Gregory A Field

US Patent:

55273335, Jun 18, 1996

Filed:

Sep 9, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/303811

Inventors:

Ben H. Nikkels - Pitman NJ
John M. Hegarty - Reading MA
Gregory T. Field - Winthrop MA
Steven Rosone - Burlington MA

Assignee:

Graphic Controls Corporation - Buffalo NY

International Classification:

A61B 1000

US Classification:

606182

Abstract:

A disposable blood sampling device for slicing a precise incision of predetermined length and depth in the skin of a patient. The device includes a hollow housing having a top surface with an opening, a front surface, a rear surface, and a bottom surface with an elongated slot adapted to contact the skin of the patient. A trigger is slidably disposed in the opening in the top surface of the housing. A single spring, only, is mounted in the housing in a relaxed, unstressed, and unbiased condition when the device is not actuated. The spring is extended by the trigger when the device is actuated. A cutting blade is coupled to one end of the spring and extends through the elongated slot in the bottom surface of the housing to incise the skin of the patient when the device is actuated. Finally, the device includes a plurality of discrete constraint and restraint elements, positioned in the housing, which collectively form an open guide surface directing the spring, and the blade coupled to the spring, along a predetermined incision path.