Abstract:
The present invention is directed toward a safety lancet having a safety cap slidably engaged with a hub having a cannula such that in a pre-use position the safety cap allows access to the cannula and in post-use position, the safety cap prevents access to the cannula.

Description:
REFERENCE TO PENDING APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is not based on any pending domestic or international patent application. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is generally directed toward a safety lancet, more specifically, toward an safety lancet having safety cap that will eliminate any chance of it being exposed and accidentally cause an injury in an un-intended application. 
         [0003]    Diabetics must test for stat glucose levels up in order to determine whether or not they should administer insulin. The procedure involves drawing a drop of blood from the diabetic&#39;s finger, placing the drop of blood on a commercially available blood glucose test strip, and comparing the resulting color of the test strip with a standard chart to determine the blood glucose concentration. 
         [0004]    In order to draw the need drop of blood, a lancet, a medical device with a very sharp and tiny pointed instrument, is used. Diabetic patients use these devices to prick on the tip of a finger to produce a very small amount of blood which can then be collected and tested for its sugar content. The prior art lancets have to be handled very carefully by patient or person. These lancets are exposed and can be dangerous to accidental pricks and injury. Further, after use, they have to be disposed in a specially designed collection container or risk exposure to cross-contamination to another person. Clearly, there is a need for an improved lancet. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention satisfies the needs discussed above. The present invention is generally directed toward a safety lancet, more specifically, toward a safety lancet having safety cap that will eliminate any chance of it being exposed and accidentally cause an injury in an un-intended application. 
         [0006]    One aspect of the present invention discloses a hub assembly secured within a pen body. The hub assembly has a hub body and a series of grooves. A safety cap assembly is slidably connected to the hub assembly, such that is engages the different grooves depending on whether it is in a pre-use position or a post-use position. In the pre-use position, a cannula that is located on the hub assembly is exposed and is ready for use. In a post-use position, the cannula is cover, or otherwise shielded, from contact. 
         [0007]    An adjustment cap is also disclosed. This adjustment cap allows for the cannula to extend through an opening therein. Once the blood has been drawn, the adjustment cap is removed. In so doing, it engages with the safety cap pulling it from a pre-use position to its post-use position. 
         [0008]    Upon reading the above description, various alternative embodiments will become obvious to those skilled in the art. These embodiments are to be considered within the scope and spirit of the subject invention, which is only to be limited by the claims which follow and their equivalents. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a prospective, cut-away view of an embodiment of the present invention 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a cut-away view of an embodiment of the hub assembly of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the embodiment of the  FIG. 1  after use of an embodiment of the hub assembly of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0012]      FIGS. 4-6  are additional embodiments of the safety cap assembly of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The attached drawing demonstrates an embodiment of the present invention. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in a variety of ways. It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
         [0014]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , an embodiment  10  of the present invention has a pen body assembly  20  having a hub end  22  having an opening  24 . A hub assembly  30  secured within the pen body opening  24 . The hub assembly  30  has a hub body  32 , a cannula  44  and a safety cap assembly  50 . 
         [0015]    The hub body  32  has a cannula end  34  and a pen body end  36 . Further, the hub body  32  has a series of grooves, a cannula end groove  38  located proximate to the cannula end  34 , a pen body end groove  40  located proximate to the pen body end  36  and an intermediate groove  42  located between the cannula end groove  38  and the pen body end groove  40 . 
         [0016]    A cannula  44  is secured to the cannula end  34  and extends away therefrom. 
         [0017]    The safety cap assembly  50  is dimensioned such that is can slide along the outside of the hub body  32 . The safety cap assembly is shown as cylindrical in dimension. This is illustrative and other dimensions, such rectangular, can be used. The safety cap assembly  50  has a safety cap body  52  having an upper end  54  and a lower end  56 . A plurality of safety cap pulling hooks  58  are located near, or proximate, to the upper end  54  and extending outward. A plurality of prongs  60  extend away from the lower end  56 . Each of the plurality of prongs  60  have an anti-back hook  62  extend inward. 
         [0018]    The anti-back hooks  62  are dimensioned to engage with the intermediate groove  42  when the safety cap assembly  50  is a pre-use position and to engage with the cannula end groove  38  when the safety cap assembly  50  is in a post-use position. 
         [0019]    An adjustment cap  70  engages with the hub assembly  30  by being dimensioned to fit over the hub assembly  30  and allow a portion of the cannula to  44  to extend beyond the adjustment cap  70  through a cannula opening  72 . Further, the adjustment cap  70  has a plurality of adjustment cap pulling hooks  74  located its inter surface. These hooks  74  engage the safety cap pulling hooks  58  such that when the adjustment cap  70  is removed, the safety cap assembly  50  is moved from its pre-use position to its post-use position allowing safety cap body  52  to shield the cannula  44 . 
         [0020]    Another embodiment of the present invention allows for the hub assembly  30  to be removably secured to the pen body assembly  20 . In this embodiment, the pen body includes a plurality of locking hooks  26  that engage with the pen body end groove  40  located within the hub body  32 . 
         [0021]    The operation of the embodiment of the present invention involves assembling the safety cap assembly  50  onto the hub assembly  30  by sliding the safety cap body  52  over the hub body  32  until the anti-back hooks  62  engage with the intermediate groove  42 . The pen body end  36  of the hub assembly  30  is then secured within said pen body  20 . In one embodiment, locking hooks  26  within the pen body  20  engage with the pen body end groove  40  locking in hub assembly  30  in position. 
         [0022]    A needle cap  48  is removed exposing the cannula  44  and is replaced with the adjustment cap  70 . The adjustment cap  70  is positioned such that the desired length of the cannula  44  extends through the cannula opening  72  located within the adjustment cap  70 . 
         [0023]    Once the blood has been collected, the adjustment cap  70  is removed by pulling it away from the pen body  20 . The action of removing the adjustment cap  70  allows the adjustment cap pulling hooks  74  engage with the safety cap pulling hooks  58 . Due to the different resistance caused by the different angle and thickness of the various contact fields, the resistance of the adjustment cap pulling hooks  74  and safety cap pulling hooks  58  are greater than that of the anti-back hooks  62  and intermediate groove  42  but less than that of the pen body locking hooks  26  that are engaged with the pen body end groove  40 . This causes the anti-back hooks  62  to disengage from said intermediate groove allowing the safety cap body to slide along the hub body until it engages with the cannula end groove  38 . When this occurs, the adjustment cap pulling hooks  74  disengage from the safety cap pulling hooks  58  allowing the adjustment cap  70  to be released. The safety cap body  52  now extends beyond the cannula end  34  of the hub assembly  30 , essentially covering, or otherwise shielding the cannula  44 . Thus preventing any accidental contact. 
         [0024]    While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification.