Lancets for bodily fluid sampling supplied on a tape
First Claim
1. A multi-use lancing device for sampling a bodily fluid comprising:
- a carrying tape having a length and defining a supply section, a storage section, and an activating section between the supply and storage sections, wherein there is at least one bend in the activating section of the carrying tape;
a plurality of lancets carried along the length of the tape, each of the lancets having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a lancet length, wherein a substantial portion of the lancet length is non-circular in cross section, and wherein the distal portion includes a sharp tip that is uncontaminated with the bodily fluid when in the supply section of the carrying tape; and
a removable cover over the lancets that are in the supply section of the carrying tape;
wherein the lancets are oriented on the carrying tape such that their proximal portions precede their sharp tips as the lancets are carried from the supply section to the activating section by advancement of the tape.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A supply of lancets for a multi-use lancing device are carried by a tape and sequentially brought from a storage position to an activating position by advancing the tape around a bend. The lancets are non-circular in cross-section along their longitudinal lengths, and in their activating position they extend from the tape such that their sharp tips are available for lancing tissue. The carrying tape can be arranged in reel-to-reel format in a housing having a lancing opening. The lancets can be integral with the tape and activated to move the lancet through the lancing opening by moving the tape along its tape path or by translating a dedicated service loop of the tape. The lancets can also be independent from the tape and activated through the lancing opening by a separate lancing actuator. A test media can be included on the carrying tape and the housing can contain a sensor to yield an integrated lancing and testing device.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A multi-use lancing device for sampling a bodily fluid comprising:
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a carrying tape having a length and defining a supply section, a storage section, and an activating section between the supply and storage sections, wherein there is at least one bend in the activating section of the carrying tape;
a plurality of lancets carried along the length of the tape, each of the lancets having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a lancet length, wherein a substantial portion of the lancet length is non-circular in cross section, and wherein the distal portion includes a sharp tip that is uncontaminated with the bodily fluid when in the supply section of the carrying tape; and
a removable cover over the lancets that are in the supply section of the carrying tape;
wherein the lancets are oriented on the carrying tape such that their proximal portions precede their sharp tips as the lancets are carried from the supply section to the activating section by advancement of the tape. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A multi-use lancing device comprising:
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a housing having a lancet opening and containing a supply reel and a storage reel;
an elongated flexible carrying tape configured for reel-to-reel transfer from the supply reel to the storage reel;
a plurality of lancets sequentially positioned along the carrying tape and each having a lancet length and a distal portion defining a sharp tip;
a sterile removable cover over the lancets in the supply reel; and
a take-up reel for removing the cover from the lancets as the lancets are advanced from the supply reel to the storage reel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A supply of lancets in reel-to-reel fashion comprising:
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a supply reel, a storage reel and a carrying tape configured for reel-to-reel transfer from the supply reel to the storage reel;
a first lancet wrapped around the supply reel and flexed into a non-linear orientation;
a second lancet on the carrying tape between the supply and storage reels and in a generally linear orientation; and
a removable cover over at least the first lancets and not over the second lancet. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A multi-use device for sampling a bodily fluid comprising:
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a housing defining a lancing opening and containing a carrying tape configured to sequentially carry a plurality of lancets from a supply reel containing lancets uncontaminated with the bodily fluid to an activating section of the carrying tape adjacent the lancing opening; and
a removable cover over the lancets on the supply reel;
wherein the lancets each include a distal portion with a sharp tip wherein a substantial portion of the length of each lancet is non-circular in cross section; and
wherein the lancets are positioned on the carrying tape to have a proximal portion thereof lead the distal portion from the supply reel into the activating section. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for obtaining a bodily fluid sample comprising:
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providing a reel-to-reel tape carrying a plurality of lancets that are non-circular in cross section along a major portion of their lengths;
removing a sterile cover from a first lancet;
advancing the tape to position the first lancet adjacent a bend in the tape with a sharp tip of the first lancet spaced from the tape;
piercing tissue with the sharp tip of the first lancet; and
after the piercing, advancing the tape to bring the sharp tip of the first lancet closer to the tape. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for obtaining a bodily fluid sample comprising:
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removing a sterile cover from a first lancet carried by a tape;
positioning the first lancet adjacent a bend in a service loop portion of the tape;
relatively translating the service loop portion of the tape to lance tissue with the first lancet. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A device for lancing tissue comprising:
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a supply of sterile lancets carried by a tape along a tape path defining at least one bend, wherein at least a tip of one of the supply of lancets is under a sterile cover;
wherein the lancets have a length and a non-circular cross section along their lengths such that each lancet has substantially different degrees of flexibility in different directions relative to their length;
wherein a lancet adjacent the bend extends generally linearly from the tape for lancing tissue;
wherein a lancet not adjacent the bend is flexed into a non-linear orientation for compact storage. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method comprising:
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providing a multi-use lancing device having a supply of lancets on a tape, wherein at least a tip of at least one of the supply of lancets is under a sterile cover;
bringing a first lancet from a flexed orientation to a generally linear orientation;
lancing tissue with the first lancet in the generally linear orientation; and
bringing a second lancet from a flexed orientation to generally linear orientation for a subsequent lancing. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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Specification