BLOOD COLLECTION SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING BLOOD FROM A BODY PART FOR DIAGNOSTIC PURPOSES

• US 20070260272A1
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: List, Hans, Weiss, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,932,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/181
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1411 by percutaneous method, e.g. by lancet
• 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 5/150236 Pistons, i.e. cylindrical bodies that sit inside the syringe barrel, typically with an air tight seal, and slide in the barrel to create a vacuum or to expel blood
• 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 5/15117 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

Abstract

A blood collection system for collecting blood from a body part for diagnostic purposes, comprising a housing with a lancet guide, by which a lancet is guided on a predetermined puncture path, and a lancet drive for driving a puncturing movement of the lancet on the predetermined puncture path. The puncturing movement comprises a forward movement phase in the direction of puncturing and, after reaching a reversal point, a subsequent retraction movement phase in the direction opposite the puncture direction. The lancet drive has a driving spring, which is arranged behind the lancet and is connected to the lancet during the forward movement phase of the puncturing movement so that the lancet is driven in the puncturing direction. The system comprises an oscillation control device for controlling oscillation of the lancet and the driving spring in such a manner that repeated puncturing of the body part by the lancet is prevented.

Claims

1. A blood collection system for collecting blood from a body part for diagnostic purposes, comprising:

a housing having a lancet guide configured to guide a lancet on a puncture path;

a lancet drive configured to drive a puncture movement of the lancet on the puncture path, the puncture path comprising a forward movement in a puncture direction, a reversal point, and a subsequent retraction movement in the direction opposite the puncture direction;

the lancet drive comprising a drive spring arranged behind the lancet, wherein during the forward movement the drive spring is connected to the lancet to drive the lancet in the puncture direction; and

an oscillation control device configured to control oscillation of the lancet after the lancet reaches the reversal point, wherein the forward movement of the lancet before puncture is substantially unaffected by the oscillation control device, the oscillation control device configured to prevent repeated puncturing of the body part by the lancet.

2. The blood collection system of claim 1, wherein the oscillation control device comprises a movable end stop which is configured to shift into a holding position after the lancet has reached the reversal point.

3. The blood collection system of claim 2, further comprising a fixing device for securing the end stop in the holding position.

4. The blood collection system of claim 2, further comprising an elastic device for moving the end stop toward the holding position.

5. The blood collection system of claim 2, further comprising a stop spring for displacing the end stop into the holding position.

6. The blood collection system of claim 5, wherein, during the puncturing movement of the lancet in the puncture direction, the stop spring is pre-stressed and locked, further wherein the stop spring is released at the end of the forward movement of the lancet.

7. The blood collection system of claim 5, wherein the stop spring has a residual tension when the end stop is in the holding position.

8. The blood collection system of claim 5, further comprising a tensioning device configured to apply tension to the stop spring, the tensioning device comprising a threaded rod with a thread and a first tension element that is moved by rotation of the threaded rod, the first tension element configured to be guided on a guide face during its movement to apply tension to the stop spring.

9. The blood collection of claim 8, wherein the threaded rod has first and second threads running in opposite directions and configured to move the first tension element and a second tension element, respectively, wherein the first tension element applies tension to the stop spring and the second tension element applies tension to the drive spring, whereby the stop spring and the drive spring are configured to be tensioned simultaneously.

10. The blood collection of claim 9, wherein the first thread and the second thread have different pitches.

11. The blood collection system of claim 8, wherein the first tension element is guided on a return edge in its movement opposite the direction of movement for applying tension and becomes disengaged from the stop spring.

12. The blood collection system of claim 1, wherein the oscillation control mechanism comprises a damping device configured to decelerate the lancet during the retraction movement.

13. The blood collection system of claim 12, wherein the damping device comprises a hydraulic damper.

14. The blood collection system of claim 12, wherein the damping device comprises a pneumatic damper.

15. The blood collection system of claim 14, further comprising a coupling element comprising sealing lips positioned between the lancet and the drive spring, the coupling element being guided in a cylinder and the sealing lips being in contact with the inner wall of the cylinder.

16. The blood collection system of claim 15, wherein during the forward movement of the lancet, contact between the sealing lips and the inner wall does not significantly affect the lancet, and during the retraction movement of the lancet, the sealing lips are in sealing contact with the inner wall of the cylinder such that the air contained in the cylinder in front of the sealing lips is compressed, whereby the lancet is decelerated.

17. A method of reducing lancet oscillation after puncture in a lancing device of the type having a housing, a lancet holder disposed in the housing and holding a lancet, and a drive spring arranged behind and connected to the lancet holder, the drive spring configured to drive the lancet in a puncture direction, the method comprising:

releasing tension in the drive spring and thereby driving the lancet in the puncture direction to puncture a body part;

allowing the lancet to reach a reversal point after which it is retracted by the drive spring in a retraction direction substantially opposite the puncture direction; and

after the lancet reaches the reversal point, applying an oscillation control device to the lancet to prevent repeated puncturing of the body part by the lancet, wherein the driving of the lancet in the puncture direction is substantially unaffected by the oscillation control device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the applying the oscillation control device comprises releasing a displaceable stop that limits movement of the lancet in the puncture direction.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the stop when released is displaced by a stop spring to which the stop is connected.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising moving the stop to a holding position.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising locking the stop in the holding position.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the releasing the displaceable stop comprises contacting the stop with the lancet holder.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the retraction of the lancet causes a coupling element connected between the drive spring and the lancet holder to compress air in a cylinder, thereby damping oscillations of the lancet.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the air is compressed by sealing lips arranged on the coupling element that provide a seal with the cylinder during the retraction.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein applying the oscillation control device comprises decelerating the lancet to a standstill during the retraction.

26. A blood collection system for collecting blood from a body part for diagnostic purposes, comprising:

a housing having a lancet guide configured to guide a lancet on a puncture path;

a drive spring disposed in the housing and configured to reciprocate the lancet along a puncture path, the puncture path comprising a forward movement in a puncture direction, a reversal point, and a subsequent retraction movement in the direction opposite the puncture direction; and

an oscillation control device configured to control oscillation of the lancet after puncture, the oscillation control device comprising a movable end stop, a pneumatic damping element or a hydraulic damping element.

27. The blood collection system of claim 26, wherein the oscillation control device comprises a movable end stop which is configured to shift into a holding position after the lancet has reached the reversal point.

28. The blood collection system of claim 27, further comprising a fixing device for securing the end stop in its holding position.

29. The blood collection system of claim 27, further comprising an elastic device for moving the end stop toward the holding position.

30. The blood collection system of claim 27, further comprising a stop spring for displacing the end stop into the holding position.

31. The blood collection system of claim 30, wherein, during the puncture movement of the lancet in the puncturing direction, the stop spring is pre-stressed and locked, further wherein the stop spring is released at the end of the forward movement of the lancet.

32. The blood collection system of claim 30, wherein the stop spring has a residual tension when the end stop is in its holding position.

33. The blood collection system of claim 30, further comprising a tensioning device configured to apply tension to the stop spring, the tensioning device comprising a threaded rod with a thread and a first tension element that is moved by rotation of the threaded rod, the first tension element configured to be guided on a guide face during its movement to apply tension to the stop spring.

34. The blood collection of claim 33, wherein the threaded rod has first and second threads running in opposite directions and is configured to move the first tension element and a second tension element, respectively, wherein the first tension element applies tension to the stop spring and the second tension element applies tension to the drive spring, whereby the stop spring and the drive spring are configured to be tensioned simultaneously.

35. The blood collection of claim 34, wherein the first thread and the second thread have different pitches.

36. The blood collection system of claim 34, wherein the first tension element is guided on a return edge in its movement opposite the direction of movement for applying tension and becomes disengaged from the stop spring.

37. The blood collection system of claim 26, wherein the oscillation control mechanism comprises a pneumatic damper configured to decelerate the lancet during the retraction movement.

38. The blood collection system of claim 37, wherein the oscillation control mechanism comprises a hydraulic damper configured to decelerate the lancet during the retraction movement.

39. The blood collection system of claim 38, further comprising a coupling element comprising sealing lips positioned between the lancet and the drive spring, the coupling element being guided in a cylinder and the sealing lips being in contact with the inner wall of the cylinder.

40. The blood collection system of claim 39, wherein during the forward movement of the lancet, contact between the sealing lips and the inner wall does not significantly affect the lancet, and during the retraction movement of the lancet, the sealing lips are in sealing contact with the inner wall of the cylinder such that the air contained in the cylinder in front of the sealing lips is compressed, whereby the lancet is decelerated.

41. The blood collection system of claim 26, wherein the drive spring is arranged behind the lancet.

42. The blood collection system of claim 41, wherein the drive spring is coupled to the lancet during the forward and retraction movements.

43. The blood collection system of claim 41, wherein the drive spring is positioned substantially coaxially with the lancet.