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; and
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;
wherein lancets in the supply section of the carrying tape are in a storage position relative to the carrying tape;
wherein a lancet adjacent the bend in the activating section of the carrying tape is in an activating position relative to the carrying tape, the activating position having the sharp tip extending away from an adjacent surface of the carrying tape for lancing tissue to obtain the bodily fluid sample; and
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.
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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
69 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; and
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;
wherein lancets in the supply section of the carrying tape are in a storage position relative to the carrying tape;
wherein a lancet adjacent the bend in the activating section of the carrying tape is in an activating position relative to the carrying tape, the activating position having the sharp tip extending away from an adjacent surface of the carrying tape for lancing tissue to obtain the bodily fluid sample; and
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, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. 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 to the storage reel; and
a plurality of lancets sequentially positioned along the tape member and each having a lancet length and a distal portion defining a sharp tip;
wherein a substantial portion of the lancet length is non-circular in cross section;
wherein at least the distal portions of the lancets are moveable relative to the carrying tape from a lancet storage position to a lancet activating position;
wherein the lancets are in the storage position when wrapped around the supply reel;
wherein the lancets are in the activating position when adjacent a bend in the carrying tape between the supply and storage reels; and
wherein the sharp tip of a lancet in the activating position is spaced from the carrying tape and directed towards the lancing opening of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. 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; and
a plurality of lancets each having a body with an elongated length and a sharp tip;
wherein a substantial portion of each lancet body is non-circular in cross section;
wherein the lancets are spaced along the carrying tape with their tips disposed such that at least a portion of the body of each lancets leads the tip of the lancet when the lancet is advanced onto the storage reel. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 39)
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32. 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;
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 (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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40. 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;
advancing the tape to position a 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 (41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for obtaining a bodily fluid sample comprising:
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positioning a first lancet carried by a tape 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 (46, 47)
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48. A method for obtaining a bodily fluid sample comprising:
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providing a tape carrying a plurality of lancets that are non-circular in cross section along a major portion of their lengths; and
lancing tissue with a first lancet by relatively translating a service loop portion of the tape. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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50. 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 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 (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method comprising:
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providing a multi-use lancing device having a supply of lancets on a tape;
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 (58)
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59. A method for determining a property of a bodily fluid sample comprising:
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providing a lancet having a first side defining a longitudinally extending capillary groove wherein a flap of material contacts the first side of the lancet and covers at least a portion of the capillary groove; and
conveying a bodily fluid by capillary action under the flap to a test media for determining at least one property of the boily fluid. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method comprising:
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providing a handheld device comprising a supply of interconnected lancets, a supply of test media, and at least one button;
pressing the at least one button to initiate an automated bodily fluid acquisition and testing cycle; and
in response to a prompt, pressing the at least one button to continue the cycle;
wherein the automated cycle includes;
a) positioning a lancet from the supply of lancets into an activating position;
b) activating the lancet to obtain the bodily fluid sample;
c) positioning a test media from the supply of test media to receive the bodily fluid sample;
d) contacting the bodily fluid sample to the test media;
e) interrogating the test media; and
f) displaying at least one property of the bodily fluid sample based on the interrogating. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification