Lancet cartridge

• US 9,186,099 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Original Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Inventors: Fukuzawa, Masahiro, Nishino, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): TANNER, JOCELIN C
• Application Number:
  US13/708,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 606181-183, 606/167, 600581-583, 600/573
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/150175 Adjustment of penetration depth
• 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 5/150435 Specific design of proximal end
• 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 5/150564 Protectors removed by pulling or pushing
• 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 5/150824 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150893 by indicating if used, tampered with, unsterile or defective
• 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 5/15128 comprising 2D- or 3D-shaped elements, e.g. cams, curved guide rails or threads comprising tooth-shaped elements A61B5/15132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable

Abstract

A lancet cartridge is provided with a skin contact section that is held in the interior of a lancet holder and that includes a second pricking opening. A first pricking opening is formed to a size such that a skin contact section can be accommodated therein. Upon pressing in the pricking direction, the skin contact section is accommodated in the first pricking opening, and the leading end section of a pricking member protrudes through the second pricking opening.

Claims

1. A lancet cartridge provided with:

a lancet that moves along a pricking track in a pricking direction and that has a pricking member having a leading end section for pricking skin, and a main body section to which a rear end section of the pricking member is fixed; and

a lancet holder that accommodates the lancet and that has a first pricking opening at a leading end,

the lancet cartridge further having;

a skin contact section, held in an interior of the lancet holder, having a second pricking opening in an opened state, and the skin contact section being formed around the second pricking opening;

wherein the first pricking opening is formed to a size such that the skin contact section is capable of being accommodated therein,

the lancet cartridge being configured such that when the skin contact section is pressed in the pricking direction, the skin contact section is accommodated in the first pricking opening, and the leading end section of the pricking member protrudes through the second pricking opening,

the skin contact section preliminarily has a cleavable weak section at a predetermined location,

a part of the skin contact section is configured to be capable of being removed from the lancet holder by cleaving of the weak section, and

a size of the second pricking opening or a shape of the skin contact section is capable of being modified in a case where the part of the skin contact section is removed.

2. The lancet cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising:

a protective section that is connected to the skin contact section and that covers the leading end section of the pricking member; and

a coupling section that connects the protective section and the main body section so as to cover a periphery of the pricking member,

wherein when the protective section is pressed in the pricking direction together with the skin contact section, in a state where the main body section is fixed to the lancet holder, the coupling section breaks and the protective section separates from the main body section, and moreover the leading end section of the pricking member becomes exposed; and

subsequently, when the protective section and the skin contact section are pressed in the pricking direction, the protective section moves off the pricking track of the pricking member, and the second pricking opening is disposed on the pricking track.

3. The lancet cartridge according to claim 2,

wherein the skin contact section or the protective section has a lug section to be gripped upon the removal.

4. The lancet cartridge according to claim 3,

wherein a slit is provided in the lancet holder;

and

the lug section protrudes through the slit when the skin contact section or the protective section is pressed in the pricking direction.

5. A lancet cartridge provided with:

a lancet that moves along a pricking track in a pricking direction and that has a pricking member having a leading end section for pricking skin, and a main body section to which a rear end section of the pricking member is fixed; and

a lancet holder that accommodates the lancet and that has a first pricking opening at a leading end,

the lancet cartridge further having;

a skin contact section, held in an interior of the lancet holder, and having a second pricking opening;

wherein the first pricking opening is formed to a size such that the skin contact section is capable of being accommodated therein,

the lancet cartridge being configured such that when the skin contact section is pressed in the pricking direction, the skin contact section is accommodated in the first pricking opening, and the leading end section of the pricking member protrudes through the second pricking opening,

a part or all of the skin contact section is capable of being removed from the lancet holder, and

a size of the second pricking opening or a shape of the skin contact section is capable of being modified in a case where the part of the skin contact section is removed, or

the leading end section of the pricking member protrudes through the first pricking opening in a case where all of the skin contact section is removed,

wherein the skin contact section has a cleavable weak section, such that the skin contact section is capable of being removed by cleaving of the weak section,

wherein the skin contact section is a laminated body of a plurality of skin contact sections stacked in the pricking direction; and

the second pricking opening is formed so as to become smaller as the skin contact sections are disposed closer to the leading end, such that the size of the second pricking opening is capable of being selected by sequentially cleaving the skin contact sections from the skin contact section on the leading end.

6. A lancet cartridge provided with:

a lancet that moves along a pricking track in a pricking direction and that has a pricking member having a leading end section for pricking skin, and a main body section to which a rear end section of the pricking member is fixed; and

a lancet holder that accommodates the lancet and that has a first pricking opening at a leading end,

the lancet cartridge further having;

a skin contact section, held in an interior of the lancet holder, and having a second pricking opening;

wherein the first pricking opening is formed to a size such that the skin contact section is capable of being accommodated therein,

the lancet cartridge being configured such that when the skin contact section is pressed in the pricking direction, the skin contact section is accommodated in the first pricking opening, and the leading end section of the pricking member protrudes through the second pricking opening,

a part or all of the skin contact section is capable of being removed from the lancet holder, and

a size of the second pricking opening or a shape of the skin contact section is capable of being modified in a case where the part of the skin contact section is removed, or

the leading end section of the pricking member protrudes through the first pricking opening in a case where all of the skin contact section is removed,

wherein the skin contact section has a cleavable weak section, such that the skin contact section is capable of being removed by cleaving of the weak section,

wherein the skin contact section is a laminated body of a plurality of skin contact sections stacked in the pricking direction, the skin contact sections having dissimilar shapes according to pricking sites.

7. A lancet cartridge provided with:

a lancet that moves along a pricking track in a pricking direction and that has a pricking member having a leading end section for pricking skin, and a main body section to which a rear end section of the pricking member is fixed; and

a lancet holder that accommodates the lancet and that has a first pricking opening at a leading end,

the lancet cartridge further having;

a skin contact section, held in an interior of the lancet holder, and having a second pricking opening;

wherein the first pricking opening is formed to a size such that the skin contact section is capable of being accommodated therein,

the lancet cartridge being configured such that when the skin contact section is pressed in the pricking direction, the skin contact section is accommodated in the first pricking opening, and the leading end section of the pricking member protrudes through the second pricking opening,

a part or all of the skin contact section is capable of being removed from the lancet holder, and

a size of the second pricking opening or a shape of the skin contact section is capable of being modified in a case where the part of the skin contact section is removed, or

the leading end section of the pricking member protrudes through the first pricking opening in a case where all of the skin contact section is removed,

wherein the skin contact section has a cleavable weak section, such that the skin contact section is capable of being removed by cleaving of the weak section,

wherein the skin contact section is formed of a plurality of plate-like members plurally partitioned by the weak section so as to surround the second pricking opening, in a plan view, such that the size of the second pricking opening is capable of being selected through sequentially cleaving the plurality of plate-like members from a plate-like member on an inward side.

8. A lancet cartridge provided with:

a lancet that moves along a pricking track in a pricking direction and that has a pricking member having a leading end section for pricking skin, and a main body section to which a rear end section of the pricking member is fixed; and

a lancet holder that accommodates the lancet and that has a first pricking opening at a leading end,

the lancet cartridge further having;

a skin contact section, held in an interior of the lancet holder, and having a second pricking opening;

wherein the first pricking opening is formed to a size such that the skin contact section is capable of being accommodated therein,

the lancet cartridge being configured such that when the skin contact section is pressed in the pricking direction, the skin contact section is accommodated in the first pricking opening, and the leading end section of the pricking member protrudes through the second pricking opening,

a part or all of the skin contact section is capable of being removed from the lancet holder, and

a size of the second pricking opening or a shape of the skin contact section is capable of being modified in a case where the part of the skin contact section is removed, or

the leading end section of the pricking member protrudes through the first pricking opening in a case where all of the skin contact section is removed,

wherein the skin contact section has a cleavable weak section, such that the skin contact section is capable of being removed by cleaving of the weak section,

wherein the skin contact section is shaped as a spiral centered on the second pricking opening, and the weak section is formed at a predetermined location of the spiral, such that the size of the second pricking opening is capable of being selected by sequentially cleaving weak sections on the weak section on an inward side.

9. A lancet cartridge provided with:

a lancet that moves along a pricking track in a pricking direction and that has a pricking member having a leading end section for pricking skin, and a main body section to which a rear end section of the pricking member is fixed; and

a lancet holder that accommodates the lancet and that has a first pricking opening at a leading end,

the lancet cartridge further having;

a skin contact section, held in an interior of the lancet holder, and having a second pricking opening, the second pricking opening being off the pricking track;

a protective section that is connected to the skin contact section and that covers the leading end section of the pricking member; and

a slope section, provided in the interior of the lancet holder, and facing in the pricking direction,

wherein the skin contact section moves along the slope section in the pricking direction,

the first pricking opening is formed to a size such that the skin contact section is capable of being accommodated therein,

the lancet cartridge being configured such that when the protective section and the skin contact section are pressed in the pricking direction along the slope section, the protective section separates from the leading end section and moves off the pricking track of the pricking member, the skin contact section is accommodated in the first pricking opening, the second pricking opening is disposed on the pricking track, and the leading end section of the pricking member protrudes through the second pricking opening.

10. The lancet cartridge according to claim 9, further comprising:

a coupling section that connects the protective section and the main body section so as to cover a periphery of the pricking member,

wherein when the protective section is pressed in the pricking direction together with the skin contact section, in a state where the main body section is fixed to the lancet holder, the coupling section breaks and the protective section separates from the main body section, and moreover the leading end section of the pricking member becomes exposed.

11. A lancet cartridge provided with:

a lancet that moves along a pricking track in a pricking direction and that has a pricking member having a leading end section for pricking skin, and a main body section to which a rear end section of the pricking member is fixed; and

a lancet holder that accommodates the lancet and that has a first pricking opening at a leading end,

the lancet cartridge further having;

a skin contact section, held in an interior of the lancet holder, having a second pricking opening in an opened state, and the skin contact section being formed around the second pricking opening;

wherein the first pricking opening is formed to a size such that the skin contact section is capable of being accommodated therein,

the lancet cartridge being configured such that when the skin contact section is pressed in the pricking direction from the interior to the leading end, the skin contact section is accommodated in the first pricking opening, and the leading end section of the pricking member protrudes through the second pricking opening,

all of the skin contact section is configured to be capable of being removed from the lancet holder in a state that the lancet is held in the lancet holder, and

the leading end section of the pricking member protrudes through the first pricking opening in a case where all of the skin contact section is removed.

12. The lancet cartridge according to claim 11, further comprising:

a protective section that is connected to the skin contact section and that covers the leading end section of the pricking member; and

a coupling section that connects the protective section and the main body section so as to cover a periphery of the pricking member,

wherein when the protective section is pressed in the pricking direction together with the skin contact section, in a state where the main body section is fixed to the lancet holder, the coupling section breaks and the protective section separates from the main body section, and moreover the leading end section of the pricking member becomes exposed; and

subsequently, when the protective section and the skin contact section are pressed in the pricking direction, the protective section moves off the pricking track of the pricking member, and the second pricking opening is disposed on the pricking track.

13. The lancet cartridge according to claim 12, wherein the skin contact section or the protective section has a lug section to be gripped upon the removal.

14. The lancet cartridge according to claim 13,

wherein a slit is provided in the lancet holder;

and

the lug section protrudes through the slit when the skin contact section or the protective section is pressed in the pricking direction.

15. The lancet cartridge according to claim 11,

wherein the skin contact section preliminarily has a cleavable weak section at a predetermined location, such that a part of the skin contact section is capable of being removed by cleaving of the weak section.