ADVANCEMENT MECHANISM FOR CARTRIDGE-BASED DEVICES

• US 20110130782A1
• Filed: 09/28/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Facet Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Facet Technologies LLC
• Inventors: LAMPS, Gregory, KAN, Gil, COLLINS, Brian M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,517,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/182
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1411 by percutaneous method, e.g. by lancet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150175 Adjustment of penetration depth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150259 Improved gripping, e.g. with high friction pattern or projections on the housing surface or an ergonometric shape
• 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 5/150702 fully automatically removed, i.e. the removing does not require any action by the user
• 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 5/15126 Means for controlling the lancing movement, e.g. 2D- or 3D-shaped elements, tooth-shaped elements or sliding guides
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1513 comprising linear sliding guides comprising tooth-shaped elements A61B5/15132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15132 comprising tooth-shaped elements, e.g. toothed wheel or rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15146 Devices loaded with multiple lancets simultaneously, e.g. for serial firing without reloading, for example by use of stocking means. multiple simultaneous cutting or piercing A61B5/150977
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15148 Constructional features of stocking means, e.g. strip, roll, disc, cartridge, belt or tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15151 Each piercing element being stocked in a separate isolated compartment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15161 Characterized by propelling the piercing element in a radial direction relative to the disc
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15182 Means for keeping track or checking of the total number of piercing elements already used or the number of piercing elements still remaining in the stocking, e.g. by check window, counter, display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/3001 for sharps

Abstract

An advancement mechanism of a lancing device operates to sequentially advance lancets in a cartridge. The advancement mechanism includes a rotary drive gear assembly with a first gear and a second gear that co-rotate in a first angular direction by operation of an inter-gear unidirectional drive mechanism such as a ratcheting mechanism. A second-gear unidirectional lock mechanism, such as a ratcheting mechanism, locks the second drive gear from co-rotating with the first drive gear in a second opposite angular direction without impeding rotation in the first direction. The second gear directly or indirectly rotationally drives a pinion gear, which rotationally drives a cartridge gear to advance the lancets in indexed increments for use. The first drive gear is rotated in the first and second directions by a rack gear of a translating operating handle. In addition, a rotary-gear cap-displacement mechanism and a rotary-gear charging/actuation mechanism are provided in other embodiments.

Claims

1. A medical device for using or dispensing medical items in a rotary cartridge, the rotary cartridge defining a cartridge gear, the medical device comprising:

a housing;

an operating handle movable between first and second positions and including a grip and a gear; and

an advancement mechanism operable to sequentially advance the medical items for use or dispensing, the advancement mechanism including a rotary drive gear assembly, an inter-gear unidirectional rotary drive assembly, and a pinion output gear, wherein the rotary drive gear assembly includes a first rotary gear and a second rotary gear that rotate about a common axis, the first gear is rotationally driven by the handle gear in a first angular direction and an opposite second angular direction when the operating handle is moved between the first and second positions, the second gear directly or indirectly rotationally drives the pinion gear, and the pinion gear rotationally drives the cartridge gear, wherein the inter-gear unidirectional rotary drive assembly operably interconnects the first and second drive gears so that the second gear is driven by and rotates with the first gear in the first direction but is not driven in co-rotation by the first gear in the opposite second direction, wherein the inter-gear unidirectional rotary drive assembly includes a first catch surface defined by a first catch element, a second catch surface defined by a second catch element, and a disengagement surface, wherein the catch surfaces are engaged to maintain the two gears in co-rotation in the first angular direction, at least one of the catch surfaces moves out of engagement when the first gear rotates in the opposite second direction, and the catch surface disengagement is caused by the disengagement surface moving a movable one of the catch elements.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the operating handle translates between the first and second positions, the first handle position is a retracted position with the grip translated in to adjacent the housing, and the second handle position is an extended position with the grip translated away from the housing.

