Blood lancing device

• US 9,386,945 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bionime Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bionime Corporation
• Inventors: Huang, Chun-Mu, Hostettler, Patrick, Horisberger, Aurelius, Stettler, Peter, Wittmann, Jurgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisberg, Amy R
• Application Number:
  US13/618,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20130190792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 606/173, 606181-186, 623/1.15, 600/583, 222519-521, 222/549
• 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 5/150183 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 5/15019 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 5/150267 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 5/150412 Pointed piercing elements, e.g. needles, lancets for piercing the skin blade-like piercing elements A61B5/150442
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15111 Semi-automatically triggered, e.g. at the end of the cocking procedure, for instance by biasing the main drive spring or when reaching sufficient contact pressure, the piercing device is automatically triggered without any deliberate action by the user
• 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 5/1519 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 blood lancing device includes a housing unit and a cap. When the cap is disposed at an initial position, a second drive element is blocked by a first drive element from forward movement relative to the first drive element. When the cap is moved from the initial position to a retracted position, the first drive element pushes the second drive element so that the second drive element is deviated from the first drive element when a holder holding a lancet is moved to a trigger position, thereby allowing for a high speed movement of the holder from the trigger position to a pricking position by virtue of biasing action of a first biasing member.

Claims

1. A blood lancing device adapted for pricking a person'"'"'s skin to obtain a drop of blood, said blood lancing device comprising:

a housing unit including a housing body and a positioning portion that is disposed in said housing body, said housing body having a front end section and a rear end section that is opposite to said front end section along an axis;

a cap projecting forwardly from said housing unit, and movable relative to said housing body along the axis between an initial position and a retracted position, said cap having a front end that is disposed outwardly of said housing unit, that is adapted to be in contact with the skin, and that has an opening;

a lancet;

a holder disposed in said housing unit between said cap and said positioning portion of said housing unit, holding said lancet, and movable along the axis relative to said housing unit between a pricking position whereat said lancet extends outwardly from said opening of said cap, and a trigger position whereat said lancet as a whole is disposed in said housing unit;

a first biasing member disposed between said holder and said positioning portion of said housing unit for biasing said holder to move along the axis away from said positioning portion of said housing unit; and

a transmission assembly including a first drive element that is driven to move along the axis relative to said housing unit by said cap, and at least one second drive element that is aligned with said first drive element in the direction of the axis and that has an end connected to said holder such that, when said cap is moved from the initial position toward the retracted position, said second drive element is blocked by said first drive element from forward movement to maintain relative positions of said holder and said first drive element so that said first drive element pushes said holder toward the trigger position and that said second drive element is deviated from said first drive element when said holder reaches said trigger position, thereby allowing for a high speed movement of said holder from the trigger position to the pricking position by virtue of biasing action of said first biasing member,

wherein said housing unit further includes an end piece connected to said front end section of said housing body and disposed around said cap, said front end section of said housing body having a stop surface that faces said cap,

wherein said blood lancing device further comprises a safety switch that includes a flexible rod connected to and co-movable with said cap and abutting against said stop surface so as to prevent movement of said cap from the initial position to the retracted position, and a pressing lever disposed on said end piece and operable to push said flexible rod to deviate from said stop surface, thereby allowing the movement of said cap from the initial position toward the retracted position.

2. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second biasing member disposed between said holder and said first drive element of said transmission assembly for biasing said holder and said first drive element to move away from each other.

3. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said front end section and said rear end section of said housing body are interconnected removably, said first drive element of said transmission assembly and said cap being two individual parts, said first drive element being tubular, disposed between said cap and said holder and movable in said housing unit.

4. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said holder has at least one flexible end portion, and said housing unit further includes at least one abutment surface deviated from said flexible end portion of said holder and positioned such that, when said front end section is removed from said rear end section, said first drive element is biased by said second biasing member to move forward relative to said holder and urge said flexible end portion of said holder to deform inwardly so that rearward movement of said holder relative to said rear end section of said housing unit is limited via abutment of said flexible end portion against said abutment surface to thereby facilitate replacement of said lancet.

5. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first drive element has a main body and a limiting surface disposed at an end of said main body for abutting against a corresponding end of said second drive element for blocking the forward movement of said second drive element along the axis relative to said first drive element.

6. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second drive element is flexible, said housing unit further including a cam surface, said second drive element being in contact with and urged by said cam surface to deviate from said first drive element when said first drive element pushes said second drive element to the trigger position.

7. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said first drive element, said first biasing member and said holder is at least partially retained in said rear end section of said housing body, and said cap is disposed adjacent to said front end section of said housing body.

8. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stopper disposed between said cap and said first drive element of said transmission assembly, said cap having a front end wall formed with said opening, said stopper having a front end wall formed with an aperture, said lancet including an insert body held by said holder and movable to come into contact with said front end wall of said stopper when said holder is disposed at the pricking position, and a needle mounted fixedly on a front end of said insert body and extending through said opening and said aperture when said holder is disposed at the pricking position, said cap being movable along the axis relative to said stopper to change the distance between said front end walls of said cap and said stopper, thereby adjusting the length of a portion of said needle projecting out of said cap.

9. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 8, further comprising at least one adjusting unit disposed between said stopper and said cap, said adjusting unit including a guide block that is disposed on said stopper, and a spirally-extending guide slot that is formed in said cap and that is slideably engaged with said guide block, said cap being rotatable relative to said stopper and being movable along the axis relative to said stopper through engagement between said guide block and said guide slot so as to change the distance between said front end walls of said cap and said stopper.

10. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said adjusting unit further includes an engaging tooth disposed on an outer surface of said stopper, and a plurality of circumferentially arranged positioning grooves formed in an inner surface of said cap, said engaging tooth being engagable with a selected one of said positioning grooves to position said cap relative to said stopper.

11. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a second biasing member disposed between said holder and said first drive element of said transmission assembly for biasing said holder and said first drive element to move away from each other.

12. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first drive element of said transmission assembly and said cap are two individual parts, said first drive element is tubular and is disposed between said cap and said holder and is movable in said housing unit, said first drive element has a main body and a limiting surface disposed at an end of said main body for abutting against a corresponding end of said second drive element for blocking the forward movement of said second drive element along the axis relative to said first drive element, said second drive element is flexible, said housing unit further includes a cam surface, and said second drive element is in contact with and is urged by said cam surface to deviate from said first drive element when said first drive element pushes said second drive element to the trigger position.

13. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a sleeve unit disposed between said cap and said first drive element, said sleeve unit abutting against said first drive element and driven by said cap to move along the axis relative to said housing unit, said sleeve unit including a stopper and a sleeve body respectively proximate to and distal from said cap, said cap having a front end wall that is formed with said opening, said stopper having a front end wall that is contactable with said lancet for preventing further forward movement of said lancet, and an aperture that is formed through said front end wall and that is aligned with said opening of said cap along the axis, said cap being movable relative to said stopper to change the distance between said front end walls of said stopper and said cap.

14. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said sleeve body and said stopper of said sleeve unit are formed integrally.

15. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising at least one adjusting unit disposed between said stopper and said cap, said adjusting unit including a guide block that is disposed on said stopper, and a spirally-extending guide slot that is formed in said cap and that is slideably engaged with said guide block, said cap being rotatable relative to said stopper and being movable along the axis relative to said stopper through engagement between said guide block and said guide slot so as to change the distance between said front end walls of said cap and said stopper, an engaging tooth disposed on an outer surface of said stopper, and a plurality of circumferentially arranged positioning grooves formed in an inner surface of said cap, said engaging tooth being engagable with a selected one of said positioning grooves to position said cap relative to said stopper.

16. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said adjusting unit further includes a window that is formed in said end piece, and a plurality of marks that are disposed on an outer surface of said cap and that correspond respectively to said positioning grooves of said adjusting unit such that rotation of said cap relative to said end piece results in an individual exposure of said marks through said window and adjustment of the length of a portion of said lancet extending outwardly from said opening of said cap when said holder is at the pricking position.

17. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said safety switch is disposed between said end piece of said housing unit and said sleeve body of said sleeve unit, said flexible rod of said safety switch being connected to and co-movable with said sleeve body and contactable with said stop surface of said front end section of said housing unit proximate to the skin.

18. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a second biasing member disposed between said holder and said first drive element for biasing said holder and said first drive element to move away from each other.

19. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cap is connected directly to said first drive element of said transmission assembly.

20. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a second biasing member disposed between said holder and said first drive element for biasing said holder and said first drive element to move away from each other.

21. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 19, wherein said second drive element is flexible, and said first drive element has a main body and a limiting surface disposed at an end of said main body for abutting against a corresponding end of said second drive element for blocking the forward movement of said second drive element along the axis relative to said first drive element.

22. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 21, wherein said housing unit further includes a cam surface, and said second drive element is in contact with and urged by said cam surface to deviate from said first drive element when said first drive element pushes said second drive element to the trigger position.

23. The blood lancing device as claimed in claim 19, wherein said front end section and said rear end section of said housing body are interconnected removably, said holder has at least one flexible end portion, and said housing unit further includes at least one abutment surface deviated from said flexible end portion of said holder and positioned such that, when said front end section is removed from said rear end section, said first drive element is biased by said second biasing member to move forward relative to said holder and urge said flexible end portion of said holder to deform inwardly so that rearward movement of said holder relative to said rear end section of said housing unit is limited via abutment of said flexible end portion against said abutment surface to thereby facilitate replacement of said lancet.