Corneum puncture needle

• US 6,350,273 B1
• Filed: 03/10/1999
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tsuruta, Hiroki, Matsumoto, Yasuyoshi, Minagawa, Hirotaka, Ito, Narushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US09/265,834
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 606/181, 606/183, 606/185, 606/186, 606/188, 606/116, 606/189, 81/92.2
• US Class Current: 606/186
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0045 Devices for taking samples of body liquids devices for taking blood samples A61B5/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/205 Vaccinating by means of needles or other puncturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/008 Interstitial fluid

Abstract

A corneum puncture needle for extracting tissue fluid from under the skin corneum includes a needle body and a stylus extending from the needle body to be inserted into a corneum of a human body. The stylus and the needle body form therebetween a stepped portion acting as a stopper when the stylus is inserted into a corneum of a human body. The needle body has a core formed in a unitary body with the stylus and a coating layer or a tube formed on the core. The stylus has a suitable length for prevention of damage of blood vessel. A plurality of puncture needles may be arranged on a holder.

Claims

1. A corneum puncture device comprising a holder and a plurality of puncture needles arranged on said holder,

each of said puncture needles having its own elongated columnar needle body mounted in said holder and a stylus extending from said needle body, a point of each stylus to be inserted into a corneum of a human body,

wherein said stylus and said needle body form therebetween a stepped portion acting as a stopper when said stylus is inserted into a corneum of a human body, and

wherein plural of adjacent ones of the puncture needles are aligned so that all of the stylus points of the plural adjacent needles are in a single row and together define a single, straight line.

2. A corneum puncture device comprising:

a stylus having a point, a base, and a tapered section intermediate the point and the base;

an elongated core attached at a first end to the base of said stylus; and

a needle body enclosing each of the stylus and the core,

said needle body being fixedly attached to said core preventing relative motion therebetween;

wherein said needle body encloses said base and a part of said tapered section of said stylus, and leaves a second end of said core extending from said needle body, and

said stylus and said needle body form therebetween a stepped portion acting as a stopper when said stylus is inserted into a corneum of a human body.

3. The corneum puncture device of claim 2, wherein said needle body includes a first region covering, spaced apart from, and free of contact with the tapered section of said stylus.

4. The corneum puncture needle as defined in claim 3, wherein said needle body comprises a tube mechanically attached onto said core.

5. The corneum puncture needle as defined in claim 3, wherein said needle body comprises a tube adhered onto said core.

6. The corneum puncture needle as defined in claim 2, wherein said core comprises a spiral groove formed thereon.

7. The corneum puncture device of claim 2, wherein a first region of said needle body adjoins a second region of said needle body through an intermediate expanding region.

8. The corneum puncture device of claim 2, wherein a first thickness of said needle body, as measured perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said needle body, in a region of said base is greater than a second thickness of said needle body, as measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, in a region surrounding said core.

9. The corneum puncture device of claim 2, wherein a thickness of the needle body perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the needle body is uniform along the entire length of the needle body.

10. The corneum puncture device of claim 2, wherein said stylus and said core are comprised by a needle and said needle body is comprised by a tube press fitted to said core.