Lancing device for taking blood samples

Abstract

The invention relates to a lancing device (1) for taking blood samples, having a housing (2), an axially displaceable lancet holder element (32) for holding a lancet (12), a lancing spring element for accelerating the axially displaceable lancet holder element (32) in a lancing direction (18), and a release element (13) for initiating a lancing procedure, in which the axially displaceable lancet holder element (32) is accelerated in a lancing direction (18) by the tensioned lancing spring element, wherein the lancing device (1) comprises a locking apparatus (20), which can be released by the release element (13), for locking a lancing spring element tensioning procedure.

Claims

1. A lancing device for taking blood samples, comprising a housing, an axially displaceable lancet holder element for holding a lancet, a lancing spring element for accelerating the axially displaceable lancet holder element in a lancing direction, and a release element for initiating a lancing procedure, in which the axially displaceable lancet holder element is accelerated in the lancing direction by means of the tensioned lancing spring element, wherein said lancing spring element is initially tensioned in a tensioning procedure by displacement of an axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part, wherein the lancing device comprises a locking apparatus for locking said lancing spring element in the tensioning procedure, wherein the locking is actuated by the release element, and wherein the locking apparatus comprises at least one stop part for abutment with at least one locking rib part of the release element, the at least one stop part being arranged on said tensioning carriage part, wherein by said abutment the displacement in the lancing direction of said tensioning carriage part is prevented; wherein a locking movement of the release element moves the at least one locking rib part into abutment with the at least one stop part.

2. The lancing device according to claim 1, wherein the release element is arranged in the housing of the lancing device such that said displacement of the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part of a tensioning unit of the lancing device into a front maximum sliding position is blocked by a radially directed actuating movement of the release element in relation to the lancing direction.

3. The lancing device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one locking rib part extends from a push-piece and display head part of the release element into a longitudinal-extension sliding plane of the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part, in which the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part is arranged axially slidably at least in part.

4. The lancing device according to claim 3, wherein the longitudinal-extension sliding plane is arranged between a central longitudinal axis and the release element.

5. The lancing device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one locking rib part comprises a locking bevel which is inclined in relation to the lancing direction.

6. The lancing device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one stop part comprises a stop bevel which faces a locking bevel of the at least one locking rib part of the release element and is arranged opposite said locking bevel.

7. The lancing device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one stop part is aligned with the lancing direction.

8. The lancing device according to claim 1, wherein at least the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part can be moved in translation to tension the lancing spring element in the lancing direction.

Description

IN THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows schematically an overview of a lancing device for taking blood samples comprising a locking apparatus according to the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 shows schematically a perspective model view of the lancing device from FIG. 1, but without the housing;

(3) FIG. 3 shows schematically a first functional side view of the lancing device from FIGS. 1 and 2 comprising an active locking apparatus, in which stop parts of an axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part rest axially against locking rib parts of the release element in relation to the lancing direction;

(4) FIG. 4 shows schematically a further functional side view of the lancing device from FIGS. 1 to 3, in which the stop parts are arranged radially under the locking rib parts of the release element in relation to the lancing direction;

(5) FIG. 5 shows schematically a further overview of the lancing device from FIGS. 1 to 4 according to the operating state shown in FIG. 4;

(6) FIG. 6 shows schematically a rear cross-sectional view of the lancing device from FIGS. 1 to 5 at the level of the radially disengaged release element; and

(7) FIG. 7 shows schematically another overview of the lancing device from FIGS. 1 to 6 in a released lancing state.

(8) The lancing device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 is intended for taking a blood sample. The lancing device 1 comprises a two-part housing 2 comprising an upper shell part 3 and a lower shell part 4.

(9) The lancing device 1 extends with a longitudinal extension 5 along a longitudinal axis 6 from an end region 7 of the lancing device 1 to a head region 8 of the lancing device 1, a screw cap 9 having a feed-through opening 10 for a lancing needle 11 of a replaceable lancet 12 (see for example FIG. 2) of the lancing device 1 being screwed into the two-part housing 2 in this head region 8 of the lancing device 1. In this embodiment, the longitudinal axis 6 is also the central longitudinal axis of the lancing device 1.

(10) On the upper shell part 3, a release pressure element 13 for initiating a lancing procedure using the lancing device 1 and a tensioning slide element 14, which both project radially beyond the outer face 15 of the two-part housing 2 such that they are easily manually accessible, are located radially adjacent to the longitudinal axis 6.

(11) On the lower shell part 4, an ejector slide element 16, which likewise projects radially beyond the outer housing surface 15 of the two-part housing 2 so as also to be manually accessible without difficulty, is located radially adjacent to the longitudinal axis 6.

(12) While the tensioning slide element 14 and the ejector slide element 16 are displaceable axially along the longitudinal axis 6 in axial directions 17 and in particular in the lancing direction 18, the release pressure element 13 is displaceable radially in relation to the longitudinal axis 6 in radial directions 19.

(13) The illustration according to FIG. 2 shows the lancing device 1 without the housing 2.

(14) The lancing device 1 is distinguished by a locking apparatus 20 which can be released by the release element 13 for locking a lancing spring element tensioning procedure.

(15) The locking apparatus 20 is distinguished on one hand by locking rib parts 21 and 22 provided on the release element 13, which provide inclined locking bevels 21A and 22A in relation to the lancing direction 18 (see FIG. 6).

(16) On the other hand, the locking apparatus 20 also comprises two stop parts 23 and 24 aligned with the lancing direction 18 (see FIG. 2) for abutting the locking rib parts 21 and 22, whereby the tensioning procedure of the lancing device 1 can be locked in a structurally simple manner if the release element 13 is pushed accidentally or deliberately.

(17) The locking bevels 21A and 22A can advantageously interact with the stop bevels 23A and 24A when locking the tensioning procedure, since the locking bevels 21A, 22A face the stop bevels 23A and 24A and are arranged opposite said stop bevels.

(18) The tensioning slide element 14 is a component of a tensioning unit 25 of the lancing device 1, the tensioning unit 25 further comprising at least an axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 for axially displacing a fixable tensioning carriage part (not shown here) and a tensioning carriage spring element 28 for displacing the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 and the tensioning slide element 14 back into a rear starting position 29 after a tensioning procedure.

(19) The fixable tensioning carriage part and the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 are not fixed rigidly to one another but are mounted such that they can be slid axially in relation to one another; however, the fixable tensioning carriage part is entrained by the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 when the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 is manually displaced in the lancing direction 18 by means of the tensioning slide element 14.

(20) In this connection, both the fixable tensioning carriage part and the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 are designed as sleeve parts 27A, the sleeve part (not shown here) of the fixable tensioning carriage part being mounted such that it can be slid axially inside the further tensioning carriage part 27, at least in part, and the sleeve part 27A of the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 being mounted such that it can be slid axially in the upper and lower shell parts 3 and 4 of the two-part housing 2.

(21) The axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 is connected with a positive fit to the tensioning slide element 14 (see in particular FIG. 2), whereby said tensioning carriage part can be actuated manually by means of the tensioning slide element 14 without difficulty.

(22) If said tensioning slide element 14 is slid in the lancing direction 18 by the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 while the release element 13 is being pushed, the stop bevels 23A and 24A of the stop arms 23 and 24 arranged on the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 come into contact with the locking bevels 21A, 22A of the locking rib elements 21 and 22 provided on the release element 13, whereby further displacement in particular of the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 into a front maximum sliding position 73 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) is no longer possible. The lancing spring element cannot be tensioned.

(23) The lancing device 1 also comprises a latching apparatus (not shown here) which as a sleeve part 35 in the two-part housing 2 is rigidly fixed to the upper and lower shell parts 3 and 4 and is thus axially secured against sliding.

(24) Advantageously, the sleeve part 35 simultaneously also serves as a mounting and guiding apparatus for axial and radial mounting of an axially displaceable lancet holder element 32, whereby the lancing device 1 again has a reduced number of components and thus a more compact design.

