Patent Publication Number: US-2022218972-A1

Title: Tattoo Tool

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a tattooing apparatus, and, more particularly, to a manual or hand poke-type tattoo tool for receiving a disposable needle cartridge. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Tattoos, which are body decorations that permanently mark the skin, are becoming increasingly popular. An Ipsos poll in 2019 found that thirty percent of Americans now have at least one tattoo. 
     In centuries past, all tattooing was manual. Tattooing was performed with a needle attached to a grip, such as by a string, wire, or wrap. The needle was dipped in ink before use. 
     Now most tattoos are applied by a tattoo machine that uses a needle cartridge which is disposable and hygienic. The needle cartridge is a small plastic casing carrying multiple needles in preferred tattooing needle arrangements, including needle grouping arrangement types such as round liner, round shader, magnum shader, curved magnum shader, and flat shader. The needle grouping is stored within the plastic casing of the cartridge. During the application of the tattoo, a small electric motor of the tattoo machine applies pressure to a piston at the base of the tattoo needle cartridge to force the needle grouping out of the plastic casing. The tattoo needle grouping is rapidly moved out and as the machine extends and retracts the piston. 
     Though tattoo machines can create a large tattoo in a short time, manual or hand poke tattooing has advantages. Manual tattooing is quieter, less painful, and causes less trauma to the skin, so the healing process is faster. 
     Traditional manual style tattooing has recently become more popular again. But clients receiving a manual tattoo tend to worry about hygiene if a needle is merely attached to a grip. Additionally, it is a disadvantage to the tattoo artist to be required to take the extra time required to manually attach a needle to a grip for each use. 
     Thus, there is a need for a tattoo tool for manual tattooing that provides convenience of use and that allows the easy attachment of a disposable cartridge to the tool to minimize the tattoo artist&#39;s time required for preparing the tool and to increase hygiene. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a tattoo tool for manual tattooing that receives a conventional, disposable tattoo needle cartridge intended for use with a tattoo machine and holds the needle grouping in a constantly extended position. The tool has two portions, a back portion and a front portion. The back portion of the tool comprises a comfortable handle. The front portion of the tool comprises a cartridge-receiver. The cartridge-receiver includes a cartridge-receiving concavity that is functional to accept the cartridge, to secure the cartridge, and to maintain the needles of the cartridge in an extended position. The cartridge-receiving concavity includes a solid bottom floor that compresses the piston at the base of the needle cartridge thereby forcing the needle grouping out of the plastic casing of the cartridge and maintaining the needle grouping in this extended position while the cartridge is disposed within the concavity. 
     Presented are two tool embodiments (with and without a detachable handle) and two kits including both a tool and one or more cartridges. In the first and second embodiment, the tool is formed as a single piece comprising both the handle portion and the cartridge-receiver front portion. In the third and fourth embodiment, the two-part tool includes a handle portion that is separable from the front cartridge-receiver. Aspects of the invention provide multiple types of separable handles that can be removably attached to the front cartridge-receiver. The separable handle is removable and replaceable with a different type of handle, based on the preferences of the tattoo artist. 
     Aspects of the invention also include tattoo tool kits that include the tattoo tool and handles and/or accessories. 
     The tattoo tool of the instant invention saves the tattoo artist time compared to the time required to manually wrap and attach a needle to a grip. The use of a disposable needle cartridge with the inventive tattoo tool increases hygiene (or at least the client&#39;s perception of hygiene). Further, the inventive tattoo tool provides convenience for the manual tattoo artist in that disposable needle cartridges are easily available with a variety of pre-determined needle grouping types. 
     The object of the invention is to provide a tattoo tool which gives an improved performance over the above-described prior art systems and methods. 
     These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments which follow. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements. 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a rear view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the first tool embodiment of the present invention with the tattoo tool shown aligned with a tattoo disposable needle cartridge to be received. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an aspect of the first embodiment of the present invention with the tattoo tool shown aligned with a tattoo disposable needle cartridge to be received. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of a two-part embodiment of the present invention with the tattoo tool shown aligned with a tattoo disposable needle cartridge to be received. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a two-part embodiment of the present invention with the tattoo tool shown aligned with a tattoo disposable needle cartridge to be received. 
