Patent ID: 8821412

Claim:
A device for receiving fluid from a subject, comprising: a housing including a device actuator and an opening to receive fluid into the housing; a pre-packaged vacuum chamber in the housing, the vacuum chamber having a volume that is at a pressure less than ambient pressure prior to actuation of the device actuator, the vacuum chamber being fluidly coupleable to the opening via a flow path to cause fluid to be drawn into the opening and toward the vacuum chamber along the flow path; a flow control element positioned along the flow path that prevents fluid communication between the vacuum chamber and the opening prior to actuation of the device actuator, the flow control element being configured to enable fluid communication between the opening and the vacuum chamber after actuation of the device actuator and permit fluid flow from the opening toward the vacuum chamber along the flow path; a plurality of microneedles arranged in an array and arranged to be inserted into a subject to cause fluid to be released from the subject; a deployment actuator to move the plurality of microneedles in a deployment direction toward or through the opening, the deployment actuator being configured to move the plurality of microneedles in the deployment direction in response to actuation of the device actuator; and a retraction actuator to move the plurality of microneedles in a retraction direction away from the opening, the retraction actuator being configured to move the plurality of microneedles in the retraction direction in response to actuation of the device actuator.