Push activation lancet device

• US 20060259058A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Schiff, David R., Byar, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,858,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/181
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1411 by percutaneous method, e.g. by lancet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1433 provided with locking means details of syringes A61M5/315
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• 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 5/150549 Protectors removed by rotational movement, e.g. torsion or screwing
• 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 5/150916 by blocking components, e.g. piston, driving device or fluid passageway
• 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 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15144 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for retracting the piercing unit into the housing

Abstract

A lancet device including a lancet having a puncturing element disposed within a two-piece housing including a rear housing and a forward housing. Relative axial movement of the rear housing toward the forward housing directly drives the lancet to a puncturing position wherein the puncturing element extends through the forward housing. During such relative axial movement, a drive structure applies a driving force against the lancet and disengages from the lancet based on deflecting structure in the housing, thereby releasing the driving force applied to the lancet. A retention member then retracts the lancet back within the housing, with the drive structure maintained disengaged from the lancet to prevent re-use.

Claims

1. A lancet device comprising:

a lancet structure comprising a puncturing element;

a housing comprising a rear housing portion and a forward housing portion longitudinally movable with respect to each other; and

a lancet retention member for maintaining the puncturing element within the housing;

wherein longitudinal movement of the rear housing portion with respect to the forward housing portion causes the lancet structure to move substantially in conjunction with the rear housing portion, thereby causing exposure of the puncturing element through the forward housing portion;

wherein the lancet retention member retracts the puncturing element within the forward housing portion;

and wherein the rear housing portion includes a locking structure for locking engagement with the forward housing portion as a result of the longitudinal movement, thereby preventing re-exposure of the puncturing element through the forward housing portion.

2. The lancet device of claim 1, wherein the rear housing portion frictionally engages the forward housing portion thereby causing frictional interference between the rear housing portion and the forward housing portion, and wherein exposure of the puncturing element is caused when the frictional interference is overcome by a force for enabling the longitudinal movement.

3. The lancet device of claim 2, wherein the force for enabling said longitudinal movement is greater than 1 lbf.

4. The lancet device of claim 1, wherein the lancet structure is longitudinally movable with respect to the rear housing portion after exposure of the puncturing element.

5. The lancet device of claim 1, wherein the rear housing portion is external to the forward housing portion.

6. The lancet device of claim 1, wherein the rear housing portion further comprises structure for abutting engagement with the lancet structure, and wherein said longitudinal movement causes the lancet structure to move substantially in conjunction with the rear housing portion based on such abutting engagement.

7. The lancet device of claim 6, wherein the forward housing portion includes a guiding surface adapted for engagement with the abutting engagement structure of the rear housing portion, and wherein said longitudinal movement causes the abutting engagement structure to engage the guiding surface, thereby disengaging the structure from abutting engagement with the lancet structure during exposure of the puncturing element.

8. The lancet device of claim 7, wherein the abutting engagement structure of the rear housing portion comprises at least one resiliently deflectable finger extending from the rear housing portion and wherein the guiding surface of the forward housing portion comprises at least one corresponding ramped surface, the at least one resiliently deflectable finger sliding along the at least one corresponding ramped surface and deflecting radially outwardly upon said longitudinal movement.

9. The lancet device of claim 8, wherein the guide surface of the forward housing portion comprises a ramped surface having a notch for interference engagement with a protrusion of the abutting engagement structure of the rear housing portion upon said longitudinal movement, said interference engagement establishing said locking structure, thereby preventing reuse of the lancet device.

10. The lancet device of claim 1, wherein the lancet retention member comprises a spring member biasing the lancet structure away from the forward end of the forward housing portion.

11. The lancet device of claim 10, wherein the spring member comprises at least one leaf spring integral with the lancet structure.

12. The lancet device of claim 1, further comprising a lancet cover removably covering the puncturing element of the lancet structure.

13. A lancet device comprising:

a lancet structure comprising a puncturing element;

a housing comprising a first housing portion and a second housing portion axially movable with respect to each other, the first housing portion including structure for abutting engagement with a corresponding surface of the lancet structure, the second housing portion including a guiding surface adapted for engagement with the abutting structure of the first housing portion during axial movement of the first housing portion and the second housing portion with respect to each other; and

a lancet retention member for maintaining the puncturing element of the lancet structure within the housing;

wherein axial movement of the first housing portion with respect to the second housing portion causes the abutting structure of the first housing portion to move the lancet structure to a position wherein the puncturing element extends through a forward end of the second housing portion due to the abutting engagement between the abutting structure and the lancet structure, and causes the abutting structure to engage the guiding surface of the second housing portion to disengage the abutting structure from the abutment surface upon extension of the puncturing element through the forward end of the second housing portion, thereby permitting the lancet retention member to retract the puncturing element within the forward end of the second housing portion.

14. The lancet device of claim 13, wherein the first housing portion frictionally engages the second housing portion thereby causing frictional interference between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, and wherein the frictional interference prevents said axial movement of the first housing portion with respect to the second housing portion until the frictional interference is overcome by a pre-determined force value.

15. The lancet device of claim 14, wherein the pre-determined force value is greater than 1 lbf.

16. The lancet device of claim 14, wherein the pre-determined force value exceeds a minimum force value which is required to cause said axial movement of the first housing portion with respect to the second housing portion, which thereby causes the puncturing element to extend through a forward end of the second housing portion, and causes the abutting structure to engage the guiding surface of the second housing portion to disengage the abutting structure from the abutment surface upon extension of the puncturing element through the forward end of the second housing portion, thereby permitting the lancet retention member to retract the puncturing element within the forward end of the second housing portion.

17. A method of actuating a lancet device comprising:

providing a lancet device comprising a housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion in frictional interference with respect to each other, a lancet structure including a puncturing element disposed within the housing, and a lancet retention member for maintaining the puncturing element within the housing; and

applying pressure between the first housing portion and the second housing portion at a force sufficient to overcome the frictional interference between the first housing portion and the second housing portion, thereby causing the first housing portion and the second housing portion to move longitudinally with respect to each other such that an abutting surface of the first housing portion moves the lancet structure substantially in conjunction with the first housing portion to cause the puncturing element to extend through a forward end of the second housing portion, and further causing the abutting surface to disengage from the lancet structure, thereby permitting the lancet retention member to retract the puncturing element to a position retained within the housing after extending through a forward end of the second housing portion.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising a locking step comprising interengaging the first housing portion with the second housing portion upon disengagement of the abutting surface from the lancet structure, thereby preventing reuse of the lancet device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the second housing portion comprises a guide surface such that said longitudinal movement causes the abutting surface to guide along the guide surface to deflect out of engagement with the lancet structure, thereby permitting the lancet retention member to retract the puncturing element to a position retained within the housing after extending through a forward end of the housing.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the force required to overcome the frictional interference between the first housing portion and the second housing portion is greater than the force required to cause the first housing portion and the second housing portion to move longitudinally with respect to each other, thereby automatically causing the puncturing element to extend through a forward end of the second housing portion, causing the abutting surface to disengage from the lancet structure, and causing the lancet retention member to retract the puncturing element to a position retained within the housing after extending through a forward end of the second housing portion when the frictional interference is overcome.