3. The medical device of claim 2, wherein the operating handle includes an elongate member extending from the grip and into the housing, and the handle gear is a rack gear defined by the elongate member.

4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the inter-gear unidirectional rotary drive assembly is provided by a ratcheting drive assembly with the first catch element provided by a pawl that extends from one of the first and second drive gears and that defines the first catch surface, the second catch element provided by a tooth that extends from the other one of the first and second drive gears and that defines the second catch surface, and the disengagement surface provided by a ramped surface defined by the pawl or the tooth and positioned adjacent the respective catch surface.

5. The medical device of claim 4, wherein the catch surfaces oppose each other so that, when the first drive gear is rotated in the first direction, the first gear catch surface contacts the second gear catch surface to rotationally drive the second drive gear along with the first drive gear;

but when the first gear is rotated in the second opposite direction, the first gear catch surface is rotated away from the second gear catch surface, so the second gear is not rotationally driven by the first gear; and

when the first gear is rotated further in the second angular direction, the ramped surface is engaged by the pawl or the tooth to temporarily displace, from an engaged to a disengaged position, at least one of the catch surfaces so that the first gear catch surface rotates past the second gear catch surface; and

once the ramped surface has been cleared, the pawl or the tooth returns to the engaged position so that the catch surfaces are again in an opposing relationship with each other so that rotating the first gear again causes the second gear to rotate with it.

6. The medical device of claim 4, wherein the pawl is provided by three cantilevered resilient pawl arms each extending from the second drive gear in a generally spiral arrangement, the tooth is provided by three ratchet drive teeth formed on an inner circular surface of the first drive gear, and the disengagement surface is provided by three ramped surfaces defined by the teeth and positioned adjacent the respective catch surfaces so that when the ratchet teeth rotate into contact with the resilient pawl arms then the ramped surfaces ride across and resiliently deflect the pawl arms to allow the ratchet teeth to bypass the pawl arms.

7. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the advancement mechanism further comprises a second-gear unidirectional rotary lock assembly that operably interconnects the first and second drive gears so that the second gear is free to be driven by and co-rotate with the first gear in the first direction but is locked from co-rotation in the opposite second direction, wherein the inter-gear unidirectional rotary lock assembly includes a first lock surface defined by a first lock element, a second lock surface defined by a second retainer element, and a disengagement surface, wherein the lock surfaces are engaged to lock the second gear from rotation in the second direction, at least one of the lock surfaces moves out of engagement when the second gear rotates in the first direction, and the lock surface disengagement is caused by the disengagement surface moving a movable one of the catch elements.

8. The medical device of claim 7, wherein the inter-gear unidirectional rotary lock assembly is provided by a ratcheting lock assembly with the first lock element provided by a tooth that extends from one of the second drive gear and the housing and that defines the first lock surface, the second retainer element is provided by a pawl that extends from the other one of the second drive gear and the housing and that defines the second lock surface, and the disengagement surface provided by a ramped surface defined by the pawl or the tooth and positioned adjacent the respective lock surface.

9. The medical device of claim 7, wherein the lock surfaces oppose each other so that, when the first drive gear is rotated in the second direction, with the second drive gear not driven in co-rotation with it, the pawl lock surface contacts the tooth lock surface to secure the second gear in place;

but when the first gear is rotated in the first direction, the tooth lock surface is rotated away from the pawl lock surface, so the second gear is not restrained from being rotationally driven by the first gear; and

when the first gear is rotated further in the first direction, the ramped surface is engaged to temporarily displace, from an engaged to a disengaged position, the pawl and its lock surface so that the tooth lock surface rotates past the pawl lock surface; and

so once the ramped surface has been cleared, the pawl returns to the engaged position so that the lock surfaces are again in an opposing relationship with each other so that when the first gear is again rotated in the second direction the second gear is locked from co-rotating with it.

