Lancet and method of manufacturing the same

• US 20050171567A1
• Filed: 01/29/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: DeHart, Damon H.
• Application Number:
  US10/767,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20050171567A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/181
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/061 hollow or tubular suture extending inside a hollow needle A61B2017/06052; hollow sutures A61B2017/06185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150282 for piercing elements, e.g. blade, lancet, canula, needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150396 Specific tip design, e.g. for improved penetration characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150427 Specific tip design, e.g. for improved penetration characteristics
• 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: B21G 1/08 of hollow needles or needles with hollow end, e.g. hypodermic needles, larding-needles B21G1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B21G 1/12 Securing, cleaning-off burrs, reconditioning polishing, grinding takes precedence over B21G1/02 - B21G1/10

Abstract

A lancet for acquiring a blood sample includes a unitary member which is hollow along at least a portion of its length. Preferably, the unitary member is in the form of a seamless cylindrical tube which is constructed out of a rigid and durable material, such as stainless steel. During the lancet manufacturing process, a series of individual grinding processes are performed on one end of the unitary member to yield a lancet which includes a plurality of skin-penetrable tips. In one embodiment, one end of the unitary member is subjected to a pair of single angle planar grinds to yield a lancet which includes a pair of sharpened tips. In another embodiment, one end of the unitary member is subjected to four compound angle planar grinds to yield a lancet which includes a pair of sharpened tips. In another embodiment, one end of the unitary member is subjected to three single angle planar grinds to yield a lancet which includes three equidistantly spaced sharpened tips.

Claims

1. A lancet comprising:

(a) a seamless unitary member which is hollowed along at least a portion of its length, said unitary member including a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis,

(b) wherein the first end of said unitary member is shaped to include first and second sharpened tips.

2. The lancet as claimed in claim 1 wherein said seamless unitary member is in the form of a cylindrical tube.

3. A lancet comprising:

(a) a unitary member which is hollowed along at least a portion of its length, said unitary member including a first end and a second end,

(b) wherein the first end of said unitary member includes first and second ground surfaces which at least partially define first and second sharpened tips.

4. The lancet as claimed in claim 3 wherein said unitary member is in the form of a cylindrical tube.

5. The lancet as claimed in claim 3 wherein said unitary member includes a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, a vertical axis, a horizontal plane and a vertical plane.

6. The lancet as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said first and second ground surfaces is a planar surface.

7. The lancet as claimed in claim 6 wherein each of said first and second ground surfaces is a single angle ground surface.

8. The lancet as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first ground surface extends from the horizontal plane at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

9. The lancet as claimed in claim 8 wherein said first and second ground surfaces mirror one another about the horizontal plane.

10. The lancet as claimed in claim 9 wherein each of said first and second ground surfaces extends approximately 180 degrees about the longitudinal axis.

11. A method of manufacturing a lancet, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a unitary member, said unitary member including a first end and a second end, and

(b) performing first and second grinds on the first end of said unitary member so as to yield first and second ground surfaces in the first end of said unitary member, said first and second ground surfaces at least partially defining first and second sharpened tips.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said unitary member is in the form of a cylindrical tube.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said unitary member is hollowed along at least a portion of its length.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising the step of forming a longitudinal bore in said unitary member along at least a portion of its length.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said unitary member includes a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, a vertical axis, a horizontal plane and a vertical plane.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein each of said first and second ground surfaces is a planar surface.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein each of said first and second ground surfaces is a single angle ground surface.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said first ground surface extends from the horizontal plane at a first acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein said first and second ground surfaces mirror one another about the horizontal plane.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein each of said first and second ground surfaces extends approximately 180 degrees about longitudinal axis.

21. The method as claimed in claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

(a) performing third grind on the first end of said unitary member, said third grind creating a third ground surface in the first end of said unitary member, and

(b) performing a fourth grind on the first end of said unitary member, said fourth grind creating a fourth ground surface in the first end of said unitary member, said first and fourth ground surfaces at least partially defining the first sharpened tip and said second and third ground surfaces at least partially defining the second sharpened tip.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth ground surfaces is a planar surface.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth ground surfaces is a compound angle ground surface.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23 wherein said first ground surface extends from the horizontal plane at a first acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis and at a second acute angle relative to the lateral axis.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24 wherein said first and second ground surfaces mirror one another about the vertical plane, said second and third ground surfaces mirror one another about the horizontal plane, and said third and fourth ground surfaces mirror one another about the vertical plane.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth ground surfaces extends approximately 90 degrees about the longitudinal axis.

27. The method as claimed in claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

(a) performing a third grind on said first sharpened tip, said third grind creating a third ground surface in said first sharpened tip,

(b) performing a fourth grind on said first sharpened tip, said fourth grind creating a fourth ground surface in said first sharpened tip,

(c) performing a fifth grind on said second sharpened tip, said fifth grind creating a fifth ground surface in said second sharpened tip, and

(d) performing a sixth grind on said second sharpened tip, said sixth grind creating a sixth ground surface in said second sharpened tip.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27 wherein each of said third, fourth, fifth and sixth ground surfaces is a planar surface.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28 wherein each of said third, fourth, fifth and sixth ground surfaces is a compound angle ground surface.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29 wherein said third ground surface extends from the horizontal plane at a second acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis and at a third acute angle relative to the lateral axis.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30 wherein said third and fourth ground surfaces mirror one another about the horizontal plane, said third and fifth ground surfaces mirror one another about the vertical plane, and said fifth and sixth ground surfaces mirror one another about the horizontal plane.

32. A lancet comprising:

(a) a unitary member which is hollowed along at least a portion of its length, said unitary member including a first end and a second end,

(b) wherein the first end of said unitary member is shaped to include first, second and third sharpened tips.

33. The lancet of claim 32 wherein said unitary member is seamless.

34. The lancet of claim 33 wherein said unitary member is in the form of a cylindrical tube.

35. The lancet of claim 34 wherein the first end of said unitary member includes first, second and third ground surfaces.

36. The lancet as claimed in claim 35 wherein said unitary member includes a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, a vertical axis, a horizontal plane and a vertical plane.

37. The lancet as claimed in claim 36 wherein each of said first, second and third ground surfaces is a planar surface.

38. The lancet as claimed in claim 37 wherein each of said first, second and third ground surfaces is a single angle ground surface.

39. The lancet as claimed in claim 38 wherein said first ground surface extends from the horizontal plane at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

40. The lancet as claimed in claim 39 wherein each of said first, second and third ground surfaces extends approximately 120 degrees about the longitudinal axis.

41. The lancet as claimed in claim 40 wherein said first, second and third ground surfaces are spaced equidistantly apart from one another.

42. A method of manufacturing a lancet, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a unitary member, said unitary member including a first end and a second end, and

(b) performing first, second and third grinds on the first end of said unitary member so as to yield first, second and third ground surfaces in the first end of said unitary member, said first, second and third ground surfaces at least partially defining first, second and third sharpened tips in said unitary member.

43. The method as claimed in claim 42 wherein said unitary member is in the form of a cylindrical tube.

44. The method as claimed in claim 43 wherein said unitary member is hollowed along at least a portion of its length.

45. The method as claimed in claim 42 further comprising the step of forming a longitudinal bore in said unitary member along at least a portion of its length.

46. The method as claimed in claim 42 wherein said unitary member includes a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, a vertical axis, a horizontal plane and a vertical plane.

47. The method as claimed in claim 46 wherein each of said first, second and third ground surfaces is a planar surface.

48. The method as claimed in claim 47 wherein each of said first, second and third ground surfaces is a single angle ground surface.

49. The method as claimed in claim 48 wherein said first ground surface extends from the horizontal plane at a first acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

50. The method as claimed in claim 49 wherein said first, second and third ground surfaces are spaced equidistantly apart from one another.

51. The method as claimed in claim 50 wherein each of said first, second and third ground surfaces extends approximately 120 degrees about the longitudinal axis.

52. The method as claimed in claim 46 further comprising the step of shortening said first, second and third sharpened tips.

53. The method as claimed in claim 52 wherein said step of shortening said first, second and third sharpened tips is accomplished by performing fourth, fifth and sixth grinds on the first end of said unitary member.

54. A lancet comprising:

(a) a unitary member including a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis,

(b) wherein the first end of said unitary member is shaped to include first, second and third ground surfaces which together at least partially define a single tip and first, second and third cutting edges.

55. The lancet of claim 54 wherein the first, second and third cutting edges are spaced approximately 120 degrees apart from one another about the longitudinal axis.

56. A method of manufacturing a lancet, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a unitary member which includes a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis, and

(b) performing three separate grinds on the first end of said unitary member to yield first, second and third cutting edges which at least partially define a single sharpened tip.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein said first, second and third cutting edges are spaced approximately 120 degrees apart from one another about the longitudinal axis.

58. The method of claim 57 further comprising the step of performing a cone-shaped grind on the single sharpened tip to create a shortened, rounded, ground-off tip.

59. A lancet comprising:

(a) a unitary member including a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis,

(b) wherein the first end of said unitary member is shaped to include first, second, third and fourth ground surfaces which together at least partially define a single tip and first, second, third and fourth cutting edges.

60. The lancet of claim 59 wherein the first, second, third and fourth cutting edges are spaced approximately 90 degrees apart from one another about the longitudinal axis.

61. A method of manufacturing a lancet, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a unitary member which includes a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis, and

(b) performing four separate grinds on the first end of said unitary member to yield first, second, third and fourth cutting edges which at least partially define a single sharpened tip.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein said first, second, third and fourth cutting edges are spaced approximately 90 degrees apart from one another about the longitudinal axis.