(25) In order that the sleeve part 35 can be mounted in particular in a twist-proof manner in the housing 2 of the lancing device 1, the sleeve part 35 comprises some stay bolts 38 (given a reference numeral only by way of example) and screw tabs 39 (also given a reference numeral only by way of example), by means of which the sleeve part 35 can be fastened to the housing 2 in a stationary manner.

(26) The release element 13 also forms a display apparatus 40 for displaying the respective operating states 41 or 42 of the lancing device 1.

(27) If the lancing device 1 is in an operating state 41 ready for lancing (see FIGS. 4, 5 and 6), the release element 13 projects further outwards over the outer housing surface 15 of the lancing device 1 in a disengaged display position 43 than in different operating states 42 (see FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 7), in which the lancing device 1 is not yet ready for lancing or is no longer ready for lancing.

(28) In all the operating states 42 which are different from the operating state 41 ready for lancing, the release element 13 is not in the disengaged display position 43.

(29) As a result, the operating state 41 ready for lancing is advantageously signalled and indicated or produced optically, haptically and structurally in an extremely simple manner.

(30) In this respect, the release element 13 is arranged in the housing 2 such that it can be disengaged radially from the housing 2 by the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27.

(31) It will be understood that this functionality can be implemented in a variety of ways.

(32) In the present embodiment, the release element 13 has two disengagement rib parts 50 and 51 (see in particular FIG. 6) for introducing disengagement forces into the release element 13 and thus also for radially disengaging the release element 13 from the housing 2 of the lancing device 1 into the disengaged display position 43.

(33) In this embodiment, the two disengagement rib parts 50 and 51 are in particular structurally identical to the locking rib parts 21 and 22.

(34) These two disengagement rib parts 50, 51 each extend in this respect from a push-piece and display head part 52 of the release element 13 radially downwards 53 (see FIG. 4) towards the longitudinal axis 6 of the lancing device 1, such that these are arranged on the release element 13 so as to be easily axially accessible by the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27.

(35) In particular, the two disengagement rib parts 50, 51 pass through a longitudinal-extension sliding plane 54 (see FIG. 3) of the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 when the release element 13 is not yet in the disengaged display position 43.

(36) Said longitudinal-extension sliding plane 54 is positioned between the central longitudinal axis of the lancing device 1 and the release element 13 or the push-piece and display head part 52.

(37) In order to be able to interact in particular without tilting with the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27, the two disengagement rib parts 50 and 51 each comprise a disengagement bevel 55 and 56 which is inclined in relation to the lancing direction 18, which bevels are accordingly also arranged so as to be inclined in relation to the longitudinal-extension sliding plane 54.

(38) Interaction between the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 and the release element 13 is further improved since the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 is provided with two actuation elements 57 and 58 for disengaging the release element 13.

(39) Said actuation elements 57, 58 extend, when viewed in the lancing direction 18, on the head side 59 of the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 in the form of two arm parts 60 and 61 extending mutually parallel.

(40) Said arm parts 60 and 61 in turn each provide actuation bevels 62 and 63 (see FIG. 2) which are inclined in relation to the lancing direction 18, which bevels interact with the inclined disengagement bevels 55 and 56 as counter-faces when the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 is moved axially in the lancing direction 18, and in this case the release element 13 is moved radially into the disengaged display position 43.

(41) The lancing device 1 has a holding apparatus 70 for temporarily holding the release element 13 in the disengaged display position 43.

(42) In this embodiment, the holding apparatus 70 is formed such that it comprises a plurality of snap elements 71 (given a reference numeral here only by way of example) on the release element 13 and a plurality of elevation elements 72 (given a reference numeral only by way of example) on the housing 2, behind which elevation elements said snap elements 71 can snap (see in particular FIG. 6).

