Acupuncture needle holder and acupuncture needle assembly

Abstract

To insert a plurality of acupuncture needles evenly at the same time.SOLUTION: An acupuncture needle holder 1 holds a plurality of acupuncture needles 2 inside a holder 5. Acupuncture handles 22 of the acupuncture needles 2 are held by a first support part 31 and a second support part 32. When the second support part 32 is indirectly or directly pushed down by a practitioner, the plurality of acupuncture needles 2, the first support part 31, and a connecting part 33 move downward relative to the holder 5, and the lower ends of needle bodies 21 of the plurality of acupuncture needles 2 protrude downward from the lower end of the holder 5. Alternatively, when the second support part 32 moves upward from the pushed-down state, the plurality of acupuncture needles 2, the first support part 31, and the connection part 33 move upward relative to the holder 5, and the lower ends of the needle bodies 21 of the plurality of acupuncture needles 2 are stored inside the holder 5. The plurality of acupuncture needles 2 can be thus simultaneously and uniformly inserted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an acupuncture needle holder and an acupuncture needle assembly. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in acupuncture treatment, acupuncture needles are inserted one by one into the skin of a patient (e.g., a patient) using straw-shaped tubes called needle tubes. Specifically, when the needle tube with the acupuncture needle inserted is in contact with the skin, the needle handle of the acupuncture needle protruding from the needle tube is lightly tapped, so that the needle is guided by the needle tube and advances toward the skin, and the tip of the needle is inserted into the skin.

[0003] Patent Document 1 also discloses a guide tool (insertion tool for multiple acupuncture needles) for simultaneously inserting multiple acupuncture needles into the skin. In this guide tool, multiple guide holes that communicate from the top to the bottom are provided in a rectangular parallelepiped main body. The needle handles of the multiple acupuncture needles inserted into the multiple guide holes protrude from the top of the guide tool, and the multiple acupuncture needles are simultaneously inserted into the skin by the acupuncturist tapping the multiple needle handles simultaneously. When the insertion of the multiple acupuncture needles is completed, the guide tool is pulled upward and removed from the skin. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-116223 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, with the guide tool of Patent Document 1, when the acupuncturist taps the multiple needle handles protruding from the top surface of the guide tool, the force applied to the multiple acupuncture needles may be uneven, which may result in variation in the amount of insertion (i.e., insertion depth) of the multiple acupuncture needles.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to enable multiple acupuncture needles to be applied evenly at the same time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Aspect 1 of the present invention is an acupuncture and moxibustion needle holder having a plurality of needle body insertion holes into which the needle bodies of a plurality of acupuncture and moxibustion needles extending in the vertical direction are respectively inserted, and comprising: a first support part from which the lower ends of the needle bodies of the plurality of acupuncture and moxibustion needles protrude downward when the lower ends of the needle handles of the plurality of acupuncture and moxibustion needles are in contact with the periphery of the plurality of needle body insertion holes at the upper ends of the plurality of needle body insertion holes; a second support part arranged above the first support part and in contact with the upper parts of the needle handles of the plurality of acupuncture and moxibustion needles; a connecting part that connects the first support part and the second support part and holds the needle handles of the plurality of acupuncture and moxibustion needles by the first support part and the second support part; and a cylindrical holder extending in the vertical direction and having an opening at its lower end, which holds the first support part inwardly so that it can slide in the vertical direction. When the second support part is indirectly or directly pressed down by a practitioner, the acupuncture needles, the first support part and the connecting part move downward relative to the holder, and the lower ends of the needle bodies of the acupuncture needles protrude downward from the lower end of the holder. When the second support part moves upward from the pressed down state, the acupuncture needles, the first support part and the connecting part move upward relative to the holder, and the lower ends of the needle bodies of the acupuncture needles are accommodated inside the holder.

[0008] A second aspect of the present invention is the acupuncture needle holder according to the first aspect, further comprising an elastic member that is elastically deformed in the vertical direction by the vertical movement of the second support part relative to the holder. The elastic member is elastically deformed when the second support part is pressed down. When the pressing force on the second support part is released, the second support part moves upward from the pressed down state due to the restoring force of the elastic member.

[0009] A third aspect of the present invention is the acupuncture needle holder according to the first or second aspect, wherein the portion of the first support part where the plurality of needle body insertion holes are provided is flat and perpendicular to the up-down direction.

[0010] A fourth aspect of the present invention is an acupuncture needle holder according to the first or second aspect (which may be any one of the first to third aspects), wherein the multiple needle body insertion holes each extend downward from the bottom surface of multiple recesses that are recessed downward from the upper end surface of the first support part. The lower ends of the needle handles of the multiple acupuncture needles are each located within the multiple recesses. The lower ends of the needle handles of the multiple acupuncture needles contact the periphery of the multiple needle body insertion holes at the bottom surfaces of the multiple recesses.

[0011] A fifth aspect of the present invention is an acupuncture needle holder according to the first or second aspect (which may be any one of the first to fourth aspects), in which the inner and outer peripheral edges of the lower end of the holder are chamfered.

[0012] A sixth aspect of the present invention is the acupuncture needle holder according to the first or second aspect (which may be any one of the first to fifth aspects), wherein the holder is cylindrical.

[0013] Aspect 7 of the present invention is an acupuncture needle holder as described in aspect 1 or 2 (which may be any one of aspects 1 to 6), wherein the second support portion is provided with a needle handle fixing portion which fixes the positions of the upper ends of the needle handles of the multiple acupuncture needles in a planar view.

[0014] Aspect 8 of the present invention is an acupuncture needle holder as described in aspect 1 or 2 (which may be any one of aspects 1 to 7), wherein the acupuncture needle holder further comprises an operating portion extending upward from the second support portion and protruding above the upper surface of the holder.

[0015] A ninth aspect of the present invention is the acupuncture needle holder according to the eighth aspect, wherein the operating part comprises a rod-shaped operating shaft extending upward from the second support part and inserted into a through hole provided at the upper end of the holder, and a flange part attached to the operating shaft above the holder. The lower end of the elastic member is in contact with the upper surface of the holder, and the upper end of the elastic member is in contact with the lower surface of the flange part. By changing the vertical position of the flange part relative to the operating shaft, the amount of protrusion of the acupuncture needles from the holder when the operating part is pressed down is changed.

[0016] A tenth aspect of the present invention is the acupuncture needle holder according to the first or second aspect (which may be any one of the first to ninth aspects), in which the number of the acupuncture needles is 3 or more. The acupuncture needles are arranged in a non-straight line in a plan view.

[0017] Aspect 11 of the present invention is an acupuncture needle assembly comprising an acupuncture needle holder according to aspect 1 or 2 (which may be any one of aspects 1 to 10) and a plurality of acupuncture needles held by the acupuncture needle holder. Effect of the Invention

[0018] In the present invention, multiple acupuncture needles can be applied simultaneously and evenly. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an acupuncture needle assembly including an acupuncture needle holder according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an acupuncture needle assembly. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an acupuncture needle assembly. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an acupuncture needle assembly. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an acupuncture needle assembly including an acupuncture needle holder according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an acupuncture and moxibustion needle assembly 6 including an acupuncture and moxibustion needle holder 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The acupuncture and moxibustion needle assembly 6 is used when a practitioner (i.e., an acupuncturist) inserts multiple acupuncture needles into a patient at an acupuncture clinic or the like. In the following description, the up-down direction in FIG. 1 is also simply referred to as the "up-down direction." The up-down direction may or may not match the direction of gravity when the acupuncture and moxibustion needle assembly 6 is actually used. The same applies to the acupuncture and moxibustion needle assembly 6a described below.

