Lancet dispenser

• US 8,950,578 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultimed, Inc. (Medcath Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ultimed, Inc. (Medcath Corporation)
• Inventors: Erickson, Thomas E., Erickson, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESAI, KAUSHIKKUMAR A
• Application Number:
  US11/763,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20080308441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,797 Days
• Field of Search: 206364-366, 206/370, 206/380, 206/602, 206/604, 206/606, 206/571, 206/483, 206/521, 210/410, 220/908
• US Class Current: 206/364
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0056 about a lateral axis in the lid plane
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0057 about a transverse axis in the lid plane
• 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 5/150259 Improved gripping, e.g. with high friction pattern or projections on the housing surface or an ergonometric shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150305 Packages specially adapted for piercing devices or blood sampling devices kits for diabetes A61M5/003; packaging in general B65D
• 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 5/150549 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 5/15105 Purely manual piercing, i.e. the user pierces the skin without the assistance of any driving means or driving devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/3001 for sharps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/362 for sharps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/312 comprising sealing means, e.g. severable caps, to be removed prior to injection by, e.g. tearing or twisting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3202 Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3204 Needle cap remover, i.e. devices to dislodge protection cover from needle or needle hub, e.g. deshielding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3205 Apparatus for removing or disposing of used needles or syringes, e.g. containers; Means for protection against accidental injuries from used needles for sharps A61B50/362; disintegrating apparatus in general B02C, e.g. B02C19/0075, B23H9/001; disposal of medical waste in general B09B3/00; receptacles for refuse disposal in general B65F1/00

Abstract

Medical dispensers having cap removal feature are disclosed. An illustrative medical dispenser can include a container body having an interior chamber adapted to contain a number of unused medical instruments, and an opening mechanism on the container body for providing access to the contents within the interior chamber. A gripping element on the exterior of the container body can be used to facilitate the removal of a portion of the medical instrument.

Claims

1. A medical dispenser, comprising:

a container body having a top, a bottom, and a number of sidewalls defining an interior chamber adapted to contain one or more unused medical instruments therein;

at least one opening mechanism on the container body comprising a lid actuatable between a first position and a second position for opening or closing one or more openings on the container body, the one or more openings being sized and adapted to permit the disbursement of one or more unused medical instruments within the interior chamber; and

a gripping element adapted to receive a portion of a medical instrument inserted therein, wherein said gripping element includes an indentation on an exterior portion of the container body configured to receive a portion of the unused medical instrument;

wherein the lid associated with the at least one opening mechanism is adapted to pivot towards and frictionally engage a portion of the unused medical instrument when the unused medical instrument is inserted into the indentation and when the opening mechanism is in the first position.

2. The medical dispenser of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening mechanism includes a lid hingedly connected to the top of the container body.

3. The medical dispenser of claim 2, wherein the lid is hingedly connected to the container body via a living hinge.

4. The medical dispenser of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening includes a first opening and a second opening.

5. The medical dispenser of claim 4, wherein the second opening is larger than the first opening.

6. The medical dispenser of claim 4, wherein the container body further includes a partition or dividing wall forming a first interior chamber and second interior chamber.

7. The medical dispenser of claim 6, wherein the first interior chamber is configured to contain a number of unused medical instruments whereas the second interior chamber is configured to receive a number of used medical instruments.

8. The medical dispenser of claim 1, wherein the container body is formed from a substantially clear or opaque material.

9. The medical dispenser of claim 1, wherein the one or more unused medical instruments includes one or more lancets each having a handle grip and a removable cap.

10. The medical dispenser of claim 9, wherein the gripping element includes an indentation on an exterior portion of the container body configured to receive the removable cap from an unused lancet.

11. The medical dispenser of claim 10, wherein the indentation is inset within a top surface of the container body.

12. The medical dispenser of claim 11, wherein the top surface of the container body is sloped.

13. A lancet dispenser for dispensing lancets having a handle grip removably coupled to a protective cap, the lancet dispenser comprising:

a container body having a top, a bottom, and a number of sidewalls defining an interior chamber adapted to contain one or more lancets therein;

at least one opening mechanism on the container body comprising a lid actuatable between a first position and a second position for opening or closing one or more openings on the container body, the one or more openings being sized and adapted to permit the disbursement of one or more unused lancets within the interior chamber; and

a gripping element on the exterior of the container body, the gripping element including an indentation on the container body adapted to receive therein a portion of the protective cap from an unused lancet;

wherein the lid associated with the at least one opening is adapted to pivot towards and frictionally engage a portion of the protective cap when inserted into the indentation and when the opening mechanism is in the first position.

14. The lancet dispenser of claim 13, wherein the at least one opening mechanism includes a lid hingedly connected to the top of the container body.

15. The lancet dispenser of claim 14, wherein the lid is hingedly connected to the container body via a living hinge.

16. The lancet dispenser of claim 13, wherein the at least one opening includes a first opening and a second opening.

17. The lancet dispenser of claim 16, wherein the second opening is larger than the first opening.

18. The lancet dispenser of claim 16, wherein the container body further includes a partition or dividing wall forming a first interior chamber and second interior chamber.

19. The lancet dispenser of claim 18, wherein the first interior chamber is configured to contain a number of unused medical instruments whereas the second interior chamber is configured to receive a number of used medical instruments.

20. The lancet dispenser of claim 13, wherein the container body is formed from a substantially clear or opaque material.

21. The lancet dispenser of claim 13, wherein the indentation is inset within a top surface of the container body.

22. The lancet dispenser of claim 21, wherein the top surface of the container body is sloped.