Patent Publication Number: US-2022211309-A1

Title: Disposable Lancing Device and Method of Operating the Same

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a disposable lancing device and a method of operating the same. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In current general medical examination process, injection or invasive blood sampling devices are often used. For example, in order to effectively control the blood glucose concentration of diabetic patients, medical staff must use the blood sampling device to prick the patient&#39;s skin to collect blood samples every day. Drop the collected blood sample on the test piece, insert the test piece into the blood glucose meter, and read the blood glucose concentration of the blood sample. 
     At present, there are quick and easy-to-operate testing instruments on the market. Only a small amount of blood from the subject can be detected. Therefore, the subject only needs to puncture the skin and squeeze out a small amount of blood, which will be sufficient for the detection of the testing instrument. Therefore, there are also blood collection devices on the market designed to meet this demand. One type of blood collection device mainly has a pen-shaped grip and uses a pressing method to make the blood sampling needle puncture the skin of the person being collected. After the needle is used, replace the needle. However, this method may be caused by the negligence of the blood sampling staff forgetting to replace the blood sampling needle. The blood sampler suffers from infection, and the risk of the blood sampler being punctured by the lancet when replacing the lancet is also increased. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 14-17 , a disposable lancing device is disclosed in TW Patent No. 094141724 and contains: a casing A 10  in which two abutting portions A 11  are formed, an opening A 12  defined on a front end of the casing A 10 , multiple locking orifices A 13  defined a rear end of the casing A 10 , such that a needle holder A 20  is received in the casing A 10 . The needle holder A 20  includes a collection needle A 22  formed on an end thereof corresponding to the opening A 12 , and the collection needle A 22  is fitted with a protective tube A 40 . The needle holder A 20  includes two flexible wings A 21  extending from two sides thereof and two free segments of the two flexible wings A 21  abut against the two abutting portions A 11 . The needle holder A 20  further includes a column A 23  fitted with a spring A 30 , and a distal end of the spring A 30  engages with a press member A 14  which is movably mounted on the distal end of the casing A 10 . The press member A 14  has two protrusions A 15  extending from an outer wall thereof and corresponding to the multiple locking orifices A 13  of the casing A 10 . The two protrusions A 15  are engaged in the multiple locking orifices A 13 . When desiring to collect blood, the protective tube A 40  is removed, as illustrated in  FIG. 14 , and the press member A 14  is pressed so that the two protrusions A 15  are removed from the multiple locking orifices A 13  to push the two flexible wings A 12  of the needle holder A 20  to retract inward, and the two free segments of the two flexible wings A 21  detach from the two abutting portions A 11 , as shown in  FIG. 15 , wherein the spring A 30  is released to urge the needle holder A 20  to trigger the collection needle A 22  into a skin of a user, as shown in  FIG. 16 , and the needle holder A 20  is pushed by the spring A 30  to retract into the casing A 10 . 
     However, the spring A 30  forces the needle holder A 20  to trigger the collection needle A 22  into a skin of a user suddenly, thus causing stabbing pain. Furthermore, the two free segments of the two flexible wings A 21  of the needle holder A 20  friction the casing A 10  to cause inaccurate trigger of the collection needle A 22  and damage to the casing A 10 . 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable lancing device that is capable of overcoming the shortcomings of the conventional disposable lancing device. 
     To obtain above-mentioned aspect, a disposable lancing device provided by the present invention contains: a first casing, a second casing, and a needle holder. 
     The first casing includes a close segment formed on a first end of the first casing, an open segment formed on a second end of the first casing, a slideway formed in the first casing, two tilted contact faces formed on two side wall of the slideway, two first shoulders formed on the slideway, a fixing portion formed on the slideway and corresponding to the close segment, two recesses defined on two side walls of the first casing, and two push fringes formed around the two recesses. 
     The second casing includes an accommodation chamber defined in the second casing, and the second casing is slidably received on the slideway of the first casing, the second casing includes two limitation extensions corresponding to the first casing and engaged with the two first shoulders of the casing, multiple drive protrusions proximate to the two limitation extensions and having multiple urge segments formed on multiple predetermined positions of the multiple drive protrusions. A forcing face is defined on an end of the second casing opposite to the two limitation extensions, and a through hole is defined on a center of the forcing face. The through hole has a protruded rib extending outward therearound opposite to the forcing face. 
     The needle holder is defined between the first casing and the second casing, and the needle holder includes a collection needle accommodated in the needle holder. The collection needle includes a syringe needle fixed on an end thereof and corresponding to the through hole of the second casing, the needle holder further includes a trigger spring corresponding to the fixing portion of the first casing, and the needle holder further includes a return spring corresponding to the through hole of the second casing. The needle holder includes two symmetrical flexible wings corresponding to the two tilted contact faces of the first casing, and the two symmetrical flexible wings include two driving segments formed on two distal ends thereof. The two driving segments abut against the two symmetrical flexible wings of the needle holder to flexibly retract inward by using the two tilted contact faces of the first casing. 
     Thereby, the needle holder includes the trigger spring and the return spring so that when the trigger spring pushes the needle holder toward the through hole of the second casing, the return spring buffers the pushing force of the trigger spring to the syringe needle so as to reduce the stabbing pain. Preferably, when the forcing face presses the collection portion by mating with the protruded rib, the subcutaneous fat of the collection portion is pressed in the thickness so as to reduce the stabbing pain when piercing the collection needle into the skin of the user. In addition, the trigger spring and the return spring pull the needle holder and the syringe needle back quickly to finish the blood collection. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the assembly of a disposable lancing device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the operation of the disposable lancing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side plane view showing the operation of the disposable lancing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of the disposable lancing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is another cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of the disposable lancing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the exploded components of the disposable lancing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the exploded components a part of the disposable lancing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of the disposable lancing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view showing the operation of the disposable lancing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is another cross sectional view showing the operation of the disposable lancing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is also another cross sectional view showing the operation of the disposable lancing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is still another cross sectional view showing the operation of the disposable lancing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a flow chart of a method of operating the disposable lancing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of a conventional disposable lancing device. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross sectional view showing the operation of the conventional disposable lancing device. 
         FIG. 16  is another cross sectional view showing the operation of the conventional disposable lancing device. 
         FIG. 17  is also another cross sectional view showing the operation of the conventional disposable lancing device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-12 , a disposable lancing device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises: 
     a first casing  10  including a close segment  11  formed on a first end of the first casing  10 , an open segment  12  formed on a second end of the first casing  10 , a slideway  13  formed in the first casing  10 , two tilted contact faces  161  formed on two side wall of the slideway  13 , two abutting ribs  16  extending from two low ends of the two tilted contact faces  161 , and two slide tracks  162  formed on two high ends of the two tilted contact faces  161 ; two first shoulders  15  formed on the slideway  13  between the two tilted contact faces  161  and the two slide tracks  162 , two guide faces  152  formed on the two first shoulders  15 , and two first stop faces  151  formed on the two first shoulders  15  opposite to the two guide faces  152 , a fixing portion  14  formed on the slideway  13  and corresponding to the close segment  11 , two recesses  17  defined on two side walls of the first casing  10 , and two push fringes  171  formed around the two recesses  17 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , such that when a user presses the two recesses  17 , the first casing  10  does not move by contacting fingers with the two push fringes  171 ; 
     a second casing  20  including an accommodation chamber  24  defined in the second casing  20 , and the second casing  20  being slidably received on the slideway  13  of the first casing  10 , the second casing  20  further including two limitation extensions  27  corresponding to the first casing  10  and engaged with the two first shoulders  15  of the casing  10 , wherein the two limitation extensions  27  have two first inclined guide faces  271  formed thereon and corresponding to the two guide faces  152  of the two first shoulders  15 , and the two limitation extensions  27  have two second stop faces  272  formed thereon opposite to the two first inclined guide faces  271 , such that the two first inclined guide faces  271  of the two limitation extensions  27  abut against the two guide faces  152  of the two first shoulders  15 , and the two second stop faces  272  of the two limitation extensions  27  move to the two first stop faces  151  of the two first shoulders  15  so that the first casing  10  limits with and slides relative to the second casing  20 ; the second casing  20  further including multiple drive protrusions  25  proximate to the two limitation extensions  27  and having multiple urge segments  251  formed on multiple predetermined positions of the multiple drive protrusions  25 , and the second casing  20  including multiple shrinkage trenches  26 , wherein a respective one shrinkage trench  26  is defined between any two adjacent drive protrusions  25 , a forcing face  21  is defined on an end of the second casing  20  opposite to the two limitation extensions  27 , and a through hole  22  is defined on a center of the forcing face  21 , wherein the through hole  22  has a protruded rib  222  extending outward therearound opposite to the forcing face  21 , such that when the forcing face  21  presses a collection portion P by mating with the protruded rib  222 , a subcutaneous fat of the collection portion P is pressed in a thickness so as to reduce a stabbing pain when piercing the disposable lancing device into a skin of the user; 
     a needle holder  30  defined between the first casing  10  and the second casing  20 , and the needle holder  30  including a receiving orifice  31  and configured to accommodate a collection needle  40 , wherein the collection needle  40  includes a syringe needle  41  fixed on an end thereof and corresponding to the through hole  22  of the second casing  20 , the needle holder  30  further includes a trigger spring  50  corresponding to the fixing portion  14  of the first casing  10 , and the fixing portion  14  has a connecting orifice  141  defined therein, the needle holder  30  further includes a return spring  60  corresponding to the through hole  22  of the second casing  20 ; wherein the needle holder  30  further includes a connection projection  35  formed on an end thereof and corresponding to the trigger spring  50 , a first fitting portion  36  extending from an end of the connection projection  35 , a triggering segment  52  formed on an end of the trigger spring  50  and corresponding to the first fitting portion  36 , such that the triggering segment  52  is fixed on the first fitting segment  36 , and the trigger spring  50  includes a positioning segment  51  formed on an end thereof and corresponding to the fixing portion  14  of the first casing  10 , such that the positioning segment  51  is mounted on the fixing portion  14  of the first casing  10 ; the needle holder  30  further includes a second fitting portion  32  formed on an end thereof corresponding to the return spring  60 , and the return spring  60  includes a returning segment  61  extending from a first end thereof and corresponding to the second fitting portion  32 , such that the returning segment  61  is fixed on the second fitting portion  32 , and the return spring  60  includes a locating segment  62  extending from a second end thereof and corresponding to the accommodation chamber  24  of the second casing  20 , the accommodation chamber  24  of the second casing  20  has a disposing face  23  corresponding to the locating segment  62  so that the locating segment  62  is fixed on the disposing  23  of the second casing  20 ; and the needle holder  30  further includes two symmetrical flexible wings  33  corresponding to the two tilted contact faces  161  of the first casing  10 , wherein the two symmetrical flexible wings  33  include two driving segments  34  formed on two distal ends thereof, the two driving segments  34  have two second inclined guide faces  341  formed on two first ends thereof, and the two driving segments  34  have two pushed faces  342  formed on two second ends thereof opposite to the two second inclined guide faces  341 , wherein the second casing  20  includes the multiple shrinkage trenches  26 , and the respective one second shrinkage trench  26  is defined between any two adjacent drive protrusions  25 , such that when the second casing  20  is moved, the multiple second shrinkage trenches  26  shrink the two tilted contact faces  161  and the two slide tracks  162  of the first casing  10  so that when the multiple urge segments  251  of the second casing  20  push the two pushed faces  342  of the needle holder  30 , the two second inclined guide faces  341  are pushed horizontally by the two tilted contact faces  161  of the first casing  10 , the two symmetrical flexible wings  33  of the needle holder  30  are pushed to flexibly retract inward, and the two tilted contact faces  161  and the two slide tracks  162  of the first casing  10  move into the multiple shrinkage trenches  26  of the second casing  20 , wherein the two driving segments  34  abut against the two symmetrical flexible wings  33  of the needle holder  30  to flexibly retract inward by using the two tilted contact faces  161  of the first casing  10 . 
