Re-armable single-user safety finger stick device having reset for multiple use by a single patient

A finger stick assembly comprising:

• a hollow housing having a first aperture at one end and a second aperture at an opposite end;
• a lancet unit having a sharp lancet tip slidably disposed near said first aperture and a lancet body enclosed and supported by said housing, and supporting said tip and extending from said tip toward said second aperture;
• a spring coupled to said lancet body and disposed within said housing;
• means for coupling energy into said spring to alter said spring from a relaxed condition to an activated condition;
• latch means for latching said spring in said activated condition;
• release means for releasing said spring from said activated condition;
• and
• disabling means for permanently disabling said finger stick assembly from moving said lancet tip forward.

A re-armable automatically retractable penetrating finger stick assembly, comprising:

• a hollow tubular housing having a first aperture at one end of said housing, a second aperture at an opposite end of said housing, and a third aperture along a wall of said housing;
• a spring having a first end fixedly attached to the interior of said housing proximate said second aperture and having a spring second end;
• a longitudinally slidable lancet support mounted within said housing, fixedly attached to said spring second end, and extending toward said first aperture, said lancet support including means for mounting a lancet unit to said support;
• a lancet unit comprising a sterile lancet tip, and a lancet body;
• a plunger coupled to said support and extending through said second aperture;
• resettable latch means for releasably holding said spring in a compressed condition and said support in a rearward retracted position when said plunger is pulled rearward;
• and
• resettable release means for releasing said latch means;
• whereby when said latch means is released said compressed spring is allowed to extend to a relaxed position thereby accelerating the combination of said support, said lancet unit, and said spring, forwardly toward said first aperture;
• the momentum possessed by said combination resulting in movement of said combination beyond an equilibrium position for said spring so that said lancet tip momentarily extends through said first aperture but is pulled back into said housing;
• said plunger being coupled to said support by a frangible neck section, said frangible neck adapted to be broken by rotation of said plunger relative to said support
• wherein said resettable force means and resettable release means make up an autologous re-use feature, such that the finger stick device can be reset for use on the same patient in the event of an accidental release of stored energy producing linear movement of the lancet tip outwardly from the housing or in the event that a supplemental plunge incision is desired on the same patient,
• and wherein said rotation of the plunger is not automatic or coincident with the movement of the lancet through the aperture the retraction of the lancet and can be voluntarily and manually performed.

A re-armable retractable-lancet finger-stick device, comprising:

• a housing having a lancet tip exit aperture at a first end, a second aperture at an opposite end, and a third aperture;
• a spring disposed within said housing and having first and second ends, said first end fixedly attached to said housing, said spring being movable between an extended state, a relaxed state, and a compressed state;
• a lancet tip supported by a lancet support body slidably disposed within said housing, said support body fixedly attached to said spring second end;
• retracting means for moving said support body from a first location to a second location and for placing said spring in said activated state;
• resettable latch-release means for engaging a latch-release probe into said third aperture to latch said spring in said activated state and for releasing said probe from said third aperture to allow said spring to transition from said activated state through said relaxed state and to an extended state before returning to said relaxed state;
• and
• wherein said resettable latch-release means is an autologous re-use feature, such that the finger stick device can be reset for use on the same patient in the event of an accidental release of stored energy producing linear movement of the lancet tip outwardly from the housing or in the event that a supplemental plunge incision is desired on the same patient,
• disabling means for permanently disabling said finger stick device and comprising a plunger connected to said support body by a frangible neck section, said frangible neck adapted to be broken by rotation of said plunger relative to said support body,
• wherein said rotation of the plunger is not automatic or coincident with the movement of the lancet through the aperture the retraction of the lancet and can be voluntarily and manually performed.

A method for providing a blood sample comprising the steps of:

• providing an apparatus including a housing having a lancet tip exit aperture at a first end, a second aperture at an opposite end, and a third aperture;
• a spring disposed within said housing and having first and second ends, said first end fixedly attached to said housing, said spring being movable between an extended state, a relaxed state, and a compressed state;
• a lancet tip supported by a lancet support body slidably disposed within said housing, said support body fixedly attached to said spring second end;
• retracting means for moving said support body from a first location to a second location and for placing said spring in said activated state;
• latch-release means for engaging a latch-release probe into said third aperture to latch said spring in said activated state and for releasing said probe from said third aperture to allow said spring to transition from said activated state through said relaxed state and to an extended state before returning to said relaxed state;
• and disabling means for permanently disabling said device;
• arming said device using said retracting means to place said device in an activated condition a first time;
• latching said device in said activated condition a first time;
• releasing said device to propel said lancet tip forward through said exit aperture a first time;
• rearming said device using said retracting means to again place said device in an activated condition a second time;
• relatching said device in said activated condition a second time;
• releasing said device to propel said lancet tip forward through said exit aperture a second time;
• and
• manually rotating the plunger relative to the support enough to break the frangible neck section of the plunger and thus permanently deactivating said device so that one of said arming, latching, and releasing operations is prevented.