Patent ID: 9179872
Filing Date: 2015-11-10
Classification: A61B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for obtaining a bodily fluid sample comprising: providing a reel-to-reel tape carrying a plurality of lancets that are non-circular in cross section along a major portion of a length of each of the plurality of lancets, the tape having a length and defining a supply section of the tape, a storage section of the tape, and an activating section of the tape that spans between the supply and the storage sections wherein the activating section of the tape is translatable independently of the supply section of the tape and the storage section of the tape; advancing the tape to position a first lancet adjacent a bend in the activating section of the tape with a sharp tip of the first lancet spaced from the tape; translating only the activating section of the tape with a mechanism without activating the supply section and the storage section of the tape to pierce tissue with the sharp tip of the first lancet; and after the piercing, advancing the tape to bring the sharp tip of the first lancet closer to the tape wherein the supply section of the tape is wrapped around a supply reel and the storage section of the tape is wrapped around a storage reel, the supply reel and the storage reel being spaced apart from each other, and either the supply reel or the storage reel is configured to advance the tape.