Lancet and piercing device

• US 20040243165A1
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Original Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Inventors: Koike, Masufumi, Fukuzawa, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,016,847 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 5/150618 Integrally moulded protectors, e.g. protectors simultaneously moulded together with a further component, e.g. a hub, of the piercing element
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150717 manually removed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150916 by blocking components, e.g. piston, driving device or fluid passageway
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15186 Devices loaded with a single lancet, i.e. a single lancet with or without a casing is loaded into a reusable drive device and then discarded after use; drive devices reloadable for multiple use

Abstract

The present invention provides a lancet (X1) which includes a case (1) including an internal space (10), and a lancing unit (2) which includes a lancing needle (20) and which is movable within the internal space (10) in an advancing direction from a wait position to an advanced position. The case (1) includes a main body (11) accommodating the lancing unit (2), and a cap (12) which is molded integral with the main body (11) and detachable from the main body (11). The lancing unit (2) includes a cover portion (22) for covering a portion of the lancing needle (20) on the advancing side, for example. The cover portion (22) is detachable together with the cap (12) by exerting a rotational force for rotating the cap (12) and a pulling force for causing relative movement of the cap (12) in the advancing direction for exposing a front end of the lancing needle (20).

Claims

1. A lancet comprising:

a case including an internal space; and

a lancing unit including a lancing needle and movable within the internal space in an advancing direction from a wait position to an advanced position;

wherein the case comprises a main body accommodating the lancing unit, and a cap formed integral with the main body, the cap being detachable from the main body.

2. The lancet according to claim 1, wherein the lancing unit comprises:

a holder portion for holding a portion of the lancing needle on a retreating side which is opposite to the advancing side; and

a cover portion for covering a portion of the lancing needle on the advancing side, the cover portion being detachable from the holder portion;

wherein the cover portion is detached together with the cap for exposing a front end of the lancing needle.

3. The lancet according to claim 2, further comprising rotational means for rotating the cover portion in accordance with rotation of the cap;

wherein the cover portion is detached together with the cap by exerting a rotational force for rotating the cap and a pulling force for causing relative movement of the cap in the advancing direction.

4. The lancet according to claim 3, wherein the rotational means comprises:

an engagement piece which is provided on the cover portion and has a front end movable in a direction transverse to the advancing direction of the lancing unit; and

an engagement hole provided at the cap for engagement with the engagement piece for restraining the front end of the engagement piece in the rotational direction and in the advancing direction.

5. The lancet according to claim 3, wherein the rotational means comprises a recess or a projection provided on the cover portion, and a projection or a recess provided on the cap for engagement with the recess or the projection of the cover portion.

6. The lancet according to claim 3, further comprising rotation preventing means for preventing the holder portion from rotating when the cap is rotated.

7. The lancet according to claim 1, further comprising wait position holding means for holding the lancing unit at the wait position;

wherein the wait position holding means includes a resilient portion provided on at least one of the case and the lancing unit, the lancing unit being held in place by a spring force of the resilient portion.

8. The lancet according to claim 1, further comprising retreated position holding means for holding the lancing unit at a retreated position after the lancing unit is advanced from the wait position to the advanced position and then retreated from the advanced position to the retreated position.

9. A lancet comprising:

a case including an internal space; and

a lancing unit including a lancing needle and movable within the internal space in an advancing direction from a wait position to an advanced position;

wherein the case comprises;

a main body which accommodates the lancing unit and has an opening for allowing the lancing needle to advance therethrough; and

a cap which covers the opening and is detachable from the main body,

wherein the lancing unit comprises;

a holder portion for holding a portion of the lancing needle on a retreating side; and

a cover portion for covering a portion of the lancing needle on the advancing side, the cover portion being detachable from the holder portion,

wherein the cover portion is detached together with the cap for exposing a front end of the lancing needle, without causing the lancing needle to project from the opening.

