HANDHELD MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC DEVICES WITH LANCING SPEED CONTROL

摘要

A method of controlling lancing speed of a lancet structure of a portable handheld medical diagnostic device (10) includes providing an elongated lancet structure (24; 406; 432; 450; 506; 606) having a skin piercing end (90; 408; 434; 462; 508; 608) and a blood transport portion (92; 464; 510; 610) adjacent the skin piercing end (90; 408; 434; 462; 508; 608). The skin piercing end (90; 408; 434; 462; 508; 608) when displaced makes an incision at a skin site to produce an amount of bodily fluid from the skin site and in which the blood transport portion (92; 464; 510; 610) transports the amount of bodily fluid away from the skin site for use by a measurement system (32) in making a physiological measurement. A spring-driven motor assembly (144) is operatively connected to the lancet structure (24; 406; 432; 450; 506; 606). The spring-driven motor assembly (144) displaces the lancet structure (24; 406; 432; 450; 506; 606) toward the skin site to make the incision for producing the amount of bodily fluid and retracts the lancet structure (24; 406; 432; 450; 506; 606) to carry the amount of bodily fluid away from the skin site. A speed control mechanism (36) is engaged with the spring-driven motor assembly (144) as the spring-driven motor assembly(144) retracts the lancet structure (24; 406; 432; 450; 506; 606) thereby decelerating the lancet structure (24; 406; 432; 450; 506; 606) as the lancet structure (24; 406; 432; 450; 506; 606) is retracted away from the skin site.