Lancet ejector mechanism

• US 4,976,724 A
• Filed: 08/25/1989
• Issued: 12/11/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lifescan IC
• Original Assignee: Lifescan Incorporated (Duv Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Nieto, Robert L., Rasmussen, Chris W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Longo, Robin R.
• Application Number:
  US07/398,582
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 606/181, 606/182, 606/167, 606/183-189, 604/46, 604/47, 604/48, 128/760, 30/260, 30/349, 30/336, 30/346 S, 30/40.2
• US Class Current: 606/181
• 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 5/150549 Protectors removed by rotational movement, e.g. torsion or screwing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150618 Integrally moulded protectors, e.g. protectors simultaneously moulded together with a further component, e.g. a hub, of the piercing element
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150717 manually removed
• 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 5/15186 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 5/15194 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 lancet ejector device for use in combination with a lancet injecting mechanism. The lancet ejector of the present invention enables the user to eject a lancet from the lancet injecting device without touching a used lancet.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a needle capable of being cocked and then injected into the skin by a spring-loaded mechanism, said needle removably inserted into said spring-loaded mechanism; and

needle ejecting means placed on said spring-loaded mechanism and engageable with said needle such that said needle ejecting means are capable of moving relative to said spring loaded mechanism to exert a force against said needle to eject said needle from said mechanism, said needle ejecting means further comprising a pair of prongs which abut said needle.

2. A device comprising:

lancet holding means;

a lancet inserted into said holding means; and

lancet ejector means attached to said holding means and movable relative to said holding means to exert a force on said lancet to eject said lancet from said holding means, said lancet ejector means comprising a pair of prongs which abut said lancet.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said lancet holding means contains an elongated tab and said lancet ejector means contains a notch into which said tab is placed, said tab movable relative to said notch.

4. The device of claim 2 further including cocking means attached to said holding means and ear means on said lancet ejector means, onto which pressure is placed to cause said lancet ejector notch to have the capability to remain stationary during cocking of said device, said lancet ejector prongs movable relative to said lancet holder during said cocking in order to exert force on said lancet to eject said lancet from said holding means.

5. A device comprising:

a generally cylindrical shell;

spring loaded cocking means for cocking and firing said device and retractable within said shell;

lancet holding means attached to said cocking means;

a lancet attached to said holding means; and

lancet ejector means attached to said holding means and capable of ejecting said lancet from said holding means and out of said shell;

wherein said ejector means contains a pair of prongs which abut said lancet.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said lancet ejector means moves relative to said lancet holding means to exert a force on said lancet at said prongs such that said lancet is released from said holding means.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said holding means comprises a collar with two ends, one said end which fits about said lancet such that said lancet is held within said end, and the other said end holding said ejector means.

8. A device of claim 6 wherein said lancet holding means contains an elongated tab and said lancet ejector means contains a notch into which said tab is placed, said tab movable relative to said notch.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein said lancet ejector means contains ear means onto which pressure is placed to cause said lancet ejector notch to have the capability to remain stationary during cocking of said device, said lancet ejector prongs moveable relative to said lancet holder during said cocking in order to exert force on said lancet to eject said lancet from said holding means.