Certain embodiments of a sensor cartridge element include a sensor module, an electrode arrangement installed on the sensor module, and a delivery arrangement securely coupled to the sensor module. The sensor module includes an analysis cell and a skin piercing member. The electrode arrangement generates an electrical signal when exposed to a fluid sample collected in the analysis cell. The delivery arrangement includes a drug reservoir, a piston chamber, and a valve arrangement providing selective fluid communication between the drug reservoir and the piston chamber. Metering electronics and an actuator can manage collection of fluid samples and/or dispensing of drug doses.

The present invention provides method and apparatus for minimally-invasive capillary blood extraction comprising an apparatus capable of the harnessing the energy from frequent natural mammalian movements and then converting it into forces needed to execute skin lancing, specifically an insertion of a lancet in the body of the mammal. The apparatus consists of a rotational and a translational member which work together to effectively translate an angular displacement of the rotational element caused by mammalian movements to translational displacement of a sliding element at an angle to the plane which the force from the mammal was applied in. The ability of the invention to harness free energy and efficiently use that energy for actuating a lancet and facilitating blood extraction allows for the miniaturization of blood sampling technology into a wearable device.

An apparatus for eliciting a blood sample comprises a housing, an aperture in a wall of the housing, an aperture cover moveable between a first position in which the aperture is covered and a second position in which the aperture is uncovered, the aperture cover comprising a sealing member configured to seal the aperture on a first side of the wall when the aperture cover is in the first position and a user-contactable part extending from the sealing member through the aperture to the second side of the wall and configured to allow a user to move the aperture cover between the first and second positions.

An apparatus comprises a housing, a testing member rotatably mounted in the housing, a lancet protruding from an edge of the testing member and having a piercing end, and a cover configured to cover at least the piercing end of the lancet and to be displaced from the piercing end of the lancet during actuation of the testing member.

A system, method and apparatus are provided for facilitating the extraction of bodily fluids, including blood, in a medical setting. The disclosed apparatus is configured as a single unit integral apparatus composed of two opposing and interconnected flexible clip components. A proximal end of a unitary apparatus includes two opposing flexible clip components configured to flexibly yet firmly engage a thumb or finger of the medical professional undertaking the blood draw in a manner that secures the apparatus to the thumb or finger of the medical professional during the blood draw evolution. A distal end of the unitary apparatus includes two opposing flexible clip components configured to flexibly yet firmly engage a blood tube holder of a typical standard diameter to securely hold the blood tube holder in place in proximity to the thumb or finger of the medical professional during the blood draw evolution.

The application relates to a lancing device for obtaining samples of body fluid, said device comprising: a base body which is rotationally symmetrical with relation to the longitudinal axis thereof and on one longitudinal end of which a positioning surface with an exit opening is arranged; a lancet cartridge for receiving a plurality of lancets; a drive device for moving a lancet held in the lancet cartridge back and forth along the longitudinal axis; and a transport device for transporting lancets on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The exit opening is located substantially centrally in the positioning surface and the lancet cartridge has a guide track for the lancets, in which track said lancets can be positioned in such a way that their tips can emerge from the exit opening during the movement back and forth.

A disposable lancet assembly includes: a spring aligned along a linear axis; a lancet aligned along the linear axis adjacent to the spring; a needle cup aligned along the linear axis adjacent to the lancet; and a housing including a channel that accepts an actuator interface such that the needle cup and lancet are able to be moved along the linear axis via the actuator interface. A medical test cartridge includes: a bottom plate; a microfluidic chip; and a top plate, wherein the top plate is coupled to the bottom plate such that the microfluidic chip is retained between the top plate and the bottom plate. A sample collection and testing device includes: a lancet assembly; a lancet actuator coupled to the lancet assembly; and a microfluidic test chip.

A lancing device having a housing with a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis. The lancing device also has a lancet carrier translationally supported with respect to the housing. The lancet carrier has a proximal end and a distal end. The lancing device additionally has a charging mechanism and/or an ejection mechanism adapted to pivot into the lancing device for engaging portions of the lancet carrier to perform the same.

Disclosed herein are analytical aids having a surface coated at least partially with a hydrophilic coating, where the hydrophilic coating includes nanoparticles with silica structure and an average particle size in a range from about 1 nm to about 500 nm. Also disclosed are methods of producing the analytical aids, as well as using the analytical aids in, for example, a sampling device containing the at least partially coated analytical aid.

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for delivering and/or receiving a substance or substances such as blood from subjects. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to devices and methods for receiving or extracting blood from a subject, e.g., from the skin and/or from beneath the skin, using devices containing a substance transfer component (for example, one or more needles or microneedles) and a reduced pressure or vacuum chamber having an internal pressure less than atmospheric pressure prior to receiving blood. In some embodiments, the device may contain a snap dome or other deformable structure, which may be used, at least in part, to urge or move needles or other suitable substance transfer components into the skin of a subject. In some cases, for example, the device may contain a flexible concave member and a needle mechanically coupled to the flexible concave member such that the needle may be urged or moved into the skin using the flexible concave member. Other aspects of the present invention are directed at other devices for receiving blood (or other bodily fluids, e.g., interstitial fluid), kits involving such devices, methods of making such devices, methods of using such devices, and the like.