Patent ID: 7793375

Claim:
A powered toothbrush comprising: a handle having an inner cavity formed therein and a base member at a first end thereof; a rotary drive member disposed within said inner cavity; a curved tubular neck portion detachably coupled to and extending from a second end of said handle so that a first interface is formed by contact between the neck portion and the handle, a radial axis extending along the curved tubular neck portion; a head detachably coupled to the neck portion so that a second interface is formed by contact between the neck portion and the head, the head including at least first and second bristle carriers comprising bristles, wherein the first bristle carrier is adapted to move in a first rotational direction and the second bristle carrier is adapted to move in a second rotational direction, the first and second bristle carriers being disposed along said radial axis; the neck portion curved at a constant radius of curvature from the first interface to the second interface; a curved flexible drive shaft for moving the at least one bristle carrier in the first rotational direction and the other bristle carrier in the second rotational direction, the flexible drive shaft rotatably disposed within said curved tubular neck portion, the flexible drive shaft having a first end point and a second end point, the first end point thereof being drivably connected to said drive member through a connector linkage, the first end point of the flexible shaft located at the first interface, and the second end point thereof being operably connected to the first and second bristle carriers, the second end point of the flexible shaft located at the second interface, said flexible drive shaft being rotationally responsive to said rotary drive member, and wherein said flexible drive shaft comprises a thermoplastic elastomer; and a clutch positioned along the flexible drive shaft to disengage the flexible drive shaft from the rotary drive member upon overpressure to prevent or minimize damage to the first and second carriers.