Automatic Acupuncture Device with Enclosed Needle Gadget
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing acupuncture devices are not portable, convenient, or safe for home use, often requiring complex operations and exposing needles, which limits their usability and safety.
Innovation Solution
A portable automatic acupuncture device with a motor or electromagnet-driven needle driver, a needle gadget with a tube to keep the needle enclosed, and a locking-releasing structure to ensure the needle remains inside during and after treatment, allowing for easy operation and safe needle handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual acupuncture devices with spring ejection are used, then needle insertion can be achieved, but the device cannot be attached on the body during treatment and requires manual operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical spring ejection system with an electromagnet-driven system. The electromagnet automatically activates to eject the needle upon electrical stimulation, eliminating the need for manual spring compression and operation. This substitution enables automatic needle insertion while maintaining relatively simple device structure through the use of a single electromagnet component.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to be attached on the patient's body during treatment, allowing it to provide continuous electrical stimulation and automatic needle ejection without requiring constant manual intervention. The body-attached design enables the device to serve itself by using the patient's body as part of the treatment system.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If needle is exposed outside of needle tube for insertion, then needle can be inserted into body, but needle may cause injury to people
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is pre-loaded into the needle tube in a safe, enclosed state before use. The electromagnet is pre-positioned to eject the needle only when electrical stimulation is applied. This preliminary preparation ensures that the needle remains hidden and safe during device attachment and operation setup, exposing it only at the precise moment of intended treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle tube serves as an intermediary protective barrier between the sharp needle and the external environment. The electromagnet acts as a controlled mediator that releases the needle from the tube only when activated by electrical stimulation. This intermediary system ensures needle safety while maintaining operational simplicity through automated control.
3Extent of automation
If mechanical arm acupuncture robot systems are used, then automatic acupuncture function can be realized, but the system is huge and not portable for home use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the acupuncture treatment function into separate modular components: a body-attached unit with electromagnet for automatic needle ejection, and a separate control system. This segmentation eliminates the need for large mechanical arms while maintaining automatic acupuncture functionality. Each component is compact and can be independently positioned on or near the patient's body.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using complex mechanical arm systems that physically move to different body locations, the invention uses multiple compact electromagnet units that can be attached directly to various body parts. Each unit replicates the automatic needle ejection function locally, eliminating the need for large-scale mechanical movement systems while achieving the same therapeutic effect.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If needle is kept enclosed in needle tube, then safety is improved, but needle insertion into body becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is extracted from the needle tube through controlled electromagnet activation. The electromagnet generates sufficient ejection force to overcome the needle's retention in the tube and propel it through the skin. This extraction mechanism maintains needle safety during storage and attachment while enabling effective insertion when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The electromagnet dynamically changes the force parameters to accommodate different needle insertion requirements. By adjusting the electrical current and pulse duration, the system can generate varying ejection forces suitable for different needle sizes, depths, and body locations, while maintaining the needle enclosed in the tube during non-active periods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device enables simple, safe, and effective acupuncture at home, with automatic operation, reduced risk of needle exposure, and the ability to perform lifting-thrusting and twisting-rotating manipulations, enhancing user convenience and safety.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnet that is configured to provide force to move a needle driver linearly after powered on
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic acupuncture device includes: a case; a motor or an electromagnet; a needle driver, configured to move linearly under the force of the motor or electromagnet to drive an acupuncture needle in a needle gadget into a human body, the needle gadget comprising a needle tube and an acupuncture needle inside the needle tube; a needle gadget chamber configured to house the needle gadget; and a locking-releasing structure that is configured to lock the needle gadget so that it will not fall out of the needle gadget chamber during acupuncture treatment, and also configured to release the needle gadget from the needle gadget chamber after acupuncture treatment. A needle gadget is provided for use with the acupuncture device, so that the acupuncture needle will not be exposed in air outside the needle tube before or after acupuncture. The acupuncture process is automatic, safe, without complicated manual operation.