PUSH-TO-CHARGE MECHANISM FOR LANCING DEVICE
First Claim
1. A lancing device for propelling a lancet through a lancing stroke, the lancing device comprising:
- a housing including an axial bore;
a drive mechanism including a lancet carrier and a drive spring, the lancet carrier holding the lancet and translatable axially within the housing through the lancing stroke, and the drive spring adapted to propel the lancet carrier through the lancing stroke; and
a charging mechanism adapted to retract the lancet carrier to a charged position and including a charging button having a first rack gear, a reverse charging member having a second rack gear, and a pinion gear rotatably engaged between the first and second rack gears, and wherein movement of the charging button in a first axial direction causes rotation of the pinion gear, which in turn causes movement of the reverse charging member and lancet carrier coupled thereto in a second axial direction generally opposite the first axial direction to retract the lancet carrier to a charged position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lancing device has a charging mechanism that operates to convert an external push action by a user to an internal pull action that retracts and charges a lancet for use in a lancing stroke. In some embodiments, the charging mechanism includes a user-actuated charging push-button, a reverse charging member coupled to a lancet carrier, and a reverse-motion conversion member coupled therebetween. Depressing the user-actuated member in a first longitudinal direction causes transverse movement of the conversion member, which in turn causes longitudinal retraction of the reverse charging member and the lancet carrier coupled thereto in a second longitudinal direction opposite the first direction, thereby charging a drive mechanism of the lancing device. In other embodiments, a rack-and-pinion gear mechanism provides the same push-to-pull functionality.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A lancing device for propelling a lancet through a lancing stroke, the lancing device comprising:
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a housing including an axial bore; a drive mechanism including a lancet carrier and a drive spring, the lancet carrier holding the lancet and translatable axially within the housing through the lancing stroke, and the drive spring adapted to propel the lancet carrier through the lancing stroke; and a charging mechanism adapted to retract the lancet carrier to a charged position and including a charging button having a first rack gear, a reverse charging member having a second rack gear, and a pinion gear rotatably engaged between the first and second rack gears, and wherein movement of the charging button in a first axial direction causes rotation of the pinion gear, which in turn causes movement of the reverse charging member and lancet carrier coupled thereto in a second axial direction generally opposite the first axial direction to retract the lancet carrier to a charged position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A charging mechanism for a lancing device comprising a lancet carrier that carries a lancet through a lancing stroke, the charging mechanism comprising:
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a charging button slidably coupled to the lancing device to permit axial movement between an extended position and a depressed position and including a first rack gear; a reverse charging member coupled to the lancet carrier and including a second rack gear; and a pinion gear rotatably engaged between the first and second rack gears, wherein movement of the charging button in a first axial direction causes rotation of the pinion gear, which in turn causes movement of the reverse charging member and lancet carrier coupled thereto in a second axial direction generally opposite the first axial direction to retract the lancet carrier to a charged position. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification