LANCER

• US 20100082055A1
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Chelak, Todd M., West, Robert E., Gabel, Jonathan B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,777,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/182
• 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 5/150106 Means for reducing pain or discomfort applied before puncturing; desensitising the skin at the location where body is to be pierced
• 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 5/150412 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 5/150587 by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150717 manually removed
• 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 5/15186 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
• 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 lancer device that enables a user to draw blood from a patient and discard the used lancet without touching it. The device also has an adjustable tip for selecting the depth of stylet penetration into the patient and a triggering mechanism that utilizes a yoke latch and a leaf spring to discharge the lancet. The lancer also has a dampening feature to reduce vibrations when the lancet is moving.

Claims

1. An apparatus for propelling a lancet, comprising:

a body assembly, having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and an orifice disposed at the distal portion;

a guide member, disposed in the body assembly, for guiding the propelled lancet; and

an ejection mechanism, disposed in the body assembly, for preventing retraction of the lancet relative to the body assembly when the guide member is retracted to a second position, which is proximal to an arming position, thereby releasing the lancet from the guide member.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cap connected to the body assembly and detachable therefrom; and

an arming mechanism for retracting the guide member to a first position when arming the apparatus and to the second position when the cap has been detached from the body assembly.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ejection mechanism further comprises:

an ejection spring, disposed around the guide member, for compressing upon retraction of the guide member to the second position; and

an ejection element, disposed in the body assembly, for interfacing with the lancet and preventing retraction of the lancet when the guide member is retracted to the second position.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a sleeve member, disposed in the body assembly, interacting with the ejection mechanism and for moving axially relative to the body.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the guide member further comprises at least one spline for preventing rotation of the guide member.