PRESSURE REDUCTION MECHANISM, PUNCTURE DEVICE, BLOOD ANALYSIS DEVICE, AND SENSOR MOUNTING MECHANISM

• US 20110245635A1
• Filed: 10/15/2009
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Yohei, Fujiwara, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,469,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/309
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• 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 5/150198 Depth adjustment mechanism at the proximal end of the carrier of the piercing element
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150221 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150236 Pistons, i.e. cylindrical bodies that sit inside the syringe barrel, typically with an air tight seal, and slide in the barrel to create a vacuum or to expel blood
• 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 5/151 Devices specially adapted for taking samples of capillary blood, e.g. by lancets , needles or blades
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15111 Semi-automatically triggered, e.g. at the end of the cocking procedure, for instance by biasing the main drive spring or when reaching sufficient contact pressure, the piercing device is automatically triggered without any deliberate action by the user
• 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 5/15136 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 5/15194 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood

Abstract

Provided are a decompression mechanism capable of performing a desired pressure reduction by simple operation and having improved operability, a puncture device, a blood analysis device, and a sensor mounting mechanism. A needle puncturing device (100) is provided with: a piston (121) having at one end thereof an end part (121a) for forming a part of a sensor mounting mechanism (130) and at the other end an end part (121b) for slidably supporting a rod (112) of a lancet section (111); a cylinder (122) for slidably containing therein the end section (121b) of the piston (121); and packing (125) mounted to the inner periphery of the end part (121b) of the piston (121) and maintaining the air-tightness of the outer periphery of the rod (112). When the piston (121) is moved in the direction toward the cylinder (122) with a skin contact part (131) in contact with the skin, the volumes of an internal space (140) and a pressure reduction chamber (150) which are sealed by packing (123, 124) are increased to produce a reduced pressure.

Claims

1. A decompression mechanism, comprising:

a cylinder having a bottom;

a piston having a first end part projecting from the bottom and a second end part that is located in the cylinder and slides along an axis of the cylinder;

a first sealing section that seals between the bottom and an outer of the piston;

a second sealing section that seals between the second end part and an inner of the cylinder; and

an air chamber that is sealed with the first and second sealing sections and surrounded by the outer surface of the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder, wherein the piston has a connection hole that connects the air chamber with a hollow space opening in the first end part.

2. The decompression mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing section or second sealing section is packing.

3. The decompression mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing section is a convex part that makes the bottom tightly contact the outer surface of the piston.

4. The decompression mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second sealing section is a convex part that makes the second end part tightly contact the inner surface of the cylinder.

5. A puncturing apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a puncturing section that is provided in the housing and punctures skin;

a puncturing mechanism that operates the puncturing section;

a cylinder having a bottom;

a piston having a first end part projecting from the bottom and a second end part that is located in the cylinder and slides along an axis of the cylinder;

a first sealing section that seals between the bottom and an outer surface of the piston;

a second sealing section that seals between the second end part and an inner surface of the cylinder;

a third sealing section that is located in a joint between the piston and the puncturing mechanism and seals between a hollow space opening in the first end part and the puncturing mechanism; and

an air chamber that is sealed with the first and second sealing sections and surrounded by the outer surface of the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder, wherein the piston has a connection hole that connects the air chamber with the hollow space.

6. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first sealing section, the second sealing section or the third sealing section is packing.

7. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first sealing section is a convex part that makes the bottom tightly contact the outer surface of the piston.

8. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second sealing section is a convex part that makes the second end part tightly contact the inner surface of the cylinder.

9. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first end part is a contacting part that can contact skin.

10. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the puncturing section is a laser emitting device that punctures skin with laser light.

11. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the puncturing section is a needle puncturing device that punctures skin with a puncturing needle.

12. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a puncturing needle holder that holds the puncturing needle; and

a rod that slides the puncturing needle holder in the piston by puncturing operation of the puncturing mechanism, wherein the third sealing section slides the rod in the piston while keeping the rod airtight.

13. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the third sealing section is packing and adheres to the puncturing needle holder at a time of pressure reduction.

14. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the third sealing section is elastically deformable packing and deforms to wrap around the puncturing needle holder at a time of pressure reduction.

15. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the third sealing section is packing; and

the packing or the puncturing needle holder has a ring-like convex part on a surface adhering to the packing.

16. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the third sealing section is packing; and

the puncturing needle holder has a sucker structure on a surface adhering to the packing.

17. A puncturing apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a puncturing section that is provided in the housing and punctures skin; and

a puncturing mechanism that operates the puncturing section; and

a decompression mechanism including;

a cylinder having a bottom;

a piston that is provided in the cylinder and slides along an axis of the cylinder;

a first sealing section that seals between an end part in the piston and an inner surface of the cylinder;

a second sealing section that seals an opening in the cylinder and an outer surface of the piston;

an air chamber that is sealed with the first and second sealing sections and surrounded by the outer surface of the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder; and

a connection hole connecting the air chamber with a space targeted for pressure reduction in the puncturing mechanism.

18. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the puncturing mechanism and the decompression mechanism are provided in parallel.

19. The puncturing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a removing mechanism that moves the puncturing mechanism in a direction of an outside of the housing and exposes the puncturing section to an outside of the housing.

20. A blood analysis apparatus that analyzes blood exuding by puncturing using a sensor, comprising:

a housing;

a puncturing section that is provided in the housing and punctures skin;

a puncturing mechanism that operates the puncturing section;

a cylinder having a bottom;

a piston having a first end part projecting from the bottom and a second end part that is provided in the cylinder and slides along an axis of the cylinder;

a first sealing section that seals between the bottom and an outer surface of the piston;

a second sealing section that seals between the second end part and an inner surface of the cylinder;

a third sealing section that is located in a joint between the piston and the puncturing mechanism and seals between a hollow space opening in the first end part and the puncturing mechanism; and

an air chamber that is sealed with the first and second sealing sections and surrounded by the outer surface of the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder, wherein;

the piston has a connection hole connecting the air chamber with the hollow space; and

the first end part has a contacting part that can contact skin and a holding part that holds a sensor.

21. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a sensor mounting mechanism including:

a support part slidably projecting from a housing edge;

a sensor holding part that is slidably supported by the support part and holds a sensor;

a skin contacting part that is provided on a tip of the support part and can contact skin;

a first spring that biases to keep a predetermined distance between the sensor holding part slidably held by the support part and the skin contacting part with a first stretching strength;

a second spring that biases to keep a predetermined distance between the sensor holding part slidably held by the support part and the housing edge with a second stretching strength;

a first sealing section that seals between the sensor held by the sensor holding part and the skin contacting part when the skin contacting part is pushed toward the housing edge; and

a second sealing section that seals between the sensor held by the sensor holding part and the housing edge when the skin contacting part is pushed toward the housing edge.

24. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the sensor mounting mechanism is configured to be removably mounted in the housing.

25. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 21, wherein:

the housing edge has a mounting surface on which the sensor mounting mechanism is removably mounted; and

the sensor mounting mechanism has a removing surface that can adhere to the mounting surface, the blood analysis apparatus further comprising a third sealing section that seals between the mounting surface and the removing surface.

26. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the third sealing section is packing.

27. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the third sealing section is a convex part projecting from the mounting surface or the removing surface.

22. A blood analysis apparatus that analyzes blood exuding by puncturing using a sensor, comprising:

a housing;

a puncturing section that is provided in the housing and punctures skin;

a puncturing mechanism that operates the puncturing section; and

a decompression mechanism including;

a cylinder having a bottom;

a piston that is provided in the cylinder and slides along an axis of the cylinder;

a first sealing section that seals between an end part of the piston and an inner surface of the cylinder;

a second sealing section that seals an opening in the cylinder and an outer surface of the piston;

an air chamber that is sealed with the first and second sealing sections and surrounded by the outer surface of the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder; and

a connection hole connecting the air chamber and space targeted for pressure reduction in the puncturing mechanism.

23. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising a sensor mounting mechanism including:

a support part slidably projecting from a housing edge;

a sensor holding part that is slidably held by the support part and holds a sensor;

a skin contacting part that is provided on a tip of the support part and can contact skin;

a first spring that biases to keep a predetermined distance between the sensor holding part slidably held by the support part and the skin contacting part with a first stretching strength;

a second spring that biases to keep a predetermined distance between the sensor holding part slidably held by the support part and the housing edge with a second stretching strength;

a first sealing section that seals between the sensor held by the sensor holding part and the skin contacting part when the skin contacting part is pushed toward the housing edge; and

a second sealing section that seals between the sensor held by the sensor holding part and the housing edge when the skin contacting part is pushed toward the housing edge.

28. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the puncturing section is a laser emitting device that punctures skin with laser light.

29. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the puncturing section is a needle puncturing device that punctures skin with a puncturing needle.

30. A blood analysis apparatus including a housing, a sensor having an opening and a puncturing section that is accommodated in the housing and punctures skin with a puncturing needle or laser light, the blood analysis apparatus analyzing blood by passing the puncturing needle or laser light through the opening to puncture skin and introducing blood exuding from the skin by puncturing into the sensor, the blood analysis apparatus comprising:

a support section that slidably projects from a housing edge, which is one end of the housing;

a sensor holding part that is slidably supported by the support part and holds the sensor;

a skin contacting part that is provided on a tip of the support part and can contact skin;

a first spring that biases to keep a predetermined distance between the sensor holding part slidably supported by the support part and the skin contacting part with a first stretching strength;

a second spring that biases to keep a predetermined distance between the sensor holding part slidably supported by the support part and the housing edge with a second stretching strength;

a first sealing section that seals between the opening in the sensor held by the sensor holding part and the skin contacting part when the skin contacting part is pushed toward the housing edge; and

the second sealing section that seals the opening in the sensor held by the sensor holding part and the housing edge when the skin contacting part is pushed toward the housing edge.

31. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 30, wherein, at a time of puncturing, the skin contacting part pushes the sensor holding part toward the housing edge against biasing force of the first spring, and further pushes the sensor holding part toward the housing edge against biasing force of the second spring, so that the sensor holding part, the skin contacting part and the housing edge are sealed through the first and second sealing sections.

32. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the first sealing section is ring-like packing provided on the skin contacting part.

33. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the second sealing section is ring-like packing provided on the housing edge.

34. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the first stretching strength of the first spring is equal to or lower than the second stretching strength of the second spring.

35. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the sensor holding part has a notch part cutting out an inlet to insert the sensor.

36. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the sensor holding part has a guide part that removably guides the sensor.

37. The blood analysis apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the sensor holding part has a lower side plate facing the skin contacting part and an upper side plate facing the housing edge, which sandwich the sensor, a thickness of the lower side plate is thinner than the upper side plate.

38. A sensor mounting mechanism comprising:

a support part slidably projecting from a housing edge;

a sensor holding part that is slidably supported by the support part and holds a sensor;

a skin contacting part that is provided on a tip of the support part and can contact skin;

a first spring that biases to keep a predetermined distance between the sensor holding part slidably supported by the support part and the skin contacting part with a first stretching strength;

a second spring that biases to keep a predetermined distance between the sensor holding part slidably supported by the support part and the housing edge with a second stretching strength;

a first sealing section that seals between the sensor held by the sensor holding part and the skin contacting part when the skin contacting part is pushed toward the housing edge; and

a second sealing section that seals between the sensor held by the sensor holding part and the housing edge when the skin contacting part is pushed toward the housing edge.

39. The sensor mounting mechanism according to claim 38, wherein, at a time of puncturing, the skin contacting part pushes the sensor holding part toward the housing edge against biasing force of the first spring, and further pushes the sensor holding part toward the housing edge against biasing force of the second spring, so that the sensor holding part, the skin contacting part and the housing edge are sealed through the first and second sealing sections.