         FIG. 10  is a partial perspective view of an aspect of the front portion of an embodiment of the present invention with the front cartridge-receiver shown aligned with a tattoo disposable needle cartridge to be received. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a tatau tapping bar of a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Shown throughout the figures, the present invention is directed toward a tattoo tool for use in manual or hand poke tattooing that receives and secures a disposable needle cartridge and that forces the needles of the cartridge into an extended position and maintains them in that position for use. 
     The first embodiment of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of a single-piece tattoo tool, as seen in  FIGS. 1-7 . 
     The second embodiment of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of a kit including a single-piece tattoo tool of the first embodiment plus one or more disposable needle cartridges, as seen in  FIGS. 6-7 . 
     The third embodiment of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of a two-piece tattoo tool with a removable handle, as seen in  FIGS. 8-10 . 
     The fourth embodiment of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of a kit including the two-piece tattoo tool of the third embodiment plus one or more disposable needle cartridges, as seen in  FIGS. 8-10 . 
     The fifth embodiment of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of a two-piece tattoo tool with a removable handle, a disposable needle cartridge, and a tapping bar, as seen in  FIGS. 10-11 . 
     A tattoo tool kit of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the inventive one-piece tattoo tool with one or more needle cartridges. 
     An additional tattoo tool kit of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the inventive two-piece tattoo tool with one removable handle. 
     A further tattoo tool kit of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the inventive two-piece tattoo tool with multiple removable handles. 
     Another tattoo tool kit of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the inventive two-piece tattoo tool with multiple removable handles and with one or more needle cartridges. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a tattoo tool, shown generally as reference number  100 , is illustrated in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the tattoo tool  100  comprises a rear handle portion  200  and a front portion comprising a cartridge-receiver  300 . In this first embodiment, the cartridge-receiver  300  and the handle  200  are not separable. The cartridge-receiver  300  and the handle  200  may be formed unitarily or may be formed in multiple parts and fixedly joined. 
     The tattoo tool  100  extends from a proximal front edge  101  to a distal back edge  109 . The front cartridge-receiver  300  extends from the front edge  101  to the intersection with the handle portion  200 . The handle  200  extends from the intersection with the cartridge-receiver  300  to the back edge  109 . 
     The front cartridge-receiver  300  comprises a cartridge-receiving concavity  120  that is configured to receive and stably retain a disposable needle cartridge  400  ( FIG. 6 ) while maintaining the needles of the cartridge  400  in an extended position. 
     The cartridge  400  ( FIG. 6 ), which comprises a conventional cartridge designed for use with a tattoo machine, includes a front casing  410 , an abutment  420 , a rear casing  440 , and a piston  430 . In the cartridge&#39;s conventional usage, when a cartridge  400  is inserted into an electric tattoo machine, the rear casing  440  is inserted into the front of the machine grip until the abutment  420  is adjacent to the grip front. The cartridge is held firmly within the electric tattoo machine. When in use, the tattoo machine rapidly pushes and retracts the piston  430  reciprocating the needle grouping. The rear casing  440  is configured to be held within a cylindrical concavity in an electric tattoo machine. The conventional cartridge is configured with a cartridge coupling, and the electric tattoo machine is configured with a complementary machine coupling. The cartridge coupling is engaged with the complementary machine coupling. Together the cartridge coupling and the complementary machine coupling function to removably secure the cartridge within the cylindrical concavity of the tattoo machine. 
     In the inventive tattoo tool  100 , the tattoo tool&#39;s front cartridge-receiver  300  is configured with a cartridge-receiving coupling  150  that is complementary to the cartridge coupling of the conventional cartridge. Together, the cartridge-receiving coupling  150  and cartridge coupling mechanism function to releasably secure the cartridge  400  within the cylindrical cartridge-receiving concavity  120  of the tattoo tool  100 . 
