Lancet device with skin movement control and ballistic preload
First Claim
1. A device for puncturing the skin of a patient, comprising:
- (a) lancet for puncturing the skin;
(b) skin stabilizer associated with the lancet, the skin stabilizer having an opening through which the lancet can pass to puncture the skin, the opening having a size about the size of the lancet to larger than the size of the lancet to a small degree, the skin stabilizer applying pressure around the opening to press on the skin to stabilize the skin by reducing its ability to move and increasing tautness of skin in the opening prior to the lancet penetrating the skin; and
(c) driver mechanism to propel the skin stabilizer to contact the skin.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for puncturing the skin of a patient. The device includes a lancet for puncturing the skin and a skin stabilizer associated with the lancet for stabilizing the skin to reduce its freedom of movement when the lancet strikes it. The skin stabilizer has an opening through which the lancet can pass to puncture the skin. The skin stabilizer applies pressure on the skin around the opening. The application of pressure, in additional to reducing the freedom of movement of the skin directly held by the skin stabilizer, also increases the tautness of the skin in the opening prior to the lancet penetrating the skin. The opening is not substantially larger than the size of the lancet.
424 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device for puncturing the skin of a patient, comprising:
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(a) lancet for puncturing the skin;
(b) skin stabilizer associated with the lancet, the skin stabilizer having an opening through which the lancet can pass to puncture the skin, the opening having a size about the size of the lancet to larger than the size of the lancet to a small degree, the skin stabilizer applying pressure around the opening to press on the skin to stabilize the skin by reducing its ability to move and increasing tautness of skin in the opening prior to the lancet penetrating the skin; and
(c) driver mechanism to propel the skin stabilizer to contact the skin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of using a lancet device to puncture the skin of a patient, comprising:
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(a) using a driver mechanism to mechanically propel a skin stabilizer to stabilize the skin to reduce its freedom of movement by putting pressure on the skin at one or more locations surrounding a central area not in contact with the stabilizer when the stabilizer is applied to the skin; and
(b) puncturing the skin with a lancet at the central area thereafter, wherein the central area which is not in contact with the skin stabilizer is not substantially larger than the cross-sectional size of the lancet. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of using a puncturing device to puncture an object with a stretchable surface layer, comprising:
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(a) using a driver mechanism to mechanically propel a stabilizer to contact and stabilize one or more areas of the surface layer to reduce its freedom of movement, the one or more areas encircling a central area not in contact with the stabilizer; and
(b) puncturing the surface layer at the central area with a shaft having a sharp end thereafter, wherein the central area which is not in contact with the stabilizer is not substantially larger than the cross-sectional size of the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A device for puncturing the skin of a patient, said device comprising:
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(a) lancet for puncturing the skin, the lancet having a mass associated therewith;
(b) skin stabilizer associated with the lancet, the skin stabilizer having an opening through which the lancet can pass to puncture the skin, the skin stabilizer, when applied on the skins, applying pressure around the opening to press on the skin to increase tautness thereof prior to the lancet penetrating the skin, the lancet being movably connected to the skin stabilizer, the skin stabilizer being stoppable by the skin without penetration when driven toward the skin by a driver, the lancet having sufficient mass to continue by momentum to move forward to penetrate the skin sufficiently to cause bleeding after the skin stabilizer has stopped; and
(c) spring-actuated driver associated with the skin stabilizer and the lancet for propelling the skin stabilizer and the lancet toward the skin.
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Specification