Piercing device

• US 20040186500A1
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Original Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Inventors: Koike, Masufumi, Fukuzawa, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,801,740 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/181
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• 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 5/15113 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 5/1519 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 lancing device (A) includes a lancing adjustment mechanism for adjusting the lancing depth of a lancet (L) into a target portion (99) by operating an operation member (20c). The lancing adjustment mechanism is designed to provide a nonlinear relationship between the lancing depth of the lancet (L) into the target portion (99) and the operation amount of the operation member (20c). With this arrangement, it is possible to suitably adjust bleeding at the lanced portion, thereby improving the operationality of the lancing device (A).

Claims

1. A lancing device comprising:

a housing having an open tip end;

an operation mechanism for advancing a lancet from inside the housing toward the tip end of the housing; and

a lancing adjustment mechanism including an operation member which is operated for adjusting a lancing depth of the lancet into a target portion upon forward movement of the lancet;

wherein the lancing adjustment mechanism provides a nonlinear relationship between the lancing depth of the lancet and an operation amount of the operation member.

2. The lancing device according to claim 1, wherein the lancing adjustment mechanism is so designed that the lancing depth varies at a lower rate for a given operation amount of the operation member when the lancing depth of the lancet into the target portion is smaller than when the lancing depth is larger.

3. The lancing device according to claim 2, wherein the lancing adjustment mechanism is capable of providing a state in which a tip end of the lancet does not project beyond the tip end of the housing upon forward movement of the lancet.

4. The lancing device according to claim 2, wherein the lancing depth adjustable mechanism selectively provides a first state in which a tip end of the forwardly moved lancet projects out beyond the tip end of the housing and a second state in which the forwardly moved lancet does not project out, the lancing depth varying at a lower rate for a given operation amount of the operation member in the second state than in the first state.

5. The lancing device according to claim 1, wherein the lancing adjustment mechanism includes a stopper for stopping the forward movement of the lancet by contacting the lancet or a member forwardly movable with the lancet, and

wherein the stopper is reciprocally movable axially of the housing by operating the operation member.

6. The lancing device according to claim 5, wherein the operation member is a rotatable sleeve,

the stopper being arranged in the housing to rotate together with the sleeve when the sleeve is rotated,

the housing and the stopper being formed with a cam groove and a projection for moving the stopper axially of the housing, the projection engaging in the cam groove.

7. The lancing device according to claim 6, wherein the cam groove has different inclination angles toward a forward and a rear ends, respectively, of the housing.

8. The lancing device according to claim 6, wherein the sleeve forms a part of the housing.

9. The lancing device according to claim 1, wherein the lancing adjustment mechanism includes an auxiliary member fowardly movable together with the lancet within the housing toward the tip end of the housing, the auxiliary member having a tip end flanking a tip end of the lancet,

the lancet projecting beyond the tip end of the auxiliary member by an amount which is variable by operating the operation member.

10. The lancing device according to claim 9, wherein the tip end of the auxiliary member is cylindrical to surround the tip end of the lancet.

11. The lancing device according to claim 9, wherein the operation mechanism comprises a lancet holder arranged in the housing for holding and advancing the lancet,

the operation member being a rotatable sleeve,

the auxiliary member being fitted into the lancet holder to rotate together with the sleeve when the sleeve is rotated,

the auxiliary member and the lancet holder being formed with a cam surface and a projection contacting each other for moving the auxiliary member axially of the housing by rotating the auxiliary member.

12. The lancing device according to claim 11, wherein the cam surface has different angles toward a forward and a rear ends, respectively, of the housing.

13. The lancing device according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first sleeve forming the tip end of the housing and a second sleeve connected to a rear end of the first sleeve,

the lancing adjustment mechanism enabling the first sleeve to move reciprocally relative to the second sleeve axially of the housing by rotating the first sleeve relative to the second sleeve.

14. The lancing device according to claim 13, the lancing adjustment mechanism comprises a cam mechanism including a cam groove and a projection formed on the first sleeve and the second sleeve, the projection engaging in the cam groove, the cam groove having different angles toward a forward and a rear ends, respectively, of the housing.