Automatic safe self-destructive disposable blood sampling device

• US 7,175,643 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2003
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guoping Shi
• Original Assignee: Guoping Shi
• Inventors: Shi, Guoping
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson; Glenn K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SONNETT, KATHLEEN C
• Application Number:
  US10/644,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20060058828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 606181-185, 606/167, 604/136, 604/137, 600/583
• US Class Current: 606/181
• 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 5/150519 Details of construction of hub, i.e. element used to attach the single-ended needle to a piercing device or sampling device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150549 Protectors removed by rotational movement, e.g. torsion or screwing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150618 Integrally moulded protectors, e.g. protectors simultaneously moulded together with a further component, e.g. a hub, of the piercing element
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150717 manually removed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150885 Preventing re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15113 Manually triggered, i.e. the triggering requires a deliberate action by the user such as pressing a drive button
• 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 one time use disposable blood sampling device comprises a case defining a shoot chamber with a lancet-exiting hole, and a lancet disposed slidably in the shoot chamber with a puncturing tip pointed to the lancet-exiting hole. The sampling device further comprises a locking and shooting structure formed of an elastic arm button and an elastic arm. The button engaging end of the elastic arm button faces a locking hole on a side wall of the case. A free end of the elastic arm engages with the locking hole in a locking state. Upon pressing of the elastic arm button, the elastic arm disengages from the locking hole, and the lancet moves under spring action inside the shoot chamber causing the elastic arm to contact a bevel. A root portion of the elastic arm is notched or has a shrink neck which causes the elastic arm to automatically self-break upon contact with the bevel.

Claims

1. An automatic safe disposable blood sampling device, comprising:

a case defining a shoot chamber, said shoot chamber being provided with a lancet-exiting hole at a front end thereof;

a lancet disposed slidably in said shoot chamber and provided with a puncturing tip at a front portion thereof, said puncturing tip being pointed to said lancet-exiting hole in an alignment manner;

a spring disposed at back of said lancet in a shooting direction of said lancet; and

a locking and shooting structure provided on a side of said lancet and said case along a compression path of said spring, said locking and shooting structure comprising;

an elastic arm button being an extended structure on a side of said case;

a button engaging end of said elastic arm button facing a locking hole provided on a side wall of said case, the side wall having a bevel;

an elastic arm being an extended structure on a side of said lancet corresponding to said side wall of said case;

a free end of said elastic arm being engagable with said locking hole in a locking state, the free end employing the bevel; and

a root portion of said elastic arm being provided with a notch or a shrink neck on which stress is easily concentratable, said notch or shrink neck forming a self-destructive breaking point of said elastic arm, such that the elastic arm is automatically self broken by contacting the bevel and boarding inwardly when said lancet changes from the locking state to a shooting state.

2. The blood sampling device according to the claim 1, wherein said notch is provided on an outer side of said elastic arm.

3. The blood sampling device according to the claim 1, wherein said notch on which stress in easy to concentrate has a V-shaped notch.

4. The blood sampling device according to the claim 1, wherein an avoiding space is provided in a direction on which said elastic arm is bent inwardly.

5. The blood sampling device according to the claim 1, wherein said free end of said elastic arm is provided with a catching groove to be engaged with an inner side surface of said locking hole.

6. A method for sampling blood for penetrating skin to sample blood therefrom, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an automatic blood sampling device, the sampling device comprising;

a case defining a shoot chamber, said shoot chamber being provided with a lancet-exiting hole at a front end thereof;

a lancet disposed slidably in said shoot chamber and provided with a puncturing tip at a front portion thereof, said puncturing tip being pointed to said lancet-exiting hole in an alignment manner;

a spring disposed at back of said lancet in a shooting direction of said lancet; and

a locking and shooting structure provided on a side of said lancet and said case along a compression path of said spring, said locking and shooting structure comprising;

an elastic arm button being an extended structure on a side of said case;

a button engaging end of said elastic arm button facing a locking hole provided on a side wall of said case;

the side wall having a bevel;

an elastic arm being an extended structure on a side of said lancet corresponding to said side wall of said case;

a free end of said elastic arm being engagable with said locking hole in a locking state the free end employing the bevel; and

a root portion of said elastic arm being provided with a notch or a shrink neck on which stress is easily concentratable, said notch or shrink neck forming a self-destructive breaking point of said elastic arm, such that the elastic arm is automatically self broken by contacting the bevel and boarding inwardly when said lancet changes from the locking state to a shooting state;

b) applying the front end against a target area of a subject; and

c) actuating the elastic arm button to make a contact with the elastic arm, thereby moving said lancet and puncturing the target area.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said notch is provided on an outer side of said elastic arm.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said notch on which stress in easy to concentrate has a V-shaped notch.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein an avoiding space is provided in a direction on which said elastic arm is bent inwardly.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein said free end of said elastic arm is provided with a catching groove to be engaged with an inner side surface of said locking hole.

11. The method of according to claim 6 further including the step of breaking said elastic arm upon the actuation.