Method, device and application for generating a vortex focused acoustic beam

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of ultrasonic application, and particularly relates to a method for generating a vortex focusing acoustic beam, which comprises the following steps: focusing ultrasonic waves are incident into an acoustic reflection cavity to form a spatial reflection mechanism; the spatial reflection mechanism is used for multiple reflection and transmission of the acoustic waves to form focusing acoustic beams with different apertures and focal lengths; phase delay and wavefront distortion are performed on the focusing acoustic beams to generate multiple vortex focusing acoustic beams carrying orbital angular momentum; the spatial reflection mechanism is used for continuous modulation of separation and focal point distribution of the vortex focusing acoustic beams to form multiple cascaded short-focus vortex focal points on an acoustic axis, and the vortex focusing acoustic beams with an ultralong focal length are superimposed and synthesized. The application solves the problems of complex generation mode and poor stability of the vortex focusing acoustic beam in the prior art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of ultrasonic application technology, specifically relating to a method, apparatus and application for generating a vortex focused sound beam. Background Technology

[0002] Acupuncture, as an important treatment method in traditional Chinese medicine, works by inducing the "deqi" effect (feelings such as soreness, distension, and numbness) through the mechanical stimulation of acupoints with filiform needles, thereby activating the neuro-endocrine-immune regulatory network. However, traditional acupuncture techniques have significant limitations: First, invasive procedures cause tissue damage, with clinical data showing a bleeding and infection rate as high as 2.7%; second, the effectiveness of treatment relies excessively on the physician's personal experience, particularly lacking standardized procedures for controlling key operational parameters such as the rotation angle and insertion / removal amplitude; and finally, the lack of effective methods for quantifying and recording mechanical parameters limits the repeatability and optimization potential of treatment plans. These technical bottlenecks make the development of non-invasive, parameter-controllable novel acupoint stimulation techniques an important direction of current research.

[0003] Ultrasonic acupuncture is an innovative physical therapy technique that uses ultrasonic energy instead of traditional metal needles. Ultrasonic energy with specific parameters is applied to acupoints, stimulating them through mechanical, thermal, and physicochemical effects (analgesia, anti-inflammation, and immunity) to achieve therapeutic goals. The development of this technology has gone through three important stages: the initial stage was the basic single-point focusing stage, using a spherical transducer with an ellipsoidal sound field distribution, which could not cover deep acupoints such as Zusanli; the improved stage was the long focal domain expansion stage, forming a linear focal domain through acoustic lens groups, expanding the stimulation depth, but still unable to simulate the stimulation of acupoints by the twisting and lifting techniques in acupuncture; the latest development, for example, is exemplified by the patent titled "An Ultrasonic Acupuncture Device Based on an Ultrasonic Transducer and Its Usage Method," which discloses an ultrasonic acupuncture device based on an ultrasonic transducer and its usage method. This device mainly simulates the lifting, inserting, twisting, rotating, and oblique insertion techniques in traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture through the coordinated control of a concave fan-shaped phased array transducer and acoustic lenses. This method achieves axial dynamic focusing, vortex focusing sound beam generation, and tilted focal domain formation through different control signals, thereby improving the simulation accuracy and flexibility of ultrasonic acupuncture. Although it can generate vortex focusing sound beams through phase encoding, the need to independently adjust the phase difference and amplitude of N×N array elements leads to an excessive number of array elements, complex structure, poor vortex center stability, high manufacturing cost, and short focal domain, which seriously restricts its clinical application.

[0004] In summary, current technologies have not yet overcome the challenges of excessive array element quantity, complex structure, and short focal length. Therefore, it is necessary to design a single-element ultrasonic acupuncture device with a long focal length that combines deep penetrating stimulation, controllable torque, and dynamic lifting functions to fully reproduce the core acupuncture techniques. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings in the prior art, the present invention provides a method, apparatus and application for generating a vortex focused sound beam, which solves the problems of complex and unstable methods of generating vortex focused sound beams in the prior art.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] One of the objectives of this invention is to provide a method for generating a vortex-focused sound beam that can quickly generate a stable vortex-focused sound beam.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0009] A method for generating a vortex-focused sound beam includes the following steps:

[0010] The incident focused ultrasound wave is directed into the acoustic reflection cavity, where a spatial reflection mechanism is formed.

[0011] The spatial reflection mechanism is used to reflect and transmit focused ultrasound waves multiple times, forming focused sound beams with different apertures and focal lengths.

[0012] The focused acoustic beam is phase-delayed and wavefront-distorted to generate multiple vortex focused acoustic beams carrying orbital angular momentum.

[0013] The spatial reflection mechanism is used to separate and continuously modulate the focal distribution of the vortex focusing sound beam, forming multiple cascaded short-focal-length vortex focal points on the acoustic axis, which are then superimposed to synthesize an ultra-long focal-range vortex focusing sound beam.

[0014] Further optimization involves the acoustic reflection cavity having a convex total reflection surface and a concave surface, which allows for multiple reflections and transmissions of the focused ultrasonic wave, and continuous modulation of the vortex focused sound beam.

[0015] Further optimization involves providing a groove structure on the surface of the acoustic reflection cavity that can spatially constrain the focused sound beam. Under the action of the groove structure, the focused sound beam undergoes phase delay and wavefront distortion, generating a vortex focused sound beam carrying orbital angular momentum.

[0016] Further optimization involves controlling the focused ultrasound to change the rotation direction of the vortex focused sound beam.

[0017] The second objective of this invention is to provide a device for generating a vortex-focused sound beam. The device is simple in design, easy to operate, and can generate a vortex-focused sound beam at low cost.

[0018] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0019] An apparatus for generating a vortex-focused acoustic beam includes a positive meniscus lens and a groove structure etched on the surface of the positive meniscus lens. The incident focused ultrasonic wave is reflected and transmitted multiple times by the positive meniscus lens to form focused acoustic beams with different apertures and focal lengths. The groove structure provides spatial constraint on the focused acoustic beams, causing phase delay and wavefront distortion, forming multiple cascaded short-focal-range vortex acoustic beams carrying orbital angular momentum, which are then superimposed to synthesize an ultra-long-focal-range vortex-focused acoustic beam.

[0020] Further design optimization: the positive meniscus lens is made of optical glass.

[0021] With further design optimization, the positive meniscus lens can be replaced with a planar convex lens.

[0022] Further optimization of the design: the groove structure is an asymmetric rotating groove, which can be any one of the following: spiral, helical, fan-shaped or blade-shaped, elliptical or parabolic rotating body, or involute.

[0023] Further optimized design, the groove structure is an annular groove with its depth changing linearly with the azimuth angle, forming an annular phase slope through the depth difference.

[0024] Further design optimization involves filling the groove structure with at least one of polyurethane, gel, rubber, silicone, and thermoplastic elastomer to introduce the desired phase delay.

[0025] With further design optimization, the groove structure is set on the concave surface of the positive meniscus lens, converting the focused sound beam into a vortex focused sound beam carrying orbital angular momentum.

[0026] The third objective of this invention is to provide an ultrasonic acupuncture device including the aforementioned implementation device and a method for simulating clinical acupuncture techniques using the ultrasonic acupuncture device, which can simulate the core techniques of twisting, pricking and lifting in acupuncture, and achieve non-invasive and parameter-controllable stimulation of acupoints.

[0027] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0028] An ultrasonic acupuncture device including the aforementioned implementation means comprises:

[0029] A concave spherical transducer is used to emit focused ultrasonic waves with frequencies between 0.2 MHz and 3 MHz.

[0030] An ultrasonic controller is electrically connected to the concave spherical transducer. The ultrasonic controller generates a timing voltage pulse to drive the concave spherical transducer to generate ultrasonic waves.

[0031] The device is located at the output end of the concave spherical transducer and converts ultrasonic waves into ultra-long focal-range vortex-focused acoustic beams carrying orbital angular momentum.

[0032] Further design optimizations include a vacuum balloon, which is equipped with a ventilation tube. The ventilation tube is connected to a concave spherical transducer and an implementing device. When pressed, a negative pressure is generated, causing the implementing device to adhere to the skin surface.

[0033] With further design optimization, the ultrasonic controller's transmission power is consistent with the frequency of the concave spherical transducer, and it can transmit voltage pulses with adjustable power, the power of which can change back and forth over time;

[0034] With further design optimization, the positive meniscus lens reflects and transmits the ultrasonic waves emitted by the concave spherical transducer multiple times, and transforms them through an ABCD matrix to form focused ultrasonic waves with different focal lengths and apertures.

[0035] The design has been further optimized, with a first vent hole at the center of the concave spherical transducer, the hole diameter being ≤2 mm;

[0036] The design is further optimized by providing a second vent hole at the center of the positive meniscus lens, which has the same diameter as the first vent hole and is connected to it.

[0037] Further optimization of the design: the concave spherical transducer adopts any one of piezoelectric ceramic material, piezoelectric single crystal material, or piezoelectric composite material.

[0038] A method for simulating clinical acupuncture techniques using an ultrasonic acupuncture device includes the following steps:

[0039] A concave spherical transducer and a positive meniscus lens with a groove structure are used to generate an ultra-long focal-range vortex focusing acoustic beam carrying orbital angular momentum.

[0040] The torque direction is switched by outputting positive / reverse pulse sequences through an ultrasonic controller, simulating the twisting technique.

[0041] Further optimization involves the ultrasonic controller switching the rotation direction of the vortex focusing sound beam in real time by outputting forward or reverse pulse sequences. The tangential acoustic radiation force of the vortex focusing sound beam generates mechanical motion around the acoustic axis in biological tissue, simulating the twisting technique in acupuncture.

[0042] Further optimization involves the ultrasonic controller simulating the "puncture" or "lift" operation in acupuncture by adjusting the power. Specifically, it switches between different power levels to control the depth of the sound focus, thus simulating the "lift" and "puncture" operations in acupuncture.

[0043] In addition to simulating acupuncture twisting, vortex-focused acoustic beams can also achieve non-contact manipulation of microparticles (acoustic tweezers) through orbital angular momentum for cell sorting and drug delivery; their helical phase characteristics can break through the diffraction limit to achieve super-resolution ultrasound imaging; at the same time, vortices with different topological charges are orthogonal to each other and can be used as independent channels to achieve high-capacity acoustic communication; in the field of neuromodulation, vortex-focused acoustic beams are expected to achieve precise neural modulation through focused acoustic radiation force, providing a new non-invasive stimulation method for brain-computer interfaces.

[0044] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0045] 1. The present invention generates a vortex-focused sound beam in a simple, stable, and controllable manner. This is achieved by setting up a positive meniscus lens and a groove structure. After multiple reflections and transmissions by the positive meniscus lens, the ultrasonic waves form multiple cascaded short focal length focal points on the acoustic axis. Based on the continuous transmission effect of sound wave energy between adjacent focal points, an ultra-long focal domain sound beam is finally synthesized in the axial direction. Its focal length far exceeds that of traditional single-point focusing, breaking through the acoustic diffraction limit and enabling sound energy to effectively cover deep acupoints such as Zusanli and Huantiao. When the ultra-long focal domain sound beam passes through the groove structure, the geometry of the groove creates spatial constraints on the wavefront, causing phase delay and wavefront distortion, thereby generating tangential acoustic radiation force with specific angular momentum components, ultimately forming an ultra-long focal domain stable vortex-focused sound beam carrying orbital angular momentum.

[0046] 2. This invention uses an ultrasonic controller, a concave spherical transducer, a positive meniscus lens, and a groove structure etched on the surface of the positive meniscus lens to simulate the entire acupuncture process, achieving non-invasive and parameter-controllable acupoint stimulation, accurately replicating the core techniques of acupuncture, and improving the accuracy and effectiveness of treatment. By switching the timing of the drive signal through the ultrasonic controller, the clockwise or counterclockwise torque direction of the vortex focusing sound beam can be switched, simulating the twisting technique in acupuncture. By adjusting the power conversion of the ultrasonic controller, the "needling" or "lifting" operation in acupuncture can be simulated.

[0047] 3. This invention improves acoustic coupling efficiency by setting up an air-filled balloon that generates negative pressure when pressed, effectively compressing the interface gap between the positive meniscus lens and the skin. Attached Figure Description

[0048] Figure 1 This invention provides an overall structural schematic diagram of an ultrasonic acupuncture device including the aforementioned implementation apparatus, as provided in an embodiment of the invention.

[0049] Figure 2This invention provides a method for generating a vortex-focused sound beam, illustrating the working principle of the vortex-focused sound beam generation. It demonstrates the wavefront modulation principle based on the Archimedes spiral groove structure. After the sound wave passes through the groove structure, it undergoes phase delay and wavefront distortion, generating a vortex-focused sound beam carrying orbital angular momentum.

[0050] Figure 3 The diagram shows a planar arrangement of the helical lines in the groove structure of the device for generating a vortex focusing sound beam, provided by an embodiment of the present invention. The diagram shows four identical Archimedean spirals symmetrically arranged around the center, with adjacent intervals of 90°, used to generate a stable high-order vortex field and optimize the axisymmetry of the sound field distribution.

[0051] Figure 4 The present invention provides a long focal-range synthesized acoustic path diagram of a method for generating a vortex-focused acoustic beam, which shows that the ultrasonic wave undergoes multiple reflections and transmissions between the concave spherical transducer and the positive meniscus lens, forming multiple cascaded vortex focal points on the acoustic axis, which are superimposed to synthesize an ultra-long focal-range vortex-focused acoustic beam.

[0052] Figure 5 This invention provides an ultrasonic acupuncture device including the aforementioned implementation apparatus, which realizes a twisting technique through a positive meniscus lens with a grooved structure. It shows that the asymmetric groove creates spatial constraints on the wavefront, causing phase delay and wavefront distortion, generating a vortex-focused sound beam, and achieving clockwise or counterclockwise rotation by switching positive / reverse pulse sequences through a controller, thus simulating the twisting technique.

[0053] Figure 6 This invention provides an embodiment of an ultrasonic acupuncture device including the aforementioned implementation apparatus, which realizes the lifting and needling technique by changing the power of the ultrasonic controller. The illustration shows that the acoustic focus is driven to move along the axis by power adjustment, with the high power setting corresponding to deep focusing (simulating "needling") and the low power setting corresponding to shallow focusing (simulating "lifting").

[0054] Figure 7 The present invention provides a longitudinal cross-sectional sound pressure distribution diagram of an ultrasonic acupuncture device including the aforementioned implementation device under specific parameters. The diagram illustrates the sound pressure amplitude distribution along the acoustic axis (XZ plane) under the conditions of a working frequency of 1.00 MHz and 4 turns of Archimedes spiral grooves. The focal length exceeds 50 mm, verifying the deep stimulation capability of the ultrasonic acupuncture device.

