Lancer

• US 8,777,973 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Chelak, Todd M., Gabel, Jonathan B., West, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyson, Melanie
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNIER, KATELYN J
• Application Number:
  US12/632,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,680 Days
• Field of Search: 606/181, 606/182, 606/184
• US Class Current: 606/182
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1411 by percutaneous method, e.g. by lancet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150106 Means for reducing pain or discomfort applied before puncturing; desensitising the skin at the location where body is to be pierced
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15019 Depth adjustment mechanism using movable stops located inside the piercing device housing and limiting the travel of the drive mechanism mechanisms using distal end caps A61B5/150183, mechanisms at the piercing element carrier proximal end A61B5/150198
• 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 5/150503 Single-ended needles hollow piercing element tip design A61B5/150396, needle sets for catheters A61M25/06, needles for bringing media into the body A61M5/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150587 by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150717 manually removed
• 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 5/15186 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15194 fully automatically retracted, i.e. the retraction does not require a deliberate action by the user, e.g. by terminating the contact with the patient's skin

Abstract

A lancer device that enables a user to draw blood from a patient and discard the used lancet without touching it. The device also has an adjustable tip for selecting the depth of stylet penetration into the patient and a triggering mechanism that utilizes a yoke latch and a leaf spring to discharge the lancet. The lancer also has a dampening feature to reduce vibrations when the lancet is moving.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a body assembly, having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and an orifice disposed at the distal portion;

a guide member having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein a receptacle is located at the distal end of the guide member and the proximal end of the guide member is capable of being positioned at a first armed position, and a second position which is further in a proximal direction from the first armed position, the guide member being disposed in the body assembly for guiding a lancet received in the receptacle;

a cap connected to the body assembly and detachable therefrom, wherein removal of the cap is required to permit the proximal end of the guide member to be retracted further in the proximal direction than the first armed position and into the second position; and

an ejection mechanism, disposed in the body assembly, and contacting the lancet to prevent retraction of the lancet relative to the body assembly when the proximal end of the guide member is being retracted to the second position, thereby ejecting the lancet from the receptacle at the distal end of the guide member through the orifice disposed at the distal portion of the body assembly.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an arming mechanism for retracting the proximal end of the guide member to the first armed position when arming the apparatus and to the second position in a state where the cap has been detached from the body assembly.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a sleeve member, disposed in the body assembly, interacting with the ejection mechanism and for moving axially relative to the body.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the guide member further comprises at least one spline for preventing rotation of the guide member.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ejection mechanism further comprises:

an ejection spring, disposed around the guide member, for compressing upon retraction of the proximal end of the guide member to the second position; and

an ejection element, disposed in the body assembly, for contacting the lancet and preventing retraction of the lancet when the proximal end of the guide member is being retracted to the second position.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a body assembly, having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and an orifice disposed at the distal portion;

a guide member having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein a receptacle is located at the distal end of the guide member and the proximal end of the guide member is capable of being positioned at a first armed position, and a second position which is further in a proximal direction from the first armed position, the guide member being disposed in the body assembly for guiding a lancet received in the receptacle;

a cap connected to the body assembly and detachable therefrom, wherein removal of the cap permits the proximal end of the guide member to be retracted further in the proximal direction than the first armed position and into the second position; and

an ejection mechanism, disposed in the body assembly, and contacting the lancet to prevent retraction of the lancet relative to the body assembly when the proximal end of the guide member is being retracted to the second position, thereby ejecting the lancet from the receptacle at the distal end of the guide member through the orifice disposed at the distal portion of the body assembly;

a triggering spring biased against the guide member and compressed in the first armed position and compressed in the second position;

a return spring biased against the guide member and non-compressed in the first armed position and compressed in the second position; and

an ejection spring, disposed around the guide member, non-compressed in the first armed position and compressed in the second position.