Abstract: An apparatus for measuring blood clotting time includes a blood clot detection instrument and a cuvette for use with the blood clot detection instrument. The cuvette includes a blood sample receptor-inlet; a channel arrangement including at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement, a sampling channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, and a waste channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the sampling channel; and a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel. The sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel, coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring blood clotting time includes a blood clot detection instrument and a cuvette for use with the blood clot detection instrument. The cuvette includes a blood sample receptor-inlet; a channel arrangement including at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement, a sampling channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, and a waste channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the sampling channel; and a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel. The sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel, coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring blood clotting time includes a blood clot detection instrument and a cuvette for use with the blood clot detection instrument. The cuvette includes a blood sample receptor-inlet; a channel arrangement including at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement, a sampling channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, and a waste channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the sampling channel; and a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel. The sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel, coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring blood clotting time includes a blood clot detection instrument and a cuvette for use with the blood clot detection instrument. The cuvette includes a blood sample receptor-inlet; a channel arrangement including at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement, a sampling channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, and a waste channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the sampling channel; and a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel. The sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel, coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring blood clotting time includes a blood clot detection instrument and a cuvette for use with the blood clot detection instrument. The cuvette includes a blood sample receptor-inlet; a channel arrangement including at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement, a sampling channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, and a waste channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the sampling channel; and a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel. The sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel, coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring blood clotting time includes a blood clot detection instrument and a cuvette for use with the blood clot detection instrument. The cuvette includes a blood sample receptor-inlet; a channel arrangement including at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement, a sampling channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, and a waste channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the sampling channel; and a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel. The sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel, coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring blood clotting time includes a blood clot detection instrument and a cuvette for use with the blood clot detection instrument. The cuvette includes a blood sample receptor-inlet; a channel arrangement including at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement, a sampling channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, and a waste channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the sampling channel; and a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel. The sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel, coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring blood clotting time includes a blood clot detection instrument and a cuvette for use with the blood clot detection instrument. The cuvette includes a blood sample receptor-inlet; a channel arrangement including at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement, a sampling channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, and a waste channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the sampling channel; and a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel. The sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel, coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for implementing a skin incision has a torsion spring and a method of assembling the apparatus. The apparatus has a housing having a pair of housing sections, each of the housing section having a base and a plurality of walls. The housing defines an inner space and an exterior. A pivot arm is pivotally mounted to a base of a housing section. The pivot arm is guided between a first position and a second position by a follower in a cam carried by the housing. A torsion spring carried by a spring post is coupled to the arm to exert a spring force on the arm in the first position. The housing has an indentation with a raised level and a lower groove on the base for receiving a portion of the spring post. The opening through the base extends from the lower groove. The spring post has a cylindrical base portion adapted to be received by the indentation in the base and a detent portion.

Abstract: A low cost safety lancet device for creating a skin incision. The lancet contains a unitarily formed plastic body, thereby making the lancet device easy to manufacture at a low cost. The lancet device includes a blade beam having a cutting blade disposed at one end for generating an incision in a patient's skin. The blade beam is pivotally coupled within the device, engages a beam keeper arm in a first position and disengages the beam keeper arm in a second position. Upon activation of the device, the blade beam member resiliently deflects in a first direction as the beam keeper arm moves from the first position to the second position thereby causing a buildup of a biasing force in the beam member. When the blade beam disengages the beam keeper arm in the second position, the biasing force built up in the beam member causes the beam member to pivot, thereby accelerating the cutting blade through an aperture in the lancet device to incise the user's skin.

Abstract: An apparatus for implementing a skin incision has an incision blade having at least three facets and at least one sharpened apex. Each of the facets narrows down to one of the apexes. A housing having an exterior surface adapted to be placed flush against the skin and an elongated slot located on the exterior of the surface housing the incision blade. A blade pivoting mechanism located in the housing guides the incision blade through the slot. The blade pivoting mechanism has a first end and second end wherein the first end is pivotally coupled to the housing and the second end supports the incision blade. An actuatable depressing mechanism, located within the housing means, engages and holds the blade pivoting mechanism in a set position, preventing the pivotal movement of the blade pivoting mechanism within the housing.

Abstract: An apparatus for implementing a skin incision has a torsion spring and a method of assembling the apparatus. The apparatus has a housing having a pair of housing sections, each of the housing section having a base and a plurality of walls. The housing defines an inner space and an exterior. A pivot arm is pivotally mounted to a base of a housing section. The pivot arm is guided between a first position and a second position by a follower in a cam carried by the housing. A torsion spring carried by a spring post is coupled to the arm to exert a spring force on the arm in the first position. The housing has an indentation with a raised level and a lower groove on the base for receiving a portion of the spring post. The opening through the base extends from the lower groove. The spring post has a cylindrical base portion adapted to be received by the indentation in the base and a detent portion.

Abstract: A low cost safety lancet device for creating a skin incision. The lancet contains a unitarily formed plastic body, thereby making the lancet device easy to manufacture at a low cost. The lancet device includes a housing having an internal hollow and a blade beam pivotally disposed within the hollow of the housing for generating an incision in a patient's skin. Upon the activation of the device, the blade beam pivots through a predetermined path which causes a blade associated with the blade beam to travel out of an aperture in the housing to incise the patient's skin. The device further includes a trigger for propelling the blade through the path and a cam projection disposed within the housing which cooperates with the trigger to accelerate the trigger through the hollow of the housing thereby causing the blade to accelerate through the aperture of the housing.

Abstract: A low cost lancet device for creating a skin incision. The lancet contains a unistructurally formed plastic body, thereby making the lancet device easy to manufacture at low cost. The plastic body contains a resilient spring loop that attaches an arm element to an opposing base element. The spring loop is curved, therefore the arm element is retained above the base element by the spring loop. A blade is disposed on the arm element. The blade aligns with a slot in the base element so that when the spring loop is compressed, and the arm element is moved toward the base element, the blade extends through the slot in the base element. A protrusion extends from the base element that obstructs the movement of the arm element toward the base element. As a result, when a force is applied to the arm element, the arm element abuts against the protrusion and applies a bias to the protrusion that acts to displace the protrusion.

Abstract: A self-activated blood drop generator device comprising a casing having an internal hollow and blade assembly disposed within the hollow of the casing for generating an incision in a patient's skin. The device includes a fork-shaped triggering mechanism coupled to the blade assembly for propelling the blade assembly through a predetermined path. A cam arrangement associated with the casing causes the cutting portion of the blade assembly to travel through an arcuate scapel-like path as the cutting portion passes through an aperture in the casing. A retractor arrangement associated with the casing, the blade assembly and the triggering mechanism, are provided for retracting the blade assembly into the hollow of the casing. Also provided is accelerator arrangement associated with the casing and the triggering mechanism for accelerating the triggering mechanism through the hollow of the casing thereby causing the blade assembly to accelerate through the predetermined path.

Abstract: An optical fiber cleaving tool is disclosed wherein a housing insertably receives an optical fiber extending from a fiber optic ferrule. A cleaving module is contained in a housing for scoring the fiber. A fiber pulling element grasps the fiber at a location spaced from the second location, and simultaneously axially offsets the fiber and pulls the second location away from the first location to effect severing of the fiber at the scored location.

Abstract: An optical fiber cleaving tool is disclosed wherein a housing insertably receives an optical fiber extending from a fiber optic ferrule. A cleaving module is contained in a housing for scoring the extending fiber. The cleaving module is moveably supported for movement upon insertion of the ferrule to move in response to such insertion. Movement of the cleaving module in the housing provides proper alignment of the fiber prior to cleaving and prevents damage to the optical fiber ferrule.