JP7495388B2 - Ultrasonic acupuncture device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device.

Acupuncture and moxibustion is a traditional Chinese treatment method. By stimulating specific acupuncture points with acupuncture or moxibustion, it has an excellent therapeutic effect on some illnesses such as motion sickness. Motion sickness is a type of imbalance of the balance system. The systems that control balance in the human body are the eyes and inner ear. When riding on public transport, the turning and direction changes of the vehicle, the starting and accelerating/decelerating/stopping of a car, and the rocking and impact of a ship can cause confusion in the balance organs of the eyes and inner ear, which can lead to symptoms such as nausea and vomiting (for example, car sickness, airplane sickness, sea sickness, etc.). In addition, when using virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR), it can cause symptoms such as dizziness.

Statistics show that approximately 25-30% of the world's population suffers from motion sickness, with 12-year-old children being the most susceptible. Adult women are more likely to suffer from motion sickness than men, and women who are menstruating or pregnant are especially susceptible. Patients with migraines, cochlear nerve disorders, or central nervous system disorders are all at high risk of developing motion sickness. People who are in a poor mental state, sleep-deprived, or hungover are also more susceptible to motion sickness.

Currently, the treatment methods for motion sickness can be broadly divided into chemical and physical methods. Chemical methods involve taking medicine 30 to 60 minutes before getting on a vehicle to reduce the sensitivity of the vestibular part of the inner ear and at the same time suppress vomiting through the central nervous system. However, using medicines can cause side effects. For example, car sickness medicine blocks the parasympathetic nerves of the autonomic nervous system, which reduces the transmission of acetylcholine. Taking car sickness medicine can cause excessive sleepiness, dry mouth, blurred vision, difficulty urinating, constipation, and side effects such as palpitations. Physical methods involve using motion sickness patches four hours before getting on a vehicle, or using Chinese medicine pressure point therapy or motion sickness bracelets. However, in general, there is currently no effective way to alleviate motion sickness.

Acupuncture and moxibustion in traditional Chinese medicine is considered an effective method for treating motion sickness. However, acupuncture and moxibustion also have some drawbacks. For example, the needles cause strong irritation and wound pain to the patient when they are inserted. In addition, since the needles penetrate the skin, it is easy to become infected. Due to the technical difficulty of the acupuncture needle technique, it is not easy to replicate the effects of acupuncture. In addition, the fumes that accompany the moxibustion treatment process can easily leave scars on the skin if used improperly, and they can also pollute the air, leaving patients with permanent scars.

The present invention provides an ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device that can dynamically adjust the focal depth of the liquid lens in the ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device to stimulate acupuncture points using ultrasonic pulses in a non-invasive manner, thereby achieving effects similar to those achieved by acupuncture needles in traditional Chinese medicine.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, an ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device is provided, which includes an ultrasonic source for generating ultrasonic waves, a liquid lens for focusing the ultrasonic waves, an ultrasonic source controller electrically connected to the ultrasonic source and generating a plurality of ultrasonic source voltage pulses to control the vibration frequency, vibration intensity, and pulse length of the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic source, a liquid lens controller electrically connected to the liquid lens and generating a plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses to control the focal length of the liquid lens, thereby focusing the ultrasonic waves at a specific position, and a power source electrically connected to the ultrasonic source controller and the liquid lens controller for providing a voltage to the ultrasonic source controller to control the ultrasonic source and providing a voltage to the liquid lens controller to control the liquid lens, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic source voltage pulses generated by the ultrasonic source controller and the plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses generated by the liquid lens controller are aligned with each other.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided an infrared source for generating far-infrared radiation, an ultrasonic source used for generating ultrasonic waves and having a hole for passing the far-infrared radiation, a liquid lens for focusing the ultrasonic waves and the far-infrared radiation, an ultrasonic source controller electrically connected to the ultrasonic source and generating a plurality of ultrasonic source voltage pulses to control the vibration frequency, vibration intensity, and pulse length of the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic source, an infrared source controller electrically connected to the infrared source and generating a plurality of infrared source voltage pulses to control the energy and pulse length of the far-infrared radiation generated by the infrared source, a liquid lens controller electrically connected to the liquid lens and generating a plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses to focus the ultrasonic waves and the far-infrared radiation at a particular position by controlling the focal length of the liquid lens, and the infrared source controller. , the ultrasonic source controller, and a power source electrically connected to the liquid lens controller, for providing a voltage to the infrared source controller to control the infrared source, providing a voltage to the ultrasonic source controller to control the ultrasonic source, and providing a voltage to the liquid lens controller to control the liquid lens, wherein when the ultrasonic source radiates the ultrasonic wave, the infrared source does not radiate the far infrared rays, when the infrared source radiates the far infrared rays, the ultrasonic source does not radiate the ultrasonic wave, the multiple ultrasonic source voltage pulses generated by the ultrasonic source controller and the multiple liquid lens voltage pulses generated by the liquid lens controller are aligned with each other, and the multiple infrared source voltage pulses generated by the infrared source controller and the multiple liquid lens voltage pulses generated by the liquid lens controller are aligned with each other.

As described above, the present invention provides an ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device. The energy of the ultrasonic pulse is focused on one point using a liquid lens, and the liquid lens has the property of being able to arbitrarily control the curvature of the liquid lens, so that the effect of different focal positions can be obtained. By continuously changing the focal length of the liquid lens and continuously generating energy focal points, the ultrasonic pulse can produce an effect similar to acupuncture needles, and since it is non-invasive, there is no need to use a method of piercing the skin. In addition, the ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device provided by the present invention can also achieve an effect similar to moxibustion (a method in which moxa is lit and then smoked to warm the acupuncture points and stimulate the acupuncture points by heating the pathways) by using far-infrared rays to stimulate specific acupuncture points through a liquid lens. Therefore, by using such an ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device, it is possible to provide a palliative effect for some diseases, and for example, in the case of motion sickness, car sickness can be prevented without taking medicine or injections.

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the principles of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an ultrasonic acupuncture device according to some embodiments of the present invention. 2A-2D are schematic diagrams of liquid lenses according to some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a liquid lens according to some embodiments of the present invention. 4A-4B are schematic diagrams of another liquid lens according to some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a timing diagram of liquid lens voltages and ultrasound source voltages according to some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a timing diagram of the liquid lens voltage and the ultrasound source voltage according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a timing diagram of the liquid lens voltage and the infrared source voltage according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is an operational flow diagram of an ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to some embodiments of the present invention.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following examples and accompanying drawings, which should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein, as the present invention may be embodied in many different forms. For ease of understanding, in the following description, like elements are designated by like reference numerals. For clarity, the components and their relative sizes are not drawn to scale.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an ultrasonic acupuncture device according to some embodiments of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the ultrasonic acupuncture device 100 includes an ultrasonic source 110, a liquid lens 130A, and an electrode 130B. The ultrasonic acupuncture device 100 further includes a controller 160 and a power source 170, and the controller 160 includes an ultrasonic source controller 162, an infrared source controller 164, and a liquid lens controller 166.

The ultrasonic source 110 is electrically connected to an ultrasonic source controller 162. The ultrasonic source 110 generates ultrasonic waves by high-speed vibration and emits ultrasonic waves in a pulsed form. The ultrasonic source controller 162 generates a plurality of ultrasonic source voltage pulses and controls the vibration frequency, vibration intensity and pulse length of the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic source 110 so that the ultrasonic source 110 can emit ultrasonic waves in a pulsed form, thereby generating an effect similar to acupuncture and moxibustion on a specific acupuncture point. Based on the selected mode, the ultrasonic source controller 162 inputs a pulse voltage of a specific intensity to the ultrasonic source 110 so that the ultrasonic source 110 generates ultrasonic waves of a specific vibration frequency and intensity and emits ultrasonic waves in a pulsed form. According to some embodiments, the ultrasonic source 110 may be a piezoelectric strip, and the material of the piezoelectric strip may be a piezoelectric ceramic material, including barium titanate (BaTiO ₃ ), zinc titanate (PbTiO ₃ ), and lead zirconate titanate (Pb(ZrTi)O ₃ , PZT), or other similar properties, but the present invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, the ultrasonic source 110 may generate ultrasonic waves with a vibration frequency of 1-3 MHz and a power range of 100-300 mW, but the present invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic source 110 preferably output a power of 230 mW. According to some embodiments, the ultrasonic pulses generated by the ultrasonic source 110 have a pulse length range of 0.5-10 seconds, and a pulse interval range of 1-30 seconds, but the present invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, the surface 110S of the ultrasonic source 110 facing the liquid lens 130A may be a flat or curved surface, but the present invention is not limited thereto. When the surface 110S is flat, the ultrasound generated by the ultrasound source 110 can be focused by the liquid lens 130A to generate acupuncture-like stimulation at specific acupuncture points. When the surface 110S is curved, the ultrasound generated by the ultrasound source 110 can be focused. According to some embodiments, the ultrasound focused by the liquid lens 130A can generate acupuncture-like stimulation at specific acupuncture points by making the diameter of the white spot of the focused ultrasound smaller than 0.5 mm.

The ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic source 110 are focused to the focal point 150 via the liquid lens 130A. In this embodiment, the liquid lens 130A is a convex lens. A convex lens is a lens that is thick in the center and thin at the edges, and is divided into biconvex, planoconvex, concave-convex, and other types. A convex lens is also called a converging lens because it has the function of converging light rays (energy). In this embodiment, the liquid lens 130A is a planoconvex lens. According to another embodiment, the liquid lens 130A may be a biconvex lens, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

The liquid lens controller 166 is electrically connected to the liquid lens 130A. The liquid lens controller 166 generates and inputs a plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses to the liquid lens 130A via the electrodes 130B to change the shape of the liquid lens 130A and control the focal length of the liquid lens 130A to focus the ultrasonic waves at a particular location to create a pincushion-like effect. In some embodiments, the plurality of ultrasonic source voltage pulses generated by the ultrasonic source controller 162 and the plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses generated by the liquid lens controller 166 are aligned with each other (as illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 ). In some embodiments, the liquid lens 130A is one or more liquid lenses or other lenses with variable focal lengths, but the invention is not limited thereto.

According to some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device 100 further includes an infrared source 120 and an infrared source controller 164. The infrared source 120 is electrically connected to the infrared source controller 164. The infrared source 120 is located on the side of the ultrasonic source 110 facing away from the liquid lens 130A. The ultrasonic source 110 is provided with a hole 112 so that the far-infrared rays generated by the infrared source 120 can pass through the ultrasonic source 110, and the far-infrared rays emitted by the infrared source 120 can pass through the ultrasonic source 110. According to another embodiment, the infrared source 120 may be disposed between the ultrasonic source 110 and the liquid lens 130A. When the infrared source 120 is disposed between the ultrasonic source 110 and the liquid lens 130A, the infrared source 120 partially blocks the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic source 110, so that the ultrasonic source 110 must adjust the ultrasonic radiation power so that a specific acupuncture point can fully receive the ultrasonic energy.

The infrared source controller 164 generates a plurality of infrared source voltage pulses and controls the energy and pulse length of the far infrared radiation generated by the infrared source 120. The far infrared radiation generated by the infrared source 120 is focused through the liquid lens 130A to generate a moxibustion-like stimulation by heating a specific acupuncture point. According to some embodiments, the infrared source voltage pulses generated by the infrared source controller 164 and the liquid lens voltage pulses generated by the liquid lens controller 166 are aligned with each other. According to some embodiments, the infrared source 120 may be a light-emitting diode or other element capable of generating far infrared radiation, but the invention is not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, the wavelength range of the far infrared radiation generated by the infrared source 120 is 8-14 μm, but the invention is not limited thereto.

The power supply 170 is electrically connected to the ultrasonic source controller 162, the infrared source controller 164, and the liquid lens controller 166, respectively, and provides control voltages to the ultrasonic source controller 162, the infrared source controller 164, and the liquid lens controller 166 for controlling the ultrasonic source 110, the infrared source 120, and the liquid lens 130A, respectively.

2A-2D are schematic diagrams of liquid lenses according to some embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid lens 130A can focus the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic source 110 or the far infrared rays generated by the infrared source 120 by applying a voltage to the electrode 130B to form an electric field and change the focal length of the lens. In FIG. 2A-2C, when the electrode 130B passes through different voltages, the liquid lens 130A can generate different deformations, so that the liquid lens 130A has different focal lengths. For example, in FIG. 2A, the voltage that the electrode 130B passes through the liquid lens 130A is relatively small, so that the liquid lens 130A has a relatively thin thickness at this time, and the liquid lens 130A has a relatively long focal length f1. As shown by the focal length f2 in FIG. 2B and the focal length f3 in FIG. 2C, as the voltage of the electrode 130B gradually increases, the thickness of the liquid lens 130A gradually increases, so that the focal length of the liquid lens 130A also gradually decreases. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2D, the focal length f of the liquid lens 130A can be changed by passing different voltages through the liquid lens 130A, and by changing the arrangement of the focal length f along a straight line (the black dots in the figure are the focal points), the ultrasonic waves or far-infrared rays passing through the liquid lens 130A can be focused at a specific position and along a straight line.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a liquid lens according to some embodiments of the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, liquid lens 132 is an embodiment of liquid lens 130A and electrode 130B of Figure 1. Liquid lens 132 includes electrodes 132A and 132B, and ultrasound or far-infrared radiation enters liquid lens 132 from electrode 132B.

Liquid lens 132 further includes lens fluid 132C and sealing fluid 132D. Lens fluid 132C and sealing fluid 132D are two immiscible liquids. In some embodiments, lens fluid 132C may be oil and sealing fluid 132D may be water. Lens fluid 132C and sealing fluid 132D are located between electrodes 132A and 132B, and the sealing fluid surrounds and covers lens fluid 132C. Liquid lens 132 further includes insulating layer 132E to insulate lens fluid 132C and electrode 132A from each other.