     The disposable lancing device further comprises a safety sleeve  70  configured to receive the syringe needle  41  of the collecting needle  40  of the needle holder  30 , wherein the safety sleeve  70  includes a connecting segment  73  formed on a first end thereof, a slot  74  defined in the connecting segment  73  and configured to receive the syringe needle  41 , and a grip portion  75  formed on a second end of the safety sleeve  70  and extending out of the through hole  22 ; wherein a stopping portion  71  is defined between the connecting segment  73  and the grip portion  75 , a second shoulder  72  is defined between the connecting segment  73  and the grip portion  75  of the safety sleeve  70 , and the second shoulder  71  has two extending tabs  72  extending from two sides of the second shoulder  71 , wherein the two extending tabs  72  have a limiting rib  76  facing the grip portion  75 , and the second casing  20  further includes an elongated groove  221  defined in the through hole  22  of the second casing  20  and corresponding to the limiting rib  76  and the two extending tabs  72  so that the limiting rib  76  and the two extending tabs  72  rotate an angle (such as 90 degrees) by using the grip portion  75 , and the safety sleeve  70  is engaged in the through hole  22  of the second casing  20 . Alternatively, the grip portion  75  rotates an angle so that the limiting rib  76  and the two extending tabs  72  are aligned with the elongated groove  221  of the through hole  22 , and the safety sleeve  70  moves into and out of the through hole  22 , wherein the two extending tabs  72  are configured to avoid a removal of the safety sleeve  70  from the collecting needle  40  and extending the syringe needle  41 . Furthermore, the limiting rib  76  is configured to avoid a careless trigger of the safety sleeve  70  toward the collecting needle  40 , thus obtaining using safety by using the limiting rib  76  and the two extending tabs  72  relative to the through hole  22  of the second casing  20 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , when collecting blood, the grip portion  75  of the safety sleeve  70  is rotated to an angle so that the two extending tabs  72  are aligned with the elongated groove  221  of the through hole  22 , and the safety sleeve  70  is removed from the syringe needle  41 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , when the user is desired to collect the blood on the collection portion P, the forcing face  21  of the second casing  20  abuts against the collection portion P, and the first casing  10  is pushed toward the collection portion P, wherein the multiple urge segments  251  of the second casing  20  push the two pushed faces  342  of the needle holder  30 , the two second inclined guide faces  341  of the needle holder  30  contact with the two tilted contact faces  161  of the first casing  10 , the connection projection  35  presses the trigger spring  50 , and the collecting needle  40  is inserted into the connecting orifice  141 . 
     Referring further to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , when the two second inclined guide faces  341  are pushed horizontally by the two tilted contact faces  161  of the first casing  10 , the two symmetrical flexible wings  33  of the needle holder  30  are pushed to flexibly retract inward, and the two tilted contact faces  161  and the two slide tracks  162  of the first casing  10  move into the multiple shrinkage trenches  26  of the second casing  20 , wherein the two driving segments  34  abut against the two symmetrical flexible wings  33  of the needle holder  30  so that the two symmetrical flexible wings  33  flexibly retract inward by using the two tilted contact faces  161  of the first casing  10 . In the meantime, the trigger spring  50  is released to push the needle holder  30  toward the through hole  22  of the second casing  20 , and the syringe needle  41  extends out of the through hole  22  of the second casing  20  and pierces into the collection portion P, wherein the return spring  60  buffers a pushing force of the trigger spring  50  to the syringe needle  41  so as to reduce the stabbing pain. 
     With reference to  FIG. 12 , when the trigger spring  50  recovers to a unforced state, the trigger spring  50  and the return spring  60  pull the needle holder  30  and the syringe needle  41  back quickly to finish the blood collection, and the syringe needle  41  is hidden in the first casing  10  and the second casing  20  to avoid contacting with the user. 
     With reference to  FIG. 13 , a method of operating the disposable lancing device comprises steps of: 
     1) providing a first casing  10  which includes a close segment  11  formed on a first end of the first casing  10 , an open segment  12  formed on a second end of the first casing  10 , a slideway  13  formed in the first casing  10 , two tilted contact faces  161  formed on two surfaces of the slideway  13 , two first shoulders  15  formed on the slideway  13  between the two tilted contact faces  161  and two slide tracks  162 , a fixing portion  14  formed on the slideway  13  and corresponding to the close segment  11 , two abutting ribs  16  extending from two low ends of the two tilted contact faces  161 , and the two slide tracks  162  formed on two high ends of the two tilted contact faces  161 ; 
     2) providing a second casing  20  which includes an accommodation chamber  24  defined in the second casing  20 , wherein the second casing  20  is slidably received on the slideway  13  of the first casing  10 , the second casing  20  further includes two limitation extensions  27  corresponding to the first casing  10  and engaged with the two first shoulders  15  of the casing  10 , multiple drive protrusions  25  proximate to the two limitation extensions  27  and having multiple urge segments  251  formed on multiple predetermined positions of the multiple drive protrusions  25 , a forcing face  21  defined on an end of the second casing  20  opposite to the two limitation extensions  27 , and a through hole  22  defined on a center of the forcing face  21 ; wherein the second casing  20  further includes multiple shrinkage trenches  26 , and a respective one shrinkage trench  26  is defined between any two adjacent drive protrusions  25 , such that when the second casing  20  is moved, the multiple second shrinkage trenches  26  shrink the two tilted contact faces  161  and the two slide tracks  162  of the first casing  10 ; 
     3) providing a needle holder  30 , wherein the needle holder  30  is defined between the first casing  10  and the second casing  20 , and the needle holder  30  including a collection needle  40  accommodated therein, wherein the collection needle  40  corresponds to the through hole  22  of the second casing  20 , the needle holder  30  further includes a trigger spring  50  corresponding to the fixing portion  14  of the first casing  10 , and a return spring  60  corresponding to the through hole  22  of the second casing  20 ; wherein the needle holder  30  further includes two symmetrical flexible wings  33  corresponding to the two tilted contact faces  161  of the first casing  10 , and the two symmetrical flexible wings  33  include two driving segments  34  formed on two distal ends thereof, wherein the two driving segments  34  force the two symmetrical flexible wings  33  to flexibly retracted inward by using the two tilted contact faces  161  of the first casing  10 ; 
     4) abutting the forcing face  21  of the second casing  20  against the collection portion P, and the first casing  10  is pushed toward the collection portion P, wherein the multiple urge segments  251  of the second casing  20  push the two pushed faces  342  of the needle holder  30 , the two second inclined guide faces  341  of the needle holder  30  contact with the two tilted contact faces  161  of the first casing  10 , and the trigger spring  50  is about to trigger; 
     5) pushing the two symmetrical flexible wings  33  to flexibly retracted inward by using the two tilted contact faces  161  of the first casing  10  to push the two second inclined guide faces  341  horizontally, wherein the two tilted contact faces  161  and the two slide tracks  162  of the first casing  10  move into the multiple shrinkage trenches  26  of the second casing  20 , and the two driving segments  34  abut against the two symmetrical flexible wings  33  of the needle holder  30  to flexibly retract inward so that the two symmetrical flexible wings  33  flexibly retract inward by using the two tilted contact faces  161  of the first casing  10 , in the meantime, the trigger spring  50  is released to push the needle holder  30  toward the through hole  22  of the second casing  20 , and the syringe needle  41  extends out of the through hole  22  of the second casing  20  and pierces into the collection portion P, wherein the return spring  60  buffers the pushing force of the trigger spring  50  to the syringe needle  41  so as to reduce the stabbing pain. 
     Thereby, the needle holder  30  includes the trigger spring  50  and the return spring  50  so that when the trigger spring  50  pushes the needle holder  30  toward the through hole  22  of the second casing  20 , the return spring  50  buffers the pushing force of the trigger spring  50  to the syringe needle  41  so as to reduce the stabbing pain. Preferably, when the forcing face  21  presses the collection portion P by mating with the protruded rib  222 , the subcutaneous fat of the collection portion P is pressed in the thickness so as to reduce the stabbing pain when piercing the collection needle  40  into the skin of the user. In addition, the trigger spring  50  and the return spring  60  pull the needle holder  30  and the syringe needle  41  back quickly to finish the blood collection. 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention and other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.