Retractable lancet
First Claim
1. A retractable, non-reusable bleeding time lancet apparatus, comprising:
- a housing having an end opening;
blade means;
carrier means for fixedly mounting said blade means and mounted in said housing for sliding motion toward and away from said end opening;
resilient biasing means comprising one and only one torsion spring mounted in said housing in a prestressed condition and operatively coupled for selectively and in sequence, urging said carrier means in opposite directions for achieving said sliding motion in a compound motion comprising, in sequence, motion first toward and then away from said housing end opening as said resilient biasing means goes from said prestressed condition toward an unstressed condition;
non-resettable release means for initially retaining said biasing means in said prestressed condition and selectively activatable once and only once for releasing said resilient biasing means to urge said carrier means in said compound for momentarily projecting and then rapidly retracting at least a cutting edge of said blade means through said end opening;
cooperating means on said housing and said carrier means for defining respective limits of sliding motion of said carrier means corresponding to extended and retracted positions of said blade means cutting edge relative to said housing end opening; and
means operatively engaging said resilient biasing means with said carrier means for achieving said compound motion of said carrier means;
said release means being operatively disengaged from said biasing means upon release thereof and incapable of re-engagement therewith;
said compound motion comprising an initial portion including extension of said carrier means for projecting said blade means cutting edge outwardly of said housing end opening, immediately followed by a second portion including retraction of said carrier means for retraction of said blade means cutting edge back into said housing and for thereafter positively holding said blade within said housing to prevent further projection of said cutting edge outwardly of said end opening; and
wherein said torsion spring comprises a coiled spring having a helical body and at least one outwardly projecting free end portion, and wherein said free end portion urges said carrier means in said compound motion.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A retractable, non-reusable bleeding time lancet apparatus comprises a housing having an end opening, a blade, and a carrier for fixedly mounting the blade and mounted in the housing for sliding motion toward and away from the end opening. A resilient biasing member is mounted in the housing in a prestressed condition and is operatively coupled for selectively urging the carrier for achieving sliding motion toward and away from the housing end opening. A non-resettable release member normally retains the biasing member in its prestressed condition and is selectively activatable for releasing the resilient biasing member to urge the carrier in a sliding motion for projecting at least a cutting edge of the blade through the end opening. Cooperating surfaces on the housing and carrier define respective limits of sliding motion of the carrier corresponding to extended and retracted positions of the blade cutting edge relative to the housing end opening. The resilient biasing member is operatively engaged with the carrier for achieving a compound sliding movement of the carrier comprising an initial portion including extension of the carrier for projecting the blade cutting edge outwardly of the housing end opening, immediately followed by a second portion including retraction of the carrier for retraction of the blade cutting edge back into the housing.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A retractable, non-reusable bleeding time lancet apparatus, comprising:
- a housing having an end opening;
blade means;
carrier means for fixedly mounting said blade means and mounted in said housing for sliding motion toward and away from said end opening;
resilient biasing means comprising one and only one torsion spring mounted in said housing in a prestressed condition and operatively coupled for selectively and in sequence, urging said carrier means in opposite directions for achieving said sliding motion in a compound motion comprising, in sequence, motion first toward and then away from said housing end opening as said resilient biasing means goes from said prestressed condition toward an unstressed condition;
non-resettable release means for initially retaining said biasing means in said prestressed condition and selectively activatable once and only once for releasing said resilient biasing means to urge said carrier means in said compound for momentarily projecting and then rapidly retracting at least a cutting edge of said blade means through said end opening;
cooperating means on said housing and said carrier means for defining respective limits of sliding motion of said carrier means corresponding to extended and retracted positions of said blade means cutting edge relative to said housing end opening; and
means operatively engaging said resilient biasing means with said carrier means for achieving said compound motion of said carrier means;
said release means being operatively disengaged from said biasing means upon release thereof and incapable of re-engagement therewith;
said compound motion comprising an initial portion including extension of said carrier means for projecting said blade means cutting edge outwardly of said housing end opening, immediately followed by a second portion including retraction of said carrier means for retraction of said blade means cutting edge back into said housing and for thereafter positively holding said blade within said housing to prevent further projection of said cutting edge outwardly of said end opening; and
wherein said torsion spring comprises a coiled spring having a helical body and at least one outwardly projecting free end portion, and wherein said free end portion urges said carrier means in said compound motion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19)
- a housing having an end opening;
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16. A mechanism for achieving compound motion of a member with respect to a housing, comprising:
- carrier means for fixedly mounting said member and mounted in said housing for bi-directional sliding motion;
resilient biasing means comprising one and only one torsion spring mounted in said housing in a prestressed condition and operatively coupled for selectively urging said carrier means for achieving said bi-directional sliding motion as the said resilient biasing means goes from said prestressed condition toward an unstressed condition;
non-resettable release means for normally retaining said biasing means in said prestressed condition and selectively activatable for releasing said resilient biasing means to urge said carrier means in said sliding motion;
cooperating means on said housing and said carrier means for defining respective limits of sliding motion of said carrier means corresponding to opposite extreme positions of said carrier means relative to said housing; and
means operatively engaging said resilient biasing means with said carrier means for achieving said compound motion of said carrier means;
said release means being operatively disengaged from said biasing means upon release thereof and incapable of re-engagement therewith;
said compound motion comprising an initial portion including urging of said carrier means to a first of said extreme positions, immediately followed by a second portion including urging of said carrier means toward said opposite extreme position, and for thereafter positively holding said member within said housing; and
wherein said torsion spring comprises a coiled spring having a helical body portion and at least one outwardly projecting free end portion, and wherein said free end portion urges said carrier means in said compound motion. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 20)
- carrier means for fixedly mounting said member and mounted in said housing for bi-directional sliding motion;
Specification