ES2978938T3 - Marking module for an apparatus for applying a coloring product, and apparatus using such a marking module - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a marking module for an apparatus for applying a dye for permanent make-up or tattooing. This marking module (11) has a channel (17) and at least one needle (12) which is capable of moving longitudinally in said channel (17) between a retracted position in which a distal end (19) of the needle (12) is located inside said channel (17) and an extended position in which the distal end (19) of the needle (12) protrudes from said channel (17). The marking module (11) is characterized in that it has a dye reservoir (15) and in that said reservoir (15) communicates with said channel (17) only in a region located downstream of the needle (12) when this needle (12) is in said retracted position. The invention also relates to an apparatus for applying a dye for permanent make-up or tattooing, this apparatus (10) being characterised in that it has a marking module (11) as defined above and a needle drive module (12) of the marking module (11). (Automatic translation with Google Translate, without legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Marking module for an apparatus intended for the application of a coloring product, and apparatus using such a marking module

Technical scope

The present invention relates to the field of permanent make-up or tattooing. More specifically, this invention relates to a marking module for an apparatus intended for the application of a colouring product for permanent make-up or tattooing, said marking module comprising a channel and at least one needle movable longitudinally within said channel between a retracted position in which a distal end of the needle is located inside said channel and an extended position in which the distal end of the needle protrudes from said channel.

The invention also concerns an apparatus for applying a colouring product for permanent make-up or tattooing.

Prior art

Currently, devices intended for applying a coloring product to a person and used for permanent make-up or tattooing consist of a gun within which a tattoo needle moves longitudinally, and a motor intended to move this needle. When a coloring product, such as in particular an ink, is to be applied on or under the skin of a user, the needle is dipped into an ink reservoir, and then applied to the skin of the user in such a way as to cause the ink to penetrate under the skin of the user. When the ink extracted by the needle is used up, this needle is dipped again into the ink reservoir and then the cycle begins again.

One problem that can occur with this type of device is that the amount of ink that can be used between each dip in the tank is relatively small. When the person doing the tattoo has to, for example, draw a straight or elongated line, he or she must periodically stop the drawing to take ink again. Resuming the drawing in the exact place where it was stopped is relatively difficult and the drawing may not be ideal for this reason.

In addition, the time required to perform a tattoo can be long due to the ink refills that must be carried out periodically. This is especially important when large areas need to be coloured, for example during shading. This relatively long working time can be unpleasant for the person doing the tattoo or make-up, but especially for the person being tattooed or made-up. Indeed, marking under the skin can be relatively painful. A shorter working time therefore provides more comfort for the person being marked.

Another problem can arise because the ink tanks are open to allow the ink to be extracted. This ink is then in contact with the air. It is then possible for the ink to be contaminated by pathogens which can then be injected under the skin of the person who is having the tattoo or makeup applied, which can lead to infections.

To address some of these drawbacks, there is a tattoo or permanent make-up device comprising a reservoir integrated into the gun. Such a device is described in US patent US 6,345,553. This document describes a tattoo or permanent make-up gun comprising a module in which a tattoo needle moves longitudinally under the impulse of a motor. The tattoo gun comprises an ink reservoir. The needle, during its reciprocating longitudinal movement, moves within the ink reservoir, and then its free end protrudes from the tattoo gun so that the ink extracted by the needle can be applied under the user's skin.

This design largely avoids the need to refill ink into an external reservoir. It is therefore possible to draw relatively long lines and fill large surfaces without having to refill ink. In addition, the ink is not in the open air and the risk of contamination or infection is therefore minimised. This gun, however, has other drawbacks. Indeed, the ink is introduced into the reservoir and then the needle moves within this reservoir. It is not possible to empty the ink from the reservoir and replace it with ink of a different colour. This would lead to a heterogeneous mixture of colours which would not be usable. Thus, if the ink contained in the reservoir is not completely consumed, it is lost. In addition, the ink reservoir within which the needle moves is located relatively far from the free end of the needle, i.e. from the end into which the needle opens to make the tattoo. In order for the ink to be extracted by the needle, its end must fully enter the reservoir. This requires a particularly rigid needle guide, which makes the gun more difficult to manufacture mechanically and more expensive. In addition, the gun's construction requires that ink be available on the side of the reservoir where the needle empties. This forces the person performing the tattoo to hold the gun in a certain way, with the needle pointing downwards, otherwise the needle will not receive ink. This makes this gun impractical to use.

Another drawback of this device comes from the fact that the needle is dipped into ink. This means that the only ink that can be used is that contained in the reservoir. Because of this, it is not possible to use ink from the reservoir for one part of a tattoo and then use the device by dipping the needle into ink from an external reservoir to do another part of the tattoo.

It turns out that the solution described in US patent 6,345,553 is not ideal in practice. Indeed, it is not possible to change the ink colour while keeping the same gun. Unused ink is wasted and the gun must be manipulated in a certain way or it will not work. In addition, it is not possible to use the device alternately in a "traditional" mode, in which the needle is dipped in an external ink tank, and in the mode that uses the ink contained in the tank integrated into the device.

See also document WO2015/095904 A1.

There is therefore a need for a tattoo or permanent make-up device that is flexible and practical to use, i.e. in particular that allows continuous use without having to dip the needle in ink regularly, that allows a change of ink colour without causing waste, that can be used in the normal positions that a person performing a tattoo traditionally uses and that can be used in two different modes.

Description of the invention

Such an apparatus is described in this document.

The objectives of the invention are achieved by a marking module as defined in the preamble and characterized in that it comprises a reservoir of coloring product and in that said reservoir communicates with said channel only in an area located downstream of the needle when this needle is in said retracted position.

The objectives of the invention are also achieved by an apparatus for applying a coloring product as defined in the preamble and characterized in that it comprises a marking module as defined above, and a module for driving the needle of the marking module.

The marking module according to the present invention can be used in any type of position, which allows permanent makeup or a tattoo to be performed without either the person performing the tattoo or the person receiving it having to be placed in an uncomfortable position.

The tattoo can be done in a shorter time than with a traditional device, especially if the design is large and/or involves large areas to be filled in. This reduction in time represents a convenience for both the person doing the marking and the person being marked.

Furthermore, with the device of the invention it is possible to add ink in a simple and practical way into a tank, the quantity of ink added corresponding to the needs and not to the capacity of the tank.

It is also possible to change the ink colour easily, which allows the same marking module to be used for several colours. In addition, it is possible to use pre-filled cartridges, which avoids ink manipulation. It is also possible to avoid the ink remaining in the open air for a long time, which avoids the risk of contamination by an airborne pathogen.

The device of the invention allows the ink contained in the cartridge or in the tank integrated in the device to be used. It also allows the tank to be closed and the device to be used in the traditional way, i.e. by dipping the needle in ink contained in an external tank.

This is particularly useful if a large part of a tattoo or make-up is done using one colour while another part requires the use of another colour, or if two colours must be used alternately. In this case, it is not necessary to empty the integrated tank, clean it and refill it with another colour to do a small part of the tattoo or make-up. Simply close the tank and then use the device in the traditional way, drawing ink with the needle from an external tank.

When this part of the tattoo or make-up is finished, the tank can be opened again and the ink from the integrated tank can be used again.

Brief description of the drawings

The present invention and its advantages will be better understood with reference to the attached figures and the detailed description of a particular embodiment, in which:

- Figure 1 illustrates a marking module according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 2 is a sectional view of a part of the marking module of Figure 1, in a first configuration; - Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, in a second configuration, with the needle in a retracted position;

- Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, with the needle in an advanced position;

- Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, with the needle in an extended position;

- Figure 6 is a perspective view of the part of the marking module of Figure 2;

- Figure 7 illustrates a marking module according to a second embodiment of the invention, in which an ink tank is separated from the body of the marking module;

- Figure 8 represents the marking module of Figure 7, the ink tank being partially placed on the body of this marking module;

- Figure 9 represents the marking module of Figure 7, the ink tank being placed on the body of this marking module;

- Figure 10 is a partially sectional view of the marking module of Figure 7, with ink contained in the tank;

- Figure 11 is a partially sectional view of a removable cartridge, in a first configuration;

- Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11, in a second configuration;

- Figure 13 illustrates an ink tank used in a marking module according to the present invention as well as a cartridge allowing ink to be added to the tank; and

- Figure 14 illustrates a marking module according to the present invention, in the process of being cleaned.