[0055] Figure 8 This invention provides a longitudinal cross-sectional sound pressure distribution diagram of an ultrasonic acupuncture device without focal domain synthesis, illustrating the sound pressure distribution at an operating frequency of 1.00 MHz. Figure 7When a concave spherical transducer of the same specification is used for single-point focusing, the sound pressure amplitude distribution along the acoustic axis (XZ plane) forms only one focal point. The focal domain is ellipsoidal and does not form a continuous linear focal domain. The focal domain length is 8 mm. The sound energy is mainly concentrated in the shallow area and it is difficult to effectively cover deep acupoints.

[0056] Figures 9-14 The present invention provides a transverse cross-sectional sound pressure distribution diagram of an ultrasonic acupuncture device including the aforementioned implementation device under different parameters, which respectively correspond to the sound pressure amplitude distribution on the cross section (XY plane) at axial depths z = 10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, and 50 mm. The diameter of the sound pressure energy concentration area is less than 5 mm, which proves that the ultrasonic acupuncture device has sub-millimeter level radial focusing accuracy.

[0057] Figures 15-20 The present invention provides an ultrasonic acupuncture device including the aforementioned implementation device with transverse cross-sectional phase distribution diagrams under different parameters, corresponding to the phase distribution on the cross-section (XY plane) at axial depths z = 10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, and 50 mm, respectively. The phase exhibits a clear vortex structure, providing core acoustic basis for simulating twisting techniques.

[0058] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings include: 1. concave spherical transducer; 2. positive meniscus lens; 3. blobs for drawing air; 4. groove structure; 5. vent tube. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, it should be understood that after reading the teachings of this invention, those skilled in the art can make various alterations or modifications to the invention, and these equivalent forms also fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

[0060] To better explain the technical solution, the following technical terms are explained:

[0061] Piezoelectric ceramic materials: a type of material that can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy or vice versa. Common types include piezoelectric ceramic materials (PZT), piezoelectric single crystals, or piezoelectric composite materials.

[0062] Planar convex lens: A lens with one side being flat and the other side being convex, used to focus or modulate sound waves.

[0063] Positive meniscus lens 2: A lens with one side convex and the other concave, and thicker in the middle than at the edges, used for focusing or modulating sound waves.

[0064] Asymmetric rotation grooves: Asymmetric grooves etched on the lens surface are used to produce specific phase delays and wavefront distortions.

[0065] Annular groove: An annular groove etched on the lens surface, the depth of which varies linearly with the azimuth angle, forming an annular phase ramp, used to generate specific phase delay and wavefront distortion.

[0066] Archimedean spiral (also known as constant velocity spiral): An Archimedean spiral is the trajectory produced by a point moving away from a fixed point at a constant velocity while simultaneously rotating around that fixed point at a constant angular velocity.

[0067] Vortex-focused acoustic beam: A type of acoustic wave field carrying orbital angular momentum, with a spiral phase distribution, generated by a vortex-focused acoustic beam through an asymmetric groove or annular strip groove.

[0068] Ultra-long focal length sound beam: The ultra-long focal length sound beam is formed by multiple reflections and transmissions, with a focal length of about 50-100mm. It is formed by a concave spherical transducer 1 and a positive meniscus lens 2.

[0069] Vacuum balloon 3: A device that generates negative pressure by pressing to compress the lens-skin interface gap and improve acoustic coupling efficiency.

[0070] Ultrasonic controller: A device for dynamically controlling an ultrasonic sound field, which is achieved by generating timed voltage pulses and connected to the concave spherical transducer 1 via electrodes.

[0071] Phase delay and wavefront distortion: The groove structure 4 creates spatial constraints on the acoustic wavefront, inducing phase delay and wavefront distortion, and generating a vortex-focused acoustic beam; the phase delay and wavefront distortion are achieved through asymmetric rotating grooves or annular strip grooves.

[0072] The overall structure of the ultrasonic acupuncture device consists of a concave spherical transducer 1, a meniscus lens 2, an extraction balloon 3, a groove structure 4, and an air tube 5, forming a four-level synergistic system (e.g., Figure 1 (As shown).

[0073] This application provides a method for generating a vortex-focused sound beam, which specifically includes the following steps:

[0074] S1. The incident focused ultrasonic wave is directed into the acoustic reflection cavity, forming a spatial reflection mechanism within the acoustic reflection cavity. The acoustic reflection cavity has a convex total reflection surface and a concave surface, which reflect and transmit the focused ultrasonic wave multiple times and continuously modulate the vortex focused sound beam.

[0075] S2. By utilizing the spatial reflection mechanism, sound waves are reflected and transmitted multiple times to form focused sound beams with different apertures and focal lengths.

[0076] S3. The focused sound beam is subjected to phase delay and wavefront distortion to generate multiple vortex focused sound beams carrying orbital angular momentum. The acoustic reflection cavity surface is provided with a groove structure 4 that can spatially constrain the focused sound beam. The focused sound beam is subjected to phase delay and wavefront distortion under the action of the groove structure 4 to generate vortex focused sound beams carrying orbital angular momentum.

