Endcap for a Vacuum Lancing Fixture

• US 20070208309A1
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bruce Flora, Donald Hesser, George Siddons
• Original Assignee: Bruce Flora, Donald Hesser, George Siddons
• Inventors: Hesser, Donald, Flora, Bruce, Siddons, George
• Application Number:
  US10/592,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20070208309A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/140
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150068 by tissue compression, e.g. with specially designed surface of device contacting the skin area to be pierced
• 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 5/150412 Pointed piercing elements, e.g. needles, lancets for piercing the skin blade-like piercing elements A61B5/150442
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150824 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/151 Devices specially adapted for taking samples of capillary blood, e.g. by lancets , needles or blades
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15107 Piercing being assisted by a triggering mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15192 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for retracting the lancet unit into the driving device housing

Abstract

An endcap for a vacuum-assisted lancing device has a contoured skin-contact surface for placement against a skin surface. The skin-contact surface has a contour that gradually progresses from a skin-contact edge toward an inner wall of the endcap, with the diameter of the skin-contact surface at the skin-contact edge being greater than the diameter of the skin-contact surface at the inner wall of the endcap.

Claims

1. An endcap for a vacuum-assisted lancing device comprising:

a contoured skin-contact surface for placement against a skin surface, said skin-contact surface having a contour that gradually progresses from a skin-contact edge toward an inner wall of the endcap, a diameter of said skin-contact surface at said skin-contact edge being greater than a diameter of said skin-contact surface at said inner wall of said endcap.

2. The endcap of claim 1 wherein said endcap comprises first and second portions, said first portion of said endcap having a greater diameter than said second portion of said endcap and being adapted for connection to a housing of said vacuum-assisted lancing device, said skin-contact surface being provided on said second portion of said endcap.

3. The endcap of claim 1 in which said contour of said skin-contact surface is a circular arc contour.

4. The endcap of claim 3 wherein a radius of said circular arc is between approximately 1.5 mm and approximately 6 mm.

5. The endcap of claim 1 wherein said contour of said skin-contact surface is a parabolic contour.

6. The endcap of claim 1 wherein said contour of said skin-contact surface causes controlled bulging of skin when said skin-contact surface is depressed against a skin surface.

7. The endcap of claim 1 wherein said endcap is transparent.

8. The endcap of claim 2 wherein an inner radius of said second portion is between approximately 5 mm and approximately 13 mm.

9. A method of collecting a blood sample for testing, the method comprising the acts of:

providing a vacuum-assisted lancing device having a lance and an endcap, said endcap having a contoured skin-contact surface progressing from a first diameter at a skin-contact edge to a second diameter at an inner wall of said endcap, said first diameter being greater than said second diameter, said skin-contact surface surrounding an open end of said endcap, said endcap defining at least a portion of said vacuum cavity;

pressing said open end of said endcap against a skin surface;

forming a bulge on said skin surface via the interaction of said skin-contact surface and said skin surface;

puncturing said skin surface at a puncture site of said bulge with said lance; and

forming a vacuum within said vacuum cavity such that a blood sample collects at said puncture site.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the acts are performed in the order listed.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said skin-contact surface of said endcap has a circular arc contour progressing from said first diameter to said second diameter.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said circular arc has a radius of from approximately 1.5 to approximately 6 mm.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said skin-contact surface of said endcap has a parabolic contour progressing from said first diameter to said second diameter.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said endcap comprises a first portion for attachment to said vacuum-assisted lancing device and a second portion for contacting skin.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising maintaining said vacuum at a pressure of approximately −

10 mm Hg for at least approximately six seconds.

16. Amended) A vacuum-assisted lancing device comprising:

a housing;

a lance;

an endcap connected to said housing at a substantially airtight interface, said endcap comprising a first portion for connection to said housing and a second portion for skin contact, said second portion of said endcap having an inner wall and a skin-contact surface, said skin-contact surface surrounding an open end of said endcap, said skin-contact surface having a contour and progressing from a first diameter at said open end of said endcap to a second diameter where said skin-contact surface meets said inner wall.

17. The vacuum-assisted lancing device of, claim 16 wherein said contour of said skin-contact surface is an arc of a circle.

18. The vacuum-assisted lancing device of claim 17 wherein a radius of said arc is from approximately 1.5 mm to approximately 6 mm.

19. The vacuum-assisted lancing device of claim 16 wherein said contour of said skin-contact surface is parabolic.

20. The vacuum-assisted lancing device of claim 16 wherein said endcap is adapted to maintain a vacuum of approximately −

10 mm Hg for at least approximately 6 seconds during use of said vacuum-assisted lancing device.