Blood expression device

• US 20060089566A1
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: DeHart, Damon
• Granted Patent: US 7,775,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/573
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150114 by tissue compression, e.g. with specially designed surface of device contacting the skin area to be pierced
• 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 5/15123 comprising magnets or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable

Abstract

A device for expressing blood from a wound site formed in dermal tissue is constructed, in one embodiment, in the shape of a cap which can be removably mounted onto a lancing instrument. The blood expression device includes an annular support member and a plurality of movable fingers integrally formed onto the support member in a spaced apart relationship, the free ends of the plurality of fingers together defining a generally circular opening. Each finger is adapted for pivotal displacement in such a manner that its free end projects into the circular opening. In use, the free ends of the plurality of fingers are disposed in contact against the dermal tissue immediately surrounding the wound site. As the device is urged downward onto the dermal tissue, the free ends of the plurality of fingers collapse inward and pinch into the dermal tissue so as to create a uniform ring of pressure around the wound site which, in turn, results in the expression of blood.

Claims

1. A device for expressing blood from a wound site in dermal tissue, the device comprising,

(a) a support member, and

(b) a plurality of movable fingers coupled to the support member.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of movable fingers are spaced apart from one another.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2 wherein each finger is capable of independent movement relative to the remaining fingers.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the plurality of movable fingers are integrally formed onto the support member.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the support member is in the form of an annular band which includes a top surface, a bottom surface, an inner surface and an outer surface.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5 wherein each movable finger extends downward and inward from the bottom surface of the support member.

7. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein each movable finger includes a first end affixed to the support member and a free second end.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the second ends of the plurality of movable fingers together at least partially define an opening.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8 wherein each finger is capable of movement such that its second end pivots upward towards the support member and inward into the opening.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9 wherein each movable finger tapers gradually inward in width from its first end to its second end.

11. The device as claimed in claim 9 wherein each movable finger is contoured so as to define a concave bump at a location between its first and second ends.

12. A device for expressing blood from a wound site in dermal tissue, the device comprising,

(a) a crimping member, the crimping member comprising,

(i) a support member, and

(ii) a plurality of movable fingers coupled to the support member, and

(b) a sleeve slidably mounted over the crimping member, the sleeve being sized and shaped to selectively exert an inward force onto each movable finger.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12 wherein each movable finger includes a first end affixed to the support member and a free second end.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13 wherein the sleeve selectively exerts a force onto each movable finger which causes its free second end to pivot inward.

15. A method of generating a blood sample from dermal tissue, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) lancing the dermal tissue so as to create a wound site, and

(b) after the lancing step, expressing blood out from the wound site using a blood expression device which comprises a support member and a plurality of movable fingers coupled to the support member.

16. The combination of:

(a) a lancing instrument, the lancing instrument including a sharpened needle, and

(b) a blood expression device mounted on the lancing instrument over the sharpened needle, the blood expression device comprising a support member and a plurality of movable fingers coupled to the support member.