Blood lancet with hygienic tip protection

Abstract

The invention concerns lancets with a lancet needle, the tip of the lancet needle being embedded in an elastic material. Furthermore the invention concerns lancets where the tip of the lancet needle is surrounded by a hollow body which partially consists of an elastic material that can be pierced by the tip of the lancet needle during the lancing process and which reseals the tip of the lancet needle in the hollow body when it is retracted. In addition the invention concerns a lancet magazine in which the lancets are accommodated in individual chambers, each chamber having an opening through which the tip of the lancet needle can pass, which is sealed by an elastic material. Finally the invention concerns the use of an elastic material as a component of a lancet or a lancet magazine to maintain the sterility of at least the tip of a lancet needle in the unused state and to hygienically protect at least the tip of a lancet needle in the used state.

1 . Lancet containing 
 a lancet needle with a tip and    a lancet body which completely surrounds at least the tip region of the lancet needle,    characterized in that the lancet body of the lancet is composed of an elastic material at least in the tip region of the lancet needle in which the tip of the lancet needle is embedded.    
     
     
         2 . Lancet containing 
 a lancet needle with a tip and    a hollow body which surrounds at least the tip of the lancet needle,    characterized in that the tip region of the lancet needle can move in the hollow body and the hollow body at least partially consists of an elastic material which can be pierced by the tip of the lancet needle during the lancing process and which optionally reseals the tip of the lancet needle in the hollow body when it is retracted.    
     
     
         3 . Lancet as claimed in one of the claims  1  or  2 , characterized in that the elastic material is a thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         4 . Lancet as claimed in one of the  claims 1  to  3 , characterized in that the elastic material is stabilized by a stiff material.  
     
     
         5 . Set of lancets containing at least two lancets as claimed in one of the  claims 1  to  4  which are connected together.  
     
     
         6 . Set of lancets as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that the lancets are joined together by the elastic material.  
     
     
         7 . Lancet magazine containing at least two lancets each comprising a lancet needle with a tip which are each accommodated in individual chambers of the lancet magazine that are independent of one another, each chamber having at least one opening through which the tip of the lancet needle can pass, characterized in that the said opening of the chamber is sealed by an elastic material in such a manner that the elastic material can be pierced by the tip of the lancet needle during the lancing process and reseals after the tip of the lancet needle has been retracted into the chamber.  
     
     
         8 . Lancet magazine as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that the elastic material is a thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         9 . Use of an elastic material as a component of a lancet or of a lancet magazine to maintain the sterility of at least the tip of a lancet needle in the unused state.  
     
     
         10 . Use as claimed in  claim 9 , where the elastic material is additionally used to hygienically shield at least the tip of a lancet needle in the used state.  
     
     
         11 . Use as claimed in  claim 9  or  10 , characterized in that the elastic material is a thermoplastic elastomer.