Vacuum Blood Sampling Receptacle for Painless Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for obtaining blood samples without venous puncture, such as using lancets and capillary tubes, are painful, inconvenient, and inadequate for genetic testing, as they often fail to collect sufficient quantities of blood for analysis and do not facilitate storage or shipment for laboratory testing.
Innovation Solution
A blood sampling system that uses a receptacle with a vacuum device to draw skin inward before a lancet punctures it, enhancing blood flow and allowing for the collection and storage of at least 0.5 mL of blood, which includes a modular design with a lancet device and vacuum system for remote collection and stabilization of blood samples.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional cutaneous blood collection methods (lancets) are used, then the procedure is simple and quick, but the quantity of blood obtained is inadequate for genetic testing
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct modular components: a receptacle for blood collection, a lancet device for skin puncture, and a vacuum device for creating negative pressure. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while enabling the overall system to collect sufficient blood volume through coordinated operation of multiple specialized parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a vacuum device that creates negative pressure within the receptacle to draw blood from the punctured skin. This pneumatic mechanism significantly enhances blood flow and collection volume compared to passive capillary action alone, enabling collection of at least 0.5 mL of blood required for genetic testing.
2Reliability
If saliva or buccal samples are used as alternatives to blood, then venous puncture is avoided, but the failure rate of genetic tests increases due to insufficient analyte quality and quantity
Solution Approach 1:
The device enables patients to perform blood collection at home without requiring venous puncture by a healthcare professional. The self-contained system with integrated lancet and vacuum mechanisms allows users to independently obtain sufficient blood samples for genetic testing, eliminating the need for clinical venipuncture while maintaining sample quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of blood collection by using negative pressure (vacuum) instead of relying solely on capillary action or manual squeezing. This parameter change enables collection of adequate blood volume and quality from cutaneous puncture sites, providing reliable samples for genetic testing without venous access.
3Quantity of substance
If larger quantities of blood are collected for genetic testing, then sufficient analytes are obtained, but pain and discomfort to the patient increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum device creates negative pressure within the receptacle before the lancet punctures the skin. This preliminary action prepares the collection environment, and the negative pressure continues to draw blood passively during and after puncture, reducing the need for manual squeezing and minimizing mechanical trauma and pain to the patient.
Solution Approach 2:
By using pneumatic pressure differential (vacuum) to drive blood flow into the receptacle, the system eliminates or reduces the need for painful manual manipulation of the puncture site. The negative pressure gently draws blood away from the wound, reducing tissue trauma and patient discomfort while collecting sufficient volume for genetic testing.
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
Enables efficient and pain-reduced collection of sufficient blood quantities for genetic testing, allowing for remote sampling and stabilization, facilitating storage and shipment for laboratory analysis.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum device configured to reduce a pressure within the receptacle. The vacuum device is configured such that the skin in response to the reduced pressure in the receptacle at the blood draw location is drawn inward into the receptacle before the lancet device punctures the skin. The reduced pressure provided by the vacuum device may further enhance blood flow while blood is drawn from the user.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to a system and method for drawing blood from a user by skin puncture instead of venous puncture and storing it for analysis. The system includes a receptacle configured to engage an area of skin of the user at a blood draw location and store blood drawn from the user; a lancet device disposed within the receptacle configured to puncture the skin of the user at the blood draw location; a vacuum device configured to reduce a pressure within the receptacle such that the skin at the blood draw location is drawn into the receptacle before the lancet device punctures the skin, and to enhance blood flow while blood is drawn from the user; and a housing configured to house the receptacle, the lancet device, and the vacuum device. The receptacle, the lancet device, and the vacuum device may be modular and removably coupled with the housing.