10. The medical device of claim 7, wherein the pawl is provided by a single spring-biased pawl arm that is pivotally mounted to the housing, the tooth is provided by three ratchet drive teeth extending from the second drive gear, and the disengagement surface is provided by a single ramped surface defined by the pawl and positioned adjacent the pawl lock surface so that when the ratchet teeth rotate into contact with the resilient pawl arm then the ramped surface rides across the teeth to resiliently deflect the pawl arm to allow the ratchet teeth to bypass the pawl arm.

11. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising an idler gear assembly including at least on idler gear, wherein the idler gear assembly is rotationally driven by the second gear of the drive gear assembly, and rotationally drives the pinion output gear.

12. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a pinion gear assembly including the pinion output gear and a pinion input gear that co-rotate about a common axis.

15. The lancing device of claim 4, wherein the at least one pawl is provided by three cantilevered resilient pawl arms each extending from the second drive gear in a generally spiral arrangement, the at least one tooth is provided by three ratchet drive teeth formed on an inner circular surface of the first drive gear, and the at least one disengagement surface is provided by three ramped surfaces defined by the teeth and positioned adjacent the respective catch surfaces so that when the ratchet teeth rotate into contact with the resilient pawl arms then the ramped surfaces ride across and resiliently deflect the pawl arms to allow the ratchet teeth to bypass the pawl arms.

13. A lancing device for using lancets in a rotary cartridge, the rotary cartridge defining a cartridge gear, the lancing device comprising:

a housing;

an operating handle that translates between retracted and extended positions and includes a grip, an elongate member extending from the grip and into the housing, and a rack gear defined by the elongate member; and

an advancement mechanism operable to sequentially advance the lancets for use, the advancement mechanism including a rotary drive gear assembly, an inter-gear unidirectional rotary ratcheting drive assembly, a second-gear unidirectional rotary ratcheting lock assembly, and a pinion output gear, wherein the rotary drive gear assembly includes a first rotary gear and a second rotary gear that rotate about a common axis, the first gear is rotationally driven by the handle rack gear in a first angular direction and an opposite second angular direction when the operating handle is translated between the retracted and extended positions, the second gear directly or indirectly rotationally drives the pinion gear, and the pinion gear rotationally drives the cartridge gear,

wherein the inter-gear unidirectional rotary ratcheting drive assembly operably interconnects the first and second drive gears so that the second gear is driven by and rotates with the first gear in the first direction but is not driven in co-rotation by the first gear in the opposite second direction, wherein the inter-gear unidirectional rotary ratcheting drive assembly includes at least one pawl that extends from one of the first and second drive gears and that defines a catch surface, at least one a tooth that extends from the other one of the first and second drive gears and that defines a catch surface, and at least one ramped surface defined by the pawl or the tooth and positioned adjacent the respective catch surface, wherein the catch surfaces engage each other to maintain the first and second gears in co-rotation in the first angular direction, the pawl catch surface is moved out of engagement with the tooth catch surface when the first gear rotates in the opposite second direction, and the catch surface disengagement is caused by the ramped surface moving the pawl, and

wherein the second-gear unidirectional rotary lock assembly operably interconnects the first and second drive gears so that the second gear is free to be driven by and co-rotate with the first gear in the first direction but is locked from co-rotation in the opposite second direction, wherein the second-gear unidirectional rotary ratcheting drive assembly includes at least one tooth that extends from one of the second drive gear and the housing and that defines a lock surface, at least one pawl that extends from the other one of the second drive gear and the housing and that defines a lock surface, and at least one ramped surface defined by the pawl or the tooth and positioned adjacent the respective lock surface, wherein the lock surfaces engage each other to lock the second gear from rotation in the second direction, the pawl lock surface moves out of engagement with the tooth lock surface when the second gear rotates in the first direction, and the lock surface disengagement is caused by the ramped surface moving the pawl.

14. The lancing device of claim 13, wherein the catch surfaces oppose each other so that, when the first drive gear is rotated in the first direction, the first gear catch surface contacts the second gear catch surface to rotationally drive the second drive gear along with the first drive gear;

but when the first gear is rotated in the second opposite direction, the first gear catch surface is rotated away from the second gear catch surface, so the second gear is not rotationally driven by the first gear; and

when the first gear is rotated further in the second angular direction, the ramped surface is engaged by the pawl or the tooth to temporarily displace, from an engaged to a disengaged position, at least one of the catch surfaces so that the first gear catch surface rotates past the second gear catch surface; and

once the ramped surface has been cleared, the pawl or the tooth returns to the engaged position so that the catch surfaces are again in an opposing relationship with each other so that rotating the first gear again causes the second gear to rotate with it.

16. The lancing device of claim 13, wherein the lock surfaces oppose each other so that, when the first drive gear is rotated in the second direction, with the second drive gear not driven in co-rotation with it, the pawl lock surface contacts the tooth lock surface to secure the second gear in place;

but when the first gear is rotated in the first direction, the tooth lock surface is rotated away from the pawl lock surface, so the second gear is not restrained from being rotationally driven by the first gear; and

when the first gear is rotated further in the first direction, the ramped surface is engaged to temporarily displace, from an engaged to a disengaged position, the pawl and its lock surface so that the tooth lock surface rotates past the pawl lock surface; and

so once the ramped surface has been cleared, the pawl returns to the engaged position so that the lock surfaces are again in an opposing relationship with each other so that when the first gear is again rotated in the second direction the second gear is locked from co-rotating with it.

17. The lancing device of claim 13, wherein the at least one pawl is provided by a single spring-biased pawl arm that is pivotally mounted to the housing, the at least one tooth is provided by three ratchet drive teeth extending from the second drive gear, and the at least one disengagement surface is provided by a single ramped surface defined by the pawl and positioned adjacent the pawl lock surface so that when the ratchet teeth rotate into contact with the resilient pawl arm then the ramped surface rides across the teeth to resiliently deflect the pawl arm to allow the ratchet teeth to bypass the pawl arm.

18. The lancing device of claim 13, further comprising an idler gear assembly including at least on idler gear, wherein the idler gear assembly is rotationally driven by the second gear of the drive gear assembly, and rotationally drives the pinion output gear.

19. The lancing device of claim 13, further comprising a pinion gear assembly including the pinion output gear and a pinion input gear that co-rotate about a common axis.

20. A lancing device for using lancets in a rotary cartridge, the rotary cartridge defining a cartridge gear, the lancing device comprising:

a housing;

an operating handle that translates between first and second positions and includes a grip, an elongate member extending from the grip and into the housing, and a rack gear defined by the elongate member; and

a cap-displacement mechanism operable to displace a sterility cap of an active one of the lancets out of a lancing stroke path, the cap-displacement mechanism including a rotary lifter gear, a lifting ramp defined on the lifter gear, and a lifter structure defining a follower surface, wherein the lifter gear is rotationally driven by the rack gear to rotate the lifting ramp across the lifter follower surface to displace the lifter, wherein as the lifter is displaced it pushes the active cap out of the lancing stroke path.

21. A lancing device for using lancets in a rotary cartridge, the rotary cartridge defining a cartridge gear, the lancing device comprising:

a housing;

an operating handle that translates between first and second positions and includes a grip, an elongate member extending from the grip and into the housing, and a rack gear defined by the elongate member; and

a charging mechanism operable to move an active one of the lancets to a charged position ready for firing though a lancing stroke path, the charging mechanism including a rotary charging gear, a cam surface defined by the rotary gear, and a drive piston defining a follower surface and engaging the active lancet, wherein the cam surface is eccentric relative to a rotational axis of the rotary gear, wherein the rotary gear is rotationally driven by the rack gear to rotate the cam surface across the piston follower surface to retract the piston to a retracted/charged position from where it can be biased through the lancing stroke path.