[0077] S4. By using a spatial reflection mechanism to separate and continuously modulate the focal distribution of the vortex focusing sound beam, multiple cascaded short-focal-length vortex focal points are formed on the acoustic axis, which are then superimposed to synthesize an ultra-long focal-range vortex focusing sound beam.

[0078] Specifically, this embodiment relates to a method for generating and controlling a vortex-focused acoustic beam, based on a combination of acoustic diffraction theory and phase modulation structure. Its core lies in an acoustic reflection cavity with specific geometric features. The cavity contains two key reflecting surfaces: a concave total reflection surface for converging sound waves, and a partial reflection surface for partially reflecting and transmitting sound waves. Sound waves undergo multiple reflections between these two surfaces. This spatial reflection mechanism separates the sound field and continuously modulates the focal distribution, thereby forming a series of continuous focal points with finite focal depths on the acoustic axis, ultimately achieving the output of an ultra-long focal-range acoustic beam.

[0079] To achieve precise spatial modulation of the acoustic wave phase, this invention uses an Archimedean spiral groove as an example (e.g.) Figure 2 (As shown). Spiral equation ,in Let be the initial radius of the helix. For pitch, The coverage angle of the spiral.

[0080] In this specific embodiment, the positive meniscus lens material used is K9 optical glass, and its thickness is... =0.00185m, opening radius D=0.0105 m, radius of curvature (contact surface with transducer) =0.048m, and the other side is approximately flat.

[0081] To generate a stable high-order vortex field within the focal domain and optimize the axisymmetry of the sound field distribution, this invention employs four identical Archimedean spirals (distinguished by different colors) symmetrically arranged around the center (e.g., Figure 7 As shown), the adjacent interval is (i.e., 90°), ensuring circumferential uniformity (e.g.) Figure 3 (As shown). Specific parameters are set as follows: initial radius... Based on the operating frequency and lens material, the pitch is obtained. ( (Wavelength). Operating frequency set to... Speed ​​of sound in water Corresponding wavelength Each spiral rotates twice, covering the total angle. The groove is filled with acoustic matching material to introduce the desired phase delay. The reflection coefficient of the acoustic matching material within the groove is... =0.7, transmission coefficient is =0.3.

[0082] In terms of sound field modeling, the diffraction integral method is used to calculate the spatial sound pressure distribution (see [link]). Figure 2 (As shown). The surface sound pressure amplitude of the sound source is... With the center of the transducer plane as the origin, the radius of curvature of the convex surface (the surface in contact with the transducer) of the positive meniscus lens is... The opening radius is The distance from the integral surface source to OZ is The thickness of the lens is Observation points near the focal zone The corresponding complex sound pressure P It can be represented as:

[0083] (1)

[0084] (2)

[0085] (3)

[0086] In the above formula (1), For amplitude factor, This represents the distance between the Lth point on the sound source surface and the observation point Q. and These represent the radial and angular coordinates of the observed surface, respectively. Let be the axial distance from the source surface to the observation surface, i be an imaginary number, e be the natural base, exp be the natural exponential function, Σ be the summation function, and k be the wave number in the medium. Radial wave number, Here is the axial wavenumber; the coordinates of the observation point Q are... In numerical calculations, the Archimedean spiral is divided into several infinitesimal elements according to its angle. and These are the upper and lower limits of the angle interval corresponding to the Lth infinitesimal spiral segment, respectively; by superimposing each infinitesimal element, the continuous spiral can be approximated as the sum of the contributions of a finite number of discrete source points; Let n be an nth-order Bessel function of the first kind, describing the radial distribution characteristics of sound pressure, where n is an integer index; the phase factor in the summation term includes combination parameters. This parameter originates from the design value of the helix pitch. ( (Wavelength).

[0087] In the above formula (2), The amplitude factor is a combination of the transducer's geometric parameters and the sound source's radiation characteristics; where... The angular frequency of the sound wave , These are first-order and zero-order Bessel functions, respectively, used to describe the radial distribution of sound pressure; The zeroth-order Hankel function of the second kind represents the outward propagating cylindrical wave component; the integral term... This represents the superposition of contributions from point sources on the concave spherical surface of the transducer.

[0088] In the above formula (3), This represents the distance between the Lth point on the sound source surface and the observation point Q. These represent the radial and angular coordinates of the observed surface, respectively. This represents the axial distance from the sound source surface to the observation surface. Here are the radial coordinates of the sound source point. Its circumferential angular coordinates.

[0089] The sound pressure generated by the four spirals during the nth reflection. :

[0090] (4)

[0091] In equation (4) above, n represents the number of reflections. The transmission coefficient of the acoustic matching material within the groove. The reflection coefficient of the acoustic matching material within the groove. This indicates the degree of sound pressure attenuation after a sound wave undergoes n−1 reflections and transmissions. The summation represents the contribution of the j-th spiral in the n-th reflection to the total sound pressure. Each spiral is discretized into multiple source points and integrated. To generate a stable high-order vortex field and ensure the axisymmetry of the sound field distribution, the device uses four identical Archimedean spirals symmetrically arranged around the center, with adjacent intervals of 90°. Therefore, the formula sums for j=1 to 4.

