The present invention relates generally to a lancet device for lancing a human fingertip to obtain a small amount of blood for diagnostic purposes, and relates more specifically to a novel lancet device which is held like a writing instrument while being used to lance a fingertip.
In many situations, it is desirable to obtain a small amount of human blood for diagnostic purposes. For example, a person who is diabetic may want to obtain a small amount of his or her blood in order to test the blood-sugar level thereof and determine whether an insulin shot should be administered.
Presently, lancet devices are available for a person to use to lance a fingertip. Typically, these devices have a "firing" end from which a lancing needle extends through a hole when the device is "fired." While these devices are generally effective, the devices which are presently available present many disadvantages. For example, many of the devices are bulky and difficult to hold. Moreover, many of the devices have a "trigger", or actuator button, relatively far from the firing end. As a result, it is difficult for a user to maintain the firing end of the device against the fingertip while firing the device. Additionally, many of the presently available devices provide that the lancing needle extends from the firing end as the device is being "cocked", or prepared for firing, and fail to provide that the lancing needle can be quickly and easily removed and disposed of after the device is fired. Consequently, one may get accidentally stuck by the lancing needle while removing the lancing needle from the device. While this accidental sticking may not be especially detrimental in a situation such as when a person who is diabetic is personally using the lancet device at home to lance him or herself, this accidental sticking by the lancing needle may be extremely undesirable in some situations such as when a nurse is using the lancet device on a patient who has AIDS.
While some of the devices presently available provide that the lancing needle can be ejected without having to touch the lancing needle, these devices require that one remove a tip platform before ejecting the lancing needle. However, the tip platform may also have blood thereon because the tip platform is placed against the fingertip immediately before the device is fired, and when the device is fired, the lancing needle extends through and retracts back into a hole in the tip platform. Because the tip platform may have blood thereon, it is desirable to avoid having to touch the tip platform in order to eject the lancing needle.
Other disadvantages presented by the lancet devices that are presently available include requiring a great amount of force from the user in order to cock the device, fire the device, or eject the lancing needle from the device.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a novel lancet device structured in accordance with the present invention. The present invention is directed to eliminated the problems discussed hereinabove.