Integration of a lancette with its capturing and removing cap

• US 20020151920A1
• Filed: 04/04/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Owen Mumford
• Original Assignee: Owen Mumford
• Inventors: Marshall, Jeremy, Crossman, David Danvers
• Granted Patent: US 7,153,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/181
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150412 Pointed piercing elements, e.g. needles, lancets for piercing the skin blade-like piercing elements A61B5/150442
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150519 Details of construction of hub, i.e. element used to attach the single-ended needle to a piercing device or sampling device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150549 Protectors removed by rotational movement, e.g. torsion or screwing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15061 by material engagement, e.g. welding, bonding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150641 comprising means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from covering to uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150717 manually removed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15113 Manually triggered, i.e. the triggering requires a deliberate action by the user such as pressing a drive button
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15117 comprising biased elements, resilient elements or a spring, e.g. a helical spring, leaf spring, or elastic strap
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit

Abstract

A lancet body (2) is integrally molded with a cap (3) for a firing device, the cap concealing the needle tip (5). the cap (3) can be used to insert the lancet (1), which is held while the cap is twisted off. The cap (3) is then fitted to the firing device to provide an apertured platform to be held against the skin and through which the needle tip (5) will momentarily project. The cap (3) has to be deformed to fit, and on being removed and recovering its natural shape internal lugs (14) catch hold of the released lancet (1) and remove that as well.

Claims

1. A combined lancet and cap for a lancet firing device of circular form at its leading end, to which the cap (3) can be fitted to provide an apertured platform (11) to bear against the user'"'"'s skin and through which the tip of the lancet needle is momentarily projected when the device is fired, the cap (3) and lancet body (2) being integrally moulded in plastics material with the cap (3) concealing the needle tip but being breakable away from the body (2) to expose that tip and then to be fitted to the firing device, and the cap (3) being adapted to capture the lancet as it is removed from the firing device after use, thereby removing the lancet as well with the needle tip safe within the cap, characterised in that the cap (3) is moulded with a generally elliptical open end portion (13) which requires lateral compression in its major axial plane to deform it to a circular shape capable of fitting to the circular leading end of a firing device.

2. A combined lancet and cap as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the cap is adapted to engage a firing device by a screw thread.

3. A combined lancet and cap as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the cap is adapted to engage a firing device by a bayonet type fitting.

4. A corbined lancet and cap as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the cap is adapted to engage a firing device by a snap fitting.

5. A combined lancet and cap as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the interior of the cap has opposed projections (14) on its minor axial plane and the lancet body (2) has an abutment (7) behind which the projections (14) engage when the cap (3) is removed from a firing device and reverts to its natural shape, but which is clear of the projections (14) when the cap (3) is deformed and fitted to a firing device.

6. A combined lancet and cap as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the lancet has a further abutment (8) to the rear of the first one, the projections (14) being adapted to engage between the abutments (7,8) when the cap (3) is removed from a firing device.

7. A combined lancet and cap as claimed in any preceding claim, in combination with a firing device, characterised in that the rear end of the lancet body (2) is non-rotatively receivable by a holder in the firing device.