[0092] Final total sound pressure It is obtained by superimposing sound fields with different numbers of reflections:

[0093] (5)

[0094] In equation (5) above, M represents the effective number of reflections participating in the superposition of interference. The sound pressure generated by the four spiral lines during the nth reflection.

[0095] This application provides an apparatus for generating a vortex-focused sound beam, including a positive meniscus lens 2 and a groove structure 4 etched on the surface of the positive meniscus lens 2. The incident sound wave is formed into an ultra-long focal length sound beam after multiple reflections and transmissions by the positive meniscus lens 2. The groove structure 4 creates a spatial constraint on the ultra-long focal length sound beam, causing phase delay and wavefront distortion, thereby generating a vortex-focused sound beam carrying orbital angular momentum.

[0096] Specifically, the optical lens is made of optical glass and can be either a planar convex lens or a positive meniscus lens 2; the groove structure 4 is an asymmetric rotating groove, which can be any one of the following: spiral, helical, fan-shaped or blade-shaped, elliptical or parabolic rotating body, or involute; when the groove structure 4 is an annular groove, its depth changes linearly with the azimuth angle, forming an annular phase slope through the depth difference; the groove structure 4 is filled with at least one of polyurethane, gel, rubber, silicone, and thermoplastic elastomer.

[0097] This application provides an ultrasonic acupuncture device including an implementation mechanism, which achieves accurate reproduction of traditional acupuncture twisting and lifting techniques under non-invasive conditions through the coordinated operation of the following four functional modules: 1. System integration and acoustic coupling module

[0098] The overall structure of the ultrasonic acupuncture device consists of a concave spherical transducer 1, a meniscus lens 2, an ultrasonic controller, an extraction balloon 3, and a ventilation tube 5, forming a four-level synergistic system (e.g., Figure 1 (As shown). The ultrasonic controller is connected to the concave spherical transducer 1 via electrodes and dynamically controls the sound field behavior by generating time-sequential voltage pulses. The concave spherical transducer 1 is tightly connected to an optical lens, which can be either a planar convex lens or a positive meniscus lens 2. The ultrasonic waves emitted by the concave spherical transducer 1 are modulated by the groove structure on the optical lens, forming a needle-like helical sound beam on the acoustic axis. The groove structure 4 can be selected from one or more composite configurations of spiral, helical, fan-shaped, blade-shaped, elliptical body of revolution, parabolic body of revolution, or involute shape, with a groove depth of 0.1-1 mm; alternatively, the groove structure 4 can be designed as a continuous annular strip with its depth linearly varying along the azimuth angle, forming an annular phase ramp with a depth difference of λ. The deflating balloon 3 is connected to the transducer-lens assembly via a venting tube 5, which runs through the assembly structure. After the balloon is pressed, the air inside the tube is expelled, forming a stable negative pressure, compressing the lens-skin interface gap to 0.05-0.1 mm, thereby achieving efficient acoustic coupling. The four components are integrated through a precision positioning cavity to ensure that the acoustic axis coincides with the normal of the acupoint.

[0099] 2. Telephoto Domain Synthesis Module

[0100] Long focal length synthesis methods are based on the principle of acoustic energy relay transmission (e.g.) Figure 4(As shown). This method uses an acoustic reflection cavity with a finite radius of curvature and aperture to synthesize ultra-long focal length focusing, breaking the diffraction limit. The focal length of the ultrasonic wave obtained by the long focal length synthesis method is approximately more than 5 times that of a single-focus focal length. Due to the large difference in acoustic impedance between the optical lens and human skin, ultrasonic waves undergo reflection and transmission when passing through the optical lens. Each reflection transmits only a portion of the energy, meaning that some ultrasonic waves enter the human skin through transmission, while most are reflected. The ultrasonic waves reflected by the optical lens return to the outer surface of the concave spherical transducer 1, and after total internal reflection by the concave spherical transducer 1, they act on the lens interface, forming multiple reflection-transmission cycles. This process is repeated continuously until the final reflected ultrasonic waves are almost zero, and all of them are transmitted into the human skin. The transmitted waves with different numbers of reflections form multiple geometric focal points on the acoustic axis, which are superimposed after acoustic conversion to form a slender sound field with a focal length of approximately 100 mm. The ultra-long focal length is synthesized through acoustic wave interference superposition.

[0101] (6)

[0102] In equation (6) above, m is the reflection-transmission number index. This represents the amplitude of the transmitted wave after the m-th reflection-transmission. Let be the azimuth angle of the m-th transmitted wave, where i is an imaginary number. Let be the phase factor of the m-th transmitted wave.

