CAP FOR LANCING DEVICE WITH ADJUSTABLE MODE OF OPERATION

• US 20100042128A1
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Wyler, Jonathan M., Curry, Samuel Mason
• Granted Patent: US 8,123,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/181
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150183 Depth adjustment mechanism using end caps mounted at the distal end of the sampling device, i.e. the end-caps are adjustably positioned relative to the piercing device housing for example by rotating or screwing
• 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 5/150549 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 5/150717 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 5/15115 Driving means for propelling the piercing element to pierce the skin, e.g. comprising mechanisms based on shape memory alloys, magnetism, solenoids, piezoelectric effect, biased elements, resilient elements, vacuum or compressed fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15186 Devices loaded with a single lancet, i.e. a single lancet with or without a casing is loaded into a reusable drive device and then discarded after use; drive devices reloadable for multiple use

Abstract

Caps and cap assemblies for lancing devices with adjustable modes of use are disclosed herein. In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, an adjustable cap assembly for a lancing device having a housing is disclosed. The assembly comprises at least one cap comprising a cap body with a skin-engaging end that defines a piercing aperture, an end opposite the skin-engaging end configured to removably engage an end of the housing and a lancet receiver within the cap body and configured to receive a lancet. The at least one cap is configured to adjust a penetration depth of the lancet with axial movement of the cap relative to the housing and to adjust an effective size of the piercing aperture with the lancet receiver.

Claims

1. An adjustable cap assembly for a lancing device having a housing, the assembly comprising:

at least one cap comprising

a cap body with a skin-engaging end that defines a piercing aperture;

an end opposite the skin-engaging end configured to removably engage an end of the housing; and

a lancet receiver within the cap body and configured to receive a lancet, wherein the at least one cap is configured to adjust a penetration depth of the lancet with axial movement of the cap relative to the housing and to adjust an effective size of the piercing aperture with the lancet receiver.

2. The adjustable cap assembly of claim 1, wherein the lancet receiver is configured with at least one protrusion extending through at least one opening in the cap body, wherein movement of the at least one protrusion moves the lancet receiver between a forward position in which an end of the lancet receiver is interposed in the piercing aperture, thereby effectively reducing the size of the piercing aperture, and a rearward position in which the end of the lancet receiver is distanced from the skin-engaging end of the cap body.

3. The adjustable cap assembly of claim 2, wherein the lancet receiver in the rearward position is sufficiently distanced from the piercing aperture to permit skin to pucker through the piercing aperture during lancing.

4. The adjustable cap assembly of claim 2, wherein the end opposite the skin-engaging end is configured to threadably attach to the end of the housing such that, when attached to the housing, the cap body is configured to rotatably adjust the penetration depth of the lancet.

5. The adjustable cap assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one cap comprises two caps, a first cap wherein the lancet receiver is positioned with an end circumscribed and substantially co-planar with the skin-engaging end, thereby effectively reducing the size of the piercing aperture, and a second cap interchangeable with the first cap wherein the lancet receiver is positioned a distance from the skin-engaging end.

6. The adjustable cap assembly of claim 5, wherein the lancet receiver is sufficiently distanced from the skin-engaging end to permit skin to pucker through the piercing aperture during lancing.

7. The adjustable cap assembly of claim 5, wherein each end of the first and second caps opposite the skin-engaging end is configured to threadably attach to the end of the housing such that, when attached to the housing, the cap body is configured to rotatably adjust the penetration depth of the lancet.

8. The adjustable cap assembly of claim 5, wherein the lancet receiver of each of the first and second cap is integral with each of the first and second cap.

9. The adjustable cap assembly of claim 1, wherein the lancet receiver engages a sleeve of the lancet when the lancet is inserted into the lancet receiver.

10. The adjustable cap assembly of claim 1, wherein the lancet receiver is sized to permit insertion of the lancet therethrough while sufficiently narrow to prevent puckering of skin.

