Lancing aid comprising a lancet system that is protected against re-use

• US 20040260325A1
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Weiss, Thomas, Forster, Richard, Sachsenweger, Peter, Ebert, Karl-Peter, Kuhr, Hans-Juergen
• Granted Patent: US 7,785,338 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 5/150259 Improved gripping, e.g. with high friction pattern or projections on the housing surface or an ergonometric shape
• 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 5/150503 Single-ended needles hollow piercing element tip design A61B5/150396, needle sets for catheters A61M25/06, needles for bringing media into the body A61M5/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150572 Pierceable protectors, e.g. shields, caps, sleeves or films, e.g. for hygienic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150702 fully automatically removed, i.e. the removing does not require any action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150916 by blocking components, e.g. piston, driving device or fluid passageway
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15146 Devices loaded with multiple lancets simultaneously, e.g. for serial firing without reloading, for example by use of stocking means. multiple simultaneous cutting or piercing A61B5/150977
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15155 Piercing elements which are specially shaped or are provided with fittings or attachments to facilitate nesting, stacking or joining together end-to-end or side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15169 Characterized by a rolled strip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15171 Characterized by propelling the piercing element perpendicular to the direction of movement of the strip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15176 Stocking means comprising cap, cover, sheath or protection for aseptic stocking

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed towards the field of lancing aids in which disposable lancet systems are used. The lancet system according to the invention has a needle body which surrounds the needle tip in a lancet system in a protective manner and also comprises a protection against re-use of an ejected lancet system.

Claims

1. A lancing aid for producing an opening in the skin, the lancing aid comprising:

a housing for inserting a lancet system, wherein the housing has a holding element that interacts with a holding element in the lancet system when the lancet system is positioned in the housing;

at least one needle having a needle tip, wherein the at least one needle is connected to a needle body, wherein the needle body comprises a protective portion such that the protective portion of the needle body and the needle can be moved relative to one another;

wherein the protective portion of the needle body partially surrounds the needle tip in a first position;

wherein the protective portion of the needle body and the needle tip are arranged relative to one another in a second position in such a manner that the needle tip is released from the protective portion of the needle body;

an opening in the housing, wherein the needle tip of the at least one needle can emerge from the lancet system during a lancing operation;

a drive mechanism for propelling the at least one needle such that the needle is transferred from a resting position into a lancing position; and

a blocking mechanism comprised in the needle body, wherein the blocking mechanism is actuated by an interaction with the housing such that after ejection of the lancet system from the housing, the holding element of the housing is prevented from interacting with the holding element of the lancet system when the lancing system is reinserted into the housing.

2. The lancing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding element of the housing is prevented from interacting with the holding element of the lancet system in such a manner that the lancet system cannot be reinserted into the housing.

3. The lancing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lancet system and the housing each have several, and independently acting holding elements.

4. The lancing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking mechanism prevents an interaction of the holding elements of the lancet system with the housing such that the lancet system can be held and positioned in no position in the housing.

5. The lancing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein an interaction of the holding elements of the housing and the lancet system is prevented in such a manner that the needle cannot be propelled by the drive mechanism.

6. The lancing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking mechanism spatially separates the holding elements when the lancet system is reinserted into the housing.

7. The lancing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking mechanism is activated when the lancet system is ejected from the housing.

8. The lancing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking mechanism is activated when the lancet system is inserted into the housing.

9. The lancing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking mechanism is actuated during a lancing operation.

10. The lancing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective portion of the needle body is transferred to the first position during the ejection of the lancet system.

11. The lancing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first position of the protective portion of the needle body is the same as the resting position.

12. A lancet system for insertion into a lancing aid, the lancet system comprising:

at least one needle with a tip for producing a skin opening;

a needle body with a holding element that interacts with a holding element of the lancing aid when the lancet system is inserted into the lancing aid, wherein the needle body is connected with the needle in such a manner that at least one protective portion of the needle body and the needle can be moved relative to one another;

wherein the protective portion of the needle body at least partially surrounds the needle tip in a first position and in a second position, the protective portion of the needle body and the needle tip are spatially separated from one another such that the needle tip is released by the protective portion of the needle body;

blocking mechanism in the needle body, wherein the blocking mechanism is actuated by an interaction with a lancing aid and changes the needle body such that, after ejection of the lancet system from the lancing aid, the holding element is prevented from interacting with the holding element of the lancing aid when it is reinserted again.

13. The lancet system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the blocking mechanism changes the shape of the needle body.

14. The lancet system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the protective portion of the needle body is a magazine housing that contains a plurality of needles.

15. The lancet system as claimed in claim 12, wherein a part of the needle body comprises the blocking mechanism which is actuated independently of the protective portion of the needle body.

16. The lancet system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the blocking mechanism acts directly on the holding element and covers and destroys the holding element.

17. The lancet system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the shape of the needle body is itself designed as a holding element.

18. The lancet system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the blocking mechanism has a preset breaking point that breaks the needle body when it is ejected from the lancet system.

19. The lancet system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the blocking mechanism enlarges at least one area of the needle body.

20. The lancet system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the blocking mechanism reduces the size of at least one area of the needle body.