LANCETS WITH IMPROVED COUPLING FEATURES AND STERILITY CAPS

• US 20120059402A1
• Filed: 11/10/2011
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Facet Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Facet Technologies LLC
• Inventors: PUSEY, Lauren R., COLLINS, Brian M., RUF, Christopher J., REAVES, Nicholas H., SANDERS, Jonathan W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,821,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/181
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32093 for skin incisions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• 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 5/150519 Details of construction of hub, i.e. element used to attach the single-ended needle to a piercing device or sampling device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150717 manually removed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150809 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150816 by tactile feedback, e.g. vibration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable
• 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

Improved lancet configurations and protective lancet endcap configurations are disclosed. In example forms, one or more flexing cantilevers project from the lancet body for coupling with a cooperating receiver of a lancing device. A gripping handle extends from a sterility cap for ease of removal from and replacement over the lancet tip. A lancet body has a smoothly curved wave contour with at least one crest and at least one trough for engagement with a cooperating receiver of a lancing device.

Claims

1. A protective sterility cap for a lancet, said sterility cap comprising a primary sheath for initial embedment of a sharp lancing tip of an unused lancet therein, and a gripping handle portion extending from the primary sheath.

2. The protective sterility cap of claim 1, in combination with a lancet.

3. The protective sterility cap of claim 1, further comprising a secondary sheath for receiving the sharp lancing tip of a used lancet, the gripping handle portion extending between the primary sheath and the secondary sheath.

4. The protective sterility cap of claim 1, further comprising at least one flat display surface for placement of branding indicia thereon.

5. The protective sterility cap of claim 1, wherein the gripping handle portion comprises at least one open loop.

6. The protective sterility cap of claim 1, wherein the gripping handle portion comprises a solid body without an open loop.

7. The protective sterility cap of claim 1, in combination with a lancet having a lancet body defining a lancet thickness, and a sharp lancet tip initially embedded in the primary sheath, wherein the gripping handle portion defines a lateral span of at least 1.5 times the lancet thickness.

8. The protective sterility cap of claim 7, wherein the gripping handle portion defines a length at least equal to its lateral span.

9. The protective sterility cap of claim 7, wherein the gripping handle portion defines a length at least equal to the lancet thickness.

10. A lancet comprising a lancet body with a sharp lancing tip projecting from an end thereof, said lancet body comprising opposed first and second sides each defining a smoothly curved wave contour with a trough and a crest.

11. The lancet of claim 10, further comprising an expanded disc or flange at an end of the lancet body.

12. The lancet of claim 11, wherein the lancet body is flattened, having a width and a thickness, and wherein the width is substantially greater than the thickness.

13. The lancet of claim 12, wherein an aspect ratio of the width relative to the thickness is at least 3:

2.

14. The lancet of claim 11, wherein the lancet body defines a first narrower dimension proximal a rear end of the lancet, a wider dimension at a medial portion of the lancet, and a second narrower dimension proximal a forward end of the lancet.

15. The lancet of claim 14, wherein the wider dimension is at least about 1.1 times the lesser of the first and second narrower dimensions.

16. A lancet system comprising:

a lancet having a lancet body and a sharp lancing tip projecting from the lancet body, wherein the lancet body comprises at least one resilient coupling member and defines a lancet body thickness; and

an endcap having a primary shroud portion initially surrounding the sharp lancing tip of the lancet, a secondary shroud portion for placement over the sharp lancing tip of the lancet after use, and a handle portion extending between the primary shroud portion and the secondary shroud portion.

17. The lancet system of claim 16, wherein the at least one resilient coupling member comprises an opposed pair of resilient coupling members.

18. The lancet system of claim 16, wherein the at least one resilient coupling member comprises first and second opposed pairs of resilient coupling members.

19. The lancet system of claim 16, wherein the at least one resilient coupling member comprises a cantilevered finger having a first end connected to the lancet body and a second free end extending away from the lancet body.

20. The lancet system of claim 16, wherein the at least one resilient coupling member comprises a flexible loops having first and second ends connected to the lancet body and a medial portion between the first and second ends separated a distance from the lancet body to define an open hollow.

21. The lancet system of claim 16, wherein the at least one resilient coupling member comprises a flexible panel of the lancet body.

22. The lancet system of claim 16, wherein the handle portion of the endcap has a lateral span of at least 1.5 times the lancet body thickness.

23. The protective sterility cap of claim 22, wherein the handle portion of the endcap defines a length at least equal to its lateral span.

24. The protective sterility cap of claim 22, wherein the handle portion of the endcap defines a length at least equal to the lancet thickness.