When electrodes 132A and 132B are turned on, the generated electric field changes the thickness of lens liquid 132C, changing the focal length of liquid lens 132 so that ultrasound or far-infrared light can be focused at a specific location as needed.

4A-4B are schematic diagrams of another liquid lens according to some embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4A, liquid lens 134 is an embodiment of liquid lens 130A and electrode 130B of FIG. 1. Liquid lens 134 includes window 134A and window 134B. According to some embodiments, window 134A and window 134B are pieces of glass or other transparent material that can pass ultrasound or far infrared light, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Liquid lens 134 further includes lens liquid 134E and fill liquid 134F. Lens liquid 134E and fill liquid 134F are two immiscible liquids. According to some embodiments, lens liquid 134E can be oil and fill liquid 134F can be water, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Electrodes 134C and 134D are located between lens fluid 134E/filled fluid 134F and window 134A, and cover insulating layer 134D to insulate lens fluid 134E/filled fluid 134F.

When electrodes 134C and 134D are turned on, the generated electric field 134H (shown in FIG. 4A) or electric field 134I (shown in FIG. 4B) changes the thickness of lens liquid 134E, thereby changing the focal length of liquid lens 134, so that ultrasound or far-infrared light can be focused to a specific location as needed.

Figure 5 is a timing diagram of the liquid lens voltage and the ultrasound source voltage according to some embodiments of the present invention. Since the ultrasonic acupuncture device 100 shown in Figure 1 uses ultrasound to mimic the effects of acupuncture, a brief description of the acupuncture technique will be given first.

Generally, when Chinese doctors perform acupuncture and moxibustion and insert acupuncture points, they insert a stainless steel needle vertically from the surface of the skin above the acupuncture point, and perform actions such as advancing, placing, and removing the needle at the acupuncture point to stimulate the acupuncture point. When performing acupuncture and moxibustion, inserting the needle deeply downward from the shallow layer of the acupuncture point is called "inserting the needle," and inserting the needle shallowly upward from the deep layer of the acupuncture point is called "pushing the needle." This vertical needle movement technique is called "pushing and inserting." The insertion and withdrawal widths and speeds of the needle are the same, and are repeated alternately with uniform force. The width and frequency of the needle insertion can be determined according to the requirements of the treatment, but it is inappropriate to insert the needle too large or too fast.

Combining a number of acupuncture techniques for different illnesses is a common way to enhance the effectiveness of treatment. Below, we will explain two common acupuncture techniques, "Shakozanka" and "Totenryo", as examples.

In "Shakosanka," the acupuncture points are divided into three depths: superficial, intermediate, and deep. After inserting the needle to obtain qi, the needle is pulled up to the superficial layer and the tonification method is performed 3 to 9 times in the superficial layer, then the needle is inserted into the intermediate layer and tonification method is performed 3 to 9 times, then the needle is inserted into the deep layer and tonification method is performed 3 to 9 times, and finally the needle is pulled back to the superficial layer; this is counted as one degree. The tonification method is an acupuncture technique that activates weakened functions and is used to replenish substances that are lacking in the body. This is repeated several times until a warm sensation is felt under the needle or until the patient's body feels hot.

"Totenryo" is a technique in which, after obtaining qi through needle insertion, the needle is inserted deep and drainage is performed 6-8 times at the deep layer, then the needle is pulled up to the middle layer and drainage is performed 6-8 times, then the needle is pulled up again to the superficial layer and drainage is performed 6-8 times, and finally the needle is inserted deep; this is counted as one degree. Drainage is an acupuncture technique that returns hyperactive functions to normal, and is used to eliminate unnecessary or harmful substances from the body. This is repeated several times until a cool sensation is felt under the needle or until a cool sensation is felt in the patient's body, and it is used for warm illnesses.

Acupuncture and moxibustion require the use of stainless steel needles to be inserted into the skin, which can lead to problems such as strong irritation, wound pain, skin puncture, and susceptibility to cross-infection. In addition, the risk of needle insertion during acupuncture and moxibustion, technical difficulty, and the inability to easily replicate make the duplication and accuracy of needle insertion another problem.

The timing diagram of the liquid lens voltage and the ultrasound source voltage in FIG. 5 allows the ultrasound acupuncture device 100 to provide an acupuncture method similar to the above-mentioned "burning mountain fire". Timing 500 is a timing diagram of the applied voltage of the liquid lens 130A. Timing 510 is a timing diagram of the applied voltage of the ultrasound source 110. The focal length of the liquid lens 130A can be changed based on the applied voltage of the liquid lens 130A. The higher the applied voltage, the smaller the focal length of the liquid lens 130A, so that the ultrasound generated by the ultrasound source 110 can be focused at an even shallower position.

