US1069874A - Dental tape or floss. - Google Patents

Description

P. Z. HANSCOM. DENTAL TAPE 0R FLOSS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1911.

1,069,874, Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

'rn s'rn'rns DENTAL TAPE OB FLOSS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.4

Application led April 3, 1911. Serial No. 618,568.

obtained by making the tape or floss small at.

certain points anddwider or larger at other points; to provide a dental floss or tape of such form with dentifrice either of an antiseptic or abrasive character or of both antiseptic and abrasive character, or having such other qualities as may be desirable in suitable dentifrice or cleaning material; in some instances, to provide a dental tape or floss having reduced waxed portions and enlarged intermediate portions having a suitable dentifrice incorporated therein; and to provide such other advantages as will appear from the following description of my invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side view of o-ne form of my improved tape or floss made in a substantially flat form; Fig. 2 shows a modified form which is substantially circular in cross-section; Fig. 3 is a sketch showing the method of using my improved tape.

As shown in Fig. 1, 6 indicates an improved form o-f tape made in accordance with my invention, this tape having narrow sections 7 and widened flat sections 8. The narrow sections 7, for instance as indicated between the points a and b, are preferably treated with parain, or other suitable wax-like material, to assist the passage of these sections through the narrow contact point between the teeth. The intermediate dat, wider sections 8 are impregnated wholly or in part with any suitable dentifrice, which dentifrice I prefer to be of an antiseptic or abrasive or both antiseptic and abrasive character. The floss acts as a carrying medium for the dentifrice, the latter preferably consisting of a powder which acts as a carrier for some suitable antiseptic. All of such wider sections may be impregnated or treated with the same kind of dentifrice, or alternating sections may be treatf ed or impregnated with different kinds; or,

if desired, part of the sections may be treated with dentifrice and other sections left without any.

The form of my improved tape or floss shown in Fig. 2 differs from that shown in Fig. 1 in being made substantially round, that is, of circular cross-section. In this instance, the enlarged portions 9 are sepa rated by intermediate, comparatively small thread-like portions 10, such intermediate portions being preferably waxed, while the enlarged portions are treated with suitable dentifrice as above described. In all cases, I prefer to have the material of which the tape or floss may be formed, thoroughly impregnated with the dentifrice, so that where an abrasive dentifrice is used, the particles will be thoroughly embedded or pressed into the. material. In order to accomplish this, the dentifrice may be applied while the tape is being made, or may be thoroughly pressed or worked into the tape after the same has been formed.

My improved tape or floss may be made in long, continuo-us strips and rolled or otherwise arranged for convenience in handling, or may be made in short sections, as desired.

From the above description, itv will be readily seen that I have provided a tape of such form that it may be readily inserted between the teeth, and then by drawing the tape along until an enlarged or widened portion is brought into proper position for engagement with the tooth, the tooth may be readily and quickly cleaned by drawing such widened port-ion backward and forward over the surface thereof. For instance, as indicated in Fig. 5, the narrow or reduced portion of the tape has been passed down past the contact point between the teeth, and then the widened or enlarged portion brought into engagement with the lower surface of the tooth, and as Such widened portion is drawn back and forth, it will readily clean such surface. Then, after one tooth has been cleaned, the tape may be swung over so that the opposite side engages with the other' tooth, thereby both opposed surfaces between the teeth may be quickly cleaned. Thereduced portions of the tape may be made somewhat weaker than the widened portions, if desired, so that the user may break off any desired length of tape by breaking it at one of such points. It will also be noted that where the teeth come in actual contact so that it l 1s Impossible to pa'ss a thread or tape down between the same, this reduced ortlon may "be formed into a somewhat need e-like point,

as indicated at 14, Fig. 5, andthis pointmay then be inserted 'between the teeth, below the' contactpoint, and the tape drawn thrugli into cleaning position.

It will be seen that my improved invention provides a tape which is so formed that it may be readily inserted between the teeth and which has sutliciently large cleaning portions so that it will not require any special skill to use the same but may be used by the average person, and by providing the tape with suitable dentifrice its use will greatly assist in cleaning and preserving the teeth. This tape may be made in various sizes and forms suitable for teeth of different kinds, the principal objects being to arrange the same so that it may be readily inserted between the teeth; and to provide substantial cleaning portions which may be used without danger of injury to the gums. Therefore, I do not wish to limit myself to any particular size or to the exact form shown herein, except as set forth in the appended claims, in which- I claim:

1. A tape or floss for the purposes set set forth, having enlarged cleaning sections and smaller intermediate sections.

2. A flat tape for dental purposes, said tape having relatively wide cleaning portions and narrow intermediate portions.

3. A dental tape or' floss havig enlarged cleaning portions impregnated with dentifrice and having reduced waxed or parafined intermediate portions.

FRANK Z. HANSCOM.

Witnesses:

ROBERT B. THORNE, A. Wy. FENSTEMAKER.

Images