Abstract: A hand-held dental flossing device has a housing with a handle that may be held with one hand. A dental floss supply is located in the housing and a winding gear is rotatably mounted to the housing. A free end of the dental floss strand from the floss supply is threaded through the housing into a floss exit arm of the housing where it passes through an exit opening to an exposed area of the flossing arm. Used dental floss returns into the housing, via a receiving opening, where it passes through an optional disinfectant supply before or as it wound onto the winding gear. The housing has an opening where the winding gear extends therefrom and is accessible to the fingers of the user's hand. The winding gear has teeth that cooperate with a stopper to form a one-way ratchet gear. A floss-tensioning button is located in the housing and has first and second ends extending from the housing. The first and second ends are accessible to the user's hand holding the handle of the flossing device.

Abstract: A hand-held dental flossing device has a housing with a handle that may be held with one hand. A dental floss supply is located in the housing and a winding gear is rotatably mounted to the housing. A free end of the dental floss strand from the floss supply is threaded through the housing into a floss exit arm of the housing where it passes through an exit opening to an exposed area of the flossing arm. Used dental floss returns into the housing, via a receiving opening, where it passes through an optional disinfectant supply before or as it wound onto the winding gear. The housing has an opening where the winding gear extends therefrom and is accessible to the fingers of the user's hand. The winding gear has teeth that cooperate with a stopper to form a one-way ratchet gear. A floss-tensioning button is located in the housing and has first and second ends extending from the housing. The first and second ends are accessible to the user's hand holding the handle of the flossing device.

Abstract: A hand-held dental flossing device has a housing with a handle that may be held with one hand. A dental floss supply is located in the housing and a winding gear is rotatably mounted to the housing. A free end of the dental floss strand from the floss supply is threaded through the housing into a floss exit arm of the housing where it passes through an exit opening to an exposed area of the flossing arm. Used dental floss returns into the housing, via a receiving opening, where it passes through an optional disinfectant supply before or as it wound onto the winding gear. The housing has an opening where the winding gear extends therefrom and is accessible to the fingers of the user's hand. The winding gear has teeth that cooperate with a stopper to form a one-way ratchet gear. A floss-tensioning button is located in the housing and has first and second ends extending from the housing. The first and second ends are accessible to the user's hand holding the handle of the flossing device.

Abstract: A hand-held dental flossing device has a housing with a handle that may be held with one hand. A dental floss supply is located in the housing and a winding gear is rotatably mounted to the housing. A free end of the dental floss strand from the floss supply is threaded through the housing into a floss exit arm of the housing where it passes through an exit opening to an exposed area of the flossing arm. Used dental floss returns into the housing, via a receiving opening, where it passes through an optional disinfectant supply before or as it wound onto the winding gear. The housing has an opening where the winding gear extends therefrom and is accessible to the fingers of the user's hand. The winding gear has teeth that cooperate with a stopper to form a one-way ratchet gear. A floss-tensioning button is located in the housing and has first and second ends extending from the housing. The first and second ends are accessible to the user's hand holding the handle of the flossing device.

Abstract: An improved dental floss is provided that has a high strength inner core and an outer tape of a relatively soft material that is wrapped around substantially the entire usable length of the core. The wraps of the outer tape may be spaced apart, or may fully cover the core, such as where the wraps of the outer tape overlap one another. The improved dental floss may also be formed by wrapping the core with a first outer tape in one direction and then with a second outer tape in a second direction. To help hold the outer tape from slipping off of, or twisting on, the core, a coating material comprising a food grade wax or other suitable material is used. Food grade mineral oil, or another suitable substance, may be added to the coating material to improve its flowability, i.e., to reduce its viscosity, in order to facilitate the coating process.

Abstract: A hand-held dental flossing device has a housing with a handle which may be held with one hand. A dental floss supply is located in the housing and a winding gear is rotatably mounted to the housing. A free end of the dental floss strand from the floss supply is threaded through the housing into a flossing arm of the housing where it passes an opening and returns into the housing to be attached to the winding gear. The housing has an opening where the winding gear extends therefrom and is accessible to the fingers of the user's hand. The winding gear has teeth which cooperate with a stopper to form a one-way ratchet gear. A floss tensioning button is located in the housing and has first and second ends extending from the housing. The first and second ends are accessible to the user's hand holding the handle of the flossing device.

Abstract: A gate latch for securing a swinging gate to a stationary post includes a generally trapezoidal mounting plate having a three sided rectangular channel member extending laterally outwardly therefrom. A latch bar adapted for securement to the gate is dimensioned for insertion into the channel member for maintaining the gate in a closed position. A pair of pivotal retaining members each have an upper end pivotally mounted adjacent an upper corner at a wide end of the mounting plate and a lower end movable into abutment with one of two parallel side walls within the channel member. A pair of inwardly extending flanges are secured at lower ends of each of the retaining members, forming a V-shaped recess and preventing movement of the latch bar out of the channel member. Outwardly extending handle portions are provided on the retaining members to selectively allow movement of the latch bar out of the channel member in two opposite directions.