Bernard A. Fitzmorris
Dentist at I St, Washington, DC

5678578, Oct 21, 1997

Apr 22, 1996

8/635854

Michael Kossak - Washington DC
Richard Daley - Scituate RI
Ted Lubin - Boston MA
Douglas Schultheis - Cumberland RI
Paul Kotowski - Foster RI
Bernard A. Fitzmorris - Washington DC

A61C 1500

132322

A dental flossing device is characterized by a flossing circuit comprising a floss supply spool and a take-up spool mounted to a housing containing a gear train assembly adapted to rotate the take-up spool in a winding direction. The floss feeds from the supply spool along a pair of prongs forming a forked extension of the handle and is stretched across the forked prongs and appropriately tensioned to be inserted into a user's mouth for flossing. To maintain hygiene, the take-up spool is mounted outside the housing. In a manually operated embodiment, a manually depressible trigger projecting from the housing is operable to rotate the take-up spool with reverse rotation thereof being prevented with a ratchet mechanism. Release of the manually depressible trigger reversely rotates the supply spool through a short arcuate interval to remove slack and then locks the supply spool against unwinding rotation through gear teeth. In a preferred manually operated embodiment, first and second ratchet mechanisms are utilized to prevent reverse rotation of the supply and take-up spools while sufficiently tensioning the floss circuit.

5947133, Sep 7, 1999

Oct 20, 1997

8/954102

Michael Kossak - Chevy Chase MD
Richard Daley - Scituate RI
Ted Lubin - Boston MA
Douglas Schultheis - Cumberland RI
Paul Kotowski - Foster RI
Bernard A. Fitzmorris - Washington DC

A61C 1500

132323

A dental flossing device is characterized by a flossing circuit comprising a floss supply spool and a take-up spool mounted to a housing containing a gear train assembly adapted to rotate the take-up spool in a winding direction. The floss feeds from the supply spool along a pair of prongs forming a forked extension of the handle and is stretched across the forked prongs and appropriately tensioned to be inserted into a user's mouth for flossing. To maintain hygiene, the take-up spool is mounted outside the housing. In a manually operated embodiment, a manually depressible trigger projecting from the housing is operable to rotate the take-up spool with reverse rotation thereof being prevented with a ratchet mechanism. Release of the manually depressible trigger reversely rotates the supply spool through a short arcuate interval to remove slack and then locks the supply spool against unwinding rotation through gear teeth. In a preferred manually operated embodiment, first and second ratchet mechanisms are utilized to prevent reverse rotation of the supply and take-up spools while sufficiently tensioning the floss circuit.

RE35070, Oct 24, 1995

Sep 24, 1993

8/126798

Bernard A. Fitzmorris - Washington DC

A61C 502

433224

A root canal filler assembly including a single use obturator and a multiple use elongate inserter tool is disclosed. The oburator includes a metallic core and a plasticizable coating, preferably formed of gutta percha. One end of the metallic core extends beyond the plasticizable coating to support a connector assembly. The multiple use inserter tool is removably connectable to the oburator to insert, remove, adjust, and reposition the obturator in a root canal. The inserter tool includes at one end a connector assembly which engages the obturator and at the other end a handle to facilitate manipulation of the assembly by the dentist. The elongate inserter tool may be reused as required, both to remove or reposition a previously inserted obturator and to insert additional obturators in other root canals. A method of filling and sealing a root canal employing the disclosed root canal filler assembly is also provided.

5051093, Sep 24, 1991

Jun 5, 1989

7/361438

Bernard A. Fitzmorris - Washington DC

A61C 502

433224

A root canal filler assembly including a single use obturator and a multiple use elongate inserter tool is disclosed. The oburator includes a metallic core and a plasticizable coating, preferably formed of gutta percha. One end of the metallic core extends beyond the plasticizable coating to support a connector assembly. The multiple use inserter tool is removably connectable to the oburator to insert, remove, adjust, and reposition the obturator in a root canal. The inserter tool includes at one end a connector assembly which engages the obturator and at the other end a handle to facilitate manipulation of the assembly by the dentist. The elongate inserter tool may be reused as required, both to remove or reposition a previously inserted obturator and to insert additional obturators in other root canals. A method of filling and sealing a root canal employing the disclosed root canal filler assembly is also provided.

5088072, Feb 11, 1992

May 31, 1990

7/531238

Bernard Fitzmorris - Washington DC

G04C 1700, G04F 100

368 69

An athletic performance measuring device is provided which can be conveniently worn on the user's finger is disclosed. The device can provide a variety of functions such as lap counting and timing. An actuator is provided in the form of a thumb switch, to allow the counter/timer to be held and operated by one hand, without disrupting the athlete's performance.