Compact, multi-use micro-sampling device

• US 20060247671A1
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tower Square Capital Partners (Barings LLC (Private Equity))
• Original Assignee: Tower Square Capital Partners (Barings LLC (Private Equity))
• Inventors: LeVaughn, Richard W.
• Application Number:
  US11/415,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20060247671A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/182
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15019 Depth adjustment mechanism using movable stops located inside the piercing device housing and limiting the travel of the drive mechanism mechanisms using distal end caps A61B5/150183, mechanisms at the piercing element carrier proximal end A61B5/150198
• 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 5/150618 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 5/15113 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 5/1513 comprising linear sliding guides comprising tooth-shaped elements A61B5/15132
• 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

Abstract

A compact, multi-use lancing device includes a lancet holder for holding a lancet and mounted for back and forth movement along a lancing stroke path within a housing, and a drive mechanism having a pair of generally parallel springs coupled to the lancet holder. A drive spring propels the lancet holder in a forward direction to prick the skin of a subject, and a return spring retracts the lancet holder to return the lancet to a protected position within the housing.

Claims

1. A lancing device comprising:

a compact housing;

a lancet carrier for a holding a lancet and mounted for movement along a lancing stroke path within the housing; and

a drive mechanism comprising at least two springs coupled in parallel to the lancet carrier, wherein a first spring of the at least two springs drives the lancet carrier in a forward direction and a second spring of the at least two springs retracts the lancet carrier.

2. The lancing device of claim 1, wherein the lancet carrier comprises a linkage having first and second elongate members, wherein the first elongate member carries the first spring, and the second elongate member carries the second spring.

3. The lancing device of claim 2, wherein the linkage comprises a generally open rectangular assembly having the first and second elongate members forming its sides.

4. The lancing device of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises three springs coupled in parallel to the lancet carrier, one of said three springs comprising a drive spring, and two of said three springs comprising retraction springs.

5. The lancing device of claim 1, wherein the lancet carrier comprises a first element and a second element, the first and second elements having connectors therebetween, and wherein the at least two springs are mounted onto the lancet carrier prior to engagement of the connectors.

6. A lancing device comprising a drive mechanism having at least two springs and a lancet carrier comprising at least two elongate shafts extending parallel to one another, wherein each of said springs is mounted over a corresponding shaft of the lancet carrier.

7. The lancing device of claim 6, wherein the lancet carrier comprises a first element and a second element, the first and second elements having connectors therebetween, and wherein the springs are mounted onto the shafts prior to engagement of the connectors.

8. The lancing device of claim 7, wherein the connectors comprise interengaging male and female members.

9. The lancing device of claim 6, wherein the lancet carrier comprises an open rectangular assembly with the elongate shafts forming sides thereof.

10. The lancing device of claim 6, wherein the lancet carrier has three elongate shafts extending parallel to one another, each of said three elongate shafts having a spring mounted thereon.

11. The lancing device of claim 10, wherein the three elongate shafts comprise a center shaft having a drive spring mounted thereon, and two side shafts having return springs mounted thereon.

12. The lancing device of claim 11, wherein the two side shafts are mounted on opposite sides of the center shaft from one another and approximately equidistant from the center shaft.

13. The lancing device of claim 6, wherein the device is assembled with each of the springs in a relaxed state.

14. A lancing device comprising:

a housing;

a lancet carrier translationally mounted within said housing for engaging a lancet and carrying the lancet along a path of travel;

a drive spring operable on the lancet carrier; and

a return spring operable on the lancet carrier, and wherein the return spring has a return spring axis parallel to the path of travel of the lancet and parallel to a drive spring axis of the drive spring.

15. The lancing device of claim 14, wherein the lancet carrier comprises a split collar for releasably engaging the lancet.

16. The lancing device of claim 15, wherein the lancet carrier further comprises elongate shafts upon which the drive spring and return spring are mounted.

17. The lancing device of claim 16, wherein the housing comprises guide members for engaging the elongate shafts of the lancet carrier.

18. The lancing device of claim 14, further comprising a second return spring operable on the lancet carrier, and having a second return spring axis parallel to the path of travel of the lancet.

19. A method of assembling a lancing device, comprising:

mounting a drive spring and a return spring onto parallel shafts of a lancet carrier;

engaging at least one connector to retain the drive spring and the return spring on the parallel shafts of the lancet carrier; and

installing the lancet carrier into a housing.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the drive and return springs are in a relaxed state when the lancet carrier is installed into the housing.