The disclosed apparatus, systems and methods relate to the collection of bodily fluids through the use of gravity and microfluidic properties by way of a collector. The collector can make use of microfluidic networks connected to collection sites on the skin of a subject to gather and shuttle blood into a reservoir by a combination of capillary action and gravitational forces. The collected fluid is moved through the microfluidic networks and into the reservoir by a variety of approaches.

The disclosure discloses a single-handed operable infant heel blood sampling device and its safety mechanism, including a push-pull rod and an actuating rod partially extending outside the blood sampler housing; the actuating rod has a second hook portion that can engage with the first hook portion; to perform blood sampling, push down the push-pull rod to disengage the buckle portion from the housing, causing the first hook portion to engage with the second hook portion on the first end of the actuating rod; then pull up the push-pull rod to pull the actuating rod, and the actuating rod thus releases a pre-compressed spring set inside the blood sampler housing, allowing the blade originally positioned in a first position inside the housing to slide out from a cutting port and then be retracted into a second position inside the housing.

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for delivering and/or receiving a substance or substances such as blood, from subjects, e.g., from the skin and/or from beneath the skin. In one aspect, the present invention is generally 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 fluid transporter (for example, one or more microneedles), and a storage chamber having an internal pressure less than atmospheric pressure prior to receiving blood. In some cases, the device may be self-contained, and in certain instances, the device can be applied to the skin, and activated to receive blood from the subject. The device, or a portion thereof, may then be processed to determine the blood and/or an analyte within the blood, alone or with an external apparatus. For example, blood may be received from the device, and/or the device may contain sensors or agents able to determine the blood and/or an analyte suspected of being contained in the blood. In another aspect, the present invention is generally directed to arrangements of skin insertion objects such as microneedles and methods of forming and arranging skin insertion objects. 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.

A test cartridge includes an adjustable lancet. The adjustable lancet is controlled by a controller. The adjustable lancet automatically detects a subject's finger, adjusts the lancet's height, pricks the finger to draw blood, moves a tube to collect the blood, moves the tube away from the finger, and empties the blood from the tube into a vial or receptacle. The adjustable lancet may include safety features to prevent the lancet to trigger when the subject's fingernail is facing the lancet, to control the amount that the lancet pierces the subject's finger, and/or to prevent the reuse of a test cartridge for multiple persons or multiple times by the same person. The adjustable lancet may include a massager wheel and/or a pressure bar to rub the subject's finger after the finger is pierced to facilitate drawing of the blood from the finger.

A system and method for preparing a diagnostic fluid sample for use with a fluid assay system. The method comprises the steps of: amplifying the fluid sample to increase the number of cells subject to being tested; drawing a first volume of the fluid sample into a first syringe of a dual-barrel syringe and dispensing the first volume of the fluid sample through a media filter. The method further comprises the steps of placing the bacteria-laced filter into a lysis module; dispensing a first portion of a lysis buffer into the lysis module from the second syringe of the dual-barrel syringe; and dispensing a second portion of the lysis buffer through the media filter into a disposable cartridge of a fluid assay system.

The present invention generally relates, in certain aspects, to relatively small devices applied to the skin, modular systems, and methods of use thereof. In some aspects, the device is constructed and arranged to have more than one module. For instance, the device may have a module for delivering to and/or withdrawing fluid from the skin and/or beneath the skin of a subject and a module for transmitting a signal indicative of the fluid delivered to and/or withdrawn from the skin and/or beneath the skin of the subject, a module for analyzing a fluid withdrawn from the skin and/or beneath the skin of the subject, or the like. In some embodiments, the modules are connectable and/or detachable from each other, and in some cases, the connections and/or detachments may be performed while the device is in contact with the subject, e.g., while affixed to the subject. In some embodiments, the device may be repeatedly applicable to the skin of the subject to deliver to and/or withdraw fluid from the skin and/or beneath the skin of a subject, e.g., at the same location, or at different locations on the skin of the subject. In some aspects, the devices may be self-contained and/or have a relatively small size, and in some cases, the device may be sized such that it is wearable and/or able to be carried by a subject. For example, the device may have a mass and/or dimensions that allow the device to be carried or worn by a subject for various periods of time, e.g., at least about an hour, at least about a day, at least about a week, etc., or no more than about an hour, no more than about 10 min, etc.

The present disclosure relates to a continuous blood glucose measurement device and an applicator, wherein the continuous blood glucose measurement device is produced in a state in which a body attachment unit has been assembled inside an applicator, so as to minimize a user's additional work of attaching the body attachment unit to the body, thereby enabling the body attachment unit to be attached to the body only by simply activating the applicator. Particularly, the present invention provides a continuous blood glucose measurement device and an applicator, wherein the continuous blood glucose measurement device: includes a wireless communication chip in a body attachment unit so as to enable communication with an external terminal, thereby enabling simple and convenient use thereof, without additional work for connecting a separate transmitter, and easier maintenance; and is activated by a user's operation after the body attachment unit is attached to the body, so as to enable the operation start time to be adjusted to an appropriate time according to user's needs, and to enable the operation to start in a stabilized state so that blood glucose can be measured more accurately.

A pen format liquid collection device includes an elongate generally tubular housing (12, 112, 212, 312) able to be held by hand and having an opening at one end, and at least one liquid take-up element (30, 130, 230, 330) mounted in the housing so as to be positioned or positionable to project at the opening, the at least one liquid take-up element then further postionable by hand manipulation of the housing to contact a volume of liquid to thereby take-up a sample of the liquid to be analysed. At least one retention element (230a, 330a) is supported in the housing. The at least one liquid take-up element and the at least one retention element are arranged whereby they are relatively movable into contact, and the at least one retention element is adapted on contact to in turn take-up the sample and retain the sample or a component thereof for in situ analysis or later recovery while protected within the housing. The liquid take-up element is preferably a capillary.

Methods and systems for collecting blood samples are described. The disclosed methods and systems employ exposure of the skin surface at a sampling location to electromagnetic radiation, such as blue light, to induce vasodilation in the skin in order to increase a rate of capillary perfusion and blood collection. Following or during the exposure process, the skin at the sampling location can be pricked with one or more lancets to generate capillary perfusion sites for the blood collection process. Following collection of a blood sample, some of the disclosed devices and methods can optionally use heat or infrared electromagnetic radiation to increase a clotting rate to close the capillary perfusion sites.