[0103] 3. Twisting Technique Simulation Module

[0104] The acoustic simulation of the twisting technique is achieved through wavefront manipulation of an asymmetric groove. When ultrasound passes through the asymmetric groove, the groove's geometry imposes a three-dimensional spatial constraint on the wavefront. This constraint causes differential phase delays in the sound wave at different radial positions, thereby inducing a spiral distortion of the wavefront (e.g., Figure 5(As shown). Physically, this process is equivalent to introducing orbital angular momentum into the sound field, generating a special sound wave morphology—an acoustic vortex. This sound wave exhibits a continuous helical phase distribution in the direction of propagation. Its wavefront no longer maintains planar or spherical characteristics, but instead rotates around the propagation axis, similar to eddy currents in water. The orbital angular momentum carried by the acoustic vortex field can exert an effective mechanical effect on biological tissue. When the sound wave propagates to the optical lens, from the high acoustic impedance glass medium to the low acoustic impedance human tissue, the huge impedance mismatch causes most of the sound energy to be reflected at the interface. The groove structure of the optical lens is filled with a matching layer material with an acoustic impedance between the optical lens and the human tissue, such as polyurethane, gel, rubber, silicone, thermoplastic elastomers, etc. When this special sound field acts on the tissue, it generates a tangential torque through the acoustic radiation force mechanism, causing the tissue molecules to generate mechanical motion around the sound axis, thereby accurately simulating the twisting technique in acupuncture treatment. The ultrasonic controller precisely regulates this process by outputting a specific sequence of pulses: when a positive pulse sequence is output (with the phase difference increasing linearly from 0 to 2π), a clockwise rotating acoustic vortex is generated; when a negative pulse sequence is output (with the phase difference decreasing linearly from 2π to 0), a counter-clockwise rotating acoustic vortex is generated. This bidirectional controllable rotational characteristic allows the device to fully reproduce various twisting techniques used in clinical acupuncture. The tangential acoustic radiation force of the vortex-focused sound beam... The calculation is as follows using the formula for angular momentum density:

[0105] (7)

[0106] In the above formula (7) The absorption coefficient is... Let be the sound intensity, and c be the speed of sound. is the angular momentum component.

[0107] 4. Thrust Technique Simulation Module

[0108] The dynamic reproduction of the lifting and pricking technique is achieved through multi-parameter timing programming of the controller. In acupuncture, "pricking" represents the process of piercing from the surface to the depth of the acupoint, while "lifting" represents the retraction from the depth to the surface. The controller outputs a voltage pulse sequence with a specific gradient, which drives the sound focus to move axially by changing the sound pressure amplitude—increasing the amplitude realizes the "pricking" operation of the focus from shallow to deep, and decreasing the amplitude completes the "lifting" operation of the focus from deep to shallow (e.g., Figure 6 (As shown). Specifically, the controller has two preset power levels (W1, W2). By switching between different levels in a specific sequence, the acoustic focus is driven to move along the axis. The switching sequence can be set to a continuous increasing / decreasing mode or a skipping mode to achieve continuous or skipping changes in focus depth, thereby flexibly simulating various rhythms and amplitudes of needling operations in clinical acupuncture.

[0109] To visually demonstrate the acoustic field characteristics of the ultrasonic acupuncture device under specific parameters, the following figures are provided:

[0110] like Figure 7 The diagram (longitudinal cross-section sound pressure distribution) shows the sound pressure amplitude distribution along the acoustic axis (XZ plane) under the conditions of an operating frequency of 1.00 MHz and four Archimedean spiral grooves etched on the surface of the positive meniscus lens 2. The diagram clearly shows that the focal region of the ultrasonic beam extends axially, exhibiting a continuous linear distribution in the shape of a slender needle, with a length exceeding 50 mm, verifying the device's deep stimulation capability.

[0111] Figure 8 The focused sound field distribution of the concave spherical transducer without a positive meniscus lens is shown. Figure 8 Transducer parameters and Figure 7 Using the same operating frequency (1.00 MHz) and the same size, Figure 8 Without acoustic lenses to synthesize the focal zone, only a single focal point is generated with a focal length of 8 mm. The sound energy is mainly concentrated within the focal zone, making it difficult to produce acupuncture effects over a large depth range. The specific parameters of the sound field morphology and focusing depth mentioned above are shown in Table 1.

[0112] like Figures 9-14 As shown (transverse profile sound pressure distribution diagram): This illustrates the sound pressure distribution at an axial depth of z = 10 mm under the same acoustic and structural conditions. Figure 9 ), 20mm ( Figure 10 ), 30mm ( Figure 11 ), 40mm ( Figure 12 ), 50mm ( Figure 13 ) and 60 mm ( Figure 14 The figure shows the sound pressure amplitude distribution on the cross-section (XY plane) at depths of z = 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50. It also shows that the diameter of the sound pressure energy concentration region is less than 5 mm at depths of z = 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50, demonstrating that the device has sub-millimeter-level radial focusing accuracy.

[0113] like Figures 15-20 As shown (transverse cross-sectional phase distribution diagram): This illustrates the phase distribution under the same conditions, corresponding to an axial depth z = 10 mm. Figure 15 ), 20mm ( Figure 16 ), 30mm ( Figure 17 ), 40mm ( Figure 18 ), 50mm Figure 19 ) and 60 mm ( Figure 20 The figure shows the phase distribution of sound waves on the cross-section (XY plane). As can be seen from the figure, the phase exhibits a clear spiral vortex structure, providing the core acoustic basis for simulating the twisting technique.

