Disposable puncturing device and reusable handling device for a puncturing device

• US 20100160941A1
• Filed: 09/09/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Coleman, Joanna, Deck, Frank, Herpichboehm, Lindley, Konya, Ahmet
• Granted Patent: US 8,216,264 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 5/150183 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 5/15019 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 5/15113 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 5/15123 comprising magnets or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15146 Devices loaded with multiple lancets simultaneously, e.g. for serial firing without reloading, for example by use of stocking means. multiple simultaneous cutting or piercing A61B5/150977
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15153 Multiple piercing elements stocked in a single compartment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15169 Characterized by a rolled strip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15171 Characterized by propelling the piercing element perpendicular to the direction of movement of the strip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15176 Stocking means comprising cap, cover, sheath or protection for aseptic stocking
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15178 Stocking means comprising separate compartments or units for new and for used piercing elements separate compartments for used piercing elements in piercing devices A61B5/15184
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15182 Means for keeping track or checking of the total number of piercing elements already used or the number of piercing elements still remaining in the stocking, e.g. by check window, counter, display

Abstract

A puncturing device includes a band-shaped lancet carrier carrying a plurality of lancets, a transport mechanism for positioning the lancets sequentially in a launch position by moving the band-shaped lancet carrier, a lancet drive for accelerating one of the lancets from the launch position for a puncturing movement, the lancet drive comprising an energy storage for providing energy for the acceleration of the lancet, a trigger element for triggering the lancet drive to release energy from the energy storage to accelerate the lancet for a puncturing movement, and a housing which comprises at least two housing parts and encloses the band-shaped lancet carrier and the lancet drive, the housing having an opening against which a body part is pressed for puncturing by the lancet positioned in the launch position, wherein the transport mechanism comprises at least one part which is arranged in a fixed position with respect to the housing. The puncturing device is adapted for disposable use in that the housing parts were irreversibly connected upon enclosing the band-shaped lancet carrier, thereby sealing the band-shaped lancet carrier irremovably in the housing. A reusable handling device can also be used with the puncturing device.

Claims

1. A puncturing device comprising:

a band-shaped lancet carrier carrying a plurality of lancets;

a transport mechanism for positioning the lancets sequentially in a launch position by moving the band-shaped lancet carrier;

a lancet drive for accelerating one of the lancets from the launch position for a puncturing movement, the lancet drive comprising an energy storage for providing energy for the acceleration of the lancet;

a trigger element for triggering the lancet drive to release energy form the energy storage to accelerate the lancet for the puncturing movement; and

a housing which comprises at least two housing parts and encloses the band-shaped lancet carrier and the lancet drive, the housing having an opening against which a body part is pressed for puncturing by the lancet positioned in the launch position, wherein

the transport mechanism comprises at least one part which is arranged in a fixed position with respect to the housing, and wherein

the puncturing device is adapted for disposable use in that an irreversible connection between the housing parts is formed and the band-shaped lancet carrier is irremovably enclosed within the housing parts upon assembly of the puncturing device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the lancet carrier carries at least 100 lancets.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the lancet carrier carries at least 200 lancets.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the transport mechanism comprises a drive wheel which is coupled to a reel for wrapping used sections of the lancet carrier carrying used lancets.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the drive wheel protrudes through a second opening of the housing.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the energy storage includes a drive spring which is coupled to the transport mechanism in such a way that transportation of one of the lancets to the launch position causes a tensioning of the drive spring.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the lancet drive comprises a spring-driven rotor and a conrod for transforming a rotary motion of the rotor into a linear puncturing and retraction motion.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the lancet carrier comprises mechanical position markers which interact with a position sensor of the transport mechanism to stop a positioning movement of the lancet carrier when one of the lancets has reached the launch position.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the lancets are aligned across the longitudinal direction of the lancet carrier.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the breadth of the lancet carrier is equal to or less than 8 mm.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the lancet carrier is arranged with two quarter twists between which the launch position is located.

12. The device of claim 1 further comprising a covering tape which covers the opening of the housing against which a body part is pressed for puncturing by one of the lancets.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the covering tape is moved by the transport mechanism together with the lancet carrier.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the device has a thickness of 14 mm or less.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the device has a volume of less than 20 cm³.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the device has a volume of less than 18 cm³.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the opening of the housing against which a body part is pressed for puncturing by one of the lancets has a distance from the edges of the housing of 10 mm to 20 mm.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the transport mechanism comprises at least one part which is arranged inside the housing.

19. A reusable handling device for the puncturing device of claim 1, the reusable handling device comprising:

a compartment for holding the puncturing device; and

a control mechanism comprising at least one coupling element configured for coupling the control mechanism with the trigger element and/or the transport mechanism held in the compartment.

20. The reusable handling device of claim 19 wherein the coupling element is configured for coupling the control mechanism with the transport mechanism, wherein the transport mechanism comprises a drive wheel, and wherein the drive wheel protrudes through a second opening of the housing.