Patent ID: 8578539

Claim:
A dental cleaning appliance, comprising: an appliance body ( 30 ), including a forward portion thereof having two separate interior channels ( 18 , 20 ) and a bristle field housing ( 32 ) at a distal end thereof; two moveable piston members ( 22 , 24 ) positioned in a fluid-tight relationship within the two channels; wherein the two interior channels are defined by upper and lower walls, a common intermediate member and a common flexible membrane; the flexible membrane ( 34 ) being positioned within the bristle field housing, wherein the two channels extend above and below, respectively, the membrane, wherein fluid is present in the two channels, without fluid communication between them; a plurality of bristle tufts ( 14 , 39 ) mounted on the membrane and extending sealingly through the housing; and an actuator assembly ( 28 ) for moving the pistons alternately in a counter action within the two channels such that the membrane moves up and down, moving the bristle field toward and away from the teeth.