LANCING DEVICE
A lancing device for blood sampling, having a depth-adjustment mechanism including a chassis or throttle plate movable within a housing, and a lancet carrier mounted to the chassis or throttle plate. Repositioning the chassis or throttle plate within the housing varies the penetration depth of the lancet.
1 . A lancing device comprising:
an external housing having a front end and a rear end, the front end defining an opening;
a chassis movable within the housing between an aft position toward the rear end of the housing and a forward position toward the front end of the housing;
a lancet carrier mounted to the chassis for engaging a lancet;
a drive mechanism for moving the lancet carrier relative to the chassis, along a lancing stroke; and
an adjustment member operable to selectively reposition the chassis between the aft position and the forward position, and thereby provide lancing depth adjustment, the aft position corresponding to a shallower lancing depth, and the forward position corresponding to a deeper lancing depth;
wherein the lancet carrier moves a constant lancing stroke distance relative to the chassis regardless of the positional adjustment of the chassis relative to the housing.
2 . The lancing device of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment member is rotationally actuated to move the chassis between the forward position and the aft position.
3 . The lancing device of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive spring and a return spring.
4 . The lancing device of claim 3 , wherein the drive spring and the return spring are arranged in an in-line configuration, coaxial with the lancing stroke of the drive mechanism.
5 . The lancing device of claim 1 , wherein the outer housing defines a fixed length between the front end and the rear end.
6 . The lancing device of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment member is a positioning screw having threads engaged with the housing, a first end coupled with the chassis, and a second end comprising an adjustment actuator.
7 . A lancing device comprising:
an external housing having a front end and a rear end, the front end defining an lancet opening;
a chassis movable within the housing between an aft position spaced a first distance from the rear end of the housing and a forward position spaced a second distance from the rear end of the housing, the second distance being greater than the first distance;
a lancet carrier mounted to the chassis;
a drive mechanism operable between the chassis and the lancet carrier for moving the lancet carrier along a lancing stroke; and
an adjustment member operable between the external housing and the chassis to selectively reposition the chassis between the aft position and the forward position.
8 . The lancing device of claim 7 , wherein the lancet carrier moves a constant lancing stroke distance relative to the chassis regardless of the positional adjustment of the chassis relative to the housing.
9 . The lancing device of claim 7 , wherein the adjustment member is rotationally actuated to move the chassis between the forward position and the aft position.
10 . The lancing device of claim 7 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive spring and a return spring.
11 . The lancing device of claim 10 , wherein the drive spring and the return spring are arranged in an in-line configuration, coaxial with the lancing stroke of the drive mechanism.
12 . The lancing device of claim 7 , wherein the outer housing defines a fixed length between the front end and the rear end.
13 . The lancing device of claim 7 , wherein the adjustment member is a positioning screw having threads engaged with the outer housing, a first end coupled with the chassis, and a second end comprising an adjustment actuator.
14 . A lancing device comprising:
a housing having a front end and a rear end, the front end having a lancet opening therethrough;
a chassis repositionably mounted within the housing;
an adjustment member operable between the housing and the chassis to move the chassis between an aft position and a forward position, the aft position being closer to the rear end of the housing than the forward position;
a lancet carrier mounted to the chassis; and
a drive spring engaged between the chassis and the lancet carrier for propelling the lancet carrier along a lancing stroke.
15 . The lancing device of claim 14 , wherein the lancing stroke has a substantially constant stroke distance regardless of the position of the chassis within the housing.
16 . The lancing device of claim 14 , wherein the adjustment member is rotationally actuated to move the chassis between the forward position and the aft position.
17 . The lancing device of claim 14 , further comprising a return spring engaged between the chassis and the lancet carrier in opposition to the drive spring for retracting the lancet carrier along the lancing stroke.
18 . The lancing device of claim 17 , wherein the drive spring and the return spring are arranged in an in-line configuration, coaxial with the lancing stroke.
19 . The lancing device of claim 14 , wherein the outer housing defines a fixed length between the front end and the rear end.
20 . The lancing device of claim 14 , wherein the adjustment member is a positioning screw having threads engaged with the outer housing, a first end coupled with the chassis, and a second end comprising an adjustment actuator.