Multiple lancet device

• US 20010027328A1
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Published: 10/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Original Assignee: Domimque M. Freeman, Leslie A. Leonard, Michael Greenstein, Paul Lum
• Inventors: Freeman, Domimque M., Lum, Paul, Greenstein, Michael, Leonard, Leslie A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,660,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/186
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/205 Vaccinating by means of needles or other puncturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150068 by tissue compression, e.g. with specially designed surface of device contacting the skin area to be pierced
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150099 by negative pressure, other than vacuum extraction into a syringe by pulling on the piston rod or into pre-evacuated tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150396 Specific tip design, e.g. for improved penetration characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150427 Specific tip design, e.g. for improved penetration characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150977 Arrays of piercing elements for simultaneous piercing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood

Abstract

A device for puncturing the skin of a patient. The device includes first and second protrusions, each protrusion puncturing the skin when pressed against the skin. The first and second protrusions are arranged such that the first protrusion punctures the skin at a location less than a predetermined distance from the second protrusion. The distance is chosen to be less than the discriminatable distance between distinct pain perception points in the patient, such that the patient perceives a single puncture when the first and second protrusions puncture the skin. In one embodiment of the invention, the device includes a base lip that applies a lateral force to the skin when the base lip is pressed against the skin. In this embodiment, the protrusions are pressed into the skin as the base lip is pressed against the skin.

Claims

1. A device for puncturing the skin of a patient, said device comprising two or more protrusions, each protrusion puncturing the skin when pressed against the skin, at least one of the protrusions (first protrusion) being arranged such that it punctures the skin at a location at a distance away from another protrusion (second protrusion), the distance between the first protrusion and the second protrusion being less than the discriminatable distance between distinct pain perception points in the patient.

2. A device according to

claim 1

further comprising a base assembly associated with said protrusions, said base assembly applying a force having a lateral component to said skin when said base assembly is pressed against said skin.

3. A device according to

claim 2

wherein said protrusions are forced into said skin when said base assembly is pressed against said skin.

4. A device according to

claim 2

wherein said base assembly comprises a resilient material that is deformed when said base assembly is pressed against said skin.

5. A device according to

claim 2

wherein the base assembly includes a border lip surrounding the protrusions such that when pressed against the skin the border lip exerts force on the skin with a component of the force away from the protrusions.

6. A device according to

claim 2

wherein the protrusions are movable relative to the base assembly.

7. A device according to

claim 1

wherein said first and second protrusions each comprise a hollow member.

8. A device according to

claim 1

wherein each protrusion has a sharp tip off center on the protrusion and the side of each protrusion having the sharp tip on each of the protrusions being arranged to face away from the axis of the lancet device.

9. A device according to

claim 8

wherein each protrusion has a beveled end leading to a sharp tip, the bevel of each protrusion facing inwards.

10. A device according to

claim 1

wherein there are three or more protrusions that are hollow to permit fluid flow therein.

11. A device according to

claim 10

further comprising a chamber in fluid communication with the hollow protrusions, the chamber having an exit having fluid communication to outside the device for access to a suction or capillary force.

12. A device according to

claim 1

comprising more than three protrusions and the protrusions are not of equal length.

13. A device according to

claim 11

wherein some of the protrusions are distributed at polygonal vertices equi-distance from the axis and surrounding one or more protrusions nearer to the axis, the polygonal vertices protrusions having a different length from the one or more protrusions nearer to the axis of the lancet device.

14. A device according to

claim 12

wherein the protrusions at polygonal vertices surround and are shorter than at least two protrusions that are near the axis of the lancet device.

15. A method of making a lancet device for puncturing the skin of a patient, comprising:

arranging on a support body two or more protrusions such that at least one protrusion punctures the skin at a location equal to or less than a distance D from another of the protrusions when the protrusions are pressed against the skin, said distance D being chosen to be less than the discriminatable distance between distinct pain perception points in the patient.

16. A method according to

claim 15

further comprising attaching a base assembly to said protrusions such that said base assembly has a flare member angled away from the axis of the support body, the flare member applying a force with a lateral component to said skin when said base assembly is pressed against said skin.

17. A method according to

claim 15

wherein said protrusions are connected to the base assembly such that the protrusions are forced into said skin when said base assembly is pressed against said skin and wherein said base assembly comprises a resilient material that is deformed when said base assembly is pressed against said skin.

18. A method according to

claim 16

comprising forming said base assembly with a resilient material such that the base assembly is deformable when said base assembly is pressed against said skin.

19. A method according to

claim 15

further comprising forming on each protrusion a sharp tip off center on the protrusion and further comprising arranging the sharp tips of the protrusions to face away from the axis of the lancet device.

20. A method according to

claim 15

further comprising providing on the base assembly a border lip surrounding the protrusions such that when pressed against the skin the border lip exerts force on the skin with a component of the force away from the protrusions.

21. A method according to

claim 15

further comprising locating some of the protrusions at polygonal vertices equi-distance from the axis and surrounding one or more of the other protrusions nearer to the axis of the lancet device, the polygonal vertex protrusions having a different length from the one or more protrusions nearer to the axis of the lancet device.

22. A method of using a lancet device to puncture the skin of a patient, comprising:

driving two or more protrusions to puncture the skin such that at least one protrusion punctures the skin at a location a distance D from another of the protrusions when the protrusions are pressed against the skin, said distance D being chosen to be less than the discriminatable distance between distinct pain perception points in the patient.

23. A method according to

claim 22

further comprising pressing a base assembly to push said protrusions to penetrate the skin and to apply a force with a lateral component to said skin to increase tautness of the skin.

24. A method according to

claim 22

including driving protrusion having on each protrusion a sharp tip off center on the protrusion such that the side of the protrusion having the sharp tip in each protrusions faces away from the axis of the lancet device when the lancet device is being driven into the skin.