . A motorized flosser comprising: 
 an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and opposed first and second ends, and a hollow portion;    a power supply located within the hollow portion of the elongated body;    a replaceable flosser head having a base removably connected to the first end of the elongated body,    a yoke extending from the base of the flosser head having a pair of spaced tines between which extends a piece of flexible flossing material, wherein the tines are configured to space the piece of flexible flossing material from the longitudinal axis of the elongated body; and    said power supply being connected to the flosser head wherein upon activation, the power supply causes oscillation of the flosser head and flexible flossing material.    
   
   
       2 . The motorized flosser of  claim 1  wherein the flosser head further comprises a flexible toothpaste holder.  
   
   
       3 . The motorized flosser of  claim 2  further comprising a bite pad secured to said first end of said elongated body.  
   
   
       4 . The motorized flosser of  claim 1  wherein the power supply includes a motor and a battery.  
   
   
       5 . The motorized flosser of  claim 1  further comprising a locking mechanism for removably securing the flossing head to the body.  
   
   
       6 . The motorized flosser of  claim 3  wherein the toothpaste holder is generally of a truncated conical shape.  
   
   
       7 . The motorized flosser of  claim 1  wherein the tines extend generally perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body.  
   
   
       8 . A motorized flosser comprising: 
 an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and opposed first and second ends, and a hollow portion;    a motor located within the hollow portion of the elongated body;    a pin extending upwardly from the first end and operatively coupled to the motor so that activation of said motor causes said pin to oscillate; and    a flosser head removably connected to the first end of the elongated body, the flosser head comprising a base having a receptacle adapted to receive said pin, a pair of spaced tines extending upwardly from the base and a piece of floss extending between the tines;    wherein the tines are configured to space the piece of floss from the longitudinal axis of the elongated body;    wherein activation of the motor causes the flosser head to oscillate.    
   
   
       9 . The motorized flosser of  claim 8  wherein the flosser head further comprises a toothpaste holder.  
   
   
       10 . The motorized flosser of  claim 9  wherein the toothpaste holder is plastic.  
   
   
       11 . The motorized flosser of  claim 8  wherein the pin defines an axis about which said flosser head oscillates.  
   
   
       12 . The motorized flosser of  claim 8  wherein the piece of floss does not pass through said axis.  
   
   
       13 . The motorized flosser of  claim 8  wherein the toothpaste holder is generally of a truncated conical shape.  
   
   
       13 . The motorized flosser of  claim 8  wherein the tines extend generally perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal axis of the elongated body.  
   
   
       14 . A method of flossing teeth with a motorized flosser having a longitudinal axis and a flossing head including a pair of tines between which there extends a length of flossing material, the flossing material being spaced from the longitudinal axis of the motorized flosser, said method comprising: 
 activating the motorized flosser so that the flossing head oscillates arcuately; and    pressing the length of flossing material between two teeth while the flossing head continues to arcuately oscillate such that the length of flossing material wraps around a front part of a first tooth and a rear part of an adjacent second tooth and then about the rear part of the first tooth and a front part of the second tooth during each arcuate oscillation cycle.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising inserting toothpaste into a toothpaste holder secured to the flosser head prior to activating the motorized flosser such that the teeth are cleaned by the toothpaste and the flossing material while simultaneously being flossed by the oscillating flossing material.  
   
   
       16 . A method of removing plaque and biofilm from the surface of teeth comprising: 
 activating an motorized flosser having a longitudinal axis and a removable flossing head so that the flosser head of the motorized flosser oscillates; and    pressing a piece of floss extending between and secured to two tines of the flossing head and spaced from the longitudinal axis between adjacent teeth while the flossing head continues to oscillate.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising inserting toothpaste into a toothpaste holder secured to the flosser head prior to activating the motorized flosser.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising inserting toothpaste into a toothpaste holder secured to the flosser head prior to activating the motorized flosser.