By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Journal of Engineering -- According to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by VerticalNews journalists, a patent by the inventors Zhong, Weiping (Granger, IN); Ruan, Tieming (Granger, IN); Lok, Derek (Granger, IN), filed on March 3, 2006, was published online on July 22, 2014.
The assignee for this patent, patent number 8784444, is Bayer Healthcare LLC (Whippany, NJ).
Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: "The quantitative determination of analytes in body fluids is of great importance in the diagnoses and maintenance of certain physiological abnormalities. For example, lactate, cholesterol and bilirubin should be monitored in certain individuals. In particular, determining glucose in body fluids is important to diabetic individuals who must frequently check their blood glucose levels to regulate the glucose intake in their diets.
"One method of obtaining a body fluid sample, such as a whole blood sample, is to use a lancing device. The whole blood sample may then be used to determine the glucose concentration of an individual. Existing lancing devices use a lancet to pierce the tissue of the skin, allowing a blood sample to form on the skin's surface. Typically, lancing devices hold the lancet within them when the lancet is not in use, so as to shield the user from injury as well as to assist in preventing or inhibiting contamination.
"Existing lancing devices require two-handed operation, are dangerous, or are ineffective in releasing the lancet. Two-handed operation requires that one hand hold the lancing device while the other hand removes the lancet. This is inconvenient to many users as the lancet is small, and may cause safety problems as the lancet could pierce the user's skin inadvertently. This can cause the user pain and may also transmit diseases. Some one-handed designs eject the lancet too hard such that ejecting the lancet becomes dangerous if the lancet is not re-shielded. Still other one-handed designs do not eject the lancet effectively, as the lancet is not released from the lancet holder even after the user depresses the release mechanism. Yet other one-handed designs have complicated release mechanisms internally, such that if a user drops the lancing device, the release mechanism may jam and no longer eject the lancet from the lancing device.
"It would be desirable to have a lancing device and a method for using a lancing device that addresses these issues."
In addition to obtaining background information on this patent, VerticalNews editors also obtained the inventors' summary information for this patent: "According to one embodiment of the present invention, a lancet-release mechanism adapted to be incorporated into a lancing device is disclosed. The lancing device is adapted to receive a lancet assembly therein and move the lancet assembly between a resting position, a cocking position, and a puncture position. The lancet release mechanism comprises a lancet holder and a cantilever beam. The lancet holder having a central aperture adapted to receive the lancet assembly therein. The lancet holder further has a plurality of protuberances thereon. The cantilever beam has a projection extending therefrom adapted to engage the plurality of protuberances located on the lancet holder. The projection is adapted to separate the plurality of protuberances from each other so as to enlarge the central aperture.
"According to another embodiment of the present invention, a release button replaces the cantilever bean of the above-described invention. The release button has a projection extending therefrom adapted to engage the plurality of protuberances located on the lancet holder. The projection is adapted to separate the plurality of protuberances from each other so as to enlarge the central aperture.
"According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a lancet-release mechanism adapted to be incorporated into a lancing device is disclosed. The lancing device is adapted to receive a lancet assembly therein and move the lancet assembly between a resting position, a cocking position, and a puncture position. The lancing device comprises a lancet holder and a first beam. The lancet holder has a central aperture adapted to receive the lancet assembly therein. The lancet holder being at least partially divided into a first portion and a second portion. The first beam is attached to the first portion of the lancet holder. The first beam has a release button located opposite the lancet holder. The first beam and release button are adapted to separate the first portion of the lancet holder from the second portion of the lancet holder when the release button is depressed. The separation of the first portion from the second portion enlarging the central aperture.
"The above summary of the present invention is not intended to represent each embodiment, or every aspect, of the present invention. Additional features and benefits of the present invention are apparent from the detailed description and figures set forth below."
For more information, see this patent: Zhong, Weiping; Ruan, Tieming; Lok, Derek. Lancet Release Mechanism. U.S. Patent Number 8784444, filed March 3, 2006, and published online on July 22, 2014. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8784444.PN.&OS=PN/8784444RS=PN/8784444
Keywords for this news article include: Bayer Healthcare LLC.
Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world. Copyright 2014, NewsRx LLC