Surgery – Instruments – Cutting – puncturing or piercing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-22
2001-02-20
Buiz, Michael (Department: 3731)
Surgery
Instruments
Cutting, puncturing or piercing
C606S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190398
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lancet device, and in particular a mini lancet device which is structured in such a manner as to be manufacturable in a small, compact configuration, yet which is substantially easy to use and is effective to pierce a user's skin, such as at a finger for conducting a blood test. Furthermore, the lancet device is easy to manipulate and actuate, is structured in a manner which facilitates accurate determination that the device is in a ready to use orientation, and is further configured to be adaptable into a more elongate, extended configuration or a more compact, storable configuration, as desired by the user.
2. Description of the Related Art
The field of art associated with lancet devices is quite crowded, with a variety of often complex and intricate structures being utilized to drive a piercing tip of a lancet into the flesh of a patent. In particular, the typical lancet device generally utilizes a disposable lancet, often of a standard dimension, contained in a housing for firing. As such, a variety of different, full size lancet devices have been provided, some providing for re-use through internal or external cocking of the firing mechanism and providing an actuation button on a side thereof for triggering of the piercing action.
In addition to the conventional, elongate, full-size lancet devices, however, there is also the need for compact “mini” lancet devices which are substantially small and manageable, yet which are equally as effective as the larger, full size lancet devices. For example, when designing either a full-size or a mini lancet device, some primary concerns associated therewith include its economy of use and manufacture, the minimizing of malfunctions or mis-fires, and various safety considerations such as those associated with inadvertent usage, incorrectly perceived malfunctions or accidental re-use of a used and possibly contaminated lancet. While many designs do seek to address one or more of these concerns, however, there is still a need for a device which effectively addresses all of these concerns, and which can be effectively configured in both a full size or a mini configuration.
In particular, a primary drawback associated with the mini lancet devices relates to its limited internal space, and as such, its inability to utilize various existing design features associated with the larger, full-size devices. For example, known mini device have not been able to utilize or incorporate a safe and effective structure to enable facilitated cocking or re-cocking of the lancet device. Specifically, as with the larger full-size lancet devices, it would be beneficial if a user were able to cock the assembly without having to internally actuate the mechanism in close proximity to the piercing tip of the lancet, especially in a re-cocking situation wherein removal of the lancet from the device prior to re-cocking is not practical. Moreover, existing devices, both full-size and mini have not been able to provide effective structures to clearly and effectively indicate to a user, and especially an infirmed user with some vision limitations, in a tactile and easy to identify manner,that the lancet device has been effectively cocked and is ready for use, or that it has been used such that re-cocking or removal of the lancet is necessary.
As such, despite the many features which have been incorporated into full-size devices, the generally small, compact nature of the mini lancet devices, substantially limits the ability of conventional structures, a majority of which require intricate internal designs and button actuation at a top or side of a housing, to be merely shrunk to define a mini device. Accordingly, there is a need for an effective lancet device which is sufficiently simple in design, yet which is highly effective for use as a mini lancet device, incorporating a variety of necessary and effective features from full size devices. Moreover, there is a need for a lancet device which is substantially easy and effective to actuate, whether in a full-size or mini form, and which enables a user to clearly and safely identify the ready status of the device in either a cocked orientation or a fired orientation. Further, such a device should be cost effective to manufacture, conveniently reuseable, easily manipulable, and minimally susceptible to accidental firing as is often the case with side actuated devices.
Additionally, it should be noted that although in many instances a smaller “mini” type lancet device is preferred, such as when portability of storability is desired, some user's may, from time to time, still prefer the increased manipulability available from larger, more elongate lancet devices. Accordingly, it would also be beneficial to provide a lancet device and/or a component therefore which allows a length of the lancet device to be easily modified and adapted to correspond the needs of the user without requiring that the user purchase an additional device and without requiring modification or alteration to the operation of the mini device in order to accommodate the adaptability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lancet device. In particular, the lancet device includes a lancet having a body portion and a piercing tip extending from the body portion. The lancet is preferably of a conventional configuration wherein the piercing tip is structured to be extended into piercing engagement with a user, such as at their finger, in order to penetrate the skin.
The lancet device further includes a primary housing. The primary housing includes a preferably tubular configuration and is structured to be matingly coupled with a cover assembly so as to define an interior chamber of the lancet device with the cover assembly. Further defined in the cover assembly is a piercing opening. Specifically, the piercing opening is structured to be disposed adjacent an article to be pierced, and to receive the piercing tip of the lancet therethrough upon movement of the lancet into a piercing orientation.
In particular, the lancet is driven into its piercing orientation by a lancet receiving assembly. The lancet receiving assembly is structured and disposed to at least temporarily, and preferably removably hold the lancet therein. Moreover, the lancet receiving assembly, and as such the lancet held thereby, are further structured to be movably disposed within the interior chamber of the lancet device between a cocked orientation and a fired orientation. Indeed, it is the movement of the lancet receiving assembly from the cocked orientation to the fired orientation that results in driven movement of the lancet, at least temporarily, into the piercing orientation, wherein the piercing tip of the lancet protrudes through the piercing opening of the cover assembly, prior to finally reaching the concealed and shielded fired orientation.
The lancet receiving assembly also includes a retention member. Specifically, the retention member is structured to be cooperatively engaged with an engagement hub disposed in the interior chamber. For example, at least when the lancet receiving assembly is disposed in the cocked orientation, the retention member cooperatively engages the engagement hub and thereby maintains the lancet receiving assembly in the cocked orientation until the retention member is affirmatively released from that cooperative engagement. Preferably, the retention member includes at least one generally elongate finger. Moreover, the at least one elongate finger includes an inwardly depending protrusion that is structured to engage cooperative structure on the engagement hub, when the lancet receiving assembly is disposed in the cocked orientation, until affirmatively disengaged therefrom.
The lancet device of the present invention further includes an actuation assembly. The actuation assembly is exteriorly actuatable and is structured and disposed to release the retention member from its cooperative engagement with the engagement hub. Along the
Bui Vy Q.
Buiz Michael
Malloy & Malloy P.A.
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