Patent · US Expired

Dental floss having improved fray and shred resistance

US5908039A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
5References
34Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 24, 1998
Grant dateJun 1, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 24, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61C15/041
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A dental floss comprising a multifilament yarn having at least one coating applied thereon. The yarn comprising the floss is substantially untwisted and comprises entanglement nodes having a frequency of between about 0.5 and about 3.5 inches. The yarn has a basis weight between about 500 and about 1200 denier. The coating applied to the yarn comprises a water-insoluble binder. Optionally, the floss may be coated with a second coating material comprising a water soluble substance such as polyethylene glycol for delivery of additives or additional flavors. With little or no twist and an optimum degree of air-entanglement, the yarn is held together loosely enough to allow a significant amount of coating material to be impregnated between the filaments but tight enough to provide shred and fray resistance and still have supple feel.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.