Patent Description:
Acupuncture has a history of more than <NUM> years in China. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that there is Qi and blood in the human body to keep the basic functions. Acupuncture can regulate the Qi and blood and improve health. On the body, there are also meridians and acupuncture points which are more effective to do acupuncture. During acupuncture, an acupuncturist inserts acupuncture needles into a patient's body with certain angles, uses lifting-thrusting and twisting-rotating acupuncture manipulations to enhance acupuncture effect to treat diseases.

Patients generally see acupuncturists during the daytime for acupuncture treatment. However, according to the acupuncture theory, each meridian has its own active time. Thus, the best time for treatment may be at night or early in the morning. In addition, the onset time of various diseases, such as insomnia, headache, are not limited to the daytime. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an acupuncture device that can be used conveniently at home whenever needed.

In the past, there have been some patents trying to solve this problem.

Patents <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> have designed acupuncture robot systems with mechanical arms. Although they can achieve automatic acupuncture function, the designs are complex, the systems are huge, and the prices are high. They are not portable and not suitable for home use.

Patents <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> have designed another group of acupuncture device, which are in pen shapes or gun shapes. These acupuncture devices are manual acupuncture needle ejectors. When in use, the user holds the device in hand and press a switch to eject a needle out of a needle barrel built in the acupuncture device to insert the needle. Since this type of acupuncture devices need users' action to insert needles, they are not suitable for patients to use at home by themselves. Moreover, the acupuncture needles currently available on market have sharps exposed to the air when in use or after using and may cause injury to people or transmit diseases.

Patents <CIT> and <CIT> are manual acupuncture devices as well. In these designs, an acupuncture needle is packaged with a spring inside a needle tube and the spring is pre-compressed by a movable bolt in the needle tube. When in use, the user puts the needle device against the human body, pulls the movable bolt and allows the spring to extend from its compressed state, which pushes the needle into the human body. This type of acupuncture device needs manual operation and cannot be attached on the body during treatment. In addition, after the use, the needle is exposed outside of the needle tube and can cause injury.

Patent <CIT> designed another type of acupuncture device with ejection spring for needle insertion and needle clamper for needle holding. When in use, the user needs to load the needle manually and press a button for needle releasing and insertion. This kind of acupuncture device is complex to operate and cannot be made into wearable devices. Also, the needles are easy to get contaminated.

Patent <CIT> presents an automatic acupuncture device which uses negative pressure to drive a piston and push the needle for insertion. The design needs to press the instrument repeatedly to create negative pressure. It is inconvenient to use.

Patent <CIT> designs an acupuncture device for automatic manipulation. Before use, the user manually loads a needle into the device, manually set the acupuncture depth and other parameters. Then the user powers on the device to insert the needle. The device will do the manipulation automatically. The use of this automatic acupuncture device is complex, and the acupuncture needle may touch with various parts of the acupuncture device directly and can use possible cross contamination.

Patent <CIT> designs an automatic acupuncture device that allows to choose needles of different sizes. It characterizes with a needle barrel loaded with different sizes of needles in different chambers. A second barrel has an ejector chamber that can align with these different chambers of needles. The insertion of needle itself is manual. This type of device is complex to use and the needles are exposed to the device directly and can cause contamination.

Patents <CIT> and <CIT> present an automatic acupuncture system, including a positioning part, a power system, an acupuncture device, and a drone to carry the acupuncture device to the desired body parts, etc. The system is complex and more important, it uses the same acupuncture needle repeatedly, only with spray disinfection.

<CIT> discloses an automatic acupuncture device, comprising a case, driving means configured to provide a driving force to move one or more needle drivers linearly so as to push acupuncture needles in needle gadgets into a human body, where each needle gadget includes a needle tube and an acupuncture needle inside the needle tube.

In view of the above medical needs and previous inventions, the present invention proposes an automatic acupuncture device that is portable, convenient to use, with the consideration of safety.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an automatic acupuncture device of the kind disclosed in <CIT> which is characterised in that said driving means comprises one or more motors or electromagnets configured to provide said driving force after being powered on , the needle gadget being configured to keep the acupuncture needle with the needle tube before, during and after acupuncture treatment, such that the acupuncture needle is not be exposed to air outside of the needle tube to cause injury, one or more needle gadget chambers being configured to house the needle gadgets, allowing the needle gadgets to be put into or taken out of the needle gadget chambers detachably.

Optionally, the automatic acupuncture device further comprises one or more locking-releasing structures that are configured to lock the needle gadgets in the needle gadget chambers so that the needle gadgets will not fall out of the needle gadget chambers during acupuncture treatment, and that are also configured to release the needle gadgets from the needle gadget chambers after acupuncture treatment.

Optionally, the automatic acupuncture device further comprises a control circuit, which is configured to control device starting, needle insertion, needle manipulations, needle removing, and/or user interface displaying.

Optionally, the motor is configured as a rotary motor and its motor shaft rotates when powered on, wherein the automatic acupuncture device further comprises a transmission system that converts a rotary motion to a linear motion.

Optionally, the transmission system of the automatic acupuncture device comprises a screw rod connected to the motor shaft; a guide rail or a guide rod; a screw nut around the screw rod that slides along the guide rail or guide rod when the screw rod rotates, to move the needle driver linearly.

Optionally, the motor is configured as a linear motor with a needle driver connected on its motor shaft, when powered on, the motor shaft and the needle driver move linearly.

Optionally, the motor shaft and therefore the needle driver move linearly as well as rotate, which drives the needle to move linearly and rotate through an uneven surface coupling between the needle driver and the needle top, to perform rotating and thrusting acupuncture manipulation.

Optionally, the needle driver is a bar, and the top of the needle tube of the needle gadget has a hole to allow the needle driver entering the needle tube along the direction of the needle, getting in touch with the needle top, and pushing the needle out through the needle tube.

Optionally, the needle driver is a bar, the top of the needle tube of the needle gadget has a hole, the side of the needle tube has a slit, the slit and the hole are connected, and when in use, the needle driver enters the needle tube through the hole and the slit, moves down through the slit on the side of needle tube and touches the needle top to push the needle out of the need tube.

Optionally, the needle driver is a bar, the side of the needle tube of the needle gadget has a slit with a width wider than the needle driver, and when in use, the needle driver enters the needle tube through the slit on the side of the needle tube, makes contact with the needle top to move the needle.

Optionally, the automatic acupuncture device further comprises an ejector spring in the needle gadget chamber, which is configured as following: when the needle gadget is pushed into the needle gadget chamber, the ejector spring is compressed, and a locking-releasing structure locks the needle gadget in the chamber; when the locking-releasing structure unlocks the needle gadget, the ejector spring extends and pushes out the needle gadget from the needle gadget chamber.

Optionally, the locking-releasing structure comprises a locking head, and the needle tube of the needle gadget has a locking notch, and when the needle gadget is pushed into the needle gadget chamber and the locking head is forced into the locking notch of the needle tube, the needle gadget is locked in the chamber.

Optionally, the locking-releasing structure is a magnetic piece inside the needle gadget chamber, which attracts ferromagnetic materials attached on the needle tube to lock the needle gadget.

Optionally, the locking-releasing structure comprises a sliding button, a flat spring, a mounting point for the flat spring to mount on the device case, a locking head on the flat spring, a needle gadget ejector spring, a locking notch on the needle tube, and the locking-releasing structure works as following: before acupuncture, the needle gadget is pushed in, the locking head is pressed into the locking notch and the needle gadget is locked, meanwhile the ejector spring is compressed; after acupuncture, the sliding button is pushed to flatten the flat spring and bring the locking head out of the locking notch, which allows the compressed ejector spring to eject the needle gadget out the needle gadget chamber.

Optionally, the needle gadget chamber has an opening for the needle gadget to enter the chamber, the locking-releasing structure comprises push plates, push rods, connectors on the push plates to connect with the push rods, locking heads that protrude into the chamber opening at resting state, sliding rods around which the locking heads moves, connector rings on the locking heads to connect with the push rods, push plate springs, wherein the needle gadget is configured to have a locking notch on the needle tube, and the chamber, the locking-releasing structure and the needle gadget work together as following: when pushing the needle gadget into the chamber opening, the locking heads are pushed away from the chamber; meanwhile the push plate springs are compressed until the locking heads are facing the locking notch and pushed back into the chamber by the compressed push plate springs to lock the needle gadget inside the chamber; when releasing the needle gadget, users push the push plate to move the locking head away from the needle tube locking notch, allowing the ejector spring to eject the needle gadget out.

Optionally, the needle gadget chamber has an opening for the needle gadget to enter the chamber, the locking-releasing structure comprises a rotatable frame, a locking head on the rotatable frame that protrudes into the chamber opening at resting state, a frame spring mounted between the rotatable frame and a mounting point on the case of the automatic acupuncture device, a press button accessible to the user to rotate the frame and release the locking head, the needle gadget is configured to have a locking notch on the needle tube, and the needle gadget chamber, the locking-releasing structure and the needle gadget work together as following: when pushing the needle gadget into the needle gadget chamber, the locking head will be pushed away; at the same time, the rotatable frame is rotated and the frame spring is stretched or compressed until the locking head is facing the locking notch on the needle tube; the locking head is pulled back or pushed back into the chamber opening by the frame spring and pressed into the locking notch on the needle tube to lock the needle gadget inside the needle gadget chamber; when releasing the needle gadget, users push the press button and rotate the frame to push the locking head away from the needle gadget and release the locking head from the needle tube's locking notch.

Optionally, the needle gadget chamber has an opening for the needle gadget to enter the chamber, the locking-releasing structure comprises a locking head, a sliding button which is accessible and movable by users and connected with the locking head, a stopper to restrict the sliding button's motion range, a spring mounted between the sliding button and a mounting point on the case of the device. ; the locking-releasing structure works as following: the locking head protrudes into the needle gadget chamber at resting state; when the needle gadget is pushed into the needle gadget chamber, the needle gadget pushes the locking head and the sliding button away from the needle gadget; meanwhile the spring is compressed by the sliding button until the locking head is facing the locking notch on the needle tube of the needle gadget; the locking head is pressed back into the chamber by the compressed spring and the needle gadget is locked inside the chamber; when releasing the needle gadget, users slide the sliding button in the direction that is away from the needle gadget chamber, which in turn releases the locking head from the needle tube's locking notch.

Optionally, the locking-releasing structure comprises a sliding plate, a pull rod, a hook at the tip of the pull rod, a sliding rod on which the sliding plate slides, a spring connecting the sliding plate and the device case, connectors to fix the two ends of the spring, a locking head, connectors to connect the locking head to the sliding plate, a rising groove, a falling groove and a notch island on the sliding plate, a notch on the notch island for the hook to hook on, a guiding peninsula, wherein the rising groove becomes shallower towards the notch island, and the notch becomes deeper again at the end of rising groove, and the locking-releasing structure works as following: when the needle gadget is pushed into the needle gadget chamber for the first time, the sliding plate and the locking head are pushed in; the hook slides towards the notch island along the rising groove; when the needle gadget reaches the bottom of the chamber, the hook reaches the end of the rising groove, falls into the deep notch on the notch island and gets hooked on the notch; at the same time, the locking head is pressed into a locking notch on the needle tube, locks the needle gadget in the needle gadget chamber and the spring is stretched; when the pushing force is released from the needle gadget, the needle gadget stays in the needle gadget chamber and is ready for acupuncture treatment; when needle gadget is pushed again after acupuncture treatment, the hook is released from the notch and guided into the falling groove; at the same time, the stretched spring pulls the sliding plate back towards the opening of the needle gadget chamber, releases the locking head from the locking notch, and pulls the needle gadget out for user to take out completely.