[0021] The acupuncture needle assembly 6 includes a plurality of acupuncture needles 2 and an acupuncture needle holder 1. The acupuncture needle holder 1 is an instrument that holds a plurality of acupuncture needles 2 that extend in the vertical direction. The acupuncture needle holder 1 includes a first support part 31, a second support part 32, a connecting part 33, an operating part 34, an elastic member 4, and a holder 5. The holder 5 is substantially cylindrical in shape, extending in the vertical direction and having an opening 53 at the lower end. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the holder 5 is a covered rectangular tube, and the cross-sectional shape of the holder 5 perpendicular to the vertical direction is substantially square. The upper surface 51 of the holder 5 is substantially square and substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction. The inner side of the holder 5 holds the acupuncture needles 2, the first support part 31, the second support part 32, and the connecting part 33 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The holder 5 extends downward beyond the lower ends (i.e., the tips) of the acupuncture needles 2.

[0022] As described later, when the acupuncture needle assembly 6 is used, the lower end of the holder 5 of the acupuncture needle holder 1 comes into contact with the skin of the patient. Therefore, it is preferable that the inner and outer peripheral edges of the lower end of the holder 5 are chamfered (for example, R-chamfered or thread-chamfered). This improves the feel of the lower end of the holder 5 on the skin, and prevents the patient from feeling pain due to contact with the lower end. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the vertical cross section of the lower end of the holder 5 is approximately semicircular. This further improves the feel of the lower end of the holder 5 on the skin. The material of the holder 5 is not limited, and may be, for example, resin or metal. The holder 5 may be transparent, translucent, or opaque.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the first support part 31. In the example shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the first support part 31 is a covered rectangular cylinder, and the cross-sectional shape of the first support part 31 perpendicular to the vertical direction is approximately square. In a plan view (i.e., when viewed from above parallel to the vertical direction), the outer surface of the first support part 31 is slightly smaller than the inner surface of the holder 5, and as shown in FIG. 1, there is a minute gap between the outer surface of the first support part 31 and the inner surface of the holder 5. The upper part 311 of the first support part 31 is approximately flat plate-shaped and approximately perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the thickness of the upper part 311 of the first support part 31 in the vertical direction is, for example, 0.5 mm to 5 mm. The material of the first support part 31 is not limited, and is, for example, resin or metal.

[0024] In the example shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a through hole 313 (hereinafter, also referred to as "first connecting hole 313") into which the connecting part 33 is inserted is provided in the center of the upper part 311 of the first support part 31. In addition, a plurality of (e.g., eight) through holes 312 are provided in the upper part 311 of the first support part 31 so as to surround the periphery of the first connecting hole 313. The first connecting hole 313 and the plurality of through holes 312 extend substantially parallel to each other in the vertical direction and penetrate the upper part 311 of the first support part 31 in the vertical direction. The first connecting hole 313 and the plurality of through holes 312 are, for example, substantially circular in plan view. The plurality of through holes 312 are substantially the same shape. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the diameter of the first connecting hole 313 in plan view is larger than the diameter of each of the through holes 312 in plan view. The diameter of first connecting hole 313 in plan view may be smaller than or the same as the diameter of each through hole 312 in plan view.

[0025] In the first support part 31 illustrated in FIG. 2, four of the eight through holes 312 are arranged near the four corners of the upper part 311 of the first support part 31, and the remaining four through holes 312 are arranged between them. In other words, the eight through holes 312 are arranged in a substantially rectangular frame shape surrounding the periphery of the first connecting hole 313. One acupuncture needle 2 (see FIG. 1) extending in the vertical direction is inserted from above into each through hole 312. That is, eight acupuncture needles 2 are inserted into the eight through holes 312 of the first support part 31. In the following description, the through holes 312 are also referred to as "needle body insertion holes 312". Note that the number and arrangement of the multiple needle body insertion holes 312 are not limited to the above example and may be changed in various ways. The number of the multiple needle body insertion holes 312 may be two, or may be three or more. When the number of the needle body insertion holes 312 is three or more, the needle body insertion holes 312 are preferably arranged on a non-straight line (i.e., a plane) in a plan view. In other words, the needle body insertion holes 312 preferably include another needle body insertion hole 312 arranged at a position shifted from the straight line connecting two needle body insertion holes 312.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, each acupuncture needle 2 includes a needle body 21 and a needle handle 22. The needle body 21 is a substantially linear or cylindrical part extending in the vertical direction, and the lower end is inserted into the skin of the patient. The needle handle 22 is a substantially cylindrical (e.g., substantially cylindrical) part extending in the vertical direction from the upper end of the needle body 21, and is held by the practitioner when the acupuncture needle 2 is handled. The cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction of the needle handle 22 is larger than the cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction of the needle body 21. The cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction of the needle body 21 is smaller than the cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction of the needle body insertion hole 312. When the acupuncture needle 2 is inserted into the needle body insertion hole 312 of the first support part 31, the lower end of the needle handle 22 contacts the part of the upper end surface 317 of the first support part 31 around the needle body insertion hole 312, and the lower end of the needle body 21 protrudes downward from the lower end of the first support part 31.

[0027] The second support part 32 is a member disposed above the first support part 31, and contacts the upper part of the needle handle 22 of the acupuncture needles 2. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the second support part 32 is a substantially flat member that is substantially vertical in the up-down direction, and the lower surface of the second support part 32 contacts the upper end part of the needle handle 22 of the acupuncture needles 2 (i.e., the end part of the upper part of the needle handle 22) from above. The shape of the second support part 32 in a plan view is a substantially square shape that is slightly smaller than the inner surface of the holder 5, and there is a minute gap between the outer surface of the second support part 32 and the inner surface of the holder 5. The second support part 32 has a through hole 323 (hereinafter also referred to as the "second connection hole 323") in the center thereof, into which the connection part 33 is inserted. The material of the second support part 32 is not limited, and is, for example, a resin or a metal.

[0028] The connecting part 33 is a rod-shaped (i.e., columnar or tubular) member extending in the vertical direction, and connects the first support part 31 and the second support part 32. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the connecting part 33 is a substantially cylindrical member, and a screw thread (not shown) is provided at a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction. The material of the connecting part 33 is not limited, and is, for example, resin or metal. As described above, the connecting part 33 is inserted into the first connecting hole 313 of the upper part 311 of the first support part 31. In the connecting part 33, a nut is screwed into the screw thread located on the lower side of the first connecting hole 313, and the nut restricts the downward relative movement of the first support part 31 with respect to the connecting part 33. In other words, the connecting part 33 supports the first support part 31 from below via the nut. Note that a nut may also be screwed onto the connecting portion 33 above the first connecting hole 313, and the first support portion 31 may be fixed to the connecting portion 33 by two nuts, one above and one below.

[0029] As described above, the connecting part 33 is also inserted into the second connecting hole 323 of the second support part 32. In the connecting part 33, a nut is screwed onto a thread located on the upper side of the second connecting hole 323, and the nut limits the upward relative movement of the second support part 32 with respect to the connecting part 33. Note that a nut may also be screwed onto the connecting part 33 on the lower side of the second connecting hole 323, and the second support part 32 may be fixed to the connecting part 33 by two nuts, one above and one below.

[0030] In this manner, the connecting portion 33 connects the first support portion 31 and the second support portion 32. As described above, the lower end of the needle handle 22 of each acupuncture needle 2 is in contact with the upper end surface 317 of the first support portion 31, and the upper end portion of the needle handle 22 of each acupuncture needle 2 is in contact with the lower surface of the second support portion 32. That is, the needle handles 22 of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 are held by the first support portion 31 and the second support portion 32 connected by the connecting portion 33. Specifically, the needle handles 22 of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 are clamped in the vertical direction by the first support portion 31 and the second support portion 32.

[0031] A needle handle fixing part 321 is provided on the underside of the second support part 32. The needle handle fixing part 321 comes into contact with the upper ends of the needle handles 22 of the multiple acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 and restricts the movement of these upper ends in the horizontal direction (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction), thereby approximately fixing the positions of these upper ends in a plan view. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the needle handle fixing part 321 is a plurality of (e.g., eight) recesses 322 recessed upward and provided on the underside of the second support part 32. The upper ends of the needle handles 22 of the multiple acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 are inserted into the recesses 322, respectively, thereby fixing the positions of these upper ends in a plan view.

[0032] The structure of the needle handle fixing part 321 may be modified in various ways. For example, the needle handle fixing part 321 may be a substantially planar contact surface formed on the lower surface of the second support part 32 by a resin having adhesiveness such as silicone or an adhesive, etc., and may contact the upper ends of the needle handles 22 of the acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 to fix the positions of these upper ends in a planar view. Alternatively, the needle handle fixing part 321 may be a plurality of through holes that penetrate the second support part 32 in the vertical direction. In this case, the needle handles 22 of the acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 are lightly pressed into the plurality of through holes, respectively, so that the upper parts of the needle handles 22 come into contact with the second support part 32, and the positions of the upper ends of the needle handles 22 in a planar view are fixed. The same applies to the needle handle fixing part 321a described later.

[0033] The operating portion 34 is a member that extends upward from the second support portion 32 and protrudes above the upper surface 51 of the holder 5. The operating portion 34 includes an operating shaft 341 and a flange portion 342. The operating shaft 341 is a rod-shaped (i.e., columnar or tubular) member that extends in the vertical direction and extends upward from the second support portion 32. The operating shaft 341 is inserted from below into a through hole 52 provided at the upper end portion of the holder 5 and protrudes upward from the upper surface 51 of the holder 5. The operating shaft 341 is, for example, a substantially cylindrical member and is provided with a screw thread (not shown) at a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction. The material of the operating shaft 341 and the flange portion 342 is not limited, but is, for example, resin or metal. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the operating shaft 341 and the connecting portion 33 are the upper and lower parts of a single substantially cylindrical member that extends in the vertical direction. In other words, the lower end of the operating portion 34 is continuous with the upper end of the connecting portion 33 .

[0034] In the acupuncture needle holder 1, a minute gap is provided between the outer surface of the operating shaft 341 and the holder 5 at the through hole 52, and the operating part 34 can move vertically relative to the holder 5. When the operating part 34 moves vertically, the connecting part 33, the first support part 31, the second support part 32 and the multiple acupuncture needles 2 also move vertically together with the operating part 34.

[0035] The flange portion 342 is attached to the operating shaft 341 above the upper surface 51 of the holder 5. The flange portion 342 is a substantially annular member that spreads out substantially horizontally from the operating shaft 341 at a position spaced upward from the upper surface 51 of the holder 5. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the flange portion 342 is a nut that screws into the threads of the operating shaft 341. The attachment position of the flange portion 342 with respect to the operating shaft 341 can be changed in the vertical direction. Note that the flange portion 342 is not limited to a nut, and may have another structure.

[0036] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the elastic member 4 is a helical spring that extends in the vertical direction around the operating shaft 341 above the upper surface 51 of the holder 5. In FIG. 1, the vertical section of the elastic member 4 is depicted in a schematic rectangular shape. The same is true in other drawings. The lower end of the elastic member 4 is in contact with the upper surface 51 of the holder 5, and the upper end of the elastic member 4 is in contact with the lower surface of the flange portion 342 of the operating part 34. In the state shown in FIG. 1, the elastic member 4 is hardly elastically deformed (i.e., is not substantially compressed or stretched), and the vertical length of the elastic member 4 is approximately its natural length. In addition, in the state shown in FIG. 1, the entirety of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 is housed inside the holder 5, and the lower end portions (i.e., the tip portions) of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 do not protrude downward from the holder 5. The lower ends of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 are located above the lower end of the holder 5.

[0037] When the acupuncture needle assembly 6 is used, first, the lower end of the holder 5 of the acupuncture needle assembly 6 in the state shown in FIG. 1 is brought into contact with the skin of the patient. Next, the practitioner touches the upper end of the operation part 34 with a fingertip or the like, and pushes the operation part 34 toward the upper surface 51 of the holder 5, thereby pushing down the operation part 34 and indirectly pushing down the second support part 32 connected to the operation part 34. When the second support part 32 is pushed down, as shown in FIG. 3, the connecting part 33, the first support part 31, and the multiple acupuncture needles 2 move downward relative to the holder 5 together with the second support part 32. As a result, the lower ends of the needle bodies 21 of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 protrude downward from the lower end of the holder 5 and are inserted into the skin of the patient.

[0038] As described above, the first support part 31 is a covered cylindrical member having a side wall extending in the vertical direction. When the acupuncture needles 2 move downward relative to the holder 5, the outer surface of the side wall of the first support part 31 moves smoothly downward relative to the holder 5 along the inner surface of the holder 5. This prevents the acupuncture needles 2 inserted into the needle body insertion holes 312 of the first support part 31 from shaking horizontally (i.e., changing in position) when moving downward.

[0039] As described above, the needle body insertion holes 312 of the first support part 31 are arranged in a non-linear manner in a plan view. Therefore, the acupuncture needles 2 are also arranged in a non-linear manner in a plan view, and the acupuncture needles 2 are inserted into the skin of the patient to perform a so-called planar treatment.

[0040] In the state shown in FIG. 3, the elastic member 4 is compressed in the vertical direction between the flange portion 342 of the depressed operating portion 34 and the upper surface 51 of the holder 5. That is, the elastic member 4 is elastically deformed in the vertical direction around the operating shaft 341 by the vertical relative movement of the operating portion 34 with respect to the holder 5. From another point of view, the elastic member 4 is elastically deformed in the vertical direction with the vertical relative movement of the second support portion 32 with respect to the holder 5. The amount of depression of the operating portion 34 is limited by the elastic member 4. In other words, when the elastic member 4 is compressed to a certain extent, the operating portion 34 cannot move further downward. This makes it possible to limit the amount of protrusion of the lower ends of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 from the holder 5 (i.e., the amount of insertion of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 into the patient) to a predetermined length.

[0041] When the practitioner moves his / her fingertip or the like away from the operating part 34 and the downward force on the operating part 34 (i.e., the indirect downward force on the second support part 32) is released, the compressed elastic member 4 expands vertically due to its own restoring force, and the operating part 34 moves upward from the pressed-down state shown in FIG. 3 relative to the holder 5 and returns to the state shown in FIG. 1. When the operating part 34 moves upward, the second support part 32 connected to the operating part 34 also moves upward from the pressed-down state, and the multiple acupuncture needles 2, the first support part 31, and the connecting part 33 also move upward relative to the holder 5 together with the second support part 32. As a result, the lower ends of the needle bodies 21 of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 come out of the skin of the patient and are housed inside the holder 5 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0042] The practitioner may, for example, repeatedly press down and release the pressing force of the operation unit 34 by lightly tapping the upper end of the operation unit 34 with a fingertip or the like. This allows the practitioner to perform single insertion techniques (i.e., a technique in which an acupuncture needle is inserted to a desired depth and immediately removed) using multiple acupuncture needles 2 in succession.

