Patent ID: 7761946

Claim:
A powered toothbrush comprising: a handle having a neck: a head mounted to the neck and having a first surface and an opposed second surface: at least one first fixed tuft block mounted to the head in a fixed orientation and having a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending outwardly away from the first surface; a movable tuft block flexibly connected to each fixed tuft block and having a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending outwardly away from the first surface; a drive assembly comprising a rotatable drive shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having a distal end, the distal end of the shall operably connected to the movable tuft block to move the movable tuft block with respect to each fixed tuft block; wherein the drive assembly moves the entire movable tuft block in an oscillating manner in a plane that extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis such that all of the tooth cleaning elements on the movable tuft block simultaneously move back and forth together in the same direction at the same time; and wherein the movable tuft block is secured between the first fixed tuft block and a second fixed tuft block by a flexible member.