Tattooing systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10052469-B2
Application number	US-201615275904-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2016
Priority date	Apr 30, 2013
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A tattooing apparatus including a needle having at least one tip. The needle is configured to move between a first position in which the tip is located above the surface of a skin, and a second position in which the tip is located at a penetration depth underneath the skin surface. The needle is further configured to deposit an ink between the skin surface and the penetration depth. The tattooing apparatus further includes a needle drive mechanism configured to move the needle between the first position and the second position. The tattooing apparatus includes a sensor configured to output a feedback signal corresponding to a skin thickness characteristic. The tattooing apparatus further includes a controller configured to receive the feedback signal, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the penetration depth based on the skin thickness characteristic.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of tattooing comprising: configuring a tattooing system with a setting corresponding to a layer of skin where an ink is to be deposited; causing a needle of the tattooing system to oscillate in and out of a skin at a penetration depth such that the needle deposits the ink into the layer of skin; causing an adjustment to the penetration depth in response to a feedback signal from a sensor of the tattooing system indicating a detected change in depth of the layer of skin from a surface of the skin such that the needle continues to deposit the ink into the layer of skin.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the setting includes a depth percentage within the layer of skin where the ink is to be deposited.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising causing the adjustment to the penetration depth in response to a detected change in a thickness of the layer of skin such that the needle continues to deposit the ink at the depth percentage within the layer of skin.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the setting includes a depth within the layer of skin where the ink is to be deposited.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer of skin is an epidermis layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer of skin is a dermis layer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the setting is provided wirelessly from a remote device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the tattooing system with the setting includes providing a selection of a template from a plurality of templates, wherein each of the plurality of templates includes an indication of at least the layer of skin.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing to the tattooing system a needle speed input, wherein the needle speed input controls an oscillation speed of the needle.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the setting corresponds to a temporary tattoo having a designated visibility duration and the layer of skin is an epidermis.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment to the penetration depth occurs after a set number of needle strokes.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment to the penetration depth occurs after a set period of time.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment to the penetration depth occurs prior to each needle oscillation into the skin.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting a distance traveled along the surface of the skin.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor measures at least one of skin conductivity and skin resistance.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment to the penetration depth occurs in response to the detected change in depth of the layer of skin exceeding a threshold.

17. A method of tattooing, comprising: transferring skin data from a sensor unit to a tattoo unit, wherein the skin data corresponds to depth and thickness measurements for at least one layer of a skin across an area to be tattooed, wherein the sensor unit creates the skin data by scanning the area to be tattooed with a sensor; providing a setting to the tattoo unit corresponding to a location within the skin where an ink is to be deposited; causing a needle of the tattoo unit to oscillate in and out of the skin at a penetration depth such that the needle deposits the ink into the skin at the location within the skin; and causing an adjustment to the penetration depth in response to a result of a comparison of a position of the tattoo unit with the skin data that indicates that a depth of the location within the skin has changed such that the needle continues to deposit the ink at the location of the skin.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the location within the skin corresponds to a depth within a specific layer of the skin where the ink is to be deposited.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the location within the skin corresponds to a skin layer.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the skin layer is an epidermis layer.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the skin layer is a dermis layer.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the setting is provided wirelessly from a remote device.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the setting includes providing a selection of a template from a plurality of templates, wherein each of the plurality of templates includes an indication of a skin layer.

24. The method of claim 17 , further comprising providing a needle speed input, wherein the needle speed input controls an oscillation speed of the needle.

25. The method of claim 17 , wherein the setting corresponds to a temporary tattoo having a designated visibility duration and the location within the skin is an epidermis.

26. The method of claim 17 , wherein the adjustment to the penetration depth occurs after a set number of needle strokes.

27. The method of claim 17 , wherein the adjustment to the penetration depth occurs after a set period of time.

28. The method of claim 17 , wherein the adjustment to the penetration depth occurs prior to each needle oscillation into the skin.

29. The method of claim 17 , further comprising detecting a distance traveled along a surface of the skin.

30. The method of claim 17 , wherein the sensor measures at least one of skin conductivity and skin resistance.

31. The method of claim 17 , wherein the adjustment to the penetration depth occurs in response to a detected change in skin data exceeding a threshold.

32. A method of making a tattooing device, comprising: providing a tube assembly, the tube assembly including a tube configured to hold a tattooing needle; providing a sensor; connecting a needle drive mechanism to the tube assembly, wherein the needle drive mechanism is configured to move the needle between a first position in which the needle is contained within the tube, and a second position in which the needle at least partially protrudes from the tube by a penetration depth; connecting a lift mechanism between the tube assembly and the needle drive mechanism, wherein the lift mechanism is configured to adjust a needle penetration depth; and operatively connecting a controller to the needle drive mechanism, the sensor, and the lift mechanism, wherein the controller is configured to cause the lift mechanism to adjust the needle penetration depth based on a feedback signal indicative of a sensed skin characteristic received from the sensor.

33. The method of claim 32 , further comprising disposing a tattoo needle within the tube.

34. The method of claim 32 , wherein the sensor utilizes a skin conductivity or a skin resistance to detect the skin characteristic.

35. The method of claim 32 , wherein the lift mechanism is configured to move the needle drive mechanism relative to the tube assembly.

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Chan Alistair K
• Hyde Roderick A
• Kare Jordin T
• Tuckerman David B
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• A61B5/0531

  Measuring skin impedance · CPC title

• A61M37/0076 Primary

  Tattooing apparatus (apparatus for marking animals A01K11/00; vaccine applicators having needles or other puncturing means A61B17/205) · CPC title

• A61M2207/00

  Methods of manufacture, assembly or production · CPC title

• A61M2209/01

  Remote controllers for specific apparatus · CPC title