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US 2011/0257559 A1Published application
System for withdrawing small amounts of body fluid
AssigneeRoche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
InventorsCarlo Effenhauser, Heinz-Michael Hein, Harl-Heinz Koelker, Frank Deck
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Abstract
A system is provided for withdrawing small amounts of body fluid from an animal or human. The system includes a holder and a disposable lancing unit attached to the holder. The lancing unit also includes an open capillary channel for transporting the body fluid and piercing the skin.
Claims20
System for withdrawing small amounts of body fluid, comprising:
- a drive unit which has a holder which is moved from a first position into a second position when the drive unit is activated;
- and
- a disposable lancing unit having an elongate capillary structure and a needle with a distal end for piercing skin, the capillary structure having a longitudinal extension with at least one capillary channel for transporting body fluid, wherein the at least one capillary structure is open to the outside from at least the distal end to at least an upper end of the needle that is above the skin during piercing so that the capillary channel is vented when the body fluid is drawn into the capillary channel.
A system, comprising:
- a disposable lancing unit including
- a lancing tip with a sharpened end configured to pierce a surface of skin,
- a detection zone containing a reagent configured to detect analyte in body fluid from the skin, and
- a capillary groove in the disposable lancing unit extending uncovered along at least a length of the lancing tip, wherein the capillary groove has adequate wettability to transport the body fluid via capillary action to the detection zone;
- and
- a drive mechanism configured to actuate the disposable lancing unit to pierce the surface of the skin, the drive mechanism being configured to hold the disposable lancing unit at an extended position where the capillary groove extends from below the surface of the skin to above the surface of the skin to promote venting during uptake of the body fluid.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- piercing skin with a lancing unit by actuating a drive unit;
- collecting body fluid with an uncovered capillary groove of the lancing unit, wherein said collecting the body fluid includes venting the capillary groove by positioning the lancing unit with the drive unit so that the capillary groove extends from below the surface of the skin to above the surface of the skin;
- and
- transporting the body fluid in the open capillary groove via capillary action to a detection zone of the lancing unit.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.