Lancet assembly

• US 6,432,120 B1
• Filed: 05/05/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medipurpose PTE. LTD.
• Original Assignee: Surgilance PTE LTD.
• Inventors: Teo, Hock Meng
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US09/565,896
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 606/181-185, 600/583
• US Class Current: 606/182
• 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 5/150503 Single-ended needles hollow piercing element tip design A61B5/150396, needle sets for catheters A61M25/06, needles for bringing media into the body A61M5/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150587 by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150633 Protective sleeves which are axially extensible, e.g. sleeves connected to, or integrated in, the piercing or driving device; pivotable protective sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150916 by blocking components, e.g. piston, driving device or fluid passageway
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15111 Semi-automatically triggered, e.g. at the end of the cocking procedure, for instance by biasing the main drive spring or when reaching sufficient contact pressure, the piercing device is automatically triggered without any deliberate action by the user
• 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 5/1513 comprising linear sliding guides comprising tooth-shaped elements A61B5/15132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15144 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for retracting the piercing unit into the housing

Abstract

A lancet assembly having a lancet holder and a triggler enclosing a lancet structure. The triggler is partially inserted into a lancet holder from the distal end. The holder is provided with a rigid internal spring holder to receive the spring-loaded lancet structure. The lancet structure is provided with a body coupled to a spring which extend from the proximal end of the body. The spring has a linear axis of compression which coincide with the longitudinal axis of the lancet assembly. A lancet is attached to the body with the sharp tip pointing towards the distal end. The triggler interacts with the lancet holder via a triggering element to maintain the spring in a compressed state such that the lancet structure is in a stable standby position which is not easily triggered by accidental bumps on the assembly.

Claims

1. A lancet assembly comprising:

a lancet structure comprising;

a body having a proximal end and a distal end and guiding elements;

a lancet with a sharp tip, attached to said body, such that the sharp tip extend from the distal end of said body; and

a spring coupled to and extending from tho proximal end of said body, said spring having a proximal end and a linear axis of compression;

a lancet holder comprising;

an open distal end;

an end wall at a proximal end;

side walls extending from said end wall, said side;

walls having a mating element comprising recesses in the interior of said side walls;

a spring holder having;

an open first end,

a second end attached to said end wall; and

supporting structures therebetween defining an interior space, said lancet structure received within said interior space with said sharp tip proximate said open first end, said supporting structures further provided with receiving elements for engagement with said guiding elements to allow movement of said body along the axis of compression;

a triggler, inserted into said holder, said triggler comprising;

a triggler end wall for closing said distal end of said holder and having an aperture wherethrough said sharp distal tip of said lancet fires when triggered;

a stabilizing element, extending from said triggler end wall and inserted between said side wails and said supporting structures for sliding movement along the axis of compression said stabilizing element further limiting movement of said triggler lateral to said axis of compression,

a safety catch for maintaining said triggler between standby and firing positions, wherein said safety catch comprising L shaped clips extending from two opposing sides of said triggler end wall, said L-shaped clips engaging said recesses of said mating element; and

triggering elements for engagement with said guiding elements, said triggering element in the standby position maintaining said spring in a high potential energy compressed state by forcing said guiding elements toward the proximal end of said holder, said triggering elements further movable to said firing position when a compression force is applied to said triggler end wall, said triggering elements in said firing position being disengaged from said guiding elements such that said spring is released from said compressed state and the sharp distal end of said lancet structure is fired through said aperture of said triggler end wall.

2. A lancet assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a cap for covering up said aperture.

3. A lancet assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an air-seal cap for covering up said aperture and maintaining sterility.

4. A lancet assembly according to claim 1, wherein said lancet holder further comprises a securing element connected to said proximal end of said lancet holder, for securing said proximal end of said spring to said proximal end of said lancet holder.

5. A lancet assembly according to claim 4, wherein said securing element comprises at least one lug, provided on the external surface of said spring holder proximate said end wall, for engaging an extension of said spring.

6. A lancet assembly according to claim 5, wherein said spring holder further comprises a slot along the length of said supporting structures wherethrough said extension of said spring can access said at least one lug for coupling.

7. A lancet assembly according to claim 1, wherein said guiding elements comprises a plurality of guiding pins extending laterally from at least two sides of said body.

8. A lancet assembly according to claim 1, wherein said receiving elements comprises a plurality of longitudinal slits within said supporting structure wherethrough each of said guiding pins extend.

9. A lancet assembly comprising:

a lancet structure comprising;

a body having a proximal end and a distal end and guiding elements;

a lancet with a sharp tip, attached to said body, such that the sharp tip extend from the distal end of said body; and

a spring coupled to and extending from the proximal end of said body, said spring having a proximal end and a linear axis of compression;

a lancet holder comprising;

an open distal end; and

an end wall at a proximal end;

side walls extending from said end wall, said side walls having a mating element;

a spring holder having;

an open first end,

a second end attached to said end wall; and

supporting structures therebetween defining an interior space, said lancet structure received within said interior space with said sharp tip proximate said open first end, said supporting structures further provided with receiving elements for engagement with said guiding elements to allow movement of said body along tie axis of compression;

a triggler, inserted into said holder, said triggler comprising;

a triggler end wall for closing said distal end of said holder and having an aperture wherethrough said sharp distal tip of said lancet fires when triggered;

a stabilizing element, extending from said triggler end wall and inserted between said side walls and said supporting structures for sliding movement along the axis of compression, said stabilizing element further limiting movement of said triggler lateral to said axis of compression;

a safety catch engaging said mating element of said holder, for maintain said triggler between standby and firing positions; and

triggering elements for engagement with said guiding elements, said triggering element in the standby position maintaining said spring in a high potential energy compressed state by forcing said guiding elements toward the proximal end of said holder, said triggering elements further movable to said firing position when a compression force is applied to said triggler end wall, said triggering elements in said firing position being disengaged from said guiding elements such that said spring is released from said compressed state and the sharp distal end of said lancet structure is fired through said aperture of said triggler end wall;

wherein said triggering elements comprise a pair of actuating ribs with wedged ends extending from two opposing sides of said triggler end wall; and

wherein said guiding elements comprise a pair of guiding pins extending laterally from two opposing sides of said body, said triggler inserted into said lancet holder such that said wedged ends engage said guiding pins, said actuating rib in the armed position maintaining said spring in a high potential energy compressed state by forcing said guiding pin towards the proximal end of said lancet holder, said actuating rib further bendable to said firing position when said compression force is applied to said triggler end wall.

10. A lancet assembly comprising:

a lancet structure comprising;

a body having a proximal end and a distal end and guiding elements;

a lancet with a sharp tip, attached to said body, such that the sharp tip extend from the distal end of said body; and

a spring coupled to and extending from the proximal end of said body, said spring having a proximal end and a linear axis of compression;

a lancet holder comprising;

an open distal end;

an end wall at a proximal end; and

side walls extending from said end wall, said side walls having a mating element compressing recesses in the interior of said side walls;

a spring holder having;

an open first end,

a second end attached to said end wall; and

supporting structures therebetween defining an interior space, said lancet structure received within said interior space with said sharp tip proximate said open first end, said supporting structures further provided with receiving elements for engagement with said guiding elements to allow movement of said body along to axis of compression;

a triggler, inserted into said holder, said triggler comprising;

a triggler end wall for closing said distal end of said holder and having an aperture wherethrough said sharp distal tip of said lancet fires when triggered;

a stabilizing element extending from said triggler end wall and inserted between said side walls and said supporting structures for sliding movement along the axis of compression, said stabilizing element further limiting movement of said triggler lateral to said axis of compression;

a safety catch engaging said mating element of said holder, for maintain said triggler between standby and firing positions; and

triggering elements for engagement with said guiding element, said triggering element in the standby position maintaining said spring in a high potential energy compressed state by forcing said guiding elements toward the proximal end of said holder, said triggering elements further movable to said firing position when a compression force is applied to said triggler end wall, said triggering elements in said firing position being disengaged from said guiding elements such that said spring is released from said compressed state and the sharp distal end of said lancet structure is fired through said aperture of said triggler end wall;

wherein said lancet holder further comprising ridges attached to said spring bolder and said lancet holder to strengthen said supporting structures.

11. A lancet assembly comprising:

a lancet structure comprising

a body having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis;

a lancet having a sharp tip, said lancet attached to said body such that the lancet

extend from the distal end of said body;

a plurality of guiding pins extending laterally on opposing sides said body; and

a helical metallic spring coupled to said body and extending from the proximal end along said longitudinal axis;

a lancet holder comprising

an open distal end;

an end wall at the proximal end;

side walls extending from said end wall with two opposing side walls having a recess on the interior surface;

a holder having

an open first end,

a second end attached to and extending from said end wall; and

a supporting wall therebetween defining an interior space, said lancet structure received within said interior space with said sharp tip proximate said open first end, the dimensions of said space limiting the lateral movement of said lancet structure, said supporting wall provided with slits wherethrough said guiding pins extend to allow longitudinal movement of said lancet structure;

a triggler, inserted into said holder, said triggler comprising

a triggler end wall for closing said distal end of said holder;

said triggler end

wall substantially perpendicular to said axis of compression and

having an aperture wherethrough said sharp distal tip of said lancet fires when triggered;

triggler said walls extending from said triggler end wall and inserted between said side walls of said lancet holder and said supporting wall for sliding movement along the longitudinal axis while limiting lateral movement of said triggler;

a safety catch, extending from said triggler end wall and engaging said recess of said lancet holder, for maintain said triggler inside said lancet holder between a standby position and a firing position; and

a pair of actuating ribs with wedged ends, extending from said triggler end wall, for engagement with said guiding pins, said actuating ribs in the standby position maintaining said spring in a high potential energy compressed state by forcing said lancet structure towards the proximal end of said lancet holder, said actuating ribs further bendable to said firing position when a compression force is applied to said triggler end wall, said wedge in said firing position being disengaged from said guiding pins such that said spring is released from said compressed state and the sharp distal end of said lancet structure is fired through said aperture of said triggler end wall.