     Though the cartridge-receiving coupling  150  of the present invention can be configured to correspond to any conventional cartridge coupling, an exemplary cartridge-receiving coupling  150  is presented in  FIG. 1 , in which the cartridge coupling comprises a projection  450  ( FIG. 6 ) that extends outwardly from the exterior cylindrical wall of the rear casing  440 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , the open-top cartridge-receiving concavity  120  is substantially defined by a generally cylindrical inner side wall  125  and a solid bottom floor  129 . The solid bottom floor  129  may be planar or may be planar with a centrally disposed depression. A planar bottom floor  129  pushes against the cartridge piston  430  to extend the cartridge needle or needle set. In another aspect of the invention, which accommodates some types of cartridges  400  and some tattooing styles or preferences, the floor  129  comprises a center depression  127  ( FIG. 6 ), which is a centrally disposed concave indentation. When the cartridge  400  is installed, the piston  430  descends into this depression  127 . This reduces the distance that the needle of the cartridge is extended, which may be advantageous in some types of tattooing, with the use of some types of cartridges, or to meet the desires of particular tattoo artists. 
     Two opposing lune-shaped concave channels are disposed within the side wall  125  of the cartridge-receiving concavity  120 , which are configured to accommodate the two opposing projections  450  disposed on opposite sides of the rear casing  440  of the cartridge  400 . Each lune-shaped concave channel is defined by a lune wall  153  that extends from a lune proximal edge  151  to a lune distal edge  159 ; the concave channel defined by lune wall  153  stops above the concavity bottom floor  129 . The lune wall  153  is the lateral surface (the curved part) of the surface area of an imagined right circular cylindrical sector (pie slice-shaped). The height of the right circular cylindrical sector from the lune proximal edge  151  to the lune distal edge  159  corresponds to the distance n the cartridge  400  between the cartridge projection  450  and the distal edge of the cartridge abutment  420 . This height is generally less than, or approximately equal to, half of the depth of the concavity  120 . Each lune-shaped concave channel, disposed on opposing sides of the cartridge-receiving concavity  120 , is configured to receive one of the opposing projections  450  disposed on the opposing sides of the rear casing  440  of the cartridge  400 . 
     Extending to one or to both sides of the bottom of each of the opposing lune-shaped concave channels is a lune-annex cleft  155 , which is a separate concave lateral undercut. The lune-annex cleft  155  is defined by cleft walls  156  and is disposed within the side wall  125  adjacent to, and to the side of, the lune distal edge  159 . Each lune-annex cleft  155  functions to receive the protruding projection  450  when the cartridge  400  is inserted axially into the cartridge-receiving concavity  120  with the opposing projections  450  traveling down the lune-shaped concave channels, and when the cartridge is then rotated to bring the projection  450  into the lune-annex cleft  155 . This removably locks the cartridge  400  in position. 
     To use the inventive tattoo tool  100  of the first embodiment (with a separately obtained cartridge  400 ) or to use the kit of the second embodiment (including the tool  100  and the cartridge  400 ), the tattoo artist axially inserts the needle cartridge  400  into the cartridge-receiving concavity  120 . This forces the cartridge piston  430  against the bottom floor  129  of the concavity  120 , which, in turn, forces the needle grouping of the cartridge  400  outward with the tips of the needles beyond the cartridge tip  401 . The conventional cartridge coupling of the cartridge  400  is then engaged with the cartridge-receiving coupling  150  to lock the cartridge  400  in place. In the exemplary coupling illustrated, the opposing cartridge projections  450  enter the opposing lune-shaped concave channels (each defined by a lune wall  153 ). Then the cartridge projections  450  are manually rotated in a first direction into the lune-annex cleft  155 . In this position, the needles, the tips of which are maintained outside the cartridge tip  401 , are used by the tattoo artist in the conventional manner to apply a tattoo to the skin, such as by hand poke tattooing or stick and poke tattooing in which the artist&#39;s hand is manually moved to insert the needle tips to the desired depth. If a different needle grouping is desired, such as for shading, the first cartridge  400  can be removed by reversing the installation steps, and a second cartridge  400  can be installed by following the installation steps again. When the tattoo is completed, the tattoo artist removes the cartridge by disengaging the conventional cartridge coupling from the cartridge-receiving coupling  150 . In the exemplary coupling illustrated, the cartridge projections  450  are manually rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction to remove the projections  450  from the lune-annex clefts  155 ; then the cartridge projections  450  are moved axially up the lune-shaped concave channel. The disposable cartridge  400  is then disposed of in an appropriate manner. 
     Though the single-piece inventive tattoo tool  100  of the first and second embodiment is illustrated as a front cartridge-receiver  300  to which a handle  200  has been fixedly attached or with which a handle portion  200  has been integrally formed, a single-piece inventive tattoo tool  100  of the first and second embodiment may optionally comprise a front cartridge-receiver  300  with a longer handle  200 , such as the handle illustrated in  FIG. 7 . In this aspect of the invention, the longer handle portion may also be attached fixedly or formed integrally. When the single-piece inventive tattoo tool  100  comprises the shorter handle as shown in  FIG. 1 , the tattoo tool  100  may range from 4 to 10 inches in length, with 4.5 to 6 inches preferred. When the single-piece inventive tattoo tool  100  comprises the longer handle as shown in  FIG. 7 , the tattoo tool  100  may range from 10 to 25 inches in length. 
     Turning to the two-part embodiments, shown in  FIGS. 7-10 , the tattoo tool  100  is formed with a handle  200  that is separable from the front cartridge-receiver  300 . When the cartridge-receiver  300  is engaged with the handle  200 , the outer edge  310  of the cartridge-receiver  300  is adjacent to the outer edge  210  of the handle  200 , which thus creates a receiver-handle juncture where the two pieces meet. As in the first embodiment, the cartridge-receiving concavity  120  is configured to receive the cartridge  400  with the cartridge-receiving coupling  150  being complementary to the cartridge coupling of the conventional cartridge  400 . And, as in the first embodiment, when the cartridge  400  is secured within the cartridge-receiving concavity  120 , the piston  430  is depressed by the concavity bottom floor  129 , which maintains the needle grouping in the extended position. 
     However, in the third and fourth embodiments, in contrast to the first and second embodiments, to enable the disassociation and reassociation of the front cartridge-receiver  300  with the handle  200 , the cartridge-receiver  300  is configured with a receiver connection mechanism  310  and the handle  200  is configured with a complementary handle connection mechanism  210 . These are illustrated in  FIGS. 8-9  as a set of complementary threads, but other complementary connectors are within the scope of the invention. For example, the receiver connection mechanism  310  may be configured with a spring-activated and depressible projection. When the cartridge-receiver  300  and the handle  200  are engaged, the receiver connection mechanism  310  may comprise a depressible projection that springs outwardly into a cylindrical open space within the handle. The cylindrical open space includes an aperture into which the projection is extended to secure the cartridge-receiver  300  to the handle  200 . When the user desires to change the handle  200 , a button  220  ( FIG. 9 ) may be pressed to compress the depressible projection to allow the user to manually remove the cartridge-receiver  200 . 
     Multiple types of replaceable handles  200  are within the scope of the invention.  FIG. 8  illustrates a handle type that is shorter (such as from 4 to 10 inches), that may be, for example, used for hand poke tattooing.  FIG. 9  illustrates a handle that is longer, such as 10-24 inches in length, for use with tebori tattooing. Each of the types of attachable and removable handles  200  are configured with a complementary handle connection mechanism  210  disposed at the proximal end of the handle  200 . 
     To use the inventive tattoo tool  100  of the third two-part embodiment or the two-part tool kit of the fourth embodiment, a handle  200  of the desired type is selected by the tattoo artist. The handle  200  is engaged with the cartridge-receiver  300  by the use of the complementary connection mechanisms  210 ,  310 . Then, as in the earlier embodiments, a disposable needle cartridge  400  is axially inserted into the cartridge-receiving concavity  120 . When fully inserted, the cartridge piston  430  is depressed against the concavity bottom floor  129  to force the needle grouping out past the cartridge tip  401 . The conventional cartridge coupling of the cartridge  400  is then engaged with the cartridge-receiving coupling  150  to secure the cartridge  400  in place. The tattooing is performed. When completed, the tattoo artist removes the cartridge by disengaging the conventional cartridge coupling from the cartridge-receiving coupling  150 . And the disposable cartridge  400  is disposed of in an appropriate manner. 
