Skin incision device with compression spring assembly

• US 6,221,089 B1
• Filed: 07/07/1997
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Technidyne Corporation (Sphingotec GMBH)
• Original Assignee: International Technidyne Corporation (Sphingotec GMBH)
• Inventors: Mawhirt, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, VY Q
• Application Number:
  US08/888,502
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 606/181, 606/182, 606/184, 606/185
• US Class Current: 606/181
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150297 for piercing devices, i.e. devices ready to be used for lancing or piercing for piercing elements A61B5/150282, for driving devices A61B5/15029
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150442 Blade-like piercing elements, e.g. blades, cutters, knives, for cutting the skin
• 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 5/15128 comprising 2D- or 3D-shaped elements, e.g. cams, curved guide rails or threads comprising tooth-shaped elements A61B5/15132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable

Abstract

A device for making an incision in skin, having a housing with a slotted opening, and a triggering mechanism disposed within the housing for propelling a blade coupled thereto, through the slotted opening of the housing to make an incision in the skin. The triggering mechanism includes a finger engageable trigger located external to the housing for actuating the triggering mechanism and a spring anchoring assembly for automated machine arming the device after the triggering mechanism has been assembled into the housing.

Claims

1. A device for making an incision in skin, comprising:

a housing having a slotted opening and an aperture;

triggering means disposed within said housing for propelling a blade coupled thereto, through said slotted opening of said housing a given distance to make an incision of a predetermined size in the skin, said triggering means including removable spring biasing means wherein after assembly of said triggering means in said housing, said spring biasing means engages said housing through said aperture and arms said device.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said removable spring biasing means includes automated machine actuable means disposed externally on said housing for manually locking and unlocking said spring biasing means.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said triggering means includes an arm link which couples said blade, said spring biasing means rotating said arm link when said device is activated to propel said blade through said slotted opening of said housing when said device is activated.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said removable spring biasing means includes a coil spring that engages said arm link of said triggering means.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said removable spring biasing means further includes spring anchoring means, said coil spring being compressed between said spring anchoring means and said arm link when said device is armed and rotating said arm link when said device is activated to propel said blade through said slotted opening of said housing.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said removable spring biasing means and said housing include bayonet locking means for retaining said spring biasing means to said housing.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said bayonet locking means include opposing locking tabs on said removable spring biasing means.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said bayonet locking means further include an aperture with a pair of opposing slots for receiving said locking tabs of said removable spring biasing means.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said housing has a base which defines said slotted opening.

10. A device for making an incision in skin, comprising;

a housing having a slotted opening and an aperture;

triggering means disposed within said housing, for propelling a blade coupled thereto, through said slotted opening of said housing a given distance to make an incision of a predetermined size in the skin, and then retracting said blade through said slotted opening into said housing, said triggering means including a finger engageable trigger located external to said housing for actuating said triggering means, and removable spring biasing means engaging said housing through said aperture and arming said device after said triggering means have been assembled into said housing.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said housing includes cam means for causing said blade to produce a cut path of a predetermined length in the skin which is substantially uniform in depth along said predetermined length, the cut path providing an instantaneous full depth cut and an instantaneous vertical pull out at the end of the cut preventing tissue tearing.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein said triggering means includes a blade holder/follower which couples said blade, said spring biasing means rotating said blade holder/follower when said device is activated to propel said blade through said slotted opening of said housing when said device is activated.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said removable spring biasing means includes a coil spring that engages said blade holder/follower.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein said removable spring biasing means further includes a headed anchor, said coil spring being compressed between said headed anchor and said blade holder/follower when said device is armed and rotating said blade holder/follower when said device is activated to propel said blade through said slotted opening of said housing.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein said removable spring biasing means and said housing include bayonet locking means for retaining said removable spring biasing means to said housing.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein said bayonet locking means include opposing locking tabs on said spring biasing means.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein said bayonet locking means further include an aperture with a pair of opposing slots for receiving said locking tabs of said removable spring biasing means.

18. The device according to claim 10, wherein said housing has a base which defines said slotted opening.

19. The device according to claim 10, wherein said removable spring biasing means include:

a headed anchor having a pair of opposing locking tabs which pass through a correspondingly shaped aperture in said housing to provide automated machine insertion and locking of said spring biasing means to said housing, and

a coil spring abutted against said locking tabs, said spring becoming compressed between a blade holder/follower member of said triggering means which couples said blade and said locking tabs of said headed anchor when said removable spring biasing means is installed in said housing to arm said lancet device after assembly.