[0043] In the acupuncture needle assembly 6, the amount of protrusion of the acupuncture needles 2 from the holder 5 when the operation unit 34 is pressed down can be changed by changing the vertical position (i.e., the mounting position) of the flange portion 342 relative to the operation shaft 341. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when the mounting position of the flange portion 342 relative to the operation shaft 341 is moved upward from the position shown in FIG. 1, the relative position of the acupuncture needles 2 relative to the holder 5 moves downward. As a result, when the operation unit 34 is pressed down as shown in FIG. 5, the amount of protrusion of the acupuncture needles 2 from the holder 5 becomes larger than the amount of protrusion shown in FIG. 3, and the amount of insertion (i.e., the insertion depth) of the acupuncture needles 2 into the patient also becomes larger. In the state shown in FIG. 4, the elastic member 4 is hardly elastically deformed, similar to the state shown in FIG. 1. Conversely, if it is desired to reduce the amount by which the multiple acupuncture needles 2 protrude from the holder 5, the relative mounting position of the flange portion 342 to the operating shaft 341 is moved downward from the position shown in Figure 1, and the relative positions of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 to the holder 5 are moved upward.

[0044] In the acupuncture needle assembly 6 illustrated in FIG. 1, it is preferable to use disposable acupuncture needles as the acupuncture needles 2. In this case, the used acupuncture needles 2 are removed from the acupuncture needle holder 1 and replaced with unused acupuncture needles 2. When replacing the acupuncture needles 2, for example, the flange portion 342 is removed from the operating shaft 341, and the operating shaft 341, the connecting portion 33, the first support portion 31, the second support portion 32, and the acupuncture needles 2 are pulled out from the opening 53 at the lower end of the holder 5 to the outside. Next, the upper nut of the second support portion 32 is removed, and the second support portion 32 is moved upward to be removed from the connecting portion 33 and the operating shaft 341. Next, the acupuncture needles 2 are pulled out upward from the needle body insertion holes 312 of the first support portion 31 and discarded.

[0045] Then, new acupuncture needles 2 are inserted from above into the needle body insertion holes 312 of the first support part 31. Then, the second support part 32 is attached to the connecting part 33, so that the new acupuncture needles 2 are clamped between the first support part 31 and the second support part 32. Furthermore, the first support part 31, the second support part 32, the new acupuncture needles 2, the connecting part 33 and the operation shaft 341 are inserted into the inside of the holder 5 from the opening 53 at the lower end of the holder 5, and the elastic member 4 and the flange part 342 are attached to the operation shaft 341 protruding from the upper surface 51 of the holder 5, thereby completing the assembly of the acupuncture needle assembly 6. The replacement of the acupuncture needles 2 in the acupuncture needle assembly 6 may be performed by other methods.

[0046] The above-mentioned elastic member 4 is not necessarily provided in the acupuncture needle holder 1. When the elastic member 4 is omitted from the acupuncture needle holder 1, the practitioner can remove the multiple acupuncture needles 2 inserted into the patient by, for example, pinching the upper end portion of the depressed operating part 34 and pulling it up (i.e., moving it upward relative to the holder 5).

[0047] In addition, the acupuncture needle holder 1 does not necessarily need to be provided with the above-mentioned operation unit 34. For example, when the upper end of the holder 5 is open and the upper part of the second support part 32 protrudes upward from the upper end of the holder 5, the practitioner may directly press down the second support part 32 by touching the upper part of the second support part 32 with a fingertip or the like. Even in this case, when the second support part 32 is pressed down, the lower end part of the needle body 21 of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 protrudes downward from the lower end of the holder 5 in the same manner as described above. In addition, in the acupuncture needle holder 1, the entire second support part 32 may be disposed above the upper end of the holder 5 (i.e., outside the holder 5). In addition, the upper parts of the needle handles 22 and the connecting part 33 of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 may also be disposed above the upper end of the holder 5.

[0048] As described above, the acupuncture needle holder 1 includes the first support part 31, the second support part 32, the connecting part 33, and the holder 5. The first support part 31 has a plurality of needle body insertion holes 312 into which the needle bodies 21 of the acupuncture needles 2 extending in the vertical direction are inserted. In the first support part 31, the lower ends of the needle handles 22 of the acupuncture needles 2 protrude downward from the first support part 31 while the lower ends of the needle handles 22 of the acupuncture needles 2 contact the periphery of the needle body insertion holes 312 at the upper ends of the needle body insertion holes 312. The second support part 32 is disposed above the first support part 31 and contacts the upper parts of the needle handles 22 of the acupuncture needles 2. The connecting part 33 connects the first support part 31 and the second support part 32, and the needle handles 22 of the acupuncture needles 2 are held by the first support part 31 and the second support part 32. The holder 5 is tubular and extends in the vertical direction, with a lower end having an opening 53. The holder 5 holds the first support portion 31 therein so as to be slidable in the vertical direction.

[0049] In the acupuncture / moxibustion needle holder 1, when the practitioner indirectly or directly presses down the second support part 32, the multiple acupuncture / moxibustion needles 2, the first support part 31 and the connecting part 33 move downward relative to the holder 5, and the lower ends of the needle bodies 21 of the multiple acupuncture / moxibustion needles 2 protrude downward from the lower end of the holder 5. When the second support part 32 moves upward from the pressed-down state, the multiple acupuncture / moxibustion needles 2, the first support part 31 and the connecting part 33 move upward relative to the holder 5, and the lower ends of the needle bodies 21 of the multiple acupuncture / moxibustion needles 2 are accommodated inside the holder 5.

[0050] In the acupuncture needle holder 1, the above-mentioned structure allows the downward force applied to the second support part 32 by the practitioner to be applied approximately evenly to the needle handles 22 of the multiple acupuncture needles 2. Therefore, the multiple acupuncture needles 2 can be inserted into the subject approximately simultaneously and approximately evenly, and the insertion amount of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 into the subject can be approximately the same. In addition, by bringing the lower end of the holder 5 into contact with the periphery of the site where the multiple acupuncture needles 2 are to be inserted before the multiple acupuncture needles 2 are inserted, the tactile stimulation felt by the subject is dispersed from the site, and the pain felt when the multiple acupuncture needles 2 are inserted can be reduced. Furthermore, by adjusting the amount of protrusion of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 from the holder 5, the multiple acupuncture needles 2 can be inserted into the skin of the subject by the desired amount while suppressing the influence of the practitioner's skill.

[0051] As described above, the acupuncture needle holder 1 preferably further includes an elastic member 4 that elastically deforms in the vertical direction due to the vertical relative movement of the second support part 32 with respect to the holder 5. The elastic member 4 elastically deforms when the second support part 32 is pressed down. In addition, when the pressing force on the second support part 32 is released, the second support part 32 moves upward from the pressed-down state due to the restoring force of the elastic member 4. Therefore, when the practitioner releases the fingertip or the like that indirectly or directly presses down the second support part 32, the multiple acupuncture needles 2 automatically come out of the skin of the treated person and are stored inside the holder 5. For this reason, the treatment of repeatedly inserting the multiple acupuncture needles 2 into a predetermined site can be easily performed. In addition, when the position of the acupuncture needle assembly 6 is shifted to change the insertion position of the acupuncture needles 2, the multiple acupuncture needles 2 can be prevented from touching the skin of the treated person. As a result, the acupuncture needle assembly 6 can be moved safely.

