Relating to skin prickers
First Claim
1. A disposable skin pricker comprising an elongate housing with a spring-loaded, longitudinally movable lancet carried therein, the lancet tip normally being within the housing, a trigger mechanism to retain the lancet in a fully retracted position in which it energises the spring, the trigger mechanism being actuable to release or fire the lancet to cause the tip to have a momentary position projecting from the forward end of the housing, and means for preventing repeated use including a spring finger extending rearwardly from the lancet alongside but spaced from the body thereof, and an abutment on the inside of the housing past which the tip of the finger will snap during forward motion of the lancet, any attempt to push the lancet back with a greater than a predetermined force after firing resulting in the abutment deflecting the finger tip out through an aperture in the side wall of the housing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A lancet body for a skin pricker has resiliently flexible fingers (9) with outwardly splayed tips (10). The device is fired by pressing a trigger (13) and a spring (5) urges the lancet forwards and the fingers (9) flex inwards as the tips (10) snap past barbs (11), so that the tips (10) of the arms (9) engage behind the barbs (11). If the user tries to push the lancet back into the cocked condition, the fingers (9) are trapped and will flex as the tips (10) press against the barbs (11) until the arms buckle and the tips (10) are pushed out through openings (14). Thus the lancet is arrested and immobilised before a re-cocked position is reached, and re-firing is prevented.
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Citations
12 Claims
- 1. A disposable skin pricker comprising an elongate housing with a spring-loaded, longitudinally movable lancet carried therein, the lancet tip normally being within the housing, a trigger mechanism to retain the lancet in a fully retracted position in which it energises the spring, the trigger mechanism being actuable to release or fire the lancet to cause the tip to have a momentary position projecting from the forward end of the housing, and means for preventing repeated use including a spring finger extending rearwardly from the lancet alongside but spaced from the body thereof, and an abutment on the inside of the housing past which the tip of the finger will snap during forward motion of the lancet, any attempt to push the lancet back with a greater than a predetermined force after firing resulting in the abutment deflecting the finger tip out through an aperture in the side wall of the housing.
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8. (canceled)
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9. (canceled)
Specification