[0114] Table 1 compares the effects of an ultrasonic acupuncture device including an implementation mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present invention with traditional single-point focusing technology. The comparison focuses on three core parameters: axial focal length, focal length morphology, and sound energy penetration depth. The present invention utilizes a convex total reflection surface and a concave surface to perform multiple reflections and transmissions of focused ultrasonic waves, synthesizing an ultra-long linear depth-of-focus sound beam with a focal length of 50–100 mm along the acoustic axis, significantly superior to the less than 10 mm ellipsoidal focal length of traditional single-point focusing. Table 1 shows... Figure 7 The telephoto range generated in Figure 8 The comparison of the generated short focal range parameters is shown in Table 1. It can be seen that the focal range length generated by the focal range synthesis technology without a positive meniscus lens is more than five times that of the single-point focusing focal range, showing a significant difference. The long focal range generated by this invention has a deeper coverage depth and a wider range, demonstrating a remarkable effect. Table 1 is detailed below:

[0115] Table 1

[0116] Comparison parameters This invention (focal domain synthesis) Traditional single-point focusing Focal length (axial direction) 50–100 mm 8 mm Focal zone morphology Slender needle-like structures, exhibiting a continuous linear distribution Ellipsoidal, single focus Sound penetration depth It can cover deep acupoints such as Zusanli and Huantiao. Depth and range are fixed

[0117] In summary, the design and fabrication research of this ultrasonic acupuncture device, which combines deep stimulation, controllable torque, and dynamic lifting functions, aims to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of ultrasonic acupuncture treatment. By solving the energy attenuation problem and simulating traditional acupuncture techniques, ultrasonic acupuncture can be more effectively applied in clinical treatment.

[0118] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for generating a vortex-focused sound beam, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The incident focused ultrasound wave is directed into the acoustic reflection cavity, forming a spatial reflection mechanism within the acoustic reflection cavity. The acoustic reflection cavity is equipped with two key reflection surfaces: one is a concave total reflection surface for converging sound waves, and the other is a partial reflection surface that can realize partial reflection and transmission of sound waves. The surface of the acoustic reflection cavity is equipped with a groove structure that can spatially constrain the focused sound beam. The spatial reflection mechanism is used to reflect and transmit focused ultrasound waves multiple times, forming focused sound beams with different apertures and focal lengths. The focused acoustic beam is phase-delayed and wavefront-distorted to generate multiple vortex focused acoustic beams carrying orbital angular momentum. The spatial reflection mechanism is used to separate and continuously modulate the focal distribution of the vortex focusing sound beam, forming multiple cascaded short-focal-length vortex focal points on the acoustic axis, which are then superimposed to synthesize an ultra-long focal-range vortex focusing sound beam.

2. An ultrasonic acupuncture device for generating a vortex-focused sound beam, characterized in that, include: A concave spherical transducer is used to emit focused ultrasonic waves with frequencies between 0.2 MHz and 3 MHz. An ultrasonic controller is electrically connected to the concave spherical transducer. The ultrasonic controller generates a timing voltage pulse to drive the concave spherical transducer to generate ultrasonic waves. The device is located at the output end of the concave spherical transducer and converts ultrasonic waves into ultra-long focal-range vortex-focused acoustic beams carrying orbital angular momentum. The implementing device includes a positive meniscus lens and a groove structure etched on the surface of the positive meniscus lens. The incident focused ultrasonic wave is reflected and transmitted multiple times by the positive meniscus lens to form focused sound beams with different apertures and focal lengths. The groove structure provides spatial constraint on the focused sound beams, causing phase delay and wavefront distortion, forming multiple cascaded short-focal-range vortex sound beams carrying orbital angular momentum, which are then superimposed to synthesize an ultra-long-focal-range vortex focused sound beam.

3. The ultrasonic acupuncture device for generating a vortex-focused sound beam as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The groove structure is an asymmetric rotating groove, which is a spiral groove.

4. The ultrasonic acupuncture device for generating a vortex-focused sound beam as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The groove structure is an annular groove with a depth that changes linearly with the azimuth angle, forming an annular phase slope through the depth difference.

5. The ultrasonic acupuncture device for generating a vortex-focused sound beam as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The groove structure is filled with at least one of polyurethane, gel, rubber, silicone, and thermoplastic elastomer.

6. The ultrasonic acupuncture device for generating a vortex-focused sound beam as described in claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a vacuum balloon, which is equipped with a venting tube and is connected to a concave spherical transducer and a realization device through the venting tube. When pressed, it generates negative pressure, causing the realization device to adhere to the skin surface.

7. The ultrasonic acupuncture device for generating a vortex-focused sound beam as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The concave spherical transducer is made of any one of piezoelectric ceramic material, piezoelectric single crystal material, or piezoelectric composite material.

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