Patent ID: 7845042

Claim:
An oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head attached to the handle, the head having a body portion, a longitudinal axis, and a first face; a first base projecting outward from the body portion, the first base being non-movable with respect to the body portion and located at a distal-most portion of the head, a plurality of cleaning elements attached to the first base and extending outwardly from the first face; a second base projecting outward from the body portion, the second base being non-movable with respect to the body portion and located at a proximal-most portion of the head, a plurality of cleaning elements attached to the second base and extending outwardly from the first face; a first support projecting outward from the body portion, the first support being flexibly connected to the body portion, a plurality of cleaning elements attached to the first support and extending outwardly from the first face; a second support projecting outward from the body portion, the second support being flexibly connected to the body portion, a plurality of cleaning elements attached to the second support and extending outwardly from the first face; the first and second bases and the first and second supports aligned along the longitudinal axis of the head, the first and second supports located between the first and second bases so that the first support is adjacent the first base and the second support is adjacent the second base; the cleaning elements of the first base comprising at least one oblique cleaning element that extends outwardly from the first face and is angled toward the first support; the cleaning elements of the first support comprising at least one oblique cleaning element that extends outwardly from the first face and is angled toward the first base; the cleaning elements of the second base comprising at least one oblique cleaning element that extends outwardly from the first face and is angled toward the second support; the cleaning elements of the second support comprising at least one oblique cleaning element that extends outwardly from the first face and is angled toward the second base; the first and second supports and the first and second bases spaced apart from one another so that the first and second supports can move independently of one another and the first and second bases; the oblique cleaning element of the first support laterally offset from the oblique cleaning element of the first base so that when the first support is flexed toward the first base, scissor-like action is created between the oblique cleaning element of the first base and the oblique cleaning element of the first support; and the oblique cleaning element of the second support laterally offset from the oblique cleaning element of the second base so that when the second support is flexed toward the second base, scissor-like action is created between the oblique cleaning element of the second base and the oblique cleaning element of the second support.