Patent ID: 7234187

Claim:
An electric toothbrush, comprising: an elongate body having a handle portion, a head portion having a longitudinal axis, and an elongate intermediate portion disposed between the handle portion and the head portion, the elongate intermediate portion having a smaller cross-sectional dimension than the handle portion, the head portion having a first end that is located at a position furthest from the handle portion and a second end opposite the first end that is disposed adjacent the elongate intermediate portion, the head portion having moving bristles that are disposed in a moving portion that oscillates and a static portion that extends from adjacent the moving portion to the second end of the head portion, wherein the moving portion is disposed at the first end of the head portion and the static portion has a plurality of static bristles arranged in plurality of tufts, wherein the head portion and elongate intermediate portion are dimensioned for disposition in a human user's mouth for brushing teeth; a motor disposed in the handle portion; and a shaft that extends from the second end of the head portion to beyond the plurality of tufts of static bristles and which is operatively connected to the motor and to the moving portion to cause the moving portion to oscillate about an axis approximately normal to the longitudinal axis of the head portion.