U.S. patent number 3,683,924 [Application Number 05/054,754] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-15 for tongue scraper.
Invention is credited to Lawrence D. Louie.
United States Patent |
3,683,924 |
Louie |
August 15, 1972 |
TONGUE SCRAPER
Abstract
A tongue scraper for the practice of cleaning the tongue by a
scraping action consisting of a flexible ribbon formed of stainless
steel or fiberglas and having a generally U-shape with the opposite
legs of the U curving outwardly toward their free ends. The ribbon
has a spring action to assist in grasping with the fingers. The
bight of the U engages the tongue to perform the scraping
action.
Inventors: |
Louie; Lawrence D. (Napa,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
21993304 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/054,754 |
Filed: |
July 14, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
606/161 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
17/244 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
17/24 (20060101); A61b 017/24 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/304 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pace; Channing L.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A tongue scraper comprising a generally permanently set U-shaped
ribbon of generally rectangular cross section and having spaced
parallel side edges, said ribbon including a pair of oppositely
disposed outwardly curving legs integrally connected by a bight at
one end of each leg, said ribbon having spring action resisting
deflection to assist the fingers of one hand in grasping
therebetween the free ends of the legs as one of the side edges of
the bight engages the tongue in a scraping action.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ribbon is formed of
stainless steel.
3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ribbon is formed of
fiberglas reinforced plastic.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tongue scrapers and particularly
to a tongue scraper useful in oral hygiene in scraping deposits
from the tongue.
2. Summary of the Invention
The present invention consist of a tongue scraper formed of a flat
ribbon of stainless steel or plastic having the form of a U with
the legs curving oppositely outwardly adjacent their free ends. The
ribbon has a spring action to assist in the grasping of it with the
hand when scraping the tongue.
The primary object of the invention is to provide a tongue scraper
which can be grasped with the fingers for inserting in the mouth to
scrape the tongue.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following
specification when considered in the light of the attached
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the invention; and
FIG. 5 is a transverse cross section taken along the line 5--5 of
FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference
characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures the
reference numeral 10 indicates generally a tongue scraper
constructed in accordance with the invention.
The tongue scraper 10 includes an elongate ribbon 11 formed of
stainless steel or molded fiberglas reinforced plastic. The ribbon
11 has spring action sufficient to cause it to retain its shape and
to return to shape when released after deformation.
The ribbon 11 is formed into a general U-shape having a bight 12
supporting a pair of oppositely disposed legs 13, 14. The leg 13 is
arcuate in form curving outwardly away from the leg 14. The leg 14
is also arcuate in form and curves outwardly away from the leg
13.
In the use and operation of the invention the fingers of the user
grasp the free ends of the legs 13, 14 which are retained against
the grasp of the fingers by the spring action of the scraper 10 and
the bight 12 is inserted in the mouth engaging the tongue so that
as the scraper 10 is pulled forwardly by the grasp of the hands on
the legs 13, 14 the surface of the tongue is scraped and foreign
material thereon is removed. Obviously the edges of the ribbon 11
are sharp enough to permit efficient scraping of the tongue and yet
not sharp enough to cut the tongue.
Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it
should be understood that numerous structural modifications and
adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of
the invention.
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