As shown in FIG. 5, at timing 500, the liquid lens controller 162 outputs the liquid lens voltage pulses 502, 504, and 506 at fixed intervals to the liquid lens 130A. The pulses 502, 504, and 506 have different voltages and are used to change the focal length of the liquid lens 130A. The pulse widths of the pulses 502, 504, and 506 are all t1, and the interval widths between the pulses are all t2, and the interval width between the pulses t2 is greater than the pulse width t1. In another embodiment, the interval width between the pulses t2 may be equal to or less than the pulse width t1, and the present invention is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, a "degree", i.e., one liquid lens voltage period, includes five pulses 502, five pulses 504, and five pulses 506. The pulses 502, 504, and 506 have different voltages and change the focal length of the liquid lens 130A in FIG. 1.

On the other hand, timing 510 has multiple pulses 512. Pulses 512 have the same pulse width t1 and the same interpulse interval width t2 as pulses 502, 504, and 506, and pulses 512 of timing 510 are synchronized with pulses 502, 504, and 506 of timing 500. That is, each pulse of timing 500 of liquid lens 130A and each pulse of timing 510 of ultrasonic source 110 are aligned with each other. Using the voltage of pulses 512, ultrasonic source 110 of FIG. 1 generates ultrasonic waves of a specific frequency and intensity.

As shown in FIG. 5, the pulse 502 has a voltage V _L (first voltage intensity) and is repeated five times (first plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses). When this appears in the pulse 502, the liquid lens 130A in FIG. 1 has a focal length f1 by applying the voltage V _L. At timing 510, the pulse 512 has a voltage V _US and appears at the same time as the pulse 502. When this appears in the pulse 512, the ultrasound source 110 generates ultrasound of a corresponding intensity by applying the voltage V _US . When the ultrasound generated by the ultrasound source 110 passes through the liquid lens 130A, it is focused at the position of the focal length f1 (first focal length), so it corresponds to inserting a needle at the position of the focal length f1. When the pulse 502 and the pulse 512 disappear, it corresponds to removing the needle. As shown in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C, the smaller the voltage applied to the liquid lens, the larger the focal length of the liquid lens, and the larger the voltage applied to the liquid lens, the smaller the focal length of the liquid lens. Therefore, in FIG. 5, performing pulse 502 five times corresponds to the step of "pulsing the needle up to a deep layer and performing the supplementary technique five times at the deep layer."

Next, at timing 500, pulse 504 has a voltage V _M (second voltage intensity) and is repeated five times (second plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses). When this appears in pulse 504, liquid lens 130A has a focal length f2 (second focal length) by applying voltage V _M. As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the smaller the voltage applied to the liquid lens, the larger the focal length of the liquid lens, and the larger the voltage applied to the liquid lens, the smaller the focal length of the liquid lens. Since the applied voltage V _M is greater than V _L , focal length f2 is smaller than focal length f1. At timing 510, pulse 512, still having voltage V _US , appears at a time corresponding to pulse 504. When this appears in pulse 504, ultrasound source 110 generates an ultrasound pulse of a corresponding intensity by applying voltage V _US , which is focused at the position of focal length f2 when it passes through liquid lens 130A, so that it is equivalent to inserting a needle at the position of focal length f2. Therefore, in FIG. 5, performing the pulse 504 five times corresponds to the step of "inserting the needle into the middle layer and performing the supplementation five times."

Next, at timing 500, pulse 506 has a voltage V _H (third voltage intensity) and repeats five times (third plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses). When this appears in pulse 506, liquid lens 130A has a focal length f3 (third focal length) by applying voltage V _H. As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the smaller the voltage applied to the liquid lens, the larger the focal length of the liquid lens, and the larger the voltage applied to the liquid lens, the smaller the focal length of the liquid lens. Since the applied voltage V _H is greater than V _M , focal length f3 is smaller than focal length f2. At timing 510, pulse 512, still having voltage V _US , appears at a time corresponding to pulse 506. When this appears in pulse 506, ultrasonic source 110 generates an ultrasonic pulse of a corresponding intensity by applying voltage V _US , which is focused at the position of focal length f3 when passing through liquid lens 130A, so that it is equivalent to inserting a needle at the position of focal length f3. Therefore, in FIG. 5, performing the pulse 506 five times corresponds to the step of "inserting the needle into the superficial layer and performing the supplementation five times."

