Single use lancet device

• US 20060178686A1
• Filed: 02/07/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Steven Schraga
• Original Assignee: Steven Schraga
• Inventors: Schraga, Steven
• Application Number:
  US11/052,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178686A1
• 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 5/150412 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 5/150549 Protectors removed by rotational movement, e.g. torsion or screwing
• 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 5/150908 by disconnecting components, e.g. breaking or rupturing of connected parts, e.g. piston and rod
• 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 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15144 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for retracting the piercing unit into the housing

Abstract

A compact single use lancet device wherein a lancet is movably disposed. A driving element is further provided and is structured to move the lancet into a piercing orientation wherein a piercing tip protrudes from the device and can pierce a patient'"'"'s skin. A retention assembly maintains the lancet in a tensioned, ready to fire orientation and prevents both inward and outward movement of the lancet, until released by an actuator. The actuator is structured to engage a patient and be urged inwardly into the housing in order to bring about the release of the lancet from its tensioned, ready to fire orientation and result in driven movement of the lancet into the piercing orientation. A protective cover is also included to engage the lancet and shield a piercing tip thereof, as well as to shield the actuator and prevent inward movement of the actuator as a result of the protective covers engagement with the retained lancet.

Claims

1. A single use lancet device comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a lancet movably disposed in said housing;

c) a driving element structured to move said lancet into a piercing orientation;

d) a retention assembly structured to maintain said lancet in a tensioned, ready to fire orientation;

e) an actuator structured to engage a patient and be urged inwardly into said housing, said actuator further structured to bring about a release of said lancet from said tensioned, ready to fire orientation thereby resulting in driven movement of said lancet into said piercing orientation; and

f) a protective cover, said protective cover structured to engage said lancet and shield a piercing tip thereof, and to at least partially shield said actuator so as to prevent inward movement of said actuator.

2. A single use lancet device as recited in claim 1 wherein said actuator includes an opening defined therein through which said piercing tip of said lancet passes in order to contact and pierce the skin of the patient.

3. A single use lancet device as recited in claim 1 wherein said actuator is structured to engage and release said retention assembly.

4. A single use lancet device as recited in claim 3 wherein said retention assembly, when oriented to maintain said lancet in said tensioned, ready to fire orientation is structured to prevent both inward and outward movement of said lancet until released.

5. A single use lancet device as recited in claim 4 wherein said retention assembly comprises a pair of lock elements operatively associated with said lancet and said housing and structured to engage one another to retain said lancet in said tensioned, ready to fire orientation, and a release element structured to disengage said lock elements from one another when engaged by said actuator.

6. A single use lancet device as recited in claim 5 wherein said pair of lock elements include a male lock element and a female lock element, engagement therebetween preventing inward and outward movement of said lancet.

7. A single use lancet device as recited in claim 6 wherein at least one of said lock elements is disposed on said release element, movement of said release element generally away from said other one of said lock elements by said actuator resulting in withdrawal of said male lock element from said female lock element and accordingly release of said lancet from said tensioned, ready to fire orientation.

8. A single use lancet device as recited in claim 7 wherein said release element is coupled to said lancet.

9. A single use lancet device as recited in claim 8 wherein said release element comprises a protrusion thereon structured to be engaged by said actuator upon inward movement thereof resulting in releasing movement of said release element.

10. A single use lancet device as recited in claim 9 wherein said protrusion on said release element is structured to engage said actuator subsequent to movement of said lancet into said piercing orientation in a manner which restricts withdrawal of said actuator from an inward position in said housing, thereby preventing subsequent actuating inward movement of said actuator after a single use of said lancet.

11. A single use lancet device as recited in claim 4 wherein said protective cover engages said lancet and as a result of said retention assembly preventing inward movement of said lancet, inward movement of said protective cover is also prevented.

12. A single use lancet device as recited in claim 11 wherein said protective cover includes a generally rigid shielding panel structured to extend at least partially over a surface of the actuator intended to contact the patient such that restriction of inward movement of said protective cover further results in restriction of inward movement of said actuator.