Wireless tattoo applicator

Abstract

A wireless, battery powered tattooing apparatus employing a stable voltage regulator to provide stable control of the operation of the tattoo applicator. A user interface enables an artist to select a desired reciprocation frequency for the needle movement of the tattoo applicator. The selected setting is used to generate a particular voltage from the voltage regulator that in turn, controls the frequency of the needle reciprocations. A wireless receiver receives operational commands to control the tattoo applicator from a remote transmitter thereby keeping the artist's hands free to work.

1 . A wireless tattoo applicator comprising:
 a frame,   a plurality of coils mounted to the frame;   an armature pivotally mounted above the plurality of coils;   a spring mounted to the frame and attached to the armature in such a manner to apply a force in a first direction on the armature;   a pen tube assembly including a barrel with a longitudinal bore extending the length of the barrel, the pen tube assembly can be received by and coupled to the frame;   a needle assembly that is coupled to the armature and that is inserted through the longitudinal bore of the barrel and free to move in a reciprocating manner within the longitudinal bore;   a battery power supply that can be electrically coupled to the plurality of coils and thereby energize the coils to create a magnetic field thereby pulling the armature in a second direction and decoupled from the plurality of coils to enable the spring to pull the armature in the first direction; and   a control circuit that is operable to couple and decouple the battery power supply and the plurality of coils at a stable frequency.   
   
   
       2 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit further comprises a user interface that enables a user to select a desired frequency. 
   
   
       3 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 2 , wherein the control circuit includes a stable voltage regulator that is used to generate a frequency signal used to couple and decouple the battery power supply and the plurality of coils. 
   
   
       4 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 3 , wherein the control circuit further comprises a wireless receiver and the user interface is operable to receive user generated commands on the wireless receiver. 
   
   
       5 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 4 , further comprising a remote control including a wireless transmitter, and when the remote control is actuated by a user, the remote control generates and transmits commands to the wireless receiver. 
   
   
       6 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 5 , further comprising a communication protocol between the remote control and the wireless tattoo applicator that operates to reduce battery consumption, the communication protocol comprising:
 an on command that is periodically transmitted by the remote control in response to a user actuating an on switch;   an off command that is transmitted by the remote control in response to the user actuating an off switch;   the control circuit being operative to transition the wireless tattoo applicator to an awake mode in response to receiving an on command and to a sleep mode in response to receiving an off command; and   a watchdog timer function within the control circuit that continuously resets the a watchdog timer counter upon receiving an on command and if an on command is not received for a threshold period of time will operate to transition the wireless tattoo applicator to a sleep mode.   
   
   
       7 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 5 , wherein the control circuit further comprises a delay function that operates to delay the coupling of the battery power supply and the plurality of coils until the armature has traveled as far as it can travel in the first direction. 
   
   
       8 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 5 , wherein the control circuit further comprises a delay function that operates to delay the coupling of the battery power supply and the plurality of coils until the armature has traveled as far as it can travel in the first direction and is beginning to move in the second direction. 
   
   
       9 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 5 , further comprising a compression spring under the armature that is compressed when the armature moves in a second direction and that is uncompressed to assist moving the armature in the first direction. 
   
   
       10 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 5 , wherein the frame further comprises a support post that has a width that is the same as the width of the spring and wherein the spring is mounted to the support post using a screw, and further comprising a cap that includes an upper surface and a left side and a right side depending from the upper surface, and wherein the left side and the right side fit on respective sides of the spring and support post and operate to hold the spring in alignment with the support post when the screw is adjusted. 
   
   
       11 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 5 , further comprising an adjustment to control the movement of the armature in the first and second direction by applying pressure to the spring. 
   
   
       12 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 5 , wherein the frame is adapted to receive the pen assembly by providing an interface that is compatible with a standard pen assembly. 
   
   
       13 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 5 , wherein the control circuit includes an interface to select a channel for the wireless receiver and the remote control can transmit on the selected channel. 
   
   
       14 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 13 , wherein the remote control can transmit on a plurality of channels and by selectively transmitting on a select channel, the remote control unit can control a plurality of tattoo applicators without interfering with the operation between them. 
   
   
       15 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 5 , wherein the wireless receiver and the wireless transmitter are based on IR technology, and the wireless receiver includes a plurality of receivers that cooperate to receive IR signals from different directions. 
   
   
       16 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 5 , wherein the wireless receiver and the wireless transmitter are based on IR technology, and the wireless transmitter includes a plurality of transmitters that cooperate to transmit IR signals in different directions. 
   
   
       17 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 5 , wherein the wireless receiver and the wireless transmitter are based on IR technology, and the wireless receiver includes a plurality of receivers that cooperate to receive IR signals from different directions and the wireless transmitter includes a plurality of transmitters that cooperate to transmit IR signals in different directions. 
   
   
       18 . A wireless tattoo applicator comprising:
 a frame,   a plurality of coils mounted to the frame;   an armature pivotally mounted above the plurality of coils;   a spring mounted to the frame and attached to the armature in such a manner to apply a force in a first direction on the armature;   a pen tube assembly including a barrel with a longitudinal bore extending the length of the barrel, the pen tube assembly can be received by and coupled to the frame;   a needle assembly that is coupled to the armature and that is inserted through the longitudinal bore of the barrel and free to move in a reciprocating manner within the longitudinal bore;   a battery power supply that can be electrically coupled to the plurality of coils and thereby energize the coils to create a magnetic field thereby pulling the armature in a second direction and decoupled from the plurality of coils to enable the spring to pull the armature in the first direction; and   a control circuit that comprises:
 a stable voltage regulator that is used to generate a stable frequency signal that operates to control a coupling and decoupling of the battery power supply and the plurality of coils at a stable frequency; 
 a user interface; and 
 a wireless receiver and the user interface is operable to receive user generated commands on the wireless receiver. 
   
   
   
       19 . The wireless tattoo applicator of  claim 18 , further comprising a remote control including a wireless transmitter, and when the remote control is actuated by a user, the remote control generates and transmits commands to the wireless receiver. 
   
   
       20 . A wireless tattoo applicator comprising:
 a frame,   a plurality of coils mounted to the frame;   an armature pivotally mounted above the plurality of coils;   a spring mounted to the frame and attached to the armature in such a manner to apply a force in a first direction on the armature;   a pen tube assembly including a barrel with a longitudinal bore extending the length of the barrel, the pen tube assembly can be received by and coupled to the frame;   a needle assembly that is coupled to the armature and that is inserted through the longitudinal bore of the barrel and free to move in a reciprocating manner within the longitudinal bore;   a battery power supply that can be electrically coupled to the plurality of coils and thereby energize the coils to create a magnetic field thereby pulling the armature in a second direction and decoupled from the plurality of coils to enable the spring to pull the armature in the first direction;   a control circuit that comprises:
 a stable voltage regulator that is used to generate a stable frequency signal that operates to control a coupling and decoupling of the battery power supply and the plurality of coils at a stable frequency; 
 a user interface; and 
 a wireless receiver and the user interface is operable to receive user generated commands on the wireless receiver; 
   a remote control including a wireless transmitter, and when the remote control is actuated by a user, the remote control generates and transmits commands to the wireless receiver; and   a communication protocol between the remote control and the wireless tattoo applicator that operates to reduce battery consumption, the communication protocol comprising:
 an on command that is periodically transmitted by the remote control in response to a user actuating an on switch; 
 an off command that is transmitted by the remote control in response to the user actuating an off switch; 
 the control circuit being operative to transition the wireless tattoo applicator to an awake mode in response to receiving an on command and to a sleep mode in response to receiving an off command; and 
 a watchdog timer function within the control circuit that continuously resets the a watchdog timer counter upon receiving an on command and if an on command is not received for a threshold period of time will operate to transition the wireless tattoo applicator to a sleep mode.