Cap displacement mechanism for lancing device and multi-lancet cartridge

• US 20050234494A1
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Facet Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Facet Technologies LLC
• Inventors: LeVaughn, Richard W., Ruf, Christopher J., Robbins, Avi M., Flynn, Stephen J., Lipoma, Michael V., Conway, William E., Irwin, John C., Vanhiel, Brian D., Leutz, Brian D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,377,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/181
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32053 Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695; for use on the cornea A61F9/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32093 for skin incisions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150183 Depth adjustment mechanism using end caps mounted at the distal end of the sampling device, i.e. the end-caps are adjustably positioned relative to the piercing device housing for example by rotating or screwing
• 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 5/150564 Protectors removed by pulling or pushing
• 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 5/150725 removal procedure linked to further actions, e.g. cocking of the piercing device, which indicate that the piercing device is used or tempered
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150885 Preventing re-use
• 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 5/15146 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 5/15153 Multiple piercing elements stocked in a single compartment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15161 Characterized by propelling the piercing element in a radial direction relative to the disc
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15176 Stocking means comprising cap, cover, sheath or protection for aseptic stocking
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15182 Means for keeping track or checking of the total number of piercing elements already used or the number of piercing elements still remaining in the stocking, e.g. by check window, counter, display

Abstract

A medical lancing device including a replaceable multi-lancet cartridge. The lancing device includes an advancing mechanism that advances lancets within the cartridge into an active position, separates a protective cap from the active lancet, and energize a drive mechanism of the lancing device. A cap displacement mechanism moves the separated cap out of the travel path of the active lancet. In a first example embodiment, the cap displacement mechanism includes a cantilevered spring arm that displaces the detached cap of the active lancet. In a second example embodiment, the cap displacement mechanism includes a spring-biased cam-driven plunger 232 that displaces the detached cap of the active lancet. Then an activation mechanism releases the energized active lancet to traverse the unobstructed lancing stroke path to pierce the subject'"'"'s skin at a desired lancing site.

Claims

1. A cartridge assembly for a lancing device, comprising:

a housing;

a carrier rotationally mounted within the housing;

an array of lancets carried by the carrier, the lancets each having a detachable protective cap, the lancets each moveable along a lancing stroke path; and

a spring element having a first section attached to a stationary element of the cartridge assembly, a second section that engages the lancet caps, and an intermediate section between the first section and the second section, wherein the intermediate section is angled or curved, and offsets the first section from the second section, wherein as one of the lancets is rotationally advanced into the active position, the intermediate section rides across the lancet cap of the active-positioned lancet to charge the spring element and exert a force on the active-positioned cap, wherein upon detachment of the active-positioned cap from the active-positioned lancet, the charged spring element biases the active-positioned detached cap from the lancing stroke path of the active-positioned lancet, wherein after displacement of the active-positioned detached cap, the spring element returns to a rest position clear of the lancing stroke path,

wherein the carrier includes a plurality of guide tracks defining an array of transverse guide paths along which the lancet caps are displaced from the lancing stroke path, and wherein the guide tracks are adapted to retain the lancet caps after displacement from the lancing stroke path.

2. The cartridge assembly of claim 1, wherein the spring element comprises a cantilevered leaf spring.

3. The cartridge assembly of claim 1, wherein the first section of the spring element is attached to an inner surface of a top or bottom portion of the housing.

4. The cartridge assembly of claim 1, wherein the transverse guide paths are out of a plane defined by the lancet array.

5. The cartridge assembly of claim 1, wherein the lancet caps define one or more cap guide surfaces that engage and ride along the guide tracks as the caps are displaced from the lancing stroke path.

6. The cartridge assembly of claim 5, wherein the guide tracks engage the cap guide surfaces to retain the active-positioned cap from moving and being retracted with the active-positioned lancet, wherein the retained active-positioned cap separates from the retracted active-positioned lancet.

7. The cartridge assembly of claim 5, wherein the guide tracks comprise resilient elongated members extending from the carrier, and the cap guide surfaces comprise two shoulders projecting from opposing sides of the cap.

8. The cartridge assembly of claim 7, wherein the guide tracks comprise fingers, bars, or detents.

9. The cartridge assembly of claim 1, wherein the carrier defines radial guide channels that receive the lancets in a radial arrangement.

10. A lancing device in combination with the cartridge assembly of claim 1.

11. The combination lancing device and cartridge assembly of claim 10, further comprising an advancer mechanism for advancing the lancets into an active position for lancing and retracting the active-positioned lancet to detach the corresponding active-positioned cap.