Puncturing device

[0002] The object of the present invention is a puncturing device in particular for puncturing skin of a patient in order to take a blood sample for diagnostic purpose.

[0003] A device for puncturing comprising a sleeve and a pushbutton placed on the one end of the sleeve, is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,420. The second end of the sleeve terminates with a bottom comprising an opening. Inside the sleeve there is a slidably mounted piston, witch at the end closer to the pushbutton is terminated with a pusher, and at end closer to the bottom of the sleeve is terminated with puncturing tip. Inside the sleeve between the end face of the pushbutton and the piston there is placed a driving spring, and between the piston and the bottom of the sleeve there is place a return spring. The piston on the outer circumference has wings resting on inner projection of the sleeve. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,011 discloses a device for puncturing skin of a patient comprising a housing in a form of a sleeve with a closed bottom, which, at the other end, is narrowing and has a small opening. Inside the housing there is a slidably mounted rod, which at the one end is terminated with a slider placed inside the opening of the housing. At the other end rod comprises an elastic arm terminated with a holding tooth, which is resting on the edge of the gap in the housing. Between the rod and the bottom a spring is placed and at the other end of a slider a puncturing insert is mounted.

[0004] The European patent specification no 0 694 286 describes a device actuating the lancet for puncturing skin of a patient, with a mechanism for pushing out and drawing in a lancet blade. The device comprises a housing with a gap for pushing out a lancet blade. Mechanism actuating comprises a driving spring placed inside the housing, which after being released is pushing out a lancet blade of the gap of the housing, said lancet blade punctures patient's skin and then draws back into the housing.

[0005] Japanese patent specification no 61-36607 describes a device for puncturing of the skin, comprising a driving-triggering tubular unit and an attached magazine with a spring, for inserts terminated with a puncturing tip.

[0006] The nature of the puncturing device according to the invention is that the device comprises a puncturing unit with exchangeable puncturing insert, driving unit, connected with puncturing unit, comprising a ram placed inside the body of driving unit, and at the ram between its one end pointing towards puncturing insert, and a body, a driving spring is placed, and the second end of the ram is sustained in the body, and on the driving unit a triggering unit is placed, comprising a button which an inner projection pointing towards the second end of a ram.

[0007] Preferably the puncturing unit comprises a housing, with an opening placed at the bottom of said housing and the first return spring situated inside of the said housing.

[0008] Preferably exchangeable puncturing insert is placed inside of the housing of puncturing unit. Preferably body of the driving unit comprises inner narrowing in which a ram is placed, moreover said narrowing is a base for a driving spring.

[0009] Preferably the body of the driving unit comprises a seating in which the second end of the ram is placed.

[0010] Preferably a triggering unit comprises the second return spring placed between the upper edge of the driving unit and the bottom of the button.

[0011] The object of the present invention is presented based on a exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates the longitudinal section of the puncturing device;

[0013] FIG. 2 shows the view of the puncturing device;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the driving unit after releasing the ram.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, puncturing device comprises a driving unit 1, puncturing unit 2 and triggering unit 3. The puncturing unit 2 includes housing 4, at the bottom of which an opening 5 is placed, inside said housing 4 the first return spring 6 is placed. In the housing 4 of the puncturing unit 2 also an exchangeable puncturing insert 7 with a puncturing needle 8 pointing towards the opening 5 in the bottom of the housing 4 is placed. The driving unit 1, connected with puncturing unit 2, includes the body 9 with inner narrowing 10, which at the one end is open, and at the second end is closed with directing cap 11. In the inner narrowing 10 of the body 9 a ram 12 is placed. At the ram 12 between its one end 13 pointing towards the puncturing insert 7, and the inner narrowing 10, a driving spring 14 is placed. The body 9 includes a seat 15 with the edge 16 supporting the second end 17 of the ram 12. The triggering unit 3 is placed on the driving unit 1 and includes a button 18 with the inner projection 19 pointing towards the second end 17 of the ram 12, and the second return spring 20 is placed between upper edge of the driving unit 1 and the bottom of the button 18.

[0016] In order to make a puncture, the puncturing insert 7 is put into the housing 4 of the puncturing unit 2, and then the such prepared puncturing unit 2 is connected with the driving unit 1. After placing a finger to be punctured near opening 5 of the housing 4, the button 18 of the triggering unit 3 is pressed, and an inner projection 19 of the button 18 moving down releases ram 12 of the driving unit 1 by pushing down its second end 17. It results with releasing of the driving spring 14 and the ram with its first end hits the puncturing insert 7. The puncturing needle 8 puncture patient's skin through the opening 5 of the housing 4, then first return spring 6 draws the puncturing insert 7 back into the housing 4 of the puncturing unit 2. After puncturing, the puncturing unit 2 is disconnected from the driving unit 1 and the used puncturing insert 7 is thrown away.

[0017] The driving unit after puncturing is in a state shown in FIG. 3. To prepare said driving unit 1 to work, the first end 13 of ram 12 has to be placed against surface 21 and then the driving unit 1 has to be pushed towards said surface. In this way the second end 17 of the ram 12 slides in a directing cap 11 and takes a stable position in a seat 15 of the body 9 resting at the edge 16, and the driving spring 14 is load. After placing next the puncturing insert 7 into the housing 4 of the puncturing unit 2, and placing said puncturing unit 2 onto the driving unit 1, the puncturing device is ready to use.

[0018] In a practical embodiment the puncturing device according to the invention may be provided with several marked puncturing units, which geometrical dimensions determine the depth of the puncture.