Mode of carrying out the invention

With reference to the figures, the invention concerns an apparatus 10 for the application of a colouring product, used in particular for permanent make-up or tattooing. This apparatus is essentially made up of two parts, namely a marking module 11 comprising in particular a needle 12, and a needle drive module 110. According to a preferred embodiment, the marking module 11 is detachable so that a marking module can be mounted on a drive module, detached and replaced by another marking module. In practice, the drive module 110 comprises at least one motor and is used to perform a large number of tattoos, whereas generally several marking modules can be used for one person. For reasons of hygiene, a marking module is generally for single use, i.e. it is used to tattoo a single person and is disposed of after use on that person.

The drive module 110 can be of any traditional type and is therefore not described or represented in detail in the figures. It is simply designed to removably receive a marking module.

The marking module 11 comprises a body 28 provided with a handle 13 arranged so that it can be easily held by the user, and a sleeve 14 intended to be inserted into the drive module 110. This marking module 11 further comprises the aforementioned needle 12 and a reservoir 15 of coloring product such as in particular ink 16. This reservoir can be fixed and form an integral part of the marking module or comprise a removable cartridge 27 as shown in Figures 7 to 14, described in more detail below.

As seen in particular in Figures 2 to 6, the marking module 11 comprises a longitudinal channel 17 within which the needle 12 undergoes a back-and-forth reciprocating movement, under the effect of the drive module. This channel 17 opens out into one end of the marking module, called the free end 18, through which the needle 12 can exit the channel and come into contact with the skin of the person to be tattooed in order to deposit ink thereon. The reciprocating movement of the needle is made between a retracted position illustrated in Figure 2, in which a distal end 19 of the needle 12 is completely within the channel 17, and an extended position illustrated by Figure 5, in which the distal end 19 of the needle 12 protrudes from the channel 17 and can come into contact with the skin of the person to be marked.

In the embodiment illustrated by Figures 1 to 6, the ink tank 15 essentially comprises a sealed wall 20, a filling opening 21 closed by a plug 22 and a hole 23 arranged near the free end 18 of the channel 17 and connecting the interior of the tank 15 to the channel 17.

In the embodiment illustrated by Figures 7 to 14, the ink used for marking or tattooing is placed in the removable cartridge 27 described in detail below and which acts as a reservoir 15.

When the marking module 11 is used in a normal mode of use, the needle 12 moves longitudinally within the channel 17 under the effect of the drive module 110. In its fully retracted position, that is to say in the position in which the distal end 19 of the needle 12 is furthest from the free end 18 of the channel, the tip of the needle 12 is upstream of the orifice 23 of the reservoir 15. This orifice is sized so as to let a small quantity of ink 16 pass in the form of a drop. When the needle 12 advances towards the free end 18 of the channel, it passes close to the orifice 23 and carries with it the drop of ink 16 which it can then deposit in the traditional manner under the skin of the tattooed person. In each cycle of retraction of the needle 12 within the channel 17 and of movement of the needle forward, to the free end 18 of the channel 17, the needle 12 extracts a drop of ink 16 from the reservoir 15.

The marking module 11 comprises a guide 24 arranged within the channel 17. The guide 24 advantageously extends over an area between the location where the hole 23 opens into the channel 17 and an area located upstream of the location where the tip or distal end 19 of the needle 12 is located when this needle is in its fully retracted position. This has the advantage that the needle 12 always has a portion contained in the guide 24 and is therefore always appropriately guided. Furthermore, the guide 24 prevents the ink 16 from being drawn upstream of the hole 23 when the needle 12 makes a movement from the extended position to the retracted position. The guide 24 may, for example, be arranged only next to the hole 23 or be a perforated cylinder placed in the channel all around the needle.

In a first embodiment of the reservoir 15, it comprises a priming element 25 whose function is to push a first drop of ink 16 towards the orifice 23. This priming element 25 may be formed, for example, by a flexible zone in the sealed wall of the reservoir 15, this flexible zone being able to be deformed, for example, by means of a button 26. Pressure on the button 26 generates an overpressure inside the reservoir, which has the effect of pushing ink towards the open zone of the reservoir, namely the orifice 23. When a first drop of ink 16 has formed in the orifice 23, other drops are formed by capillarity when the first drop is drawn off by the needle 12.

According to a second embodiment of the tank 15, the entire tank 15 may be formed of a flexible material, so that priming is carried out by pressing any part of the tank.

In a third embodiment, the reservoir 15 comprises a pressurized air inlet, which generates an excess pressure inside the reservoir. The pressurized air may be generated, for example, by the drive module, part of which acts as a compressor. In this embodiment, it is possible to provide a regulating element (not shown) for the pressure generated in the reservoir, the regulation of the pressure allowing the regulation of the ink flow from the reservoir into the channel through the orifice. Such regulation of pressure and/or flow is useful for adapting the quantity of ink supplied depending, for example, on the type of stroke to be made.

In a variant, it is also possible to regulate the flow rate of ink 16 by regulating the size of the orifice 23. For this purpose, it is possible to make an orifice 23 having a zone equipped with a flexible and deformable wall, this deformable wall being in contact with an adjustment screw (not shown) accessible from outside the tank or the marking module 11. In the absence of restriction, the deformable wall of the orifice is in a position such that it allows a maximum amount of ink to pass. When the adjustment screw is used, it restricts the deformable wall such that the cross-sectional area of the orifice is reduced and this orifice allows a smaller quantity of ink to pass.

In a variant, it is possible to replace the supply of pressurized air to the tank 15 by a suction or a depression carried out at the level of the channel. This suction can be obtained by means of a vacuum pump (not shown) connected to the channel 17, near its free end 18. As in the compressor, the vacuum pump can be obtained from the drive module. The ink flow rate can also be regulated by a flow rate regulating element.

When ink is to be added to the reservoir 15, for example because the contents thereof have been consumed, the ink may be added simply through the opening 21 of the reservoir, either by removing the cap 22 and pouring the ink 16 into the reservoir 15, or by passing through a cap on the cap 22, which may be advantageous to ensure the sterility of the ink. Advantageously, the cap 22 of the reservoir is not sealed during use of the tattoo apparatus, which allows air to pass into the reservoir as the ink is consumed.

According to a variant, the marking module of the invention comprises a retention mechanism 32 of the ink 16 in the tank 15. This retention mechanism 32 is provided to prevent the ink from exiting the tank towards the channel 17 when the retention mechanism is activated.

If the detent mechanism 32 is activated, the ink in the reservoir is not used. On the contrary, it is possible to use ink from an external reservoir, which can be interesting, for example, when a small part of the tattoo or marking has to be done with a different coloured ink. When this part of the tattoo or marking is finished, the detent mechanism 32 can be deactivated and the ink in the reservoir can be used again. The detent mechanism is also useful for transporting and storing the cartridges, to prevent the ink from spilling accidentally.

In a particular embodiment, the reservoir cap 22 can take three different positions. In a first position, it is open and allows the cartridge 27 to be filled. In a second position, the cap 22 is hermetically sealed. In this position, air cannot enter the cartridge 27 or the reservoir 15. Ink cannot escape through the hole 23 and the reservoir 15 is completely closed. This position is shown in FIG. 2. The cap acts as a retaining mechanism 32. The hermetically sealed position of the cap corresponds to the activated position of the retaining mechanism.

In a third position, the cap 22 is closed in a non-hermetic manner. This allows air to pass into the reservoir 15, leaving the ink able to flow into the orifice 23. This position is shown in Figure 3. It corresponds to the deactivated position of the retention mechanism 32.

When the cap 22 is placed in its unsealed position, the marking module 11 can be used as described above. The ink 16 from the reservoir 15 passes through the hole 23 and is drawn off by the needle 12.