After five pulses 506, the timing 500 returns to pulse 502 again. At this time, this corresponds to the needle finally being inserted deep into the layer. In other words, it is at the position of focal length f1 of the liquid lens 130A. In this way, one period includes five pulses 502, five pulses 504, and five pulses 506, which is defined as one degree. According to some embodiments, one degree may include multiple different liquid lens voltages, and the number of times each liquid lens voltage appears may be one or more, and can be determined as needed, so the present invention is not limited thereto.

In FIG. 5, it should be noted that at timing 500 and timing 510, the liquid lens voltage changes slightly. That is, the focal length of the liquid lens 130A changes. However, the voltage 512 of the ultrasonic source 110 does not change at all times. Therefore, since the ultrasonic source 110 is equivalent to continuously generating ultrasonic waves of the same power, by changing the focal length of the liquid lens 130A, the ultrasonic waves can be focused at different depth positions of a specific acupuncture point.

FIG. 6 is a timing diagram of the liquid lens voltage and the ultrasonic source voltage according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, timing 600 is a timing diagram of the applied voltage of the liquid lens 130A. Timing 610 is a timing diagram of the applied voltage of the ultrasonic source 110. Corresponding reference symbols in FIG. 6 and FIG. 5 have similar nature and will not be described again here. The difference between FIG. 6 and FIG. 5 is as follows. In timing 600, the pulse 602, in addition to having a voltage _VL , also changes periodically in a perturbation voltage ΔV. That is, the voltage changes periodically between _VL and _VL + ΔV, and the perturbation voltage ΔV is smaller or much smaller than the voltage _VL . In another embodiment, the voltage change range may change periodically between _VL and _VL - ΔV, or may change periodically between _VL , _VL - ΔV, and _VL + ΔV, but the present invention is not limited thereto. This indicates that the liquid lens 130A has a focal length f1 by applying a voltage _VL , and has a focal length f1-Δf (first perturbation focal length) by applying a voltage _VL +ΔV (first perturbation voltage), where the perturbation focal length Δf is smaller or much smaller than the focal length f1. That is, the focal length f1 of the liquid lens 130A changes correspondingly as the voltage changes around _VL . In the timing 610, a pulse 612 has a voltage _VUS and appears at a time corresponding to the pulse 602, and each pulse 602 and pulse 612 are synchronous and aligned with each other. When this appears in the pulse 612, the ultrasonic source 110 generates an ultrasonic wave of a corresponding intensity by applying a voltage _VUS . When this ultrasonic pulse passes through the liquid lens 130A, it is focused at the position of focal length f1, which is equivalent to inserting an acupuncture needle at the position of focal length f1, and with the change in the voltage of the pulse 602, it is focused at f1 and f1-Δf. The combination of pulses 602 and 612 corresponds to a small insertion and removal at f1, that is, a perturbation at f1. Similarly, the voltages at pulses 604 and 606 are also V _M +ΔV (second perturbation voltage) and V _H +ΔV (third perturbation voltage), respectively, and by converting between V _M and V _M +ΔV (second perturbation voltage range) and between V _H and V _H +ΔV (third perturbation voltage range), perturbations are generated at focal lengths f2 and f3 corresponding to V _M and V _H , respectively, to generate f2−Δf (second perturbation focal length) and f3−Δf (third perturbation focal length), respectively. In some embodiments, the voltage perturbation ΔV provided by the liquid lens 130A changes the focal length by 0.5-10 mm, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In practical applications, the amount of change in focal length should be determined according to the location of the acupuncture point and the required treatment method.

Figure 7 is a timing diagram of the liquid lens voltage and the infrared source voltage according to another embodiment of the present invention. Timing 700 is a timing diagram of the applied voltage of the liquid lens 130A. Timing 710 is a timing diagram of the applied voltage of the infrared source 120. Compared with the acupuncture mode shown in Figures 5 and 6, when the moxibustion mode is adopted, that is, when using far-infrared rays to irradiate the acupuncture points, the focal length of the liquid lens 130A is controlled to a fixed value, and the far-infrared rays are irradiated and focused on the acupuncture points. When the moxibustion mode is adopted, the ultrasound source 110 is in an off state.

As shown in FIG. 7, at timing 700, the liquid lens controller 162 outputs the liquid lens voltage pulses 702 at fixed intervals to the liquid lens 130A to change the focal length of the liquid lens 130A. The pulse width of the pulses 702 is t3, and the interval width between the pulses is t4. The pulses 702 are used to change the focal length of the liquid lens 130A in FIG. 1.

