Lancet-Eject Mechanism for Single-Handed Blood Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lancing devices are inconvenient and potentially unsafe due to their two-handed operation requirements and complex release mechanisms, which can lead to accidental lancet ejection or jamming, posing risks of injury and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A lancing device with a main housing, movable housing, and pushbutton mechanism that allows the lancet to be released by moving the movable housing from a rest position to a lancet-release position while depressing the pushbutton, utilizing a lancet-release tab to engage and eject the lancet from the holder, eliminating the need for direct hand contact with the lancet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a two-handed operation is used to release the lancet, then the lancet can be removed from the holder, but it requires the user to hold the device with one hand while removing the lancet with the other hand, increasing the risk of accidental punctures and complicating the operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the release mechanism with lever or button) that mediates between the user's hand and the lancet. Instead of directly exposing the user's hand to the lancet, the intermediary mechanism controls the lancet's release, thereby reducing the risk of accidental punctures while simplifying the operation to single-handed use.
2Ease of operation
If a complex release mechanism is used internally to eject the lancet, then the lancet can be released effectively, but the mechanism may jam if the user drops the device, leading to reliability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the critical release function from a complex internal mechanism and implements it through a simple, robust external interface (lever or button). This simplification reduces the number of moving parts that could jam, thereby improving reliability while maintaining effective lancet ejection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex mechanism that requires precise internal alignment and multiple moving parts, the patent inverts the approach by using a simple mechanical advantage system where a small input force on an external lever or button is amplified to reliably eject the lancet. This inversion of the traditional complex mechanism approach improves reliability.
3Productivity
If the lancet is exposed for easy access, then the user can quickly obtain a blood sample, but the user is exposed to injury and contamination risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the release mechanism as an intermediary that controls access to the lancet. The lancet remains protected within the holder until the user deliberately activates the release mechanism, thereby maintaining safety while enabling quick blood sample acquisition when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-positioning the lancet within the protected holder and pre-configuring the release mechanism. This allows the system to be ready for quick use while maintaining safety, as the lancet is already prepared but not yet exposed to potential injury or contamination risks.
Data Source
AI summary
A lancing device comprises a main housing, a movable housing and a pushbutton. The main housing encloses a portion of a lancing mechanism. The lancing mechanism includes a lancet holder attached to a shaft. The lancet holder receives a lancet and has a slot formed therein. The lancing mechanism moves between a rest position, a cocked position, and a puncture position. The movable housing is adjacent to the main housing. The movable housing moves from a rest position to a cocking position and a lancet-release position. The pushbutton allows the lancing mechanism to move from the cocked position to the puncture position upon depression of the pushbutton. The pushbutton includes a lancet-release tab that extends into the slot formed in the lancet holder and engages the lancet. The lancet is released from the lancet holder in response to the continued depression of the pushbutton and the movable housing is moved from the rest position to the lancet-release position.