The disclosed apparatus, systems and methods relate to devices, systems and methods for the collection of bodily fluids involving a single-use actuation and retraction mechanism disposed within a collector.

A body fluid sensing device with a body fluid capture structure and a body fluid measurement sensor positioned in the body fluid capture structure. A capacitance sensor is coupled to the body fluid measurement sensor. The capacitance sensor is used to assist in the positioning of a body part relative to the body fluid capture structure.

The disclosed apparatus, systems and methods relate to devices, systems and methods for the collection of bodily fluids involving a single-use actuation and retraction mechanism disposed within a collector.

A system for needle-free drawing of blood is disclosed. A device can include an evacuated negative-pressure barrel with a membrane sealing an aperture at a distal end, and a housing affixed to a proximal end. An accelerator barrel can be positioned within the negative-pressure barrel and fixed to the housing, with an open proximal end in a chamber in the housing, and an open distal end aligned with the aperture. The chamber can be filled with pressurized gas, and a trigger valve can hydrostatically separate the chamber from the open proximal end of the accelerator barrel. A micro-particle positioned within the accelerator barrel can be accelerated to high speed by an abrupt surge of gas by releasing the trigger valve. The micro-particle can attain enough momentum to pierce the aperture membrane and penetrate adjacent dermal tissue. A resulting micro-emergence of blood can be drawn into the negative pressure barrel.

Devices are provided to automatically access blood from beneath or within skin. These devices include an injector configured to drive a needle into the skin and subsequently to retract the needle from the skin. These devices additionally include a seal to which suction is applied. To drive the needle into the skin, the needle is first driven through the seal, creating at least one hole in the seal. The suction applied to the seal acts to draw blood from the puncture formed in the skin by the needle, through the at least one hole in the seal, and to a sensor, blood storage element, or other payload. These devices can be wearable and configured to automatically access blood from skin, for example, to access blood from the skin at one or more points in time while a wearer of a device is sleeping.

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.

The invention relates to a lancing device (1) for obtaining bodily fluid samples, comprising a base body (3), on one longitudinal-face end (6) of which a removable cap (12) is arranged which has a positioning face (8) with an outlet opening (7), a lancet magazine (4) for receiving at least one lancet (5), which is held replaceably in the base body (3), a drive device (14) for moving a lancet (5) arranged in the lancet magazine (4) back and forth in the direction of the longitudinal axis (2), said lancet being positioned therein in such a way that the tip thereof can exit the outlet opening (7) during the movement back and forth, wherein the lancet magazine (4) has a locking element (30) and the cap (12) has an unlocking element (31) formed to engage in the locking element (30).

Devices are provided to automatically access blood from beneath or within skin. These devices include a plurality of injectors configured to drive needles into the skin and draw samples of blood into the device. These devices additionally include a plurality of sensors which can detect a target analyte in the blood samples received by the device. These devices further include a user interface, which may prompt the user to self-administer a dose of a substance, or accept a user input which could affect or otherwise influence the activation of the device (i.e., the firing of needles to draw blood samples into the device and detect an analyte). These devices can be wearable and configured to automatically access blood from skin, for example, to access blood from the skin at one or more points in time after the user has self-administered a dose of a substance.

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.

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.