Devices and methods for the expression of bodily fluids from an incision
First Claim
1. A device for expressing bodily fluid from an incision in the skin, the incision being formed at an incision site, the device comprising:
- a body; and
a member connected with said body and defining opposed, skin-engaging surfaces, said member having a first condition with the skin-engaging surfaces contacting the skin and located at initial, outer positions, said member having a second condition with the skin-engaging surfaces engaging the skin and located at constricting, inner positions, the skin being drawn inward as the skin-engaging surfaces move from the outer positions to the inner positions, the skin being constricted by the skin-engaging surfaces in the inner positions.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for the expression of bodily fluid from an incision in the skin include devices which bear against the skin in a manner to retain the fluid adjacent the incision site and urge the fluid inwardly toward the incision. One system utilizes a constricting member which engages the skin at initial, outer positions, and moves to draw the skin into an inner position forming a bulged, pinch of skin containing the incision site. The constricting member comprises flexible or non-flexible components, and is formed as a single, continuous member or as a plurality of discrete elements. A second system includes a bi-stable expression member including a skin-engaging portion having a first, outwardly bulged condition, and a second, inverted condition the skin is drawn into and retained within the member. The exterior surface of the expression member is optionally configured or treated to enhance the grasping of the skin. A third system involves a pressing member including deformable portions defining opposed, skin-engaging surfaces which are displaced upon pressing the member against the skin a sufficient amount. The deformable portions comprise flexible or non-flexible components, and are formed as a single, continuous member or as a plurality of discrete elements. The present invention further encompasses the combination of the foregoing expression systems with each other, as well as with other expression devices known in the art. Moreover, the invention includes the combination of the expression systems with incising, sampling and/or testing systems, particularly in a single, integrated device. The present invention also contemplates the associated methods for expressing bodily fluid from an incision, including in combination with methods for incising, sampling and/or testing of the bodily fluid.
207 Citations
92 Claims
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1. A device for expressing bodily fluid from an incision in the skin, the incision being formed at an incision site, the device comprising:
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a body; and
a member connected with said body and defining opposed, skin-engaging surfaces, said member having a first condition with the skin-engaging surfaces contacting the skin and located at initial, outer positions, said member having a second condition with the skin-engaging surfaces engaging the skin and located at constricting, inner positions, the skin being drawn inward as the skin-engaging surfaces move from the outer positions to the inner positions, the skin being constricted by the skin-engaging surfaces in the inner positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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38. A device for expressing bodily fluid from an incision in the skin, the incision being formed at an incision site, the device comprising:
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a body defining a cavity; and
a bi-stable expression member connected with said body adjacent to the interior cavity and including a portion having first and second stable conditions, said portion in the first stable condition being outwardly bulged relative to said body, said portion in the second stable condition being inverted and received within the cavity of said body, said portion including an exterior skin-engaging surface and defining an aperture communicating between the exterior skin-engaging surface and the cavity of said body, the skin-engaging surface engaging the skin and drawing the skin into said member as said portion inverts from the first condition to the second condition.
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52. A device for expressing bodily fluid from an incision in the skin, the incision being formed at an incision site, the device comprising:
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a body; and
a member connected with said body and including deformable portions defining opposed, skin-engaging surfaces, said member having a first condition with the skin-engaging surfaces contacting the skin and located at first positions, said member having a second condition with the skin-engaging surfaces engaging the skin and at second positions displaced from the first positions, the deformable portions being configured to deform from the first positions to the second positions upon pressing of said member against the skin, the first condition of said member corresponding to said member being in contact with the skin and the second condition of said member corresponding to said member being pressed against the skin a sufficient amount to deform the portions from the first positions to the second positions. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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68. A method for expressing bodily fluid from an incision in the skin, the incision being formed at an incision site, the method comprising:
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providing an expression device including a body and a member connected with the body and defining opposed, skin-engaging surfaces, the member having a first condition with the skin-engaging surfaces contacting the skin and located at initial, outer positions, the member having a second condition with the skin-engaging surfaces engaging the skin and located at constricting, inner positions, the skin being drawn inward as the skin-engaging surfaces move from the outer positions to the inner positions, the skin being constricted by the skin-engaging surfaces in the inner positions;
contacting the skin with the skin-engaging surfaces with the skin-engaging surfaces at the initial, outer positions; and
moving the skin-engaging surfaces to the constricting, inner positions to draw the skin inward and to constrict the skin with the skin-engaging surfaces.
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78. A method for expressing bodily fluid from an incision in the skin, the incision being formed at an incision site, the method comprising:
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providing an expression device including a body defining a cavity and a bi-stable expression member connected with the body adjacent to the interior cavity and including a portion having first and second stable conditions, the portion in the first stable condition being outwardly bulged relative to the body, the portion in the second stable condition being inverted and received within the cavity of the body, the portion including an exterior skin-engaging surface and defining an aperture communicating between the exterior skin-engaging surface and the cavity of the body, the skin-engaging surface engaging the skin and drawing the skin into the member as the portion inverts from the first condition to the second condition;
contacting the skin with the skin-engaging surface at the first, outwardly bulged condition; and
inverting the portion with the skin-engaging surface in contact with the skin to draw the skin into the member.
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84. A method for expressing bodily fluid from an incision in the skin, the incision being formed at an incision site, the method comprising:
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providing an expression device including a body and a member connected with the body and including deformable portions defining opposed, skin-engaging surfaces, the member having a first condition with the skin-engaging surfaces contacting the skin and located at first positions, the member having a second condition with the skin-engaging surfaces engaging the skin and at second positions displaced from the first positions, the deformable portions being configured to deform from the first positions to the second positions upon pressing of the member against the skin, the first condition of the member corresponding to the member being in contact with the skin and the second condition of the member corresponding to the member being pressed against the skin a sufficient amount to deform the portions from the first positions to the second positions;
contacting the skin with the skin-engaging surfaces with the skin-engaging surfaces in the first positions; and
pressing the expression device against the skin and deforming the member to move the skin-engaging surfaces from the first positions to the second positions. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
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Specification