Piercing unit, piercing member removal device, and piercing device

• US 20050288698A1
• Filed: 07/28/2003
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Original Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Daisuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,123,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/181
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1486 using enzyme electrodes, e.g. with immobilised oxidase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150099 by negative pressure, other than vacuum extraction into a syringe by pulling on the piston rod or into pre-evacuated tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150229 Pumps for assisting the blood sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150435 Specific design of proximal end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150549 Protectors removed by rotational movement, e.g. torsion or screwing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150564 Protectors removed by pulling or pushing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150572 Pierceable protectors, e.g. shields, caps, sleeves or films, e.g. for hygienic purposes
• 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 5/150725 removal procedure linked to further actions, e.g. cocking of the piercing device, which indicate that the piercing device is used or tempered
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1509 by disrupting a seal, e.g. puncturing a piston seal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150916 by blocking components, e.g. piston, driving device or fluid passageway
• 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: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood

Abstract

A lancing unit (U) includes a support member (1) provided with engagement means (19A) which is inserted into a housing (4) of a lancing apparatus (A) for engagement with an engagement surface (24a) of a lancing member (2) when the lancing member (2) is mounted to a movable member (5) of the lancing apparatus. The removal of the lancing member (2) from the movable member (5) after the lancing member (2) is mounted to the movable member (5) can be easily and reliably performed by inserting the engagement means (19A) into the housing (4) and then pulling the engagement means out of the housing (4).

Claims

1. A lancing unit comprising:

a lancing member to be mounted, in use, to a lancing apparatus which includes a housing having a front end formed with an opening and a movable member provided in the housing reciprocally movably; and

a support member for removably supporting the lancing member;

wherein the lancing member is capable of being fitted and mounted to the movable member so as to be capable of being pulled out of the movable member toward the front end side of the housing, the lancing member including an engagement surface which is oriented toward a rear side of the housing when the lancing member is mounted to the movable member; and

wherein the support member includes engagement means which is inserted into the housing through the opening for engagement with the engagement surface when the lancing member is mounted to the movable member.

2. The lancing unit according to claim 1, wherein the lancing member includes a needle, and a body supporting the needle.

3. The lancing unit according to claim 2, wherein the body has an outer circumferential surface formed with a stepped portion comprising a recess or a projection, the engagement surface being provided by the stepped portion.

4. The lancing unit according to claim 3, wherein the engagement means includes at least one engagement projection extending in a first direction in which the needle of the lancing member extends and having a front end formed with a pawl projecting in a second direction crossing the first direction.

5. The lancing unit according to claim 4, wherein the engagement means includes a plurality of engagement projections, and wherein the engagement projections are engageable with the engagement surface in such a manner as to clip the lancing member when the lancing member is mounted to the movable member.

6. The lancing unit according to claim 5, wherein the stepped portion of the body comprises a flange;

wherein pawls of the engagement projections are spaced from each other by a distance which is smaller than an outer diameter or a width of the stepped portion; and

wherein, when the engagement projections are inserted into the housing in a state in which the lancing member is mounted to the movable member, each of the engagement projections resiliently deforms in the second direction due to contact with the stepped portion so that each of the pawls passes over the stepped portion.

7. The lancing unit according to claim 2, wherein the support member includes a cap for covering the needle of the lancing member and removably supporting the lancing member.

8. The lancing unit according to claim 7, wherein a boundary portion between the body and the cap has a structure which is more liable to receive stress than other portions of the body and the cap.

9. The lancing unit according to claim 1, wherein the support member includes a tubular portion which is capable of being slid along and fitted to the front end of the housing;

and

wherein the lancing member and the engagement means are arranged in the tubular portion.

10. The lancing unit according to claim 2, further comprising an analytical part and additional engagement means;

wherein the analytical part is removably supported by the support member so that the analytical part can be mounted at a predetermined position in the lancing apparatus in mounting the lancing member to the movable member, the analytical part including an engagement surface which is oriented toward a rear side of the housing when the analytical part is mounted to the predetermined position; and

wherein, when the additional engagement means is inserted, through the opening, into the housing in a state in which the analytical part is separated from the support member and mounted to the predetermined position in the lancing apparatus, the additional engagement means engages the engagement surface of the analytical part.

11. The lancing unit according to claim 10, wherein the additional engagement means includes an additional engagement projection extending in a first direction in which the needle of the lancing member extends and having a front end formed with a pawl projecting in a second direction crossing the first direction.

12. The lancing unit according to claim 10, wherein the support member includes a tubular portion which is capable of being slid along and fitted to the front end of the housing, and wherein the lancing member, the analytical part, the engagement means and the additional engagement means are arranged in the tubular portion.

16. The lancing unit according to claim 12, wherein the support member includes a chamber for accommodating the cap, the lancing member and the analytical part, and wherein the engagement means and the additional engagement means are also arranged in the chamber.

13. The lancingunitaccordingtoclaim12, wherein the engagement means and the additional engagement means are so arranged as to enter the housing together when the tubular portion is slid along and fitted to the front end of the housing.

14. The lancing unit according to claim 13, wherein the support member includes a partition wall partitioning an interior of the tubular potion into a first and a second chambers adjoining each other in an axial direction of the housing;

and

wherein the cap, the lancing member and the analytical parts are arranged in the first chamber, whereas the first and the second engagement means are arranged in the second chamber.

15. The lancing unit according to claim 14, further comprising a lid for hermetically closing the first chamber.

17. A lancing member removal tool for removing a lancing member fitted and mounted to a movable member of a lancing apparatus, the apparatus including a housing which has a front end formed with an opening and in which the movable member is arranged reciprocally movably,

the removal tool comprising engagement means for entering the housing through the opening for engagement with an engagement surface of the lancing member, the engagement surface being oriented toward a rear side of the housing.

18. The lancing member removal tool according to claim 17, further comprising a support member including a tubular potion and supporting the engagement means;

wherein the engagement means engages the engagement surface of the lancing member when the tubular portion is slid along and fitted to the front end of the housing.

19. The lancing member removal tool according to claim 18, further comprising additional engagement means provided at the support member;

wherein, when the tubular portion is slid along and fitted to the front end of the housing with an analytical part mounted to a predetermined position in the lancing apparatus, the additional engagement means enters the housing through the opening and engages an engagement surface of the analytical part, the engagement surface being oriented toward a rear side of the housing.

20. A lancing apparatus comprising:

a housing having a front end formed with an opening;

a movable member arranged in the housing reciprocally movably and having a front end to which the lancing member can be fitted;

biasing means for biasing the movable member toward the front end of the housing;

latching means for latching the movable member when the movable member is pushed deep into the housing more than a predetermined distance against a biasing force of the biasing means; and

latch releasing means for releasing the movable member from the latched state provided by the latching means when a predetermined operation is performed;

wherein the apparatus further comprises a stopper capable of preventing the movable member from being pushed deep into the housing more than the predetermined distance.

21. The lancing apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the stopper is capable of being positioned in a movement path of the movable member or a co-operating member moving together with the movable member and capable of contacting the movable member or the co-operating member to control retreating movement of the movable member.

22. The lancing apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the housing is provided with a holding portion for removably holding an analytical part.