Body fluid collecting device

• US 7,798,978 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Takinami, Masao, Takemoto, Masafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg; Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dougherty; Sean P
• Application Number:
  US10/592,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20070197936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,020 Days
• Field of Search: 600/183, 600/184, 600/583, 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 5/150099 by negative pressure, other than vacuum extraction into a syringe by pulling on the piston rod or into pre-evacuated tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150229 Pumps for assisting the blood sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• 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 5/15117 comprising biased elements, resilient elements or a spring, e.g. a helical spring, leaf spring, or elastic strap
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood

Abstract

A body fluid collecting device is used by mounting a tip with a puncture needle and a front end opening at the front end portion thereof for allowing the puncture needle to pass therethrough. The device additionally includes a device body, having a contact part for fitting skin thereto, a tip mounting part having a storage space formed therein capable of storing the tip, a pump for depressurizing the inside of the storage space, and a movable means. The movable means is capable of moving the front end portion of the tip mounting part along a longitudinal direction of the puncture needle, and within a specified range, when the storage space is depressurized by the pump under a condition in which the tip is stored in the storage space, the skin is fitted to the contact part, and the front end opening is sealed.

Claims

1. A body fluid collecting device comprising:

a device body comprising an interior space and a forward end at which is located a contact part against which skin is to be pressed;

a tip positioned in the interior space of the device body, the tip comprising a housing and a puncture needle, the puncture needle being positioned in the housing, the housing possessing a front end opening through which the puncture needle of the tip is adapted to pass, the front end opening being located at a front end portion of the housing, the contact part of the device body surrounding the front end opening at the front end portion of the housing, the front end opening of the housing being sealed when the skin is pressed against the contact part;

a first tip mounting part movably positioned in the interior space of the device body to move in a longitudinal direction, the first tip mounting part comprising a cylindrical portion possessing a forward end at which is provided an opening, the cylindrical portion also possessing a rearward end portion at an end of the cylindrical portion opposite the forward end, the cylindrical portion surrounding a storage space configured to removably receive the housing and the puncture needle, the storage space communicating with the front end opening of the housing;

a second tip mounting part movably positioned in the interior space of the device body to move in the longitudinal direction, the second tip mounting part comprising a cylindrical portion, the rearward end portion of the cylindrical portion of the first tip mounting part being movably positioned in the cylindrical portion of the second tip mounting part so that the first and second tip mounting parts are relatively movable in the longitudinal direction;

depressurizing means for depressurizing the storage space surrounded by the cylindrical portion of the first tip mounting part;

a spring applying a biasing force to both the first tip mounting part and the second tip mounting part to urge the first and second tip mounting parts away from one another in the longitudinal direction when the depressurizing means is not operating; and

a seal member directly contacting both the first and second tip mounting parts to maintain air-tightness of the storage space,

the first and second tip mounting parts being movable toward each other along the longitudinal direction against the biasing force of the spring by depressurization of the storage space during operation of the depressurizing means.

2. The body fluid collecting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the housing of the tip is one housing, the tip comprising another housing positionable inside the one housing, said another housing possessing a cavity part in which the puncture needle is positioned, said another housing possessing a forward end provided with an opening through which the puncture needle is adapted to pass.

3. A body fluid collecting device comprising:

a device body comprising an interior space and a forward end at which is located a contact part against which skin is to be pressed;

a tip positioned in the interior space of the device body, the tip comprising a housing and a puncture needle, the puncture needle being positioned in the housing, the housing possessing a front end opening through which the puncture needle of the tip is adapted to pass, the front end opening being located at a front end portion of the housing, the contact part of the device body surrounding the front end opening at the front end portion of the housing, the front end opening of the housing being sealed when the skin is pressed against the contact part;

a first tip mounting part movably positioned in the interior space of the device body to move in a longitudinal direction, the first tip mounting part comprising a cylindrical portion possessing a forward end at which is provided an opening, the cylindrical portion also possessing a rearward end portion at an end of the cylindrical portion opposite the forward end, the cylindrical portion surrounding a storage space configured to removably receive the housing and the puncture needle, the storage space communicating with the front end opening of the housing;

a second tip mounting part movably positioned in the interior space of the device body to move in the longitudinal direction, the second tip mounting part comprising a cylindrical portion, the rearward end portion of the cylindrical portion of the first tip mounting part being movably positioned in the cylindrical portion of the second tip mounting part so that the first and second tip mounting parts are relatively movable in the longitudinal direction;

depressurizing means for depressurizing the storage space surrounded by the cylindrical portion of the first tip mounting part; and

first spring applying a biasing force to both the first tip mounting part and the second tip mounting part to urge the first and second tip mounting parts away from one another in the longitudinal direction when the depressurizing means is not operating, wherein

the first and second tip mounting parts are movable toward each other along the longitudinal direction against the biasing force of the first spring by depressurization of the storage space during operation of the depressurizing means, and wherein

the first tip mounting part comprises an outer cylindrical part and an inner cylindrical part, the inner cylindrical part being movably positioned inside the outer cylindrical part so that the outer cylindrical part and the inner cylindrical part are relatively movable, and the first tip mounting part further comprising a second spring positioned between the outer cylindrical part and the inner cylindrical part, the second spring applying a biasing force to both the outer cylindrical part and the inner cylindrical part.