FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a dental floss dispenser and, more particularly, to a dental floss dispenser which is adapted to serve the additional purpose of a cap or closure for a tube of toothpaste.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Various proposals have been made to render more convenient the availability of dental floss when a person brushes their teeth. This has as its main objective improved oral hygiene which is widely acknowledged as being accomplished by the regular use of dental floss as well as brushing of the teeth using toothpaste.

Thus, for example, United States patent number 4,428,389 to Cordero describes an arrangement in which a dental floss dispenser is adapted to be removably engaged with a conventional truncated conical shape of toothpaste tube cap. Whilst this achieves the objective to some extent it has certain disadvantages in that the toothpaste tube cap still has to be removed, usually following removal of the dental floss dispenser, and both must be replaced afterwards, an operation which requires some degree of self- discipline and which could easily be forgotten or simply not done. Also, the dispenser can become inadvertently dislodged from the toothpaste tube cap and may thus become lost, or at least left behind.

Another proposa has been put forward in United States patent number 4,796,783 to Paulson. In this case the dental floss dispenser is made integral with a toothpaste tube cap which can be used to replace the conventional cap either before marketing of the toothpaste tube or as an accessory as an after marketing addition. This arrangement at least avoids the difficulty of the dental floss dispenser becoming inadvertently dislodged from the toothpaste tube but still requires that the entire dispenser be removed from the toothpaste tube in order to squeeze out a required quantity of toothpaste.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a dental floss dispenser of the general type outlined above but wherein the dispenser is more convenient to use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention there is provided a dental floss dispenser comprising a body defining an annular cavity for receiving a spool of dental floss such that the spool is rotatable about a tubular passage passing axially through the body and defining the inner extremity of the annular cavity, and wherein the tubular passage has formed in one end region (the inlet end) to the passage, a screw threaded socket compatible with a screw threaded outlet from a toothpaste tube, and wherein the opposite end (the outlet end) cooperates with a releasable closure for the tubular passage.

Further features of the invention provide for the screw threaded socket to have, at its inner end, an inwardly directed flange for sealing against the free end of the outlet from a toothpaste tube; for the outlet end of the passage to have a closure in the form of a squat projection releasably clipping into the

end of the passage; for the closure to be carried by a cap or strap which is captive relative to the body and which preferably is integral with at least one part of the body; for the body to have an aperture through which dental floss can be drawn off a spool thereof contained within the cavity; and for a cutting device for the dental floss to be secured to the outer surface of the body.

The outlet aperture and cutting device may be positioned on a side surface of the body or, alternatively, on the top surface. The dental floss could be in a form in which it is wound onto a reel or core which is rotatable about the inner wall of the cavity which defines the tubular passage or it could be in the form of a coreless spool of dental floss similarly rotatable about the inner wall of the cavity. In the case where the aperture and cutting device are provided on the top surface of the body the closure could advantageously be carried by a cap which could cover the cutting device and aperture to prevent damage from being inflicted on it and to avoid damage which may be caused by the cutting device to other articles, such as articles of clothing.

In order that the above and other features of the invention may be more fully understood two different embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:- Figure 1 illustrates, in elevation, the general subject matter of the invention and, in particular, a dispenser according to the invention fitted to a toothpaste tube; Figure 2 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention with the closure illustrated in an open condition;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 2 with the closure illustrated in a closed condition; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but of a second embodiment of the invention; and, Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 but of the second embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS Referring firstly to Figure 1, the general concept of the invention is illustrated in that a dental floss dispenser (1) is fitted, either as an after purchase accessory, or at the factory, to a toothpaste tube (2).

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, in one embodiment of the invention, the dental floss dispenser body (3) is made of two injection moulded plastics parts (4) and (5) which clip together to form an annular cavity (6) which houses a reel (7) of dental floss (8) rotatable about a tubular passage (9) passing axially through the body.

The one end region of the tubular passage which forms the inlet end is formed into a screw threaded socket (10) configured to screw onto the screw thread (11) of a conventional toothpaste tube (2). The inner end of the socket is defined by an inwardly directed flange (12) which is adapted to seal onto the periphery of the screw threaded outlet of the toothpaste tube. This ensures that there is no leakage of toothpaste by way of the screw threaded socket.

The other end of the tubular passage which forms the outlet end has a peripheral groove (13) on its inner surface which cooperates with a ridge (14) on a closure (15) in the form of a plug which engages in the open outlet end of the passage. The closure is formed integral with a cap (16) which has a peripheral skirt (17) adapted to engage onto the upper and outer periphery of the body as shown clearly in Figure 3. The top (18) of the body has an aperture (19) through which the dental floss can be withdrawn and a cutting device (20) of conventional type is fixed to the top adjacent this aperture.

The aperture and cutting device are thus covered by the cap (16) when it is in its closed position to thereby prevent either damage to the cutting device or the cutting device damaging any other property.

For convenience of manufacture the tubular passage, top, and cap are made integral with each other and an integral hinge (21) connects the cap and top in well known manner. This arrangement is of particular advantage in that there is no join anywhere in the outlet passage from which toothpaste could leak. Similarly the choice of plastics material for such arrangement is well known. The other injection moulded part will thus define the outer side wall (22) and bottom wall (23) of the dispenser.

It will be understood that the dental floss dispenser described above can remain attached to the outlet from a toothpaste tube for the entire duration of the useful life of the toothpaste tube without ever having to be removed for any reason. The closure can simply be opened as and when required and toothpaste dispensed. The closure in the form of a plug effectively closes the tubular passage in a clean and hygienic manner. The dental floss can be withdrawn from the dispenser as and when required in the usual way.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a similar but somewhat different embodiment of the invention in which the closure (24) is carried by a simple strap (25) also integral with its associated top (26) of the body (27). The aperture (28) for

the dental floss is, in this case, in the side wall (29) of the body and the cutting device (30) is carried on the outside of the side wall. This embodiment also illustrates a spool (31) of dental floss of the type having no core or end flanges such as are provided by the reel of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 3. The spool of dental floss is nevertheless freely rotatable about the central tubular passage.

It will be understood that numerous variations may be made to the embodiment of the invention described above without departing from the scope hereof. In particular the exact construction and number of component parts may be varied widely with that described above only being indicative of what applicant considers to be an advantageous construction at the time of filing of this application.