Lancing device having a releasable connector

• US 6,197,040 B1
• Filed: 02/23/1999
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Lifescan Incorporated (Duv Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Taylor, William C., Purlee, John M., LeVaughn, Richard Wayne, Ruf, Christopher John
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goldberg, Jonathan D.
• Application Number:
  US09/255,830
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 606/181, 606/182, 606/185, 606/167, 128/770, 604/192-198
• US Class Current: 606/182
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150259 Improved gripping, e.g. with high friction pattern or projections on the housing surface or an ergonometric shape
• 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 5/15113 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 5/1519 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 lancing device has a spring-loaded lancet holder slidably mounted within a housing for carrying a disposable lancet and needle. A slider mounted in a slot in the housing is moved back for cocking the device and, after the lancet is fired, is moved forward to eject the used lancet. A releasable connector reversibly immobilizes the holder while the lancet is being ejected. The releasable connector permits a shortened ejection stroke, which, in turn, permits a shorter slot in the housing.

Claims

1. A lancing device for withdrawing a blood sample, comprising a generally elongate housing having a cap with a through hole at a forward end and a closure at a back end, opposite the forward end, and containing

(a) a lancet holder, slidably mounted within the housing,

(b) a first spring for urging the lancet holder forward, having a first end that bears on the housing and a second end that bears on the lancet holder,

(c) a slider, slidably mounted in a wall of the housing, comprising

(i) a projection outside the wall and

(ii) a pushing means, reversibly engageable with the lancet holder, to push the lancet holder back into a cocked position and to push a lancet forward from the device,

(d) a second spring for urging the lancet holder back, having a first end that bears on the lancet holder and a second end that bears on the slider,

(e) a button, movable between a first position in which the lancet holder is restrained when the device is cocked and a second position in which the restraint is removed, permitting the first spring to thrust the lancet holder forward, and

(f) a releasable connector mounted within the housing for immobilizing the lancet holder when the slider is moved forward to eject the lancet from the device.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a lancet mounted in the lancet holder, the lancet including a needle having a point for passing through the hole in the cap to effect a piercing operation.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the releasable connector comprises a cantilever arm.

4. The device of claim 1 in which the releasable connector comprises a pivoted arm.

5. The device of claim 1 in which the releasable connector comprises a spring-loaded arm.

6. The device of claim 1 in which the releasable connector has a rough surface near a forward end for frictionally engaging a rough surface on the lancet holder.

7. The device of claim 1 in which the releasable connector has at least one tooth near a forward end for engaging at least one depression in the lancet holder.

8. The device of claim 7 in which the releasable connector has a plurality of asymmetric teeth for engaging a plurality of asymmetric teeth on the lancet holder.

9. The device of claim 1 in which the lancet holder has a reversibly deformable surface that is deformed by the releasable connector to reversibly immobilize the lancet holder.