Actuation system for a bodily fluid extraction device and associated methods

• US 7,169,116 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2004
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Lifescan Incorporated (Duv Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Alvarez-Icaza, Manuel, Palmer, Simon, Day, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmo; Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roy; Anuradha
• Application Number:
  US10/837,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20050245843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 600/573, 600/576, 600/583, 600/584, 606/181, 606/182
• US Class Current: 600/583
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• 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 5/150954 Means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. by temperature sensitive sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15109 Fully automatically triggered, i.e. the triggering does not require a deliberate action by the user, e.g. by contact with the patient's skin
• 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 5/15121 comprising piezos
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15123 comprising magnets or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit

Abstract

An actuation system for a bodily fluid extraction device includes a detector cap, at least one vibration sensor connected to the detector cap, and at least one signal processing unit in communication with the vibration sensor. In addition, the signal processing unit is configured to receive an output signal from the vibration sensor, analyze the received output signal, and to send an actuation signal to the bodily fluid extraction device based on the analysis of the received output signal.

Claims

1. A method for actuating a bodily fluid extraction device, the method comprising:

providing a bodily fluid extraction device that includes an automated firing mechanism and an actuation system, the actuation system having;

a detector cap with a proximal surface;

at least one vibration sensor connected to the detector cap; and

a signal processing unit in communication with each of the at least one vibration sensor,

wherein the signal processing unit is configured to receive an output signal from each of the at least one vibration sensor, to analyse the received output signal, and to send an actuation signal to the automated firing mechanism device based on the analysis of the received output signal.

urging the bodily fluid extraction device towards a target site;

receiving an output signal from each of the at least one vibration sensor by the signal processing unit;

employing the signal processing unit to analyse the output signal received from each of the at least one vibration sensor;

sending an actuation signal to the automated firing mechanism from the signal processing unit based on the analysis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending step includes sending an actuation signal when the analysis indicates that the detector cap is symmetrically urged against the target site.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing step includes providing a bodily fluid extraction device that includes an actuation system with at least one pressure sensor;

and

the receiving step includes the receiving of a signal from each of the at least one pressure sensor at the signal processing unit; and

the employing step includes employing the signal processing unit to analyse the signal received from each of the at least one pressure sensor; and

the sending step includes sending an actuation signal to the automated firing mechanism from the signal processing unit based on the analysis of the received output signal from each of the at least one vibration sensor and the received output signal from each of the at least one pressure sensor.