PUNCTURE NEEDLE CARTRIDGE AND PUNCTURE DEVICE

• US 20120089050A1
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lightnix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lightnix, Inc.
• Inventors: Fukuda, Mitsuo
• Granted Patent: US 8,679,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/573
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150282 for piercing elements, e.g. blade, lancet, canula, needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150458 Specific blade design, e.g. for improved cutting and penetration characteristics
• 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 5/15113 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 5/1513 comprising linear sliding guides comprising tooth-shaped elements A61B5/15132
• 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 puncture needle cartridge 20 detachably mounted on a puncturing device body to form a puncturing device is provided with a needle body 21 having a puncturing portion 212a, and also with a casing 22 for housing the needle body 21 and having openings 223, 224 that are respectively formed in front of and behind the needle body 21. The needle body 21 is mounted so as to be movable between a retracted position, wherein the tip 212c of the puncturing portion is retraced in the casing 22, and an extended position, wherein the tip 212c of the puncturing portion is projected outward from the casing 22 by receiving a pressing force from the puncturing device body. The needle body 21 has a biasing means for biasing the needle body 21 from an extended position towards a retracted position. The puncture needle cartridge can be mass-produced at low cost, and enables a user to perform puncturing safely and easily.

Claims

1. A puncture needle cartridge for detachably mounting on a puncturing device body to form a puncturing device, the puncture needle cartridge comprising:

a needle body having a puncturing portion;

a casing for housing the needle body, the casing having openings that are respectively formed in front of and behind the needle body;

the needle body being mounted so as to be movable between a retracted position, wherein the tip of the puncturing portion is retracted in the casing, and an extended position, wherein the tip of the puncturing portion is projected outward from the casing by receiving a pressing force from the puncturing device body, and

the needle body comprising a biasing means for biasing the needle body from an extended position towards a retracted position.

2. The puncture needle cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the biasing means comprises a pair of elastic members that are respectively disposed on laterally opposite sides of the needle body.

3. The puncture needle cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the biasing means comprises an elastically deformable flexible member, a first end of which is fixed to the inner surface of the casing, and a second end of which is engaged with the needle body.

4. The puncture needle cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the engaging portion of the needle body to be engaged with the second end of the flexible member comprises a tapered inclined surface.

5. The puncture needle cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the front end of the inclined surface has a step that can be brought into contact with the front surface of the flexible member.

6. The puncture needle cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the second end of the flexible member to be engaged with the needle body has a circular arc shape in plan view.

7. The puncture needle cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the flexible member is curved to project backward.

8. The puncture needle cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the needle body and the casing are integrally molded using a biocompatible material.

9. A puncturing device comprising:

a needle body having a puncturing portion; and

a casing for housing the needle body, the casing having openings that are respectively formed in front of and behind the needle body;

the needle body being configured to be pressed through the rear opening of the casing,

the needle body being mounted so as to be movable between a retracted position, wherein the tip of the puncturing portion is retracted in the casing, and an extended position, wherein the tip of the puncturing portion is projected outward from the casing by a pressing force, and

the needle body comprising a biasing means for biasing the needle body from an extended position towards a retracted position.