[0052] As described above, the number of the acupuncture needles 2 is three or more, and it is preferable that the acupuncture needles 2 are arranged in a non-linear manner in a planar view. This allows the acupuncture needles 2 to be inserted into the skin of the patient, thereby performing a so-called planar treatment. As a result, the effectiveness of the treatment can be improved.

[0053] As described above, the part of the first support part 31 where the multiple needle body insertion holes 312 are provided (the upper part 311 of the first support part 31 in the above example) is preferably flat and perpendicular to the up-down direction. This shortens the length of the needle body insertion hole 312 in the up-down direction, making it easier to insert the acupuncture needle 2 into the needle body insertion hole 312. In addition, when the first support part 31 is disinfected, the inside of the needle body insertion hole 312 can be disinfected easily.

[0054] As described above, it is preferable that the inner and outer circumferential edges of the lower end of the holder 5 are chamfered. This can improve the feel of the lower end of the holder 5 on the skin. Therefore, when the holder 5 is brought into contact with the skin of the person to be treated, it is possible to prevent the person to be treated from feeling pain due to the contact.

[0055] As described above, the second support part 32 preferably includes a needle handle fixing part 321 that fixes the positions of the upper ends of the needle handles 22 of the multiple acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 in a plan view. This allows the multiple acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 to be preferably fixed in a state substantially parallel to each other. As a result, the multiple acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 can be preferably inserted simultaneously into the patient.

[0056] As described above, it is preferable that the acupuncture needle holder 1 further includes an operation part 34 that extends upward from the second support part 32 and protrudes above the upper surface 51 of the holder 5. This allows the practitioner to easily press down the second support part 32. In other words, the acupuncture needle holder 1 and the acupuncture needle assembly 6 can be easily operated.

[0057] As described above, the operation unit 34 preferably includes a rod-shaped operation shaft 341 and a flange portion 342. The operation shaft 341 extends upward from the second support portion 32 and is inserted into a through hole 52 provided at the upper end of the holder 5. The flange portion 342 is attached to the operation shaft 341 above the holder 5. The lower end of the elastic member 4 contacts the upper surface 51 of the holder 5, and the upper end of the elastic member 4 contacts the lower surface of the flange portion 342. It is preferable that the protruding amount of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 from the holder 5 when the operation unit 34 is pressed down is changed by changing the vertical position of the flange portion 342 relative to the operation shaft 341. This makes it possible to easily adjust the insertion amount of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 into the patient.

[0058] The acupuncture needle assembly 6 includes the above-mentioned acupuncture needle holder 1 and a plurality of acupuncture needles 2 held by the acupuncture needle holder 1. This allows the acupuncture needles 2 to be inserted into the subject approximately simultaneously and approximately evenly, as described above.

[0059] Next, an acupuncture needle assembly 6a including an acupuncture needle holder 1a according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the acupuncture needle assembly 6a. Fig. 6 also shows a part of the configuration behind the cross-section. The acupuncture needle assembly 6a includes the above-mentioned multiple acupuncture needles 2 and an acupuncture needle holder 1a having a different shape from the acupuncture needle holder 1. The acupuncture needle holder 1a is substantially cylindrical and extends substantially parallel in the vertical direction, and is an instrument that holds multiple acupuncture needles 2 each extending in the vertical direction, similar to the acupuncture needle holder 1.

[0060] The acupuncture needle holder 1a includes a first support part 31a, a second support part 32a, a connecting part 33, an operating part 34, an elastic member 4, and a holder 5a. The first support part 31a, the second support part 32a, and the holder 5a of the acupuncture needle holder 1a have different shapes from the first support part 31, the second support part 32, and the holder 5 of the acupuncture needle holder 1, respectively, but have the same functions. The connecting part 33, the operating part 34, and the elastic member 4 of the acupuncture needle holder 1a are approximately the same shapes as the corresponding members of the acupuncture needle holder 1, respectively, and have the same functions, so they are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0061] The holder 5a is generally cylindrical, extending in the vertical direction and having an opening 53a at the lower end. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the holder 5a is generally cylindrical with a lid, and the cross-sectional shape of the holder 5a perpendicular to the vertical direction is generally circular. The upper surface 51a of the holder 5a is generally circular and perpendicular to the vertical direction, and a through hole 52a into which the operation shaft 341 of the operation unit 34 is inserted is provided in the center. The multiple acupuncture needles 2, the first support part 31a, the second support part 32a, and the connecting part 33 are held inside the holder 5a so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The holder 5a extends below the lower ends (i.e., the tips) of the multiple acupuncture needles 2.

[0062] From the viewpoint of improving the feel of the lower end of the holder 5a, it is preferable that the inner and outer peripheral edges of the lower end of the holder 5a have a chamfered shape (for example, a rounded chamfered shape or a lightly chamfered shape) similar to the above-mentioned holder 5. It is more preferable that the vertical cross section of the lower end of the holder 5a has a substantially semicircular shape. The material, color, etc. of the holder 5a may be appropriately determined similar to the above-mentioned holder 5.

[0063] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the first support part 31a. In the example shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the first support part 31a is a substantially cylindrical member extending substantially parallel to the vertical direction, and the cross-sectional shape of the first support part 31a perpendicular to the vertical direction is substantially circular. The first support part 31a is a substantially solid member except for the first connecting hole 313a, the multiple recesses 314a, and the multiple needle body insertion holes 312a described later. In a plan view, the outer surface of the first support part 31a is slightly smaller than the inner surface of the holder 5a, and as shown in FIG. 6, there is a minute gap between the outer surface of the first support part 31a and the inner surface of the holder 5a. The material of the first support part 31a may be appropriately determined, similar to the first support part 31 described above.

[0064] 6 and 7, a first connecting hole 313a into which the connecting part 33 is inserted and attached is provided in the center of the first support part 31a. The first connecting hole 313a is a through hole that extends substantially parallel in the vertical direction from an upper end surface 317a of the first support part 31a to a lower end surface 318a. A cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction of the first connecting hole 313a is, for example, substantially circular, and the shape of the cross section is substantially the same at any position in the vertical direction.

[0065] A plurality of (e.g., nine) recesses 314a are provided on the upper end surface 317a of the first support portion 31a so as to surround the periphery of the first connecting hole 313a. The recesses 314a are arranged in the circumferential direction at approximately equal angular intervals on the same circumference approximately centered on the first connecting hole 313a. Each recess 314a is a depression that is recessed downward from the upper end surface 317a of the first support portion 31a to a predetermined depth in the vertical direction approximately parallel to the upper end surface 317a of the first support portion 31a. The depth of each recess 314a (i.e., the vertical distance between the upper end surface 317a of the first support portion 31a and the bottom surface 315a of the recess 314a) is smaller than the vertical height of the first support portion 31a. In other words, the bottom surface 315a (ie, the lower end surface) of each recess 314a is located below the upper end surface 317a of the first support portion 31a and above the lower end surface 318a of the first support portion 31a.

[0066] The depth and shape in plan view of the multiple recesses 314a are substantially the same. The cross section of the recesses 314a perpendicular to the up-down direction is, for example, substantially circular, and the shape of the cross section is substantially the same at any position in the up-down direction. The diameter of the recesses 314a in plan view is smaller than the diameter of the first connecting hole 313a in plan view. The diameter of each recess 314a in plan view may be larger than or the same as the diameter of the first connecting hole 313a in plan view.

