Abstract: The present invention includes a system for withdrawing body fluids. The system includes a drive unit having a plunger which is moved from a resting position into a lancing position in order to carry out a lancing process and a lancing unit containing a lancet with a needle. The plunger and lancet are coupled together by a form fit in order to carry out a lancing process. The invention additionally concerns a method for temporarily extending a needle from a device for withdrawing body fluid as well as a lancing unit that can be attached to the drive unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lancet system having a lancet tip, a lancet body, and an outer body or housing which surrounds the lancet tip and in which the lancet tip is movable. The outer body or housing comprises deformable material which can be pierced by the lancet tip during a puncture operation to produce an outlet opening. The outlet opening can be widened during the puncture operation by a thickened or widened portion of the lancet body that at least partially protrudes through the opening. Other embodiments of the present invention include a pricking aid and/or lancet system provided as a magazine for holding a plurality of lancets.

Abstract: The invention concerns a test tape device for analyzing a body fluid having a carrier tape (36), a plurality of lancing elements (12) arranged on the carrier tape (36) which are provided with a tip (40) that can puncture a body part and a collecting structure (44) that takes up the body fluid obtained during the puncture, and test fields (14) mounted on the carrier tape (36) each being associated with a lancing element (12) and can have body fluid applied thereto. According to the invention it is proposed that the lancing elements (12) are each movably attached to the carrier tape (36) by a coupling member (38) and that a used lancing element (12) can be brought into contact with a test field (14) by a transfer movement from a usage position distant from a test field (14) into a contact position so that body fluid can be transferred from the collecting structure (44) onto the test field (14).

Abstract: The invention relates to an analysis apparatus with an analysis device for analyzing body fluids, and a magazine for test elements with a fresh supply container and a transfer unit that comprises a transfer element. At least one aperture for receiving a test element is formed in the circumferential surface of the transfer element. A waste container is provided in which used test elements are stored again after use.

Abstract: The present invention includes a system for withdrawing body fluids. The system includes a drive unit having a plunger which is moved from a resting position into a lancing position in order to carry out a lancing process and a lancing unit containing a lancet with a needle. The plunger and lancet are coupled together by a form fit in order to carry out a lancing process. The invention additionally concerns a method for temporarily extending a needle from a device for withdrawing body fluid as well as a lancing unit that can be attached to the drive unit.

Abstract: Method for the injection-molding production of a magazine having a plurality of chambers, separated by partition walls, including an outer wall formed by an outer wall of the magazine. The method uses a casting mold having an outer wall channel corresponding to the outer wall of the magazine, and partition wall channels corresponding to the partition walls, and a gate opening. A plurality of partition wall channels extend from the gate opening to the outer wall channel. The method comprises injecting a plastic compound into the gate opening. The plastic compound flows from the gate point to the partition wall channels into the outer wall channel. The plastic compound streams have a differing flow speed in alternating partition wall channels so a joint line, which is aligned with a partition wall channel, forms on the outer side of the outer wall channel.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a tape magazine especially for a hand-held device for analysing a body fluid with a test tape that can be unwound from a storage unit and wound onto a waste unit where the waste unit can be driven in order to wind forward the test tape. The invention provides that a lock which keeps the test tape under tension is integrated in the tape magazine at least on the storage unit. The present invention also concerns a hand-held device with such a tape magazine. The present invention also concerns a hand-held device with a mechanical drive for the test tape and a disposable hand-held device with polymer-based electronic components.

Abstract: A system comprising disposable medical devices and a packaging strip comprising a plurality of chambers containing the disposable medical devices. The strip is folded along breadthwise running fold lines to form a series of loops, each loop comprising opposing sections. The opposing sections of at least some of these loops are sealed to each other thus forming chambers between said sections. A cartridge contains such a packaging strip.

Abstract: An analytical aid including a base, a lancet and a test element. The lancet includes a lancet point and a distal end of the lancet can be attached to the base. At least the lancet point is located in a recess in the base and the recess can be closed by a cover as long as the analytical aid is in an unused state. The base includes a predetermined breaking point or position, at which the base is broken into two segments when stress is applied. The predetermined breaking point is arranged such that the lancet point is exposed for use when the base breaks at the predetermined breaking point. A test element is attached to the base.

Abstract: A system for determining an analyte in a body fluid includes a magazine comprising two partial magazines, one including chambers containing analysis elements having a sample contact zone and a reagent system containing a reagent, whose reaction with the body fluid results in a change of a variable, and another including chambers containing puncturing elements having a tip having a capillary channel, which forms a fluid connection between the tip and a sample transfer zone of the puncturing element. The system may also include an analysis instrument having a puncturing drive for driving a puncturing element on a movement path, a mounting for receiving the magazine such that one chamber of the magazine at a time is located in a functional position, in which a puncturing element in the chamber can be moved by the puncturing drive, and a measuring and evaluation apparatus for measuring the change of the variable.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments include a test element operable to receive a sample and to provide an indication of an analyte of the sample to a meter. In one form test element comprises a substrate and an optically readable pattern provided on the substrate which encodes information relating to the test element.

Abstract: A supply of lancets for a multi-use lancing device are carried by a tape and sequentially brought from a storage position to an activating position by advancing the tape around a bend. The lancets are non-circular in cross-section along their longitudinal lengths, and in their activating position they extend from the tape such that their sharp tips are available for lancing tissue. The carrying tape can be arranged in reel-to-reel format in a housing having a lancing opening. The lancets can be integral with the tape and activated to move the lancet through the lancing opening by moving the tape along its tape path or by translating a dedicated service loop of the tape. The lancets can also be independent from the tape and activated through the lancing opening by a separate lancing actuator. A test media can be included on the carrying tape and the housing can contain a sensor to yield an integrated lancing and testing device.

Abstract: Analysis system for automatically performing a skin prick analysis by pricking the skin for producing a sample of body liquid and detecting an analyte contained in the sample. The analysis system comprises a magazine with a plurality of compartments each containing a lancing element and an analysis element, and a reusable hand-held instrument having a drive assembly. The drive assembly is adapted for driving at least the following movements by manually generated mechanical force: a coupling movement by which one of the lancing elements is coupled to the drive assembly; a puncturing and sample collection movement of one of the lancing elements contained in the magazine and coupled to the drive assembly; and a remaganizing movement by which the test element is transported back into the compartment of the magazine.

Abstract: An instrument for producing a sample of body fluid for analysis by piercing the skin with a lancing element having a piercing tip is disclosed. The instrument can comprise a housing and a lancing drive for driving a lancing element connected thereto in a puncturing movement. A pressure ring can surround a skin contact opening and can be adapted for pressing against the skin such that the skin can bulge into the skin contact opening for promoting expression of body fluid. The skin contact opening can have a circular opening with a diameter of at least about 3 mm and at most about 8 mm. The instrument can comprise a pressing force control device for controlling the pressing force between the pressure ring and the skin at the time of triggering the puncturing movement, to be at least about 3 N and at most about 8 N.

Abstract: A supply of lancets for a multi-use lancing device are carried by a tape and sequentially brought from a storage position to an activating position by advancing the tape around a bend. The lancets are non-circular in cross-section along their longitudinal lengths, and in their activating position they extend from the tape such that their sharp tips are available for lancing tissue. The carrying tape can be arranged in reel-to-reel format in a housing having a lancing opening. The lancets can be integral with the tape and activated to move the lancet through the lancing opening by moving the tape along its tape path or by translating a dedicated service loop of the tape. The lancets can also be independent from the tape and activated through the lancing opening by a separate lancing actuator. A test media can be included on the carrying tape and the housing can contain a sensor to yield an integrated lancing and testing device.

Abstract: Analysis system for determining an analyte in a body fluid is presented. The system comprises a reusable analysis instrument and a magazine having a plurality of integrated sample acquisition and analyzing elements. Each element comprises a puncturing element and an analyzing element. A coupling unit couples the integrated sample acquisition and analyzing element to a drive. The magazine comprises a housing having a plurality of elongate neighboring chambers separated by two side walls running in a longitudinal. The chambers contain the integrated sample acquisition and analyzing element. The chambers have an exit opening allowing for the at least partial exiting of the puncturing element. The chambers of the magazine are accessible to a coupling element that can be formfitting coupled to the coupling structure of the puncturing element, when the puncturing element is in the chamber of the magazine and the magazine is located in a holder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for removing body fluid with a puncture element that can puncture the skin of a body part. The device includes a housing structure for body fluids obtained from the skin puncture and a puncture drive for a back and forth movement of the puncture element. The duration of withdrawal movement is longer than the duration of the forward movement. The puncture drive is designed to withdraw the puncture element in a first withdrawal phase of the withdrawal movement with a maximum withdrawal speed of more than 0.02 m/s. A second retraction phase follows the first retraction phase. Body fluid is collected during the second retraction phase, which has a duration of between 0.3 and 0.8 seconds and/or a retraction speed of between 0.6 and 2 mm/s.

Abstract: The present invention provides a portable blood sugar measuring device comprising a tape unit for winding a test tape forward in sections, a detection unit for detecting measured values on the sections of tape to which body fluid has been applied, and a housing to hold the tape unit and detection unit. The tape unit and/or the detection unit can be deflected relative to the housing from an operating position against a flexible restoring element when subjected to a shock load. Also disclosed is a novel cover having open and closed positions. The cover is positioned at an opening of the housing through which the receiving site of the tape unit protrudes. The cover thus protects the receiving site from external effects when the cover is in the closed position. Similarly, the receiving site is accessible to apply body fluid thereto when the cover is in the open position.

Abstract: Body fluid sampling device comprising a skin-piercing element having a collection zone for receiving body fluid. In one embodiment, the collection zone includes a plurality of holes, e.g., 3 or more holes, or 50 to 100 holes. The hole size may be small, e.g., having a diameter of 0.01 to 0.5 mm. The holes may or may not extend through the lancet. In some embodiments, the holes have a depth of 50 to 500 ?m. In other embodiments, the collection zone is porous, or is a roughened area. The collection zone can take up a very small volume of body fluid, e.g., 3 to 10 nL, in a very short time period, e.g., less than 0.5 seconds. In other embodiments, the device further comprises a fluid receiving means spaced apart from the collection zone so that body fluid in the collection zone will not contact the fluid receiving means initially.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a container containing reference solution for clinical chemistry, whereby the container includes a closure part-covered outlet at which reference solution can be removed by puncturing with a puncturing element. The disclosure further provides a wick that is soaked with the reference solution and arranged in the container to extend from the outlet and such that a majority of its length extends into an interior space of the container.