WO2001058515A1

WO2001058515A1 - Tattooing device

Info

Publication number: WO2001058515A1
Application number: PCT/GB2001/000542
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nicholas Lionel Keun
Original assignee: Horton, Neville, Guy
Priority date: 2000-02-10
Filing date: 2001-02-09
Publication date: 2001-08-16
Also published as: GB2359048B; AU3205501A; GB0003089D0; GB2359048A

Abstract

A tattooing device comprising a needle (120) driven by a needle bar (10) reciprocally driven within a sheath (20) by a motor (50) engaging a crank means (410) pivotally fixed to the sheath to drive the need bar axially within the sheath such that substantially no lateral movement is imparted by the motor to the needle.

Description

TATTOOING DEVICE

This invention relates to tattooing devices.

Tattooing devices are known comprising reciprocally driven needles slidably located in a coaxial sheath, the needles carrying tattooing ink by capillary action which is deposited under the skin as the needle repeatedly pierces the skin. In a known device 1 , as shown in Figs 1 and 2 a needle 2 is reciprocally driven by a needle bar 3 axially connected to the needle, the needle bar being driven by an electromagnet 4 alternately attracting and releasing a driving bar 5 connected to the needle bar, as contact is made and broken at an electrical contact 6. The needle bar is supported by a slider 8 within a sheath 9, the needle bar passing through the slider.

Such electromagnets are, however, sufficiently bulky to restrict the view of the needle tip by an operator and sufficiently heavy to cause fatigue in use. Moreover, the bulk and weight of the device inhibits high precision use of the device. The driving bar is attached to the frame by a spring steel strip 7 which is subject to breakage and the needle bar 3 is maintained in contact with the driving bar 5 by rubber bands (not shown) around the needle bar and solenoid frame which are also subject to fatigue.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, to produce a device 1 ' of reduced weight and bulk, it is also known to replace the electromagnet by an electric motor 4' driving an eccentric crank 5' driving the needle bar 3' . However, the eccentric crank 5' necessarily imparts some lateral movement to the end of the needle bar 3' remote from the needle 2^' and lateral movement is thereby imparted to the needle 2', as the needle bar pivots about a slider 8' within a sheath 9' , again causing a lack of precision in use of the device. It is an object of this invention to ameliorate at least some of these disadvantages of the tattooing devices of the prior art.

According to the invention there is provided a tattooing device comprising a needle driveable by needle bar means reciprocally driven within a sheath by driving means, the driving means comprising motor means and engaging means pivotally fixed with respect to the sheath and connected to drive the needle bar means axially within an axial bore of the sheath, such that substantially no lateral movement is imparted by the driving means to the needle.

Conveniently, the pivotally fixed means is a crank means and the motor means rotates an eccentric cam in engagement with an elongate aperture in the crank means to drive the crank means.

Advantageously, the needle bar means comprises driving bar means flexibly joined to needle retaining means by an interspersed slider means slideably located in the sheath, such that the needle retaining means are reciprocally moveable axially, at least partially within the sheath, without imparting any substantial lateral movement to the needle retaining means.

Conveniently, an air passage is provided to bypass the slider means in the sheath substantially to eliminate the pumping of air by the slider means.

Conveniently, the slider means has a different shaped cross-section from that of the axial bore of the sheath to provide the air passage between the slider means and an inner wall of the bore, portions of the slider means being in contact with the inner wall such that the slider means is a sliding fit within the axial bore. Advantageously, the needle bar means is resiliently connected to the crank means to soften the impact of the needle on the skin of a subject being tattooed .

Conveniently, the needle bar means is connected to an axial pin resiliently connected to the crank means such that the resilience of the connection of the pin to the crank means is adjustable to vary the softness of the impact of the needle on the skin of the subject being tattooed.

Preferably, the needle bar means is provided with terminal loop means for substantially encircling cylindrical resilient grommet means located on the crank means.

Advantageously, adjustment means are provided to adjust the projection of the needle from the sheath.

Preferably, the adjustment means is a collet retaining a first moveable axial insert in the sheath.

Conveniently, the needle retaining means is removeably fixed in the slider means such that the needle retaining means and needle are exchangeable for other needle retaining means and needles.

Conveniently, the motor means is located in a housing attached to the sheath.

Conveniently, the motor means is resiliently mounted in the housing. Advantageously, the housing is sufficiently offset from the axis of the sheath not substantially, in use, to impede a line of sight from an operator to the needle.

Conveniently, the housing is adapted to rest on a wrist of a user in use.

The invention provides the advantage that an electric motor may be used for driving the tattooing needle without imparting any substantial lateral movement to the needle, thus resulting in a lighter and more precise tattooing device. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment the electric motor is offset with respect to the axis of the needle bar, so that the motor housing may rest on a wrist of the operator without substantially impeding the operator's line of sight to the needle. Moreover, the use of an electric motor allows a higher frequency of reciprocation than is readily available with an electromagnet, and the frequency may be readily varied by, for example, adjusting a voltage applied to the motor. The invention also overcomes the requirement in the prior art to use rubber bands to maintain the lever bar in contact with the driving bar, which rubber bands are subject to fatigue failure.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by reference to the figures in which:

FIG 1 shows a perspective view of a first prior art tattooing device;

FIG 2 shows an axial cross-section of the device of FIG 1 ;

FIG 3 shows a perspective view of a second prior art tattooing device

FIG 4 shows an axial cross-section of the device of FIG 3;

FIG 5 shows a perspective view of a tattooing device according to the invention; FIG 6 shows a partial cut-away side view of the device of FIG 5;

FIG 7 shows an enlarged perspective view of the slider of FIG 6;

FIG 8 shows a side view of the slider of FIG 7;

FIG 9 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional along line D-D of FIG 8; FIG 10 shows an end view of the slider of FIG 7;

FIG 1 1 shows a front view of the device of FIG 6;

FIG 12 shows a cross-section along line D-D of FIG 1 1 ;

FIG 13 shows a side view of the device of FIG 11 ;

FIG 14 shows a top view of the device of FIG 1 1 ; FIG 15 shows a cross-section through the line E-E of FIG 14;

FIG 16 shows a top view of the crank mechanism of the device of figure 5;

FIG 17 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the crank mechanism of FIG 16; FIG 18 shows a first perspective view of the first insert and housing of the device of FIG 5 ;

FIG 19 shows a second perspective view of the first insert and housing of the device of FIG 5;

FIG 20 shows a perspective view of the housing cover of the device of FIG 5;

FIG 21 shows a cross-sectional view of the housing cover of FIG 16;

FIG 22 shows a cross-sectional view of a motor mounted inside the housing and housing cover of FIGS 18 to 21 ;

FIG 23 shows a second embodiment of the first insert housing of FIG 19; and

FIG 24 shows a second embodiment of the housing cover of FIG 20.

As best seen in Fig 6, the tattooing device comprises a needle bar 10 located in a co-axial sheath 20, the needle bar being reciprocally, axially drivable by an electric motor located in a housing 30, the electric motor being mechanically connected to the needle bar by a crank mechanism 40.

The needle bar includes a driving bar 100 for connection to the crank mechanism 40 and a needle retaining portion 110 for axially receiving a needle 120. The driving bar 100 is connected to the needle retaining portion 110 by a slider 130.

The needle bar 10 is adapted to reciprocate within an axial bore 210 of the sheath 20, the cross-sectional diameter of the needle-bar being considerably less than the cross-sectional diameter of the bore 210, except that the slider 130 has a greater cross-sectional diameter to form a sliding fit within the bore 210. The sheath 20 is provided with an elongate first insert 220 axially received within the bore 210 to receive the driving bar 100 of the needle bar 10. The first insert 220 is adjustably retained within the bore by a collet 230, such that the length of the first insert inserted in the bore may be adjusted.

Rather than being arranged to reciprocate within the bore 210 of the sheath 20 and within the bore of the insert, as shown in Fig. 6. in an alternative arrangement, a shorter first insert 220 may be used so that the slider 130 reciprocates wholly within the bore of the sheath 20 and does not enter the bore of the insert 220.

