Electromagnetic Lancet Driver for Blood Glucose Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lancing devices for blood glucose monitoring in diabetic patients face challenges such as high pain, low success rate in obtaining a blood sample, and difficulty in integrating sample acquisition and testing due to mechanical launchers, which are influenced by skin thickness and hydration variations, and require manual dexterity and coordination.
Innovation Solution
A controllable force driver, powered by electromagnetic energy, is used to precisely control the lancet's velocity and depth of penetration, minimizing pain and improving blood yield by maintaining the wound open during retraction, and integrating sample acquisition and testing through a sampling module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If mechanical launchers are used to drive the lancet, then the device can be pre-cocked or user-cocked with simple mechanics, but the lancet depth control is rough and multiple strikes occur due to recoil
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical spring launcher with an electromagnetic driver system. The electromagnetic driver uses a coil and magnet assembly to propel the lancet with precise control over acceleration and depth, eliminating the rough mechanical stop-and-recoil behavior of spring-based systems while maintaining the ability to be pre-cocked or user-cocked.
2Speed
If mechanical launchers with ballistic impact are used, then the lancet can be driven into the skin, but vibratory stimulation of the skin occurs and pain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic driver system applies force in a controlled, periodic manner rather than a single ballistic impact. The driver can be activated to propel the lancet and then deactivated, allowing for controlled deceleration and reduced vibratory stimulation compared to continuous mechanical spring pressure.
3Quantity of substance
If traditional lancing methods are used, then blood can be obtained by cutting blood vessels, but the blood is trapped below the surface forming a hematoma and requires milking
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic driver system is designed to create an optimal wound channel during the lancing process itself, with controlled depth and trajectory that facilitates natural blood flow to the surface. The precise control over penetration depth and angle ensures that blood vessels are cut in a manner that allows blood to reach the surface without requiring additional milking actions.
4Device complexity
If mechanical launchers are used, then the device structure can be simple, but the success rate of spontaneous blood droplet generation is only about 50%
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic driver system allows for precise adjustment of multiple parameters including launch force, penetration depth, and lateral positioning. By optimizing these parameters, the system achieves a success rate significantly higher than 50% for spontaneous blood droplet generation, while the added complexity is managed through integrated control circuitry.
5Ease of manufacture
If traditional separate lancing and testing procedures are used, then each step can be performed with simple equipment, but multiple manual steps are required including milking, applying blood to strip, and reading results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the lancing device with the test strip reader into a single unified system. The electromagnetic driver not only propels the lancet but also facilitates automatic blood sample collection and transfer to the test strip. The system combines sample acquisition, sample application, and result reading functions, reducing the multiple manual steps to a single automated operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces pain and increases the success rate of obtaining a blood sample by controlling lancet penetration and withdrawal velocities, ensuring blood reaches the surface for testing, and simplifies the testing process by integrating sample acquisition and analysis.
Implementation Method 1
A driver (179) of a lancing device (180) includes a drive force generator (188) for exerting a controllable force on the lancet (183) during a lancing cycle
Data Source
AI summary
A lancet driver is provided wherein the driver exerts a driving force on a lancet during a lancing cycle and is used on a tissue site. The driver comprises of a drive force generator for advancing the lancet along a path into the tissue site, and a manual switch for a user interface input.