Toilet – Toothpick
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-21
2001-02-20
Wilson, John J. (Department: 3732)
Toilet
Toothpick
C132S323000, C132S324000, C132S325000, CD28S064600, C206S063500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189545
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates generally to dental floss dispensing devices and methods and, more specifically, to an apple-shaped dental floss dispenser and method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The dental health benefits associated with the regular use of dental floss are well-known and essentially universally accepted. Nevertheless, many people do not floss regularly, for a variety of reasons. Often, people fail to floss because a floss dispenser is not readily at hand when the person is brushing his or her teeth or otherwise attending to his or her dental health needs.
Over the years, some efforts have been made to develop dental floss dispensers having greater convenience and greater aesthetic appeal, presumably in the belief that such qualities would make a person more likely to position floss in a location where it would be likely to be used. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,964 issued to Fitz discloses a dental floss dispenser in the shape of a “toothed character,” wherein a dental floss spool is positioned within the character through a bottom portion thereof, and floss is passed out of the character's hand and cut at the character's teeth. While the device disclosed in Fitz in more aesthetically pleasing than non-decorative dispensers, the feature of having the floss pass outside of the character in an exposed manner makes it apparent that the “toothed character” is a floss dispenser. Moreover, a toothed character is not necessarily the type of decorative object that one commonly sees as a house decoration, particularly in rooms outside of the bathroom. For these reasons, a user may not be comfortable displaying the dispenser on a counter or other public space within the house—and particularly not in a public space outside of a bathroom. Thus, notwithstanding its aesthetic qualities, the dispenser of Fitz may also not be used as frequently as desired for good dental health, in those instances where it is concealed from view in a draw or cabinet. Further limiting the utility of the dispenser of Fitz is the fact that it is dimensioned to carry only one size of floss at any particular time, making it unsuitable for efficient use by two persons requiring different types of floss.
Therefore, a need existed to provide a floss dispenser that is aesthetically pleasing in appearance, while effectively concealing to the unsuspecting eye that it is in fact a floss dispenser. The outer configuration of the floss dispenser should, moreover, be of a type commonly seen in decorative objects displayed in a home, including in rooms other than the bathroom. The floss dispenser should further, preferably, be dimensioned to simultaneously carry more than one floss spool, so that more than one type of floss may be dispensed therethrough without the need for “reloading” the dispenser.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a dental floss dispenser that is aesthetically pleasing in appearance, while effectively concealing to the unsuspecting eye that it is in fact a floss dispenser.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dental floss dispenser having an outer configuration of a type commonly seen in decorative objects displayed in a home, including in rooms other than the bathroom.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a dental floss dispenser that is dimensioned to simultaneously carry more than one floss spool.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a dental floss dispenser is disclosed. The dental floss dispenser comprises, in combination: a substantially apple-shaped decorative holding structure comprising first and second vertical members; wherein the first member comprises substantially one-half of an outer configuration of an apple and a first flat vertical face; wherein the second vertical member comprises a second flat vertical face; a hinge member adapted to hingedly connect the first and the second vertical members to one another so that the first and the second flat vertical faces contact each other when the first and the second vertical members are closed about the hinge member; at least one cavity dimensioned to receive a dental floss spool and located within the first flat vertical face of the first vertical member of the substantially apple-shaped decorative holding structure and positioned opposite the second flat vertical face of the second vertical member; at least one dental floss spool rotatably secured in the at least one cavity; an apple item-shaped tube located at an upper portion of the first vertical member above the cavity and dimensioned to receive therethrough a strand of dental floss; and an opening located in the first vertical face of the first vertical member and dimensioned to receive therethrough the strand of dental floss, wherein the opening leads to the apple stem-shaped tube.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing a dental floss dispenser is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: providing a substantially apple-shaped decorative holding structure comprising first and second vertical members; wherein the first member comprises substantially one-half of an outer configuration of an apple and a first flat vertical face; wherein the second vertical member comprises a second flat vertical face; providing a hinge member adapted to hingedly connect the first and the second vertical members to one another so that the first and the second flat vertical faces contact each other when the first and the second vertical members are closed about the hinge member; providing at least one cavity dimensioned to receive a dental floss spool and located within the first flat vertical face of the first vertical member of the substantially apple-shaped decorative holding structure and positioned opposite the second flat vertical face of the second vertical member; rotatably securing at least one dental floss spool in the at least one cavity; providing an apple stem-shaped tube located at an upper portion of the first vertical member above the cavity and dimensioned to receive therethrough a strand of dental floss; and providing an opening located in the first vertical face of the first vertical member and dimensioned to receive therethrough the strand of dental floss, wherein the opening leads to the apple stem-shaped tube.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
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Doan Robyn Kieu
Longan Eric
Moy Jeffrey D.
Weiss Jeffrey
Weiss & Moy P.C.
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