Optionally, the needle driver has a shape of a fork or a clip, which is used to clamp on the needle top to move the needle.

Optionally, the device case includes a first case part and a second case part, with the first case part and the second case part movable relative to each other, wherein the second case part houses the needle gadget chamber; when the first case part and the second case part are relatively opened, the needle gadget chamber is exposed and allows the needle gadget to be inserted; after the needle gadget is inserted, the first case part and the second case part are closed and the needle gadget is locked inside the needle gadget chamber for acupuncture treatment.

Optionally, the automatic acupuncture device further comprises a rechargeable battery to power the motor or the electromagnet.

Optionally, the automatic acupuncture device is in the shape of a cylinder, the diameter of the cylinder is less than <NUM>, and the height is less than <NUM>.

Optionally, the needle gadget is completely inserted into the needle gadget chamber from the bottom, side or top surface of the cylinder, and no parts bulge out from the cylinder.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a needle gadget used with the hereinbefore defined automatic acupuncture device is provided, when the needle gadget is inserted into the needle gadget chamber from the bottom, side or top surface of the acupuncture device, it is completely contained inside the automatic acupuncture device and no parts bulge out from the cylinder. The needle gadget comprises a needle tube; an acupuncture needle inside the needle tube, comprising a needle tip, a needle shaft and a needle top with a larger diameter than the needle shaft; a hole on top of the needle tube and/or a slit on side of the needle tube, through which the needle driver of the automatic acupuncture device enters the needle tube and exerts force on the needle top; a needle outlet at bottom of needle tube, through which the needle tip and shaft are pushed out of the needle tube and inserted into human body; a needle-holding spring sheathed outside the needle shaft and enclosed inside the needle tube, between the needle tube bottom and the needle top, which is configured as: before the needle gadget is used, the acupuncture needle is kept inside the needle tube by the needle-holding spring to prevent the needle tip from exposing to air outside of the needle tube and accidently injuring people; during acupuncture treatment, when the needle driver pushes the needle into human body, the needle-holding spring is compressed; after acupuncture treatment, the needle driver removes force from the needle top, the needle-holding spring extends and presses the needle back into the needle tube.

Optionally, the needle top has an uneven surface and couples with an uneven surface of the needle driver to transmit the rotary motion from the needle driver to the needle, to perform rotating acupuncture manipulation.

Optionally, the diameter of the hole on the needle tube top is smaller than the diameter of the needle top of the acupuncture needle, to prevent the needle from falling out of the needle tube, and the diameter of the needle outlet is smaller than the diameter of the needle-holding spring, to prevent the needle-holding spring from falling out of the needle tube.

Optionally, the diameter of the needle tube bottom is larger than that of the rest of the needle tube, and/or the side of the needle tube has a bulging column or indented groove that matches the shape of the needle gadget chamber in an automatic acupuncture device, to control the needle gadget's insertion direction.

Optionally, the needle tube has a bulging column or indented groove for a locking head on an automatic acupuncture device to lock the needle gadget inside the automatic acupuncture device when the needle gadget is inserted into the needle gadget chamber of the automatic acupuncture device, to prevent the needle gadget from falling out of the automatic acupuncture device during acupuncture treatment.

Optionally, the needle gadget chamber has a larger diameter at the entrance than that of the rest of the chamber, and/or has a bulging column or indented groove on the side to match a groover or column on a needle tube, for the needle gadget insertion direction control.

Optionally, the needle tube bottom protrudes into the needle tube a hollow column with an outer diameter smaller than that of the needle-holding spring to allow the needle-holding spring sitting around it and an inner diameter in the center of the column bigger than the needle shaft to allow the needle to pass through, and the hollow column helps to prevent the needle from bending during insertion.

Optionally, the needle tube has a ferromagnetic piece and is attracted to a magnet piece inside the needle gadget chamber when being inserted into the chamber, to prevent the needle gadget from falling out of the chamber during acupuncture treatment.

A method of performing acupuncture with the hereinbefore defined automatic acupuncture device, which is not part of the invention, comprises: inserting a needle gadget into a needle gadget chamber of the automatic acupuncture device and locking it inside; attaching the automatic acupuncture device onto human body surface; powering on the automatic acupuncture device automatically or manually; running a computer program stored in a control circuit of the automatic acupuncture device to start a motor or electromagnet, to control a needle driver, to push an acupuncture needle, and/or to perform acupuncture manipulations; allowing the acupuncture needle to stay in human body for a preset period of time; after the preset period of time, controlling the motor or electromagnet to remove force from the needle top and allow a needle-holding spring in the needle gadget to pop out the needle from human body, or to exert a pulling force on the needle top to pull the needle out of human body, or to exert a trigger force to pop out the needle from human body; after the acupuncture treatment, detaching the automatic acupuncture device from the body.

Optionally, the method to attach the automatic acupuncture device onto human body surface is to use a double-sided adhesive tape to stick the acupuncture device on to human body and/or use a strap to wear the device onto human body.

A method of performing acupuncture, which is not part of the invention, with the hereinbefore defined automatic acupuncture device may be carried out such that when needles are inserted into the skin of the human body, the needle are inserted in a vibration mode, like mosquitos insert the tips of their mouthparts into human being skin.

Optionally, the vibration mode is in a frequency of <NUM>-<NUM>.

Optionally, the vibration distance is in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>.

