Lancing Devices and Methods

• US 20080065132A1
• Filed: 05/30/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated), Facet Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lathrop, Ray Adams, Wyler, Jonathan M., Trissel, John Andrew, Koeppel, Bradley, Curry, Samuel Mason, Flynn, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,955,348 B2
• 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 5/150068 by tissue compression, e.g. with specially designed surface of device contacting the skin area to be pierced
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150198 Depth adjustment mechanism at the proximal end of the carrier of the piercing element
• 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 5/150519 Details of construction of hub, i.e. element used to attach the single-ended needle to a piercing device or sampling device
• 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 5/150648 fully automatically triggered, i.e. the triggering of the protective sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user such as terminating the contact with the patient's skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150717 manually removed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150824 by visual feedback
• 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

Lancing devices for use with removable lancets having sharp tips are provided. Embodiments include an interlock within the housing that blocks insertion of the lancet when the device is already cocked.

Claims

1. A lancing device for use with a removable lancet having a sharp tip, comprising:

a housing having an interior space and an open front end through which the lancet can be inserted for operable engagement by the lancing device within the interior space;

wherein the lancing device is configured to selectively prevent the lancet from being operably engaged when the lancing device is cocked.

2. The lancing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a lancet holding assembly disposed in the housing and configured to operably engage the lancet when the lancet is inserted through the front end of the housing, the lancet holding assembly being movable between at least a cocked configuration and an uncocked configuration;

an interlock movably disposed within the housing and having an engagement position in which at least a portion of the interlock is interposed between the front end of the housing and the lancet holding assembly to block full insertion of the lancet into the housing; and

an arrangement configured to urge the interlock out of the engagement position to permit insertion of the lancet into the housing when the lancet holding assembly is in the uncocked configuration.

3. The lancing device of claim 2, further comprising a biasing element to urge the interlock into the engagement position, wherein the arrangement is configured to exert a force upon the interlock sufficiently great to overcome a force imposed by the biasing element.

4. The lancing device of claim 2 wherein the arrangement comprises a trigger engaging the lancet holding assembly, the trigger movable to at least a first position in which the trigger retains the lancet holding assembly in the cocked configuration and a second position in which the trigger releases the lancet holding assembly to permit the lancet holding assembly to move to the uncocked configuration;

wherein the trigger cooperates with the interlock to urge the interlock out of the engagement position when the trigger moves from the first position to the second position.

5. The lancing device of claim 4 wherein the trigger comprises a user-actuated trigger button having a cam surface;

and wherein the interlock includes a cam follower configured to engage the cam surface to urge the interlock away from the user-actuated trigger button when the trigger moves from the first position to the second position.

6. The lancing device of claim 2 where the interlock includes a body portion and a pivot mounted to the housing to permit the body portion to rotate about the pivot into and out of the engagement position.

7. The lancing device of claim 6 wherein the arrangement further comprises:

a trigger engaging the lancet holding assembly, the trigger assembly movable to at least a first position in which the trigger retains the lancet holding assembly in the cocked configuration and a second position in which the trigger releases the lancet holding assembly to permit the lancet holding assembly to move to the uncocked configuration;

wherein the trigger cooperates with the interlock to urge the body portion to rotate out of the engagement position when the trigger moves from the first position to the second position.

8. The lancing device of claim 7 wherein one of the interlock and the trigger includes a cam surface and the other of the interlock and the trigger includes a cam follower that engages the cam surface when the trigger moves from the first position to the second position.

9. The lancing device of claim 7, further comprising a biasing element operatively coupled to the interlock to urge the body portion to rotate into the engagement position.

10. The lancing device of claim 9 wherein the biasing element is one of a cantilever spring, a clip spring, and a leaf spring.

11. A lancing device for use with a removable lancet having an elongated body in which a needle with a sharp tip is disposed, comprising:

a housing having a user-engaging end that defines a piercing aperture, the piercing aperture sized to allow insertion of the lancet therethough; and

a lancet carrier disposed in the housing to receive the lancet when the lancet is inserted through the piercing aperture, the lancet carrier being positioned relative to the user-engaging end of the housing so that the needle is enclosed by the housing when the lancet is received by the lancet carrier.

12. The lancing device of claim 11, further comprising:

an interlock movably disposed within the housing and having an engagement position in which at least a portion of the interlock is interposed between the piercing aperture and the lancet carrier to block the lancet from insertion into the lancet carrier; and

an arrangement configured to urge the interlock out of the engagement position to permit insertion of the lancet into the housing.

13. The lancing device of claim 12, further comprising:

a drive member coupled to the lancet carrier to urge the lancet carrier forward and project the sharp tip through the piercing aperture, the lancet carrier being movable into and out of a cocked position that is in opposition to the urging of the drive member;

wherein the arrangement is configured to urge the interlock out of the engagement position when the lancet carrier moves out of the cocked position.

14. The lancing device of claim 13 wherein the arrangement further comprises a trigger engaging the lancet holding assembly, the trigger movable to at least a first position in which the trigger retains the lancet holding assembly in the cocked position and a second position in which the trigger assembly releases the lancet holding assembly to permit the drive member to move the lancet holding assembly out of the cocked position;

wherein the trigger assembly cooperates with the interlock to urge the interlock out of the engagement position when the trigger assembly moves from the first position to the second position.

15. The lancing device of claim 13, further comprising a biasing element operatively coupled to the interlock to urge the interlock to rotate into the engagement position.

16. The lancing device of claim 15 wherein the insertion of the lancet into the housing moves the lancet carrier into the cocked position.

17. The lancing device of claim 16 wherein the interlock is disposed within the housing to engage the lancet when the lancet carrier is moved into the cocked position by the insertion of the lancet.

18. A lancing device for use with a removable lancet having a sharp tip, comprising;

a housing having an open front end through which the lancet can be inserted along a path;

an interlock movably disposed within the housing and having an engagement position in which at least a portion of the interlock is interposed on the path to block complete insertion of the lancet into the housing; and

an arrangement having a first position when the lancing device is cocked and a second position when the lancing device is uncocked, the arrangement configured to urge the interlock out of the engagement position when the arrangement is in the second position.

19. A method for using a lancing device having a housing with a skin-engaging surface that defines a piercing aperture therethrough and a cockable lancet holding assembly disposed within the housing, comprising:

providing a lancet having a needle terminating in a sharp tip and a removable tab surrounding at least a portion of the sharp tip of the needle;

inserting the lancet through the piercing aperture so that substantially all of the lancet apart from the removable tab is enclosed by the housing; and

removing the removable tab from the lancet.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

preventing engagement of the lancet by the lancet holding assembly when the lancet holding assembly is in a cocked position prior to insertion of the lancet.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

interposing an interlock between the piercing aperture and the lancet holding assembly when the lancet holding assembly is in a cocked position prior to insertion of the lancet.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising;

urging the interlock away from between the piercing aperture and the cockable lancet holding assembly when the lancet holding assembly is uncocked.