11. The adjustable cap assembly of claim 10, wherein a diameter of the lancet receiver ranges from three millimeters or greater to less than six millimeters.

12. A cap assembly for a lancing device having a housing and a lancet firing mechanism disposed therein, the cap assembly comprising:

a first cap comprising;

a skin-engaging end defining a piercing aperture;

an end opposite the skin-engaging end configured to removably attach to the housing; and

a lancet receiver configured to receive a lancet through the piercing aperture; and

a second cap comprising;

a skin-engaging end defining a peripheral skin engaging surface;

an end opposite the skin-engaging end and configured to removably attach to the housing; and

a lancet receiver configured to receive the lancet and positioned within the second cap such that an end of the lancet receiver is circumscribed by and is substantially co-planar with the peripheral skin engaging surface, the receiver end defining the piercing aperture, and

wherein the lancet, when in the lancet receiver of either cap, engages the lancet firing mechanism within the housing.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the lancet is fixed in relation to the housing when the lancet has engaged the lancet firing mechanism.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the end of each of the first and second cap opposite the skin-engaging end is configured to removably attach to the housing with a threaded connection such that when threadably attached with the housing, each cap is configured to selectively adjust a depth of penetration of the lancet via rotation of the cap.

15. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the lancet receiver of the first cap is positioned sufficiently spaced apart from the piercing aperture to permit skin to pucker through the piercing aperture during lancing.

16. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the lancet receiver of each of the first and second cap is integral with each of the first and second cap.

17. The assembly of claim 12 further comprising a storage cap configured to protect the housing internally when the lancing device is not in use.

18. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the lancet receiver engages a sleeve of the lancet when the lancet is inserted into the lancet receiver.

19. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the lancet receiver is sized to permit insertion of the lancet therethrough while sufficiently narrow to prevent puckering of skin.

20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein a diameter of the lancet receiver ranges from three millimeters or greater to less than six millimeters.

21. A cap with adjustable modes for a lancing device having a housing, the cap comprising:

a cap body with a skin-engaging end defining a piercing aperture;

an end opposite the skin-engaging end configured to removably attach to an end of the housing; and

a lancet receiver movably attached within the cap body and configured to receive a lancet, the lancet receiver having at least one protrusion extending through at least one opening in the cap body wherein movement of the at least one protrusion moves the lancet receiver between a forward position in which an end of the lancet receiver is interposed in the piercing aperture and a rearward position distanced from the skin-engaging end of the cap body.

22. The cap of claim 21, wherein the lancet is configured to engage a lancet firing mechanism within the housing when the lancet is received by the lancet receiver, the lancet configured in fixed relation to the housing when the lancet engages the lancet firing mechanism.

23. The cap of claim 22, wherein the end opposite the skin-engaging end is configured to threadably attach to the end of the housing such that, when attached to the housing, the cap body is configured to rotatably adjust a penetration depth of the lancet.

24. The cap of claim 21, wherein the at least one protrusion comprises two arms extending through opposite openings in the body, the arms configured to release the lancet receiver for movement when squeezed and prevent movement of the lancet receiver when released.

25. The cap of claim 21, wherein the cap body comprises a proximal member having the skin engaging end and a distal member having the at least one opening and the end opposite the skin-engaging end configured to removably attach to the end of the housing, and wherein the proximal member and the distal member are threadably engaged, the proximal member configured to rotatably adjust a penetration depth of the lancet.

26. The cap of claim 21, wherein the lancet receiver in the rearward position is sufficiently spaced apart from the piercing aperture to permit skin to pucker through the piercing aperture during lancing.

27. The cap of claim 21, wherein the lancet receiver engages a sleeve of the lancet when the lancet is inserted into the lancet receiver.

28. The cap of claim 21, wherein the lancet receiver is sized to permit insertion of the lancet therethrough while sufficiently narrow to prevent puckering of skin.

29. The cap of claim 28, wherein a diameter of the lancet receiver ranges from three millimeters or greater to less than six millimeters.