Patent ID: 8480596
Filing Date: 2013-07-09
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A vacuum assisted lancing system for blood extraction, comprising: a tubular body having a central longitudinal axis, a lancing end and a free end, the lancing end having a sealing device for contacting a surface for blood extraction; a lancing shaft having a lance coupling end configured to couple with a lance and an actuating end, the lancing shaft being slideably coupled along the longitudinal axis to the lancing end of the body with the actuating end disposed within the body facing toward the free end of the body; at least one lancing spring coupled to the lancing shaft; a release mechanism coupled to the body; a main shaft having an actuating end, a free end and a release coupler, wherein the main shaft is slideably coupled with the free end of the body along the longitudinal axis so that the release coupler can communicate with the release mechanism, and wherein the actuating end of the main shaft is disposed inside the body facing toward the actuating end of the lancing shaft, and wherein the free end of the main shaft is disposed proximate to the free end of the body; a piston coupled to the main shaft and disposed within the body so that a vacuum chamber is formed between the sealing device and the piston; an opening that allows fluid communication between the vacuum chamber and an atmosphere surrounding the vacuum chamber; a vacuum spring coupled within the body so that the piston is biased toward the free end of the body and away from the actuating end of the lancing shaft; and a shaft coupler having at least two separable portions that, when coupled, removably couple the actuating end of the lancing shaft and the actuating end of the main shaft to one another, wherein a first portion of the at least two separable portions is coupled to the actuating end of the lancing shaft and a second portion of the at least two separable portions is coupled to the actuating end of the main shaft.