Multiple lancet device
First Claim
1. A device for puncturing the skin of a patient to sample body fluid, said device comprising two or more protrusions including a first protrusion and a second protrusion, each protrusion having a diameter of at least about 200 microns and a separate distal point and puncturing the skin to result in separate puncture wounds when pressed against the skin, at least the first protrusion being arranged such that it punctures the skin at a location at a distance at most 4 mm away from the second protrusion nearest thereto, wherein said device comprises a base assembly associated with said protrusions, said base assembly applying a force having a lateral component to said skin when said base assembly is pressed agains said skin, wherein the protrusions are movable relative to the base assebly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for puncturing the skin of a patient. The device includes first and second protrusions, each protrusion puncturing the skin when pressed against the skin. The first and second protrusions are arranged such that the first protrusion punctures the skin at a location less than a predetermined distance from the second protrusion. The distance is chosen to be less than the discriminatable distance between distinct pain perception points in the patient, such that the patient perceives a single puncture when the first and second protrusions puncture the skin. In one embodiment of the invention, the device includes a base lip that applies a lateral force to the skin when the base lip is pressed against the skin. In this embodiment, the protrusions are pressed into the skin as the base lip is pressed against the skin.
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Citations
23 Claims
- 1. A device for puncturing the skin of a patient to sample body fluid, said device comprising two or more protrusions including a first protrusion and a second protrusion, each protrusion having a diameter of at least about 200 microns and a separate distal point and puncturing the skin to result in separate puncture wounds when pressed against the skin, at least the first protrusion being arranged such that it punctures the skin at a location at a distance at most 4 mm away from the second protrusion nearest thereto, wherein said device comprises a base assembly associated with said protrusions, said base assembly applying a force having a lateral component to said skin when said base assembly is pressed agains said skin, wherein the protrusions are movable relative to the base assebly.
- 10. A device for puncturing the skin of a patient to sample body fluid, said device comprising two or more protrusions including a first protrusion and a second protrusion, each protrusion having a diameter of at least about 200 microns and a separte distal point and puncturing the skin to result in separate puncture wounds when pressed against the skin, at least the first protrusion being arranged from the second protrusion nearest thereto, wherein three or more protrusions are hollow to permit fluid flow therein, and wherein said device comprises a chamber in fluid communication with the hollow protrusions, the chamber having an exit having fluid communication to outside the device for access to a suction or capillary force.
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14. A method of making a lancet device for puncturing the skin of a patient to sample body fluid, comprising:
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arranging on a support body two or more protrusions each having a diameter of at least about 200 microns and a separate distal point such that at least one protrusion punctures the skin at a location at a distance D at most 4 mm from another of the protrusions nearest to said one protrusion to result in separate puncture wounds when the protrusions are pressed against the skin;
forming on each protrusion a sharp tip off center on the protrusion; and
arranging the sharp tips of the protrusions to face away from the axis of the lancet device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of using a lancet device to puncture the skin of a patient to sample body fluid, comprising:
driving two or more protrusions having a diameter of at least about 200 microns, to puncture the skin such that at least one protrusion punctures the skin at a location a distance D from another of the protrusions nearest thereto when the protrusions are pressed against the skin, said distance D being chosen to be at most 4 mm so as to be less than the discriminatable distance between the distinct pain preception points in the patient, wherein each protrusion has a sharp tip off center on the protrusion such that the side of the protrusion having the sharp tip in each protrusion faces away from the axis of the lancet device when the lancet is being driven into the skin. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
Specification