[0067] In the first support part 31a, a plurality of needle body insertion holes 312a are provided, each extending downward from the bottom surface 315a of the plurality of recesses 314a. Each needle body insertion hole 312a is a through hole extending from the bottom surface 315a of the recess 314a in a substantially parallel manner in the vertical direction to the lower end surface 318a of the first support part 31a. The upper end of each needle body insertion hole 312a is located on the bottom surface 315a of the recess 314a. In the example shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, a plurality of (e.g., nine) needle body insertion holes 312a are arranged in the circumferential direction at substantially equal angular intervals on the same circumference with the first connecting hole 313a as the approximate center.

[0068] The number and arrangement of the multiple recesses 314a and multiple needle body insertion holes 312a are not limited to the above example and may be changed in various ways. The number of the multiple recesses 314a may be two, or three or more. The number of the multiple needle body insertion holes 312a may be two, or three or more. When the number of the multiple needle body insertion holes 312a is three or more, it is preferable that the multiple needle body insertion holes 312a are arranged in a non-linear manner (i.e., in a planar shape) in a planar view. The same applies to the multiple recesses 314a.

[0069] The needle body insertion holes 312a are each substantially circular in plan view, and are substantially the same as each other. The cross section of the needle body insertion hole 312a perpendicular to the vertical direction is, for example, substantially circular, and the shape of the cross section is substantially the same at any position in the vertical direction. The diameter of the needle body insertion hole 312a in plan view is smaller than the diameter of the recess 314a in plan view. The needle body insertion hole 312a is disposed substantially at the center of the bottom surface 315a of the recess 314a in plan view. That is, the shape of the bottom surface 315a of the recess 314a in plan view is substantially annular with the needle body insertion hole 312a as the center. The bottom surface 315a of the recess 314a may be a plane substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction, or may be a mortar-shaped inclined surface that goes upward as it goes outward in the radial direction centered on the needle body insertion hole 312a.

[0070] In each needle body insertion hole 312a of the first support part 31a, one acupuncture needle 2 extending in the vertical direction is inserted from above. As a result, a plurality of (for example, nine) acupuncture needles 2 are arranged in the circumferential direction at approximately equal angular intervals on the same circumference with the first connecting hole 313a as the approximate center. The needle body 21 of each acupuncture needle 2 is inserted from above into the needle body insertion hole 312a, and the lower end of the needle body 21 protrudes downward from the lower end surface 318a of the first support part 31a. In addition, the lower end of the needle handle 22 is located in the recess 314a of the first support part 31a, and the lower end of the needle handle 22 contacts the area around the needle body insertion hole 312a on the bottom surface 315a of the recess 314a. In other words, the lower end of the needle handle 22 contacts the area around the needle body insertion hole 312a at the upper end of the needle body insertion hole 312a.

[0071] The diameter of the recess 314a in plan view is slightly larger than the diameter of the needle handle 22 in plan view. When the acupuncture needle 2 with the needle body 21 inserted into the needle body insertion hole 312a tilts slightly, the lower end of the needle handle 22 comes into contact with the upper edge of the recess 314a, etc., and the acupuncture needle 2 is supported by the first support part 31a so as not to tilt any further. Alternatively, the diameter of the recess 314a in plan view may be approximately the same as the diameter of the needle handle 22 in plan view. In this case, the lower end of the needle handle 22 accommodated in the recess 314a comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the recess 314a, etc., and the acupuncture needle 2 is supported (i.e., held) by the first support part 31a so as not to tilt.

[0072] The second support part 32a is a member disposed above the first support part 31a, similar to the second support part 32 of the acupuncture needle holder 1, and is connected to the first support part 31a by the connecting part 33. A second connecting hole 323a into which the connecting part 33 is inserted is provided in the center of the second support part 32a. The material of the second support part 32a may be appropriately determined, similar to the second support part 32 described above. The shape of the second support part 32a in a plan view is a substantially circular shape slightly smaller than the inner surface of the holder 5a, and there is a minute gap between the outer surface of the second support part 32a and the inner surface of the holder 5a.

[0073] The second support part 32a connected to the first support part 31a contacts the upper part of the needle handle 22 of the multiple acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the second support part 32a is a substantially flat plate-shaped member that is substantially vertical in the up-down direction, and the lower surface of the second support part 32a contacts from above the upper end part of the needle handle 22 of the multiple acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2. As a result, the needle handle 22 of the multiple acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 is clamped (i.e., held) in the up-down direction by the first support part 31a and the second support part 32a between the bottom surface 315a of the recess 314a of the first support part 31a and the lower surface of the second support part 32a.

[0074] A needle handle fixing part 321a is provided on the underside of the second support part 32a. As with the above-mentioned needle handle fixing part 321, the needle handle fixing part 321a comes into contact with the upper ends of the needle handles 22 of the acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 and restricts the horizontal movement of these upper ends, thereby approximately fixing the positions of these upper ends in a plan view. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the needle handle fixing part 321a is a plurality of (e.g., nine) recesses 322a recessed upward and provided on the underside of the second support part 32. The upper ends of the needle handles 22 of the acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 are inserted into the recesses 322a, respectively, thereby fixing the positions of these upper ends in a plan view.

[0075] As described above, the connecting portion 33, the operating portion 34, and the elastic member 4 of the acupuncture needle holder 1a have the same structures as the corresponding members of the acupuncture needle holder 1. In addition, the method of using the acupuncture needle assembly 6a (i.e., the method of use during treatment and the method of replacing the acupuncture needles 2, etc.) is the same as the method of using the acupuncture needle assembly 6 described above.

[0076] As described above, the acupuncture needle holder 1a includes the first support portion 31a, the second support portion 32a, the connecting portion 33, and the holder 5a. The first support portion 31a has a plurality of needle body insertion holes 312a into which the needle bodies 21 of the acupuncture needles 2 extending in the vertical direction are inserted. In the first support portion 31a, the lower ends of the needle handles 22 of the acupuncture needles 2 contact the periphery of the needle body insertion holes 312a at the upper ends of the needle body insertion holes 312a, and the lower ends of the needle bodies 21 of the acupuncture needles 2 protrude downward from the first support portion 31a. The second support portion 32a is disposed above the first support portion 31a and contacts the upper portions of the needle handles 22 of the acupuncture needles 2. The connecting portion 33 connects the first support portion 31a and the second support portion 32a, and the needle handles 22 of the acupuncture needles 2 are held by the first support portion 31a and the second support portion 32a. The holder 5a is cylindrical and extends vertically with an opening 53a at the lower end. The holder 5a holds the first support portion 31a inside so that it can slide vertically.

[0077] In the acupuncture / moxibustion needle holder 1a, similarly to the acupuncture / moxibustion needle holder 1, when the practitioner indirectly or directly presses down the second support part 32a, the multiple acupuncture / moxibustion needles 2, the first support part 31a and the connecting part 33 move downward relative to the holder 5a, and the lower ends of the needle bodies 21 of the multiple acupuncture / moxibustion needles 2 protrude downward from the lower end of the holder 5a. When the second support part 32a moves upward from the pressed-down state, the multiple acupuncture / moxibustion needles 2, the first support part 31a and the connecting part 33 move upward relative to the holder 5a, and the lower ends of the needle bodies 21 of the multiple acupuncture / moxibustion needles 2 are accommodated inside the holder 5a.

