US 10,092,740 B2 · Skin puncturing device

Abstract

A safety needle assembly for skin puncturing. A plurality of needles driven by a reciprocating drive shaft extend and retract through an opening in one end of the assembly. Eleven or twelve needles are configured so as to minimize potential surface tension and reduce stress applied to the skin. The opening may be rounded or scalloped to reduce friction on the skin. An elastomeric or mechanical spring is used to assist in retracting the needles. Various alignment tabs and features are used to ensure proper alignment of the drive shaft within the assembly, and alignment of the needle assembly when attached to a handpiece during use. Safety tabs on the needle assembly prevent reuse. A protective sleeve may be used to cover the exterior of the needle assembly.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A device for skin puncturing, comprising:

a housing with a proximal end and a distal end and an interior and an exterior, said distal end comprising an opening;
a reciprocating drive shaft with a proximal end and a distal end disposed within said housing;
a needle head directly or indirectly attached to the distal end of the reciprocating drive shaft;
a plurality of needles extending from the needle head, each needle comprising a needle tip, wherein the needle tips periodically extend beyond the opening in the distal end of the housing with motion of the reciprocating drive shaft;
and
one or more safety tabs adapted to open when the device is mounted on a handpiece, and adapted to permanently close when the device is removed from said handpiece, and thereby prevent the device from being remounted on said handpiece.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Skin puncturing device

Life of this patent

Skin puncturing device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17