The needle-retaining portion 1 10 of the needle bar 10 is similarly at least partially located within a second insert 240 inserted into the bore 210 at an opposed end of the sheath 20 from that in which the first insert 220 is located. The second insert is provided with a terminal portion 241 remote from the sheath 20 having a reduced bore 242 to provide a needle bore providing a sliding fit for the needle 120, the terminal portion being joined to the remaining portion 243 of the second insert by a tapering portion 244.

The needle 120 and needle retaining portion 1 10 are thus held axially between the needle bore 242 and the slider 130 so that they are constrained to move axially without any substantial lateral movement.

The first insert 220 is provided with a funnel-shaped portion 221 at an end remote from the sheath 20 to allow lateral movement of the end of the driving portion remote from the slider 130. The funnel-shaped portion 221 may be of one piece with the tube of the first insert 220. Alternatively, the funnel-shaped portion may be separate piece connected to the tube by, for example, adhesive, a press-fit or tolerance rings. The portions 100, 1 10 of the needle bar 10 are joined to the slider 130 by insertion in respective opposed axial bores 131 , 132 in the slider 130. As best seen in Fig. 9 the entrances of the bores 131 , 132 are provided with rounded contours 131', 132' to facilitate insertion of the portions 100, 110 respectively. The slider is of sufficient flexibility to allow the slider driving bar 100 and the needle retaining portion 1 10 of the lever bar 10 to be inserted therein and to form an interference fit therewith. The driving bar 100 is sufficiently flexible to allow lateral movement of the end of the driving bar 100 remote from the slider 130. The driving bar 100, may for example, be made of springy steel.

As best seen in Fig. 10, the slider 130 is of triangular cross-section to engage the circular bore 210 at the apexes 130' of the slider to allow an air- passage 133 around the slider. This substantially eliminates the pumping of air by the slider 130 as the needle bar 10 reciprocates, which would otherwise tend to disperse tattooing ink from, and from around, the needle 120. It will be understood that an alternative air passage through or around the slider could be provided by other cross-section shapes of the slider and/or bore or by the provision of additional bores through the slider or by a bypass passage within the sheath.

The first insert 220 is provided with an extension 310 for mounting the electric motor 50 (see Fig. 22) and crank mechanism 40.

As best shown in Figs 18 and 19, the extension comprises a plate 310 rising from a periphery of the funnel-shaped portion 221 in a plane parallel to, but offset from, the longitudinal axis of the first insert 220. A cylindrical housing 30 for partially receiving an electric motor 50 (see Fig.22) is mounted on a major face 31 1 of the extension plate 310 remote from the sheath 20. The housing 30 has a substantially circular transverse cross- section, but is truncated by opposed plane surfaces 320,330 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first insert 220, to receive a housing cover 60 to be described. The housing 30 is further provided with a dependent, in use, extension 340 to receive an electrical socket 341 (see Fig.6), in a bore 342 therein, for electrical connection of the electric motor 50 to a power source (not shown). The clip-on housing cover 60 is substantially cylindrical, having a cross-section corresponding to that of the cross-section shape of the housing 30 and electric socket extension 340, to form a mounting fit with the housing 30. The housing cover 60 is provided with opposed lugs 620,630 rising from a mating surface 610 of the cover, having angled protrusions 621 thereon to engage apertures 321 ,331 in the plane surfaces 320,330 of the housing respectively, such that as the housing cover 60 is pushed on the housing 30 the angled protrusions 621 resiliently push apart the opposed lugs 620,630 until the protrusions 62 1 engage the apertures 321 ,331 when the lugs snap back substantially to their rest position. Alternatively, where the housing is of metal, the housing cover may be replaced by a dip moulding. As shown in Figs. 23 and 24, in a second embodiment of the first insert and housing cover, the opening of the funnel shape portion 221 ' has a smaller diameter than the funnel shape portion 221 of the first embodiment, giving a more restricted opening. In addition, the extension plate 310' is provided with arcuate ventilation slots 3101 , co-axial with the substantially central aperture 360' for providing ventilation to the motor and housing. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the opposed planar surfaces 320' of the housing 30' are provided with lugs 3201 for engaging co-operating recesses 621 ' in opposed lugs 620' , 630' of the housing cover 60'.

As best seen in Fig. 22, the electric motor 50 is mounted between the housing 30 and housing cover 60. An axial circular cross-section recess 350 is provided in the housing 30 to receive an axial circular cross-section protrusion 510 at a first end of the motor 50 and an internal cylindrical extension 610 within the housing cover 60 has a recess 61 1 to receive a corresponding protrusion 520 at an opposed end of the motor 50. Both ends of the motor are received within the respective recesses 350,61 1 within 'O' rings 351 ,612 to provide a flexible mounting for the motor 50.

Referring to Fig. 19, the extension plate 310 is provided with a substantially central aperture 360 through which the rotor 530 of the electric motor passes. The extension plate is provided with a pivot extension 370 having a pivot bore 371 to receive a pivot 372 about which a crank bar 410 of the crank mechanism 40 pivots. As best seen in Fig. 6, the crank bar 410 is provided with a circular bore for rotatably fixing the crank bar to the crank pivot, on which the crank bar is retained by a further 'O' ring 373.

The crank bar 410 is provided substantially at the mid-point thereof with an elongate through bore 420 to receive an eccentric cam 540 located on the rotor 530 of the motor. The terminal portion of the rotor 530 is knurled and portions of the upper and lower edges of the crank bar 410 may be scalloped to allow the cam to be gripped for manual turning of the rotor 530 of the motor 50 for a purpose to be described.

As best seen in Fig. 5, towards an end of the crank bar remote from the pivot, the cross-section of the crank bar changes from substantially rectangular to substantially circular.

As best shown in Fig. 17, that end of crank bar 410 remote from the pivot 372 is provided with an axial bore 430 to receive a. threaded rubber bush 431 which is itself provided with an axial bore 432 to receive a knurled screw pin 433 whereby the stiffness of the mounting of the screw pin 433 to the crank bar may be adjusted. Preferably, rather than a threaded rubber bush, a threaded metal collet may be fixed axially in the bore to receive the threaded screw pin 433. The screw pin 433 is provided with a reduced diameter portion 434 on a side of the knurled screw portion 436 remote from the crank bar, terminating in an enlarged cone portion 435, to receive a loop

101 which terminates the driving bar 100 remote from the slider 130. This overcomes the requirement in the prior art to use rubber bands to connect the lever bar to a driving bar, which otherwise are subject to fatigue.

The loop 101 of the driving bar 100 is retained on the reduced portion 434 of the knurled screw pin 433 by a resilient grommet 440 which is held on the pin 433 by the enlarged cone terminal section 435 of the screw pin, as shown in Fig. 6.

As also shown in Fig. 6, an electrical socket 341 is inserted in the electrical connector bore 342 of the housing 30 and electrically connected to the motor 50. As best seen in Fig. 5, the outer surface of the sheath is provided with three plane sections 260 to provide an ergonomic gripping portion of the sheath.

Referring again to Fig. 6, on the supply of power to the electrical socket 341 of the device the motor 50 rotates such the eccentric cam 540 rotates in the elongate aperture 420 of the crank bar 410 causing the crank bar to reciprocally pivot about the crank bar pivot 372 thereby reciprocally moving the needle bar 10. As the end of the crank bar remote from the pivot describes an arc during the reciprocation, the end 10.1 of the driving bar 100 of the needle bar 10 remote from the slider 130 experiences a degree of lateral movement. However, the movement of the slider 130 driven by the driving bar 100 is restrained to move along the bore 210 of the sheath 20 such that the needle retaining portion 1 10 of the needle bar 10 moves axially along the sheath 20 without any substantial lateral movement.

In use, the housing 30,60 containing the electrical motor 50 may be rested on the wrist of an operator without impeding the operator's line of sight to the needle 120.

The extent to which the needle 120 protrudes from the sheath 20 can primarily be adjusted by adjusting the extent to which the first insert 220 is inserted into the sheath 20 by means of the collet 230. The collet 250 retains the second insert 240 in the sheath and also provides a minimal adjustment of the extent to which the needle 120 protrudes from the second insert..