[0078] In the acupuncture needle holder 1a, the downward force applied to the second support part 32a by the practitioner is applied substantially uniformly to the needle handles 22 of the multiple acupuncture needles 2, in a manner similar to that of the acupuncture needle holder 1. Therefore, the multiple acupuncture needles 2 can be inserted into the subject substantially simultaneously and substantially uniformly, and the insertion amount of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 into the subject can be substantially the same. Furthermore, by bringing the lower end of the holder 5a into contact with the periphery of the site where the multiple acupuncture needles 2 are to be inserted before the multiple acupuncture needles 2 are inserted, the tactile stimulation felt by the subject is dispersed from the site, and the pain felt when the multiple acupuncture needles 2 are inserted can be reduced. Furthermore, by adjusting the amount of protrusion of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 from the holder 5a, the multiple acupuncture needles 2 can be inserted into the skin of the subject by the desired amount while suppressing the influence of the practitioner's skill.

[0079] As described above, in the acupuncture needle holder 1a, the holder 5a is cylindrical, which can prevent the corners at the lower end of the holder 5a from coming into contact with the skin of the person to be treated and causing pain.

[0080] As described above, in the acupuncture needle holder 1a, the multiple needle body insertion holes 312a extend downward from the bottom surfaces 315a of the multiple recesses 314a that are recessed downward from the upper end surface 317a of the first support portion 31a. The lower ends of the needle handles 22 of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 are located in the multiple recesses 314a. The lower ends of the needle handles 22 of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 contact the periphery of the multiple needle body insertion holes 312a at the bottom surfaces 315a of the multiple recesses 314a. In the acupuncture needle holder 1a, the lower end of the needle handle 22 is supported by the surrounding area of ​​the recesses 314a of the first support portion 31a, so that before the second support portion 32a is attached to the connecting portion 33, the acupuncture needle 2 with the needle body 21 inserted into the needle body insertion hole 312a can be prevented from tilting. Therefore, when the second support part 32a is attached to the connecting part 33 and the needle handle 22 is clamped between the first support part 31a and the second support part 32a, the upper ends of the acupuncture needles 2 can be easily aligned with the second support part 32a. As a result, the acupuncture needle assembly 6a can be easily assembled.

[0081] In the acupuncture needle holder 1a, the needle body insertion hole 312a preferably extends from the bottom surface 315a of the recess 314a to the lower end surface 318a of the first support part 31a. By making the needle body insertion hole 312a a relatively long through hole, the acupuncture needle 2 with the needle body 21 inserted in the needle body insertion hole 312a can be further prevented from tilting before the second support part 32a is attached to the connecting part 33. As a result, the assembly of the acupuncture needle assembly 6a can be further facilitated.

[0082] As described above, the second support part 32a preferably includes a needle handle fixing part 321a that fixes the positions of the upper ends of the needle handles 22 of the multiple acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 in a plan view. This allows the multiple acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 to be preferably fixed in a state substantially parallel to each other. As a result, the multiple acupuncture and moxibustion needles 2 can be preferably inserted simultaneously into the patient.

[0083] The acupuncture needle holder 1a preferably further includes an elastic member 4 that is elastically deformed in the vertical direction by the vertical relative movement of the second support part 32a with respect to the holder 5a, similarly to the acupuncture needle holder 1. The elastic member 4 is elastically deformed when the second support part 32a is pressed down. When the pressing force on the second support part 32a is released, the second support part 32a moves upward from the pressed down state due to the restoring force of the elastic member 4. Therefore, when the practitioner releases the fingertip or the like that indirectly or directly presses down the second support part 32a, the multiple acupuncture needles 2 automatically come out of the skin of the treated person and are stored inside the holder 5a. This makes it easy to perform a treatment in which the multiple acupuncture needles 2 are repeatedly inserted into a predetermined site. In addition, when the position of the acupuncture needle assembly 6a is shifted to change the insertion position of the acupuncture needles 2, the multiple acupuncture needles 2 can be prevented from touching the skin of the treated person. As a result, the acupuncture needle assembly 6a can be moved safely.

[0084] In the acupuncture needle holder 1a, the number of acupuncture needles 2 is three or more, and it is preferable that the acupuncture needles 2 are arranged in a non-linear manner in a planar view. This allows the acupuncture needles 2 to be inserted into the skin of the patient, thereby performing a so-called planar treatment. As a result, the effectiveness of the treatment can be improved.

[0085] In the acupuncture needle holder 1a, the inner and outer circumferential edges of the lower end of the holder 5a are preferably chamfered, similarly to the acupuncture needle holder 1. This improves the feel of the lower end of the holder 5a on the skin. Therefore, when the holder 5a is brought into contact with the skin of the person to be treated, the person to be treated can be prevented from feeling pain due to the contact.

[0086] It is preferable that the acupuncture needle holder 1a further includes an operating part 34 that extends upward from the second support part 32a and protrudes above the upper surface 51a of the holder 5a, similarly to the acupuncture needle holder 1. This allows the practitioner to easily press down the second support part 32a. In other words, it is possible to easily operate the acupuncture needle holder 1a and the acupuncture needle assembly 6a.

[0087] In the acupuncture needle holder 1a, the operating part 34 preferably includes a rod-shaped operating shaft 341 and a flange part 342, similarly to the acupuncture needle holder 1. The operating shaft 341 extends upward from the second support part 32a and is inserted into a through hole 52a provided at the upper end of the holder 5a. The flange part 342 is attached to the operating shaft 341 above the holder 5a. The lower end of the elastic member 4 contacts the upper surface 51a of the holder 5, and the upper end of the elastic member 4 contacts the lower surface of the flange part 342. It is preferable that the protruding amount of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 from the holder 5a when the operating part 34 is pressed down is changed by changing the vertical position of the flange part 342 relative to the operating shaft 341. This makes it possible to easily adjust the insertion amount of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 into the patient.

[0088] The acupuncture needle assembly 6a includes the above-mentioned acupuncture needle holder 1a and a plurality of acupuncture needles 2 held by the acupuncture needle holder 1a. As a result, as described above, the plurality of acupuncture needles 2 can be inserted into the subject at approximately the same time and approximately evenly.

[0089] The above-mentioned acupuncture needle holders 1, 1a and acupuncture needle assemblies 6, 6a can be modified in various ways.

[0090] In the acupuncture needle holder 1, 1a, the shape of the holder 5, 5a is not necessarily limited to a rectangular tube or a cylindrical shape, and may be variously modified as long as it is a generally cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction and having an opening 53, 53a at the lower end. For example, the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the vertical direction of the holder 5, 5a may be a hexagon, octagon, ellipse, etc. In addition, the inner and outer peripheral edges of the lower end of the holder 5, 5a do not necessarily need to be chamfered.

[0091] In the acupuncture needle holder 1, 1a, a slit (i.e., a narrow gap) extending in the vertical direction may be provided on the side surface of the holder 5, 5a. The inner structure of the holder 5, 5a may be visible through the slit. The slit may be provided continuously from the upper end to the lower end of the holder 5, 5a, or may be provided only in a part of the holder 5, 5a in the vertical direction.

[0092] For example, the multiple acupuncture needles 2 do not necessarily need to be arranged in a non-linear manner, and may be arranged in an approximately linear manner. The number of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 is not limited to the above example, and may be appropriately changed within a range of 2 or more. From the viewpoint of performing planar treatment, the number of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 is preferably 3 or more. From the viewpoint of efficiently performing planar treatment, the number of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 is preferably 4 or more, more preferably 8 or more, and even more preferably 9 or more. For example, 12 acupuncture needles 2 may be arranged in a rectangular frame shape or a circumferential shape around the connecting portion 33.

