Methods and apparatus for expressing body fluid from an incision
First Claim
1. A device for sampling body fluid comprising:
- a housing having an open end;
a skin-lancing mechanism mounted in the housing for applying a skin-lancing medium against a skin surface to form an incision therein, and then removing the skin-lancing medium from the incision;
a constricting member mounted to the housing at the open end thereof for movement relative to the housing, the constricting member radially disposed about a longitudinal axis of the housing and pivotally attached thereto, wherein the constricting member causes the skin surface to form a bulge in response to a pressing on the housing; and
a stimulator member mounted to the housing at the open end thereof for movement relative to the housing, the stimulator member extending about the longitudinal axis of the housing and having an end face adapted to engage the skin surface of the bulge and to stretch open the incision in response to a pressing of the end face against the skin surface.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sample of a body fluid such as blood or interstitial fluid is obtained from a body by lancing a portion of a user'"'"'s skin, preferably in an area other than a finger tip, to form an incision. After the needle has been removed from the incision, a force is applied to depress the skin in a manner forming a ring of depressed body tissue in surrounding relationship to the incision, causing the incision to bulge and the sides of the incision to open, whereby body fluid is forced out through the opening of the incision. A stimulator member is mounted to an end of a lancet-carrying housing for applying the force. The stimulator member can be movable relative to the housing, and can be either heated or vibrated to promote movement of the body fluid.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A device for sampling body fluid comprising:
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a housing having an open end;
a skin-lancing mechanism mounted in the housing for applying a skin-lancing medium against a skin surface to form an incision therein, and then removing the skin-lancing medium from the incision;
a constricting member mounted to the housing at the open end thereof for movement relative to the housing, the constricting member radially disposed about a longitudinal axis of the housing and pivotally attached thereto, wherein the constricting member causes the skin surface to form a bulge in response to a pressing on the housing; and
a stimulator member mounted to the housing at the open end thereof for movement relative to the housing, the stimulator member extending about the longitudinal axis of the housing and having an end face adapted to engage the skin surface of the bulge and to stretch open the incision in response to a pressing of the end face against the skin surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A device for sampling body fluid comprising:
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a housing having an open end;
a skin-lancing mechanism mounted in the housing for applying a skin-lancing medium against a skin surface to form an incision therein, and then removing the skin-lancing medium from the incision;
a constricting member mounted to the housing at the open end thereof for movement relative to the housing, the constricting member radially disposed about a longitudinal axis of the housing and pivotally attached thereto, wherein the constricting member causes the skin surface to form a bulge in response to a pressing on the housing;
a stimulator member mounted to the housing at the open end thereof for movement relative to the housing, the stimulator member extending about the longitudinal axis of the housing and having an end face adapted to engage the skin surface of the bulge and to stretch open the incision in response to a pressing of the end face against the skin surface; and
wherein the constricting member comprises at least two legs pivotally mounted to the housing, and biasing members for biasing the legs in response to a force applied to the housing.
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13. A body fluid sampling device, comprising:
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a housing;
a skin-lancing mechanism coupled to the housing and adapted to form an incision in skin; and
a stimulator member coupled to the housing, the stimulator member including a flexible membrane with a skin contacting surface for frictionally engaging the skin to stretch open the incision upon pressing the stimulator member against the skin. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A body fluid sampling device, comprising:
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a housing;
a skin-lancing mechanism coupled to the housing and adapted to form an incision in skin;
a stimulator member coupled to the housing, the stimulator member including a flexible membrane with a skin contacting surface for frictionally engaging the skin to stretch open the incision upon pressing the stimulator member against the skin; and
a constricting member coupled to the stimulator member for puckering the skin against the stimulator member upon pressing the constricting member against the skin. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A body fluid sampling device, comprising:
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a housing;
a skin-lancing mechanism coupled to the housing and adapted to form an incision in skin;
a constricting member coupled to the housing to pucker the skin upon pressing the constricting member against the skin; and
wherein the constricting member includes a plurality of arms pivotally coupled to the housing to pucker the skin. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A method of obtaining a sample of body fluid from a body, comprising the steps of:
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A) applying a skin-lancing device against the skin of a user to form an incision in the skin;
B) removing the skin-lancing device from the incision; and
thereafterC) applying a force to depress the skin in a manner forming a ring of depressed body tissue in surrounding relationship to the incision wherein a stimulating member stretches the incision open, whereby body fluid is expressed from the opening of the incision; and
wherein step C comprises applying the force progressively closer to the incision. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification