Lancing device with independent drive core

• US 9,271,667 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2012
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Facet Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Facet Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Robbins, Avi M., Buenger, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Severson, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Papeika, Rachel S
• Application Number:
  US13/589,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20120316592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 606181-185, 606/117, 600/573, 600/583, 604/131, 604/134
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• 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 5/150183 Depth adjustment mechanism using end caps mounted at the distal end of the sampling device, i.e. the end-caps are adjustably positioned relative to the piercing device housing for example by rotating or screwing
• 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 5/150267 Modular design or construction, i.e. subunits are assembled separately before being joined together or the device comprises interchangeable or detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15029 for driving devices, i.e. means for driving the piercing element
• 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 5/15113 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A medical lancing device including an independent drive core mechanism incorporating all or a substantial portion of the functional components of the lancing device, whereby the independent drive core mechanism can be incorporated into multiple different external housing configurations for more efficient design and manufacture. Axial adjustment of the position of the independent drive core mechanism within the housing provides lancing penetration depth control.

Claims

1. A self-contained modular drive core for installation within a lancing device housing, the self-contained modular drive core comprising:

an inner housing configured to be mounted at least partially within the lancing device housing, the inner housing having a channel extending therethrough;

a drive plunger translationally mounted to move axially within the channel, the drive plunger movable relative to the inner housing along a lancing stroke between an advanced position and a retracted position;

a drive mechanism for advancing the drive plunger, the drive mechanism coupled between the inner housing and the drive plunger;

at least one retention feature on an external portion of the inner housing to engage a cooperating interface of the lancing device housing and movably couple the inner housing to the lancing device housing; and

a depth-adjust interface operable between the inner housing and the lancing device housing, whereby adjustment of a depth control feature of the lancing device housing axially repositions the inner housing relative to the lancing device housing to adjust a lancing depth while maintaining a constant lancing stroke length of the drive plunger relative to the inner housing.

2. The self-contained modular drive core of claim 1, further comprising a charging housing for retracting the drive plunger and energizing the drive spring.

3. The self-contained modular drive core of claim 2, wherein the at least one retention feature comprises a channel in the charging housing.

4. The self-contained modular drive core of claim 1, wherein the lancing device housing includes one or more guidance surfaces for interfacing with cooperating portions of the drive core to restrict transverse movement and provide smooth axial movement of the independent drive core within the lancing device housing.

5. The self-contained modular drive core of claim 4, wherein the drive plunger further comprises a laterally projecting wing extending therefrom and sliding axially within a stroke-limiting slot formed in the inner housing when the drive plunger advances and retracts within the lancing device housing.

6. The self-contained modular drive core of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism further comprises a drive spring for advancing the drive plunger in a first direction relative to the inner housing and a return spring opposing the drive spring for retracting the drive plunger in a second direction opposite the first direction.

7. The self-contained modular drive core of claim 1, further comprising an ejection member for releasing a lancet from the drive plunger.

8. The self-contained modular drive core of claim 1, wherein the depth control feature of the lancing device housing comprises a linearly actuated actuator to selectively control the axial position of the inner housing proximally or distally within lancing device housing.

9. The self-contained modular drive core of claim 8, further comprising multiple discrete indexed depth settings.

10. The self-contained modular drive core of claim 8, wherein the depth control feature of the lancing device housing further comprises a rotationally mounted depth-adjust collar coupled to the linearly actuated actuator.

11. The self-contained modular drive core of claim 1, wherein the depth-control feature on the lancing device housing comprises a rotationally actuated actuator to selectively control the axial position of the inner housing forward to back within lancing device housing.

12. The self-contained modular drive core of claim 11, wherein the rotationally actuated actuator comprises a depth-adjust collar having a slot that engages the retention feature of the inner housing of the drive core.

13. A lancing device comprising a lancing device housing and a self-contained modular drive core the self-contained modular drive core comprising:

an inner housing mounted at least partially within the lancing device housing, the inner housing having a channel extending therethrough;

a drive plunger translationally mounted to move axially within the channel, the drive plunger movable relative to the inner housing along a lancing stroke between an advanced position and a retracted position;

a drive mechanism for advancing the drive plunger, the drive mechanism coupled between the inner housing and the drive plunger;

at least one retention feature on an external portion of the inner housing to engage a cooperating interface of the lancing device housing and movably couple the inner housing to the lancing device housing; and

a depth-adjust mechanism operable between the inner housing and the lancing device housing, whereby adjustment of a depth control feature of the lancing device housing axially repositions the inner housing relative to the lancing device housing to adjust a lancing depth while maintaining a constant lancing stroke length of the drive plunger relative to the inner housing.