Lancet and lancing apparatus

• US 8,758,380 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Original Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Inventors: Koike, Masufumi, Fukuzawa, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dornbusch, Dianne
• Application Number:
  US12/329,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• Field of Search: 606/181, 606/182, 606/184, 606/185, 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 5/150916 by blocking components, e.g. piston, driving device or fluid passageway
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15186 Devices loaded with a single lancet, i.e. a single lancet with or without a casing is loaded into a reusable drive device and then discarded after use; drive devices reloadable for multiple use

Abstract

The present invention provides a lancet (X1) which includes a case (1) including an internal space (10), and a lancing unit (2) which includes a lancing needle (20) and which is movable within the internal space (10) in an advancing direction from a wait position to an advanced position. The case (1) includes a main body (11) accommodating the lancing unit (2), and a cap (12) which is molded integral with the main body (11) and detachable from the main body (11). The lancing unit (2) includes a cover portion (22) for covering a portion of the lancing needle (20) on the advancing side, for example. The cover portion (22) is detachable together with the cap (12) by exerting a rotational force for rotating the cap (12) and a pulling force for causing relative movement of the cap (12) in the advancing direction for exposing a front end of the lancing needle (20).

Claims

1. A lancet comprising:

a case including an internal space;

a lancing unit including a lancing needle and movable within the internal space in an advancing direction from a wait position to an advanced position;

wait position holding means for holding the lancing unit at the wait position; and

retreated position holding means for holding the lancing unit at a retreated position after the lancing unit is retreated from the advanced position in a retreating direction opposite to the advancing direction;

wherein the lancing unit includes a small diameter portion and a large diameter portion that is greater in diameter than the small diameter portion,

wherein the wait position holding means includes a resilient portion provided at least at one of the case and the large diameter portion of the lancing unit for holding the large diameter portion of the lancing unit in place by resilient force exerted in a radial direction perpendicular to the advancing direction,

wherein the retreated position holding means is provided with a recess formed in the large diameter portion of the lancing unit, and

wherein the lancet is configured to be attached to a front end of a lancing apparatus.

2. The lancet according to claim 1,

wherein the wait position holding means includes a projection provided on an inner surface of the case;

and

wherein the resilient portion is provided at the large diameter portion of the lancing unit, and the recess formed in the large diameter portion is brought into engagement with the projection of the case when the lancing unit is in the retreated position.

3. A lancet comprising:

a case including an internal space;

a lancing unit including a lancing needle and movable within the internal space in an advancing direction from a wait position to an advanced position;

wait position holding means for holding the lancing unit at the wait position; and

retreated position holding means for holding the lancing unit at a retreated position after the lancing unit is retreated from the advanced position in a retreating direction opposite to the advancing direction;

wherein the lancing unit includes a small diameter portion and a large diameter portion that is greater in diameter than the small diameter portion,

wherein the wait position holding means includes a first projection provided on an inner surface of the case and an annular recess formed in the large diameter portion of the lancing unit, the first projection been brought into engagement with the annular recess when the lancing unit is in the wait position,

wherein the retreated position holding means includes a second projection provided on the large diameter portion of the lancing unit and at a position spaced apart from the annular recess in the retreat direction, the first projection been brought into engagement with the second projection when the lancing unit is in the retreated position, and

wherein the lancet is configured to be attached to a front end of a lancing apparatus.