According to the embodiments of the invention, the automatic acupuncture device and the needle gadget being use with the automatic acupuncture device have one or more of the following advantages: <NUM>) automatic; <NUM>) the operation is simple; <NUM>) the automatic acupuncture device and the needle gadget are small and easy to carry; <NUM>) patients can do acupuncture by themselves at any time whenever needed; <NUM>) there is no pain or only slight pain; <NUM>) the needle gadget is disposable, and can be put in or taken out of the automatic acupuncture device detachably, <NUM>) the acupuncture needle is safe: before, during and after the acupuncture, the acupuncture needle is always kept with the needle tube, and will not be exposed to the air outside of the needle tube, to avoid the needle contamination, accidentally sticking into the people or polluting the environment; <NUM>) it can achieve lifting-thrusting and twisting-rotating acupuncture effect.

The automatic operation of the acupuncture device is achieved through a motor or electromagnet. During operation, the user only needs to insert the needle gadget into the needle gadget chamber of the automatic acupuncture device and attaches the acupuncture device to a specific part of the body through double-sided adhesive tape or a strap. After that, the motor or electromagnet can start to do acupuncture according to a program stored in the control circuit.

Optionally, the automatic acupuncture device is in the shape of a cylinder, the diameter of the cylinder is less than <NUM>, and the height is less than <NUM>. In one design according to an embodiment of the present invention, the cylinder's diameter is <NUM> and the height is <NUM>. It is designed very small and light and very convenient to wear, carry, store and operate.

In an embodiment, after the needle gadget is inserted into a needle gadget chamber of an automatic acupuncture device, no parts of the needle gadget bulge out of the automatic acupuncture device.

In an embodiment, the automatic acupuncture device comprises one motor or one electromagnet, one needle driver, one needle gadget chamber, where one needle driver drives one needle in a needle gadget. In other embodiments, more than one needle gadgets can be inserted into an automatic acupuncture device. The needle drivers can be driven by multiple motors or electromagnet, or the needle drivers can be driven by one motor or electromagnet.

One thing to point out, the acupuncture device does not have to have the locking-release structure. The needle gadget can be secured inside the acupuncture device through tap or through strap.

The embodiments of the present invention are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The inventive ideas of the invention are described as following: the acupuncture needle is pushed into the skin by a mini-motor or electromagnet to achieve the effect of acupuncture; two modes are preferred: <NUM>), the motor moves the needle driver and the needle driver pushes the needle into the human body, which completes the insertion action; the acupuncture needle is ejected out from the human body by a spring attached to the needle, which is compressed during needle insertion; <NUM>), the needle driver is made into a shape of a fork or a clip, which clamps on the needle top and moves the needle to do acupuncture; this type of automatic acupuncture device can both insert and remove needles. Electromagnetic acupuncture uses electromagnet to generate magnetic force and moves the needle through needle driver.

<FIG> shows a structural diagram of an automatic acupuncture device <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in <FIG>, the automatic acupuncture device includes: a case <NUM>; a motor <NUM>, which is configured to exert force to move a needle driver after powered on; a needle driver <NUM>, which is configured to move linearly under the force of a motor to insert the acupuncture needle in a needle gadget into the human body; the needle gadget that includes a needle tube and an acupuncture needle inside the needle tube; and a needle gadget chamber <NUM>, which is configured to house the needle gadget; and a locking-releasing structure <NUM>-<NUM>, which is configured to lock the needle gadget inside the needle gadget chamber, so that the needle gadget will not fall out of the needle gadget chamber during acupuncture, and which is also configured to release the needle gadget from the needle gadget chamber after acupuncture treatment.

The motor is preferably a mini-motor and there is a screw rod <NUM> connected to its shaft. When the mini-motor is powered on, its rotating shaft drives the screw rod to rotate, and the rechargeable battery <NUM> supplies power to the mini-motor. The rechargeable battery can be charged through USB charging or through wireless charging. If the wireless charging is adopted, a wireless charging receiver should be added to the acupuncture device.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the automatic acupuncture device also includes a guide rail <NUM>, a screw nut <NUM>, a screw rod <NUM> connected with the motor shaft, a rechargeable battery <NUM>, and a control circuit <NUM>.

The control circuit <NUM> controls the device starting, needle insertion, needle removing, needle manipulation and/or user interface displaying. In this example, the automatic acupuncture device uses a rotary motor. The screw rod <NUM> is coupled with a screw nut <NUM>. The screw nut moves linearly on the screw rod when the screw rod rotates. One end of the screw nut is connected with a needle driver <NUM>, which moves up and down with the screw nut, to insert the acupuncture needle into the skin or allow the removal of the needle. The guide rail <NUM> makes the screw nut <NUM> sliding more stably and prevents the screw nut <NUM> from rotating with the screw rod. The acupuncture device also includes a locking-releasing structure <NUM>-<NUM> for locking and releasing the needle gadget, which will be explained in detail in conjunction with <FIG>. The whole acupuncture device is enclosed in the case <NUM>. <NUM> is the top of the chamber for the needle gadget.

Optionally, the automatic acupuncture device is in the shape of a cylinder, the diameter of the cylinder is less than <NUM>, and the height is less than <NUM>. In one design according to an embodiment of the present invention, the cylinder's diameter is <NUM> and the height is <NUM>. It is very small, light and convenient to wear, carry, store and operate.

Accordingly, the needle gadget is also very small. In an embodiment, the diameter of the needle tube of the needle gadget is less than <NUM>. The diameter of the needle tube bottom is less than <NUM>. The length of the needle tube is less than <NUM>. In a specific design, the diameter of the needle tube is <NUM>. The needle tube bottom has a diameter of <NUM>. Then length of the needle tube is <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the automatic acupuncture device comprises one motor or one electromagnet, one needle driver, one needle gadget chamber, where one needle driver drives one needle in a needle gadget. In other embodiments, more than one needle gadgets can be inserted into an automatic acupuncture device and can be moved by multiple needle drivers. The needle drivers can be driven by multiple motors or electromagnet, or the needle drivers can be driven by one motor or electromagnet.

The automatic acupuncture device is operated by small motor or electromagnet. When in use, the user inserts the needle gadget into the needle gadget chamber of the acupuncture device and attaches the acupuncture device on the body through double-sided tape or through a strap. The motor or electromagnet then starts the acupuncture treatment according to specific signal (timer or physiological signal detected from the body). One thing to point out, the acupuncture device does not have to have the locking-release structure. The needle gadget can be secured inside an acupuncture device through tap or through strap.

When operating the automatic acupuncture device described above, the users do not need to hold it. Instead, the device is attached on the human body through double-sided tape or a strap.

<FIG> show the internal structure of the needle gadget chamber presented in <FIG>, and the schematic diagram of the locking-releasing structure. The structure shown in the figure includes a needle driver <NUM>, the needle gadget chamber <NUM>, the spring pusher <NUM>, sliding button <NUM> for the spring pusher, vertical connecting rod <NUM> for the spring pusher, horizontal connecting rod <NUM> for the spring pusher, the flat spring <NUM>, the fixing head <NUM> for the flat spring, the locking head <NUM> on the flat spring, the slot spring <NUM> for the spring pusher, the needle gadget ejector spring <NUM>, needle tube top <NUM>, the hole on the needle tube top <NUM>, the needle top <NUM>, the side of the needle tube <NUM>, the needle-holding spring <NUM>, the needle shaft <NUM>, the needle tip <NUM>, the wall of the needle gadget chamber <NUM>, the needle tube locking notch <NUM>, the needle tube bottom <NUM>, the opening of the needle gadget chamber <NUM> and the needle outlet of the needle tube <NUM>. The needle driver <NUM> is connected with the screw rod <NUM> of the motor through the screw nut <NUM> in <FIG>. The driving head <NUM> drives the needle by pushing the needle top <NUM>. The diameter of the needle top <NUM> is larger than that of the hole on the needle tube top <NUM>, to prevent the needle from falling out of the needle tube <NUM>.

In <FIG>, the acupuncture needle shaft <NUM> and the needle top <NUM> are connected. The needle-holding spring <NUM> is around the needle shaft and stays between the needle top and the bottom of the needle tube. During acupuncture, the needle-holding spring <NUM> is compressed by needle driver <NUM>, and the acupuncture needle shaft <NUM> is pushed out of the needle tube outlet <NUM> and inserted into the human body. To withdraw the needle, the needle driver <NUM> removes the force from the needle top and the compressed needle-holding spring <NUM> extends and pops the acupuncture needle out of the skin. The design of such a needle gadget keeps the acupuncture needle always with the needle tube. Before and after use, the needle-holding spring always presses the needle top onto the needle tube top, and the needle tip hides inside the needle tube to prevent it from accidentally sticking people. Because the needle has a tip end and a top end and requires to be inserted in correct direction, in this embodiment, a needle tube bottom <NUM> is designed with larger diameter than the rest of the needle tube <NUM>, to ensure that the needle gadget being inserted into the needle gadget chamber in correct direction. In addition, to lock the needle gadget so that it does not fall out during acupuncture, a locking head <NUM> and a needle tube locking notch <NUM> are designed. When pushing the needle gadget in, the locking head is pressed into the locking notch and the needle gadget is locked, and at the same time, the ejector spring <NUM> is compressed. After acupuncture, the user pushes the sliding button <NUM> to move the spring pusher <NUM>, which in turn presses on the flat spring <NUM>, and force the locking head <NUM> out of the locking notch <NUM>. The compressed ejector spring <NUM> then ejects the needle gadget out. <NUM> and <NUM> are the vertical and horizontal connecting rods between the spring pusher <NUM> and the sliding button <NUM>. The ejector spring <NUM> is fixed on the top of the needle gadget chamber. <NUM> is a spring in the slot where the sliding button <NUM> moves. The fixing head <NUM> fixes the flat spring <NUM> on wall <NUM> of the acupuncture device case.

<FIG> is the schematic diagram of the needle gadget chamber when the needle gadget is ejected by the ejector spring <NUM>. At this time, the locking head <NUM> is pushed out of the locking notch and the needle gadget chamber.

<FIG> show another schematic diagram of the needle gadget, the needle gadget chamber, and the locking-releasing structure according to an embodiment of the invention. They are similar to <FIG>, except the following two differences: <NUM>) the locking notch <NUM> does not protrude into the inner space of the needle tube, but only slightly cuts into the side of the needle tube; and <NUM>) the needle tube bottom protrudes into the needle tube a hollow column <NUM> with an outer diameter smaller than the needle-holding spring and an inner diameter slightly larger than the needle shaft, which has two main advantages: <NUM>) stabilize the needle-holding spring, <NUM>) prevent the bending of acupuncture needle during insertion.

<FIG> shows a schematic diagram of another automatic acupuncture device according to an embodiment of the invention, including linear motor <NUM>, motor shaft <NUM> with thread <NUM>, screw nut <NUM> fixed inside the motor. The motor shaft rotates in the screw nut to generate linear motion. The automatic acupuncture device also includes a case <NUM>, a needle gadget chamber <NUM>, a rechargeable battery <NUM>, a control circuit <NUM>, an opening of the needle gadget chamber <NUM>, locking heads <NUM> and the bottom part of the case <NUM>. This design uses a linear motor. The motor shaft moves linearly and push the needle to do acupuncture. <FIG> show an example of a real linear motor. <FIG> shows the motor with the motor shaft at a higher position, and <FIG> shows the motor with the motor shaft at a lower position.