10. The lancet according to claim 9, further comprising rotational means for rotating the cover portion in accordance with rotation of the cap,

wherein the cover portion is detached together with the cap by exerting a rotational force for rotating the cap and a pulling force for causing relative movement of the cap in the advancing direction.

11. The lancet according to claim 10, wherein the rotational means comprises:

an engagement piece provided at the cover portion and having a front end movable in a direction transverse to the advancing direction of the lancing unit; and

an engagement hole provided at the cap for engagement with the engagement piece for restraining the front end of the engagement piece in the rotational direction and the advancing direction.

12. The lancet according to claim 10, wherein the rotational means comprises:

a recess or a projection provided at the cover portion; and

a projection or a recess provided at the cap for engagement with the recess or the projection of the cover portion.

13. The lancet according to claim 9, further comprising a weak portion provided at a boundary between the cap and the main body.

14. The lancet according to claim 9, further comprising a weak portion provided at a boundary between the holder portion and the cover portion.

15. The lancet according to claim 10, further comprising rotation preventing means for preventing the holder portion from rotating when the cap is rotated.

16. A lancet comprising:

a case including an internal space;

a lancing unit including a lancing needle and movable within the internal space in an advancing direction from a wait position to an advanced position; and

wait position holding means for holding the lancing unit at the wait position;

wherein the wait position holding means includes a resilient portion provided at least at one of the case and the lancing unit for holding the lancing unit in place by resilient force.

17. The lancet according to claim 16, further comprising retreated position holding means for holding the lancing unit at a retreated position after the lancing unit is retreated from the advanced position,

wherein the wait position holding means includes a projection provided on an inner surface of the case;

wherein the retreated position holding means includes a recess provided at the resilient portion for engagement with the projection of the case.

18. A lancet comprising:

a lancing unit including a lancing needle;

a case holding the lancing unit movably from a wait position to an advanced position; and

retreated position holding means for holding the lancing unit at a retreated position after the lancing unit is retreated from the advanced position.

19. The lancet according to claim 18, wherein the retreated position holding means includes a resilient portion provided at least one of the case and the lancing unit for holding the lancing unit by resilient force.

20. The lancet according to claim 19, wherein the resilient portion comprises a swayable portion provided on the lancing unit and urged outward of the lancing unit.

21. The lancet according to claim 18, further comprising wait position holding means for holding the lancing unit at the wait position,

wherein the wait position holding means comprises:

a recess or a projection provided at an outer surface of the lancing unit; and

a projection or a recess formed at an inner surface of the case for engagement with the recess or the projection of the lancing unit,

wherein the retreated position holding means comprises;

the projection or the recess of the case; and

a recess or a projection provided on the retreating side of the recess or the projection of the lancing unit for engagement with the projection or the recess of the case.

22. The lancet according to claim 21, wherein the retreated position holding means comprises:

the projection provided at the inner surface of the case;

a first circular flange projecting from the outer surface of the lancing unit; and

a second circular flange which is provided adjacent to and on the retreating side of the first circular flange and which is smaller in diameter than the first circular flange, the second circular flange together with the first circular flange defining an engagement groove for engagement with the projection.

23. A lancing apparatus for advancing a lancing needle incorporated in a lancet mounted on the lancing apparatus, the lancet comprising:

a lancing unit including a lancing needle;

a case holding the lancing unit movably from a wait position to an advanced position; and

retreated position holding means for holding the lancing unit at a retreated position after the lancing unit is retreated from the advanced position,

wherein the lancing apparatus comprises a movable member which is movable in an advancing direction and is arranged to hold a retreat-side portion of the lancing unit;

wherein the movable member moves in the advancing direction for bringing the lancing unit to the advanced position;

wherein the case is moved in the advancing direction relative to the lancing apparatus to detach the lancet from the lancing apparatus, the detachment being performed while the lancing unit is held at the retreated position by the retreated position holding means after the lancing unit is moved in a retreating direction relative to the case.