(43) While in particular the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 of the lancing device 1 is still in the rear starting position 29 with respect to the illustrations according to FIGS. 1 and 2, this axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 in the illustration according to FIG. 3 is already axially manually slid forward in the lancing direction 18 such that the inclined actuation bevels 62 and 63 thereof rest on the inclined disengagement bevels 55 and 56 of the release element 13. In this case, the release element 13 is not yet radially disengaged.

(44) If a user now intentionally or unintentionally exerts a manual actuation force 74 on the release element 13, the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 is blocked in the lancing direction 18. In this respect, the locking apparatus 20 is produced in a structurally simple manner without additional components. Additional operation of the locking apparatus 20 is also unnecessary.

(45) However, if the release element 13 is not pushed, the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 can be slid further in the lancing direction 18, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

(46) The illustrations according to FIGS. 4 and 5 show the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 now in a maximum sliding position 73 which is displaced maximally in the lancing direction 18, in which position the release element 13 is already in the disengaged display position 43. In this front maximum sliding position 73, the two arm parts 60 and 61 of the actuation elements 57 and 58 completely engage under the two disengagement rib parts 50 and 51 of the release element 13 and lift said element with the snap elements 71 of the holding apparatus 70 over the elevation elements 72 of the holding apparatus 70, whereby the release element 13 also remains in the disengaged display position 43 when the axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27 then springs back or is sprung back again into the rear starting position 29 counter to the lancing direction 18 with the help of spring forces (see FIG. 6).

(47) The illustration according to FIG. 7 shows the lancing device 1 already in a released state, in which the release element 13 is pushed radially into the housing 2 by a manual actuation force 74 and by overcoming the holding forces applied by the holding apparatus 70 and the lancing needle 11 of the lancet 12 is already arranged in the lancing end position 75.

(48) The tensioning mechanism described above can also be used when the tensioning slide element 14 is alternatively positioned at the end region 7 as a push button (not shown here) or the like.

(49) In the present case, the release element 13 advantageously takes on two further functions in addition to the actual release function, namely that of a locking apparatus 20 and that of a display apparatus 40.

(50) In this respect, it is extremely advantageous for the locking apparatus 20 and the display apparatus 40 to be structurally identical or at least to be formed structurally identically with respect to their essential components, such that the lancing device 1 is constructed in a structurally simple manner despite these functions, and in addition is easy for even an inexperienced user to handle.

(51) It will be understood that the embodiment described above is merely a first configuration of the lancing device according to the invention. In this respect, the configuration of the invention is not limited to this one embodiment.

(52) Certain features disclosed in the application are understood to be novel, including for example features either individually or in combination with other features as compared with the prior art.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(53) 1 lancing device 2 two-part housing 3 upper shell part 4 lower shell part 5 longitudinal extension 6 longitudinal axis 7 end region 8 head region 9 screw cap 10 feed-through opening 11 lancing needle 12 lancet 13 release pressure element 14 tensioning slide element 15 outer housing surface 16 ejector slide element 17 axial directions 18 lancing direction 19 radial directions 20 locking apparatus 21 left locking rib part 21A left locking bevel 22 right locking rib part 22A right locking bevel 23 left stop part 23A left stop bevel 24 right stop part 24A right stop bevel 25 tensioning unit 27 axially slidably mounted tensioning carriage part 27A sleeve part of the tensioning carriage part 28 tensioning carriage spring element 29 rear starting position 32 axially displaceable lancet holder element 35 sleeve part of a latching apparatus 38 stay bolts 39 screw-receiving tabs 40 display apparatus 41 operating state ready for lancing 42 operating states not ready for lancing 43 disengaged display position 50 left disengagement rib part 51 right disengagement rib part 52 push-piece and display head part 53 downwards 54 longitudinal-extension sliding plane 55 inclined left disengagement bevel 56 inclined right disengagement bevel 57 right actuation element 58 left actuation element 59 head side 60 right arm part 61 left arm part 62 inclined right actuation bevel 63 inclined left actuation bevel 70 holding apparatus 71 snap elements 72 elevation elements 73 front maximum sliding position 74 manual actuation force 75 lancing end position