<FIG> show detail schematic diagrams of the needle gadget chamber presented in <FIG>, including the needle gadget chamber (<FIG>), the needle gadget (<FIG>), the needle driver which is a continuation of the motor shaft (<FIG>), and the acupuncture needle with needle-holding spring (<FIG>). The components shown in the figures include a motor shaft <NUM>, threads on the shaft <NUM>, an uneven surface <NUM> of needle driver, needle top <NUM>, uneven surface <NUM> of the needle top, the needle gadget chamber side wall <NUM>, the needle gadget chamber top <NUM>, ejector spring <NUM>, the needle tube top <NUM>, the needle tube bottom <NUM>, the indent on the needle tube bottom <NUM> and the needle outlet <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the acupuncture needle includes a needle top <NUM>, a needle shaft <NUM>, a needle tip <NUM>, and a needle-holding spring <NUM>, an uneven surface <NUM> on the needle top <NUM>, which matches with the uneven surface <NUM> on the needle driver in <FIG> and transmits the rotary motion from the needle driver to the needle to perform rotating acupuncture manipulation. <FIG> is a needle gadget composed of an acupuncture needle and a needle tube. The needle tip is always hidden inside the needle tube by the needle-holding spring before or after the needle gadget is used, to avoid accidentally sticking people's skin. The diameter of the hole on the needle tube top <NUM> is smaller than that of the needle top <NUM> to prevent the needle from falling out. The diameter of the needle-holding spring <NUM> is only a little smaller than that of the needle tube, which allows the needle-holding spring fit into the needle tube to prevent the spring from bending during compression. The hole on the needle gadget chamber top is for the needle driver to enter the needle tube. During acupuncture, the needle driver pushes the acupuncture needle into the human body and at the same time, compresses the ejector spring. At the end of the acupuncture treatment, the needle driver removes the force exerted on the needle top and the compressed needle-holding spring extends to pop the needle out of the body. After the acupuncture, the ejector spring <NUM> ejects the needle gadget from the needle gadget chamber when the locking head is released from the needle tube locking notch and unlock the needle gadget.

<FIG> show a schematic diagram of another locking mechanism for the needle gadget according to another embodiment of the invention. <FIG> show the bottom view of the automatic acupuncture device, and <FIG> show the inside surface of the bottom piece of the automatic acupuncture device case, including push plates <NUM>, push rods <NUM>, connectors on the push plate <NUM> to connect with the push rods, locking heads <NUM> (also marked in <FIG>) protruding into the needle gadget chamber opening <NUM> at resting state, locking head chambers <NUM>, sliding rods <NUM> around which the locking head moves, connector rings <NUM> on the locking heads to connect with the push rods, and push plate springs <NUM>. <FIG> show the schematic diagram in which the locking heads <NUM> protrude into the chamber opening <NUM>, and <FIG> show the schematic diagram in which the locking heads are completely pushed into locking head chambers <NUM>. When pushing a needle gadget into the needle gadget chamber opening <NUM>, the locking heads <NUM> are pushed out of the chambers by the needle tube bottom <NUM> (shown in <FIG>). Meanwhile, the push plate springs <NUM> are compressed under the force transmitted through the push rods <NUM>. When the indent <NUM> at the needle tube bottom <NUM> are facing the locking heads <NUM>, the locking heads are rebounded again under the action of the push plate springs <NUM>, are pressed into the indent <NUM> and the needle gadget is locked. The locking heads <NUM> move on the sliding rods <NUM>, which is fixed in the locking head chambers <NUM>. The push rods <NUM> are connected to the locking heads through connector rings <NUM>, and the push rods can rotate on the rings. The push rods <NUM> are connected to the push plates <NUM> through the connectors <NUM>, and the push rods can also rotate on the connectors.

<FIG> show another schematic diagram of the working principle of the locking head <NUM> used in <FIG>. In this design, the locking head <NUM> is only used on one side of the needle gadget chamber opening. The locking-releasing structure comprises a rotatable frame <NUM>, a locking head <NUM> on the frame that protrudes into the chamber opening at resting state, a frame spring <NUM>, a connector for the frame <NUM> to connect to the case, connectors (<NUM>, <NUM>) to connect the spring to the case and the frame, a press button <NUM> connected with the frame to move the locking head, a button chamber <NUM>. The needle gadget is configured to have a locking notch on the needle tube. When pushing the needle gadget into the needle gadget chamber, the needle tube pushes the locking head away. Meanwhile, the frame is rotated, and the frame spring is lengthened until the locking head is facing the locking notch on the needle tube. At this time, the locking head is pulled back into the locking notch of needle tube by the frame spring to lock the needle gadget inside the chamber. <FIG> shows a state when the locking head is present in the chamber opening. <FIG> shows a state when the locking head is pulled back.

<FIG>, viewed from device top down, show another schematic diagram of the working principle of a locking head <NUM> used in <FIG>. In this design, the locking head <NUM> has an enlarged part <NUM> that is used to be stopped by a stopper <NUM> to restrict its motion range. The stopper <NUM> is fixed on the device case. A spring <NUM> is connected between the locking head and a mounting point <NUM> built on the device case. <NUM> shows an enlarged side view of the locking head with the stopper <NUM> and a sliding button. At rest state, the spring pushes the locking head inside the needle gadget chamber. When the user pushes the slider <NUM> to the direction way from the needle gadget chamber, the locking head is pulled out of the needle gadget chamber and the spring is compressed.

