Patent ID: 12201423

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, a unit for collecting and ejecting blood according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout the present specification, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar components even in different exemplary embodiments. Once the same or similar components are described, the description thereof will not be repeated.

FIG.1is a front view of a unit100for collecting and ejecting blood according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIG.1, the unit100for collecting and ejecting blood may include a handle110, a handling block130, and a plunger150.

The handle110is a part used to be gripped in a hand of a user. To this end, the handle110may have a generally elongated rod shape. Specifically, the handle110may include a main portion111and a sub portion116.

The main portion111may be longer than the sub portion116. The main portion111may have a main axis or a first central axis C1as an extension reference. A rail112extending along a direction of the first central axis C1may be formed on the main portion111. The rail112may be a rib protruding in a radial direction of the main portion111. The rib may have a generally rectangular plate shape. In addition, the number of ribs may be plural. In the present exemplary embodiment, four ribs are formed at intervals of 90°.

Stoppers113and114may also be formed on the main portion111. The stoppers113and114are configured to stop the plunger150at preset positions while the plunger150moves along the main portion111when manipulated. The stoppers113and114may be formed as protrusions protruding from the main portion111, in particular the rail112. The stoppers113and114may be divided specifically into a first stopper113and a second stopper114. The first stopper113is for stopping the plunger150at a position (a first position) before the plunger150enters a collection port135(seeFIG.2), and the second stopper114is for stopping the plunger150at a position (a second position) after the plunger150enters the collection port135. Here, the second position may be a position within the collection port135or a position at which an end (e.g. a squeezing plate153) of the plunger150is placed outside the collection port135after passing through the collection port135. Furthermore, the first stopper113may be formed to protrude at a height for the plunger150, in particular a slider156, to be caught thereby but pass therethrough by a user's force. In contrast, the second stopper114may protrude at a height not allowing the slider156to pass therethrough.

The sub portion116is a part connecting the main portion111and the handling block130. When the sub portion116extends along a sub axis or a third central axis C3, the third central axis Cs may have an arrangement relationship to be inclined with respect to the first central axis C1.

The handling block130is configured to collect blood by being in contact with the blood or eject the collected blood to an absorption pad of a diagnostic device. The handling block130may be connected to an end of the handle110, in particular the sub portion116, so that the handling block130may be located at one end of the unit100for collecting and ejecting blood. The handling block130may also be disposed along a second central axis C2. Here, the second central axis C2may be offset from the first central axis C1.

The plunger150is installed on the handle110, in particular the main portion111, to be movable when manipulated. The plunger150is disposed to move toward the handling block130when manipulated. Specifically, the plunger150may have a rod151to be inserted into the collection port135of the handling block130. The rod151may have a manipulation portion152to be pushed by a user at an end thereof. The rod151may have the squeezing plate153at the other end thereof. The squeezing plate153is elastically deformed by being forcedly fitted into the collection port135, and thus, is in tight contact with an inner surface defining the collection port135of the handling block130. To this end, the squeezing plate153may have a larger cross-sectional area than the rod151. The slider156protrudes from the rod151toward the main portion111. The slider156is slidably coupled to the rail112along the direction of the first central axis C1.

The specific configuration of the above-described unit100for collecting and ejecting blood will be described with reference toFIGS.2to4.

FIG.2is a cross-sectional view of the unit100for collecting and ejecting blood ofFIG.1, andFIG.3is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the handling block130ofFIG.2.

Referring toFIGS.2and3, the handling block130may include a body131, the collection port135, and an ejection groove139.

The body131may have a generally cylindrical shape. Specifically, the body131may include a connection portion132and a contact portion133. The connection portion132is located in an upper portion of the body131and connected to the sub portion116. The contact portion133, which is located in a lower portion of the body131, is a part that is brought into contact with a finger of a subject to be diagnosed or the absorption pad of the diagnostic device.

The contact portion133may have a cross-sectional area that is gradually smaller as being farther away from the connection portion132. Thus, a width of a lower end133′ of the contact portion133is smaller than that of an upper end132′ of the connection portion132. Due to the tapered shape of the contact portion133, when the contact portion133is in contact with a finger from which blood is drawn, it is possible to minimize an amount of blood that is contact with the bottom of the contact portion133other than the collection port135. As a result, it is possible to accurately adjust an amount of blood collected from the subject to be diagnosed to an amount set by the collection port135, thereby minimizing a deviation in the amount of blood collected each time.

The collection port135is an open hole formed to pass through the body131in a vertical direction. Specifically, the collection port135may be continuously formed from the lower end133′ of the contact portion133to the upper end132′ of the connection portion132. The direction from the lower end133′ to the upper end132′ may be defined as a collection direction H.

The collection port135may have a cross-sectional area that is gradually smaller from the contact portion133to the connection portion132along the collection direction H. Thus, a width W1of the lower end133′ is larger than a width W2of the upper end132′. According to this configuration, the width of the collection port135decreases to cope with the capillary force that is gradually smaller as it becomes closer to the upper end132′ along the collection direction H in the collection port135when blood is collected using the action of capillary force, thereby supplementing the capillary force such that the blood moves up to the upper end132′.

An ejection groove139is configured to facilitate ejection of the blood collected in the collection port135into the absorption pad of the diagnostic device. The ejection groove139may be formed in the lower end133′ of the contact portion133.

The configuration of the slider156of the plunger150will be described with reference toFIG.4.

FIG.4is a cross-sectional view of the plunger150taken along line IV-IV ofFIG.1.

Referring toFIG.4, the slider156of the plunger150may have receiving grooves157and158therein. The receiving grooves157and158may be divided specifically into a first receiving portion157and a second receiving portion158.

The first receiving portion157forms a space receiving one of the ribs as the rail112. The second receiving portion158may include two receiving spaces arranged on both sides of the first receiving portion157and receiving one pair of the ribs. Here, the one pair of the ribs may be disposed opposite to each other on the both sides of the one of the ribs.

An opening159may be formed on an opposite side to the first receiving portion157. Through the opening159, the rail112may be received in the receiving grooves157and158by pressing the slider156against the main portion111in a direction perpendicular to the first central axis C1.

Furthermore, the second receiving portion158of the slider156is a portion that is caught by the first stopper113, whereas the first receiving portion157of the slider156is a portion that is caught by the second stopper114. As a result, the second receiving portion158close to the opening159is easy to elastically deform, which is structurally advantageous for the slider156to pass over the first stopper113.

Now, a blood collecting and ejecting mechanism will be described with further reference toFIG.5.

FIG.5is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the plunger150is inserted into the handling block130inFIG.2.

Referring toFIG.5(andFIGS.1to4), the user may handle the blood using the handling block130in a state where the handle110, in particular the main portion111, is gripped in a user's hand.

To this end, the user first obtains blood drawn from a finger of a subject using a lancet or the like. Thereafter, when the handling block130is brought into contact with the blood drawn, the handling block130collects a preset amount of blood by the action of capillary force. Here, the plunger150is caught by the first stopper113, so that the rod151or the squeezing plate153is not inserted into the collection port135. Accordingly, the plunger150does not interfere with the capillary action by which the blood is collected in the collection port135.

Next, the user places the handling block130on the absorption pad of the diagnostic device in a state where the handle110is gripped in the user's hand. Then, the blood collected in the handling block130may be ejected into the absorption pad by an absorbing force of the absorption pad.

In a case where there is a difficulty in ejecting the blood, the user may place a finger on the manipulation portion152of the plunger150and push the plunger150toward the handling block130. Accordingly, the slider156of the plunger150sliders on the rail112along the direction of the first central axis C1and passes over the first stopper113. As a result, the rod151, in particular the squeezing plate153, moves forward toward the handling block130. Thereafter, the rod151, in particular the squeezing plate153, is inserted into the collection port135, and the squeezing plate153is elastically deformed to exhaustively eject the blood in the collection port135into the absorption pad. The slider156moved in this way is finally caught and stopped by the second stopper114not to move down to the sub portion116.

Thereafter, the user may check a simple diagnosis result of the blood with respect to a disease through the diagnostic device.

According to the unit for collecting and ejecting blood of the present invention configured as described above, when the handling block is brought into contact with blood in a state where the user is gripping the handle, a planned amount of blood is collected in the collection port, which is formed in the handling block to vertically pass therethrough, by a capillary force without being disrupted by an air layer. The collected blood can be forcedly ejected to the outside as the plunger, which is installed to be movable on the handle when manipulated, enters the collection port.

The above-described unit for collecting and ejecting blood is not limited to the configurations and the operation methods of the exemplary embodiments described above. Each of the above-described exemplary embodiments may also be combined either partially or entirely in a selective manner to make various modifications.