On the other hand, the timing 710 has a pulse 712. The pulse 712 has the same pulse width t3 as the pulse 702 and the same interpulse interval width t4, the pulse width t3 is greater than the interpulse interval width t4, and the pulse 712 of the timing 710 is synchronized with the pulse 702 of the timing 700. In another embodiment, the interpulse interval width t4 may be equal to the pulse width t3 or greater than the pulse width t3, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The voltage of the pulse 712 is used by the infrared source 120 of FIG. 1 to generate infrared rays of a certain intensity, and the infrared rays are used to irradiate the acupuncture points, which corresponds to "moxibustion" in Chinese medicine, to heat and stimulate the acupuncture points.

In the timing 700 of the liquid lens 130A, a pulse 702 has a voltage V. When this appears in the pulse 702, the liquid lens 130A has a focal length f by applying the voltage V. In the timing 710 of the infrared source 120, a pulse 712 has a voltage V _IR and appears at the same time as the pulse 702. When this appears in the pulse 712, the infrared source 120 generates infrared light of a corresponding intensity by applying the voltage V _IR . When the infrared light generated by the infrared source 120 passes through the liquid lens 130A, it is focused at the position of the focal length f, which corresponds to heating the position of the focal length f. According to some embodiments, if the pulse length is 30 seconds and the interval between two pulses is 10 seconds, this corresponds to irradiation for 30 seconds and rest for 10 seconds, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Figure 8 is an operation flow diagram of an ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to some embodiments of the present invention. As shown in Figure 8, in step S02, an indication operation mode is selected, and the timing of the voltage applied to the liquid lens and the ultrasonic source is determined as shown in Figures 5 and 6, or the timing of the voltage applied to the liquid lens and the infrared source is determined as shown in Figure 7, to determine the focal position of the liquid lens and the intensity of the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic source. For example, the acupuncture technique can be selected as Shao Shan Huo or Tian Tian Liang, or the acupuncture technique can be selected as Sui Qi or Shu Qi, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

In step S04, a combination of acupuncture points to be treated is selected. For example, a combination of Hegu points or other multiple acupuncture points is selected, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Based on the selected combination of acupuncture points, the focal length range of the liquid lens is determined.

In step S06, an acupuncture and moxibustion treatment is selected. For example, the "acupuncture" mode or the "moxibustion" mode is selected, and it is determined whether to generate ultrasound using an ultrasound source or to generate far-infrared rays using an infrared source.

In step S08, parameters are set. If the "acupuncture" mode is selected, parameters such as pulse length, pulse frequency, speed, and number of times must be set, but the present invention is not limited to this. If the "moxibustion" mode is selected, parameters such as pulse length must be set, but the present invention is not limited to this.

In step S10, treatment is started based on the parameters set in steps S02 to S08. At this time, the ultrasound source controller 162, the infrared source controller 164, and the liquid lens controller 166 each transmit a control signal to control the ultrasound source 110, the infrared source 120, and the liquid lens 130A so as to focus the generated ultrasound or far-infrared rays at a specific position.

In step S12, once the acupuncture and moxibustion process is complete, the treatment ends.

Therefore, the present invention uses a liquid lens to focus ultrasound or far-infrared light, and by changing the focal length of the liquid lens, it achieves an effect similar to the advancement and removal of needles in acupuncture and moxibustion, thereby achieving a non-invasive therapeutic effect.

100 Ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device 110 Ultrasonic source 110S Surface 112 Hole 120 Infrared source 130A Liquid lens 130B Electrode 132, 134 Liquid lens 132A, 132B Electrode 132C Lens liquid 132D Sealing liquid 132E, 134G Insulating layer 134A, 134B Window 134C, 134D Electrode 134E Lens liquid 134F Sealing liquid 134H, 134I Electric field 150 Focus 160 Controller 162 Ultrasonic source controller 164 Infrared source controller 166 Liquid lens controller 170 Power supply 500, 510, 600, 610, 700, 710 Timing 502, 504, 506, 512, 602, 604, 606, 612, 702, 712 Pulse f, f1, f2, f3 Focal length S2, S4, S6, S8, S10, S12 Step t1, t2, t3, t4 Pulse width V, VH, VL, VM, VUS, VIR Voltage Δf Perturbation focal length ΔV Perturbation voltage