<FIG> shows a schematic design of another automatic acupuncture device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is similar to <FIG>, except that a different locking-releasing structure is used with a self-locking chamber <NUM>, but without locking head <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a detailed design of the self-locking chamber <NUM> presented in <FIG> and the needle gadget <NUM>, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The design includes a sliding plate <NUM>, a sliding rod <NUM> for the sliding plate to slide up and down, a pull rod <NUM>, a hook <NUM> at the tip of the pull rod, a spring <NUM> connecting the sliding plate and the device case, connectors (<NUM>, <NUM>) for the two ends of the spring, a locking head <NUM>, connectors (<NUM>, <NUM>) connecting the locking head to the sliding plate. The sliding plate <NUM> comprises a rising groove <NUM>, a falling groove <NUM>, a notch island <NUM>, a deep notch <NUM> on the notch island for the hook to hook on, and a guiding peninsula <NUM>. The rising groove <NUM> becomes shallower along the way towards the notch island. The notch <NUM> is deeper than the neighboring rising groove. When pushing a needle gadget in for the first time, the pushing edge <NUM> of the needle tube pushes the sliding plate upward along the sliding rod and drives the locking head <NUM> moving upwards as well. At the same time, the pull rod is pushed to the rising groove. When the needle gadget is pushed to the end of the needle gadget chamber, the pull rod reaches the end of the rising groove and then suddenly falls into the deep notch <NUM> on the notch island, gets hooked there. At this moment, the force pushing the needle gadget can be removed, the needle gadget is locked and can be used for acupuncture. When the needle gadget is pushed for the second time, the hook will be released from the deep notch and enter the falling groove <NUM> when bump into the guiding peninsula <NUM>. Afterwards, the spring <NUM> pulls the sliding plate toward the bottom of the acupuncture device, the locking head <NUM> breaks from the locking notch <NUM> on the needle tube and the needle gadget is pushed out of the needle gadget chamber on the pushing edge <NUM> by the sliding plate and taken out by the user. <FIG> is an enlarged view of the sliding plate and its accessories presented in <FIG> is the back view of <FIG>, showing the connection structure between the locking head and the sliding plate. <FIG> is the side view of <FIG>, which shows how the locking head is pushed up by slope <NUM> and leans towards the sliding plate during the pushing in process. <FIG> shows a needle gadget comprising a needle tube and a needle. The needle tube bottom <NUM> restrict the insertion direction for the needle gadget. The pushing edge <NUM> pushes the sliding plate <NUM> when pushing the needle gadget into the needle gadget chamber. The needle gadget also includes the needle tube top <NUM>, the needle tube bottom <NUM>, the inner surface of the needle tube bottom <NUM>, the needle tip <NUM>, the needle-holding spring <NUM>, the needle shaft <NUM>, the needle tube <NUM>, and the needle top <NUM>. <FIG> is the top view of the needle tube without acupuncture needle, which mainly shows the structural relationship between the pushing edge <NUM> and the needle tube top <NUM>.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the needle gadget is very compact, as a small cylinder with a diameter of <NUM> and a height of <NUM>.

After the needle gadget is manufactured and shipped out from factories, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the needle will be always kept with the needle tube of the needle gadget. Before, during and after acupuncture, the acupuncture needle will never be exposed to the air outside the needle tube, thereby preventing accidental injury to people and is environmentally friendly.

<FIG> shows a schematic design of another automatic acupuncture device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This design includes cases <NUM> and <NUM>, a needle gadget chamber opening <NUM>, a chamber groove <NUM> to restrict the needle gadget insertion direction, a needle gadget chamber <NUM>, a chamber slit <NUM> for needle driver to enter the chamber, a needle driver <NUM>, a control circuit board <NUM>, a rechargeable battery <NUM>, a motor <NUM>, a screw rod <NUM> connected with the motor shaft, a screw nut <NUM>, a guide rail <NUM>, and an end plate <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a detailed design of the cases in <FIG> according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cases consist of two parts. The case <NUM> is for a motor, a control circuit, and a rechargeable battery. The case <NUM> is for the needle gadget chamber <NUM>. The case <NUM> and <NUM> can slide relative to each other but cannot be detached. When the clamping strips <NUM> and <NUM> encounter, it is the maximum distance that the two cases can be opened, which makes the needle gadget chamber opening <NUM> exposed and allows the needle gadget being inserted. During acupuncture treatment, the cases <NUM> and <NUM> are closed, and the clamping plate <NUM> clamps on the clamping strip <NUM> to prevent the two case parts from being opened. At this time, the plates <NUM> and <NUM> overlap and the needle outlets <NUM> and <NUM> are aligned, allowing the acupuncture needle being pushed out for acupuncture. The diameter of the chamberopening <NUM> is slightly larger than the rest of the chamber, and there is a long groove <NUM> on the side of the chamber. Together they limit the insertion direction of the needle gadget.

<FIG> show the needle gadget used with the automatic acupuncture device presented in <FIG>. The needle gadget includes a needle tube bottom <NUM>, a needle outlet <NUM>, a bulging column <NUM> to limit insertion orientation, a needle <NUM>, a needle-holding spring <NUM>, a needle tube <NUM>, a needle top <NUM>, a needle tube top <NUM>, a needle tube slit <NUM> for a needle driver to enter the needle tube. Before the use of the needle gadget, the needle tube slit is generally sealed by a single-sided tape <NUM> to prevent dust from entering the needle tube and contaminating the needle. The needle driver <NUM> is connected to the screw rod <NUM> by a screw nut <NUM>, which moves up and down with the rotation of the screw rod. The end of the needle driver <NUM> has a fork shape to clamp on the needle top <NUM>, to drive the needle up and down.

<FIG> shows a design scheme of an automatic acupuncture device driven by an electromagnet according to an embodiment of the present invention. In <FIG>, <NUM> is the case of the automatic acupuncture device, <NUM> is the battery, <NUM> is an electromagnet, one end of which is connected with a needle driver <NUM>, <NUM> is the needle gadget chamber, <NUM> is the control circuit, and <NUM> is the chamber opening. <FIG> shows the needle gadget chamber and the needle gadget. <NUM> is the top of the needle gadget chamber, <NUM> is a magnetic material fixed inside of <NUM>. <NUM> is a ferromagnetic material fixed on the top of the needle tube. <NUM> and <NUM> form the locking-releasing structure for the automatic acupuncture device. When the needle gadget is inserted into the needle gadget chamber, it is attracted by <NUM> through <NUM>, and is locked inside the needle gadget chamber. To remove the needle gadget, a small bump can be designed on the needle tube bottom to push or pull out the needle gadget. <NUM> is the side of the needle tube, <NUM> is the side wall of the needle gadget chamber, <NUM> is the needle top, <NUM> is the needle shaft, <NUM> is the needle-holding spring, and <NUM> is the needle outlet at the needle tube bottom. When powered on, the needle driver is pushed away from the electromagnet to push acupuncture needle into the skin. To remove needle, the electromagnet is powered off, and the needle driver will return to its original position. With the design of a needle gadget being similarto the previous designs, the needle can be pulled out through its own needle-holding spring, once the needle driver removes the force on the needle top.

<FIG> shows another design of the automatic acupuncture device and a needle gadget according to another embodiment of the invention. The motor part is similar to that in <FIG>. The differences are the needle driver <NUM>, the needle gadget chamber <NUM>, the needle gadget and the case. There is an opening on the top and a slit on the side of the needle tube. There is a slit on the side of the needle gadget chamber. The needle driver always stays inside the needle gadget chamber. The device case is a whole piece instead of two pieces (as shown in <FIG>). <FIG> shows the schematic diagram of the needle gadget chamber, in which <NUM> is the slit on the side wall of the needle gadget chamber <NUM>. <NUM> is an ejector spring, and <NUM> is a block. <NUM> and <NUM> are attached to the top of the needle gadget chamber, and to be described in detail in <FIG> is the schematic diagram of a needle gadget. <NUM> is the needle tube top, <NUM> is the needle top, <NUM> is the needle-holding spring, <NUM> is the needle shaft, <NUM> is the locking notch on the needle tube, <NUM> is the needle tube bottom, <NUM> is the openings on the needle tube, designed to let the needle driver enter the needle tube. <FIG> is the bottom view of the automatic acupuncture device. <NUM> is the case, <NUM> is the needle gadget chamber, <NUM> is the needle gadget chamber opening. The fact that <NUM> is not exactly in the center of <NUM> is to define the insertion direction of the needle gadget. <FIG> shows a needle driver <NUM>, and <FIG> shows the top view of <FIG>, showing the shape of needle tube bottom <NUM> that matches the needle gadget chamber opening <NUM>. <FIG> shows the ejector spring <NUM> in a larger view with a block <NUM> attached to the bottom. The block has a notch <NUM> where the needle driver stays. Before acupuncture, the needle driver is at the top of the block notch <NUM>. When the needle gadget is inserted into the needle gadget chamber, it pushes the block <NUM>, compress the ejector spring <NUM> and the needle driver relatively moves down the notch. When the needle gadget is fully in, the needle driver will be at the bottom of the block notch <NUM>. With the needle gadget inserted in defined direction, the opening on the needle tube top now is right below the needle driver, allowing the needle driver to enter the needle tube and push the acupuncture needle into the human body. The locking-releasing structure for this design can adopt any locking-releasing structure presented in other places of this invention. The insertion direction of the needle gadget can also be defined through other methods, such as the bulging column <NUM> shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> show a scenario diagram of an automatic acupuncture device attached on the skin according to an embodiment of the present invention. There is a needle outlet <NUM> at the bottom of the automatic acupuncture device <NUM>. When in use, one side of a double-sided adhesive tape <NUM> sticks to the automatic acupuncture device and the other side sticks to the human body, as shown in <FIG>. The center of the double-side tape also has a hole in the center, matching the needle outlet. Release paper <NUM> is used on the double-sided tape before using to protect the tape.

<FIG> are schematic diagrams showing how an automatic acupuncture device attaches on the skin according to an embodiment of the present invention. <NUM> is a strap that can fasten the automatic acupuncture device <NUM> around the body part and attach it on to the skin.

<FIG> show an accessory of the automatic acupuncture device according to the embodiment of the invention, which is used to facilitate the acupuncture needle to insert into the body at different angles. <FIG> shows a cylinder with a slope at one end. The two planes of the cylinder are covered with tape, the inclined plane sticks to the skin, and the opposite side <NUM> adheres to the automatic acupuncture device. The hole in the center <NUM> is for the needle insertion. <FIG> is another design. This design adds a wall <NUM> on the design of <FIG>, which allows the automatic acupuncture device to be placed right in the middle of the outer wall, for easier alignment.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method to do acupuncture with an automatic acupuncture device is provide. When insert a needle into the skin of the human body, the needle is inserted in a vibration mode, in a way mosquito inserts the tip of its mouthpart into human being skin.

The vibration frequency is in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>.

The insertion in a vibration mode consists of three phase, that is, starting phase, middle phase and ending phase.

The frequency in the starting phase is bigger than frequency in the middle phase, and frequency in the middle phase is bigger than frequency in the ending phase.

In an example, in the starting phase, the vibration mode is in a frequency of <NUM> to <NUM>, in the middle phase, the vibration mode is in a frequency of <NUM> to <NUM>, and in the ending phase, the vibration mode is in a frequency of <NUM> to <NUM>.

The vibration modes and the corresponding frequencies are consistent with the modes and frequencies that mosquitos insert their proboscis into human beings, which minimizes the acupuncture needle insertion and manipulation pain.

The vibration distance is in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the vibration mode with which an acupuncture needle is inserted into the body. In such a way to insert the acupuncture needle, people will barely feel the pain, just like mosquito bites the body. People will not feel it much.

Claim 1:
An automatic acupuncture device, comprising:
a case (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>);
driving means (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) configured to provide a driving force to move one or more needle drivers linearly so as to push acupuncture needles in needle gadgets (<NUM>) into a human body, where each needle gadget includes a needle tube and an acupuncture needle inside the needle tube (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>),
characterised
in that said driving means comprises one or more motors or electromagnets configured to provide said driving force after being powered on , the needle gadget being configured to keep the acupuncture needle with the needle tube before, during and after acupuncture treatment, such that the acupuncture needle is not be exposed to air outside of the needle tube to cause injury, one or more needle gadget chambers (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) being configured to house the needle gadgets,
allowing the needle gadgets to be put into or taken out of the needle gadget chambers detachably.