[0093] The elastic member 4 does not necessarily need to be compressed when the operating unit 34 is pressed down, and may be stretched in the vertical direction. For example, the elastic member 4 may be disposed inside the holder 5, 5a, and the upper and lower ends of the elastic member 4 may be fixed to the lower surface of the upper end of the holder 5, 5a and the upper surface of the second support portion 32, 32a, respectively. In this case, when the operating unit 34 is pressed down, the elastic member 4 stretches in the vertical direction. Also, when the pressing force on the operating unit 34 is released, the stretched elastic member 4 contracts due to its own restoring force, and the operating unit 34 moves upward relative to the holder 5, 5a.

[0094] The shapes, structures, materials, etc. of the first support parts 31, 31a, the second support parts 32, 32a, the connecting part 33, the operating part 34, the elastic member 4, and the holders 5, 5a may be changed in various ways. For example, in the acupuncture needle holder 1, the upper part 311 of the first support part 31 may be thickened upward, and a recess similar to the recess 314a of the acupuncture needle holder 1a may be provided above each needle body insertion hole 312. In addition, the shapes of the holder 5, the first support part 31, and the second support part 32 in a plan view may be other shapes, such as a substantially circular shape. In the acupuncture needle holder 1a, the shapes of the holder 5a, the first support part 31a, and the second support part 32a in a plan view may be other shapes, such as a substantially rectangular shape. The first support portion 31, 31a of the acupuncture needle holder 1, 1a may have a protrusion protruding upward from the upper end surface 317, 317a at a part of the upper end surface 317, 317a. The first support portion 31, 31a may be made of, for example, polystyrene foam or the like, and may be disposable like the multiple acupuncture needles 2. The acupuncture needle holder 1, 1a may be used to hold multiple acupuncture needles 2 that are not disposable.

[0095] In the second support parts 32, 32a, the needle handle fixing parts 321, 321a do not necessarily have to be provided and may be omitted.

[0096] The elastic member 4 is not limited to a helical spring, and may be, for example, a resin tube spring having a bellows structure capable of elastically deforming in the vertical direction, or a leaf spring capable of elastically deforming in the vertical direction.

[0097] In the acupuncture needle assembly 6, 6a, the structure for adjusting the amount of protrusion of the multiple acupuncture needles 2 from the holders 5, 5a is not limited to the above example, and may be modified in various ways.

[0098] In the above example, the acupuncture needle assembly 6, 6a in which the acupuncture needles 2 are detachably attached to the acupuncture needle holder 1, 1a is described as being used while replacing the acupuncture needles 2, but the method of use and structure of the acupuncture needle assembly 6, 6a are not limited to this. For example, in the acupuncture needle assembly 6, 6a, the acupuncture needles 2 may be fixed to the acupuncture needle holder 1, 1a in an undetachable manner. In this case, the entire acupuncture needle assembly 6, 6a may be disposable, or the entire acupuncture needle assembly 6, 6a may be sterilized after each use and reused.

[0099] The configurations in the above-described embodiment and each of the modified examples may be combined as appropriate as long as they are not mutually inconsistent. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 1,1a Acupuncture needle holder 2. Acupuncture and Moxibustion Needles 4 Elastic member 5,5a Holder 6,6a Acupuncture needle assembly 21 Needle Body 22 Needle handle 31,31a 1st support part 32,32a 2nd support part 33 Connecting part 34 Control section 51, 51a (holder) top surface 52, 52a (holder) through hole 53, 53a (Lower end of holder) opening 312, 312a Needle insertion hole 314a (First support portion) recess 315a (of a recess) bottom surface 317, 317a (First support portion) upper end surface 321,321a Acupuncture handle fixing part 341 Operation axis 342 Flange part

Claims

1. Acupuncture needle holder, A first support portion having multiple through-holes into which the needle bodies of multiple acupuncture needles extending in the vertical direction are each inserted, with the lower ends of the needle handles of the multiple acupuncture needles in contact with the area around the multiple through-holes, and the lower ends of the needle bodies of the multiple acupuncture needles protruding downward, A second support portion is positioned above the first support portion and contacts the upper part of the needle handles of the plurality of acupuncture needles, A connecting portion that connects the first support portion and the second support portion, and holds the needle handles of the plurality of acupuncture needles by the first support portion and the second support portion, A holder that is cylindrical in shape, extending vertically and having an opening at its lower end, and that holds the first support portion inward so as to be slidable vertically, Equipped with, When the second support portion is indirectly or directly pressed down by the practitioner, the plurality of acupuncture needles, the first support portion, and the connecting portion move downward relative to the holder, and the lower ends of the needle bodies of the plurality of acupuncture needles protrude downward from the lower end of the holder. Acupuncture needle holder characterized in that when the second support portion moves upward from a depressed state, the plurality of acupuncture needles, the first support portion, and the connecting portion move upward relative to the holder, and the lower ends of the needle bodies of the plurality of acupuncture needles are housed inside the holder.

2. The acupuncture needle holder according to claim 1, The second support portion further comprises an elastic member that elastically deforms in the vertical direction due to relative vertical movement of the second support portion with respect to the holder, The elastic member undergoes elastic deformation when the second support portion is pushed down. An acupuncture needle holder characterized in that when the downward force applied to the second support portion is released, the second support portion moves upward from its downward-pressed state due to the restoring force of the elastic member.

3. An acupuncture needle holder according to claim 1 or 2, The acupuncture needle holder is characterized in that the portion of the first support part in which the plurality of through holes are provided is a flat plate shape perpendicular to the vertical direction.

4. An acupuncture needle holder according to claim 1 or 2, An acupuncture needle holder characterized in that the inner and outer edges of the lower end of the holder are chamfered.

5. An acupuncture needle holder according to claim 1 or 2, The acupuncture needle holder is characterized by having a cylindrical shape.

6. An acupuncture needle holder according to claim 1 or 2, The acupuncture needle holder is characterized in that the second support portion includes a needle handle fixing portion that fixes the position of the upper end of the needle handle of each of the plurality of acupuncture needles in a plan view.

7. An acupuncture needle holder according to claim 1 or 2, An acupuncture needle holder characterized by further comprising an operating portion that extends upward from the second support portion and protrudes above the upper surface of the holder.

8. The acupuncture needle holder according to claim 7, The aforementioned operating unit is A rod-shaped operating shaft extends upward from the second support portion and is inserted into a through hole provided at the upper end of the holder, A flange portion attached to the operating shaft above the holder, Equipped with, The lower end of the elastic member is in contact with the upper surface of the holder. The upper end of the elastic member is in contact with the lower surface of the flange portion. An acupuncture needle holder characterized in that the amount of protrusion of the plurality of acupuncture needles from the holder when the operating part is pushed down is changed by changing the vertical position of the flange portion with respect to the operating shaft.

9. An acupuncture needle holder according to claim 1 or 2, The number of acupuncture needles mentioned above is three or more. The acupuncture needle holder is characterized in that the plurality of acupuncture needles are arranged non-linearly in a plan view.

10. It is an acupuncture needle assembly, The acupuncture needle holder according to claim 1 or 2, Multiple acupuncture needles held by the acupuncture needle holder, An acupuncture needle assembly characterized by having the following features.

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