BLOOD TESTING APPARATUS

• US 20100324451A1
• Filed: 02/08/2008
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Furukawa, Tatsuhiko, Ishibashi, Hiroko, Matsumura, Keisuke, Matsumoto, Toshiki, Hamanaka, Kenichi
• Application Number:
  US12/526,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20100324451A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/583
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14535 for measuring haematocrit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1486 using enzyme electrodes, e.g. with immobilised oxidase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150099 by negative pressure, other than vacuum extraction into a syringe by pulling on the piston rod or into pre-evacuated tubes
• 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 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• 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 5/150954 Means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. by temperature sensitive sensor
• 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 5/15134 Bladeless capillary blood sampling devices, i.e. devices for perforating the skin in order to obtain a blood sample but not using a blade, needle, canula, or lancet, e.g. by laser perforation, suction or pressurized fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15136 by use of radiation, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood

Abstract

Provided is a blood testing apparatus capable of measuring a blood sugar level while keeping the operability, even if the remaining battery life is short. This blood testing apparatus includes a casing (12) having a cylindrical opening cylinder (12b), a blood sensor (22) mounted removably in the opening cylinder (12b) of the casing (12) for analyzing the blood, a blood introducing portion (34) formed in the blood sensor (22) and having an opening for storing this opening with the blood having flown from the skin by a pierce, a laser emitting device (13) disposed in the casing (12) for causing a laser beam to pierce the skin through the inside of the opening cylinder (12b) of the casing and the opening of the blood introducing portion (34), and a needle piercing unit (18) disposed in the casing for piercing the skin with the needle through the opening of the blood introducing portion (34).

Claims

1. A blood test apparatus comprising:

a housing that comprises an open body of a cylindrical shape;

a blood sensor that can be attached detachably to the open open body of a cylindrical shape of the housing and that analyzes blood;

a blood guiding part that is formed in the blood sensor, that comprises an opening part and that stores blood which flows out from skin as a result of puncturing, in the opening part;

a laser emitting apparatus that is provided in the housing and that punctures skin by means of laser light which passes an interior of the open body of a cylindrical shape of the housing and the opening part of the blood guiding part and punctures skin; and

a needle-puncturing apparatus that is provided in the housing and that punctures skin by means of a needle which passes the opening part of the blood guiding part and punctures skin.

2. The blood test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the needle-puncturing apparatus can be attached detachably to the open body of a cylindrical shape of the housing and comprises an open body of a same cylindrical shape as the housing.

3. The blood test apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising controlling means that, upon reception of a control signal for commanding execution of puncturing as input,

executes puncturing by means of the laser emitting apparatus, if the blood sensor is attached to the open body of a cylindrical shape of the housing, and

executes puncturing by means of the needle-puncturing apparatus, if the needle-puncturing apparatus is attached to the open body of a cylindrical shape of the housing.

4. The blood test apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a voltage detecting section that detects a voltage of an electric battery that supplies power to the laser emitting apparatus,

wherein, when the voltage detected in the voltage detecting section is less than a predetermined setting level, the controlling means stops the execution of puncturing by means of the laser emitting apparatus.

5. The blood test apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising controlling means that detects which one of the blood sensor and the needle-puncturing apparatus is attached to the open body of a cylindrical shape of the housing, and displays a detection result.

6. The blood test apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a voltage detecting section that detects a voltage of an electric battery that supplies power to the laser emitting apparatus,

wherein, when the voltage detected in the voltage detecting section is less than a predetermined setting level, the controlling means displays that puncturing is not possible by means of the laser emitting apparatus.

7. The blood test apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage detecting section that detects a voltage of an electric battery that supplies power to the laser emitting apparatus; and

controlling means that displays a selection mode for selecting one of the laser emitting apparatus and the needle-puncturing apparatus, according to a level of the voltage detected in the voltage detecting section.

8. The blood test apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controlling section,

when the level of the voltage detected in the voltage detecting section is equal to or more than a predetermined setting level, displays that both the laser emitting apparatus and the needle-puncturing apparatus can be selected, and permits use of one apparatus alone selected by a user and prevents use of the other apparatus, and

when the level of the voltage detected in the voltage detecting section is less than the setting level, automatically selects the needle-puncturing apparatus, and permits use of the needle-puncturing apparatus and prevents use of the laser puncturing apparatus.

9. The blood test apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controlling means,

when the level of the voltage detected in the voltage detecting section is equal to or more than a first setting level, automatically selects the laser emitting apparatus and permits the use of the laser emitting apparatus alone,

when the level of the voltage detected in the voltage detecting section is equal to or more than a second setting level and less than the first setting level, displays that both the laser emitting apparatus and the needle-puncturing apparatus can be selected, and permits use of one apparatus alone selected by a user and prevents use of the other apparatus, and

when the level of the voltage detected in the voltage detecting section is less than the second setting level, automatically selects the needle-puncturing apparatus, and permits use of the needle-puncturing apparatus alone and prevents use of the laser puncturing apparatus.

10. The blood test apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first puncturing unit that can be attached detachably between a sensor unit to which the blood sensor is attached and the open body of a cylindrical shape of the housing, and that forms a needle-puncturing apparatus; and

vacuuming means that applies a negative pressure to an internal space formed by the open body of a cylindrical shape of the housing and skin which is abutted by a front end of the open body of a cylindrical shape of the housing,

wherein an upper surface and a lower surface of the first puncturing unit are sealed, and a vacuuming passage communicates the upper surface with the lower surface of the first puncturing unit.

11. The blood test apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

connector electrodes are formed at equal intervals in the upper surface and the lower surface of the first puncturing unit, wherein;

a first guide that fits in a puncturing opening part is formed in an upper part of the first puncturing unit; and

a second guide that fits in the sensor unit is formed in a lower part of the first puncturing unit.

12. The blood test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a needle unit is provided removably in the first puncturing unit.

13. The blood test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the needle-puncturing apparatus is provided to incline obliquely with respect to an optical axis of laser light emitted from the laser emitting apparatus.

14. The blood test apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a second puncturing unit, one end of which a puncturing needle is attached to, is inserted removably in the needle-puncturing apparatus.

15. The blood test apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a hammer unit that hits the other end of the second puncturing unit is attached.

16. The blood test apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the hammer unit is provided so as to be accommodated inside the housing.

17. The blood test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the laser emitting apparatus and the needle-puncturing apparatus is attached inside the housing.

18. The blood test apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

detecting means that detects that one of the laser emitting apparatus and the needle-puncturing apparatus is attached inside the housing; and

identifying means that identifies which one of the laser emitting apparatus and the needle-puncturing apparatus is attached.

19. The blood test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

both the laser emitting apparatus and the needle-puncturing apparatus are attached inside the housing; and

use of one of the laser emitting apparatus and the needle-puncturing apparatus is permitted.

20. The blood test apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising detecting means that detects to which one of the laser emitting apparatus and the needle-puncturing apparatus the blood sensor is attached.