Unit for piercing, and piercing device

• US 20060047220A1
• Filed: 07/01/2003
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Original Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Daisuke, Sakata, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,470,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/583
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150099 by negative pressure, other than vacuum extraction into a syringe by pulling on the piston rod or into pre-evacuated tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• 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 5/150557 Protectors removed by bending
• 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 5/150717 manually removed
• 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 5/15113 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 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15194 fully automatically retracted, i.e. the retraction does not require a deliberate action by the user, e.g. by terminating the contact with the patient's skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood

Abstract

A lancing unit (U1) includes a lancing member (2), an auxiliary part (3) which is separate from the lancing member (2), and a supporter (1) detachably supporting these. Preferably, the lancing unit (U1) further includes a cap (29) which covers a needle (21) of the lancing member (2) and which is detachable from the lancing member (2), and the lancing member (2) is supported by the supporter (1) via the cap (29).

Claims

1. A lancing unit comprising a lancing member, an auxiliary part which is separate from the lancing member, and a supporter detachably supporting each of the lancing member and the auxiliary part.

2. The lancing unit according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary part comprises a part for taking a sample obtained by lancing.

3. The lancing unit according to claim 1, wherein, when lancing of a skin is performed by utilizing the lancing member, the auxiliary part engages the lancing member to control lancing depth in the skin.

4. The lancing unit according to claim 1, wherein the lancing member includes a needle, and

wherein the lancing unit further comprises a cap for covering the needle, the cap being detachable from the lancing member.

5. The lancing unit according to claim 4, wherein the lancing member includes a body holding the needle, and

wherein the cap is integrally formed on the body.

6. The lancing unit according to claim 5, wherein a boundary portion between the cap and the body has a structure which causes a stress to be concentrated on the boundary portion more than on other portions of the cap and the body.

7. The lancing unit according to claim 6, wherein the boundary portion has a constricted configuration.

8. The lancing unit according to claim 4, wherein the lancing member is supported by the supporter via the cap.

9. The lancing unit according to claim 8, wherein the cap is formed separately from the supporter and supported by the supporter.

10. The lancing unit according to claim 9, wherein the supporter includes a portion for fitting to a part of the cap to hold the cap in a standing posture.

11. The lancing unit according to claim 8, wherein the cap is integrally formed on the supporter.

12. The lancing unit according to claim 4, wherein the supporter comprises a case including a tubular portion at least one end of which is open, and

wherein the case accommodates the lancing member, the cap, and the auxiliary part.

13. The lancing unit according to claim 12, further comprises a lid for closing the open end of the case.

14. The lancing unit according to claim 4, wherein a direction in which the auxiliary part is detachable from the supporter corresponds to a direction in which the cap is detachable from the lancing member.

15. The lancing unit according to claim 4, wherein the auxiliary part is detachably supported by the cap.

16. The lancing unit according to claim 4, wherein the cap is supported by the supporter while being interposed between the lancing member and the auxiliary part in a first direction in which the needle of the lancing member extends, the cap being movable in a second direction crossing the first direction to avoid overlapping with the auxiliary part in the first direction.

17. The lancing unit according to claim 16, wherein the supporter includes an arm portion for supporting the cap, the arm portion being deformable in the second direction.

18. The lancing unit according to claim 17, wherein the arm portion is provided by forming a cutout in the supporter.

19. The lancing unit according to claim 17, wherein the auxiliary part includes a surface facing the cap, the surface being inclined at least partially to be oriented also in the second direction.

20. A lancing apparatus for performing lancing by utilizing a lancing unit including a lancing member, an auxiliary part and a supporter detachably supporting the lancing member and the auxiliary part, the apparatus comprising:

a first holder for holding the lancing member;

a moving mechanism for advancing the first holder in a predetermined direction when a predetermined operation is performed; and

a second holder for holding the auxiliary part when the lancing member is held by the first holder.

21. A lancing apparatus comprising:

a moving mechanism for holding a lancing member and advancing the lancing member in a first direction; and

a holding portion for arranging and holding an auxiliary part at a position spaced from a path of the advancing movement of the lancing member in a second direction crossing the first direction;

wherein at least one of the auxiliary part and the lancing member is movable in the second direction.

22. The lancing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the holding portion is capable of moving the auxiliary part in the second direction.

23. The lancing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the moving mechanism detachably holds the lancing member;

and

wherein a cap for covering a needle of the lancing member is attached to the lancing member, the holding portion being capable of moving the auxiliary part toward the advancing movement path of the lancing member when the cap is separated from the lancing member with the lancing member held by the moving mechanism.

24. The lancing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the holding portion includes a first wall, a second wall located closer to the advancing movement path of the lancing member than the first wall, a space defined between the first and the second walls into which the auxiliary part can be partially inserted movably in the second direction, and a resilient member for pressing a portion of the auxiliary part toward the second wall when the auxiliary part is partially inserted into the space.

25. The lancing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein, when the lancing member advances, the lancing member engages the auxiliary part so that the advancing movement of the lancing member is controlled.

26. The lancing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the holding portion allows movement of the auxiliary part in a direction opposite from the first direction when the auxiliary part receives a force in said direction.

27. The lancing apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a measurement probe,

wherein the auxiliary part includes an electrode for analyzing a sample obtained by lancing;

and

wherein the measurement probe is brought into contact with the electrode as a result of movement of the auxiliary part toward the advancing movement path of the lancing member.

28. The lancing apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising a control circuit for executing analysis of the sample.