The rotor of the motor 50 may be rotated manually by use of the knurled portion of the eccentric cam 540 so that the extent of the reciprocation of the needle 120 can be observed while adjusting the extension of the needle from the sheath 20. That is, the cam 540 can be turned manually to cause the needle 120 to extend to its fullest extent while adjusting the extent to which the second insert 240 protrudes from the sheath 20. In this manner, the extent to which the needle protrudes from the second insert during reciprocation can be adjusted

The frequency of reciprocation may be adjusted by adjusting a voltage applied to the electric motor 50 from, for example, 6,000 rpm to 1 ,000 φm. The flexible mounting of the needle bar 10 on the crank bar 410 by use of the mounting 430 tends to soften in impact of the needle 120 on the skin of a subject being tattooed, as the skin stretches under the impact of the needle. By adjustment of the extent to which the screw pin 433 is screwed into the threaded rubber bush or metal collet embedded in a rubber bush, the extent to which the rubber bush is compressed may be adjusted. This adjustment affects the resilience of lateral movement of the pin 432 with respect to the crank bar 410 thereby adjusting the softness or hardness of the needle impact. In this manner, a harder impact can be used for drawing outlines and a soft impact for in-filling colour during tatooing.

The needles may be exchanged for, for example, different size needles to obtain different thickness of lines or shading. The needle is changed by changing the needle 120 and the needle retainer portion 1 10 as a complete unit.

The mounting of the electric motor 50 on 'O' rings 351,612 accommodates thermal expansion and contraction of the size of the motor.

Claims

1. A tattooing device comprising a needle ( 120) driveable by needle bar means ( 10) reciprocally driven within a sheath (20) by driving means, the driving means comprising motor means (50) and engaging means pivotally fixed with respect to the sheath and connected to drive the needle bar means axially within an axial bore of the sheath, such that substantially no lateral movement is imparted by the driving means to the needle.

2. A tattooing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pivotally fixed means are crank means and the motor means (50) rotate an eccentric cam (540) in engagement with an elongate aperture (420) in the crank means (410) to drive the crank means.

3. A tattooing device as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the needle bar means ( 10) comprise driving bar means (100) flexibly joined to needle retaining means (1 10) by interspersed slider means (130) slideably located in the sheath (20), such that the needle retaining means are reciprocally moveable axially at least partially within the sheath, without imparting any substantial lateral movement to the needle retaining means.

4. A tattooing device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein an air passage (133) is provided to bypass the slider means (130) in the sheath (20) substantially to eliminate the pumping of air by the slider means.

5. A tattooing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the slider means (130) has a different shaped cross-section from that of the axial bore of the sheath to provide the air passage (133) between the slider means and an inner wall of the bore, portions (130') of the slider means being in contact with the inner wall such that the slider means is a sliding fit within the axial bore.

6. A tattooing device as claimed in any ot claims 2 to 5 , wherein the needle bar means ( 10) are resiliently connected to the crank means (410) to soften the impact of the needle on the skin of a subject being tattooed.

7. A tattooing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the needle bar means (10) is connected to an axial pin (433) resiliently connected to the crank means (410) such that the resilience of the connection of the pin to the crank means is adjustable to vary the softness of the impact of the needle (120) on the skin of the subject being tattooed

8. A tattooing device as claimed in claims 6 or 7, wherein the needle bar means ( 10) are provided with a terminal loop means ( 101) for substantially encircling cylindrical resilient grommet means (440) located on the crank means (410)

9. A tattooing device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein adjustment means (250) are provided to adjust the projection of the needle from the sheath.

10. A tattooing dev ice as claimed in claim 9, wherein the adjustment means is a collet (250) retaining a first

eable axial insert (240) in the sheath.

11. A tattooing device as claimed in any of claims 3 to 10, wherein the needle retaining means ( 1 10) are removeably fixed in the slider means (130) such that the needle retaining means and needle ( 120) are exchangeable for other needle retaining means and needles.

12. A tattooing device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the motor means (50) is located in a housing (30) attached to the sheath (20).

13. A tattooing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the motor means (50) is resiliently mounted in the housing (30).

14. A tattooing device as claimed in claims 12 or 13, wherein the housing (30) is sufficiently offset from the axis of the sheath (20) not substantially, in use, to impede a line of sight from an operator to the needle (120).

15. A tattooing device as claimed in any of claims 12 to 14, wherein the housing (30) is adapted to rest on a wrist of a user in use.