Claims (17)

an ultrasonic source for generating ultrasonic waves;
a liquid lens for focusing the ultrasonic waves;
an ultrasonic source controller electrically connected to the ultrasonic source and configured to generate a plurality of ultrasonic source voltage pulses to control a vibration frequency, a vibration intensity, and a pulse length of the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic source;
a liquid lens controller electrically connected to the liquid lens and configured to generate a plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses to control a focal length of the liquid lens to focus the ultrasonic waves at a specific location;
a power supply electrically connected to the ultrasound source controller and the liquid lens controller for providing a voltage to the ultrasound source controller to control the ultrasound source and for providing a voltage to the liquid lens controller to control the liquid lens;
An ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device in which the multiple ultrasonic source voltage pulses generated by the ultrasonic source controller and the multiple liquid lens voltage pulses generated by the liquid lens controller are synchronized with each other in timing. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device of claim 1, wherein the liquid lens controller outputs the plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses to the liquid lens at fixed intervals, and the plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses have different voltages and are used to change the focal length of the liquid lens. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to claim 2, wherein the voltage value of each of the multiple liquid lens voltage pulses changes periodically within a perturbation voltage range. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device of claim 1, wherein the liquid lens controller generates a plurality of liquid lens voltage cycles, each of which generates a first plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses at a first voltage intensity at a fixed interval, thereby causing the liquid lens to generate a first focal length corresponding to the first voltage intensity, then generates a second plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses at a second voltage intensity at the fixed interval, thereby causing the liquid lens to generate a second focal length corresponding to the second voltage intensity, and then generates a third plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses at a third voltage intensity at the fixed interval, thereby causing the liquid lens to generate a third focal length corresponding to the third voltage intensity. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to claim 4, wherein the first voltage intensity changes within a first perturbation voltage range, causing the liquid lens to change within the first focal length and a first perturbation focal length corresponding to the first perturbation voltage, the second voltage intensity changes within a second perturbation voltage range, causing the liquid lens to change within the second focal length and a second perturbation focal length corresponding to the second perturbation voltage, and the third voltage intensity changes within a third perturbation voltage range, causing the liquid lens to change within the third focal length and a third perturbation focal length corresponding to the third perturbation voltage. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to claim 1, wherein the frequency of the ultrasonic waves is 1 to 3 MHz. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to claim 1, wherein the power of the ultrasonic waves is 100 to 300 mW. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to claim 1, wherein one side of the ultrasonic source facing the liquid lens is flat. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic source is a piezoelectric piece. 10. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to claim 9 , wherein the material of the piezoelectric piece is a piezoelectric ceramic material. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid lens is a convex lens. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device of claim 1, in which the focal length of the liquid lens changes along a straight line. an infrared source for generating far-infrared rays, the infrared source being located on a side of the ultrasonic source facing away from the liquid lens;
an infrared source controller electrically connected to the infrared source and configured to generate a plurality of infrared source voltage pulses to control the energy and pulse length of the far infrared light generated by the infrared source;
The ultrasonic source has a hole for passing the far infrared ray,
the power supply is electrically connected to the infrared source controller and provides a voltage to the infrared source controller to control the infrared source;
The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of infrared source voltage pulses generated by the infrared source controller and the plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses generated by the liquid lens controller are synchronized with each other in timing. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device of claim 13 , wherein the liquid lens controller outputs a plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses to the liquid lens at a fixed interval, and a pulse length of each of the plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses is greater than the pulse interval. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to claim 13 , wherein the infrared light source is a light-emitting diode. The ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device according to claim 13 , wherein the wavelength range of the far infrared rays is 8 to 14 μm. an infrared source for generating far infrared rays;
an ultrasonic source used for generating ultrasonic waves and having a hole for passing said far infrared rays;
a liquid lens for focusing the ultrasonic waves and the far infrared rays;
an ultrasonic source controller electrically connected to the ultrasonic source and configured to generate a plurality of ultrasonic source voltage pulses to control a vibration frequency, a vibration intensity, and a pulse length of the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic source;
an infrared source controller electrically connected to the infrared source and configured to generate a plurality of infrared source voltage pulses to control the energy and pulse length of the far infrared light generated by the infrared source;
a liquid lens controller electrically connected to the liquid lens and configured to generate a plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses to control a focal length of the liquid lens to focus the ultrasonic waves and the far-infrared rays at a specific position;
a power supply electrically connected to the infrared source controller, the ultrasonic source controller, and the liquid lens controller for providing a voltage to the infrared source controller to control the infrared source, a voltage to the ultrasonic source controller to control the ultrasonic source, and a voltage to the liquid lens controller to control the liquid lens;
When the ultrasonic source emits the ultrasonic waves, the infrared source turns off the far infrared rays, and when the infrared source emits the far infrared rays, the ultrasonic source turns off the ultrasonic waves;
the plurality of ultrasonic source voltage pulses generated by the ultrasonic source controller and the plurality of liquid lens voltage pulses generated by the liquid lens controller are synchronized in timing with each other;
An ultrasonic acupuncture and moxibustion device in which the multiple infrared source voltage pulses generated by the infrared source controller and the multiple liquid lens voltage pulses generated by the liquid lens controller are synchronized with each other in timing.