     If the tebori handle  200  of  FIG. 9  is selected for use, after attaching the handle  200  to the front cartridge-receiver  300 , the needle cartridge  400  is engaged into the tattoo tool&#39;s cartridge-receiver  300 . Then the tattoo artist manually moves the handle to insert the needles to the desired depth to perform Japanese tebori tattooing. 
     If the tattoo artist desires to perform Polynesian tatau tattooing, a long tatau handle  200  (similar to the tebori handle of  FIG. 9 ) is attached to the right-angle cartridge-receiver  300  of  FIG. 10 . A needle cartridge  400  is engaged within the front cartridge-receiver  300 . A tatau tapping bar  500  ( FIG. 11 ) is then used to tap on the long handle, which pushes the needles of cartridge  400  to the desired depth on the skin. 
     In an aspect, the tattoo tool of the present invention is included in a kit. In one aspect, the kit includes a one-piece tattoo tool and at least one disposable needle cartridges. In a second aspect, the kit includes a two-piece tattoo tool with a removable handle. In a third aspect, the kit includes a two-piece tattoo tool with a removable handle and at least one disposable needle cartridge. In a fourth aspect, the kit includes a two-piece tattoo tool with multiple removable handles. In a fifth aspect, the kit includes a two-piece tattoo tool with at least one removable handle, at least one disposable needle cartridge, and a tapping bar. 
     In the embodiments of the invention, the handle portion  200  may be generally uniform in width or diameter from the proximal part  230  to the distal part  240  of the handle  200 , as seen in  FIGS. 1-3 and 6-8 . Or the handle may vary in width or diameter, as seen in  FIG. 9 . The handle  200  may be generally cylindrical, or all or parts of it may be shaped in other geometric shapes with a cross section taking the shape of a triangle, rectangle, square, pentagon, octagon, or the like. 
     In the embodiments of the invention, the front cartridge-receiver  300  may be straight and be in line with the back portion  200 , as seen in  FIGS. 1-3 and 6-8 , or the cartridge-receiver  300  may be angled, as seen in  FIG. 10 . In the aspect in which the cartridge-receiver  300  takes a right-angle shape, the proximal part of the cartridge-receiver  300  receives the cartridge  400 . The distal part of the cartridge-receiver  300  carries the complementary connection mechanism  310  (which corresponds to the complementary connection mechanism  210  of the handle  200 ). And the right angle is disposed between the proximal and distal parts.  FIG. 11  illustrates a tapping bar, such as from 12 to 24 inches in length, which is suitable for tatau style tattooing and may be used to tap on the right-angle cartridge-receiver  300  of  FIG. 10 . 
     The tattoo tool  100  of the embodiments of the invention may be formed of any suitable material, such as man-made materials (for example, plastic) or natural products (for example, wood, bamboo, metal, or the like). The cartridge-receiver  300  and the handle  400  may be formed of the same or different materials. In an aspect in which both are formed of the same material, both may be formed integrally of plastic or metal. In an aspect in which they are formed of different materials, the cartridge-receiver  303  may be formed of plastic with the handle  400  formed of wood. In another aspect, the cartridge receiver may be formed of metal with the handle formed of bamboo. 
     In an aspect of the invention, a removable grip  135  ( FIG. 7 ) is fitted over the handle  200  to add comfort for the tattoo artist. The grip may be formed of natural or manmade flexible material to allow it to be placed onto the handle. 
     The exterior surfaces of the front cartridge-receiver  300  and the handle  200  may be configured with shapes, textures, or designs. The shapes, textures, or designs on the handle  200  may function not only to aesthetically enhance the look of the tool  100 , but they may also increase the artist&#39;s ability to grip the handle  200 . 
     Thus, the inventive tattoo tool  100  allows the tattoo artist to preform manual tattooing using conventional disposable needle cartridges, which are designed for machine tattooing. In addition, the two-part variation allows the tattoo artist to select from multiple types of handles to produce a tattoo in any of a variety of tattooing styles. 
     The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. 
     Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.