According to a variant of the retention mechanism, the stroke of the needle 12 can be regulated by the drive module 110. In a first mode of use of the marking module, the stroke of the needle is comprised between a first position in which the distal end 19 exits the channel 17 of the marking module and protrudes from the free end 18 of the channel 17, and a second position in which the distal end 19 of the needle is upstream of the hole 23, as illustrated in Figure 3.

In a second mode of use, the stroke of the needle 12 is comprised between a first position identical to the first position described above and a second position in which the distal end 19 of the needle 12 is downstream of the hole 23 and a zone of the needle 12 is always facing the hole 23.

In this case, the hole 23 is always closed and ink from the reservoir cannot flow out. Ink from an external reservoir can then be used. In this case, the stroke of the needle 12 acts as an ink retention mechanism 32. When the stroke of the needle reaches its distal end 19 upstream of the hole 23, the retention mechanism 32 is deactivated. When the distal end 19 of the needle is still downstream of the hole 23, the retention mechanism 32 is activated in the sense that the needle prevents ink from flowing through the hole.

Instead of blocking the hole 23 by means of the needle 12 when the retention mechanism 32 is activated, this hole 23 could be blocked by the guide 24. The latter could in fact be movable between an advanced position in which it blocks the hole 23 and a retracted position in which it frees the passage of ink to the hole.

Figures 7 to 14 describe a variant of the marking module according to the present invention. In this variant, the ink 16 used for marking or tattooing is contained in a reservoir 15 formed by the cartridge 27 which is separable from the body 28 of the marking module 11. Figure 7 illustrates this marking module in which the ink cartridge 27 is separated from the body 28.

As can be seen in particular in Figures 11 and 12, the cartridge 27 comprises a hole 23 allowing the passage of ink from the cartridge to the channel 17 of the body or directly into contact with the needle 12.

The cartridge 27 further comprises a cap 22 which has at least the function of opening and/or closing the reservoir 15 in particular to fill the cartridge.

As described above, the plug 22 can take three distinct positions, namely an open position, a hermetically closed position and a non-hermetically closed position. However, it could equally have only two positions, namely an open position and a non-hermetically closed position.

The cartridge 27 preferably comprises a locking mechanism (not shown) which enables this cartridge to be locked in position when it is placed in the marking module body 28. When the locking mechanism is in the unlocked position, it is possible to remove the cartridge 27 from the marking module body 28. When the locking mechanism is in the locked position, the cartridge 27 cannot be removed from the marking module body.

The cartridge 27 may further comprise graduations and be partially transparent to enable the quantity of ink contained in the reservoir to be seen and assessed.

When a cartridge 27 is to be placed in the body 28 of a marking module 11, the locking mechanism is placed in an open or unlocked position. A portion of the cartridge 27 is placed in a retention portion 30 of the marking module body, as illustrated in Figure 8, and then the cartridge 27 is placed in its final position, as illustrated in Figure 9. The locking mechanism is then actuated to lock the cartridge 27 in its use position.

When the cartridge 27 is in place, the hole 23 is positioned in the vicinity of the needle 12. In its retracted position, the distal end 19 of the needle 12 is located upstream of the hole 23. During its forward movement, the needle draws up a drop of ink which it can then deposit under the skin of the person to be tattooed.

When the ink cartridge 27 is to be filled, the cap 22 is opened and ink is introduced through the opening of the reservoir 15. The quantity of ink introduced can be chosen so that it corresponds substantially to the quantity of ink required for the chosen colour, which avoids waste.

The retaining mechanism 32 is integrated into the cartridge 27. This retaining mechanism 32 is illustrated in more detail in Figures 11 and 12 and comprises a tab 33 arranged inside the cartridge 27 and a slide 34 accessible from outside the cartridge and integral with the tab 33. This tab is arranged so that it can move between two positions, namely an open position in which the hole 23 is completely clear and the tab 33 does not interfere with this hole, and a closed position in which the tab 33 blocks the hole 23 and prevents ink from exiting the reservoir through the hole. The open position is illustrated in Figure 11 and the closed position is illustrated in Figure 12.

When the tab 33 is in the open position or in other words, when the retention mechanism 32 is deactivated, the ink 16 can exit the reservoir 15 through the hole 23 and the marking module 11 can be used by extracting the ink from the reservoir 15.

When the tab 33 is in the closed position or when the retention mechanism 32 is activated, ink cannot exit the reservoir 15 through the hole 23. The marking module 11 can then be used in the same way as traditional marking modules, namely by drawing ink from an external reservoir.

In the case of a reservoir 15 made in the form of a removable cartridge 27, it is possible to link the locking mechanism with the ink retention mechanism 32, so that the retention mechanism 32 is always activated if the locking mechanism is not in the locked position. This makes it possible to prevent ink from flowing out of the reservoir as long as the cartridge is not locked in its position in the body of the marking module.

It should be noted that a cartridge 27 can be placed in different marking modules 11, more specifically in marking modules having needles of different shapes. The same cartridge can first be placed in a marking module having a specific needle for producing fine lines, and then the same cartridge can be placed in a marking module having a specific needle for producing large areas and/or shading.

The use of cartridges also allows the placement of pre-loaded cartridges 27, without the need for the said cartridges to be filled by the user himself.

Furthermore, since the ink that is extracted by the needle 12 passing in front of the hole 23 is deposited under the user's skin, there is no element that is transmitted in "countercurrent" from the user's skin to the ink inside the cartridge. Because of this, the same ink cartridge could be used to tattoo several people without any risk of transmission of pathogens from one person to another.

During a particular colour change, a very small amount of ink may be found at the end of the needle 12. The end of the marking module on which the distal end of the needle is located may be placed in a container 31 containing a cleaning liquid, as illustrated in Figure 14. Any traces of ink may then be removed and a new ink cartridge, for example with a different coloured ink, may be fitted. There is however no risk of the different coloured inks mixing, because only a very small amount of ink is in contact with the needle.

Certain features have been described in connection with the embodiments of Figures 1 to 6 and other features have been described in connection with the embodiments of Figures 7 to 14. These features are, for example, those concerning the priming of ink in the orifice 23, the non-hermetically closed position of the cap 22 or the ink retention mechanism 32. However, it should be noted that these features may equally be implemented in the other embodiment, for which they are not specifically described.

Unlike other tattoo machines with an ink tank, it is not necessary to completely fill the tank. You can add or put into the tank only the amount of ink needed.

If a different coloured ink is to be used, according to a first variant, the ink of the first colour is drawn from the reservoir 15 by simply opening the cap 22 and emptying the reservoir. The latter can eventually be cleaned, if necessary, to remove any ink residues which might be found against the wall of the reservoir. Since the needle 12 draws ink drop by drop, it is not completely covered by ink and therefore the colour change does not require cleaning of the needle.

In a second variant, the ink 16 may be contained in a removable cartridge. In this case, the cartridge may comprise a closing element which can be opened to allow the passage of ink from the removable cartridge into the channel. This closing element may for example comprise a cap which is removed by the user when the removable cartridge is fitted or which is pierced by a point arranged near the hole 23. The closing element may also be formed by the retention mechanism 32. The latter may comprise a mechanical element which is displaced when the cartridge is fitted in place, to allow the flow of ink from the cartridge into the channel 17, and which blocks the passage between the cartridge and the channel 17 when the cartridge is removed from the reservoir. Such a mechanical element could for example be a ball or a valve. In this way, and because the needle 12 is not in the ink, it is easy to change the ink colour without changing the needle.

The retention mechanism 32 can be activated to prevent the use of the ink contained in the cartridge 27, so as to allow the use of ink contained for example in an external tank or so as to allow the storage and transport of the cartridge without risk of ink leakage.

The flow of ink can also be regulated by the plug 22. When this is placed in its hermetically closed position, air cannot enter the tank and ink cannot flow, due to the small diameter of the hole 23. When the plug 22 is in its non-hermetically closed position, air can enter the tank and ink can flow through the hole.

The present invention allows a tattoo or permanent make-up device to be used without having to stop periodically to add ink to the tattoo needle. It allows large surfaces to be marked quickly and easily and to change colours in a simple manner. It can also be used in two different modes, namely a mode in which ink from the reservoir 15 is used and another mode in which ink from an external reservoir is used. The selection of the mode can be made quickly and easily by activating or deactivating the ink retention mechanism. Naturally, the retention mechanism can also be used to prevent ink from flowing, in particular when the marking module is not used and/or during the movement or storage of removable ink cartridges.

These different characteristics make the device easier and more pleasant to use for the person doing the make-up or tattoo. The same operations can be carried out in a much shorter time than with prior art devices, which is interesting for the person doing the tattoo, but above all for the person being tattooed. Indeed, although a tattoo can be relatively painful, saving time during the tattoo process means greater comfort for the person being tattooed.

The present invention has been described with a dye in the form of a liquid ink. It is also possible to use a dye product in the form of, for example, a powder or a paste, provided that this powder can be extracted by the needle during its reciprocating movement in the channel. This can be done in particular by generating an overpressure in the reservoir or a depression in the channel, in order to suck the powder or paste into this channel.

Claims (15)

1. Marking module for an apparatus intended for the application of a colouring product for permanent make-up or tattooing, said marking module (11) comprising a channel (17) and at least one needle (12) movable longitudinally within said channel (17) between a retracted position in which a distal end (19) of the needle (12) is located inside said channel (17) and an extended position in which the distal end (19) of the needle (12) protrudes from said channel (17), said marking module (11) being characterized in that it comprises a reservoir (15) of colouring product and in that said reservoir (15) communicates with said channel (17) only in an area located downstream of the distal end of the needle (12) when this needle (12) is in said retracted position. 2. Marking module according to claim 1, characterized in that the reservoir (15) comprises an orifice (23) which opens into said channel (17) within which the needle (12) moves, and in that the reservoir (15) communicates with said channel (17) through this orifice (23). 3. Marking module according to claim 1, characterized in that the reservoir (15) comprises a removable cartridge (27). 4. Marking module according to claim 3, comprising a body (28), characterized in that this marking module (11) comprises a locking mechanism (29) that can take a locked position in which the removable cartridge (27) is held in position in said body (28), and an unlocked position, in which the removable cartridge (27) can be separated from the body (28). 5. Marking module according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a mechanism (32) for retaining ink in said tank (15), said retention mechanism (32) being arranged to prevent ink from exiting the tank (15) towards the channel (17) when said retention mechanism (32) is activated. 6. Marking module according to claim 1, characterized in that the reservoir (15) comprises a plug (22) that can take a hermetically closed position, in which no air can enter the reservoir (15), a non-hermetically closed position, in which air can enter the reservoir, without ink being able to be introduced into the reservoir (15) and an open position, in which air and ink can enter and leave the reservoir (15). 7. Marking module according to claim 6, characterized in that said cap (22) forms part of the retention mechanism (32), this retention mechanism (32) being activated when the cap (22) is in its hermetically closed position. 8. Marking module according to claim 5, characterized in that said needle (12) forms part of the retention mechanism (32), this retention mechanism (32) being activated when the movement of the needle (12) in the direction of its retracted position is limited to a position in which the distal end (19) of said needle is always downstream of the hole (23). 9. Marking module according to claim 5, characterized in that the retention mechanism (32) comprises a tongue (33) movable between a closed position in which this tongue (33) blocks the hole (23) and an open position in which the hole (23) is open. 10. Marking module according to claim 1, characterized in that the tank (15) comprises a priming element (25) to prime the arrival of the dye to said channel (17). 11. Marking module according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a pressure generating device in the tank (15). 12. Marking module according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a device generating depression in the channel (17). 13. Marking module according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an element for regulating the ink flow from the tank (17) in the channel (17). 14. Marking module according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a needle guide element (24), arranged upstream of said hole (23). 15. Apparatus for applying a coloring product for permanent make-up or tattooing, this apparatus (10) being characterized in that it comprises a marking module (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 14 and a drive module (110) for the needle (12) of the marking module (11).